THEN from the moorland, by misty1 crags,
with God’s wrath2 laden3, Grendel came.
The monster was minded of mankind now
sundry6 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 hardy7 heroes, such hall-thanes, found!
To the house the warrior8 walked apace,
parted from peace; 35 the portal opended,
though with forged bolts fast, when his fists had
struck it,
and baleful he burst in his blatant9 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,
kin5 and clansmen clustered asleep,
hardy liegemen. Then laughed his heart;
for the monster was minded, ere morn should dawn,
savage10, to sever11 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 kinsman12 his cursed foe13,
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 asunder14,
the bone-frame bit, drank blood in streams,
swallowed him piecemeal15: swiftly thus
the lifeless corse was clear devoured16,
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, propped17 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 den4 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 fens18, — knew his fingers’ power
in the gripe of the grim one. Gruesome march
to Heorot this monster of harm had made!
Din19 filled the room; the Danes were bereft20,
castle-dwellers and clansmen all,
earls, of their ale. Angry were both
those savage hall-guards: the house resounded21.
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
craftily22 clamped; though there crashed from sill
many a mead-bench — men have told me —
gay with gold, where the grim foes23 wrestled24.
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 engulfed25 it. — Again uprose
din redoubled. Danes of the North
with fear and frenzy26 were filled, each one,
who from the wall that wailing27 heard,
God’s foe sounding his grisly song,
cry of the conquered, clamorous28 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.
1 misty | |
adj.雾蒙蒙的,有雾的 | |
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2 wrath | |
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
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3 laden | |
adj.装满了的;充满了的;负了重担的;苦恼的 | |
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4 den | |
n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室 | |
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5 kin | |
n.家族,亲属,血缘关系;adj.亲属关系的,同类的 | |
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6 sundry | |
adj.各式各样的,种种的 | |
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7 hardy | |
adj.勇敢的,果断的,吃苦的;耐寒的 | |
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8 warrior | |
n.勇士,武士,斗士 | |
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9 blatant | |
adj.厚颜无耻的;显眼的;炫耀的 | |
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10 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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11 sever | |
v.切开,割开;断绝,中断 | |
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12 kinsman | |
n.男亲属 | |
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13 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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14 asunder | |
adj.分离的,化为碎片 | |
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15 piecemeal | |
adj.零碎的;n.片,块;adv.逐渐地;v.弄成碎块 | |
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16 devoured | |
吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 ); 耗尽; 津津有味地看; 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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17 propped | |
支撑,支持,维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18 fens | |
n.(尤指英格兰东部的)沼泽地带( fen的名词复数 ) | |
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19 din | |
n.喧闹声,嘈杂声 | |
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20 bereft | |
adj.被剥夺的 | |
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21 resounded | |
v.(指声音等)回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 );产生回响;(指某处)回荡着声音 | |
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22 craftily | |
狡猾地,狡诈地 | |
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23 foes | |
敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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24 wrestled | |
v.(与某人)搏斗( wrestle的过去式和过去分词 );扭成一团;扭打;(与…)摔跤 | |
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25 engulfed | |
v.吞没,包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26 frenzy | |
n.疯狂,狂热,极度的激动 | |
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27 wailing | |
v.哭叫,哀号( wail的现在分词 );沱 | |
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28 clamorous | |
adj.吵闹的,喧哗的 | |
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