HROTHGAR spake, the Scyldings’-helmet:—

“For fight defensive¹, Friend my Beowulf,

to succor² and save, thou hast sought us here.

Thy father’s combat 28 a feud³ enkindled

when Heatholaf with hand he slew⁵

among the Wylfings; his Weder kin⁴

for horror of fighting feared to hold him.

Fleeing, he sought our South-Dane folk,

over surge of ocean the Honor-Scyldings,

when first I was ruling the folk of Danes,

wielded⁶, youthful, this widespread realm,

this hoard-hold of heroes. Heorogar was dead,

my elder brother, had breathed his last,

Healfdene’s bairn: he was better than I!

Straightway the feud with fee 29 I settled,

to the Wylfings sent, o’er watery⁷ ridges⁸,

treasures olden: oaths he 30 swore me.

Sore is my soul to say to any

of the race of man what ruth for me

in Heorot Grendel with hate hath wrought⁹,

what sudden harryings. Hall-folk fail me,

my warriors¹⁰ wane¹¹; for Wyrd hath swept them

into Grendel’s grasp. But God is able

this deadly foe¹² from his deeds to turn!

Boasted full oft, as my beer they drank,

earls o’er the ale-cup, armed men,

that they would

点击收听单词发音  

1 defensive
adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的
参考例句：
Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。 The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

2 succor
n.援助，帮助；v.给予帮助
参考例句：
In two short hours we may look for succor from Webb.在短短的两小时内，韦布将军的救兵就可望到达。 He was so much in need of succor,so totally alone.他当时孑然一身，形影相吊，特别需要援助。

3 feud
n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇
参考例句：
How did he start his feud with his neighbor?他是怎样和邻居开始争吵起来的？ The two tribes were long at feud with each other.这两个部族长期不和。

4 kin
n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的
参考例句：
He comes of good kin.他出身好。 She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

5 slew
v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多
参考例句：
He slewed the car against the side of the building.他的车滑到了大楼的一侧，抵住了。 They dealt with a slew of other issues.他们处理了大量的其他问题。

6 wielded
手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的过去式和过去分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）
参考例句：
The bad eggs wielded power, while the good people were oppressed. 坏人当道，好人受气 He was nominally the leader, but others actually wielded the power. 名义上他是领导者，但实际上是别人掌握实权。

7 watery
adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的
参考例句：
In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。 Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。

8 ridges
n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊
参考例句：
The path winds along mountain ridges. 峰回路转。 Perhaps that was the deepest truth in Ridges's nature. 在里奇斯的思想上，这大概可以算是天经地义第一条了。

9 wrought
v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的
参考例句：
Events in Paris wrought a change in British opinion towards France and Germany.巴黎发生的事件改变了英国对法国和德国的看法。 It's a walking stick with a gold head wrought in the form of a flower.那是一个金质花形包头的拐杖。

10 warriors
武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )
参考例句：
I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。 The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

11 wane
n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦
参考例句：
The moon is on the wane.月亮渐亏。 Her enthusiasm for him was beginning to wane.她对他的热情在开始减退。

12 foe
n.敌人，仇敌
参考例句：
He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。 A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌，友是友，必须分清界限。

13 bide
v.忍耐；等候；住
参考例句：
We'll have to bide our time until the rain stops.我们必须等到雨停。 Bide here for a while. 请在这儿等一会儿。

14 mead
n.蜂蜜酒
参考例句：
He gave me a cup of mead.他给我倒了杯蜂蜜酒。 He drank some mead at supper.晚饭时他喝了一些蜂蜜酒。

15 gore
n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶
参考例句：
The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。 Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。

16 gory
adj.流血的；残酷的
参考例句：
I shuddered when I heard the gory details.我听到血淋淋的详情，战栗不已。 The newspaper account of the accident gave all the gory details.报纸上报道了这次事故中所有骇人听闻的细节。

17 doughty
adj.勇猛的，坚强的
参考例句：
Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。 The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

18 hardy
adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的
参考例句：
The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。 He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。

19 blithe
adj.快乐的，无忧无虑的
参考例句：
Tonight,however,she was even in a blithe mood than usual.但是，今天晚上她比往常还要高兴。 He showed a blithe indifference to her feelings.他显得毫不顾及她的感情。

20 revelled
v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉
参考例句：
The foreign guests revelled in the scenery of the lake. 外宾们十分喜爱湖上的景色。 来自辞典例句 He revelled in those moments of idleness stolen from his work. 他喜爱学习之余的闲暇时刻。 来自辞典例句

21 dearth
n.缺乏，粮食不足，饥谨
参考例句：
There is a dearth of good children's plays.目前缺少优秀的儿童剧。 Many people in that country died because of dearth of food.那个国家有许多人因为缺少粮食而死。