beowulf extract (lines 702-897)

com on wanre niht (702 b translation)

in the dark night, he came

scriðan sceadugenga. Sceotend swaefon (703 translation)

gliding, the walked in darkness. the bowmen slept

þa þaet hornreced healdan scoldan (704 translation)

who were to hold the gabled house

ealle buton anum - þaet waes yldum cup, (705 translation)

all but one - it was well-known to men

þaet hie ne moste þa metod nolde, (706 translation)

that the demonic foe might not

se scynscaþa under sceadu bregdan - (line 707 translation)

fling them beneath the shades when the ruler did not permit it

ac he waeccende wraþum on andan (line 708 translation)

but he, wakeful watching for his enemy

bad bolgenmod beadwa geþinges. (line 709 translation)

waited, angry-minded, for the outcome of battles.

da com of more under misthleoþum (line 710 translation)

then, from the moor, under a blanket of mist

grendel gongan; Godes yrre baer; (translation 711)

grendel came striding; he bore god’s anger;

mynte se manscaða manna cynnes (line 712 translation)

the evil-doer intended to trap some of mankind

summe beswyran in sele þam hean.(713 translation)

in that high hall.

wod under wolcnum to þaes þe he winreced (714 translation)

under the clouds, he waded until the point when

goldesele gumena gearwost wisse (715 translation)

he knew clearly, he was near to the wine hall

faettum fahne. Ne waes þaet forma sið (716 translation)

gleaming with golden armament. it was not the first time

þaet he Hroþgares ham gesohte; (717 translation)

that he had sought the home of Hrothgar

naefre he on aldordagum aer ne siþðan (718 translation)

never did he before, nor after in the days

heardran haele, healðegnas fand: (719 translation)

of his life find hall thanes and worse luck:

com þa to recede rine siðian (720 translation)

to the hall came that warrior on his journey

dreamum bedaeled. Dura sona onam (721 translation)

bereft of joys. The door opened immediately

fyyrbendum faest,syþðan he hire folmum ohran, (722 translation)

fast in its forged bonds, when his fingers touched the door

onbraed þa bealohyydig ðahe gebodgen waes (723 translation)

inspired with evil-mindedness, he swung open, with rage

recedes muþan. Raþe aefter þon (724 translation)

hall’s mouth. Quickly, immediately after

on fagne flor feond treddode (725 translation)

the fiend strode over the stained floor

eide yrremod; him of eagum stod (726 translation)

walking angrily; from his eyes shone forth

ligge gelicost leoht unfaeger (727 translation)

a horrible light, like a flame

geseah he in recede rinca manige (728 translation)

he saw in the hall, many a warrior

swefan siþþegedriht samod aetgaedere (729 translation)

a peaceful troop sleeping all together

magorinca heap. þa his mod ahlog (730 translation)

a company of men. then his mind-heart laughed

mynte þaet he gedaele aer þon daeg cwome (731 translation)

he intended to sever before the day came

atol aglaeca anra gehwylces (732 translation)

terrible combatant the life of each man

lif wið lice ða him alumpen waes (733 translation)

from his body, when they befell him

wystfylle wen. Ne waes þaet wyrd þa gen, (734 translation)

the hope of feast. But it was not his fate

þaet he ma moste manna cynnes (735 translation)

to taste anymore of mankind

ðicgean ofer þa niht. þrgðswyð beohold (736 translation)

after that night. The mighty one beheld

maeg higelaces hu se manscaðu (737 translation)

the kinsmen of Hygelac, how that maneater

under faergripum gefaran wolde (738 translation)

would proceed with his sudden grips

Ne þaet se aglaeca yldan þohte (739 translation)

Not that the terror meant to delay

ac he gefeng hraðe forman siðe (740 translation)

but he grasped quickly at the first opportunity

slaependne rinc slat unwearnum (741 translation)

a sleeping warrior slit him open suddenly

bat banlocan blod edrum dranc (742 translation)

bit into his bone locker, drank the blood from his veins

synsnaedum swealh; sone haefde (743 translation)

devoured his huge gobbit; he soon had

unlyfigendes eal gefeormod (744 translation)

consumed all of the dead man

fet ond folma. Forð near aetstop (745 translation)

including his hands and feet. He stepped nearer forward

nam þa mid handa higeþrhhgne (746 translation)

took in his hands the brave hearted

rincon raeste him raehte ongean (747 translation)

man from his resting place, Grendel reached

feond mid folme; he onfeng hraþe (748 translation)

with his hands; he received him quickly

inwitþancum ond wið earm geseat. (line 749 translation)

with malicious purpose and sat up against his arm

sona þaet onfunde fyrena hyrde (line 750 translation)

immediately, when the master of crimes found out

þaet he ne mette middangeardes (line 751 translation)

that he had never met on middle earth

eorþan sceata onelran men (line 752 translation)

in earth’s regions a greater handgrip

mundgripe maran; he on mode wearð (line 753 translation)

in any other man; in his heart he was

forht on ferðe; no þyy aer fram meahte (line 754 translation)

afraid in spirit; yet none the sooner could he get away

hyge waes him hinfus wolde on heolster fleon (line 755 translation)

his mind was eager to get away; he wanted to flee into the darkness

secan deofla gedreag; ne waes his drohtoð þaer (line 756 translation)

to seek out a company of devils; nor was his experience there such as

swylce he on ealderdagum aer gemette. (757 translation)

he had ever met with before in the days of old

gemunde þa se goda, maeg higelaces (line 758 translation)

the good kinsman of Hygelac remembered then

aefennsraece uplang aestod (line 759 translation)

his evening speech, he stood upright

ond him faeste wiðfeng; fingras burston (line 760 translation)

and held onto him fast; the fingers burst

eoten waes utweard, eorl furþur stop. (line 761 translation)

the giant was striving to escape, the nobleman stepped out.

mynte se maera for he meahte swa (line 762 translation)

The notorious one meant, if he could do so,

wirdre gebuindan ond on weg þanon (line 763 translation)

to turn away further and flee

fleon on fenhopu wiste his fingra geweald (line 764 translation)

away to his retreat in the fens; he realised the control of his fingers

on grames grapum. þaet waes geocor sið (line 765 translation)

was in the grim one’s grip. That was a grievous journey

þaet se hearmscaþa to Heorute ateah (line 766 translation)

that the pernicuous enemy took to herot.

drhytsele dynede; denum eallum wearð (line 767 translation)

the splendid hall resounded; to all the danes it was

ceasterbuendum cenra gehwylcum (line 768 translation)

to the town-dwellers, to each of those daring ones

eorlum ealuscerwen. (line 769a translation)

to the warriors a ‘dispensing of ales’ (terror?)

Yrre waeron begen (769b translation)

both were angry

reþe ren weardas. Reced hlynsode. (770 translation)

fierce house guardians. The hall resounded.

þa waes wundor micel þaet se winsele (771 translation)

Then, it was a large wonder that the winehall

wiðhaefde heaþodeorum þaet he on hrusan ne feol (772 translation)

withstood those war-fierce ones and did not fall to the ground

faeger foldhold; ac he þaes faeste waes (773 translation)

that fair earth building, but it was fastened

innan ond utan irenbendum (774 translation)

inside and out with iron bands

searoþoncum besmiþod. þaer fram sylle abeag (775 translation)

forged with artful skill. from the floor

medubenc monig mine gefraege (776 translation)

many a mead-bench was overturned there, as many have told me.

gold geregnad þaer þa graman wunnon. (777 translation)

gold-adorned where those grim foes fought

þaes ne wendon aer witan scyldinga (778 translation)

The scylding elders had never expected

þaet hit a midgemete manna aenig (779 translation)

that any man by any normal means

betlic ond banfang tobrecan meahte (780 translation)

might break it apart, the beautiful bone-adorned hall

listum tolucan nymþe liges faeþm (781 translation)

or destroy it with cunning unless the embrace of fire

swulge on swaþule. Sweg up astag (782 translation)

would swallow it in flames. sound arose

niwe geneahhe: Norð-denum stod (783 translation)

a very new one: the north danes felt

atelic egesa, anra gehwylcum (784 translation)

horrible terror in each of them

þara þe of wealle wop gehyyrdon (785 translation)

who heard the wailing cry through the wall

geryreleoð galan Godes andsacan (786 translation)

God’s enemy screamed a

sigeleasme sang sar wanigean (787 translation)

grisly song of horror, defeated, the captive

helle haefton. Heold hine faeste (788 translation)

of hell, bewailed his pain. He held him fast.

se þe manna waes maegene strengest (789 translation)

he who was the strongest in might amongst men

on þaem daege þysses lifes. (790 translation)

in that day of this life

nolde eorlla hleo aenige þinga (791 translation)

Not for anything would the protector of earls

þonne cweal mcuman cwicne forlaetan (792 translation)

let that murderous visitor escape alive

ne his lifdagas leoda aenigum (793 translation)

he did not consider his days of life

nytte tealde. þaer genehost braegd (794 translation)

of any use to his people. A warrior in

eorl Beowulfes ealde lafe (795 translation)

Beowulf’s company repeatedly drew an ancient heirloom

wolde fredrihtnes feorh ealgian (796 translation)

longing to protect his free lord’s life

maeres þeodnes, ðaer hie meahton swa. (797 translation)

the illustrious looks, however, they could.

hie þaet ne wiston þa hie gewin drugan (798 translation)

but they did not know that when they began to fight

heard hicgende hildmicgas (799 translation)

those brave minded men of battle

ond on healfa gehwone heawan þohton (800 translation)

and wanted to strike on all sides