Grendel see text:

710Ða com of more under misthleoþum

Grendel gongan, godes yrre bær;

mynte se manscaða manna cynnes

sumne besyrwan in sele þam hean.

Wod under wolcnum to þæs þe he winreced,

715goldsele gumena, gearwost wisse,

fættum fahne. Ne wæs þæt forma sið

þæt he Hroþgares ham gesohte;

næfre he on aldordagum ær ne siþðan

heardran hæle, healðegnas fand.

720Com þa to recede rinc siðian,

dreamum bedæled. Duru sona onarn,

fyrbendum fæst, syþðan he hire folmum æthran;

onbræd þa bealohydig, ða he gebolgen wæs,

recedes muþan. Raþe æfter þon

725on fagne flor feond treddode,

eode yrremod; him of eagum stod

ligge gelicost leoht unfæger.

Geseah he in recede rinca manige,

swefan sibbegedriht samod ætgædere,

730magorinca heap. þa his mod ahlog;

mynte þæt he gedælde, ærþon dæg cwome,

atol aglæca, anra gehwylces

lif wið lice, þa him alumpen wæs

wistfylle wen. Ne wæs þæt wyrd þa gen

735þæt he ma moste manna cynnes

ðicgean ofer þa niht. þryðswyð beheold

mæg Higelaces, hu se manscaða

under færgripum gefaran wolde.

Ne þæt se aglæca yldan þohte,

740ac he gefeng hraðe forman siðe

slæpendne rinc, slat unwearnum,

bat banlocan, blod edrum dranc,

synsnædum swealh; sona hæfde

unlyfigendes eal gefeormod,

745fet ond folma. Forð near ætstop,

nam þa mid handa higeþihtigne

rinc on ræste, ræhte ongean

feond mid folme; he onfeng hraþe

inwitþancum ond wið earm gesæt.

750Sona þæt onfunde fyrena hyrde

þæt he ne mette middangeardes,

eorþan sceata, on elran men

mundgripe maran. He on mode wearð

forht on ferhðe; no þy ær fram meahte.

755Hyge wæs him hinfus, wolde on heolster fleon,

secan deofla gedræg; ne wæs his drohtoð þær

swylce he on ealderdagum ær gemette.

Gemunde þa se goda, mæg Higelaces,

æfenspræce, uplang astod

760ond him fæste wiðfeng; fingras burston.

Eoten wæs utweard; eorl furþur stop.

Mynte se mæra, þær he meahte swa,

widre gewindan ond on weg þanon

fleon on fenhopu; wiste his fingra geweald

765on grames grapum. þæt wæs geocor sið

þæt se hearmscaþa to Heorute ateah.

Dryhtsele dynede; Denum eallum wearð,

ceasterbuendum, cenra gehwylcum,

eorlum ealuscerwen. Yrre wæron begen,

770reþe renweardas. Reced hlynsode.

þa wæs wundor micel þæt se winsele

wiðhæfde heaþodeorum, þæt he on hrusan ne feol,

fæger foldbold; ac he þæs fæste wæs

innan ond utan irenbendum

775searoþoncum besmiþod. þær fram sylle abeag

medubenc monig, mine gefræge,

golde geregnad, þær þa graman wunnon.

þæs ne wendon ær witan Scyldinga

þæt hit a mid gemete manna ænig,

780betlic ond banfag, tobrecan meahte,

listum tolucan, nymþe liges fæþm

swulge on swaþule. Sweg up astag

niwe geneahhe; Norðdenum stod

atelic egesa, anra gehwylcum

785þara þe of wealle wop gehyrdon,

gryreleoð galan godes ondsacan,

sigeleasne sang, sar wanigean

helle hæfton. Heold hine fæste

se þe manna wæs mægene strengest

790on þæm dæge þysses lifes.

Translation

THEN from the moorland, by misty crags,

with God's wrath laden, Grendel came.

The monster was minded of mankind now

sundry to seize in the stately house.

Under welkin he walked, till the wine-palace there,

gold-hall of men, he gladly discerned,

flashing with fretwork. Not first time, this,

that he the home of Hrothgar sought, --

yet ne'er in his life-day, late or early,

such hardy heroes, such hall-thanes, found!

To the house the warrior walked apace,

parted from peace;1 the portal opended,

though with forged bolts fast, when his fists had struck it,

and baleful he burst in his blatant rage,

the house's mouth. All hastily, then,

o'er fair-paved floor the fiend trod on,

ireful he strode; there streamed from his eyes

fearful flashes, like flame to see.

He spied in hall the hero-band,

kin and clansmen clustered asleep,

hardy liegemen. Then laughed his heart;

for the monster was minded, ere morn should dawn,

savage, to sever the soul of each,

life from body, since lusty banquet

waited his will! But Wyrd forbade him

to seize any more of men on earth

after that evening. Eagerly watched

Hygelac's kinsman his cursed foe,

how he would fare in fell attack.

Not that the monster was minded to pause!

Straightway he seized a sleeping warrior

for the first, and tore him fiercely asunder,

the bone-frame bit, drank blood in streams,

swallowed him piecemeal: swiftly thus

the lifeless corse was clear devoured,

e'en feet and hands. Then farther he hied;

for the hardy hero with hand he grasped,

felt for the foe with fiendish claw,

for the hero reclining, -- who clutched it boldly,

prompt to answer, propped on his arm.

Soon then saw that shepherd-of-evils

that never he met in this middle-world,

in the ways of earth, another wight

with heavier hand-gripe; at heart he feared,

sorrowed in soul, -- none the sooner escaped!

Fain would he flee, his fastness seek,

the den of devils: no doings now

such as oft he had done in days of old!

Then bethought him the hardy Hygelac-thane

of his boast at evening: up he bounded,

grasped firm his foe, whose fingers cracked.

The fiend made off, but the earl close followed.

The monster meant -- if he might at all --

to fling himself free, and far away

fly to the fens, -- knew his fingers' power

in the gripe of the grim one. Gruesome march

to Heorot this monster of harm had made!

Din filled the room; the Danes were bereft,

castle-dwellers and clansmen all,

earls, of their ale. Angry were both

those savage hall-guards: the house resounded.

Wonder it was the wine-hall firm

in the strain of their struggle stood, to earth

the fair house fell not; too fast it was

within and without by its iron bands

craftily clamped; though there crashed from sill

many a mead-bench -- men have told me --

gay with gold, where the grim foes wrestled.

So well had weened the wisest Scyldings

that not ever at all might any man

that bone-decked, brave house break asunder,

crush by craft, -- unless clasp of fire

in smoke engulfed it. -- Again uprose

din redoubled. Danes of the North

with fear and frenzy were filled, each one,

who from the wall that wailing heard,

God's foe sounding his grisly song,

cry of the conquered, clamorous pain

from captive of hell. Too closely held him

he who of men in might was strongest

in that same day of this our life.

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