Reading Beowulf fervor bevy

Beowulf one

Fraser:With envy and anger an evil spirit 

endured the dole in his dark abode, 

that he heard each day the din of revel 

high in the hall: there harps rang out, 

clear song of the singer. He sang who knew 

tales of the early time of man, 

how the Almighty made the earth, 

fairest fields enfolded by water, 

set, triumphant, sun and moon 

for a light to lighten the land-dwellers, 

and braided bright the breast of earth 

with limbs and leaves, made life for all 

of mortal beings that breathe and move. 

So lived the clansmen in cheer and revel 

a winsome life, till one began 

to fashion evils, that field of hell. 

Me: Grendel this monster grim was called, 

march-riever mighty, in moorland living, 

in fen and fastness; fief of the giants 

the hapless wight a while had kept 

since the Creator his exile doomed. 

On kin of Cain was the killing avenged 

by sovran God for slaughtered Abel. 

Ill fared his feud, and far was he driven, 

for the slaughter’s sake, from sight of men. 

Of Cain awoke all that woful breed, 

Etins   and elves and evil-spirits, 

as well as the giants that warred with God 

weary while: but their wage was paid them!

WENT he forth to find at fall of night 

that haughty house, and heed wherever 

the Ring-Danes, outrevelled, to rest had gone. 

Found within it the atheling band 

asleep after feasting and fearless of sorrow, 

of human hardship. Unhallowed wight, 

grim and greedy, he grasped betimes, 

wrathful, reckless, from resting-places, 

thirty of the thanes, and thence he rushed 

fain of his fell spoil, faring homeward, 

laden with slaughter, his lair to seek. 

Alex: at the dawning, as day was breaking, 

the might of Grendel to men was known; 

then after wassail was wail uplifted, 

loud moan in the morn. The mighty chief, 

atheling excellent, unblithe sat, 

labored in woe for the loss of his thanes, 

when once had been traced the trail of the fiend, 

spirit accurst: too cruel that sorrow, 

too long, too loathsome. Not late the respite; 

with night returning, anew began 

ruthless murder; he recked no whit, 

firm in his guilt, of the feud and crime. 

Aylin :They were easy to find who elsewhere sought 

in room remote their rest at night, 

bed in the bowers,  when that bale was shown, 

was seen in sooth, with surest token, — 

the hall-thane’s  hate. Such held themselves 

far and fast who the fiend outran! 

Thus ruled unrighteous and raged his fill 

one against all; until empty stood 

that lordly building, and long it bode so.