Unferth's Challenge
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(7th century). SuttonHoo ship treasure.British Museum, London.
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Unferth spoke, Ecglaf's son,Who sat at Hrothgar's feet, spoke harshlyAnd sharp (vexed by Beowulf's adventure,Bytheir visitor's courage, and angry that anyoneIn Denmark or anywhere on earth had everAcquired glory and fame greaterThan his own):
"You're Beowulf, are you-the sameBoastful fool who fought a swimmingMatch with Brecca, borh of you daringAnd young and proud, exploring the deepestSeas, risking your lives for no reasonBut the danger? All older and wiser heads warned youNot to, but no one could check such pride,With Brecca at your side you swam alongThe sea-paths, your swift-moving hands pulling youOver the ocean's face. Then-winterChurned through the water, the waves ran youAs they willed, and you struggled seven long nightsTo survive. And at the end victory was his,Not yours. The sea carried him closeTo his home, to southern Norway, nearThe land of the Brondings, where he ruled and was loved,Where his treasure was piled and his strength protectedHis towns and his people. He'd promised to outswim you:Bonstan's son° made that boast ring true.You've been lucky in your battles, Beowulf, but I thinkYour luck may change if you challenge Grendel,Staying a whole night through in this hall,Waiting where that fiercest of demons can find you."
Beowulf answered, Edgetho's great son:"AhlUnferth, my friend, your face
257. Bonstan's son: Brecca,
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/Is hot with ale, and your tongue has tried 1280To tell us about Brecca's doings. But the truthIs simple: No man swims in the seaAs I can, no strength is a match for mine. J
As boys, Brecca and I had boasted- /We were both too young to know better-that we'd riskOur lives far out at sea, and soWe did. Each of us carried a naked /Sword, prepared for whales or the swift ISharp teeth and beaks of needlefish.He could never leave me behind, swim fasterAcross the waves than I could, and I /Had chosen to remain close to his side.I remained near him for five long nights, '
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Until a flood swept us apart;The frozen sea surged around me,It grew dark, the wind turned bitter, blowingFrom the north, and the waves were savage. CreaturesWho sleep deep in the sea were stirredInto life-and the iron hammered linksOf my mail shirt, these shining bits of metalWoven across my breast, saved meFrom death. A monster seized me, drew meSwiftly toward the bottom, swimming with its clawsTight in my flesh. But fate let meFind its heart with my sword, hack myselfFree; I fought that beast's last battle,Left it floating lifeless in the sea.
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"Other monsters crowded arouno me,Continually attacking. I treated them politely,Offering the edge of my razor-sharp sword."
295 But the feast, Ithink, did not please them, filledTheir evil bellies with-no l;janquetfrich food;"';\'" ; ; .; ';;;..:Thrashing there at the bottom.pf toe ~'eti..j[~,~;...: '.Bymorning they'd decided to sleep on theshore,Lyingon their backs, their blood spilled oi~c)
300 On the sand. Afterwards, sailors could cro~tL::That sea-road and feel no fear; nothing :'::Would stop their passing. Then God's brightbeaconAppeared in the east, the water lay still,'" .....;;And at last Icould see the land, wind-swept
305 cUff~~iIs:atthe. edge of the coast. Fate saves,~;-'!":.;~~'." -". . :: . ,~-:"" -":'--.
WeJiv~g:W"llett~hey drive away death by themselves'
. ;£1~1~:tt?"""""'~:;~~':e~~:tman,
. 'J\n)@h;ef ,'~n'shigh arch, has fought310 h;:'sucli'{d . red more misery, or been harder
'\.:-:,-.'., . .... ..' ", " .Pre·ssQ. e-. _.edthesc::a; smashedThe monsters' hot'ja~si~sw1imJ1Q.il.l¢fr()mmy journey.The swift-flowing waters swePtm~iidrtg;iiilL~~,~~~,j.;i;<"";:';.;."~'.'AndI landed on Finnish soil. I've heard
315 No tales of you, Unferth, tellingOf such clashing terror, such contests in the night!Brecca's battles were never so bold;Neither he nor you can match me-and I meanNo boast, have announced no more than I know
320 To be true. And there's more: You murdered your brothers,Your own .close kin. Words and bright witWon't help your soul; you'll suffer hell's fires,Unferth, forever tormented. Ecglaf'sProud son, if your hands were as hard, your heart
325 As fierce as you thin .•k it, no fool would dareTo raid your hall, ruin HerotAnd oppress its prince, as Grendel has done,But he's learned that terror is his alone,Discovered he can come for your people with no fear
330 Of reprisal; he's found no fighting, here,But only food, only delight.He murders as he likes, with no mercy, gorgesAnd feasts on your flesh, and expects no trouble,No quarrel from the quiet Danes. Now
335 The Geats will show him courage, soon ",-- - - -
i.:h,,'v· \J 1A ,0" /'i r .~"I )""".1,- \ tA,./. ,""
He declared:385 "No one strange to this land
Has ever been granted what I've ziven voub • ,
No one in all the years of my rule.Make this best of all mead-halls yours, and thenKeep it free of evil, fight
390 With glory in your heart! Purge HerotAnd your ship will sail home with its treasure-holds full." ...
Thefeast ends. Beowulf and his men take the place ofHrothgar's follotoers and lie down to sleep in Herot.Beowulf, botueuer is toaeejut, eager to meet his enemy.
Two drinking horns (7th century).Sutton Hoo ship treasure.© British Museum, London.
