beowulf-第16部分

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And　now　the　sage　young　son　of　Weohstan

seven　chose　of　the　chieftain's　thanes；

the　best　he　found　that　band　within；

and　went　with　these　warriors；　one　of　eight；

under　hostile　roof。　In　hand　one　bore

a　lighted　torch　and　led　the　way。

No　lots　they　cast　for　keeping　the　hoard

when　once　the　warriors　saw　it　in　hall；

altogether　without　a　guardian；

lying　there　lost。　And　little　they　mourned

when　they　had　hastily　haled　it　out；

dear…bought　treasure！　The　dragon　they　cast；

the　worm；　o'er　the　wall　for　the　wave　to　take；

and　surges　swallowed　that　shepherd　of　gems。

Then　the　woven　gold　on　a　wain　was　laden　

countless　quite！　　and　the　king　was　borne；

hoary　hero；　to　Hrones…Ness。



＇1＇　Probably　the　fugitive　is　meant　who　discovered　the　hoard。　Ten

Brink　and　Gering　assume　that　the　dragon　is　meant。　〃Hid〃　may　well

mean　here　〃took　while　in　hiding。〃　＇2＇　That　is　〃one　and　a　few

others。〃　But　Beowulf　seems　to　be　indicated。　＇3＇　Ten　Brink　points

out　the　strongly　heathen　character　of　this　part　of　the　epic。

Beowulf's　end　came；　so　the　old　tradition　ran；　from　his　unwitting

interference　with　spell…bound　treasure。　＇4＇　A　hard　saying；

variously　interpreted。　In　any　case；　it　is　the　somewhat　clumsy

effort　of　the　Christian　poet　to　tone　down　the　heathenism　of　his

material　by　an　edifying　observation。







XLIII



THEN　fashioned　for　him　the　folk　of　Geats

firm　on　the　earth　a　funeral…pile；

and　hung　it　with　helmets　and　harness　of　war

and　breastplates　bright；　as　the　boon　he　asked；

and　they　laid　amid　it　the　mighty　chieftain；

heroes　mourning　their　master　dear。

Then　on　the　hill　that　hugest　of　balefires

the　warriors　wakened。　Wood…smoke　rose

black　over　blaze；　and　blent　was　the　roar

of　flame　with　weeping　（the　wind　was　still）；

till　the　fire　had　broken　the　frame　of　bones；

hot　at　the　heart。　In　heavy　mood

their　misery　moaned　they；　their　master's　death。

Wailing　her　woe；　the　widow＇1＇　old；

her　hair　upbound；　for　Beowulf's　death

sung　in　her　sorrow；　and　said　full　oft

she　dreaded　the　doleful　days　to　come；

deaths　enow；　and　doom　of　battle；

and　shame。　　The　smoke　by　the　sky　was　devoured。

The　folk　of　the　Weders　fashioned　there

on　the　headland　a　barrow　broad　and　high；

by　ocean…farers　far　descried：

in　ten　days'　time　their　toil　had　raised　it；

the　battle…brave's　beacon。　Round　brands　of　the　pyre

a　wall　they　built；　the　worthiest　ever

that　wit　could　prompt　in　their　wisest　men。

They　placed　in　the　barrow　that　precious　booty；

the　rounds　and　the　rings　they　had　reft　erewhile；

hardy　heroes；　from　hoard　in　cave；　

trusting　the　ground　with　treasure　of　earls；

gold　in　the　earth；　where　ever　it　lies

useless　to　men　as　of　yore　it　was。

Then　about　that　barrow　the　battle…keen　rode；

atheling…born；　a　band　of　twelve；

lament　to　make；　to　mourn　their　king；

chant　their　dirge；　and　their　chieftain　honor。

They　praised　his　earlship；　his　acts　of　prowess

worthily　witnessed：　and　well　it　is

that　men　their　master…friend　mightily　laud；

heartily　love；　when　hence　he　goes

from　life　in　the　body　forlorn　away。



Thus　made　their　mourning　the　men　of　Geatland；

for　their　hero's　passing　his　hearth…companions：

quoth　that　of　all　the　kings　of　earth；

of　men　he　was　mildest　and　most　beloved；

to　his　kin　the　kindest；　keenest　for　praise。



＇1＇　Nothing　is　said　of　Beowulf's　wife　in　the　poem；　but　Bugge

surmises　that　Beowulf　finally　accepted　Hygd's　offer　of　kingdom

and　hoard；　and；　as　was　usual；　took　her　into　the　bargain。









End