 |
| (Beowulf: Wyrd's Call, C.nick Arach, 2011) |
"The hoard-guard heard a human voice;
his rage was enkindled. No respite now
for pact of peace! The poison-breath
of that foul worm first came forth from the cave,
hot reek-of-fight: the rocks resounded.
Stout by the stone-way his shield he raised,
lord of the Geats, against the loathed-one;
while with courage keen that coiled foe
came seeking strife. The sturdy king
had drawn his sword, not dull of edge,
heirloom old; and each of the two
felt fear of his foe, though fierce their mood.
Stoutly stood with his shield high-raised
the warrior king, as the worm now coiled
together amain: the mailed-one waited." -Beowulf
Beowulf has been a favourite of mine ever since I was ten, for me at that age the story held adventures (with dismeberent) and interesting words (like Gloaming), I was pretty much in a sadistic literati barbarian child's heaven. Coming back to the poem as I grew older I became drawn to how the Beowulf poem deals with death, the inevitability of it, and how the poem shows that the dragon was alive as well and that two lives were lost. I am also fond of Wiglaf alluding to Beowulf's bravery might also be stubborn pride.
"At the mandate of one, oft warriors many
sorrow must suffer; and so must we.
The people's-shepherd showed not aught
of care for our counsel, king beloved!
That guardian of gold he should grapple not, urged we,
but let him lie where he long had been
in his earth-hall waiting the end of the world,
the hest of heaven.-This hoard is ours
but grievously gotten; too grim the fate
which thither carried our king and lord." -Beowulf
his rage was enkindled. No respite now
for pact of peace! The poison-breath
of that foul worm first came forth from the cave,
hot reek-of-fight: the rocks resounded.
Stout by the stone-way his shield he raised,
lord of the Geats, against the loathed-one;
while with courage keen that coiled foe
came seeking strife. The sturdy king
had drawn his sword, not dull of edge,
heirloom old; and each of the two
felt fear of his foe, though fierce their mood.
Stoutly stood with his shield high-raised
the warrior king, as the worm now coiled
together amain: the mailed-one waited." -Beowulf
Beowulf has been a favourite of mine ever since I was ten, for me at that age the story held adventures (with dismeberent) and interesting words (like Gloaming), I was pretty much in a sadistic literati barbarian child's heaven. Coming back to the poem as I grew older I became drawn to how the Beowulf poem deals with death, the inevitability of it, and how the poem shows that the dragon was alive as well and that two lives were lost. I am also fond of Wiglaf alluding to Beowulf's bravery might also be stubborn pride.
"At the mandate of one, oft warriors many
sorrow must suffer; and so must we.
The people's-shepherd showed not aught
of care for our counsel, king beloved!
That guardian of gold he should grapple not, urged we,
but let him lie where he long had been
in his earth-hall waiting the end of the world,
the hest of heaven.-This hoard is ours
but grievously gotten; too grim the fate
which thither carried our king and lord." -Beowulf
C.nick Arach
No comments:
Post a Comment