beowulf-第13章

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Yet　here　must　the　hand　of　the　henchman　peerless

lave　with　water　his　winsome　lord；

the　king　and　conqueror　covered　with　blood；

with　struggle　spent；　and　unspan　his　helmet。

Beowulf　spake　in　spite　of　his　hurt；

his　mortal　wound；　full　well　he　knew

his　portion　now　was　past　and　gone

of　earthly　bliss；　and　all　had　fled

of　his　file　of　days；　and　death　was　near：

〃I　would　fain　bestow　on　son　of　mine

this　gear　of　war；　were　given　me　now

that　any　heir　should　after　me　come

of　my　proper　blood。　This　people　I　ruled

fifty　winters。　No　folk…king　was　there；

none　at　all；　of　the　neighboring　clans

who　war　would　wage　me　with　'warriors'…friends'＇1＇

and　threat　me　with　horrors。　At　home　I　bided

what　fate　might　come；　and　I　cared　for　mine　own；

feuds　I　sought　not；　nor　falsely　swore

ever　on　oath。　For　all　these　things；

though　fatally　wounded；　fain　am　I！

From　the　Ruler…of…Man　no　wrath　shall　seize　me；

when　life　from　my　frame　must　flee　away；

for　killing　of　kinsmen！　Now　quickly　go

and　gaze　on　that　hoard　'neath　the　hoary　rock；

Wiglaf　loved；　now　the　worm　lies　low；

sleeps；　heart…sore；　of　his　spoil　bereaved。

And　fare　in　haste。　I　would　fain　behold

the　gorgeous　heirlooms；　golden　store；

have　joy　in　the　jewels　and　gems；　lay　down

softlier　for　sight　of　this　splendid　hoard

my　life　and　the　lordship　I　long　have　held。〃



＇1＇　That　is；　swords。







XXXVIII



I　HAVE　heard　that　swiftly　the　son　of　Weohstan

at　wish　and　word　of　his　wounded　king；　

war…sick　warrior；　　woven　mail…coat；

battle…sark；　bore　'neath　the　barrow's　roof。

Then　the　clansman　keen；　of　conquest　proud；

passing　the　seat；＇1＇　saw　store　of　jewels

and　glistening　gold　the　ground　along；

by　the　wall　were　marvels；　and　many　a　vessel

in　the　den　of　the　dragon；　the　dawn…flier　old：

unburnished　bowls　of　bygone　men

reft　of　richness；　rusty　helms

of　the　olden　age；　and　arm…rings　many

wondrously　woven。　　Such　wealth　of　gold；

booty　from　barrow；　can　burden　with　pride

each　human　wight：　let　him　hide　it　who　will！　

His　glance　too　fell　on　a　gold…wove　banner

high　o'er　the　hoard；　of　handiwork　noblest；

brilliantly　broidered；　so　bright　its　gleam；

all　the　earth…floor　he　easily　saw

and　viewed　all　these　vessels。　No　vestige　now

was　seen　of　the　serpent：　the　sword　had　ta'en　him。

Then；　I　heard；　the　hill　of　its　hoard　was　reft；

old　work　of　giants；　by　one　alone；

he　burdened　his　bosom　with　beakers　and　plate

at　his　own　good　will；　and　the　ensign　took；

brightest　of　beacons。　　The　blade　of　his　lord

　its　edge　was　iron　　had　injured　deep

one　that　guarded　the　golden　hoard

many　a　year　and　its　murder…fire

spread　hot　round　the　barrow　in　horror…billows

at　midnight　hour；　till　it　met　its　doom。

Hasted　the　herald；　the　hoard　so　spurred　him

his　track　to　retrace；　he　was　troubled　by　doubt；

high…souled　hero；　if　haply　he'd　find

alive；　where　he　left　him；　the　lord　of　Weders；

weakening　fast　by　the　wall　of　the　cave。

So　he　carried　the　load。　His　lord　and　king

he　found　all　bleeding；　famous　chief

at　the　lapse　of　life。　The　liegeman　again

plashed　him　with　water；　till　point　of　word

broke　through　the　breast…hoard。　Beowulf　spake；

sage　and　sad；　as　he　stared　at　the　gold。　

〃For　the　gold　and　treasure；　to　God　my　thanks；

to　the　Wielder…of…Wonders；　with　words　I　say；

for　what　I　behold；　to　Heaven's　Lord；

for　the　grace　that　I　give　such　gifts　to　my　folk

or　ever　the　day　of　my　death　be　run！

Now　I've　bartered　here　for　booty　of　treasure

the　last　of　my　life；　so　look　ye　well

to　the　needs　of　my　land！　No　longer　I　tarry。

A　barrow　bid　ye　the　battle…fanned　raise

for　my　ashes。　'Twill　shine　by　the　shore　of　the　flood；

to　folk　of　mine　memorial　fair

on　Hrones　Headland　high　uplifted；

that　ocean…wanderers　oft　may　hail

Beowulf's　Barrow；　as　back　from　far

they　drive　their　keels　o'er　the　darkling　wave。〃

From　his　neck　he　unclasped　the　collar　of　gold；

valorous　king；　to　his　vassal　gave　it

with　bright…gold　helmet；　breastplate；　and　ring；

to　the　youthful　thane：　bade　him　use　them　in　joy。

〃Thou　art　end　and　remnant　of　all　our　race

the　Waegmunding　name。　For　Wyrd　hath　swept　them；

all　my　line；　to　the　land　of　doom；

earls　in　their　glory：　I　after　them　go。〃

This　word　was　the　last　which　the　wise　old　man

harbored　in　heart　ere　hot　death…waves

of　balefire　he　chose。　From　his　bosom　fled

his　soul　to　seek　the　saints'　reward。



＇1＇　Where　Beowulf　lay。







XXXIX



IT　was　heavy　hap　for　that　hero　young

on　his　lord　beloved　to　look　and　find　him

lying　on　earth　with　life　at　end；

sorrowful　sight。　But　the　slayer　too；

awful　earth…dragon；　empty　of　breath；

lay　felled　in　fight；　nor；　fain　of　its　treasure；

could　the　writhing　monster　rule　it　more。

For　edges　of　iron　had　ended　its　days；

hard　and　battle…sharp；　hammers'　leaving；＇1＇

and　that　flier…afar　had　fallen　to　ground

hushed　by　its　hurt；　its　hoard　all　near；

no　longer　lusty　aloft　to　whirl

at　midnight；　making　its　merriment　seen；

proud　of　its　prizes：　prone　it　sank

by　the　handiwork　of　the　hero…king。

Forsooth　among　folk　but　few　achieve；

　though　sturdy　and　strong；　as　stories　tell　me；

and　never　so　daring　in　deed　of　valor；　

the　perilous　breath　of　a　poison…foe

to　brave；　and　to　rush　on　the　ring…board　hall；

whenever　his　watch　the　warden　keeps

bold　in　the　barrow。　Beowulf　paid

the　price　of　death　for　that　precious　hoard；

and　each　of　the　foes　had　found　the　end

of　this　fleeting　life。

Befell　erelong

that　the　laggards　in　war　the　wood　had　left；

trothbreakers；　cowards；　ten　together；

fearing　before　to　flourish　a　spear

in　the　sore　distress　of　their　sovran　lord。

Now　in　their　shame　their　shields　they　carried；

armor　of　fight；　where　the　old　man　lay；

and　they　gazed　on　Wiglaf。　Wearied　he　sat

at　his　sovran's　shoulder；　shieldsman　good；

to　wake　him　with　water。＇2＇　Nowise　it　availed。

Though　well　he　wished　it；　in　world　no　more

could　he　barrier　life　for　that　leader…of…battles

nor　baffle　the　will　of　all…wielding　God。

Doom　of　the　Lord　was　law　o'er　the　deeds

of　every　man；　as　it　is　to…day。

Grim　was　the　answer；　easy　to　get；

from　the　youth　for　those　that　had　yielded　to　fear！

Wiglaf　spake；　the　son　of　Weohstan；　

mournful　he　looked　on　those　men　unloved：　

〃Who　sooth　will　speak；　can　say　indeed

that　the　ruler　who　gave　you　golden　rings

and　the　harness　of　war　in　which　ye　stand

　for　he　at　ale…bench　often…times

bestowed　on　hall…folk　helm　and　breastplate；

lord　to　liegemen；　the　likeliest　gear

which　near　of　far　he　could　find　to　give；　

threw　away　and　wasted　these　weeds　of　battle；

on　men　who　failed　when　the　foemen　came！

Not　at　all　could　the　king　of　his　comrades…in…arms

venture　to　vaunt；　though　the　Victory…Wielder；

God；　gave　him　grace　that　he　got　revenge

sole　with　his　sword　in　stress　and　need。

To　rescue　his　life；　'twas　little　that　I

could　serve　him　in　struggle；　yet　shift　I　made

（hopeless　it　seemed）　to　help　my　kinsman。

Its　strength　ever　waned；　when　with　weapon　I　struck

that　fatal　foe；　and　the　fire　less　strongly

flowed　from　its　head。　　Too　few　the　heroes

in　throe　of　contest　that　thronged　to　our　king！

Now　gift　of　treasure　and　girding　of　sword；

joy　of　the　house　and　home…delight

shall　fail　your　folk；　his　freehold…land

every　clansman　within　your　kin

shall　lose　and　leave；　when　lords　highborn

hear　afar　of　that　flight　of　yours；

a　fameless　deed。　Yea；　death　is　better

for　liegemen　all　than　a　life　of　shame！〃



＇1＇　What　had　been　left　or　made　by　the　hammer；　well…forged。　＇2＇

Trying　to　revive　him。







XL



THAT　battle…toil　bade　he　at　burg　to　announce；

at　the　fort　on　the　cliff；　where；　full　of　sorrow；

all　the　morning　earls　had　sat；

daring　shieldsmen；　in　doubt　of　twain：

would　they　wail　as　dead；　or　welcome　home；

their　lord　beloved？　Little＇1＇　kept　back

of　the　tidings　new；　but　told　them　all；

the　herald　that　up　the　headland　rode。　

〃Now　the　willing…giver　to　Weder　folk

in　death…bed　lies；　the　Lord　of　Geats

on　the　slaughter…bed　sleeps　by　the　serpent's　deed！

And　beside　him　is　stretched　that　slayer…of…men

with　knife…wounds　sick：＇2＇　no　sword　availed

on　the　awesome　thing　in　any　wise

to　work　a　wound。　There　Wiglaf　sitteth；

Weohstan's　bairn；　by　Beowulf's　side；

the　living　earl　by　the　other　dead；

and　heavy　of　heart　a　head…watch＇3＇　keeps

o'er　friend　and　foe。　　Now　our　folk　may　look

for　waging　of　war　when　once　unhidden

to　Frisian　and　Frank　the　fall　of　the　king

is　spread　afar。　　The　strife　began

when　hot　on　the　Hugas＇4＇　Hygelac　fell

and　fared　with　his　fleet　to　the　Frisian　land。

Him　there　the　Hetwaras　humbled　in　war；

plied　with　such　prowess　their　power　o'erwhelming

that　the　bold…in…battle　bowed　beneath　it

and　fell　in　fight。　To　his　friends　no　wise

could　that　earl　give　treasure！　And　ever　since

the　Merowings'　favor　has　failed　us　wholly。

Nor　aught　expect　I　of　peace　and　faith

from　Swedish　folk。　'Twas　spread　afar

how　Ongentheow　reft　at　Ravenswood

Haethcyn　Hrethling　of　hope　and　life；

when　the　folk　of　Geats　for　the　first　time　sought

in　wanton　pride　the　Warlike…Scylfings。

Soon　the　sage　old　sire＇5＇　of　Ohtere；

ancient　and　awful；　gave　answering　blow；

the　sea…king＇6＇　he　slew；　and　his　spouse　redeemed；

his　good　wife　rescued；　though　robbed　of　her　gold；

mother　of　Ohtere　and　Onela。

Then　he　followed　his　foes；　who　fled　before　him

sore　beset　and　stole　their　way；

bereft　of　a　ruler；　to　Ravenswood。



With　his　host　he　besieged　there　what　swords　had　left；

the　weary　and　wounded；　woes　he　threatened

the　whole　night　through　to　that　hard…pressed　throng：

some　with　the　morrow　his　sword　should　kill；

some　should　go　to　the　gallows…tree

for　rapture　of　ravens。　But　rescue　came

with　dawn　of　day　for　those　desperate　men

when　they　heard　the　horn　of　Hygelac　sound；

tones　of　his　trumpet；　the　trusty　king

had　followed　their　trail　with　faithful　band。



＇1＇　Nothing。　＇2＇　Dead。　＇3＇　Death…watch；　guard　of　honor；

〃lyke…wake。〃　＇4＇　A　name　for　the　Franks。　＇5＇　Ongentheow。　＇6＇

Haethcyn。







XLI



〃THE　bloody　swath　of　Swedes　and　Geats

and　the　storm　of　their　strife；　were　seen　afar；

how　folk　against　folk　the　fight　had　wakened。

The　ancient　king　with　his　atheling　band

sought　his　citadel；　sorrowing　much：

Ongentheow　earl　went　up　to　his　burg。

He　had　tested　Hygelac's　hardihood；

the　proud　one's　prowess；　would　prove　it　no　longer；

defied　no　more　those　fighting…wanderers

nor　hoped　from　the　seamen　to　save　his　hoard；

his　bairn　and　his　bride：　so　he　bent　him　again；

old；　to　his　earth…walls。　Yet　after　him　came

with　slaughter　for　Swedes　the　standards　of　Hygelac

o'er　peaceful　plains　in　pride　advancing；

till　Hrethelings　fought　in　the　fenced　town。＇1＇

Then　Ongentheow　with　edge　of　sword；

the　hoary…bearded；　was　held　at　bay；

and　the　folk…king　there　was　forced　to　suffer

Eofor's　anger。　In　ire；　at　the　king

Wulf　Wonreding　with　weapon　struck；

and　the　chieftain's　blood；　for　that　blow；　in　streams

flowed　'neath　his　hair。　No　fear　felt　he；

stout　old　Scylfing；　but　straightway　repaid

in　better　bargain　that　bitter　stroke

a