IX

UNFERTH TAUNTS BEOWULF.

{Unferth, a thane of Hrothgar, is jealous of Beowulf, and undertakes to twit him.}

      Unferth spoke up, Ecglaf his son,
      Who sat at the feet of the lord of the Scyldings,
      Opened the jousting (the journey[1] of Beowulf,
      Sea-farer doughty, gave sorrow to Unferth
    5 And greatest chagrin, too, for granted he never
      That any man else on earth should attain to,
      Gain under heaven, more glory than he):

{Did you take part in a swimming-match with Breca?}

      "Art thou that Beowulf with Breca did struggle,
      On the wide sea-currents at swimming contended,
   10 Where to humor your pride the ocean ye tried,

{'Twas mere folly that actuated you both to risk your lives on the ocean.}

      From vainest vaunting adventured your bodies
      In care of the waters? And no one was able
      Nor lief nor loth one, in the least to dissuade you
      Your difficult voyage; then ye ventured a-swimming,
   15 Where your arms outstretching the streams ye did cover,
      The mere-ways measured, mixing and stirring them,
      Glided the ocean; angry the waves were,
      With the weltering of winter. In the water's possession,
      Ye toiled for a seven-night; he at swimming outdid thee,
   20 In strength excelled thee. Then early at morning
      On the Heathoremes' shore the holm-currents tossed him,
      Sought he thenceward the home of his fathers,
      Beloved of his liegemen, the land of the Brondings,
      The peace-castle pleasant, where a people he wielded,

[20] 25 Had borough and jewels. The pledge that he made thee

{Breca outdid you entirely.}

      The son of Beanstan hath soothly accomplished.
      Then I ween thou wilt find thee less fortunate issue,

{Much more will Grendel outdo you, if you vie with him in prowess.}

      Though ever triumphant in onset of battle,
      A grim grappling, if Grendel thou darest
   30 For the space of a night near-by to wait for!"

{Beowulf retaliates.}

      Beowulf answered, offspring of Ecgtheow:
      "My good friend Unferth, sure freely and wildly,

{O friend Unferth, you are fuddled with beer, and cannot talk coherently.}

      Thou fuddled with beer of Breca hast spoken,
      Hast told of his journey! A fact I allege it,
   35 That greater strength in the waters I had then,
      Ills in the ocean, than any man else had.
      We made agreement as the merest of striplings
      Promised each other (both of us then were

{We simply kept an engagement made in early life.}

      Younkers in years) that we yet would adventure
   40 Out on the ocean; it all we accomplished.
      While swimming the sea-floods, sword-blade unscabbarded
      Boldly we brandished, our bodies expected
      To shield from the sharks. He sure was unable

{He could not excel me, and I would not excel him.}

      To swim on the waters further than I could,
   45 More swift on the waves, nor _would_ I from him go.
      Then we two companions stayed in the ocean

{After five days the currents separated us.}

      Five nights together, till the currents did part us,
      The weltering waters, weathers the bleakest,
      And nethermost night, and the north-wind whistled
   50 Fierce in our faces; fell were the billows.
      The mere fishes' mood was mightily ruffled:
      And there against foemen my firm-knotted corslet,
      Hand-jointed, hardy, help did afford me;
      My battle-sark braided, brilliantly gilded,

{A horrible sea-beast attacked me, but I slew him.}

   55 Lay on my bosom. To the bottom then dragged me,
      A hateful fiend-scather, seized me and held me,
      Grim in his grapple: 'twas granted me, nathless,
      To pierce the monster with the point of my weapon,
      My obedient blade; battle offcarried
   60 The mighty mere-creature by means of my hand-blow.

[1] It has been plausibly suggested that 'síð' (in 501 and in 353)
means 'arrival.' If so, translate the bracket: _(the arrival of
Beowulf, the brave seafarer, was a source of great chagrin to Unferth,
etc.)_.

[21]