With Grende!’s mother destroyed, peace is restored to tbe land

of the Danes, and Beowulf, laden with Hrothgar’s gifts, returns to

the land of his own people, the Gears. After his uncle and cousin

die, Beowulf becomes king of the Gears and rules in peace and

prosperity for 50 years. One day, however, a fire-breathing

dragon that has been guarding a treasure for hundreds of

years is disturbed by a thief, who enters the treasure

tower and steals a cup. The dragon begins terrorizing

the Gears, and Beowulf, now an old man, takes on the

challenge of fighting it.

BEowu LF’S LAST BATTLEAnd Beowulf uttered his final boast:"I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought

In endless bawles. I am old, now,But I will fight again, seek fame still,If the dragon hiding in his tower daresTo face me."

Then he said farewell to his followers,-,.Each in his turn, for the last time:

"I’d use no sword, no weapon, if this beastCould be killed without it, crushed to deathLike Grendel, gripped in my hands and tornLimb from limb. But his breath will be burningHot, poison will pour from his tongue.I feel no shame, with shield and swordAnd armor, against this monster: when he comes to me

Viking cup, silver and gilt

UNIT ONE PART 1: TESTS OF COURAGE .....

620 I mean to stand, not run from his shootingFlames, stand till fate decidesWhich of us wins. My heart is firm,My hands calm: I need no hotWords. Wait for me close by, my friends.

62.s We shall see, soon, who will surviveThis bloody battle, stand when the fightingIs done. No one else could doWhat I mean to, here, no man but meCould hope to defeat this monster. No one

630 Could try. And this dragon’s treasure, his goldAnd everything hidden in that tower, will be mineOr war will sweep me to a bitter death!"

Then Beowulf rose, still brave, still strong,And with his shield at his ~!de, and a mail shirt on his breast,

635 Strode calmly, confidently, toward the tower, underThe rocky cliffs: no coward could have walked there!And then he who’d endured dozens of desperateBattles, who’d stood boldly while swords and shieldsClashed, the best of kings, saw

64o Huge stone arches and felt the heatOf the dragon’s breath, flooding downThrough the hidden entrance, too hot for anyoneTo stand, a streaming current of fireAnd smoke that blocked all passage. And the Gears’

64,7Lord and leader, angry, loweredHis sword and roared out a battle cry,A call so loud and clear that it reached throughThe hoary rock, hung in the dragon’sEar. The beast rose, angry,

65o Knowing a man had come--and then nothingBut war could have followed, tts breath came first,A steaming cloud pouring from the stone,Then the earth itself shook. BeowulfSwung his shield into place, held it

6ss In front of him, facing the entrance. The dragonCoiled and uncoiled, its heart urging itInto battle. Beowulf’s ancient swordWas waiting, unsheathed, his sharp and gleamingBlade. The beast came closer; both of themWere ready, each set on slaughter. The Gears’Great prince stood firm, unmoving, prepared

648 hoary (h6r’6): gray with age,

BEOWULF

Behind his high shield, waiting in his shiningArmor. The monster came quickly toward him,Pouring out fire and smoke, hurryingTo its fate. Flames beat at the ironShield, and for a time it held, protectedBeowulf as he’d planned; then it began to melt,And for the first time in his life that famous princeFought with fate against him, with gloryDenied him. He knew it, but he raised his swordAnd struck at the dragon’s scaly hide.The ancient blade broke, bit intoThe monster’s skin, drew blood, but crackedAnd failed him before it went deep enough, helped himLess than he needed. The dragon leapedWith pain, thrashed and beat at him, spoutingMurderous flames, spreading them everywhere.And the Gears’ ring-giver did not boast of gloriousVictories in other wars: his weaponHad failed him, deserted him, now when he needed itMost, that excellent sword. Edgetho’sFamous son stared at death,Unwilling to leave this world, to exchange itFor a dwelling in some distant place--a journeyInto darkness that all men must make, as deathEnds their few brief hours on earth.

Quickly, the dragon came at him, encouragedAs Beowulf fell back; its breath flared,And he suffered, wrapped around in swirling

690 Flames--a king, before, but nowA beaten warrior. None of his comradesCame to him, helped him, his brave and nobleFollowers; they ran for their lives, fledDeep in a wood. And only one of themRemained, stood there, miserable, remembering,As a good man must, what kinship should mean.

700

His name was Wiglaf, he was Wexstan’s sonAnd a good soldier; his family had been Swedish,Once. Watching Beowulf, he could seeHow his king was suffering, burning. RememberingEverything his lord and cousin had given him,Armor and gold and the great estatesWexstan’s family enjoyed, Wiglaf’s

678 ring-giver: king; lord. When aman swore allegiance to aGermanic lord in return for hisprotection, the lord typicallybestowed a ring on his follower tosymbolize the bond.

UNIT ONE PART 1: TESTS OF COURAGE

When a

,r hi~Ilylower to

Mind was made up; he raised his yellow705 Shield and drew his sword ....

And Wiglaf, his heart heavy, utteredThe kind of words his comrades deserved:

"l remember how we sat in the mead-hall, drinkingAnd boasting of how brave we’d be when Beowulf

710 Needed us, he who gave us these swordsAnd armor: all of us- swore to repay him,When the time came, kindness for kindness--With our lives, if he needed them. He allowed us to join him,Chose us from all his great army, thinkingOur boasting words had some weight, believingOur promises, trusting our swords. He took usFor soldiers, for men. He meant to killThis monster himself, our mighty king,Fight this battle alone and unaided,As in the days when his strength and daring dazzledMen’s eyes. But those days are over and goneAnd now our lord must lean on youngerArms. And we must go to him, while angryFlames burn at his flesh, helpOur glorious king! By almighty God,I’d rather burn myself than seeFlames swirling around my lord.And who are we to carry homeOur shields before we’ve slain his enemy

730 And ours, to run back to our homes with BeowulfSo hard-pressed here? I swear that nothingHe ever did deserved an endLike this, dying miserably and alone,Butchered by this savage beast: we swore

73s That these swords and armor were each for us all!"