THERE was hurry and hest in Heorot now

for hands to bedeck it, and dense¹ was the throng²

of men and women the wine-hall to cleanse³,

the guest-room to garnish⁴. Gold-gay shone the hangings

that were wove on the wall, and wonders many

to delight each mortal that looks upon them.

Though braced⁵ within by iron bands,

that building bright was broken sorely; 41

rent were its hinges; the roof alone

held safe and sound, when, seared with crime,

the fiendish foe⁶ his flight essayed,

of life despairing. — No light thing that,

the flight for safety, — essay it who will!

Forced of fate, he shall find his way

to the refuge ready for race of man,

for soul-possessors, and sons of earth;

and there his body on bed of death

shall rest after revel⁷.

Arrived was the hour

when to hall proceeded Healfdene’s son:

the king himself would sit to banquet.

Ne’er heard I of host in haughtier⁸ throng

more graciously gathered round giver-of-rings!

Bowed then to bench those bearers-of-glory,

fain of the feasting. Featly received

many a mead-cup the mighty⁹-in-spirit,

kinsmen¹⁰ who sat in the sumptuous¹¹ hall,

Hrothgar and Hrothulf. Heorot now

was filled with friends; the folk of Scyldings

ne’er yet had tried the traitor’s deed.

点击收听单词发音  

1 dense
a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的
参考例句：
The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。 The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

2 throng
n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集
参考例句：
A patient throng was waiting in silence.一大群耐心的人在静静地等着。 The crowds thronged into the mall.人群涌进大厅。

3 cleanse
vt.使清洁，使纯洁，清洗
参考例句：
Health experts are trying to cleanse the air in cities. 卫生专家们正设法净化城市里的空气。 Fresh fruit juices can also cleanse your body and reduce dark circles.新鲜果汁同样可以清洁你的身体,并对黑眼圈同样有抑制作用。

4 garnish
n.装饰，添饰，配菜
参考例句：
The turkey was served with a garnish of parsley.做好的火鸡上面配上芫荽菜做点缀。 The sandwiches came with a rather limp salad garnish.三明治配着蔫软的色拉饰菜。

5 braced
adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来
参考例句：
They braced up the old house with balks of timber. 他们用梁木加固旧房子。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The house has a wooden frame which is braced with brick. 这幢房子是木结构的砖瓦房。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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。

7 revel
vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢
参考例句：
She seems to revel in annoying her parents.她似乎以惹父母生气为乐。 The children revel in country life.孩子们特别喜欢乡村生活。

8 haughtier
haughty（傲慢的，骄傲的）的比较级形式
参考例句：

9 mighty
adj.强有力的；巨大的
参考例句：
A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。 The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

10 kinsmen
n.家属，亲属( kinsman的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Kinsmen are less kind than friends. 投亲不如访友。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 One deeply grateful is better than kinsmen or firends. 受恩深处胜亲朋。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学

11 sumptuous
adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的
参考例句：
The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。 We were ushered into a sumptuous dining hall.我们被领进一个豪华的餐厅。

12 costly
adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的
参考例句：
It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。 This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

13 heartier
亲切的( hearty的比较级 )； 热诚的； 健壮的； 精神饱满的
参考例句：
Another and heartier smile illumined her rough face, and from that moment we were friends. 另一个更加真诚的微笑照亮了她那粗糙的脸；从那时起，我们就成了朋友。 My ideas received a far heartier and were much more appreciated in the corporate world. 劳林本人就是从学术界转到了企业界。

14 ridge
n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭
参考例句：
We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。 The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

15 ward
n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开
参考例句：
The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。 During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

16 strife
n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争
参考例句：
We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。 Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

17 foes
敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。 She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。

18 valor
n.勇气，英勇
参考例句：
Fortitude is distinct from valor.坚韧不拔有别于勇猛。 Frequently banality is the better parts of valor.老生常谈往往比大胆打破常规更为人称道。

19 corpses
n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The living soldiers put corpses together and burned them. 活着的战士把尸体放在一起烧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Overhead, grayish-white clouds covered the sky, piling up heavily like decaying corpses. 天上罩满了灰白的薄云，同腐烂的尸体似的沉沉的盖在那里。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

20 contemned
v.侮辱，蔑视( contemn的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：