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Beowulf: A New Translation Into Modern English Verse. Breakwater Press (?), St. John's, New Brunswick, Canada (?), 1984. ISBN: 0-919519-64-4.
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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.
}
Beowulf, thane of Hygelac, a brave man among the Geats,
Heard in his homeland about the deeds of Grendel.
He was the very strongest of men
At that time in this world,
Princely and powerful. He ordered a good ship
to be fitted out for him. He said he wanted
To visit the king across the swan-road,
The illustrious prince, because he was in need of men.
The wise Geats blamed him very little
For that expedition though he was dear to them:
They urged on the strong-minded man, they examined the omens.
Beowulf quickly chose fighters from among
The Geats, the bravest
He could find. With fourteen men
He made for his ship; skilled in sailing
He himself led the way to the shore.
Soon the vessel was launched on the waves,
Rode in the lee of the cliff. The men were ready
And climbed aboard; the currents eddied,
The sea swept against the shore. The Geats carried
Their bright weapons, their splendid war-gear,
Into the bosom of the ship. Warriors on a willing journey,
[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 for anything
Let the bringer of death escape alive,
Nor did he consider his life useful
To anyone at all. Very often Beowulf's warriors
Brandished ancient heirlooms there.
They wanted to protect the life of their lord,
Their illustrious prince, if they could manage it.
Those brave-minded men did not know
When they entered the battle
And tried to hack into Grendel on all sides,
To seek out his soul, that neither the best sword
On earth, nor any blade of battle,
Could touch the evil-doer:
He had cast a spell on the weapons of victory,
On each and every sword. Yet his parting from life
At that time in in this world
Was to be wretched, and the outcast spirit
Was to journey far into the power of fiends.
Grendel who previously in the joy of his heart
Had committed countless atrocities
Against men-- he hated God--
Found that his body would not follow him,
For the brave kinsman of Hygelac
Had him by the hand: each was hateful to the other
While he lived. Pain shot through the body
Of the grisly monster: a hideous gash
Appeared in his shoulder, the sinews sprang apart,
The joints burst. Glory in battle 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 the prince of the Geats, by no means reluctant for the fight,
Seized the mother of Grendel by the hair.
Valiant in battle, and bursting with rage, he flung
The deadly foe, sent her sprawling on the floor.
She paid him back quickly for that,
Grabbing at him with savage grips.
Weary in his heart, the strongest of warriors,
The fighter on foot, stumbled and fell.
She then sat upon her hall-guest and drew out her dagger,
Broad and bright-edged; she wanted to avenge her son,
Her only child. Beowulf's woven mail-shirt
Covered his body: it protected his life,
Barred entry to point and edge.
The son of Ecgtheow, champion of the Geats,
Would have gone to his grave then,
Had not his battle-byrnie, his strong war-shirt
Helped him-- and had not holy God
Given him victory; the wise Lord,
The Ruler of the Heavens, easily settled the issue
Aright, after Beowulf stood up again.
He saw then among the weapons there a sword rich in victory,
An ancient sword of giants, strong in its edges,
The glory of warriors: it was the best of weapons,
Except that it was bigger than any other man
Could carry into the play of battle--
A fine and splendid sword, the work of giants.
Fierce and battle-grim the defender of the Danes
Seized the corded hilt. Careless of his life
He swung the ring-sword; struck so furiously
That it sank deep into her neck,
Broke the rings of bone. The blade went
Clean through the doomed flesh. She crumpled to the floor;
The sword dripped with blood, and the warrior 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.
}
[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.
}
--- The waves of flame burnt away
Wiglaf's shield to the boss, and his coat of mail
Could give him no help. However,
The young man darted swiftly
Behind his kinsman's shield after his own
Had been destroyed by the flames. Then the battle-king again
Put his mind to glorious deeds. With his huge strength he struck
So violent a blow, that the sword lodged
In the dragon's head. Nagling shattered:
Beowulf's sword, ancient and grey-coloured,
Failed him in the fight.
It was not granted to him
That swords made of iron should help
Him in battle: his hand was too strong,
And, as I have heard, he overtaxed with his blows
Each and every blade: whenever he carried to the fight
A weapon hardened by blood, it helped him not the slightest.
Then for a third time the scourge of the people,
The terrible fire-dragon, set its mind to attack.
When it had an opening it rushed out on the mighty one,
Hot and fierce in battle, and seized his neck
With a snap of its tusks. Beowulf's life-blood
Gushed out from him in surges.
I have heard, when the king needed him,
The warrior at his side showed courage,
Skill and daring, as was his nature.
Coming to his kinsman's aid in his armour
He paid no heed to the dragon's head
But struck the evil foe a little lower down
(The brave man's hand was burned).
The sword sank in, shining and plated,
And the fire subsided. The king himself still
Had command of his senses, and drew the deadly dagger,
Keen and battle-sharp, which he wore on his corslet.
The protector of the Geats ripped the dragon open in its middle.
They had killed the enemy-- their courage had driven out its life---
