Mighty in strength, what he before spoke
Drunken with wine, when the weapon he lent
To a better sword-bearer; he himself durst
not

Under waves' tumult venture his life,
Heroic deeds work; there he lost fame, 1470
A name for valor; not so with the other,
When he for battle himself had prepared.
Beowulf then spoke, Ecgtheow's son:
'Bethink thyself now, great kinsman of
Healfdene,

Thou ruler wise, now I'm for the way ready, 1475 Gold-friend of men, of what we once spoke, If I in thy service should at any time

Of my life be deprived, that thou wouldst ever be

To me when gone hence, in stead of a father. Be thou a protector to my knightly

Broad and brown-edged, her son would avenge,

Her only child. On his shoulder lay
The braided breast-net: that his life saved,
Against point and edge entrance withstood.
Then had he perished, Ecgtheow's son, 1550
'Neath the broad bottom, the chief of the
Geats,

Had not the war-burnie lent help to him,
The hard battle-net, and had not holy God
Directed the victory, the all-knowing Lord;
The Ruler of heaven adjudged it aright; 1555
Easily afterwards he again rose.

'Mongst the armor he saw then a victoryblessed weapon,

Old sword of the eotens strong in its edges, Honor of warriors: that was choicest of

1685

The bad-hearted being, the opposer of God,
Devoted to death, and his mother also.
It went into the power of the noblest one
Of the world-kings by the two seas,
Of those who in Sceden-ig treasure divided.
Hrothgar then spoke, on the hilt looked,
The old relic on which was the origin written
Of an old contest: the flood afterwards slew,
The rushing sea, the race of the giants; 1690
Badly they fared: that people was hostile
To the Lord eternal; therefor a reward
Through waters' flood the Almighty them
gave.

1695

So was on the guard of purest gold
In runic letters rightly engraved,
Was set and said, for whom that sword,
Choicest of weapons, first had been wrought
With wreathed hilt snake-adorned. Then

He throve not for their pleasure, but for their slaughter,

And for death-plagues to the Danes' people:
Slew he enraged his table-companions,
His chosen comrades, till he went alone,
The mighty prince, from human joys: 1715
Though him mighty God in joy of strength,
In power exalted, over all men

Him had uplifted, yet in his heart grew
A bloodthirsty feeling: he did not give rings
To the Danes by right: joyless abode he, 1720
So that for this strife sorrow he suffered,
Misery lasting. By that teach thou thyself,
Practise man's virtues. This tale for thee
Have I, old in years, told. "T is a wonder to
say

1725

How mighty God to the race of man-
kind,
Through His great mind, wisdom divides,
Homes and nobility: He rules over all.
Sometimes on love permits He to turn
The thoughts of the man of mighty race,
Gives him in his home the joy of earth, 1730
A sheltering city of men to possess,
Makes subject to him parts of the world,
A kingdom wide, so that he of it may not,
For his lack of wisdom, think of the end:
He dwells in plenty, nor him does aught
check,

1735

Sickness nor age, nor for him does sorrow Grow dark in his mind, nor a foe anywhere Show him sword-hate, but for him all the world

1740

Wends at his will. He knows not the worse,
Until him within a portion of pride
Waxes and grows, when sleeps the keeper,
The guard of the soul: that sleep is too firmly
Bound up with sorrows; very nigh is the
slayer,

Who from arrowed bow spitefully shoots. Then is he in his breast pierced under his helmet

1745

With a sharp arrow: he cannot defend him From the evil strange-orders of that cursed spirit:

Him seems it too little what he long held; He with evil mind covets, gives not for boasting

Gold-plated rings, and he future fate 1750 Forgets and neglects, for God gave him before,

The Ruler of glory, a share of earth's honors.
It at the end afterwards happens
That the frail body fleeting doth fail,
Fated doth fall: another succeeds,
He who undisturbed treasures divides,
The earl's former store, cares not for its owner.

1755

Against many tribes throughout this midearth,

With spears and with swords, so that any foe
Under circuit of heaven reckoned I not.
Lo! to me in my home a change of this came,
Sorrow for joy, after Grendel became 1775
The foe of long years, my constant home-
seeker:

I from this hostility continually suffered Much sorrow of mind. Thanks to the Creator,

The Lord eternal, whilst in life I remained,
That I on this head drenched with gore, 1780
After long sorrow, look with my eyes.
Go now to thy seat, partake of feast-joy,
Thou honored in war. To us shall be many
Of treasures in common, when morning shall
come.'

The Geat was glad-minded: went he then

If I then on earth may in any manner
More of thy heart's love gain for myself,
Ruler of men, than I have yet done,
For works of war I soon shall be ready. 1825
If I that learn o'er the flood's course,
That thee thy neighbors with dread oppress,
As hating thee they sometimes have done,
To thee I shall bring thousands of thanes,
Of heroes for help. Of Hygelac I know, 1830
Lord of the Geats, though he be young
Chief of his folk, that he me will aid
By words and by deeds that I may thee
honor,

And to thee for help my spear-shaft bear,
The power of my might, if thou needest

If Hrethric then at the courts of the Geats,
The king's son, aid seeks, he may there many
Of his friends find: far countries will be
Better sought for by him who is worthy.'
Hrothgar then spoke to him in answer: 1840
"These words to thee the all-wise Lord
Sent into thy mind: ne'er heard I more wisely
In so youthful age any man speak:
Thou art in might strong and in mind old,
A counsellor wise. I count on the hope, 1845
If this may happen that the spear take,
Terrible battle, the son of Hrethel,
Sickness or weapon, thine own chieftain,
People's shepherd, and thou hast thy life,
That the Sea-Geats will not have a
better,
1850

To choose as their king, any one, than thee,