Beowulf Translation by Seamus Heaney So. The Spear-Danes in the past And the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness. We have heard of the heroic campaigns of these princes. There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes, A destroyer of mead banks, rampant among enemies. This terror of the troops in the hall had come from afar. A foundling to begin with, he would flourish later as his powers increased and his worth was proven. In the end, every clan on the outer coasts Beyond the Whale Route had to give in to him 10 And start paying homage to him. He was a good king. Then a boy was born in Shield, A little one in the yard, a comfort sent By God to this nation. He knew what they had overcome, the long stretches and troubles they would have gone through without a leader; so the Lord of Life, The glorious Almighty made this man famous. Shield had fathered a famous son: Beows name was known in the north. And a young prince must be careful like that, 20 Give freely while his father lives While after age, when the fighting begins Steadfast companions will stand by his side And hold the line. Admired behavior Is the path to power among people all over the world. Shield was still in full swing when his time came and he came into the care of the Lord. s group of warriors did what he told them When he made the law among the Danes: They supported him on the waves of the sea, 30 The ruler they worshiped and who ruled them for a long time. A bow with rings twirled in the harbor, Frozen, outgoing, a profession for a prince. They have laid down their beloved lord in his boat, Arranged by the mast, amidships, The great donor of rings. Wacky treasures were piled on top of him, along with precious materials. I have never heard of a ship so well equipped with combat equipment, bladed weapons And courier coats. The collected treasure Was loaded above him: he would travel far in the sway of the ocean. They decorated her body no less abundantly With offerings that these firsts made Who threw him away when he was a child And launched it alone on the waves. And they set a gold standard Over his head and let him drift To the wind and the tide, the weeping And mourning their loss. No man can tell No wise man in the room or weathered veteran 40 50 Knows for sure who picked up this charge. Then it was up to Beow to guard the forts. He was well regarded and ruled the Danes For a long time after his father took his leave Of his life on earth. And then his heir, The great Halfdane, reigned As long as he lived, their eldest and warlord. He was four times a father, this fighting prince: One by one they entered the world, 60 Heorogar, Hrothgar, the good Halga And a girl, I heard, who was Onelas queen, A balm in bed for the Swede marked by the battle. The fortunes of the war favored Hrothgar. Friends and relatives flocked to its ranks, Young Followers, a force that grew To be a powerful army. So his mind turned to building halls: he gave orders For the men to work on a large mead room Designed to be a wonder of the world forever; 70 This would be his throne room and there he would distribute the goods that God gave him to young and old But not the common land or peoples lives. All over the world I have heard Work orders to adorn this wall stand Have been sent to many peoples. And soon he stood there, finished and ready, in full view, The hall of the rooms. Heorot was the name He had stopped there, the wording of which was law. He also did not deny, but gave out 80 rings And couples at the table. The room dominated, Its wide and high gables and waiting A barbaric burn. This fate persisted, But in time it would come: the instinct of the killer Unleashed among the in-laws, the thirst for blood is rife. Then a mighty demon, a prowler in the dark, harbored a harsh grievance. It tore him apart To hear the din of the loud banquet Every day in the hall the harp is struck And the clear song of a talented poet 90 Telling with mastery the beginnings of man, How the Almighty made the earth A sparkling plain surrounded by water; In his splendor he put the sun and the moon Be the lamp of the earth, lanterns for men, And filled the wide knees of the world With branches and leaves; and quickened life in everything else that moved. The times were so good for the people there Until finally one, a demon out of hell, 100 begins to work his evil in the world. Grendel was the name of this sinister demon Haunting the steps, marauding around the moor And desolate swamps; he had lived for a while In misery among banished monsters, The clan of Cain, which the creator had banned And condemned as an outcast. For the murder of Abel The Eternal Lord demanded a price: Cain had nothing good to commit this murder Because the Almighty cursed him 110 And the curse of his exile Ogres and elves and evil ghosts And the giants too who fought with God Over and over again until he gives them their final reward. So after dark Grendel left For the high house, to see how the Ring-Danes settled there after their drink, And there he came upon them, a company of the best asleep at their party, insensitive to pain And human pain. Suddenly, then 120 The brute cursed by God was wreaking havoc: Greedy and sinister, he caught thirty men From their resting places and rushed to his lair, Flushed and inflamed by the raid, Awkward return with the slaughtered corpses. Then, as the dawn cleared and the day broke, Grendels destructive powers were clear: their wassail was over, they wept in heaven. And cried in the morning. Their mighty prince, The legendary leader, seated struck and helpless, 130 Humiliated by the loss of his guard, Baffled and stunned, looking in dismay And the trail of the demon, in deep distress. He was numb with grief, but had no respite For a night later, the ruthless Grendel Struck again by more gruesome murders. Clever by nature, he never showed remorse. It was easy then to meet a man Move to a safer distance To lie down in both, because who could be blind To the evidence of their eyes, to the evidence Of this spectators hatred? Whoever escaped kept a weather eye open and walked away. So Grendel reigned in defiance of the law, One against all, up to the biggest house In the world stood empty, a deserted wall. For twelve winters, seasons of misfortune, The lord of shields suffered under s burden of grief; and so, before long, The news was known around the world. 140 150 Sad lays were sung over the assailed king, Grendels vicious raids, s long and relentless quarrel, Nothing but war; how he would never do it Talk or make peace with any Dane Neither stop his death nor pay the price of death. No counselor could ever expect Just reparation for those enraged hands. All were in danger; young and old Have been chased by this dark shadow of death 160 That hid and plunged into the long nights On the misty moors; nobody knows Where these hell-reapers roam in their races. So Grendel waged his lonely war, inflicting constant cruelties on the people, excruciating wound. He took over Heorot, haunted the glittering room after dark, But the throne itself, the seat of the treasure, He was prevented from approaching ;; he was the outcast of the Lord. It was hard, heartbreaking times 170 For the prince of shields; powerful advisers, the highest in the land, would give advice, Track the best of bold defenders Could resist and repel sudden attacks. Sometimes in pagan shrines they swore Offering to idols, sworn May the Soul Slayer come to their aid And save the people. It was their way, Their pagan hope; deep in their hearts They remembered hell. The Almighty Judge 180 of good and bad deeds, the Lord God, Ruler of the heavens and high king of the world, was unknown to them. Oh, damn is he Who, in times of distress, had to push his soul into the embrace of the fire, renouncing help; He has nowhere to turn. But blessed is he who after death can draw near to the Lord And find friendship in the embrace of the Father. So this troubled time continued, woe It never ceased, a constant affliction 190 For Halfdanes son, too hard a test. There was panic after dark, people endured Raids in the night, torn by terror. When he heard of Grendel, the thane of Hygelac Was in the field at home in Geatland. There was no one else like him alive. In his day he was the mightiest man on earth, gh-born and powerful. He ordered a boat It would bend the waves. He announced his plan: To travel the swan routes and search for this king, 200 The famous prince who needed defenders. No one tried to stop him from leaving, No elder refused it, as dear as it was to them. Instead, they inspected the Omens and spurred his ambition to go, as he moved like the leader he was, enlisting men, The best he can find; with fourteen others The warrior boarded the ship as captain, A wise pilot along the coast and the currents. Time passed, the boat was on the water, 210 Closer under the cliffs. The men eagerly climbed the catwalk, Sand churned in the waves, shiny war material In the hold of the ship, then lifted, Far from the will in their wood-crowned vessel. On the waves, with the wind behind her And foam on her neck she flew like a bird Until her curved bow has covered the distance And the next day, at the appointed time, 220 these seafarers saw land, Sunny cliffs, steep cliffs And the impending headlands, the destination they were looking for. It was the end of their trip and the Geats jumped On the side, on the sand, And moored their boat. There was a mail shock And a beat of speed. They thanked God For this easy crossing on calm seas. When the Guardian on the Wall, the Watchtower of the Shieldings whose job it was to guard the cliffs, 230 Saw shields twinkled on the catwalk And combat equipment being unloaded He had to find out who and what The arrivals were. So he came up to the shore, That horseman of Hrothgar, and challenged them In formal terms, flourish his spear: What kind of men are you who arrive Rigged for combat in chain mail, Sail here on the sea lanes In your stiff-hulled boat? I have been in post for a long time as a lookout on this coast. My job is to watch the waves for the raiders, And danger for the Danish shore. Never before has a force under arms landed so openly without bothering to ask if the sentries allowed them to pass safely. Or the clan had consented. I have not seen either A mightier man-at-arms on this earth Let whoever stands here: Unless Im mistaken, Hes really noble. Its not simple 240 250 Hang on to a heros armor. So now before I go inland As inter-operators, I must be informed About who you are and where you are from. Strangers from across the water I repeat: the sooner you say it Where you come from and why, the better. The leader of the troop opened his treasury of words; The distinguished delivered this answer: We belong by birth to the Geat 260 people and owe allegiance to Lord Hygelac. In my day my father was a famous man, A noble warrior named Ecgtheow. He survived many long winters And continued on his way. In the whole world The sages of the council continue to remember him. We come in good faith to find your lord And the nations shield, the son of Halfdane. Give us the right to advise and guide you. We came here for a great run 270 To the Lord of the Danes, and so I believe There should be nothing hidden or withheld between us. So tell us if what we heard is true About this threat, whatever it is, This danger abroad in the dark nights, This corpse sowing death In the land of the Shieldings. I come to offer My unreserved help and advice. I can show sage Hrothgar a way To defeat your enemy and find a respite 280 If a respite has to come, never. I can calm the agitation and terror in his mind. If not, he must endure misfortunes And live with the sorrow as long as his room Stands on the horizon, on its heights. Steadfast, seated astride his horse, The Coast Guard responded: Whoever has courage And a sharp mind will take the measure Of two things: what is said and what is done. I believe what you told me: that you are a troop 290 Faithful to our king. So come on ahead With your arms and your gear, and Ill guide you. In addition, I will order my own comrades On their word of honor to watch your boat Out there on the strand keep her safe In its fresh tar, until the time comes For her curved bow smoothing over the waves And bring this hero back to Geatland. That someone is so brave and adventurous Come safe and sound through the shock of battle. 300 So they continued on their way. The boat rode the water, Striped wide, bound by his hawser And anchored quickly. Wild boar shapes were flashing Above their cheeks, the Goldsmith work, watching over These men with stern faces. They walked by step, I hurry to the half-timbered room Rose in front of them, radiant with gold. No one on earth knew another Build like this. Majesty lodged there, 310 And its light shone on many countries. So their gallant escort guided them To this dazzling and indicated fortress The shortest way to get there; then the noble warrior Rode on his horse and said these words: Its time for me to go. May the Almighty Father keep you and in his kindness Watch your achievements. I am far from the sea, back on alert against enemy looters. It was a paved track, a path that kept them running. Their mail shirts shone, Hard and tied in the hand; shiny iron From their armor rang. So they arrived well In their dark war graith and their equipment in the room, And, weary of the sea, piled up with large shields The hardest hardwood against the wall, Then collapsed on the benches; combat dress And the guns clashed. They picked up their spears In a sailors stook, a grayish stand Tapered ash. And the troops themselves were as good as their weapons. Then a proud warrior asked the men about their origins: Where are you from, wearing these decorated badges and mail shirts, Those hinged helmets and javelins? I am Hrothgars herald and officer. I have never seen one so impressive or tall An assembly of strangers. Stoutness of heart, Bravery, not banishment, must have brought you to Hrothgar. The man whose name was known for his courage, 340 The leader of the Great, resolute in his helmet, Answered in return: We are deductions From the Hygelac group. Beowulf is my name. If your lord and master, the most renowned Son of Halfdane, will listen to me And kindly allow me to greet him in person, Im ready and willing to report my run. Replied Wulfgar, a Wendel leader. Renowned as a warrior, well known for his wisdom And the temperament of his mind: I will carry this message, 350 In accordance with your wish, to our noble king, Our dear lord, friend of the Danes, The Ring Giver. I will go ask him About your coming here, so hurry to come back Whatever answer he likes to give. With that, he turned to where Hrothgar was sitting, an old man among the servants; The valiant disciple stood four squares In front of his king: he knew the courtesies. Wulfgar addressed his dear lord: 360 The people of Geatland have landed. They sailed far above the great sea. They call the chief in charge of their gang By the name of Beowulf. They implore, my lord, an audience with you, exchange of words and formal greeting. Most gracious Hrothgar, Dont refuse them, but give them an answer. From their weapons and rendezvous, they seem well born And worthy of respect, especially the one Who brought them this far: hes really great. 370 Hrothgar, Protector of Shieldings, replied: I knew him when I was a young boy. s father before him was called Ecgtheow. Hrethel the Great gave to Ecgtheow s daughter in marriage. This man is their son, Here to follow an old friendship. A crew of sailors who sailed for me once With a cargo of gifts in Geatland Back with some wonderful stories about him: A thane, they said, with a force of thirty 380 In the grip of each hand. Now holy god Has, in s goodness, guided him here To the West Danes, to defend ourselves from Grendel. This is my hope; and for his heroism I will reward him with a rich treasure. Go immediately, tell him and the Geats He has assistance to assemble and enter. Say, by the way, when you talk to them, They are welcome in Denmark. At the hall door, Wulfgar duly delivered the message: 390 My lord, the victorious king of the Danes, Offer to tell you that he k
nows your ancestry; Also that he welcomes you here in Heorot And welcome your arrival on the other side of the sea. You are now free to move on To meet Hrothgar, with helmets and armor, But the shields must stay here and the spears stacked until the audiences outcome is clear. The hero stood up, surrounded closely By his mighty thanes. A group remained 400 under the order to watch the weapons; The rest proceeded, led by their prince Under the roof of Heorot. And standing on the hearth In webbed ties that the blacksmith had woven, The fine forged mesh of her sparkling mesh shirt, Resolute in his helmet, Beowulf spoke: Greetings to Hrothgar. I am the parent of Hygelac, One of his hall-troop. When I was younger, I have had great triumphs. Then news from Grendel, Hard to ignore, reached me at home: 410 sailors have reported stories of your fate In this legendary room, how deserted it is, Empty and useless once the evening light des under the dome of the sky. So every elder and every experienced counselor Among my people supported my resolution To come here to you, King Hrothgar, Because everyone knew my tremendous strength. They had seen me swollen in the blood of enemies When I fought and bound five beasts 420 attacked a nest of trolls and in the night sea Brutal sea slaughtered. I suffered extremes and avenged the Geats (their enemies brought it upon themselves, I devastated them). Now I wanna be a match for Grendel, Settle the result in one fight. And so, my request, O king of the brilliant Danes, Dear Prince of Shieldings, friend of the people And their ring of defense, my only request Wont you deny me, who have come this far, 430 The privilege of purifying Heorot, With my own men to help me, and no one else. I also heard that the monster despises In his reckless way of using weapons; Therefore, to enhance the reputation of Hygelac And rejoice her heart, I hereby renounce The sword and the shelter of the large shield, The Heavy War Board: Melee This is how it will be, a life and a death Fight with the demon. Whatever death falls 440 Must consider it a righteous judgment of God. If Grendel wins, it will be a horrible day; He will stuff himself with Geats in the war room, Swoop fearlessly on that flower of manhood As on others before. So my face wont be there anymore To be covered with death; he will take me As he goes to the ground, gorged and bloody; Hell run jubilant with my raw corpse And feed on it alone, in a cruel frenzy, Fouling his moor nest. No need then To wail for a long time or stretch out my body: If the battle takes me, send it back This chest strap that Weland fashioned And Hrethel gave to me, in Hygelac. Fate always goes as fate should. Hrothgar, the Helmet of the Shieldings, spoke: Beowulf, my friend, you have traveled here. To favor us with help and to fight for us. There was a quarrel once, started by your father. With his own hands he had killed Heatholaf, 450 460 Who was a Wulfing; so war was imminent And his people, out of fear, forced him to leave. He then set off again on rolling waves To the Southern Danes here, the sons of honor. I was then in the full regime of royalty, establishing my domination over all the rich fortresses of this heroic land. Heorogar, My older brother and the best man, Also a son of Halfdane, had died. Finally, I cured the quarrel by paying: 470 I sent a treasure to the Wulfings And Ecgtheow recognized me by pledges of allegiance. It bothers me to have to charge anyone With all the grief that Grendel caused And the havoc he wreaked on us in Heorot, Our humiliations. My house keeper Are on the decline, fate takes them away In Grendels clutches but God can easily Stop these raids and heartbreaking attacks! Time and time again, when the cups went up to 480 and seasoned fighters got rinsed with beer They would undertake to protect Heorot and await Grendel with sharp swords. But when the dawn has risen and the day has crept in On every empty bench splashed with blood, The mead floor where they feasted would be frozen with massacre. And so they died, faithful servants, and my following diminished. Now take your place at the table, enjoy The triumph of the heroes at your leisure. 490 Then a bench was cleared in this banquet hall so that the Geats could have room to be together. And the party was seated, proud of its looks, strong and loyal. An attendant stood beside it with a decorated pitcher, pouring out shiny portions of mead. And the minstrel sang, Filling Heorot with his clear voice, rejoicing this great gathering of Danes and Geats. From where he crouched at the feet of the king, Unferth, a son of Ecglaf, spoke Contrary words. Beowulf is coming, s bravery at sea, made him sick with envy: he could neither bear nor endure the fact 500 That someone else living under the sky Could benefit from greater consideration than him: Are you the Beowulf who faced Breca In a swimming match in the open sea, Risk the water just to prove you can win? It was pure vanity that got you out On the main depth. And no matter who tried, Friend or foe, to turn the couple away from you, Neither would back down: you were obsessed with the sea test. You waded, kissing the water, Take your measure, control the currents, 510 Ride on the swell. The ocean was swaying, Winter raged in the waves, but you competed For seven nights; and then he beat you, The strongest competitor came ashore. He was thrown safe and sound one morning Among the Heathoreams, then made its way 520 To where it belonged in the Bronding country, Back home, sure of his ground In the strong room and bawn. So Breca did good s bragging about you and turned out to be right. It doesnt matter, therefore, how you got by In every fight and battle so far This time you will be roughed up ;; no one has ever survived an entire night against Grendel. Beowulf, the son of Ecgtheow, replied: Well, friend Unferth, you had your say 530 about Breca and me. But it was mostly beer It made people talk. The truth is this: When the race was heavy in those high waves, I was the strongest swimmer of them all. We were children together and we grew up daring to surpass ourselves, Bragging and pushing each other to take risks Our lives on the sea. And so it turned out. Each of us swam with a sword, A bare and resistant blade for protection 540 Against whale-whales. But Breca could never Get away or faster from me That I might be able to get away from him. Shoulder to shoulder we struggled For five nights, until the long stream And the height of the waves, the cold that perishes, Night falling and the north winds Separated us. The depth was bubbling And his complacency made the sea bullies wild. My armor held me tight; 550 My chain mail with hard rings, hand forged and tied, A fine gold filigree and well fitted, Kept me safe when an ocean creature Pulled me down. Fast sprocket And wrapped in his grip, I got one Last chance: my sword dived And the ordeal was over. By my own hands The fury of battle had finished off the sea beast. Over and over again, foul things have attacked me, d and tracked down, but I blasted, 560 Gave as good as I had with my sword. My flesh was not for feasting, There would be no monsters gnawing and jubilant During their banquet at the bottom of the sea. Instead, in the morning, mutilated and asleep The sleep of the sword, they slipped and floated Like discharges from the ocean. From now on Sailors would be the safe, high seas raids It was over for good. The light came from the east, Brilliant guarantee of God, and the waves 570 have gone quiet; I could see the headlands And rocky cliffs. Often, for unwavering courage, Fate spares the man he has not yet marked. Anyway, my sword had killed Nine sea monsters. Such nocturnal dangers And the hardships that I never heard of Nor of a man so sorry in the crashing waves. But exhausted as I was, I survived I have been through my life. The ocean has risen And put me down, I landed safely 580 On the coast of Finland. Now i dont remember any fight you have engaged in, Unferth, It deserves a comparison. Im not bragging when I say that neither you nor Breca have ever been highly celebrated for their mastery of the sword. Or to face danger on the battlefield. You killed your own friends and relatives, So for all your wits and quick tongue, You will suffer damnation in the pits of hell. The fact that he, Unferth, if you were really 590 As sharp or brave as you claim to be Grendel could never have gotten away with it Such uncontrolled atrocity, attacks on your king, Devastation in Heorot and horrors everywhere. But he knows he never needs to be scared Of your blade making a sizzle of its blood Or revenge ever coming from this neighborhood Victory-Shieldings, the shoulders of the spear. He knows he can trample you Danes To his hearts content, humiliate and murder 600 Without fear of reprisals. But he will find me different. Ill show him how Geats train to kill In the heat of battle. So whoever wants May courageously go to the morning mead, when the morning light, sun scarf, shine from the south And bring another sunrise to the world. So the gray-haired treasure-giver was happy; Very famous in combat, the prince of the Bright-Danes And the guardian of his people counted on Beowulf, On the firmness of the warrior and his word. 610 So the laughter started, the din got louder And the crowd was happy. Wealhtheow entered, the Queen of Hrothgar, observing the courtesies. Adorned with her gold, she graciously greeted The men in the hall then handed the cup over First to Hrothgar, the guardian of their homeland, urging him to drink deeply and enjoy it, Because he was dear to them. And he drank it like the warlord he was, with festive glee. The housekeeper therefore continued her rounds, 620 Queenly and dignified, adorned with rings, Offering the goblet to all ranks, Treat the household and the assembled troop Until it was Beowulfs turn to take it from his hand. With measured words she greeted the Geat And thanked God for making his wish come true That a delivery man she could believe would arrive To relieve their afflictions. He accepted the cup, An intimidating, dangerous man in action And still impatient. He addressed Wealhtheow; 630 Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow, said: I had a specific purpose when I went out to sea. As I sat in the boat with my gang of men, I wanted to play to the max What your people wanted or perished in this attempt, In the clutches of the demon. Et jaccomplirai ce but, me prouverai avec un acte fier Ou rencontrez ma mort ici dans la salle à hydromel. Cette vantardise formelle de Beowulf the Geat La dame a bien plu et elle est allée sasseoir 640 By Hrothgar, royale et vêtue dor. Puis cétait comme au bon vieux temps dans la salle en écho, les discours fiers et les gens heureux, Fort et excité; jusquà ce que lhéritier de Halfdane soit bientôt absent À sa nuit de repos. Il se rendit compte Que le démon allait descendre dans la salle Quil avait tracé toute la journée, depuis laube Jusquà ce que les ténèbres se rassemblent à nouveau sur le monde Et des ombres nocturnes furtives sont venues voler 650 Sous lobscurité des nuages. La société se tenait Alors que les deux dirigeants se sont quittés: Hrothgar a souhaité à Beowulf santé et bonne chance, Le nomma directeur de salle et annonça ce qui suit: «Jamais, puisque ma main pouvait tenir un bouclier Ai-je confié ou donné le contrôle De la salle des Danois à nimporte qui sauf à toi. Gardez-la et gardez-la, car cest la plus grande des maisons. Soyez sur votre courage maintenant, gardez à lesprit votre renommée, Méfiez-vous de lennemi. Il ny a rien que vous souhaitiez 660 qui ne vous appartiendra pas si vous gagnez en vie. Hrothgar partit alors avec son gardien de maison. Le seigneur des Shieldings, leur abri dans la guerre, quitta la salle à hydromel pour se coucher avec Wealhtheow, sa reine et sa compagne de lit. Le roi de gloire (comme les gens lont appris) avait publié un avis Qui était un match pour Grendel, un garde contre les monstres, une protection spéciale pour le prince danois. Et le Geat a placé une confiance totale Dans sa force de membre et la faveur du Seigneur. Il commença à retirer sa poitrine de fer, A enlevé le casque et a remis son accompagnateur Lépée à motifs, chef duvre dun forgeron, Lui ordonnant de garder léquipement sous surveillance. Et avant de se coucher, Beowulf, Ce prince de bonté, affirmait fièrement: «Quand il sagit de se battre, je me compte Aussi dangereux tous les jours que Grendel. Donc ce ne sera pas un tranchant que jutiliserai Pour le tondre, aussi facilement que je pourrais. Il na aucune idée des arts de la guerre, 680 670 De bouclier ou de jeu dépée, bien quil possède une force sauvage. Pas darmes, donc, Pour lun ou lautre cette nuit: non armé, il me fera face Si face à moi il ose. Et que le Seigneur divin, dans sa sagesse, accorde la victoire De nimporte quel côté quil juge bon. Puis le brave homme se coucha avec son traversin Sous sa tête et toute sa compagnie Des marins au repos à côté de lui. 690 Aucun deux ne sattendait à ce quil voie un jour Sa patrie à nouveau ou revenir À sa ville natale et aux gens qui lont élevé. Ils savaient trop bien ce que cétait avant, Combien de fois les Danois étaient-ils devenus la proie À mort dans la salle à hydromel. Mais le Seigneur était en train de tisser une victoire sur son métier à tisser pour les Weather-Geats. Par la force de lun, ils ont tous prévalu; Ils écraseraient leur ennemi et traverseraient Dans le triomphe et la joie. La vérité est claire: 700 Dieu Tout-Puissant règne sur lhumanité Et a toujours. Puis hors de la nuit Est venu le traqueur de lombre, furtif et rapide; Les gardes de la salle étaient relâchés, endormis à leur poste, Tous sauf un; cétait largement compris Que tant que Dieu la refusé, Le démon ne pouvait pas les porter à son ombre-bourne. Un homme, cependant, était dhumeur combative, Réveillez-vous et sur le bord, gâter pour laction. Au large des landes, à travers les bandes de brouillard 710, Grendel maudit par Dieu est venu en galopant avidement. Le fléau de la race des hommes se promenait, Chasse à une proie dans la grande salle. Sous lobscurité des nuages, il se dirigea vers elle Jusquà ce quil brille au-dessus de lui, un pur donjon Dor fortifié. Ce nétait pas non plus la première fois Il avait exploré les terrains de la demeure de Hrothgar Bien que jamais de sa vie, avant ou depuis, At-il trouvé une fortune plus difficile ou des défenseurs de la salle. Rejeté et sans joie, il partit en avant 720 Et arriva à laube. La porte à renfort de fer Retourné dans sa charnière lorsque sa main la toucha. Puis sa rage a débordé, il sest déchiré La bouche du bâtiment, exaspérante pour le sang, Stimuler la longueur du sol à motifs Avec son pas répugnant, tandis quune lumière funeste, La flamme plus que la lumière, jaillit de ses yeux. Il a vu beaucoup dhommes dans le manoir, endormis, Une compagnie classée de parents et de guerriers Quartiers ensemble. Et sa joie était démoniaque, 730 Illustrant le chaos: avant le matin Il arracherait la vie de la boiterie et les dévorerait, Se nourrir de leur chair: mais son sort cette nuit-là devait changer, ses jours de délire étaient terminés. Puissant et rusé, le parent dHygelac regardait attentivement Pour le premier mouvement, le monstre ferait. La créature ne la pas fait attendre non plus Mais a frappé soudainement et a commencé à entrer; He grabbed and mauled a man on his bench, 740 Bit into his bone-lappings, bolted down his blood And gorged on him in lumps, leaving the body Utterly lifeless, eaten up Hand and foot. Venturing closer, his talon was raised to attack Beowulf Where he lay on the bed; he was bearing in With open claw when the alert heros Comeback and armlock forestalled him utterly. The captain of evil discovered himself In a handgrip harder than anything 750 He had ever encountered in any man On the face of the earth. Every bone in his body Quailed and coiled, but he could not escape. He was desperate to flee to his den and hide With the devils litter, for in all his days He had never been clamped or cornered like this.