Misery knew not. The monster of evil
Greedy and cruel tarried but little,

{He drags off thirty of them, and devours them}

Fell and frantic, and forced from their slumbers
Thirty of thanemen; thence he departed
10 Leaping and laughing, his lair to return to,
With surfeit of slaughter sallying homeward.
In the dusk of the dawning, as the day was just breaking,
Was Grendel's prowess revealed to the warriors:

{A cry of agony goes up, when Grendel's horrible deed is fully realized.}

Then, his meal-taking finished, a moan was uplifted,
15 Morning-cry mighty. The man-ruler famous,
The long-worthy atheling, sat very woful,
Suffered great sorrow, sighed for his liegemen,
[6] When they had seen the track of the hateful pursuer,
The spirit accursèd: too crushing that sorrow,

{The monster returns the next night.}

20 Too loathsome and lasting. Not longer he tarried,
But one night after continued his slaughter
Shameless and shocking, shrinking but little
From malice and murder; they mastered him fully.
He was easy to find then who otherwhere looked for
25 A pleasanter place of repose in the lodges,
A bed in the bowers. Then was brought to his notice