17 January 2012

XXXIII. The Dragon Attacks. Beowulf Prepares.

We begin the fitt with the destruction the dragon brings to the country on the night after its cup was stolen. Beowulf's own hall was burned to the ground. He makes plans to end the threat. First, he ordered a fireproof shield be made of iron. Second, he decided that he could kill the dragon himself, without involving a war party in the attack.
A short discussion follows on Beowulf's situation and state of mind. After that, we have a reprisal of the events that were sketched out before. We learn that Beowulf had refused the crown when he was offered it by the queen, Hygd, after Hygelac died. Instead, he supported Heardred, the legitimate heir. Once Heardred was grown, he gave sanctuary to some men who had rebelled against the Swedish king. Consequently, the Swedes attacked the Geats and killed Heardred. Beowulf was allowed by the Swedes to become Heardred's successor.

People have different opinions about Beowulf's decision to face the dragon alone. To some, it seems irresponsible. His people need him, so he should not risk his death, but kill the beast with overwhelming strength. We would certainly do that now: use bombs and Predator drones rather than have national leaders engage in single combat. On the other hand, Beowulf felt that the dragon's attack was God's punishment for some sin that he, personally, had committed.
The wise man thought it was from his breach   
of ancient law and the Lord above
was bitterly angered.
(lines 2329-31).

In addition, depending on how you read them, these lines indicate that Beowulf, again, was quite willing to live or die.
                                        His time at sea   
and life on land, along with the worm,   
would come to a close he could accept,   
though he had held hoard-treasure long.
(lines 2341-44)

Finally, he felt that his death was by no means certain. He had a history of getting into dangerous situations and getting out again that had continued well after he had defeated Grendel and his mother. The example of this given in the fitt is the battle in which Heardred died. Beowulf not only survived, he had killed many enemies and, when he had to make his escape, he swam away carrying thirty sets of armour and weapons. Such a history gives one confidence:
                            He felt no concern,   
nor did he dread the dragon's fire,   
its power and courage because often,   
in desperate straits, he still survived
clashes of arms that came after he   
had cleansed Heorot for Hrothgar's sake   
with a killing grip for Grendel's clan,   
the loathed family line.
(lines 2347-54)

Possibly he would take on the dragon alone because he was responsible for its attack, possibly because others would get in his way and die unnecessarily. Either way, he would also be considering his reputation. This would substantially refresh the glory he had won in his youth.

The last line of this fitt brings us to a full 75% of the length of the poem. It's taken one year and four months to do it, so I anticipate two or three months more of translation.

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XXXIII. THE DRAGON ATTACKS. BEOWULF PREPARES.
Then the vile creature vomited flame.   
Bright houses burned. The blaze lifted   
and filled men with horror. The hateful flier   
wanted to leave no living thing.
The worm's power was apparent,   
its cunning malice, from miles away,   
how the destroyer hated and shamed   
the Geat people. He plunged back to his hoard,   
his hidden hall ahead of the day.            2320
The land's people were locked in the grip   
of twisting flame. He trusted his barrow,   
his war-skill and walls. They would betray him.

Then Beowulf was brought the bad tidings   
that waves of flame had washed over his home,
the most beautiful of buildings melted,   
the gift-throne of Geats. To the good man, this was   
the greatest regret, a grief in the heart.   
The wise man thought it was from his breach   
of ancient law and the Lord above            2330
was bitterly angered. His breast flooded   
with distressing thoughts strange to his nature.
   
The fire dragon reduced a fortress   
close to the coastline and cast it to earth,    
fractured by flame. The fighting king,   
the Weders' prince, planned his revenge,   
then ordered made a mighty shield   
all of iron, the earls' leader,   
a wonderful war-board. He was certain   
that wood from a tree would not help him,        2340
fire against timber.
                                         His time at sea   
and life on land, along with the worm,   
would come to a close he could accept,   
though he had held hoard-treasure long.   
He felt it below him, the lord of rings,   
to take along troops to track the wide flier,   
a fighting force. He felt no concern,   
nor did he dread the dragon's fire,   
its power and courage because often,   
in desperate straits, he still survived            2350
clashes of arms that came after he   
had cleansed Heorot for Hrothgar's sake   
with a killing grip for Grendel's clan,   
the loathed family line.
                                                 Not least of these struggles   
was the hand-to-hand fight when Hygelac was killed,   
since the Geats' king, in a quick attack,   
the folks' lord and friend, in Frisian country,   
king after Hrethel, quenched a sword's thirst,   
was beaten with blades. Then Beowulf came,   
too strong to be stopped. He started for water,        2360
and thirty sets of soldiers' gear   
were in his arms. When he surfaced   
the Hetwares hardly had any pleasure   
in fighting on foot. Most faring to battle    
covered with shields could not return   
from facing that soldier to see home again.
   
Then Ecgtheow's son swam through the currents   
abased and alone, back to the people.   
Hygd offered him hoard and nation,   
treasure and gift-throne, not trusting her son        2370
to defend the throne from foreign peoples   
and hold it as his, with Hygelac gone.   
The afflicted people found out at once   
that the noble would not at all   
have himself hailed as Heardred's lord   
nor wished to take control of the kingdom,   
but favoured the folk with friendly council,   
a gracious hand till Heardred grew   
to rule the Weders.
                                         Refugees sought him,   
Othere's sons, from over the seas.            2380
They had defied the helm of Scyfings,   
the finest king who fared to sea   
and gave in Sweden golden treasure,   
the famous lord. A fatal decision.   
A death-wound for Heardred, Hygelac's son,   
from a swinging sword for accepting guests.   
And Ongentheow's son stood off and left   
for harbour and home, once Heardred lay dead.   
He placed no bar to Beowulf's rule   
to govern the Geats. A good king indeed!        2390

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