Tell them also clearly that they are welcome
Deniga leodum.”
[Þa to dura eode
widcuð hæleð,]* word inne abead: 390
“Eow het secgan sigedrihten min,
aldor East-Dena, þæt he eower æþelu can,
ond ge him syndon ofer sæwylmas
heardhicgende hider wilcuman.
Nu ge moton gangan in eowrum guðgeatawum, 395
under heregriman Hroðgar geseon;
lætað hildebord her onbidan,
wudu, wælsceaftas, worda geþinges.”
Aras þa se rica, ymb hine rinc manig,
þryðlic þegna heap; sume þær bidon, 400
heaðoreaf heoldon, swa him se hearda bebead.
Snyredon ætsomne, þa secg wisode,
under Heorotes hrof; [heaþorinc eode,]*
heard under helme, þæt he on heo[r]ðe gestod.
Beowulf maðelode —on him byrne scan, 405
searonet seowed smiþes orþancum—:
“Wæs þu, Hroðgar, hal! Ic eom Higelaces
mæg ond magoðegn; hæbbe ic mærða fela
ongunnen on geogoþe. Me wearð Grendles þing
on minre eþeltyrf undyrne cuð; 410
secgað sæliðend, þæt þæs sele stande,
reced selesta, rinca gehwylcum
idel ond unnyt, siððan æfenleoht
under heofenes hador beholen weorþeð.
Þa me þæt gelærdon leode mine, 415
þa selestan, snotere ceorlas,
þeoden Hroðgar, þæt ic þe sohte,
To the Danish people.”
[Then to the door went
The well-known man,]* told the message from within: 390
“My dread lord, victorious ever, Chieftain of the East-Danes,
Has commanded me to tell you that he knows your lineage,
And you are welcome here to him,
Having bravely sailed over the surging waves.
Now you may go in your battle-shirts, 395
Wearing your helmets, to meet Hrothgar;
Let your battle-shields wait out here,
The wooden lances also, for the outcome of the talk.”
Then rose up the strong man, many a warrior around him,
The band of mighty thanes; some remained there, 400
Kept guard over the battle-gear, as their chief bade them to.
They hastened together as the man led
Under the roof of Heorot; [the warrior went,]*
Resolute under his helmet, so that he reached the hearth.
Beowulf spoke—on him shone his armor, 405
The mail-coat a smith wrought with all his skills—:
“All hail, Hrothgar! I am Hygelac’s
Kinsman and retainer. I have undertaken in youth
Many a worthwhile task. The issue of Grendel
Has come to be known to me in my homeland; 410
Seafaring men say that this hall, the grandest
Of buildings, stands idle and useless
For every warrior, once the evening-light
Becomes hidden under the heaven’s vault.
Then my people advised me, 415
The best of them, the wisest men,
That I should visit you, Prince Hrothgar,
forþan hie mægenes cræft minne cuþon;
selfe ofersawon, ða ic of searwum cwom,
fah from feondum, þær ic fife geband, 420
yðde eotena cyn, ond on yðum slog
niceras nihtes, nearoþearfe dreah,
wræc Wedera nið —wean ahsodon—,
forgrand gramum; ond nu wið Grendel sceal,
wið þam aglæcan, ana gehegan 425
ðing wið þyrse. Ic þe nu ða,
brego Beorht-Dena, biddan wille,
eodor Scyldinga, anre bene,
þæt ðu me ne forwyrne, wigendra hleo,
freowine folca, nu ic þus feorran com, 430
þæt ic mote ana [ond] minra eorla gedryht,
þes hearda heap, Heorot fælsian.
Hæbbe ice eac geahsod, þæt se æglæca
for his wonhydum wæpna ne recceð;
ic þæt þonne forhicge, swa me Higelac sie, 435
min mondrihten, modes bliðe,
þæt ic sweord bere oþðe sidne scyld,
geolorand to guþe, ac ic mid grape sceal
fon wið feonde ond ymb feorh sacan,
lað wið laþum; ðær gelyfan sceal 440
Dryhtnes dome se þe hine deað nimeð.
Wen ic þæt he wille, gif he wealdan mot,
in þæm guðsele Geotena leode
etan unforhte, swa he oft dyde,
mægen Hreðmanna. Na þu minne þearft 445
hafalan hydan, ac he me habban wile
dreore fahne, gif mec deað nimeð;
For they knew what strength I have;
They saw when I from battles returned,
All bloody from my foes, where I had bound five, 420
Destroyed the giants’ clan, and on the waves slain
Water-fiends of night, endured dire distress,
Avenged the pain of the Geats—they had sought trouble—
Crushed the enemies; and now with Grendel,
With the fierce demon, I alone shall have encounter, 425
Confront this fiend. Now I wish,
Lord of the Bright-Danes, Protector of the Scyldings,
Guard for fighting men, generous friend of good folks,
To entreat you not to deny me one boon—
Now that I have come thus from afar— 430
That I alone, [and] the band of my troopers,
This pack of hardy men, may be allowed to cleanse Heorot.
I have also heard that the fiend,
For his unwariness, scorns use of weapons.
I take it lightly—so my lord Hygelac 435
May be pleased with me in his mind—
That