{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/beo/beo09.htm","path":"neu/beo/beo09.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/beo/beo09.htm","text":"UNFERTH spake, the son of Ecglaf,\nwho sat at the feet of the Scyldings' lord,\nunbound the battle-runes.[1] -- Beowulf's quest,\nsturdy seafarer's, sorely galled him;\never he envied that other men\nshould more achieve in middle-earth\nof fame under heaven than he himself. --\n\"Art thou that Beowulf, Breca's rival,\nwho emulous swam on the open sea,\nwhen for pride the pair of you proved the floods,\nand wantonly dared in waters deep\nto risk your lives? No living man,\nor lief or loath, from your labor dire\ncould you dissuade, from swimming the main.\nOcean-tides with your arms ye covered,\nwith strenuous hands the sea-streets measured,\nswam o'er the waters. Winter's storm\nrolled the rough waves. In realm of sea\na sennight strove ye. In swimming he topped thee,\nhad more of main! Him at morning-tide\nbillows bore to the Battling Reamas,\nwhence he hied to his home so dear\nbeloved of his liegemen, to land of Brondings,\nfastness fair, where his folk he ruled,\ntown and treasure. In triumph o'er thee\nBeanstan's bairn[2] his boast achieved.\nSo ween I for thee a worse adventure\n-- though in buffet of battle thou brave hast been,\nin struggle grim, -- if Grendel's approach\nthou darst await through the watch of night!\"\nBeowulf spake, bairn of Ecgtheow:--\n\"What a deal hast uttered, dear my Unferth,\ndrunken with beer, of Breca now,\ntold of his triumph! Truth I claim it,\nthat I had more of might in the sea\nthan any man else, more ocean-endurance.\nWe twain had talked, in time of youth,\nand made our boast, -- we were merely boys,\nstriplings still, -- to stake our lives\nfar at sea: and so we performed it.\nNaked swords, as we swam along,\nwe held in hand, with hope to guard us\nagainst the whales. Not a whit from me\ncould he float afar o'er the flood of waves,\nhaste o'er the billows; nor him I abandoned.\nTogether we twain on the tides abode\nfive nights full till the flood divided us,\nchurning waves and chillest weather,\ndarkling night, and the northern wind\nruthless rushed on us: rough was the surge.\nNow the wrath of the sea-fish rose apace;\nyet me 'gainst the monsters my mailed coat,\nhard and hand-linked, help afforded, --\nbattle-sark braided my breast to ward,\ngarnished with gold. There grasped me firm\nand haled me to bottom the hated foe,\nwith grimmest gripe. 'Twas granted me, though,\nto pierce the monster with point of sword,\nwith blade of battle: huge beast of the sea\nwas whelmed by the hurly through hand of mine.\n[1] \"Began the fight.\"\n[2] Breca.","title":"Beowulf: Part VIII","type":"page"}