I
Now Beowulf bode in the burg of the Scyldings, leader beloved, and
long he ruled in fame with all folk, since his father had gone away from
the world, till awoke an heir, haughty Healfdene, who held through life,
sage and sturdy, the Scyldings glad. Then, one after one, there woke to
him, to the chieftain of clansmen, children four: Heorogar, then Hrothgar,
then Halga brave; and I heard that -- was -- \'s queen, the Heathoscylfing\'s
helpmate dear. To Hrothgar was given such glory of war, such honor of
combat, that all his kin obeyed him gladly till great grew his band of
youthful comrades. It came in his mind to bid his henchmen a hall uprear,
ia master mead-house, mightier far than ever was seen by the sons of earth,
and within it, then, to old and young he would all allot that the Lord had
sent him, save only the land and the lives of his men. Wide, I heard, was
the work commanded, for many a tribe this mid-earth round, to fashion the
folkstead. It fell, as he ordered, in rapid achievement that ready it stood
there, of halls the noblest: Heorot[1] he named it whose message had
might in many a land. Not reckless of promise, the rings he dealt, treasure
at banquet: there towered the hall, high, gabled wide, the hot surge waiting
of furious flame.[2] Nor far was that day when father and son-in-law stood
in feud for warfare and hatred that woke again.[3] With envy and anger an
evil spirit endured the dole in his dark abode, that he heard each day the
din of revel high in the hall: there harps rang out, clear song of the singer.
He sang who knew[4] tales of the early time of man, how the Almighty
made the earth, fairest fields enfolded by water, set, triumphant, sun and
moon for a light to lighten the land-dwellers, and braided bright the breast
of earth with limbs and leaves, made life for all of mortal beings that
breathe and move. So lived the clansmen in cheer and revel a winsome life,
till one began to fashion evils, that field of hell. Grendel this monster grim
was called, march-riever[5] mighty, in moorland living, in fen and fastness;
fief of the giants the hapless wight a while had kept since the Creator his
exile doomed. On kin of Cain was the killing avenged by sovran God for
slaughtered Abel.