The parallelisms of the original have been faithfully preserved. (_E.g._,
1_16 and 1_17: "Lord" and "Wielder of Glory"; 1_30, 1_31, 1_32; 2_12 and
2_13; 2_27 and 2_28; 3_5 and 3_6.) Occasionally, some loss has been
sustained; but, on the other hand, a gain has here and there been made.

The effort has been made to give a decided flavor of archaism to the
translation. All words not in keeping with the spirit of the poem have
been avoided. Again, though many archaic words have been used, there are
none, it is believed, which are not found in standard modern poetry.

[ix]

With these preliminary remarks, it will not be amiss to give an outline of
the story of the poem.


_THE STORY._

_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.
The joy of king and retainers is, however, of short duration. Grendel, the
monster, is seized with hateful jealousy. He cannot brook the sounds of
joyance that reach him down in his fen-dwelling near the hall. Oft and
anon he goes to the joyous building, bent on direful mischief. Thane after
thane is ruthlessly carried off and devoured, while no one is found strong
enough and bold enough to cope with the monster. For twelve years he
persecutes Hrothgar and his vassals._

_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. He