XXIV + 

Beowulf Is Double-Conqueror + 

Then he saw mid the war-gems a weapon of victory, + 

An ancient giant-sword, of edges a-doughty, + 

Glory of warriors: of weapons ’twas choicest, + 

Only ’twas larger than any man else was + 

Able to bear to the battle-encounter, + 

The good and splendid work of the giants. + 

He grasped then the sword-hilt, knight of the Scyldings, + 

Bold and battle-grim, brandished his ring-sword, + 

Hopeless of living, hotly he smote her, + 

That the fiend-woman’s neck firmly it grappled, + 

Broke through her bone-joints, the bill fully pierced her + 

Fate-cursèd body, she fell to the ground then: + 

The hand-sword was bloody, the hero exulted. + 

The brand was brilliant, brightly it glimmered, + 

Just as from heaven gemlike shineth + 

The torch of the firmament. He glanced ’long the building, + 

And turned by the wall then, Higelac’s vassal + 

Raging and wrathful raised his battle-sword + 

Strong by the handle. The edge was not useless + 

To the hero-in-battle, but he speedily wished to + 

Give Grendel requital for the many assaults he + 

Had worked on the West-Danes not once, but often, + 

When he slew in slumber the subjects of Hrothgar, + 

Swallowed down fifteen sleeping retainers + 

Of the folk of the Danemen, and fully as many + 

Carried away, a horrible prey. + 

He gave him requital, grim-raging champion, + 

When he saw on his rest-place weary of conflict + 

Grendel lying, of life-joys bereavèd, + 

As the battle at Heorot erstwhile had scathed him; + 

His body far bounded, a blow when he suffered, + 

Death having seized him, sword-smiting heavy, + 

And he cut off his head then. Early this noticed + 

The clever carles who as comrades of Hrothgar + 

Gazed on the sea-deeps, that the surging wave-currents + 

Were mightily mingled, the mere-flood was gory: + 

Of the good one the gray-haired together held converse, + 

The hoary of head, that they hoped not to see again + 

The atheling ever, that exulting in victory + 

He’d return there to visit the distinguished folk-ruler: + 

Then many concluded the mere-wolf had killed him. + 

The ninth hour came then. From the ness-edge departed + 

The bold-mooded Scyldings; the gold-friend of heroes + 

Homeward betook him. The strangers sat down then + 

Soul-sick, sorrowful, the sea-waves regarding: + 

They wished and yet weened not their well-loved friend-lord + 

To see any more. The sword-blade began then, + 

The blood having touched it, contracting and shriveling + 

With battle-icicles; ’twas a wonderful marvel + 

That it melted entirely, likest to ice when + 

The Father unbindeth the bond of the frost and + 

Unwindeth the wave-bands, He who wieldeth dominion + 

Of times and of tides: a truth-firm Creator. + 

Nor took he of jewels more in the dwelling, + 

Lord of the Weders, though they lay all around him, + 

Than the head and the handle handsome with jewels; + 

The brand early melted, burnt was the weapon: + 

So hot was the blood, the strange-spirit poisonous + 

That in it did perish. He early swam off then + 

Who had bided in combat the carnage of haters, + 

Went up through the ocean; the eddies were cleansèd, + 

The spacious expanses, when the spirit from farland + 

His life put aside and this short-lived existence. + 

The seamen’s defender came swimming to land then + 

Doughty of spirit, rejoiced in his sea-gift, + 

The bulky burden which he bore in his keeping. + 

The excellent vassals advanced then to meet him, + 

To God they were grateful, were glad in their chieftain, + 

That to see him safe and sound was granted them. + 

From the high-minded hero, then, helmet and burnie + 

Were speedily loosened: the ocean was putrid, + 

The water ’neath welkin weltered with gore. + 

Forth did they fare, then, their footsteps retracing, + 

Merry and mirthful, measured the earth-way, + 

The highway familiar: men very daring + 

Bare then the head from the sea-cliff, burdening + 

Each of the earlmen, excellent-valiant. + 

Four of them had to carry with labor + 

The head of Grendel to the high towering gold-hall + 

Upstuck on the spear, till fourteen most-valiant + 

And battle-brave Geatmen came there going + 

Straight to the palace: the prince of the people + 

Measured the mead-ways, their mood-brave companion. + 

The atheling of earlmen entered the building, + 

Deed-valiant man, adorned with distinction, + 

Doughty shield-warrior, to address King Hrothgar: + 

Then hung by the hair, the head of Grendel + 

Was borne to the building, where beer-thanes were drinking, + 

Loth before earlmen and eke ’fore the lady: + 

The warriors beheld then a wonderful sight. + 