[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 good man among the Geats, a thane of Hygelac, heard in his homeland of Grendel's deeds: Beowulf was the mightiest man alive; he was a noble and a great man. He ordered a good ship to be made ready for him; he said he would seek to serve Hrothgar, the war king across the sea, since that famous prince had need of men. Wise men did not blame Beowulf for this adventure; although he was dear to them, they urged the brave man on, and they examined the omens. After the good man had chosen the bravest warriors that he could find among the Geats, he led fourteen heroes to the shore: The seafaring warriors sought the wooden ship at the land's edge. Now the time was at hand: Below the cliffs, the ship was on the waves. Eagerly the warriors climbed aboard. The sea eddied and churned the sand as the men bore glittering weapons and splendid armor aboard the ship.
The men launched the well-braced ship from shore; the warriors cast off on the eagerly sought adventure. Then the foam-spewed boat traveled over the billowing waves like a bird blown by the wind. The curved prow flew onward until, in due time, on the second day the seafarers made landfall: They saw glistening sea-cliffs, towering hills, and huge promontories. Thus they crossed the sea and their journey was at an end.
[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.
}
...Beowulf, protector of warriors, would not relese his murderous guest alive, for he did not consider Grendel's life of value to anyone. Then Beowulf's earls drew their ancient swords to protect their dear lord and glorious prince in any way they could. But when the valiant warriors entered the fight and sought to hew the monster on every side to take his life, they did not know that no battle sword -- not even the best steel on earth -- could touch the evil one: For he had made every weapon useless with a spell. Nevertheless, the alien spirit's departure from life to death was wretched, for he was to travel far away into the power of fiends: The evil one, who had afflicted the sons of men with his many crimes and was at war with God, now found that his body was no longer of use, for the bold kinsman of Hygelac had him in his grasp. The life of each was hateful to the other. The dread monster felt pain: A huge wound appeared in his shoulder and the sinews sprang apart. The muscles were torn apart: Beowulf was victorious in battle.
[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.
}
...Enraged, he seized Grendel's mother by the shoulder, and the battle-hardened warrior hurled his deadly foe to the floor. She quickly repaid him in kind, and with her fearful talons she clutched at him. Then the strongest of warriors faltered in spirit, so that he stumbled and fell.
Grendel's mother threw herself upon her guest and drew forth a large, bright-edged dagger to avenge her only child. The tightly woven mail shirt covered his shoulder and saved his life by withstanding the entry of point and edge. Then Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow and champion of the Geats, would have perished under the wide earth -- were it not for the strong links of his battle shirt, and the holy God who gave him succor and brought about victory. The wise Lord, Ruler of the Heavens, easily decided the struggle in favor of the right -- after Beowulf plucked up his courage and struggled to his feet again.
Then Beowulf saw amongst some armor a glorious old sword of the finest tempered steel, forged by the giants: This best of weapons was beautifully decorated and was larger than any other that man might bear into battle. The helper of the Scyldings, bent on slaughter, seized the decorated hilt and drew the engraved sword. Heedless of his life, the hero struck fiercely, so that the blade caught Grendel's mother on the neck, broke the bone rings, and cleaved completely through the doomed body. She fell to the floor while the hero, bloody sword in hand, 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.
}
...Now the fierce champion had bestowed a reward on the monster for those victories, for here was Grendel, lying still and lifeless from the wounds inflicted by Beowulf at Heorot. The hero took a mighty stroke, the dead body rebounded from the blow, and the head was severed.
[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 flames advanced in waves: Wiglaf's shield burned to the boss, and the young warrior's mail shirt was useless. When his own shield was consumed in flames, the young man boldly stepped behind his lord's shield. Then the king again remembered his fame, and he struck the dragon's head a blow with all the force of his mighty spirit, so that his sword Naegling broke: The gleaming old sword failed Beowulf in the fight. It was not fated that any blade of steel might help him in combat, for his great strength overstressed any sword when he bore the forged weapon into battle: He was none the better for it.
Then for the third time the enemy of man, the fearful fire dragon, sought vengeance: When his chance came, hot and fearful he seized Beowulf's neck in his sharp fangs, and the hero was bathed in his own lifeblood, which flowed in streams.
It is said that the earl Wiglaf then showed his courage and helped his lord in his need. The brave man showed his strength and skill as he paid no heed to the dragon's fire-breathing head, so that his hand was burned as he helped his kinsman. The man in armor struck the hateful foe a little lower down, and the flashing engraved sword sank in, so that the fire began to subside. Then the king himself seized the moment and drew his deadly sharp battle-knife that he wore on his shirt of mail: The protector of the storm-braving Geats cut the dragon in half. Together the noble kinsmen felled the dragon and destroyed his life with their courage.
