beowulf-第13节

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old　myth　of　a　dragon　who　guards　hidden　treasure。　But　with　this

runs　the　story　of　some　noble；　last　of　his　race；　who　hides　all　his

wealth　within　this　barrow　and　there　chants　his　farewell　to　life's

glories。　After　his　death　the　dragon　takes　possession　of　the　hoard

and　watches　over　it。　A　condemned　or　banished　man；　desperate；

hides　in　the　barrow；　discovers　the　treasure；　and　while　the　dragon

sleeps；　makes　off　with　a　golden　beaker　or　the　like；　and　carries

it　for　propitiation　to　his　master。　The　dragon　discovers　the　loss

and　exacts　fearful　penalty　from　the　people　round　about。







XXXII



THAT　way　he　went　with　no　will　of　his　own；

in　danger　of　life；　to　the　dragon's　hoard；

but　for　pressure　of　peril；　some　prince's　thane。

He　fled　in　fear　the　fatal　scourge；

seeking　shelter；　a　sinful　man；

and　entered　in。　At　the　awful　sight

tottered　that　guest；　and　terror　seized　him；

yet　the　wretched　fugitive　rallied　anon

from　fright　and　fear　ere　he　fled　away；

and　took　the　cup　from　that　treasure…hoard。

Of　such　besides　there　was　store　enough；

heirlooms　old；　the　earth　below；

which　some　earl　forgotten；　in　ancient　years；

left　the　last　of　his　lofty　race；

heedfully　there　had　hidden　away；

dearest　treasure。　For　death　of　yore

had　hurried　all　hence；　and　he　alone

left　to　live；　the　last　of　the　clan；

weeping　his　friends；　yet　wished　to　bide

warding　the　treasure；　his　one　delight；

though　brief　his　respite。　The　barrow；　new…ready；

to　strand　and　sea…waves　stood　anear；

hard　by　the　headland；　hidden　and　closed；

there　laid　within　it　his　lordly　heirlooms

and　heaped　hoard　of　heavy　gold

that　warden　of　rings。　Few　words　he　spake：

〃Now　hold　thou；　earth；　since　heroes　may　not；

what　earls　have　owned！　Lo；　erst　from　thee

brave　men　brought　it！　But　battle…death　seized

and　cruel　killing　my　clansmen　all；

robbed　them　of　life　and　a　liegeman's　joys。

None　have　I　left　to　lift　the　sword；

or　to　cleanse　the　carven　cup　of　price；

beaker　bright。　My　brave　are　gone。

And　the　helmet　hard；　all　haughty　with　gold；

shall　part　from　its　plating。　Polishers　sleep

who　could　brighten　and　burnish　the　battle…mask；

and　those　weeds　of　war　that　were　wont　to　brave

over　bicker　of　shields　the　bite　of　steel

rust　with　their　bearer。　The　ringed　mail

fares　not　far　with　famous　chieftain；

at　side　of　hero！　No　harp's　delight；

no　glee…wood's　gladness！　No　good　hawk　now

flies　through　the　hall！　Nor　horses　fleet

stamp　in　the　burgstead！　Battle　and　death

the　flower　of　my　race　have　reft　away。〃

Mournful　of　mood；　thus　he　moaned　his　woe；

alone；　for　them　all；　and　unblithe　wept

by　day　and　by　night；　till　death's　fell　wave

o'erwhelmed　his　heart。　His　hoard…of…bliss

that　old　ill…doer　open　found；

who；　blazing　at　twilight　the　barrows　haunteth；

naked　foe…dragon　flying　by　night

folded　in　fire：　the　folk　of　earth

dread　him　sore。　'Tis　his　doom　to　seek

hoard　in　the　graves；　and　heathen　gold

to　watch；　many…wintered：　nor　wins　he　thereby！

Powerful　this　plague…of…the…people　thus

held　the　house　of　the　hoard　in　earth

three　hundred　winters；　till　One　aroused

wrath　in　his　breast；　to　the　ruler　bearing

that　costly　cup；　and　the　king　implored

for　bond　of　peace。　So　the　barrow　was　plundered；

borne　off　was　booty。　His　boon　was　granted

that　wretched　man；　and　his　ruler　saw

first　time　what　was　fashioned　in　far…off　days。

When　the　dragon　awoke；　new　woe　was　kindled。

O'er　the　stone　he　snuffed。　The　stark…heart　found

footprint　of　foe　who　so　far　had　gone

in　his　hidden　craft　by　the　creature's　head。　

So　may　the　undoomed　easily　flee

evils　and　exile；　if　only　he　gain

the　grace　of　The　Wielder！　　That　warden　of　gold

o'er　the　ground　went　seeking；　greedy　to　find

the　man　who　wrought　him　such　wrong　in　sleep。

Savage　and　burning；　the　barrow　he　circled

all　without；　nor　was　any　there；

none　in　the　waste。。。。　Yet　war　he　desired；

was　eager　for　battle。　The　barrow　he　entered；

sought　the　cup；　and　discovered　soon

that　some　one　of　mortals　had　searched　his　treasure；

his　lordly　gold。　The　guardian　waited

ill…enduring　till　evening　came；

boiling　with　wrath　was　the　barrow's　keeper；

and　fain　with　flame　the　foe　to　pay

for　the　dear　cup's　loss。　　Now　day　was　fled

as　the　worm　had　wished。　By　its　wall　no　more

was　it　glad　to　bide；　but　burning　flew

folded　in　flame：　a　fearful　beginning

for　sons　of　the　soil；　and　soon　it　came；

in　the　doom　of　their　lord；　to　a　dreadful　end。







XXXIII



THEN　the　baleful　fiend　its　fire　belched　out；

and　bright　homes　burned。　The　blaze　stood　high

all　landsfolk　frighting。　No　living　thing

would　that　loathly　one　leave　as　aloft　it　flew。

Wide　was　the　dragon's　warring　seen；

its　fiendish　fury　far　and　near；

as　the　grim　destroyer　those　Geatish　people

hated　and　hounded。　To　hidden　lair；

to　its　hoard　it　hastened　at　hint　of　dawn。

Folk　of　the　land　it　had　lapped　in　flame；

with　bale　and　brand。　In　its　barrow　it　trusted；

its　battling　and　bulwarks：　that　boast　was　vain！



To　Beowulf　then　the　bale　was　told

quickly　and　truly：　the　king's　own　home；

of　buildings　the　best；　in　brand…waves　melted；

that　gift…throne　of　Geats。　To　the　good　old　man

sad　in　heart；　'twas　heaviest　sorrow。

The　sage　assumed　that　his　sovran　God

he　had　angered；　breaking　ancient　law；

and　embittered　the　Lord。　His　breast　within

with　black　thoughts　welled；　as　his　wont　was　never。

The　folk's　own　fastness　that　fiery　dragon

with　flame　had　destroyed；　and　the　stronghold　all

washed　by　waves；　but　the　warlike　king；

prince　of　the　Weders；　plotted　vengeance。

Warriors'…bulwark；　he　bade　them　work

all　of　iron　　the　earl's　commander　

a　war…shield　wondrous：　well　he　knew

that　forest…wood　against　fire　were　worthless；

linden　could　aid　not。　　Atheling　brave；

he　was　fated　to　finish　this　fleeting　life；＇1＇

his　days　on　earth；　and　the　dragon　with　him；

though　long　it　had　watched　o'er　the　wealth　of　thehoard！　

Shame　he　reckoned　it；　sharer…of…rings；

to　follow　the　flyer…afar　with　a　host；

a　broad…flung　band；　nor　the　battle　feared　he；

nor　deemed　he　dreadful　the　dragon's　warring；

its　vigor　and　valor：　ventures　desperate

he　had　passed　a…plenty；　and　perils　of　war；

contest…crash；　since；　conqueror　proud；

Hrothgar's　hall　he　had　wholly　purged；

and　in　grapple　had　killed　the　kin　of　Grendel；

loathsome　breed！　Not　least　was　that

of　hand…to…hand　fights　where　Hygelac　fell；

when　the　ruler　of　Geats　in　rush　of　battle；

lord　of　his　folk；　in　the　Frisian　land；

son　of　Hrethel；　by　sword…draughts　died；

by　brands　down…beaten。　Thence　Beowulf　fled

through　strength　of　himself　and　his　swimming　power；

though　alone；　and　his　arms　were　laden　with　thirty

coats　of　mail；　when　he　came　to　the　sea！

Nor　yet　might　Hetwaras＇2＇　haughtily　boast

their　craft　of　contest；　who　carried　against　him

shields　to　the　fight：　but　few　escaped

from　strife　with　the　hero　to　seek　their　homes！

Then　swam　over　ocean　Ecgtheow's　son

lonely　and　sorrowful；　seeking　his　land；

where　Hygd　made　him　offer　of　hoard　and　realm；

rings　and　royal…seat；　reckoning　naught

the　strength　of　her　son　to　save　their　kingdom

from　hostile　hordes；　after　Hygelac's　death。

No　sooner　for　this　could　the　stricken　ones

in　any　wise　move　that　atheling's　mind

over　young　Heardred's　head　as　lord

and　ruler　of　all　the　realm　to　be：

yet　the　hero　upheld　him　with　helpful　words；

aided　in　honor；　till；　older　grown；

he　wielded　the　Weder…Geats。　　Wandering　exiles

sought　him　o'er　seas；　the　sons　of　Ohtere；

who　had　spurned　the　sway　of　the　Scylfings'…helmet；

the　bravest　and　best　that　broke　the　rings；

in　Swedish　land；　of　the　sea…kings'　line；

haughty　hero。＇3＇　Hence　Heardred's　end。

For　shelter　he　gave　them；　sword…death　came；

the　blade's　fell　blow；　to　bairn　of　Hygelac；

but　the　son　of　Ongentheow　sought　again

house　and　home　when　Heardred　fell；

leaving　Beowulf　lord　of　Geats

and　gift…seat's　master。　　A　good　king　he！



＇1＇　Literally　〃loan…days；〃　days　loaned　to　man。　＇2＇　Chattuarii；　a

tribe　that　dwelt　along　the　Rhine；　and　took　part　in　repelling　the

raid　of　（Hygelac）　Chocilaicus。　＇3＇　Onla；　son　of　Ongentheow；　who

pursues　his　two　nephews　Eanmund　and　Eadgils　to　Heardred's　court；

where　they　have　taken　refuge　after　their　unsuccessful　rebellion。

In　the　fighting　Heardred　is　killed。







XXXIV



THE　fall　of　his　lord　he　was　fain　to　requite

in　after　days；　and　to　Eadgils　he　proved

friend　to　the　friendless；　and　forces　sent

over　the　sea　to　the　son　of　Ohtere；

weapons　and　warriors：　well　repaid　he

those　care…paths　cold　when　the　king　he　slew。＇1＇

Thus　safe　through　struggles　the　son　of　Ecgtheow

had　passed　a　plenty；　through　perils　dire；

with　daring　deeds；　till　this　day　was　come

that　doomed　him　now　with　the　dragon　to　strive。

With　comrades　eleven　the　lord　of　Geats

swollen　in　rage　went　seeking　the　dragon。

He　had　heard　whence　all　the　harm　arose

and　the　killing　of　clansmen；　that　cup　of　price

on　the　lap　of　the　lord　had　been　laid　by　the　finder。

In　the　throng　was　this　one　thirteenth　man；

starter　of　all　the　strife　and　ill；

care…laden　capt