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"SO held this king to the customs old,
that I wanted for nought in the wage I gained,
the meed of my might; he made me gifts,
Healfdene's heir, for my own disposal.
Now to thee, my prince, I proffer them all,
gladly give them. Thy grace alone
can find me favor. Few indeed
have I of kinsmen, save, Hygelac, thee!"
Then he bade them bear him the boar-head standard,
the battle-helm high, and breastplate gray,
the splendid sword; then spake in form:--
"Me this war-gear the wise old prince,
Hrothgar, gave, and his hest he added,
that its story be straightway said to thee. --
A while it was held by Heorogar king,
for long time lord of the land of Scyldings;
yet not to his son the sovran left it,
to daring Heoroweard, -- dear as he was to him,
his harness of battle. -- Well hold thou it all!"
And I heard that soon passed o'er the path of
this treasure,
all apple-fallow, four good steeds,
each like the others, arms and horses
he gave to the king. So should kinsmen be,
not weave one another the net of wiles,
or with deep-hid treachery death contrive
for neighbor and comrade. His nephew was ever
by hardy Hygelac held full dear,
and each kept watch o'er the other's weal.
I heard, too, the necklace to Hygd he presented,
wonder-wrought treasure, which Wealhtheow gave him
sovran's daughter: three steeds he added,
slender and saddle-gay. Since such gift
the gem gleamed bright on the breast of the queen.
Thus showed his strain the son of Ecgtheow
as a man remarked for mighty deeds
and acts of honor. At ale he slew not
comrade or kin; nor cruel his mood,
though of sons of earth his strength was greatest,
a glorious gift that God had sent
the splendid leader. Long was he spurned,
and worthless by Geatish warriors held;
him at mead the master-of-clans
failed full oft to favor at all.
Slack and shiftless the strong men deemed him,
profitless prince; but payment came,
to the warrior honored, for all his woes. --
Then the bulwark-of-earls1 bade bring within,
hardy chieftain, Hrethel's heirloom
garnished with gold: no Geat e'er knew
in shape of a sword a statelier prize.
The brand he laid in Beowulf's lap;
and of hides assigned him seven thousand,2
with house and high-seat. They held in common
land alike by their line of birth,
inheritance, home: but higher the king
because of his rule o'er the realm itself.
Now further it fell with the flight of years,
with harryings horrid, that Hygelac perished,3
and Heardred, too, by hewing of swords
under the shield-wall slaughtered lay,
when him at the van of his victor-folk
sought hardy heroes, Heatho-Scilfings,
in arms o'erwhelming Hereric's nephew.
Then Beowulf came as king this broad
realm to wield; and he ruled it well
fifty winters,4 a wise old prince,
warding his land, until One began
in the dark of night, a Dragon, to rage.
In the grave on the hill a hoard it guarded,
in the stone-barrow steep. A strait path reached it,
unknown to mortals. Some man, however,
came by chance that cave within
to the heathen hoard.5 In hand he took
a golden goblet, nor gave he it back,
stole with it away, while the watcher slept,
by thievish wiles: for the warden's wrath
prince and people must pay betimes!
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Summary :
As to old customs, *Hrothgar did not leave *Beowulf unsatisfied. *Beowulf offered all of the treasures given to him to *Hygelac his leader.
*Hygelac ordered in his boar standard, a suit of armour, and a sword given to him by *Hrothgar who had received it from his brother *Heorogar and once promised to *Heoroweard and gave it all to *Beowulf to use well.
And *Beowulf gave *Hygelac four strong horses, for this is the way it should be between vassal and lord; not treachery between neighbours and comrades. *Hygelac held his nephew dear.
The Ring of *Brosings, given to him by *Wealhtheow, *Beowulf gave to *Hygd and three horses. The necklace shone brightly around the queens neck.
So the son of *Ecgtheow was known to be generous as well as for his great deeds. He was loyal to comrade or kin, he retains his God given strength and leadership. *Geats who knew of him before thought him inconsequential, but that had changed through this trouble.
Then *Hygelac called for *Hrethel's sword -- most prized among the *Geats -- and laid it on *Beowulf's lap. He assigned seven-thousand hides of land, a house, and a throne -- they became land-holders both, but *Hygelac ruled over the realm.
Time drew on and *Hygelac and *Heardred were killed at the shield wall fighting the Heatho-Scilfings lead by *Hereric's nephew. *Beowulf then became king and ruled well for fifty years until someone awakened a dragon from its hoard. Someone had stumbled on the treasure and had taken a cup; for that the dragon would make prince and people alike pay.
Select Bibliography :
Anonymous. Beowulf - Verse Intermediate Saxon. Transcribed by Altman, R.I. Public Domain etext obtained via the Online Book Initiative.
Anonymous. Beowulf Gummere, F.B. trans., Eliot, C.W. ed.. Harvard Classics, Vol. 49.: PF Collier & Sons, New York. 1910. Public Domain etext obtained via the Online Book Initiative.
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