Hygelac'S Thane
Swâ þâ mæl-ceare maga Healfdenessingala seáð; ne mihte snotor häleðweán onwendan: wäs þät gewin tô swýð,lâð and longsum, þe on þâ leóde becom,nýd-wracu nîð-grim, niht-bealwa mæst.Þät fram hâm gefrägn Higelâces þegn,gôd mid Geátum, Grendles dæda:se wäs mon-cynnes mägenes strengeston þäm däge þysses lîfes,äðele and eácen. Hêt him ýð-lidangôdne gegyrwan; cwäð he gûð-cyningofer swan-râde sêcean wolde,mærne þeóden, þâ him wäs manna þearf.Þone sîð-fät him snotere ceorlas
So then Healfdene’s kinsman brooded continuallyover that time of sorrow; the wise hero could notturn the misery aside: the struggle was too fierce,hateful and long, that had come upon his people,a grim and cruel oppression, worst of night-terrors.Hygelac’s thane, back home, heard of it —Grendel’s deeds — a good man among the Geats.He was, of all mankind, the strongest in mightalive in that day of this life,noble and mighty. He ordered a wave-crosser,a good ship, made ready; said that he, a warrior-king,would seek out over the swan’s-roadthat famous prince, since he had need of men.Wise men blamed him little
lyt-hwôn lôgon, þeáh he him leóf wære;hwetton higerôfne, hæl sceáwedon.Häfde se gôda Geáta leódacempan gecorone, þâra þe he cênostefindan mihte; fîftena sumsund-wudu sôhte; secg wîsade,lagu-cräftig mon, land-gemyrcu.Fyrst forð gewât: flota wäs on ýðum,bât under beorge. Beornas gearweon stefn stigon; streámas wundonsund wið sande; secgas bæronon bearm nacan beorhte frätwe,gûð-searo geatolîc; guman ût scufon,weras on wil-sîð wudu bundenne.
for that undertaking, dear as he was to them;they spurred the brave-hearted one on, studied the omens.The good man had chosen, from the people of the Geats,champions — the boldest hecould find; one of fifteen,he sought the sea-wood; a man skilled in the waterled them to the shore’s edge.Time went forward: the ship rode the waves,the boat under the cliff. The men, ready,climbed to the prow; the currents churned,sea against sand; the warriors carriedbright war-gear into the ship’s hold,splendid battle-trappings; the men shoved offthe well-bound timber on the voyage they had wished for.
Gewât þâ ofer wæg-holm winde gefýsedflota fâmig-heals fugle gelîcost,ôð þät ymb ân-tîd ôðres dôgoreswunden-stefna gewaden häfde,þät þâ lîðende land gesâwon,brim-clifu blîcan, beorgas steápe,sîde sæ-nässas: þâ wäs sund liden,eoletes ät ende. Þanon up hraðeWedera leóde on wang stigon,sæ-wudu sældon (syrcan hrysedon,gûð-gewædo); gode þancedon,þäs þe him ýð-lâde eáðe wurdon.Þâ of wealle geseah weard Scildinga,se þe holm-clifu healdan scolde,
Then, driven by the wind, over the heaving sea,the foam-necked floater went, most like a bird,until, about the same hour of the second day,the curved-prowed ship had traveled far enoughthat the seafarers saw land,sea-cliffs shining, steep headlands,wide sea-nesses: the crossing was done then,the voyage at its end. Quickly up from therethe Geats climbed onto the shore,moored their sea-wood — their mail-shirts rattled,their battle-dress — and thanked Godthat the wave-paths had been easy for them.Then from the wall the Scyldings’ watchman saw,he whose duty was to guard the sea-cliffs,
beran ofer bolcan beorhte randas,fyrd-searu fûslîcu; hine fyrwyt bräcmôd-gehygdum, hwät þâ men wæron.Gewât him þâ tô waroðe wicge rîdanþegn Hrôðgâres, þrymmum cwehtemägen-wudu mundum, meðel-wordum frägn:"Hwät syndon ge searo-häbbendra"byrnum werede, þe þus brontne ceól"ofer lagu-stræte lædan cwômon,"hider ofer holmas helmas bæron?"Ic wäs ende-sæta, æg-wearde heóld,"þät on land Dena lâðra nænig"mid scip-herge sceððan ne meahte."Nô her cûðlîcor cuman ongunnon
men bearing bright shields over the gangway,battle-gear ready for use; his mind was grippedby curiosity — what these men might be.He rode down to the shore then on his horse,Hrothgar’s thane, and shook mightilythe great spear in his hands, and asked in formal words:“What are you, armed men,clad in mail-coats, who have come thusleading a tall ship over the sea-lanes,bearing helmets hither over the deep waters?I have been posted at the border, held watch on the coast,so that no enemy might do harmto the land of the Danes with a ship-army.No men have ever come here more openly,
"lind-häbbende; ne ge leáfnes-word"gûð-fremmendra gearwe ne wisson,"mâga gemêdu. Næfre ic mâran geseah"eorla ofer eorðan, þonne is eówer sum,"secg on searwum; nis þät seld-guma"wæpnum geweorðad, näfne him his wlite leóge,"ænlîc an-sýn. Nu ic eówer sceal"frum-cyn witan, ær ge fyr heonan"leáse sceáweras on land Dena"furður fêran. Nu ge feor-bûend,"mere-lîðende, mînne gehýrað"ân-fealdne geþôht: ôfost is sêlest"tô gecýðanne, hwanan eówre cyme syndon."
shield-bearers — yet you did not haveleave-word from those who wage war ready in hand,no kinsmen’s consent. Never have I seena mightier man on earth than one among you,a warrior in his gear; that is no hall-idlerhonored merely by weapons, unless his looks belie him,his singular bearing. Now I must knowyour lineage, before you go any furtheras false spies into the land of the Danes.Now, you who dwell far off,sea-voyagers, hearmy one plain thought: it is best to be quickin making known where you have come from.”