{God hath sent him to our rescue.}

          The holy Creator usward sent him,
          To West-Dane warriors, I ween, for to render
          ’Gainst Grendel’s grimness gracious assistance: 
          I shall give to the good one gift-gems for courage.
       15 Hasten to bid them hither to speed them,[2]
          To see assembled this circle of kinsmen;
          Tell them expressly they’re welcome in sooth to
          The men of the Danes.”  To the door of the building

[15]

{Wulfgar invites the strangers in.}

          Wulfgar went then, this word-message shouted: 
       20 “My victorious liegelord bade me to tell you,
          The East-Danes’ atheling, that your origin knows he,
          And o’er wave-billows wafted ye welcome are hither,
          Valiant of spirit.  Ye straightway may enter
          Clad in corslets, cased in your helmets,
       25 To see King Hrothgar.  Here let your battle-boards,
          Wood-spears and war-shafts, await your conferring.” 
          The mighty one rose then, with many a liegeman,
          An excellent thane-group; some there did await them,
          And as bid of the brave one the battle-gear guarded.
       30 Together they hied them, while the hero did guide them,
          ’Neath Heorot’s roof; the high-minded went then
          Sturdy ’neath helmet till he stood in the building. 
          Beowulf spake (his burnie did glisten,
          His armor seamed over by the art of the craftsman): 

{Beowulf salutes Hrothgar, and then proceeds to boast of his youthful achievements.}

       35 “Hail thou, Hrothgar!  I am Higelac’s kinsman
          And vassal forsooth; many a wonder
          I dared as a stripling.  The doings of Grendel,
          In far-off fatherland I fully did know of: 
          Sea-farers tell us, this hall-building standeth,
       40 Excellent edifice, empty and useless
          To all the earlmen after evenlight’s glimmer
          ’Neath heaven’s bright hues hath hidden its glory. 
          This my earls then urged me, the most excellent of them,
          Carles very clever, to come and assist thee,
       45 Folk-leader Hrothgar; fully they knew of

{His fight with the nickers.}

          The strength of my body.  Themselves they beheld me
          When I came from the contest, when covered with gore
          Foes I escaped from, where five[3] I had bound,
[16] The giant-race wasted, in the waters destroying
       50 The nickers by night, bore numberless sorrows,
          The Weders avenged (woes had they suffered)
          Enemies ravaged; alone now with Grendel

{He intends to fight Grendel unaided.}