| Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882). Complete Poetical Works. 1893. | | | | Translations | From the Anglo-Saxon.
Beowulf’s Expedition to Heort |
| | | THUS then, much care-worn, | |
| The son of Healfden | |
| Sorrowed evermore, | |
| Nor might the prudent hero | |
| His woes avert. | 5 |
| The war was too hard, | |
| Too loath and longsome, | |
| That on the people came, | |
| Dire wrath and grim, | |
| Of night-woes the worst. | 10 |
| This from home heard | |
| Higelac’s Thane, | |
| Good among the Goths, | |
| Grendel’s deeds. | |
| He was of mankind | 15 |
| In might the strongest, | |
| At that day | |
| Of this life, | |
| Noble and stalwart. | |
| He bade him a sea-ship, | 20 |
| A goodly one, prepare. | |
| Quoth he, the war-king, | |
| Over the swan’s road, | |
| Seek he would | |
| The mighty monarch, | 25 |
| Since he wanted men. | |
| For him that journey | |
| His prudent fellows | |
| Straight made ready, | |
| Those that loved him. | 30 |
| They excited their souls, | |
| The omen they beheld. | |
| Had the good-man | |
| Of the Gothic people | |
| Champions chosen, | 35 |
| Of those that keenest | |
| He might find, | |
| Some fifteen men. | |
| The sea-wood sought he. | |
| The warrior showed, | 40 |
| Sea-crafty man! | |
| The land-marks, | |
| And first went forth. | |
| The ship was on the waves, | |
| Boat under the cliffs. | 45 |
| The barons ready | |
| To the prow mounted. | |
| The streams they whirled | |
| The sea against the sands. | |
| The chieftains bore | 50 |
| On the naked breast | |
| Bright ornaments, | |
| War-gear, Goth-like. | |
| The men shoved off, | |
| Men on their willing way, | 55 |
| The bounden wood. | |
| Then went over the sea-waves, | |
| Hurried by the wind, | |
| The ship with foamy neck, | |
| Most like a sea-fowl, | 60 |
| Till about one hour | |
| Of the second day | |
| The curved prow | |
| Had passed onward | |
| So that the sailors | 65 |
| The land saw, | |
| The shore-cliffs shining, | |
| Mountains steep, | |
| And broad sea-noses. | |
| Then was the sea-sailing | 70 |
| Of the Earl at an end. | |
| Then up speedily | |
| The Weather people | |
| On the land went, | |
| The sea-bark moored, | 75 |
| Their mail-sarks shook, | |
| Their war-weeds. | |
| God thanked they, | |
| That to them the sea-journey | |
| Easy had been. | 80 |
| Then from the wall beheld | |
| The warden of the Scyldings, | |
| He who the sea-cliffs | |
| Had in his keeping, | |
| Bear o’er the balks | 85 |
| The bright shields, | |
| The war-weapons speedily. | |
| Him the doubt disturbed | |
| In his mind’s thought, | |
| What these men might be. | 90 |
| Went then to the shore, | |
| On his steed riding, | |
| The Thane of Hrothgar. | |
| Before the host he shook | |
| His warden’s-staff in hand, | 95 |
| In measured words demanded: | |
| “What men are ye | |
| War-gear wearing, | |
| Host in harness, | |
| Who thus the brown keel | 100 |
| Over the water-street | |
| Leading come | |
| Hither over the sea? | |
| I these boundaries | |
| As shore-warden hold, | 105 |
| That in the Land of the Danes | |
| Nothing loathsome | |
| With a ship-crew | |
| Scathe us might…. | |
| Ne’er saw I mightier | 110 |
| Earl upon earth | |
| Than is your own, | |
| Hero in harness. | |
| Not seldom this warrior | |
| Is in weapons distinguished; | 115 |
| Never his beauty belies him, | |
| His peerless countenance! | |
| Now would I fain | |
| Your origin know, | |
| Ere ye forth | 120 |
| As false spies | |
| Into the Land of the Danes | |
| Farther fare. | |
| Now, ye dwellers afar-off! | |
| Ye sailors of the sea: | 125 |
| Listen to my | |
| One-fold thought. | |
| Quickest is best | |
| To make known | |
| Whence your coming may be.” | 130 | | | |
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