beowulf-第7节

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support　among　scholars。　Finn；　a　Frisian　chieftain；　who

nevertheless　has　a　〃castle〃　outside　the　Frisian　border；　marries

Hildeburh；　a　Danish　princess；　and　her　brother；　Hnaef；　with　many

other　Danes；　pays　Finn　a　visit。　Relations　between　the　two　peoples

have　been　strained　before。　Something　starts　the　old　feud　anew；

and　the　visitors　are　attacked　in　their　quarters。　Hnaef　is　killed；

so　is　a　son　of　Hildeburh。　Many　fall　on　both　sides。　Peace　is

patched　up；　a　stately　funeral　is　held；　and　the　surviving　visitors

become　in　a　way　vassals　or　liegemen　of　Finn；　going　back　with　him

to　Frisia。　So　matters　rest　a　while。　Hengest　is　now　leader　of　the

Danes；　but　he　is　set　upon　revenge　for　his　former　lord；　Hnaef。

Probably　he　is　killed　in　feud；　but　his　clansmen；　Guthlaf　and

Oslaf；　gather　at　their　home　a　force　of　sturdy　Danes；　come　back　to

Frisia；　storm　Finn's　stronghold；　kill　him；　and　carry　back　their

kinswoman　Hildeburh。　＇6＇　The　〃enemies〃　must　be　the　Frisians。　＇7＇

Battlefield。　　Hengest　is　the　〃prince's　thane；〃　companion　of

Hnaef。　〃Folcwald's　son〃　is　Finn。　＇8＇　That　is；　Finn　would　govern

in　all　honor　the　few　Danish　warriors　who　were　left；　provided；　of

course；　that　none　of　them　tried　to　renew　the　quarrel　or　avenge

Hnaef　their　fallen　lord。　If；　again；　one　of　Finn's　Frisians　began

a　quarrel；　he　should　die　by　the　sword。　＇9＇　Hnaef。　＇10＇　The　high

place　chosen　for　the　funeral：　see　description　of　Beowulf's

funeral…pile　at　the　end　of　the　poem。　＇11＇　Wounds。







XVII



THEN　hastened　those　heroes　their　home　to　see；

friendless；　to　find　the　Frisian　land；

houses　and　high　burg。　Hengest　still

through　the　death…dyed　winter　dwelt　with　Finn；

holding　pact；　yet　of　home　he　minded；

though　powerless　his　ring…decked　prow　to　drive

over　the　waters；　now　waves　rolled　fierce

lashed　by　the　winds；　or　winter　locked　them

in　icy　fetters。　Then　fared　another

year　to　men's　dwellings；　as　yet　they　do；

the　sunbright　skies；　that　their　season　ever

duly　await。　Far　off　winter　was　driven；

fair　lay　earth's　breast；　and　fain　was　the　rover；

the　guest；　to　depart；　though　more　gladly　he　pondered

on　wreaking　his　vengeance　than　roaming　the　deep；

and　how　to　hasten　the　hot　encounter

where　sons　of　the　Frisians　were　sure　to　be。

So　he　escaped　not　the　common　doom；

when　Hun　with　〃Lafing；〃　the　light…of…battle；

best　of　blades；　his　bosom　pierced：

its　edge　was　famed　with　the　Frisian　earls。

On　fierce…heart　Finn　there　fell　likewise；

on　himself　at　home；　the　horrid　sword…death；

for　Guthlaf　and　Oslaf　of　grim　attack

had　sorrowing　told；　from　sea…ways　landed；

mourning　their　woes。＇1＇　Finn's　wavering　spirit

bode　not　in　breast。　The　burg　was　reddened

with　blood　of　foemen；　and　Finn　was　slain；

king　amid　clansmen；　the　queen　was　taken。

To　their　ship　the　Scylding　warriors　bore

all　the　chattels　the　chieftain　owned；

whatever　they　found　in　Finn's　domain

of　gems　and　jewels。　The　gentle　wife

o'er　paths　of　the　deep　to　the　Danes　they　bore；

led　to　her　land。

The　lay　was　finished；

the　gleeman's　song。　Then　glad　rose　the　revel；

bench…joy　brightened。　Bearers　draw

from　their　〃wonder…vats〃　wine。　Comes　Wealhtheow　forth；

under　gold…crown　goes　where　the　good　pair　sit；

uncle　and　nephew；　true　each　to　the　other　one；

kindred　in　amity。　Unferth　the　spokesman

at　the　Scylding　lord's　feet　sat：　men　had　faith　in　his　spirit；

his　keenness　of　courage；　though　kinsmen　had　found　him

unsure　at　the　sword…play。　The　Scylding　queen　spoke：

〃Quaff　of　this　cup；　my　king　and　lord；

breaker　of　rings；　and　blithe　be　thou；

gold…friend　of　men；　to　the　Geats　here　speak

such　words　of　mildness　as　man　should　use。

Be　glad　with　thy　Geats；　of　those　gifts　be　mindful；

or　near　or　far；　which　now　thou　hast。



Men　say　to　me；　as　son　thou　wishest

yon　hero　to　hold。　Thy　Heorot　purged；

jewel…hall　brightest；　enjoy　while　thou　canst；

with　many　a　largess；　and　leave　to　thy　kin

folk　and　realm　when　forth　thou　goest

to　greet　thy　doom。　For　gracious　I　deem

my　Hrothulf；＇2＇　willing　to　hold　and　rule

nobly　our　youths；　if　thou　yield　up　first；

prince　of　Scyldings；　thy　part　in　the　world。

I　ween　with　good　he　will　well　requite

offspring　of　ours；　when　all　he　minds

that　for　him　we　did　in　his　helpless　days

of　gift　and　grace　to　gain　him　honor！〃

Then　she　turned　to　the　seat　where　her　sons　wereplaced；

Hrethric　and　Hrothmund；　with　heroes'　bairns；

young　men　together：　the　Geat；　too；　sat　there；

Beowulf　brave；　the　brothers　between。



＇1＇　That　is；　these　two　Danes；　escaping　home；　had　told　the　story

of　the　attack　on　Hnaef；　the　slaying　of　Hengest；　and　all　the

Danish　woes。　Collecting　a　force；　they　return　to　Frisia　and　kill

Finn　in　his　home。　＇2＇　Nephew　to　Hrothgar；　with　whom　he

subsequently　quarrels；　and　elder　cousin　to　the　two　young　sons　of

Hrothgar　and　Wealhtheow；　　their　natural　guardian　in　the　event

of　the　king's　death。　There　is　something　finely　feminine　in　this

speech　of　Wealhtheow's；　apart　from　its　somewhat　irregular　and

irrelevant　sequence　of　topics。　Both　she　and　her　lord　probably

distrust　Hrothulf；　but　she　bids　the　king　to　be　of　good　cheer；

and；　turning　to　the　suspect；　heaps　affectionate　assurances　on　his

probity。　〃My　own　Hrothulf〃　will　surely　not　forget　these　favors

and　benefits　of　the　past；　but　will　repay　them　to　the　orphaned

boy。







XVIII



A　CUP　she　gave　him；　with　kindly　greeting

and　winsome　words。　Of　wounden　gold；

she　offered；　to　honor　him；　arm…jewels　twain；

corselet　and　rings；　and　of　collars　the　noblest

that　ever　I　knew　the　earth　around。

Ne'er　heard　I　so　mighty；　'neath　heaven's　dome；

a　hoard…gem　of　heroes；　since　Hama　bore

to　his　bright…built　burg　the　Brisings'　necklace；

jewel　and　gem　casket。　　Jealousy　fled　he；

Eormenric's　hate：　chose　help　eternal。

Hygelac　Geat；　grandson　of　Swerting；

on　the　last　of　his　raids　this　ring　bore　with　him；

under　his　banner　the　booty　defending；

the　war…spoil　warding；　but　Wyrd　o'erwhelmed　him

what　time；　in　his　daring；　dangers　he　sought；

feud　with　Frisians。　Fairest　of　gems

he　bore　with　him　over　the　beaker…of…waves；

sovran　strong：　under　shield　he　died。

Fell　the　corpse　of　the　king　into　keeping　of　Franks；

gear　of　the　breast；　and　that　gorgeous　ring；

weaker　warriors　won　the　spoil；

after　gripe　of　battle；　from　Geatland's　lord；

and　held　the　death…field。

Din　rose　in　hall。

Wealhtheow　spake　amid　warriors；　and　said：　

〃This　jewel　enjoy　in　thy　jocund　youth；

Beowulf　lov'd；　these　battle…weeds　wear；

a　royal　treasure；　and　richly　thrive！

Preserve　thy　strength；　and　these　striplings　here

counsel　in　kindness：　requital　be　mine。

Hast　done　such　deeds；　that　for　days　to　come

thou　art　famed　among　folk　both　far　and　near；

so　wide　as　washeth　the　wave　of　Ocean

his　windy　walls。　Through　the　ways　of　life

prosper；　O　prince！　I　pray　for　thee

rich　possessions。　To　son　of　mine

be　helpful　in　deed　and　uphold　his　joys！

Here　every　earl　to　the　other　is　true；

mild　of　mood；　to　the　master　loyal！

Thanes　are　friendly；　the　throng　obedient；

liegemen　are　revelling：　list　and　obey！〃

Went　then　to　her　place。　　That　was　proudest　of　feasts；

flowed　wine　for　the　warriors。　Wyrd　they　knew　not；

destiny　dire；　and　the　doom　to　be　seen

by　many　an　earl　when　eve　should　come；

and　Hrothgar　homeward　hasten　away；

royal；　to　rest。　The　room　was　guarded

by　an　army　of　earls；　as　erst　was　done。

They　bared　the　bench…boards；　abroad　they　spread

beds　and　bolsters。　　One　beer…carouser

in　danger　of　doom　lay　down　in　the　hall。　



At　their　heads　they　set　their　shields　of　war；

bucklers　bright；　on　the　bench　were　there

over　each　atheling；　easy　to　see；

the　high　battle…helmet；　the　haughty　spear；

the　corselet　of　rings。　'Twas　their　custom　so

ever　to　be　for　battle　prepared；

at　home；　or　harrying；　which　it　were；

even　as　oft　as　evil　threatened

their　sovran　king。　　They　were　clansmen　good。







XIX



THEN　sank　they　to　sleep。　With　sorrow　one　bought

his　rest　of　the　evening；　　as　ofttime　had　happened

when　Grendel　guarded　that　golden　hall；

evil　wrought；　till　his　end　drew　nigh；

slaughter　for　sins。　'Twas　seen　and　told

how　an　avenger　survived　the　fiend；

as　was　learned　afar。　The　livelong　time

after　that　grim　fight；　Grendel's　mother；

monster　of　women；　mourned　her　woe。

She　was　doomed　to　dwell　in　the　dreary　waters；

cold　sea…courses；　since　Cain　cut　down

with　edge　of　the　sword　his　only　brother；

his　father's　offspring：　outlawed　he　fled；

marked　with　murder；　from　men's　delights

warded　the　wilds。　　There　woke　from　him

such　fate…sent　ghosts　as　Grendel；　who；

war…wolf　horrid；　at　Heorot　found

a　warrior　watching　and　waiting　the　fray；

with　whom　the　grisly　one　grappled　amain。

But　the　man　remembered　his　mighty　power；

the　glorious　gift　that　God　had　sent　him；

in　his　Maker's　mercy　put　his　trust

for　comfort　and　help：　so　he　conquered　the　foe；

felled　the　fiend；　who　fled　abject；

reft　of　joy；　to　the　realms　of　death；

mankind's　foe。　And　his　mother　now；

gloomy　and　grim；　would　go　that　quest

of　sorrow；　the　death　of　her　son　to　avenge。

To　Heorot　came　s