a worthwhile task. The issue of Grendel
Has come to be known to me in my homeland; 410
Seafaring men say that this hall, the grandest
Of buildings, stands idle and useless
For every warrior, once the evening-light
Becomes hidden under the heaven’s vault.
Then my people advised me, 415
The best of them, the wisest men,
That I should visit you, Prince Hrothgar,
forþan hie mægenes cræft minne cuþon;
selfe ofersawon, ða ic of searwum cwom,
fah from feondum, þær ic fife geband, 420
yðde eotena cyn, ond on yðum slog
niceras nihtes, nearoþearfe dreah,
wræc Wedera nið —wean ahsodon—,
forgrand gramum; ond nu wið Grendel sceal,
wið þam aglæcan, ana gehegan 425
ðing wið þyrse. Ic þe nu ða,
brego Beorht-Dena, biddan wille,
eodor Scyldinga, anre bene,
þæt ðu me ne forwyrne, wigendra hleo,
freowine folca, nu ic þus feorran com, 430
þæt ic mote ana [ond] minra eorla gedryht,
þes hearda heap, Heorot fælsian.
Hæbbe ice eac geahsod, þæt se æglæca
for his wonhydum wæpna ne recceð;
ic þæt þonne forhicge, swa me Higelac sie, 435
min mondrihten, modes bliðe,
þæt ic sweord bere oþðe sidne scyld,
geolorand to guþe, ac ic mid grape sceal
fon wið feonde ond ymb feorh sacan,
lað wið laþum; ðær gelyfan sceal 440
Dryhtnes dome se þe hine deað nimeð.
Wen ic þæt he wille, gif he wealdan mot,
in þæm guðsele Geotena leode
etan unforhte, swa he oft dyde,
mægen Hreðmanna. Na þu minne þearft 445
hafalan hydan, ac he me habban wile
dreore fahne, gif mec deað nimeð;
For they knew what strength I have;
They saw when I from battles returned,
All bloody from my foes, where I had bound five, 420
Destroyed the giants’ clan, and on the waves slain
Water-fiends of night, endured dire distress,
Avenged the pain of the Geats—they had sought trouble—
Crushed the enemies; and now with Grendel,
With the fierce demon, I alone shall have encounter, 425
Confront this fiend. Now I wish,
Lord of the Bright-Danes, Protector of the Scyldings,
Guard for fighting men, generous friend of good folks,
To entreat you not to deny me one boon—
Now that I have come thus from afar— 430
That I alone, [and] the band of my troopers,
This pack of hardy men, may be allowed to cleanse Heorot.
I have also heard that the fiend,
For his unwariness, scorns use of weapons.
I take it lightly—so my lord Hygelac 435
May be pleased with me in his mind—
That I bear a sword, or a broad shield—
That brown stuff—to battle, but with my grip I shall have
A grueling duel with the fiend and give or take life,
As foes hateful to each other; there he who will be 440
In death’s grip shall trust the verdict of the Lord.
I expect that, if he is allowed to attain victory,
In the battle-hall he will, undeterred by fear,
Gorge himself on the Geats, as he has often done,
The choicest of men; there won’t be any need 445
For you to bury me, for he will have me,
All besmeared in blood, if death takes me.
byreð blodig wæl, byrgean þenceð,
eteð angenga unmurnlice,
mearcað morhopu; no ðu ymb mines ne þearft 450
lices feorme leng sorgian.
Onsend Higelace, gif mec hild nime,
beaduscruda betst, þæt mine breost wereð,
hrægla selest; þæt is Hrædlan laf,
Welandes geweorc. Gæð a wyrd swa hio scel.” 455
(VII) Hroðgar maþelode, helm Scyldinga:
“For gewyrhtum þu, wine min Beowulf,
ond for arstafum usic sohtest.
Gesloh þin fæder fæhðe mæste;
wearþ he Heaþolafe to handbonan 460
mid Wlfingum; ða hine Wedera cyn
for herebrogan habban ne mihte.
Þanon he gesohte Suð-Dena folc
ofer yða gewealc, Ar-Scyldinga;
ða ic furþum weold folce Deniga 465
ond on geogoðe heold ginne rice,*
