[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.
}
Hygelac's thane, great among the Geats, heard in
his far home of Grendel's prowess; he was gallant,
noble, strongest of mankind in his time. He bade them
gear a good wave-rider, spoke his will to seek the
battle king across the swan-road, famous chief who
needed earls. The wise retainers blamed him little
for the venture, though they held him dear; they
whetted his strong-souled will; they looked upon the
omens. The prince of Geats had picked warriors with
him, the boldest he could find; one of fifteen, he
sought the sea-wood; ocean-skilled, he pointed out
the shore.
Time passed; under the lee of bluffs the vessel
Floated free. The ready heroes climbed
The prow; the tide surged and sank against
The sand; they bore bright-garnished armor to
The vessel's bosom, splendid war-gear shaped
With art; the men shoved off the firm-bound wood,
Desirous of the journey. Then the foam-necked
Floater sailed on the wave-rough sea, sped bird-
Like by the wind, until about the reckoned
Hour of the coming day the curve-
Stemmed ship had made such way that sailors sighted
[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 Warriors would not in any way let the murder-guest escape alive or reckon his life useful to the folk. Beowulf's earls most bravely brandished heirloom swords; they wished to guard their famous prince's life, if so they might. The strong-souled warriors did not know, when they attacked and thought to hew him on all sides and reach his soul, that no choice iron, no battle-blade on earth, would harm wide-scathing Grendel: he had bewitched the victory weapons, every edge. His farewell was fated to be wretched on that day of mortal span; the alien soul was to travel far into the power of fiends. When he who, murderous hearted, once in feud with God wrought ill to mankind, found his body would not serve and Hygelac's brave nephew had him by the hand-- then each live, was hateful to the other. The horrid monster met with body-hurt; a wound showed wide and clear along his shoulder; sinews sprang apart, bone-locking muscles burst. To Beowulf was given the battle-fame. ---
[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 War-Geats' lord-- he never shunned the strife-- seized Grendel's mother by the shoulder; Beowulf, stout-battling, anger-swollen, flung his mortal foe; she bowed her body to the floor. She in turn repaid him quickly with ferocious claws and grappled him; the strongest of foot-warriors stumbled, as his spirit flagged, and fell. She sat upon the hall-guest, drew her broad and burnished knife; she purposed to avenge her son, her only child. A breast-net, woven mail-coat, lay on Beowulf's shoulder, saved his life, stood off the entrance of the point and edge. Then had Ecgtheow's son, the Geats' champion, death-journeyed under the wide earth unless his battle-byrnie and hard army-mesh had helped and Holy God caused victory in fight; the wise sky-ruling Lord with ease decided rightly. Beowulf stood up again.
He saw among the weapons a victory-blessed sword, old sword of giants, warriors' glory, trusty-edged; that was choicest among arms, though greater than any other man could carry into battle-play: the good sword of splendor, giants' work. The Scylding hero, fierce and sword-grim, seized its ring-embellished hilt; he swung the wavy-patterned sword despairing of his life, and struck with so great fury that the hard blade groped her neck and broke the back-bone rings; it drove clean through the doomed flesh-cover; she fell dying to the floor; the sword ran bloody; he delighted 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.
}
--- So far the vengeful champion repaid him for it: he saw war-weary Grendel lying lifeless, as the ruining strife in Heorot had made him. The corpse sprang far when after death it took the blow, a mighty sword-stroke; Beowulf carved off the 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.
}
--- Clear to the boss he burned the shield with waves of flame, the mail-coat gave the young spear-warrior no aid; but brave he passed beneath his kinsman's shield, his own consumed by fire. Again the battle-king recalled renown and struck so fiercely with sword that, driven by hate, it stood in the dragon's head. Nægling burst; the sword of Beowulf, old and gray-marked, failed in fight; it was not granted that its edges help him in the fray; his hand was over-strong who by his stroke, as I have heard, drove every sword too hard when he took a wound-hardened weapon to the wars. He was none the better for it.
A third time the people's harrier, bold fire-dragon, set his mind on strife; when chance allowed, he rushed against the famous man, war-grim and hot, and sank his sharp fangs fiercely in the neck. The king was bloodied to the death, his life-stream spilled.
Then I heard that in the people-prince's need the warrior always at his side showed courage, strength, and daring, as his nature prompted. The brave man gave no heed to the dragon's head, but his hand was burned when, to help his kinsman, he struck the malice-guest a little lower down; the armored warrior's sword sank in, plated, shining, and the fire, after, began to wane. Once more the king himself comtrolled his mind and drew the death-knife, keen, and battle-sharp, he wore upon his mail; the Weders' helmet sliced the worm in two. They felled the foe-- daring drove his life out-- and they killed him, both the noble kinsmen. ---
