Part 14 (1/2)

{They thought it very unlikely that they should ever see their homes again.}

That ever thereafter any should hope to Be happy at home, hero-friends visit Or the lordly troop-castle where he lived from his childhood; They had heard how slaughter had s.n.a.t.c.hed from the wine-hall, 35 Had recently ravished, of the race of the Scyldings

{But G.o.d raised up a deliverer.}

Too many by far. But the Lord to them granted The weaving of war-speed, to Wederish heroes Aid and comfort, that every opponent By one man's war-might they worsted and vanquished,

{G.o.d rules the world.}

40 By the might of himself; the truth is established That G.o.d Almighty hath governed for ages Kindreds and nations. A night very lurid

{Grendel comes to Heorot.}

The trav'ler-at-twilight came tramping and striding.

The warriors were sleeping who should watch the horned-building,

{Only one warrior is awake.}

45 One only excepted. 'Mid earthmen 'twas 'stablished, Th' implacable foeman was powerless to hurl them To the land of shadows, if the Lord were unwilling; But serving as warder, in terror to foemen, He angrily bided the issue of battle.[2]

[1] Gr. understood 'G.o.dra' as meaning 'advantages in battle.' This rendering H.-So. rejects. The latter takes the pa.s.sage as meaning that Grendel, though mighty and formidable, has no skill in the art of war.

[2] B. in his masterly articles on Beowulf (P. and B. XII.) rejects the division usually made at this point, 'pa.' (711), usually rendered 'then,' he translates 'when,' and connects its clause with the foregoing sentence. These changes he makes to reduce the number of 'com's' as princ.i.p.al verbs. (Cf. 703, 711, 721.) With all deference to this acute scholar, I must say that it seems to me that the poet is exhausting his resources to bring out clearly the supreme event on which the whole subsequent action turns. First, he (Grendel) came _in the wan night_; second, he came _from the moor_; third, he came _to the hall_. Time, place from which, place to which, are all given.

[26]

XII.

GRENDEL AND BEOWULF.

{Grendel comes from the fens.}

'Neath the cloudy cliffs came from the moor then Grendel going, G.o.d's anger bare he.

The monster intended some one of earthmen In the hall-building grand to entrap and make way with:

{He goes towards the joyous building.}

5 He went under welkin where well he knew of The wine-joyous building, brilliant with plating, Gold-hall of earthmen. Not the earliest occasion

{This was not his first visit there.}

He the home and manor of Hrothgar had sought: Ne'er found he in life-days later nor earlier 10 Hardier hero, hall-thanes[1] more st.u.r.dy!

Then came to the building the warrior marching,

{His horrid fingers tear the door open.}

Bereft of his joyance. The door quickly opened On fire-hinges fastened, when his fingers had touched it; The fell one had flung then--his fury so bitter-- 15 Open the entrance. Early thereafter The foeman trod the s.h.i.+ning hall-pavement,

{He strides furiously into the hall.}