[lines 194-224a in section III and 8th line from the bottom of folio 134r to 4th line from the bottom of folio 134v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD]
Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.
{Beowulf hears about Grendel and decides to travel from his home in Geatland (southern Sweden) to Heorot (in northeast Denmark) to see if he can help out.
}
As for Beowulf there is this to be said. He was sister's son to King Hygelac, and Ecgtheow the Waegmunding was known for his father. But truly in his youth he was more like to one whose father had been a great bear in the forest. For he was heavy and slow and cared not for the war-play of heroes, so that the sons of the Geats held him of small account and despised him, and the lord of the Storm-Geats showed him little honor on the mead-bench. And ever when he was twitted with his slackness would he heave up his great shoulders and wrestle like a bear, gripping his foe with his mighty hands, for he came in his time to the strength of thirty strong men. Haply for this got he the name of Beowulf, that is the bees' wolf, which is the bear, the eater of honey. Howbeit a change came upon him and he grew a valiant warrior, skilful with sword and ashen spear, though it was a strong weapon that did not break asunder in his terrible grip. Nor ever did he wholly lay aside his old way of fighting bearlike, and would still on occasion use it.
Thus noble and well-thriven, the strongest man of his might in that day of the world, Beowulf bade make ready for him a good ship, a wave-goer; said he would pay a visit to the war-king over the sea, the swan-road, since he had need of men. And the wisemen dissuaded him little from the journey, though he was dear to them; urged him on rather and pronounced the omens good. Only his uncle Hygelac, who loved him well, sought to stay him, continually prayed him not to venture against the monster, but let the South-Danes wage their own wars against Grendel. But Beowulf was bent on the journey, mindful of favors which Hrothgar the king had aforetime done to his father Ecgtheow. So he made choice of the warriors of the Geats, the keenest he could find, and fifteen in all they sought out their ship, and from a man who had many a time sailed the coast they learned all the sea-marks and landfalls that lay on their course to Hleithragard.
Time went on; the ship rode in the harbor under the hill. The warriors yarely swarmed aboard at the prow; the waters swirled against the sand; the heroes carried into the waist of the ship gleaming treasures, splendid armor; joyous adventurers they pushed off from shore. Thus sped over the sea-wave, urged by the wind, the ship foamy-necked most like to a bird, until about the first hour of the next day the ship, curve-stemmed, had sped so well that the sailors caught sight of land, saw the sea-cliffs shining, the towering headlands, the wide sea-nesses. The course was sailed, the journey over.
[lines 791-819a in section XII and 8th line from the top of folio 147r to 13th line from the top of folio 147v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD]
Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.
{At this moment Beowulf and Grendel are fighting and Grendel is howling and screaming and wishing to escape but Beowulf has grabbed Grendel's arm and is using his incredible hand-strength to hold on to him.
}
Nor was Beowulf minded for anything to let the murderous visitor come off with his life, which he counted but a thing of small use to any. Then, one and all, the earls of Beowulf came on with swords drawn, if haply they might bring their lord succor, but little they knew that all their valorous strokes could avail nothing against a demon who laid a spell upon every manner of sword. Nevertheless he was destined to be wretchedly sundered from his life and to take the long journey back to the fiends whence he came. And of this he was ware, that he could no longer have joy in his enmity against God and man, for his body would not follow him, so gripped him the thegn of Hygelac by the hand. Each hated the other while there was life in him. The deadly hurt the monster had got in his shoulder was plain; the sinews snapped, the bones broken where they locked together in their joints. The fame of that fight was Beowulf's,---
[lines 1537-1569 in sections XXII and XXIII and 5th line from the bottom of folio 163v, through folio 164r to 4th line from the top of folio 164v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD] Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here. Note: there is a discussion of the word eaxle in line 1537a on my page on Shoulder Grabbing vs. Hair Pulling
{At this moment Beowulf has just failed to hurt Grendel's mother with the sword Hrunting and he tries to wrestle her as he had done with Grendel.
}
So all undaunted the prince of the Geats grasped Grendel's dam by the shoulder and his wrath hurled her from him so that she sank to the floor. But straightway she met him, grip for grip, and they grappled together till his great strength wearied and he stumbled and fell. Then she was upon him, sitting, and the byrnie on his shoulder caught the stab of her knife, broad and brown-edged. And save of this, the son of Ecgtheow had strayed to his destruction under the wide earth-- save for his battle-burnie and the Lord God, the ruler of the skies, who granted the victory and by whose just decree the hero got him once more to his feet.
Thereupon, amongst weapons that were there, he caught sight of an ancient sword and mighty, the work of giants, omen of victory, and huger than any man else could swing in battle. This by its circleted hilt he seized and drew it forth, and all despairing of his life he furiously smote. And the edge took hold on her neck, and broke the bone-locks, and the sword passed quite through the casing flesh of a spirit doomed and fey, so that she fell on the hall-floor. And the hero with his sword all of a gore-blood had his joy with the deed he had done.
[lines 1584b-1590 in section XXIII and 7th line from the bottom of folio 164v to first half of the last line of folio 164v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD]
Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.
{At this moment Beowulf has just discovered Grendel's lifeless body lying in the cave.
}
--- now had the warrior forsooth paid full score, for there on the couch he beheld Grendel laying, and weary of war was he and there was no life in him, and he bore the great wound that he had got him in fight at Heorot. And the corpse leaped wide, dead as it was, as it caught the great down-swing of the sword; and his head came off at the blow.
[lines 2672b-2708a in sections XXXVI and XXXVII and 8th line from the bottom of folio 189A197r, through folio 189A197v to 3rd line from the top of folio 189r on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD]
Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.
{At this moment, Wiglaf has just run into the flames to be by Beowulf's side and the dragon has charged at them both, incinerating Wiglaf's shield.
}
Scarce had he spoken when the worm came on against his foes a second time in his wrath and wreathed with flame, and Wiglaf's shield caught fire and burned to the rim and his byrnie was of no help at all, wherefor the young warrior got him behind the iron shield of Beowulf when his own was consumed. Then once more the warrior king bethinking him of his renown struck with main strength that the sword, with all his hate behind it, stood in the dragon's head. But Nægling, the ancient sword of Beowulf, brake its grey and patterned blade, and failed him in the fight. Such was the strength of his hand that he got but little good of a sword in battle, so straining it with the stroke that he was no whit the better for it.
Then for a third time the dread fire-drake, as room served him, made a rush at the hero and in his neck the sharp teeth sank deep so that the blood gushed forth. Then it was that Wiglaf showed the valor that was in his race, for he paid no heed to the drake's head and though his hand was scorched as he came at close quarters he struck at the under parts of the beast and drove home his sword, whereat the fire began to abate. And the king himself then, who was still in his senses, drew the knife, battle-sharp, he wore at his byrnie and hacked the worm a-two at his middle.
They had felled their foe; their strength thrust forth his life;
And they both the twain utterly destroyed him,
kinsmen princes; so ought a man to be,
thegn when he is needed.
