Heaney suggests, “abounds in passages which will leave an unprepared audience bewildered”



"thereupon to Beowulf the broad kingdom
on hand passed into his hands;he ruled well
for fifty winters--then he was a wise king,
an old warden of the fatherland-- until one began 2207-2215
in the dark nights, a dragon to rule,
he who in a high house watched over a hoard,
a stark stone barrow; the path below lay
unknown to men."

"he who sorely injured him,

because of dire-distress a thief of I know not which
sons of men fled hostile blows,

in need of a hall and there within raged,

a man haunted by guilt, immediately watched over;
2222-2229
then against the stranger stood horror and terror;
nevertheless upon the wicked one"

days and nights, until the flood of Death 2269
reached to his heart.

"power and courage, for that he before many, 2349
narrowly risking, hostilities survived,"

"in the noble one by any means,
that he to Heardred would be a lord,
or the kingdom wished to accept;
yet he to him among the folk upheld with the counsels of a friend, graciously in honour, until he grew older, 2374-2379
ruled the Weder-Geats. "
words
Heatho-scilfings
Weder-Geats.
Haethcyn
Glee-wood
Twilight-scather
Hreosnabeorh