Beowulf: Translations by John Mitchell Kemble (1835,37)
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A Translation of the Anglo-Saxon Poem of Beowulf, With a Copious Glossary, Preface and Philological Notes William Pickering, London, 1835-7. ISBN: none. ...volume 1 (1835) is an Old English version, volume 2 (1837) is a translation
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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.
}
That from his home heard Hygelac's thane, good among the Geats, he heard of Grendel's deeds: he of the race of men was strongest of might, in the day of this life; noble and full-grown. He commanded to make ready for him a good ship: quoth he, he would seek the war-king over the swan's path; the renowned prince, since he had need of men. This journey prudent men somewhat blamed, although he were dear to them: they sharpened......they watched the omen. The good chieftain had chosen warriors of the Geatish people, the bravest of those whom he could find. With fifteen men he sought the sea-wood; a warrior, a man crafty in lakes, pointed out the boundaries of the land. The time passed on, the ship was on the waves, the boat beneath a mountain; the ready warriors stepped upon the prow. They whirled the streams, the sea against the sand: the men bore into the bosom of the bark a bright ornament, their ready warlike appointments. The men shoved forth the bounden wood, the men upon the journey they desired. Then likest to a bird, the foam-necked ship, impelled by the wind, started over the deep waves of the sea, till that about one hour of the second day, the wreathed prowed ship had sailed over, so that the travellers saw the land, the sea-cliffs, the steep mountains shine, the wide sea-promontories. There was the sea sailed over, at the end of their pains.
[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 protector of earls would not on any account dismiss alive the murderous guest; nor did he account the days of his life useful to any person. Then at once did Beowulf's earl brandish his old inheritance (sword); he would defend the life of his lord, of the famous prince, since there they might so do. They, the brave-thoughted sons of battle, knew not, when they endured this labour, and on every side thought of striking, of seeking his life, that not the costliest steel throughout the earth, or any war-bill would take effect upon the mighty plague. But he (Beowulf) had forsworn victorious weapons, every sword: his (Grendel's) divorce from life was doomed to be miserable in the day of this life, and the hateful spirit to depart afar into the power of fiends. Then did he, who before in mirth of mood had committed many a crime against the race of men, (he was God's foe!) discover that his body would not serve him; but him Hygelac's proud kinsman held in his hand; each while living was hateful to the other: the foul wretch awaited the mortal wound; a mighty gash was evident upon his shoulder; the sinews sprung asunder, the junctures of the bones burst: success in war was given 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.
}
Then caught the prince of the War-Geats Grendel's mother by the shoulder, he cared not for her feud; hard in war (since he was enraged) he twisted the homicide, so that she bent upon the floor; she soon gave back to him his reward with fierce grappling, and clutched towards him; then weary of mood, the strongest of warriors, the active champion rolled over so that he fell; she beset then the hall-stranger, and drew her knife, broad, brown-edged, she would revenge her son, her own offspring; on him (i.e. Beowulf) on his shoulder lay the twisted breast-net which protected his life against point and edge, which prevented the entrance of the knife; then had the son of Ecgtheow, the champion of the Geats, perished under the abyss, had not his war-mail, his hard battle-net afforded help, and holy God the victorious in battle, the wise lord, prevailed, the ruler of the firmament decided for justice, easily; afterwards he stood up again.
The saw he among the weapons a bill fortunate in victory, and old gigantic sword, doughty of edge, the dignity of warriors, that was the costliest of weapons, (save that it was greater than any other man might bear out to the play of war) good, and ready for use, the work of giants: he seized the belted-hilt, the warrior of the Scyldings, fierce and savage whirled the ring-mail; despairing of life, he struck furiously, so that it grappled hard with her about her neck; it broke the bone-rings, the bill passed through all the doomed body; she sank upon the floor; the sword was bloody, the man rejoiced in his deed.
[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 gave him therefore his reward, the fierce champion, in as much as he saw at rest the war-wearied Grendel lifeless lie, as war had before decided for him in Heorot; his carcase was widely torn, and since, after death, he suffered a blow, the hard swing of the sword and there he (i. e. B.) 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.
}
with fire-waves he burnt up the shield by the margin; the byrnie could not give any assistance to the young warrior, but the young man boldly went under his kinsman's shield, since his own was burnt to pieces by the fires. In turn the war-king remembered his fame, his mighty strength, he struck with his war-bill, so that it driven with force stood upon the head of the worm; Nagling burst insunder, it failed in the battle Beowulf's sword old and grey-spotted; that was not granted to him, viz. that edges of iron might help him in the war; the hand was too strong, which as I have heard overpowered every sword, every blow, when he to fight bore weapons hardened in wounds; it was none the better for him. Then was the mighty plague, the fierce fire drake a third time, mindful of the feud: he rushed upon the famous prince; there he largely repaid him; hot and warlike fierce, he clutched the whole neck with bitter banes; he was bloodied with life-gore, the blood boiled in waves.
Then heard I that the earl displayed fitting valour, strength and courage, at the need of his great king as it was natural for him to do, nor cared he for the mail-hood, but the hand of the bold man burned as he helped his kinsman, when he struck the hostile-stranger downwards; the warrior in his trappings struck so that the sword plunged, variegated and solid; so that afterwards the fire began to abate: in turn the king himself wielded his wits; he brandished his fatal sword, bitter and sharp in war, which he wore upon his byrnie: the helm of the Westerns carved the worm in the midst, (they felled the foe), he punished his deadly courage, and they two, the related thanes had destroyed him;
