The Beowulf Discussion: Section XXXII

[Michael]

This discussion was originally posted to the Endor mailing list. It used the Project Gutenberg eText based on Leslie Hall's translation of the poem. The source can be found here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16328/16328-8.txt

XXXII.

THE HOARD AND THE DRAGON.


* * * * * * *
He sought of himself who sorely did harm him,
But, for need very pressing, the servant of one of
The sons of the heroes hate-blows evaded,
5 Seeking for shelter and the sin-driven warrior
Took refuge within there. He early looked in it,
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
[76] * * * * * * when the onset surprised him,

{The hoard.}

10 He a gem-vessel saw there: many of suchlike
Ancient ornaments in the earth-cave were lying,
As in days of yore some one of men of
Illustrious lineage, as a legacy monstrous,
There had secreted them, careful and thoughtful,
15 Dear-valued jewels. Death had offsnatched them,
In the days of the past, and the one man moreover
Of the flower of the folk who fared there the longest,
Was fain to defer it, friend-mourning warder,
A little longer to be left in enjoyment
20 Of long-lasting treasure.[1] A barrow all-ready
Stood on the plain the stream-currents nigh to,
New by the ness-edge, unnethe of approaching:
The keeper of rings carried within a
[2]Ponderous deal of the treasure of nobles,
25 Of gold that was beaten, briefly he spake then:[3]

{The ring-giver bewails the loss of retainers.}

"Hold thou, O Earth, now heroes no more may,
The earnings of earlmen. Lo! erst in thy bosom
Worthy men won them; war-death hath ravished,
Perilous life-bale, all my warriors,
30 Liegemen beloved, who this life have forsaken,
Who hall-pleasures saw. No sword-bearer have I,
And no one to burnish the gold-plated vessel,
The high-valued beaker: my heroes are vanished.
The hardy helmet behung with gilding
35 Shall be reaved of its riches: the ring-cleansers slumber
Who were charged to have ready visors-for-battle,
And the burnie that bided in battle-encounter
[77] O'er breaking of war-shields the bite of the edges
Moulds with the hero. The ring-twisted armor,
40 Its lord being lifeless, no longer may journey
Hanging by heroes; harp-joy is vanished,
The rapture of glee-wood, no excellent falcon
Swoops through the building, no swift-footed charger
Grindeth the gravel. A grievous destruction
45 No few of the world-folk widely hath scattered!"
So, woful of spirit one after all
Lamented mournfully, moaning in sadness
By day and by night, till death with its billows

{The fire-dragon}

Dashed on his spirit. Then the ancient dusk-scather
50 Found the great treasure standing all open,
He who flaming and fiery flies to the barrows,
Naked war-dragon, nightly escapeth
Encompassed with fire; men under heaven
Widely beheld him. 'Tis said that he looks for[4]
55 The hoard in the earth, where old he is guarding
The heathenish treasure; he'll be nowise the better.

{The dragon meets his match.}

So three-hundred winters the waster of peoples
Held upon earth that excellent hoard-hall,
Till the forementioned earlman angered him bitterly:
60 The beat-plated beaker he bare to his chieftain
And fullest remission for all his remissness
Begged of his liegelord. Then the hoard[5] was discovered,
The treasure was taken, his petition was granted

{The hero plunders the dragon's den}

The lorn-mooded liegeman. His lord regarded
65 The old-work of earth-folk--'twas the earliest occasion.
When the dragon awoke, the strife was renewed there;
He snuffed 'long the stone then, stout-hearted found he
[78] The footprint of foeman; too far had he gone
With cunning craftiness close to the head of
70 The fire-spewing dragon. So undoomed he may 'scape from
Anguish and exile with ease who possesseth
The favor of Heaven. The hoard-warden eagerly
Searched o'er the ground then, would meet with the person
That caused him sorrow while in slumber reclining:
75 Gleaming and wild he oft went round the cavern,
All of it outward; not any of earthmen
Was seen in that desert.[6] Yet he joyed in the battle,
Rejoiced in the conflict: oft he turned to the barrow,
Sought for the gem-cup;[7] this he soon perceived then

{The dragon perceives that some one has disturbed his treasure.}

80 That some man or other had discovered the gold,
The famous folk-treasure. Not fain did the hoard-ward
Wait until evening; then the ward of the barrow
Was angry in spirit, the loathed one wished to
Pay for the dear-valued drink-cup with fire.
85 Then the day was done as the dragon would have it,
He no longer would wait on the wall, but departed

{The dragon is infuriated.}

Fire-impelled, flaming. Fearful the start was
To earls in the land, as it early thereafter
To their giver-of-gold was grievously ended.

[1] For 'long-gestreona,' B. suggests 'laengestreona,' and renders,
_Of fleeting treasures_. S. accepts H.'s 'long-gestreona,' but
renders, _The treasure long in accumulating_.

[2] For 'hard-fyrdne' (2246), B. first suggested 'hard-fyndne,'
rendering: _A heap of treasures ... so great that its equal would be
hard to find_. The same scholar suggests later 'hord-wynne dael' = _A
deal of treasure-joy_.

[3] Some read 'fec-word' (2247), and render: _Banning words uttered_.

[4] An earlier reading of H.'s gave the following meaning to this
passage: _He is said to inhabit a mound under the earth, where he,
etc._ The translation in the text is more authentic.

[5] The repetition of 'hord' in this passage has led some scholars to
suggest new readings to avoid the second 'hord.' This, however, is not
under the main stress, and, it seems to me, might easily be accepted.

[6] The reading of H.-So. is well defended in the notes to that
volume. B. emends and renders: _Nor was there any man in that desert
who rejoiced in conflict, in battle-work._ That is, the hoard-ward
could not find any one who had disturbed his slumbers, for no warrior
was there, t.B.'s emendation would give substantially the same
translation.

[7] 'Sinc-faet' (2301): this word both here and in v. 2232, t.B.
renders 'treasure.'



INITIAL COMMENTARY:
We have reached the section of the poem where Beowulf is now an aged king whose realm is troubled by the wakened dragon. There are missing verses, and it seems a considerable section of the narrative has been lost.

This section introduces a number of concepts which are foreign to the earlier portion of the poem. The dragon itself, which has guarded its precious hoard for 300 years, has never been mentioned previously. One would think such a monster should have made an impression upon Beowulf's people. Also, the poet speaks of falcons and chargers. There is a reference to chargers not "grinding the gravel". Gravel-paved roads were uncommon in the earlier time frame for Beowulf's adventures.

Falcons and chargers are the animals kept by noblemen of the high middle ages. It's almost as if Beowulf's world has shifted forward 400-500 years.

The poet also describes the dragon's hoard as "heathenish treasure", meaning it is an ancient hoard taken from pre-Christian peoples.

It appears that our cup-thief, who inspired Bilbo's theft, is a nobleman who has been made to redeem himself for some undisclosed shame by braving the dragon's lair and bringing out a piece of the treasure.