Grendel and Beowulf
’Neath the cloudy cliffs came from the moor then Grendel going, God’s anger bare he. The monster intended some one of earthmen In the hall-building grand to entrap and make way with: He went under welkin where well he knew of The wine-joyous building, brilliant with plating, Gold-hall of earthmen. Not the earliest occasion He the home and manor of Hrothgar had sought: Ne’er found he in life-days later nor earlier Hardier hero, hall-thanes more sturdy! Then came to the building the warrior marching, Bereft of his joyance. The door quickly opened On fire-hinges fastened, when his fingers had touched it; The fell one had flung then—his fury so bitter— Open the entrance. Early thereafter The foeman trod the shining hall-pavement, Strode he angrily; from the eyes of him glimmered A lustre unlovely likest to fire. He beheld in the hall the heroes in numbers, A circle of kinsmen sleeping together, A throng of thanemen: then his thoughts were exultant, He minded to sunder from each of the thanemen The life from his body, horrible demon, Ere morning came, since fate had allowed him The prospect of plenty. Providence willed not To permit him any more of men under heaven To eat in the night-time. Higelac’s kinsman Great sorrow endured how the dire-mooded creature In unlooked-for assaults were likely to bear him. No thought had the monster of deferring the matter, But on earliest occasion he quickly laid hold of A soldier asleep, suddenly tore him, Bit his bone-prison, the blood drank in currents, Swallowed in mouthfuls: he soon had the dead man’s Feet and hands, too, eaten entirely. Nearer he strode then, the stout-hearted warrior Snatched as he slumbered, seizing with hand-grip, Forward the foeman foined with his hand; Caught he quickly the cunning deviser, On his elbow he rested. This early discovered The master of malice, that in middle-earth’s regions, ’Neath