Beowulf

by Anonymous

IX - Unferth Taunts Beowulf

{Unferth, a thane of Hrothgar, is jealous of Beowulf, and undertakes to
twit him.}

          Unferth spoke up, Ecglaf his son,
          Who sat at the feet of the lord of the Scyldings,
          Opened the jousting (the journey[1] of Beowulf,
          Sea-farer doughty, gave sorrow to Unferth
        5 And greatest chagrin, too, for granted he never
          That any man else on earth should attain to,
          Gain under heaven, more glory than he):

{Did you take part in a swimming-match with Breca?}

          "Art thou that Beowulf with Breca did struggle,
          On the wide sea-currents at swimming contended,
       10 Where to humor your pride the ocean ye tried,

{'Twas mere folly that actuated you both to risk your lives on the ocean.}

          From vainest vaunting adventured your bodies
          In care of the waters? And no one was able
          Nor lief nor loth one, in the least to dissuade you
          Your difficult voyage; then ye ventured a-swimming,
       15 Where your arms outstretching the streams ye did cover,
          The mere-ways measured, mixing and stirring them,
          Glided the ocean; angry the waves were,
          With the weltering of winter. In the water's possession,
          Ye toiled for a seven-night; he at swimming outdid thee,
       20 In strength excelled thee. Then early at morning
          On the Heathoremes' shore the holm-currents tossed him,
          Sought he thenceward the home of his fathers,
          Beloved of his liegemen, the land of the Brondings,
          The peace-castle pleasant, where a people he wielded,
[20]   25 Had borough and jewels. The pledge that he made thee

{Breca outdid you entirely.}

          The son of Beanstan hath soothly accomplished.
          Then I ween thou wilt find thee less fortunate issue,

{Much more will Grendel outdo you, if you vie with him in prowess.}

          Though ever triumphant in onset of battle,
          A grim grappling, if Grendel thou darest
       30 For the space of a night near-by to wait for!"

{Beowulf retaliates.}

          Beowulf answered, offspring of Ecgtheow:
          "My good friend Unferth, sure freely and wildly,

{O friend Unferth, you are fuddled with beer, and cannot talk coherently.}

          Thou fuddled with beer of Breca hast spoken,
          Hast told of his journey! A fact I allege it,
       35 That greater strength in the waters I had then,
          Ills in the ocean, than any man else had.
          We made agreement as the merest of striplings
          Promised each other (both of us then were

{We simply kept an engagement made in early life.}

          Younkers in years) that we yet would adventure
       40 Out on the ocean; it all we accomplished.
          While swimming the sea-floods, sword-blade unscabbarded
          Boldly we brandished, our bodies expected
          To shield from the sharks. He sure was unable

{He _could_ not excel me, and I _would_ not excel him.}

          To swim on the waters further than I could,
       45 More swift on the waves, nor _would_ I from him go.
          Then we two companions stayed in the ocean

{After five days the currents separated us.}

          Five nights together, till the currents did part us,
          The weltering waters, weathers the bleakest,
          And nethermost night, and the north-wind whistled
       50 Fierce in our faces; fell were the billows.
          The mere fishes' mood was mightily ruffled:
          And there against foemen my firm-knotted corslet,
          Hand-jointed, hardy, help did afford me;
          My battle-sark braided, brilliantly gilded,

{A horrible sea-beast attacked me, but I slew him.}

       55 Lay on my bosom. To the bottom then dragged me,
          A hateful fiend-scather, seized me and held me,
          Grim in his grapple: 'twas granted me, nathless,
          To pierce the monster with the point of my weapon,
          My obedient blade; battle offcarried
       60 The mighty mere-creature by means of my hand-blow.

    [1] It has been plausibly suggested that 'síð' (in 501 and in 353)
    means 'arrival.' If so, translate the bracket: _(the arrival of
    Beowulf, the brave seafarer, was a source of great chagrin to Unferth,
    etc.)_.