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Beowulf XXXIII
THEN the baleful fiend its fire belched out,
and bright homes burned. The blaze stood high
all landsfolk frighting. No living thing
would that loathly one leave as aloft it flew.
Wide was the
dragon's warring seen,
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its fiendish fury far and near,
as the grim destroyer those
Geatish people
hated and hounded. To hidden lair,
to its hoard it hastened at hint of dawn.
Folk of the land it had lapped in flame,
with bale and brand. In its barrow it trusted,
its battling and bulwarks: that boast was vain!
To
Beowulf then the bale was told
quickly and truly: the king's own home,
of buildings the best, in brand-waves melted,
that
gift-
throne of
Geats. To the good old man
sad in heart, 'twas
heaviest sorrow.
The sage assumed that his
sovran God
he had angered, breaking ancient law,
and embittered the Lord. His breast within
with black thoughts welled, as his wont was never.
The folk's own fastness that fiery dragon
with flame had destroyed, and the stronghold all
washed by waves; but the warlike king,
prince of the
Weders, plotted vengeance.
Warriors'-
bulwark, he bade them work
all of iron -- the earl's commander --
a war-shield wondrous: well he knew
that forest-wood against fire were worthless,
linden could aid not. --
Atheling brave,
he was fated to finish this fleeting life, (1)
his days on earth, and the dragon with him,
though long it had watched o'er the wealth of the
hoard! --
Shame he reckoned it, sharer-of-rings,
to follow the flyer-afar with a host,
a broad-flung band; nor the
battle feared he,
nor deemed he dreadful the dragon's warring,
its vigor and valor: ventures desperate
he had passed a-plenty, and perils of war,
contest-crash, since, conqueror proud,
Hrothgar's
hall he had
wholly purged,
and in grapple had killed the kin of
Grendel,
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loathsome breed! Not least was that
of hand-to-hand fights where Hygelac fell,
when the ruler of
Geats in rush of battle,
lord of his folk, in the Frisian land,
son of Hrethel, by
sword-
draughts died,
by brands down-beaten. Thence
Beowulf fled
through strength of himself and his swimming power,
though alone, and his arms were laden with thirty
coats of
mail, when he came to the sea!
Nor yet might Hetwaras (2) haughtily boast
their craft of contest, who carried against him
shields to the fight: but few escaped
from strife with the hero to seek their homes!
Then swam over ocean Ecgtheow's son
lonely and sorrowful, seeking his land,
where
Hygd made him offer of hoard and realm,
rings and royal-seat, reckoning naught
the strength of her son to save their kingdom
from
hostile hordes, after Hygelac's death.
No sooner for this could the stricken ones
in any wise move that atheling's mind
over young
Heardred's head as lord
and ruler of all the realm to be:
yet the hero upheld him with helpful words,
aided in honor, till, older grown,
he wielded the
Weder-
Geats. -- Wandering exiles
sought him o'er seas, the sons of Ohtere,
who had spurned the sway of the Scylfings'-helmet,
the bravest and best that broke the rings,
in Swedish land, of the sea-kings' line,
haughty hero. (3) Hence Heardred's end.
For shelter he gave them, sword-death came,
the blade's fell blow, to bairn of Hygelac;
but the son of
Ongentheow sought again
house and home when Heardred fell,
leaving
Beowulf lord of
Geats
and gift-seat's master. -- A good king he!
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(1) Literally "
loan-
days," days loaned to man.
(2) Chattuarii, a tribe that dwelt along the
Rhine, and took part in repelling the raid of (
Hygelac)
Chocilaicus.
(3) Onela, son of
Ongentheow, who pursues his two nephews
Eanmund and
Eadgils to
Heardred's court, where they have taken refuge after their unsuccessful rebellion. In the fighting Heardred is
killed.