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Beowulf: An Adaptation by Julian Glover of the Verse Translations of Michael Alexander and Edwin Morgan Alan Sutton Publishing, Gloucestershire, 1987. ISBN: 0750911042.
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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.
}
This Grendel feud was heard of by one of King Hygelac's warriors,
Brave among the Geats from over the seas.
He was for main strength of all men foremost
That trod the earth at that time;
Great framed, great heart. Æþele ond êacen.
He had a seaworthy wave-cutter fitted out for him:
The warrior king Hrothgar he would seek, he said, over the swan's riding.
That lord of great name, desperate for men.
The prince picked his men from the flower of his folk,
The fiercest among them that might be found.
Fourteen;
Sea-skilled Beowulf led them down to the beach's fringe.
Time running on, the boat rode the waves hard in by the headland.
[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.
}
But the faster man forestalling, rose upon his arm
And quickly gripped that sickening hand.
The upholder of evils immediately knew
He had not met on middle earth's acres
With any other man of a harder hand-grasp.
He strained to be off, he ailed for his darkness,
His company of devils and his den beneath the mere;
But Hygelac's brave Kinsman recalled his evening's utterance
And tightened his hold till fingers burst.
The monster strained away; the man stepped closer;
The monster's desire was for darkness between them,
Direction regardless, to get out and run
For his fen-bordered lair. It was an ill journey
That persecutor had of it when he made for Heorot.
It was indeed wonderful that the wine-supper hall
Withstood the wrestling pair, that the world's great palace
Fell not to the ground. But it was girt firmly,
Both inside and out, with iron braces
Of skilled manufacture. Many a
Gold-worked wine-bench, as we heard it,
Started from the floor at the struggles of that pair.
A thing undreamed of by Scylding wisdom
Was that any of mankind by what method soever
Might undo that intricate antlered hall,
Sunder it by strength-- unless it were swallowed in embraces of fire.
Fear entered the Danes as they heard through the side-wall
The grisly plaint of the enemy of God,
The sobs of the damned one bewailing his pain,
The Geats leapt up to defend their great prince:
They were ignorant then that no sword on earth
Not the truest of steel could touch their assaillant,
For every sword-edge and weapon of victory he had blunted by wizardy
It was then that this monster, moved by spite 'gainst our race,
Found in the end flesh and bone were to fail him;
For Hygelac's great kinsman, stout-hearted warrior,
Had him fast by the hand; and hateful to each
Was the breath of the other.
A rip in the giant flesh-frame showed then,
Shoulder-muscles sprang apart, a snapping of
Tendons, bone-locks burst;
The arm of the demon was severed from his side, ---
[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.
}
Seized her by the shoulder, and with mounting anger
Swung the desperate enemy till she fell on the floor.
She promptly repaid this present of his
(Her boy was to be avenged, her only son)
Toppled his weariness, drew out her knife--
And had not the mail shirt o'erspreading his back
Well shielded his life, Edgetheow's son
Might have ended his venture neath vastness of earth.
Then he saw among the armour on the wall
A Giant-sword from former days.
This wonder was so enormous that no other man
Would be equal to bearing it in battle-play--
It was a Giant's forge that had fashioned it so well.
The Geat champion, shaking now with war-rage,
Caught it by the rich hilt and careless of his life
Brandished its circles and brought it down in fury
[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.
}
And Beowulf saw where Grendel,
Wasted from his wound at the battle at Heorot,
His body gaping, open, lay waiting for his death.
The hard-swung sword struck -- the settlement was made.
[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.
}
Wiglaf's mail did not serve, and his shield was withered
Back to the boss in the billow of fire.
But nothing deterred, the young man dodged back,
Stepped smartly to take up his kinsman's protection.
And then did that king remember his worth,
Dealt out a sword-blow of annihilating weight,
Striking into the head; but the hero's sword shattered,
His hand was so strong. (I have heard any sword
He bore into battle, his blow would o'ertax --
So it happened with this). Now a third time the fire-drake,
His chance lying open, rushed in on our king,
Crushed all his neck between bitter fangs.
Wiglaf then, disregarding the head, struck below it,
Aimed true, and the fire quickly slackened in consequence.
Then Beowulf, recovering, reached for his stabbing-knife,
Hewed mightily down-- hacked the dragon in half!
So daring drove out life; ferh ellen wræc;
And the king saw the last triumph of his works in the world.
