Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem — Page 6
Hrothgar, king of the Danes, or Scyldings, builds a great mead-hall, or palace, in which he hopes to feast his liegemen and to give them presents.
Hrothgar, König der Dänen oder Scyldings, baut eine große Methalle oder einen Palast, in dem er hofft, seine Gefolgsleute zu bewirten und ihnen Geschenke zu geben.
The joy of king and retainers is, however, of short duration.
Die Freude des Königs und seiner Gefolgsleute ist jedoch von kurzer Dauer.
Grendel, the monster, is seized with hateful jealousy.
Grendel, das Ungeheuer, wird von hasserfüllter Eifersucht gepackt.
He cannot brook the sounds of joyance that reach him down in his fen-dwelling near the hall.
Er kann die Klänge der Freude nicht ertragen, die ihn in seiner Sumpfbehausung nahe der Halle erreichen.
Oft and anon he goes to the joyous building, bent on direful mischief.
Immer wieder begibt er sich zu dem fröhlichen Gebäude, entschlossen zu furchtbarem Unheil.
Thane after thane is ruthlessly carried off and devoured, while no one is found strong enough and bold enough to cope with the monster.
Ein Gefolgsmann nach dem anderen wird gnadenlos verschleppt und verschlungen, während sich niemand als stark und kühn genug erweist, dem Ungeheuer zu begegnen.
For twelve years he persecutes Hrothgar and his vassals.
Zwölf Jahre lang verfolgt er Hrothgar und seine Vasallen.
Over sea, a day's voyage off, Beowulf, of the Geats, nephew of Higelac, king of the Geats, hears of Grendel's doings and of Hrothgar's misery.
Jenseits des Meeres, eine Tagesreise entfernt, hört Beowulf von den Geaten, Neffe von Higelac, König der Geaten, von Grendels Taten und von Hrothgars Elend.
He resolves to crush the fell monster and relieve the aged king.
Er beschließt, das grausame Ungeheuer zu vernichten und dem betagten König Erleichterung zu verschaffen.
With fourteen chosen companions, he sets sail for Dane-land.
Mit vierzehn auserwählten Gefährten sticht er in See Richtung Dänenland.
Reaching that country, he soon persuades Hrothgar of his ability to help him.
Als er in jenem Land ankommt, überzeugt er Hrothgar bald von seiner Fähigkeit, ihm zu helfen.
The hours that elapse before night are spent in beer-drinking and conversation.
Die Stunden, die vor Einbruch der Nacht vergehen, werden mit Biertrinken und Gesprächen verbracht.
When Hrothgar's bedtime comes he leaves the hall in charge of Beowulf, telling him that never before has he given to another the absolute wardship of his palace.
Als Hrothgars Schlafenszeit kommt, überlässt er die Halle Beowulfs Obhut und teilt ihm mit, dass er noch niemals zuvor einem anderen die vollständige Aufsicht über seinen Palast übertragen habe.
All retire to rest, Beowulf, as it were, sleeping upon his arms.
Alle begeben sich zur Ruhe, wobei Beowulf gleichsam auf seinen Waffen schläft.
Grendel comes, the great march-stepper, bearing God's anger.
Grendel kommt, der große Grenzgänger, den Zorn Gottes tragend.
He seizes and kills one of the sleeping warriors.
Er packt und tötet einen der schlafenden Krieger.
Then he advances towards Beowulf.
Dann schreitet er auf Beowulf zu.
Vocabulary
- König
- A male ruler of a kingdom
- der
- Definite article for masculine nouns in German
- Dänen
- People from Denmark, the Danish nation
- oder
- Conjunction meaning 'or' connecting alternatives
- baut
- Third person singular of bauen, to build
- eine
- Indefinite article for feminine nouns in German
- große
- Adjective meaning large or big in size
- einen
- Indefinite article accusative masculine form
- Palast
- A large impressive royal or noble residence
- in
- Preposition indicating location or direction inside
- dem
- Dative definite article form in German
- er
- Third person singular masculine pronoun meaning he
- hofft
- Third person singular of hoffen, to hope
- seine
- Possessive pronoun meaning his before feminine nouns
- zu
- Preposition or infinitive marker meaning to
- bewirten
- To host or entertain guests with food and drink
- und
- Coordinating conjunction meaning and in German
- ihnen
- Dative plural pronoun meaning to them
- Geschenke
- Plural noun meaning gifts or presents
- geben
- Infinitive verb meaning to give something
- Die
- Definite article for feminine or plural nouns
- Freude
- A feeling of happiness or joy
- des
- Genitive definite article meaning of the
- Königs
- Genitive form of König meaning of the king
- seiner
- Genitive possessive pronoun meaning of his
- ist
- Third person singular of sein, to be
- jedoch
- Adverb or conjunction meaning however or yet
- von
- Preposition meaning of, from, or by
- kurzer
- Adjective meaning short in duration or length
- Dauer
- Duration or length of time something lasts
- das
- Definite article for neuter nouns in German
- Ungeheuer
- A monster or terrifying creature
- wird
- Third person singular of werden, to become
- hasserfüllter
- Adjective meaning filled with hatred or hate
- Eifersucht
- A strong feeling of jealousy toward others
- gepackt
- Past participle of packen, seized or gripped
- Er
- Third person singular pronoun meaning he
- kann
- Modal verb meaning can or is able to
- die
- Definite article feminine or plural in German
- Klänge
- Plural of Klang, meaning sounds or tones
- nicht
- Negation word meaning not in German
- ertragen
- To endure or bear something unpleasant
- ihn
- Accusative masculine pronoun meaning him
- nahe
- Adjective or preposition meaning near or close
- Halle
- A large hall or meeting room
- erreichen
- To reach or attain a destination or goal
- Immer
- Adverb meaning always or repeatedly
- wieder
- Adverb meaning again or once more
- begibt
- Reflexive verb form, to go or make one's way
- sich
- Reflexive pronoun meaning himself, herself, itself
- fröhlichen
- Adjective meaning cheerful or merry
- Gebäude
- A building or structure used for various purposes
- entschlossen
- Adjective meaning determined or resolved to act
- furchtbarem
- Adjective meaning terrible or dreadful in nature
- Unheil
- Misfortune, disaster, or great harm caused
- Ein
- Indefinite article meaning one or a
- nach
- Preposition meaning after or toward in German
- anderen
- Adjective or pronoun meaning other or another
- gnadenlos
- Adjective meaning merciless or without any compassion
- verschleppt
- Past participle of verschleppen, to abduct or drag away
- verschlungen
- Past participle of verschlingen, to devour or swallow
- während
- Conjunction or preposition meaning while or during
- niemand
- Indefinite pronoun meaning nobody or no one
- als
- Conjunction meaning as or than in comparisons
- stark
- Adjective meaning strong or powerful
- kühn
- Adjective meaning bold or daring in character
- genug
- Adverb or adjective meaning enough or sufficient
- erweist
- Third person singular of erweisen, to prove
- begegnen
- To encounter or meet someone or something
- Zwölf
- The cardinal number twelve in German
- Jahre
- Plural of Jahr, meaning years of time
- lang
- Adjective meaning long in time or space
- verfolgt
- Third person singular of verfolgen, to pursue or persecute
- Jenseits
- Preposition meaning beyond or on the other side
- Meeres
- Genitive form of Meer, meaning of the sea
- entfernt
- Adjective meaning distant or located far away
- hört
- Third person singular of hören, to hear
- den
- Accusative definite article masculine in German
- Neffe
- A male relative who is one's sibling's son
- Taten
- Plural of Tat, meaning deeds or actions taken
- Elend
- A state of misery, suffering, or wretchedness
- beschließt
- Third person singular of beschließen, to decide
- grausame
- Adjective meaning cruel or brutal in behavior
- vernichten
- To destroy or annihilate something completely
- betagten
- Adjective meaning elderly or advanced in age
- Erleichterung
- A feeling of relief after difficulty or stress
- verschaffen
- To procure or provide something for someone
- Mit
- Preposition meaning with or accompanied by
- vierzehn
- The cardinal number fourteen in German
- auserwählten
- Adjective meaning chosen or selected especially
- Gefährten
- Plural of Gefährte, meaning companions or comrades
- sticht
- Third person singular of stechen, to set sail
- See
- The sea or a large body of water
- Richtung
- A direction or course toward a destination
- Als
- Conjunction meaning when or as in German
- jenem
- Demonstrative pronoun meaning that or that particular
- Land
- A country, land, or territory of people
- ankommt
- Third person singular of ankommen, to arrive
- überzeugt
- Past participle of überzeugen, to convince or persuade
- bald
- Adverb meaning soon or in a short time
- Fähigkeit
- An ability or capability to do something
- ihm
- Dative pronoun meaning to him or for him
- helfen
- Infinitive verb meaning to help or assist someone
- Stunden
- Plural of Stunde, meaning hours of time
- vor
- Preposition meaning before or in front of
- Einbruch
- The onset of darkness; also means burglary
- Nacht
- The period of darkness between sunset and sunrise
- vergehen
- To pass by, as time passes or elapses
- werden
- Auxiliary or full verb meaning to become
- mit
- Preposition meaning with or by means of
- Gesprächen
- Plural of Gespräch, meaning conversations or talks
- verbracht
- Past participle of verbringen, to spend time
- Schlafenszeit
- Bedtime, the time designated for going to sleep
- kommt
- Third person singular of kommen, to come
- überlässt
- Third person singular of überlassen, to entrust or leave
- Obhut
- Care, custody, or protective supervision of someone
- teilt
- Third person singular of teilen, to share or tell
- dass
- Subordinating conjunction meaning that in German
- noch
- Adverb meaning still or yet in German
- niemals
- Adverb meaning never at any point in time
- zuvor
- Adverb meaning previously or before this time
- einem
- Dative indefinite article meaning to a or an
- vollständige
- Adjective meaning complete or full and total
- Aufsicht
- Supervision or oversight of a person or thing
- über
- Preposition meaning over, above, or about
- seinen
- Accusative possessive pronoun meaning his
- übertragen
- Past participle of übertragen, to transfer or delegate
- habe
- Subjunctive form of haben, meaning has or have
- Alle
- Indefinite pronoun or adjective meaning all or everyone
- begeben
- Reflexive verb meaning to go or proceed somewhere
- zur
- Contraction of zu der, meaning to the
- Ruhe
- Rest, calm, or quietness and peace
- wobei
- Conjunction meaning whereby or in doing which
- gleichsam
- Adverb meaning as it were or so to speak
- auf
- Preposition meaning on, upon, or onto something
- Waffen
- Plural of Waffe, meaning weapons or arms
- schläft
- Third person singular of schlafen, to sleep
- Grenzgänger
- One who crosses borders or roams boundary areas
- Zorn
- Strong anger or wrath directed at someone
- Gottes
- Genitive form of Gott, meaning of God
- tragend
- Present participle of tragen, meaning bearing or carrying
- packt
- Third person singular of packen, to grab or seize
- tötet
- Third person singular of töten, to kill someone
- schlafenden
- Adjective form meaning sleeping, referring to sleeping warriors
- Krieger
- A warrior or fighter engaged in battle
- Dann
- Adverb meaning then or at that point
- schreitet
- Third person singular of schreiten, to stride or step
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