Banquet (Continued)—The Scop’s Song of Finn and Hnaef
And the atheling of earlmen to each of the heroes Who the ways of the waters went with Beowulf, A costly gift-token gave on the mead-bench, Offered an heirloom, and ordered that that man With gold should be paid for, whom Grendel had erstwhile Wickedly slaughtered, as he more of them had done Had far-seeing God and the mood of the hero The fate not averted: the Father then governed All of the earth-dwellers, as He ever is doing; Hence insight for all men is everywhere fittest, Forethought of spirit! much he shall suffer Of lief and of loathsome who long in this present Useth the world in this woeful existence. There was music and merriment mingling together Touching Healfdene’s leader; the joy-wood was fingered, Measures recited, when the singer of Hrothgar On mead-bench should mention the merry hall-joyance Of the kinsmen of Finn, when onset surprised them: “The Half-Danish hero, Hnaef of the Scyldings, On the field of the Frisians was fated to perish. Sure Hildeburg needed not mention approving The faith of the Jutemen: though blameless entirely, When shields were shivered she was shorn of her darlings, Of bairns and brothers: they bent to their fate With war-spear wounded; woe was that woman. Not causeless lamented the daughter of Hoce The decree of the Wielder when morning-light came and She was able ’neath heaven to behold the destruction Of brothers and bairns, where the brightest of earth-joys She had hitherto had: all the henchmen of Finn War had offtaken, save a handful remaining, That he nowise was able to offer resistance To the onset of Hengest in the parley of battle, Nor the wretched remnant to rescue in war from The earl of the atheling; but they offered conditions, Another great building to fully make ready, A hall and a high-seat, that half they might rule with The sons of the Jutemen, and that Folcwalda’s son would Day after day the