Beowulf eBook

          He’ll grant we may greet him so gracious to all men.”
       30 Wulfgar replied then (he was prince of the Wendels,
          His boldness of spirit was known unto many,
          His prowess and prudence):  “The prince of the Scyldings,

{Wulfgar, the thane, says that he will go and ask Hrothgar whether he will see the strangers.}

          The friend-lord of Danemen, I will ask of thy journey,
          The giver of rings, as thou urgest me do it,
       35 The folk-chief famous, and inform thee early
          What answer the good one mindeth to render me.” 
          He turned then hurriedly where Hrothgar was sitting,
          [2]Old and hoary, his earlmen attending him;
          The strength-famous went till he stood at the shoulder
       40 Of the lord of the Danemen, of courteous thanemen
          The custom he minded.  Wulfgar addressed then
          His friendly liegelord:  “Folk of the Geatmen

[14]

{He thereupon urges his liegelord to receive the visitors courteously.}

          O’er the way of the waters are wafted hither,
          Faring from far-lands:  the foremost in rank
       45 The battle-champions Beowulf title. 
          They make this petition:  with thee, O my chieftain,
          To be granted a conference; O gracious King Hrothgar,
          Friendly answer refuse not to give them!

{Hrothgar, too, is struck with Beowulf’s appearance.}

          In war-trappings weeded worthy they seem
       50 Of earls to be honored; sure the atheling is doughty
          Who headed the heroes hitherward coming.”

[1] Instead of the punctuation given by H.-So, S. proposed to insert a comma after ‘scir’ (322), and to take ‘hring-iren’ as meaning ‘ring-mail’ and as parallel with ‘gueth-byrne.’  The passage would then read:  The firm and hand-locked war-burnie shone, bright ring-mail, rang ’mid the armor, etc.

    [2] Gr. and others translate ‘unhar’ by ‘bald’; old and bald.

VII.

HROTHGAR AND BEOWULF.

{Hrothgar remembers Beowulf as a youth, and also remembers his father.}

          Hrothgar answered, helm of the Scyldings: 
          “I remember this man as the merest of striplings. 
          His father long dead now was Ecgtheow titled,
          Him Hrethel the Geatman granted at home his
        5 One only daughter; his battle-brave son
          Is come but now, sought a trustworthy friend. 
          Seafaring sailors asserted it then,

{Beowulf is reported to have the strength of thirty men.}

          Who valuable gift-gems of the Geatmen[1] carried
          As peace-offering thither, that he thirty men’s grapple
       10 Has in his hand, the hero-in-battle.