| |
| STONE-BRIGHT the street: 1 it showed the way | |
| to the crowd of clansmen. Corselets glistened | |
| hand-forged, hard; on their harness bright | |
| the steel ring sang, as they strode along | |
| in mail of battle, and marched to the hall. | 5 |
| There, weary of ocean, the wall along | |
| they set their bucklers, their broad shields, down, | |
| and bowed them to bench: the breastplates changed, | |
| war-gear of men; their weapons stacked, | |
| spears of the seafarers stood together, | 10 |
| gray-tipped ash: that iron band | |
| was worthily weaponed!—A warrior proud | |
| asked of the heroes their home and kin. | |
| “Whence, now, bear ye burnished shields, | |
| harness gray and helmets grim, | 15 |
| spears in multitude? Messenger, I, | |
| Hrothgar’s herald! Heroes so many | |
| ne’er met I as strangers of mood so strong. | |
| ’Tis plain that for prowess, not plunged into exile | |
| for high-hearted valor, Hrothgar ye seek!” | 20 |
| Him the sturdy-in-war bespake with words, | |
| proud earl of the Weders answer made, | |
| hardy ’neath helmet:—“Hygelac’s, we, | |
| fellows at board; I am Beowulf named. | |
| I am seeking to say to the son of Healfdene | 25 |
| this mission of mine, to thy master-lord, | |
| the doughty prince, if he deign at all | |
| grace that we greet him, the good one, now.” | |
| Wulfgar spake, the Wendles’ chieftain, | |
| whose might of mind to many was known, | 30 |
| his courage and counsel: “The king of Danes, | |
| the Scyldings’ friend, I fain will tell, | |
| the Breaker-of-Rings, as the boon thou askest, | |
| the faméd prince, of thy faring hither, | |
| and, swiftly after, such answer bring | 35 |
| as the doughty monarch may deign to give.” | |
| Hied then in haste to where Hrothgar sat | |
| white-haired and old, his earls about him, | |
| till the stout thane stood at the shoulder there | |
| of the Danish king: good courtier he! | 40 |
| Wulfgar spake to his winsome lord:— | |
| “Hither have fared to thee far-come men | |
| o’er the paths of ocean, people of Geatland; | |
| and the stateliest there by his sturdy band | |
| is Beowulf named. This boon they seek, | 45 |
| that they, my master, may with thee | |
| have speech at will: nor spurn their prayer | |
| to give them hearing, gracious Hrothgar! | |
| In weeds of the warrior worthy they, | |
| methinks, of our liking; their leader most surely, | 50 |
| a hero that hither his henchmen has led.” | |
