官术网_书友最值得收藏!

第40章

  • Beowulf
  • 佚名
  • 418字
  • 2015-12-20 13:16:28

THAT battle-toil bade he at burg to announce, at the fort on the cliff, where, full of sorrow, all the morning earls had sat, daring shieldsmen, in doubt of twain:

would they wail as dead, or welcome home, their lord beloved? Little[1] kept back of the tidings new, but told them all, the herald that up the headland rode. --"Now the willing-giver to Weder folk in death-bed lies; the Lord of Geats on the slaughter-bed sleeps by the serpent's deed!

And beside him is stretched that slayer-of-men with knife-wounds sick:[2] no sword availed on the awesome thing in any wise to work a wound. There Wiglaf sitteth, Weohstan's bairn, by Beowulf's side, the living earl by the other dead, and heavy of heart a head-watch[3] keeps o'er friend and foe. -- Now our folk may look for waging of war when once unhidden to Frisian and Frank the fall of the king is spread afar. -- The strife began when hot on the Hugas[4] Hygelac fell and fared with his fleet to the Frisian land.

Him there the Hetwaras humbled in war, plied with such prowess their power o'erwhelming that the bold-in-battle bowed beneath it and fell in fight. To his friends no wise could that earl give treasure! And ever since the Merowings' favor has failed us wholly.

Nor aught expect I of peace and faith from Swedish folk. 'Twas spread afar how Ongentheow reft at Ravenswood Haethcyn Hrethling of hope and life, when the folk of Geats for the first time sought in wanton pride the Warlike-Scylfings.

Soon the sage old sire[5] of Ohtere, ancient and awful, gave answering blow;the sea-king[6] he slew, and his spouse redeemed, his good wife rescued, though robbed of her gold, mother of Ohtere and Onela.

Then he followed his foes, who fled before him sore beset and stole their way, bereft of a ruler, to Ravenswood.

With his host he besieged there what swords had left, the weary and wounded; woes he threatened the whole night through to that hard-pressed throng:

some with the morrow his sword should kill, some should go to the gallows-tree for rapture of ravens. But rescue came with dawn of day for those desperate men when they heard the horn of Hygelac sound, tones of his trumpet; the trusty king had followed their trail with faithful band.

[1] Nothing. [2] Dead. [3] Death-watch, guard of honor, "lyke-wake." [4] A name for the Franks. [5] Ongentheow. [6]

Haethcyn.

主站蜘蛛池模板: 综艺| 奉新县| 福安市| 德钦县| 日土县| 邵阳市| 长春市| 平邑县| 镇沅| 龙州县| 罗城| 水城县| 金秀| 唐山市| 洞口县| 马关县| 呼图壁县| 卢氏县| 新蔡县| 同德县| 延寿县| 安丘市| 启东市| 鱼台县| 惠来县| 葵青区| 谢通门县| 汉阴县| 游戏| 灵寿县| 庆阳市| 运城市| 阿鲁科尔沁旗| 桑植县| 海口市| 绥宁县| 穆棱市| 宁海县| 麻阳| 遵义市| 柳林县|