Beowulf: Translations by John R. Clark Hall (1911)
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Beowulf and the Finnesburg Fragment George Allen and Unwin, London, 1911. ISBN: none. There doesn't seem to be an ISBN number on the copy of the book which I own. It was originally published in 1911, I have a sixth edition published in 1963 which has an introduction by C. L. Wrenn written in 1949. In the flyleaf is a note from the publishers stating that "In 1940 we published Professor Wrenn's thorough revision of the late Dr. Clark Hall's translation of Beowulf...". The book was published by George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
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[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.
}
A thane of Hygelac, excellent among the Geats,-- he who was strongest of mankind in might in this life's day, noble and stalwart,-- heard in his fatherland of Grendel's deeds.
He bade make ready for himself a good ship for the crossing of the waves,-- said he would seek the warrior-king, the noted prince, over the swan's road, since he was in need of men. Wise men did not blame him at all for that expedition, though he was dear to them; they urged on the stout-hearted one, and watched the omens. The hero had chosen warriors from the people of the Geats, from the boldest he could find; with fourteen men he went to the ship; skilled in sea-craft, he himself led the way to the shore.
Time passed on; the bark was on the waves, the boat under the lee of the cliff. The warriors, well prepared, stepped on to the prow; streams of ocean made the sea eddy against the sand; men bore into the bosom of the ship bright armour, splendid war-gear; the heroes, the warriors on their eagerly-sought adventure, pushed off the vessel of braced timbers. Then with foam at its prow, most like to a bird, it floated over the billowing waves, urged onwards by the wind, until in due time on the second day the curved prow had journeyed on so far that the voyagers saw the land, the sea-cliffs, glisten-- the steep mountains, the bold promontories. Then was the ship at the end of the watery way.
[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.
}
The defender of nobles would not by any means let the murderous visitant escape alive,-- he did not count the days of Grendel's life of use to any of the peoples. There many a noble of Beowulf's company brandished an ancient ancestral weapon-- they wished to protect the life of their lord, of their famous chief, if they could. They did not know, brave-minded warriors, when they took part in the contest, and thought to hew at him on every side, and to hunt out his life, that no war-bill on earth, not the best of iron swords, could touch the cursed foe, for that he used enchantment against conquering weapons, every sort of blade.
In this world his parting from life was to be wretched-- the alien spirit was to journey far into the power of fiends. Then he who for long before had been doing crimes, wicked in heart, against mankind, he, the rebel against God, discovered that his bodily frame was no help to him, but that the bold kinsman of Hygelac had him by the hand. While he lived, each was hateful to the other. The horrible monster suffered deadly hurt, on his shoulder gaped a mighty wound, the sinews sprang asunder-- the tendons burst. Glory in fight was granted to Beowulf; ---
[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.
}
The prince of the War-Geats then seized Grendel's mother by the shoulder-- he grieved not at the struggle;-- the brave in combat, bursting as he was with rage, so flung the deadly foe that she fell upon the ground. She quickly yielded him a recompense again with fearful graspings, and clutched at him. Sick at heart, the strongest of warriors, of foot-combatants, stumbled so that he had a fall.
She threw herself then on her hall-visitant and drew her dagger, broad and bright of edge;-- she would avenge her child, her only offspring. The woven hauberk lay upon his shoulder. That preserved his life, barred entry against point and edge. Then the son of Ecgtheow, the hero of the Geats, would have perished under the wide earth, had not the war-corslet, his strong coat of mail, furnished him succour, and the holy God, the all-wise Lord, brought about victory in battle. With ease, the Ruler of the heavens decided it aright after Beowulf had got up again.
He saw then among the armour a victory-blest weapon, and ancient giant-made sword, doughty of edge, the glory of warriors; choicest of weapons that; howbeit it was greater than any other man could carry to the battle-play, good and majestical, the work of giants. Then he, champion of the Scyldings, seized the ornamented hilt; swung the patterned blade, savage and fierce in battle; struck furiously, reckless of life, so that the sword smote her sharply on the neck and broke the bones. The blade cleft her doomed body through and through; on the floor she fell. The sword was gory, the man rejoiced in his work. ---
[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.
}
He, wrathful warrior, had given him his reward for that, so that he now saw Grendel lying in his resting-place, worn out with fighting, destitute of life, as he had been maimed erewhile in fight at Heorot. The body gaped wide when it met the blow, the lusty sword-stroke after death; and Beowulf cut off his head.
[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.
}
--- His shield was burnt up to the boss by waves of fire, his corslet could afford the youthful spear-warrior no help; but the young man did valorously under his kinsman's shield after his own was destroyed by the flames. Then once more the warlike prince was mindful of glorious deeds. By main force he struck with his battle-sword so that it stuck in the head, driven in by the onslaught. Nægling snapped! Beowulf's old, grey-hued sword failed him in the fray. It was not granted him that iron blades should help him in the fight. The hand was too strong which, so I have heard, by its stroke overstrained every sword, when he bore to the fray a weapon wondrous hard; it was none the better for him.
Then a third time the people's foe, the dread fiery dragon, was intent on fighting. He rushed upon the hero, when occassion favoured him, hot and fierce in battle, and enclosed his whole neck between sharp teeth; he was bathed in life-blood-- the gore gushed out in streams.
I am told that then in the dire need of the people's king, the noble warrior stood up and showed his courage, his skill and daring, as his nature was. He cared not about the head: but the brave man's hand was scorched the while he helped the kinsman, so that he, the man in armour, struck the vengeful stranger a little lower down, in such wise that the sword, gleaming and overlaid, plunged in, and the fire began thenceforth to abate.
Then the king himself once more gained sway over his senses, drew the keen deadly knife, sharp in battle, that he wore upon his corslet, and the protector of the Geats cut through the serpent in the middle. They had felled the foe: daring had driven out his life, and they, the kindred nobles, had destroyed him. ---
