Chapter 22

Beowulf spake, the son of Ecgtheow: ‘O kinsman of Healfdene,³⁷ thou far-famed and proud prince, thou gold-friend of men, now that eager I am for this forth-faring, bethink thee now of what we two were speaking together, that if I should lose my life through helping thee in thy need, thou wouldst be always to me in the place of a father after my death. Be thou a guardian to my kinsmen, my thanes, and my hand comrades, if battle should take me. And dear Hrothgar, send thou the gifts, which thou didst give me, to Hygelac. And the Lord of the Geats, the son of Hrethel, when he looks on the treasure and perceives the gold, will see that I found a giver of rings, one good and open-handed, and that while I could, I enjoyed the treasures. And do thou let Unferth, the man who is far-famed, have the old heirloom, the curiously wrought sword with its wave-like device, with its hard edge. I work out my fate with Hrunting, or death shall seize me.’

Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow, said: ‘Kinsman of Healfdene,³⁷ famous and proud prince, generous giver of gold, I am now eager to set out. Remember what we agreed when we spoke together. If I lost my life helping you in your need, you would take a father’s place after my death. If battle takes me, protect my kinsmen, my thanes, and my comrades in arms. And dear Hrothgar, send the gifts you gave me to Hygelac. When the Lord of the Geats, son of Hrethel, sees the treasure and the gold, he will understand. He will know I found a good and generous giver of rings, and enjoyed those treasures while I could. And let the famous Unferth have the ancient heirloom, the finely crafted sword with its wave-patterned blade and hard edge. I will meet my fate with Hrunting, or death will take me.’

After these words the Lord of the Weder-Geats courageously hastened, and by no means would he wait for an answer. The whelming sea received the battle-hero. And it was a day’s while before he could see the bottom of the sea. And very soon the fierce and eager one who had ruled the expanse of the floods for a hundred years, she, the grim and greedy, saw that a man was searching out from above the dwelling of strange monsters. Then she made a grab at him, and closed on the warrior with dire embrace. But not at first did she scathe his body, safe and sound. The ring surrounded it on the outside, so that she could not pierce the coat of mail or the interlaced war-shirt with loathsome finger. Then the sea-wolf, when she came to the bottom of the sea, bore the Ring-Prince towards her house so that he might not, though he was so strong in soul, wield any weapon; and many a wonder oppressed him in the depths, many a sea-beast broke his war-shirt with his battle-tusks, and monsters pursued him.

After these words, the Lord of the Weder-Geats hurried forward bravely, refusing to wait for an answer. The surging sea swallowed the battle-hero. A whole day passed before he could see the seabed. Very soon, the fierce, eager creature who had ruled those waters for a hundred years spotted him. Grim and greedy, she saw a man coming down from above to search the home of strange monsters. Then she grabbed him and held the warrior in a terrible grip. But at first she could not harm his body, which remained safe and sound. Rings of armor covered him, so her foul fingers could not pierce his coat of mail, his interwoven war-shirt. Then, on reaching the seabed, the sea-wolf carried the Ring-Prince toward her home. She held him so that he could not use any weapon, though his spirit was strong. Many strange creatures attacked him in the depths. Many sea-beasts tore his war-shirt with their battle-tusks, and monsters pursued him.

Then the earl saw that he was in he knew not what hall of strife, where no water scathed him a whit, nor could the sudden grip of the flood touch him because of the roof-hall. He saw, too, a firelight, a bright pale flame shining. Then the good man caught sight of the she-wolf, that monstrous wife, down in the depths of the sea. And he made a mighty rush with his sword. Nor did his hand fail to swing it so that the ringed mail on her head sang a greedy death-song. Then Beowulf the stranger discovered that the battle-blade would not bite or scathe her life, but the edge failed the lord in his need. It had suffered many hand-blows, and the helmet, the battle-dress of the doomed one, it had often cut in two. That was the first time that his dear sword-treasure failed him. Then he became resolute, and not by any means did he fail in courage, that kinsman of Hygelac, mindful of glory. And this angry warrior threw away the stout sword, bound round with jewels with its wavy decorations, and with its edge of steel, so that it lay prone on the ground; and henceforth he trusted in his strength and the hand-grasp of might. So should a man be doing when he thinketh to be gaining long-lasting praise in fighting, and careth not for his life. Then the Lord of the Geats seized by the shoulder the mother of Grendel (nor at all did he mourn over that feud), and he, the hard in battle, threw down his deadly foe, when he was angry, so that she lay prone on the floor. But she very quickly, with grimmest of grips, requited him a hand-reward, and made a clutch at him. And the weary in soul, that strongest of fighters, he the foot-warrior stumbled and fell. Then she sat on that hall-guest, and drew forth her axe, broad and brown-edged, and would fain be avenging the death of her child, of her only son. But on his shoulder was the coat of mail all woven, which saved his life and prevented the entrance of the point and the edge of the sword. And the son of Ecgtheow, the Prince of Geats, would have surely gone a journey under the wide earth unless that warlike coat of mail had given him help, that hard war-net, and unless the Holy God He the cunning Lord, and the Ruler in the heavens, had wielded the victory, and easily decided the issue aright; then he straightway stood up.

Then the earl realized he was in some unknown hall of battle. No water harmed him at all. The hall’s roof kept even the sudden rush of the flood from reaching him. He also saw firelight, a bright, pale flame shining. Then the brave man caught sight of the she-wolf, that monstrous woman, deep beneath the sea. He rushed at her with his sword. His hand swung the blade with full force, making the ringed armor on her head sing a hungry death-song. Then Beowulf, the stranger, discovered that the battle-blade could not cut her or threaten her life. The sword’s edge failed its lord in his hour of need. The blade had endured many blows in battle. It had often split the helmet, the battle gear of a doomed warrior. This was the first time his treasured sword had failed him. Then Hygelac’s kinsman grew determined, thinking of glory, and his courage did not fail him at all. The angry warrior threw aside his sturdy sword, decorated with jewels and wavy patterns and edged with steel. The sword lay flat on the ground. From then on, he trusted his strength and his powerful grip. That is how a man should act when he seeks lasting glory in battle and cares nothing for his life. Then the Lord of the Geats seized Grendel’s mother by the shoulder. He had no regrets about their feud. Hardened in battle and filled with anger, he hurled his deadly enemy to the floor. But she quickly repaid him with a fierce grip, grabbing hold of him. Worn down in spirit, that strongest of fighters stumbled and fell. Then she sat on her visitor and drew her axe, broad and brown-edged. She wanted to avenge the death of her child, her only son. But the woven coat of mail over his shoulder saved his life, blocking the weapon’s point and blade. Ecgtheow’s son, the Prince of Geats, would surely have journeyed beneath the wide earth without that warlike armor’s help. That tough net of armor saved him, and so did Holy God, the wise Lord and Ruler of heaven. Without God’s control over victory and his easy, just decision, Beowulf would have died. Then Beowulf stood up at once.