Hunferth Objects To Beówulf
Ûnferð maðelode, Ecglâfes bearn,þe ät fôtum sät freán Scyldinga;onband beadu-rûne (wäs him Beówulfes sîð,môdges mere-faran, micel äf-þunca,forþon þe he ne ûðe, þät ænig ôðer manæfre mærða þon mâ middan-geardesgehêdde under heofenum þonne he sylfa):"Eart þu se Beówulf, se þe wið Brecan wunne,"on sîdne sæ ymb sund flite,"þær git for wlence wada cunnedon"and for dol-gilpe on deóp wäter"aldrum nêðdon? Ne inc ænig mon,"ne leóf ne lâð, beleán mihte"sorh-fullne sîð; þâ git on sund reón,"þær git eágor-streám earmum þehton,
Unferth spoke up, Ecglaf’s son,who sat at the feet of the Scyldings’ lord;he loosed a string of battle-runes — Beowulf’s coming,the bold seafarer’s voyage, was to hima source of great resentment, for he could not bearthat any other man on this middle-earthshould ever win more glory under heaven than he himself:“Are you the Beowulf who competed with Breca,who raced him on the open sea in swimming,where the two of you, out of pride, tried the watersand, out of foolish boasting, risked your livesin the deep sea? No one could dissuade you,neither friend nor foe,from that dangerous venture; there you swam out,where you covered the sea-currents with your arms,
"mæton mere-stræta, mundum brugdon,"glidon ofer gâr-secg; geofon ýðum weól,"wintres wylme. Git on wäteres æht"seofon niht swuncon; he þe ät sunde oferflât,"häfde mâre mägen. Þâ hine on morgen-tîd"on Heaðo-ræmas holm up ätbär,"þonon he gesôhte swæsne êðel"leóf his leódum lond Brondinga,"freoðo-burh fägere, þær he folc âhte,"burg and beágas. Beót eal wið þe"sunu Beánstânes sôðe gelæste."Þonne wêne ic tô þe wyrsan geþinges,"þeáh þu heaðo-ræsa gehwær dohte,"grimre gûðe, gif þu Grendles dearst"niht-longne fyrst neán bîdan!"
measured the sea-paths, worked with your hands,glided over the ocean; the deep churned with waves,the surge of winter. For seven nightsyou two struggled in the water’s grip; he outdid you at swimming,had greater strength. Then, in the morning,the sea cast him up on the shore of the Heatho-Ramas,and from there he sought his own dear homeland,beloved by his people, the land of the Brondings,the fair peace-stronghold, where he had a people,a town, and rings. The son of Beanstanhad truly fulfilled his whole boast against you.So I expect a worse outcome for you,though you have proven strong in every clash of battle,in grim combat, if you dare wait near Grendelfor the length of a night!”
Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:"Hwät þu worn fela, wine mîn Ûnferð,"beóre druncen ymb Brecan spræce,"sägdest from his sîðe! Sôð ic talige,"þät ic mere-strengo mâran âhte,"earfeðo on ýðum, þonne ænig ôðer man."Wit þät gecwædon cniht-wesende"and gebeótedon (wæron begen þâ git"on geogoð-feore) þät wit on gâr-secg ût"aldrum nêðdon; and þät geäfndon swâ."Häfdon swurd nacod, þâ wit on sund reón,"heard on handa, wit unc wið hron-fixas"werian þôhton. Nô he wiht fram me"flôd-ýðum feor fleótan meahte,"hraðor on holme, nô ic fram him wolde.
Beowulf spoke, son of Ecgtheow:“Well, my friend Unferth, you have saida great deal, drunk on beer, about Breca,told of his journey! But I hold it as truththat I had greater strength in the sea,more endurance in the waves, than any other man.We agreed to it as boysand made our boast — we were both thenstill in our youth — that we would risk our livesout on the open sea; and we carried it out just so.We held naked swords in our hands as we swam,hard blades, meaning to defend ourselvesagainst sea-monsters. He could notswim far from me on the flood-waves,could not move faster on the sea, and I would not leave him.
"Þâ wit ätsomne on sæ wæron"fîf nihta fyrst, ôð þät unc flôd tôdrâf,"wado weallende, wedera cealdost,"nîpende niht and norðan wind"heaðo-grim andhwearf; hreó wæron ýða,"Wäs mere-fixa môd onhrêred:"þær me wið lâðum lîc-syrce mîn,"heard hond-locen, helpe gefremede;"beado-hrägl broden on breóstum läg,"golde gegyrwed. Me tô grunde teáh"fâh feónd-scaða, fäste häfde"grim on grâpe: hwäðre me gyfeðe wearð,"þät ic aglæcan orde geræhte,"hilde-bille; heaðo-ræs fornam"mihtig mere-deór þurh mîne hand.
Then we two were together on the seafor the space of five nights, until the flood drove us apart,the surging waters, the coldest of weathers,darkening night and a wind from the northturned fierce against us; rough were the waves,the mood of the sea-fish was stirred to fury:there my corselet, against those enemies,hard and hand-linked, did me service;my woven battle-garment lay on my breast,adorned with gold. Down to the bottom dragged mea fierce and hostile enemy, held me fastgrim in its grip: yet it was granted to methat I reached the monster with the point of my weapon,my battle-blade; the storm of war carried offthat mighty sea-beast through my hand.