beowulf-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



〃refuge　of　the　friends　of　Ing；〃　below。　Ing　belongs　to　myth。　＇5＇

Horses　are　frequently　led　or　ridden　into　the　hall　where　folk　sit

at　banquet：　so　in　Chaucer's　Squire's　tale；　in　the　ballad　of　King

Estmere；　and　in　the　romances。







XVI



AND　the　lord　of　earls；　to　each　that　came

with　Beowulf　over　the　briny　ways；

an　heirloom　there　at　the　ale…bench　gave；

precious　gift；　and　the　price＇1＇　bade　pay

in　gold　for　him　whom　Grendel　erst

murdered；　　and　fain　of　them　more　had　killed；

had　not　wisest　God　their　Wyrd　averted；

and　the　man's＇2＇　brave　mood。　The　Maker　then

ruled　human　kind；　as　here　and　now。

Therefore　is　insight　always　best；

and　forethought　of　mind。　How　much　awaits　him

of　lief　and　of　loath；　who　long　time　here；

through　days　of　warfare　this　world　endures！



Then　song　and　music　mingled　sounds

in　the　presence　of　Healfdene's　head…of…armies＇3＇

and　harping　was　heard　with　the　hero…lay

as　Hrothgar's　singer　the　hall…joy　woke

along　the　mead…seats；　making　his　song

of　that　sudden　raid　on　the　sons　of　Finn。＇4＇

Healfdene's　hero；　Hnaef　the　Scylding；

was　fated　to　fall　in　the　Frisian　slaughter。＇5＇

Hildeburh　needed　not　hold　in　value

her　enemies'　honor！＇6＇　Innocent　both

were　the　loved　ones　she　lost　at　the　linden…play；

bairn　and　brother；　they　bowed　to　fate；

stricken　by　spears；　'twas　a　sorrowful　woman！

None　doubted　why　the　daughter　of　Hoc

bewailed　her　doom　when　dawning　came；

and　under　the　sky　she　saw　them　lying；

kinsmen　murdered；　where　most　she　had　kenned

of　the　sweets　of　the　world！　By　war　were　swept；　too；

Finn's　own　liegemen；　and　few　were　left；

in　the　parleying…place＇7＇　he　could　ply　no　longer

weapon；　nor　war　could　he　wage　on　Hengest；

and　rescue　his　remnant　by　right　of　arms

from　the　prince's　thane。　A　pact　he　offered：

another　dwelling　the　Danes　should　have；

hall　and　high…seat；　and　half　the　power

should　fall　to　them　in　Frisian　land；

and　at　the　fee…gifts；　Folcwald's　son

day　by　day　the　Danes　should　honor；

the　folk　of　Hengest　favor　with　rings；

even　as　truly；　with　treasure　and　jewels；

with　fretted　gold；　as　his　Frisian　kin

he　meant　to　honor　in　ale…hall　there。

Pact　of　peace　they　plighted　further

on　both　sides　firmly。　Finn　to　Hengest

with　oath；　upon　honor；　openly　promised

that　woful　remnant；　with　wise…men's　aid；

nobly　to　govern；　so　none　of　the　guests

by　word　or　work　should　warp　the　treaty；＇8＇

or　with　malice　of　mind　bemoan　themselves

as　forced　to　follow　their　fee…giver's　slayer；

lordless　men；　as　their　lot　ordained。

Should　Frisian；　moreover；　with　foeman's　taunt；

that　murderous　hatred　to　mind　recall；

then　edge　of　the　sword　must　seal　his　doom。



Oaths　were　given；　and　ancient　gold

heaped　from　hoard。　　The　hardy　Scylding；

battle…thane　best；＇9＇　on　his　balefire　lay。

All　on　the　pyre　were　plain　to　see

the　gory　sark；　the　gilded　swine…crest；

boar　of　hard　iron；　and　athelings　many

slain　by　the　sword：　at　the　slaughter　they　fell。

It　was　Hildeburh's　hest；　at　Hnaef's　own　pyre

the　bairn　of　her　body　on　brands　to　lay；

his　bones　to　burn；　on　the　balefire　placed；

at　his　uncle's　side。　In　sorrowful　dirges

bewept　them　the　woman：　great　wailing　ascended。

Then　wound　up　to　welkin　the　wildest　of　death…fires；

roared　o'er　the　hillock：＇10＇　heads　all　were　melted；

gashes　burst；　and　blood　gushed　out

from　bites＇11＇　of　the　body。　Balefire　devoured；

greediest　spirit；　those　spared　not　by　war

out　of　either　folk：　their　flower　was　gone。



＇1＇　Man…price；　wergild。　＇2＇　Beowulf's。　＇3＇　Hrothgar。　＇4＇　There　is

no　need　to　assume　a　gap　in　the　Ms。　As　before　about　Sigemund　and

Heremod；　so　now；　though　at　greater　length；　about　Finn　and　his

feud；　a　lay　is　chanted　or　recited；　and　the　epic　poet；　counting　on

his　readers'　familiarity　with　the　story；　　a　fragment　of　it

still　exists；　　simply　gives　the　headings。　＇5＇　The　exact　story

to　which　this　episode　refers　in　summary　is　not　to　be　determined；

but　the　following　account　of　it　is　reasonable　and　has　good

support　among　scholars。　Finn；　a　Frisian　chieftain；　who

nevertheless　has　a　〃castle〃　outside　the　Frisian　border；　marries

Hildeburh；　a　Danish　princess；　and　her　brother；　Hnaef；　with　many

other　Danes；　pays　Finn　a　visit。　Relations　between　the　two　peoples

have　been　strained　before。　Something　starts　the　old　feud　anew；

and　the　visitors　are　attacked　in　their　quarters。　Hnaef　is　killed；

so　is　a　son　of　Hildeburh。　Many　fall　on　both　sides。　Peace　is

patched　up；　a　stately　funeral　is　held；　and　the　surviving　visitors

become　in　a　way　vassals　or　liegemen　of　Finn；　going　back　with　him

to　Frisia。　So　matters　rest　a　while。　Hengest　is　now　leader　of　the

Danes；　but　he　is　set　upon　revenge　for　his　former　lord；　Hnaef。

Probably　he　is　killed　in　feud；　but　his　clansmen；　Guthlaf　and

Oslaf；　gather　at　their　home　a　force　of　sturdy　Danes；　come　back　to

Frisia；　storm　Finn's　stronghold；　kill　him；　and　carry　back　their

kinswoman　Hildeburh。　＇6＇　The　〃enemies〃　must　be　the　Frisians。　＇7＇

Battlefield。　　Hengest　is　the　〃prince's　thane；〃　companion　of

Hnaef。　〃Folcwald's　son〃　is　Finn。　＇8＇　That　is；　Finn　would　govern

in　all　honor　the　few　Danish　warriors　who　were　left；　provided；　of

course；　that　none　of　them　tried　to　renew　the　quarrel　or　avenge

Hnaef　their　fallen　lord。　If；　again；　one　of　Finn's　Frisians　began

a　quarrel；　he　should　die　by　the　sword。　＇9＇　Hnaef。　＇10＇　The　high

place　chosen　for　the　funeral：　see　description　of　Beowulf's

funeral…pile　at　the　end　of　the　poem。　＇11＇　Wounds。







XVII



THEN　hastened　those　heroes　their　home　to　see；

friendless；　to　find　the　Frisian　land；

houses　and　high　burg。　Hengest　still

through　the　death…dyed　winter　dwelt　with　Finn；

holding　pact；　yet　of　home　he　minded；

though　powerless　his　ring…decked　prow　to　drive

over　the　waters；　now　waves　rolled　fierce

lashed　by　the　winds；　or　winter　locked　them

in　icy　fetters。　Then　fared　another

year　to　men's　dwellings；　as　yet　they　do；

the　sunbright　skies；　that　their　season　ever

duly　await。　Far　off　winter　was　driven；

fair　lay　earth's　breast；　and　fain　was　the　rover；

the　guest；　to　depart；　though　more　gladly　he　pondered

on　wreaking　his　vengeance　than　roaming　the　deep；

and　how　to　hasten　the　hot　encounter

where　sons　of　the　Frisians　were　sure　to　be。

So　he　escaped　not　the　common　doom；

when　Hun　with　〃Lafing；〃　the　light…of…battle；

best　of　blades；　his　bosom　pierced：

its　edge　was　famed　with　the　Frisian　earls。

On　fierce…heart　Finn　there　fell　likewise；

on　himself　at　home；　the　horrid　sword…death；

for　Guthlaf　and　Oslaf　of　grim　attack

had　sorrowing　told；　from　sea…ways　landed；

mourning　their　woes。＇1＇　Finn's　wavering　spirit

bode　not　in　breast。　The　burg　was　reddened

with　blood　of　foemen；　and　Finn　was　slain；

king　amid　clansmen；　the　queen　was　taken。

To　their　ship　the　Scylding　warriors　bore

all　the　chattels　the　chieftain　owned；

whatever　they　found　in　Finn's　domain

of　gems　and　jewels。　The　gentle　wife

o'er　paths　of　the　deep　to　the　Danes　they　bore；

led　to　her　land。

The　lay　was　finished；

the　gleeman's　song。　Then　glad　rose　the　revel；

bench…joy　brightened。　Bearers　draw

from　their　〃wonder…vats〃　wine。　Comes　Wealhtheow　forth；

under　gold…crown　goes　where　the　good　pair　sit；

uncle　and　nephew；　true　each　to　the　other　one；

kindred　in　amity。　Unferth　the　spokesman

at　the　Scylding　lord's　feet　sat：　men　had　faith　in　his　spirit；

his　keenness　of　courage；　though　kinsmen　had　found　him

unsure　at　the　sword…play。　The　Scylding　queen　spoke：

〃Quaff　of　this　cup；　my　king　and　lord；

breaker　of　rings；　and　blithe　be　thou；

gold…friend　of　men；　to　the　Geats　here　speak

such　words　of　mildness　as　man　should　use。

Be　glad　with　thy　Geats；　of　those　gifts　be　mindful；

or　near　or　far；　which　now　thou　hast。



Men　say　to　me；　as　son　thou　wishest

yon　hero　to　hold。　Thy　Heorot　purged；

jewel…hall　brightest；　enjoy　while　thou　canst；

with　many　a　largess；　and　leave　to　thy　kin

folk　and　realm　when　forth　thou　goest

to　greet　thy　doom。　For　gracious　I　deem

my　Hrothulf；＇2＇　willing　to　hold　and　rule

nobly　our　youths；　if　thou　yield　up　first；

prince　of　Scyldings；　thy　part　in　the　world。

I　ween　with　good　he　will　well　requite

offspring　of　ours；　when　all　he　minds

that　for　him　we　did　in　his　helpless　days

of　gift　and　grace　to　gain　him　honor！〃

Then　she　turned　to　the　seat　where　her　sons　wereplaced；

Hrethric　and　Hrothmund；　with　heroes'　bairns；

young　men　together：　the　Geat；　too；　sat　there；

Beowulf　brave；　the　brothers　between。



＇1＇　That　is；　these　two　Danes；　escaping　home；　had　told　the　story

of　the　attack　on　Hnaef；　the　slaying　of　Hengest；　and　all　the

Danish　woes。　Collecting　a　force；　they　return　to　Frisia　and　kill

Finn　in　his　home。　＇2＇　Nephew　to　Hrothgar；　with　whom　he

subsequently　quarrels；　and　elder　cousin　to　the　two　young　sons　of

Hrothgar　and　Wealhtheow；　　their　natural　guardian　in　the　event

of　the　king's　death。　There　is　something　finely　feminine　in　this

speech　of　Wealhtheow's；　apart　from　its　somewhat　irregular　and

irrelevant　sequence　of　topics。　Both　she　and　her　lord　probably

distrust　Hrothulf；　but　she　bids　the　king　to　be　of　good　cheer；

and；　turning　to　the　suspect；　heaps　affectionate　assurances　on　his

probity。　〃My　own　Hrothulf〃　will　surely　not　forget　these　favors

and　benefits　of　the　past；　but　will　repay　them　to　the　orphaned

boy。







XVIII



A　CUP　she　gave　him；　with　kindly　greeting

and　winsome　words。　Of　wounden　gold；

she　offered；　to　honor　him；　arm…jewels　twain；

corselet　and　rings；　and　of　collars　the　noblest

that　ever　I　knew　the　earth　around。

Ne'er　heard　I　so　mighty；　'neath　heaven's　dome；

a　hoard…gem　of　heroes；　since　Hama　bore

to　his　bright…built　burg　the　Brisings'　necklace；

jewel　and　gem　casket。　　Jealousy　fled　he；

Eormenric's　hate：　chose　help　eternal。

Hygelac　Geat；　grandson　of　Swerting；

on　the　last　of　his　raids　this　ring　bore　with　him；

under　his　banner　the　booty　defending；

the　war…spoil　warding；　but　Wyrd　o'erwhelmed　him

what　time；　in　his　daring；　dangers　he　sought；

feud　with　Frisians。　Fairest　of　gems

he　bore　with　him　over　the　beaker…of…waves；

sovr