| |
| 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, | 5 |
| 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, | 10 |
| 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, | 15 |
| 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: | 20 |
| 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, | 25 |
| 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 | 30 |
| 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. | 35 |
| 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, | 40 |
| 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: | 45 |
| “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, | 50 |
| 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 | 55 |
| 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. | 60 |
| 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 were placed, | 65 |
| Hrethric and Hrothmund, with heroes’ bairns, | |
| young men together: the Geat, too, sat there, | |
| Beowulf brave, the brothers between. | |
