Beowulf (episode 35) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBCDEFCCBBGCBCHBBHB ICCBCCHJKLCCMCNOPFCC CJQRBHSTUVCMWXHVFHQH BCUMHCBCHCSBBIHPBVQC HYZCBA2B2CHC2D2LRCBU E2B2CCQLRF2HCCCCCCG2 CCCCCCMWHLHMCCYCLH2R BWCWHBCI2QHC'THEN he goes to his chamber a grief song chants | A |
alone for his lost Too large all seems | B |
homestead and house So the helmet of Weders | B |
hid in his heart for Herebeald | C |
waves of woe No way could he take | D |
to avenge on the slayer slaughter so foul | E |
nor e'en could he harass that hero at all | F |
with loathing deed though he loved him not | C |
And so for the sorrow his soul endured | C |
men's gladness he gave up and God's light chose | B |
Lands and cities he left his sons | B |
as the wealthy do when he went from earth | G |
There was strife and struggle 'twixt Swede and Geat | C |
o'er the width of waters war arose | B |
hard battle horror when Hrethel died | C |
and Ongentheow's offspring grew | H |
strife keen bold nor brooked o'er the seas | B |
pact of peace but pushed their hosts | B |
to harass in hatred by Hreosnabeorh | H |
Men of my folk for that feud had vengeance | B |
for woful war 'tis widely known | I |
though one of them bought it with blood of his heart | C |
a bargain hard for Haethcyn proved | C |
fatal that fray for the first of Geats | B |
At morn I heard was the murderer killed | C |
by kinsman for kinsman with clash of sword | C |
when Ongentheow met Eofor there | H |
Wide split the war helm wan he fell | J |
hoary Scylfing the hand that smote him | K |
of feud was mindful nor flinched from the death blow | L |
'For all that he gave me my gleaming sword | C |
repaid him at war such power I wielded | C |
for lordly treasure with land he entrusted me | M |
homestead and house He had no need | C |
from Swedish realm or from Spear Dane folk | N |
or from men of the Gifths to get him help | O |
some warrior worse for wage to buy | P |
Ever I fought in the front of all | F |
sole to the fore and so shall I fight | C |
while I bide in life and this blade shall last | C |
that early and late hath loyal proved | C |
since for my doughtiness Daeghrefn fell | J |
slain by my hand the Hugas' champion | Q |
Nor fared he thence to the Frisian king | R |
with the booty back and breast adornments | B |
but slain in struggle that standard bearer | H |
fell atheling brave Not with blade was he slain | S |
but his bones were broken by brawny gripe | T |
his heart waves stilled The sword edge now | U |
hard blade and my hand for the hoard shall strive ' | V |
Beowulf spake and a battle vow made | C |
his last of all 'I have lived through many | M |
wars in my youth now once again | W |
old folk defender feud will I seek | X |
do doughty deeds if the dark destroyer | H |
forth from his cavern come to fight me ' | V |
Then hailed he the helmeted heroes all | F |
for the last time greeting his liegemen dear | H |
comrades of war 'I should carry no weapon | Q |
no sword to the serpent if sure I knew | H |
how with such enemy else my vows | B |
I could gain as I did in Grendel's day | C |
But fire in this fight I must fear me now | U |
and poisonous breath so I bring with me | M |
breastplate and board From the barrow's keeper | H |
no footbreadth flee I One fight shall end | C |
our war by the wall as Wyrd allots | B |
all mankind's master My mood is bold | C |
but forbears to boast o'er this battling flyer | H |
Now abide by the barrow ye breastplate mailed | C |
ye heroes in harness which of us twain | S |
better from battle rush bear his wounds | B |
Wait ye the finish The fight is not yours | B |
nor meet for any but me alone | I |
to measure might with this monster here | H |
and play the hero Hardily I | P |
shall win that wealth or war shall seize | B |
cruel killing your king and lord ' | V |
Up stood then with shield the sturdy champion | Q |
stayed by the strength of his single manhood | C |
and hardy 'neath helmet his harness bore | H |
under cleft of the cliffs no coward's path | Y |
Soon spied by the wall that warrior chief | Z |
survivor of many a victory field | C |
where foemen fought with furious clashings | B |
an arch of stone and within a stream | A2 |
that broke from the barrow The brooklet's wave | B2 |
was hot with fire The hoard that way | C |
he never could hope unharmed to near | H |
or endure those deeps for the dragon's flame | C2 |
Then let from his breast for he burst with rage | D2 |
the Weder Geat prince a word outgo | L |
stormed the stark heart stern went ringing | R |
and clear his cry 'neath the cliff rocks gray | C |
The hoard guard heard a human voice | B |
his rage was enkindled No respite now | U |
for pact of peace The poison breath | E2 |
of that foul worm first came forth from the cave | B2 |
hot reek of fight the rocks resounded | C |
Stout by the stone way his shield he raised | C |
lord of the Geats against the loathed one | Q |
while with courage keen that coiled foe | L |
came seeking strife The sturdy king | R |
had drawn his sword not dull of edge | F2 |
heirloom old and each of the two | H |
felt fear of his foe though fierce their mood | C |
Stoutly stood with his shield high raised | C |
the warrior king as the worm now coiled | C |
together amain the mailed one waited | C |
Now spire by spire fast sped and glided | C |
that blazing serpent The shield protected | C |
soul and body a shorter while | G2 |
for the hero king than his heart desired | C |
could his will have wielded the welcome respite | C |
but once in his life But Wyrd denied it | C |
and victory's honors His arm he lifted | C |
lord of the Geats the grim foe smote | C |
with atheling's heirloom Its edge was turned | C |
brown blade on the bone and bit more feebly | M |
than its noble master had need of then | W |
in his baleful stress Then the barrow's keeper | H |
waxed full wild for that weighty blow | L |
cast deadly flames wide drove and far | H |
those vicious fires No victor's glory | M |
the Geats' lord boasted his brand had failed | C |
naked in battle as never it should | C |
excellent iron 'Twas no easy path | Y |
that Ecgtheow's honored heir must tread | C |
over the plain to the place of the foe | L |
for against his will he must win a home | H2 |
elsewhere far as must all men leaving | R |
this lapsing life Not long it was | B |
ere those champions grimly closed again | W |
The hoard guard was heartened high heaved hisbreast | C |
once more and by peril was pressed again | W |
enfolded in flames the folk commander | H |
Nor yet about him his band of comrades | B |
sons of athelings armed stood | C |
with warlike front to the woods they bent them | I2 |
their lives to save But the soul of one | Q |
with care was cumbered Kinship true | H |
can never be marred in a noble mind | C |
Anonymous Olde English
(1)
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