"UNDER harness his heart then is hit indeedby sharpest shafts; and no shelter availsfrom foul behest of the hellish fiend. {25a}Him seems too little what long he possessed.Greedy and grim, no golden ringshe gives for his pride; the promised futureforgets he and spurns, with all God has sent him,Wonder-Wielder, of wealth and fame.Yet in the end it ever comesthat the frame of the body fragile yields,fated falls; and there follows anotherwho joyously the jewels divides,the royal riches, nor recks of his forebear.Ban, then, such baleful thoughts, Beowulf dearest,best of men, and the better part choose,profit eternal; and temper thy pride,warrior famous! The flower of thy mightlasts now a while: but erelong it shall bethat sickness or sword thy strength shall minish,or fang of fire, or flooding billow,or bite of blade, or brandished spear,or odious age; or the eyes' clear beamwax dull and darken: Death even theein haste shall o'erwhelm, thou hero of war!So the Ring-Danes these half-years a hundred I ruled,wielded 'neath welkin, and warded them bravelyfrom mighty-ones many o'er middle-earth,from spear and sword, till it seemed for meno foe could be found under fold of the sky.Lo, sudden the shift! To me seated securecame grief for joy when Grendel beganto harry my home, the hellish foe;for those ruthless raids, unresting I sufferedheart-sorrow heavy. Heaven be thanked,Lord Eternal, for life extendedthat I on this head all hewn and bloody,after long evil, with eyes may gaze!-- Go to the bench now! Be glad at banquet,warrior worthy! A wealth of treasureat dawn of day, be dealt between us!"Glad was the Geats' lord, going betimesto seek his seat, as the Sage commanded.Afresh, as before, for the famed-in-battle,for the band of the hall, was a banquet dightnobly anew. The Night-Helm darkeneddusk o'er the drinkers.The doughty ones rose:for the hoary-headed would hasten to rest,aged Scylding; and eager the Geat,shield-fighter sturdy, for sleeping yearned.Him wander-weary, warrior-guestfrom far, a hall-thane heralded forth,who by custom courtly cared for allneeds of a thane as in those old dayswarrior-wanderers wont to have.So slumbered the stout-heart. Stately the hallrose gabled and gilt where the guest slept ontill a raven black the rapture-of-heaven {25b}blithe-heart boded. Bright came flyingshine after shadow. The swordsmen hastened,athelings all were eager homewardforth to fare; and far from thencethe great-hearted guest would guide his keel.Bade then the hardy-one Hrunting be broughtto the son of Ecglaf, the sword bade him take,excellent iron, and uttered his thanks for it,quoth that he counted it keen in battle,"war-friend" winsome: with words he slandered notedge of the blade: 'twas a big-hearted man!Now eager for parting and armed at pointwarriors waited, while went to his hostthat Darling of Danes. The doughty athelingto high-seat hastened and Hrothgar greeted.
Beowulf · Anonymous (translated by Francis Barton Gummere)