Weaponless warfare, and wise-mooded Father 25 The glory apportion, God ever-holy,

Boldly to swallow4 them, as of yore he did often The best of the Hrethmen! Thou needest not trouble A head-watch to give me;5 he will have me dripping [17] In case of my defeat, thou wilt not have the trouble of burying me. 75 And dreary with gore, if death overtake me,

I shall manage the matter, with the monster of evil, The giant, decide it. Thee I would therefore 55 Beg of thy bounty, Bright-Danish chieftain, Lord of the Scyldings, this single petition: Not to refuse me, defender of warriors, Friend-lord of folks, so far have I sought thee, That I may unaided, my earlmen assisting me, 60 This brave-mooded war-band, purify Heorot. I have heard on inquiry, the horrible creature Since the monster uses no weapons, From veriest rashness recks not for weapons; I this do scorn then, so be Higelac gracious, My liegelord belovèd, lenient of spirit, 65 To bear a blade or a broad-fashioned target, A shield to the onset; only with hand-grip I, too, shall disdain to use any. The foe I must grapple, fight for my life then, Foeman with foeman; he fain must rely on The doom of the Lord whom death layeth hold o

Who valuable gift-gems of the Geatmen1 carried As peace-offering thither, that he thirty men’s grapple 10 Has in his hand, the hero-in-battle. God hath sent him to our rescue. The holy Creator usward sent him

Hrothgar, too, is struck with Beowulf’s appearance.

“We are sprung from the lineage of the people of Geatland,

But launching them little, unless looks are deceiving, And striking appearance. Ere ye pass on your journey As treacherous spies to the land of the Scyldings 65 And farther fare, I fully must know now What race ye belong to. Ye far-away dwellers, Sea-faring sailors, my simple opinion Hear ye and hearken: haste is most fitting Plainly to tell me what place ye are come from.”