Beowulf: A Translation from English to Spanish in Prose

By Ashton Lackey

Hrothgar, King of Denmark, has built a “mead hall” (large tavern) where folks can eat, drink and entertain. However, the joy quickly fades when a large monster name “Grendel” crashes the festivities by wrecking the hall and killing many Danes.
A great Geatish warrior named “Beowulf” hears about the monster and the trouble it’s causing. He and his men travel by ship from Sweden to the shore of Denmark to help them fight Grendel. Beowulf has the strength of thirty men and kills the giant.
The next morning, the local people learn of Grendel’s defeat by Beowulf. Beowulf is rewarded with praise and treasure. But the next night, Grendel’s hag of a mother comes and attacks the hall to avenge her son. Beowulf tracks her down and kills her.
After a few days of hero worship, Beowulf returns to Geatland and rules as king for fifty years. His fate comes after killing a large dragon and not surviving the fight.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ashton Lackey
• Release date: Jul 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215512760

Ashton Lackey

Ashton Lackey (Harrington A. Lackey) has been a Spanish instructor, translator, tutor and writer for the past 30 years. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Anthropology from Eckerd College, a Master of Arts degree in Hispanic Literature from Auburn University, PhD candidate in Hispanic Literature at the University of Kentucky, and an Associate of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Nashville State Technical Institute. Ashton has taught Spanish classes at Auburn University, Louisiana State University, University of Kentucky, Columbia State Community College, and Belmont University. He started a successful tutoring business- "Learning Strategies," but is now retired.Ashton has completed 10 years of studying French from grammar school to high school. Also, he completed a semester of advanced French in Angers, France at the l’Université Catholique de l’Ouest.He has written three novels, based on historical fiction: "Rare Gold," "Disciple's Curse," and "The Admiral's Signature." He has also published over 150 articles on various subjects and short stories. Ashton is now retired and currently lives in Bluffton, SC with his wife, Diana, and one furry daughter.Ashton has translated over 10 novels from Spanish to English, ("La Celestina", "Lazarillo de Tormes") and from English to Spanish: ("The Healing Of Gala"). I have recently been translating into English: "La Primera Catedral", "Surreal (Y otros relatos), and "MainCastle: La leyenda del caballero blanco".His hobbies are: collecting coins, comic books, books and metal detecting.

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

Beowulf is an old epic poem written between 700-1000 AD by an anonymous author. It is among the first Anglo-Saxon works written that provides a glimpse of Northern European cultures and language.

The only original manuscript of Beowulf contains several other epic poems that have been written in the Nowell Codex, which dates between 975-1025 AD but the manuscript has been named the Beowulf Manuscript due to the story’s epic fame. The Nowell Codex is the second of two manuscripts comprising the bound volume Cotton MS Vitellius A XV, one of the four major Old English poetic manuscripts. It contains a copy of the epic poem Beowulf. Also, it contains first a fragment of The Life of Saint Christopher, then the more complete texts Wonders of the East and Letter of Alexander to Aristotle, then Beowulf, and a poetic translation of Judith. The Codex is located at the British Library.

But, Beowulf is the longest surviving and most important Old English text. Although the actual poem was written around the first millennium A.D., the story itself had been circulating by word of mouth. It was written using 3182 lines of alliterative verse, by an anonymous author. The work was translated in 1837 from Old English to modern English prose, not a poem. Over the last two centuries, the translation as a poem has become clearer to understand for the reader. The most famous translator has been Seamus Heaney, Noble Prize for Literature in 1995.

In order to translate the ancient manuscript to modern English, it’s important to be able to read early words from old Northern Europe, such as Denmark, Sweden and part of England. They bear almost no resemblance to modern English words. However, it is easy to pronounce many consonants and vowels since most of its letters are based on the Roman alphabet that we use today. But a few strange non-Roman letters are hard to recognize, scattered throughout the text.

There is almost no hint of Latin since in most of the Roman empire’s conquered territories, many of its cultural elements remained, such as the Latin language, literature, law, art, architecture, science, and technology. However, England adopted few of them since the Romans had trouble conquering the Britons who kept their own language, which became Anglo-Saxon.

The poem is divided into two parts:

The first part deals with the visit of Beowulf, nephew of King Hygelac of the Geats (Swedes) to the court of King Hrothgar of Denmark. The ageing Hrothgar had long been plagued by a man-eating monster, Grendel, who came regularly to the king's great hall (mead hall) named Heorot to prey on his warriors. Beowulf from Sweden (a Geat)came to Denmark to slay the monster. He is a hero because he has thirty times the strength of one man. He fights and mortally wounds Grendel in Heorot, and when Grendel's mother comes to take revenge for the death of her son; he follows her to her underwater home and after a desperate struggle slays her too. Beowulf and his companions are generously given honors and treasure from the Danish king, then they leave for home.

The second part takes place fifty years later when Beowulf is the king of the Geats. A dragon, guarding a hoard of treasure, has been disturbed, and has been going out to wreak slaughter throughout the land. To save his country from the danger, Beowulf decides to fight it, and though he succeeds in slaying it, he is himself mortally wounded in the struggle. The poem ends with an account of Beowulf’s funeral: his body is burned on an elaborate funeral pyre, amid the sadness of his warriors.

Please go to the website, www.joyofmuseums.com for more information on the Beowulf manuscript.

En Español

Beowulf es un antiguo poema épico escrito entre 700-1000 dC por un autor anónimo. Es una de las primeras obras anglosajonas escritas que ofrece una visión de las culturas y el idioma del norte de Europa.

El único manuscrito original de Beowulf contiene varios otros poemas épicos que se han escrito en el Códice Nowell, que data entre 975-1025 dC, pero el manuscrito ha sido nombrado el Manuscrito Beowulf debido a la fama épica de la historia. El Códice Nowell es el segundo de dos manuscritos que componen el volumen encuadernado Cotton MS Vitellius A XV, uno de los cuatro principales manuscritos poéticos del inglés antiguo. Contiene una copia del poema épico Beowulf. Además, contiene primero un fragmento de La vida de San Cristóbal, luego los textos más completos Maravillas de Oriente y Carta de Alejandro a Aristóteles, luego Beowulf, y una traducción poética de Judith. El Códice se encuentra en la Biblioteca Británica.

Beowulf es el texto en inglés antiguo más antiguo que sobrevive y es más importante. Aunque el poema real fue escrito alrededor del primer milenio dC, la historia en sí había estado circulando de boca en boca. Fue escrito usando 3182 líneas de verso aliterativo, por un autor anónimo. La obra fue traducida en 1837 del inglés antiguo a la prosa inglesa moderna, no un poema. En los últimos dos siglos, la traducción como poema se ha vuelto más clara de entender para el lector. El traductor más famoso ha sido Seamus Heaney, Premio Nobel de Literatura en 1995.

Para traducir el manuscrito antiguo al inglés moderno, es importante poder leer las primeras palabras de la antigua Europa del Norte, como Dinamarca, Suecia y parte de Inglaterra. Casi no se parecen a las palabras modernas en inglés. Sin embargo, es fácil pronunciar muchas consonantes y vocales ya que la mayoría de sus letras se basan en el alfabeto romano que usamos hoy en día. Pero algunas letras extrañas no romanas son difíciles de reconocer, dispersas por todo el texto.

Casi no hay indicios de latín, ya que en la mayoría de los territorios conquistados del imperio romano, muchos de sus elementos culturales permanecieron, como la lengua latina, la literatura, el derecho, el arte, la arquitectura, la ciencia y la tecnología. Sin embargo, Inglaterra adoptó pocos de ellos ya que los romanos tuvieron problemas para conquistar a los britanos que mantuvieron su propio idioma, que se convirtió en anglosajón.

El poema se divide en dos partes:

La primera parte trata de la visita de Beowulf, sobrino del rey Hygelac de los Geats (suecos) a la corte del rey Hrothgar de Dinamarca. El anciano Hrothgar había estado plagado durante mucho tiempo por un monstruo devorador de hombres, Grendel, que venía regularmente al gran salón del rey (sala de hidromiel) llamado Heorot para aprovecharse de sus guerreros. Beowulf de Suecia (un Geat) vino a Dinamarca para matar al monstruo. Es un héroe porque tiene treinta veces la fuerza de un hombre. Él lucha y hiere mortalmente a Grendel en Heorot, y cuando la madre de Grendel viene a vengarse de la muerte de su hijo; Él la sigue a su casa bajo el agua y después de una lucha desesperada la mata también. Beowulf y sus compañeros reciben generosamente honores y tesoros del rey danés, luego se van a casa.

La segunda parte tiene lugar cincuenta años después, cuando Beowulf es el rey de los Geats. Un dragón, que custodia un tesoro, ha sido perturbado y ha estado saliendo a matar en toda la tierra. Para salvar a su país del peligro, Beowulf decide luchar contra él, y aunque logra matarlo, él mismo es mortalmente herido en la lucha. El poema termina con un relato del funeral de Beowulf: su cuerpo es quemado en una elaborada pira funeraria, en medio de la tristeza de sus guerreros.

Por favor, vaya al sitio web, www.joyofmuseums.com para obtener más información sobre el manuscrito Beowulf.

List of Characters

Beowulf: The protagonist of the epic, Beowulf is a Geatish hero who fights the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a fire-breathing dragon. Beowulf’s boasts and encounters reveal him to be the strongest, ablest warrior around. In his youth, he personifies all of the best values of the heroic culture.

King Hrothgar: The king of the Danes. Hrothgar enjoys military success and prosperity until Grendel terrorizes his realm. A wise and aged ruler, Hrothgar represents a different kind of leadership from that exhibited by the youthful warrior Beowulf. He is a father figure to Beowulf and a model for the kind of king that Beowulf becomes.

Grendel: A demon descended from Cain, Grendel preys on Hrothgar’s warriors in the king’s mead-hall, Heorot. Because his ruthless and miserable existence is part of the retribution exacted by God for Cain’s murder of Abel, Grendel fits solidly within the ethos of vengeance that governs the world of the poem.

Grendel’s Mother: A swamp-hag, Grendel’s mother who tries to avenge the death of her son.

The Dragon: An ancient, powerful serpent, the dragon guards a horde of treasure in a hidden mound. Beowulf’s fight with the dragon constitutes the third and final part of the epic.

Shield Sheafson: The legendary Danish king from whom Hrothgar is descended, Shield Sheafson is the mythical founder who inaugurates a long line of Danish rulers.

Beow: The second Danish king. Beow is the son of Shield Sheafson and father of Halfdane.

Halfdane: The father of Hrothgar, Heorogar, Halga, and an unnamed daughter who married a king of the Swedes, Halfdane succeeded Beow as ruler of the Danes.

Wealhtheow: Hrothgar’s wife, the gracious queen of the Danes.

Unferth: A Danish warrior who is jealous of Beowulf, Unferth is unable or unwilling to fight Grendel, thus proving himself inferior to Beowulf.

Hrethric: Hrothgar’s elder son, Hrethric stands to inherit the Danish throne, but Hrethric’s older cousin Hrothulf will prevent him from doing so.

Hrothmund: Hrothgar’s second son.

Hrothulf: Hrothgar’s nephew, Hrothulf betrays and usurps his cousin, Hrethic, the rightful heir to the Danish throne. Hrothulf’s treachery contrasts with Beowulf’s loyalty to Hygelac in helping his son to the throne.

Aeschere: Hrothgar’s trusted adviser.

Hygelac: Beowulf’s uncle, king of the Geats, and husband of Hygd.

Hygd: Hygelac’s wife, the young, beautiful, and intelligent queen of the Geats. Hygd is contrasted with Queen Modthryth.

Wiglaf: A young kinsman and retainer of Beowulf who helps him in the fight against the dragon while all of the other warriors run away. Wiglaf adheres to the heroic code better than Beowulf’s other retainers, thereby proving himself a suitable successor to Beowulf.

Ecgtheow: Beowulf’s father, Hygelac’s brother-in-law, and Hrothgar’s friend. Ecgtheow is dead by the time the story begins, but he lives on through the noble reputation that he made for himself during his life and in his dutiful son’s remembrances.

King Hrethel: The Geatish king who took Beowulf in as a ward after the death of Ecgtheow, Beowulf’s father.

Breca: Beowulf’s childhood friend, whom he defeated in a swimming match. Unferth alludes to the story of their contest, and Beowulf then relates it in detail.

Sigemund: A figure from Norse mythology, famous for slaying a dragon. Sigemund’s story is told in praise of Beowulf and foreshadows Beowulf’s encounter with the dragon.

King Heremod: An evil king of legend. The scop, or bard, at Heorot discusses King Heremod as a figure who contrasts greatly with Beowulf.

Queen Modthryth: A wicked queen of legend who punishes anyone who looks at her the wrong way. Modthryth’s story is told in order to contrast her cruelty with Hygd’s gentle and reasonable behavior.

En Español

Beowulf: El protagonista de la epopeya, Beowulf es un héroe Geatish que lucha contra el monstruo Grendel, la madre de Grendel, y un dragón que escupe fuego. Los alardes y encuentros de Beowulf lo revelan como el guerrero más fuerte y capaz. En su juventud, personifica todos los mejores valores de la cultura heroica.

Rey Hrothgar: El rey de los daneses. Hrothgar disfruta del éxito militar y la prosperidad hasta que Grendel aterroriza a su reino. Un gobernante sabio y anciano, Hrothgar representa un tipo diferente de liderazgo del exhibido por el joven guerrero Beowulf. Es una figura paterna para Beowulf y un modelo para el tipo de rey en el que se convierte Beowulf.

Grendel: Un demonio descendiente de Caín, Grendel se aprovecha de los guerreros de Hrothgar en el salón de hidromiel del rey, Heorot. Debido a que su existencia despiadada y miserable es parte de la retribución exigida por Dios por el asesinato de Abel por parte de Caín, Grendel encaja sólidamente dentro del ethos de venganza que gobierna el mundo del poema.

Madre de Grendel: Una bruja de pantano, la madre de Grendel que intenta vengar la muerte de su hijo.

El Dragón: Una serpiente antigua y poderosa, el dragón guarda una horda de tesoros en un montículo escondido. La lucha de Beowulf con el dragón constituye la tercera y última parte de la epopeya.

Shield Sheafson: El legendario rey danés del que desciende Hrothgar, Shield Sheafson es el mítico fundador que inaugura una larga línea de gobernantes daneses.

Beow: El segundo rey danés. Beow es el hijo de Shield Sheafson y padre de Halfdane.

Halfdane: El padre de Hrothgar, Heorogar, Halga, y una hija sin nombre que se casó con un rey de los suecos, Halfdane sucedió a Beow como gobernante de los daneses.

Wealhtheow: La esposa de Hrothgar, la graciosa reina de los daneses.

Unferth: Un guerrero danés que está celoso de Beowulf, Unferth no puede o no quiere luchar contra Grendel, demostrando así ser inferior a Beowulf.

Hrethric: El hijo mayor de Hrothgar, Hrethric heredará el trono danés, pero el primo mayor de Hrethric, Hrothulf, le impedirá hacerlo.

Hrothmund: El segundo hijo de Hrothgar.

Hrothulf: El sobrino de Hrothgar, Hrothulf traiciona y usurpa a su primo, Hrethic, el legítimo heredero al trono danés. La traición de Hrothulf contrasta con la lealtad de Beowulf a Hygelac al ayudar a su hijo al trono.

Aeschere: Consejero de confianza de Hrothgar.

Hygelac: Tío de Beowulf, rey de los Geats, y esposo de Hygd.

Hygd: La esposa de Hygelac, la joven, hermosa e inteligente reina de los Geats. Hygd se contrasta con Queen Modthryth.

Wiglaf: Un joven pariente y criado de Beowulf que lo ayuda en la lucha contra el dragón mientras todos los demás guerreros huyen. Wiglaf se adhiere al código heroico mejor que los otros sirvientes de Beowulf, demostrando así ser un sucesor adecuado para Beowulf.

Ecgtheow: El padre de Beowulf, el cuñado de Hygelac y el amigo de Hrothgar. Ecgtheow está muerto cuando comienza la historia, pero vive a través de la noble reputación que se hizo durante su vida y en los recuerdos de su hijo obediente.

Rey Hrethel: El rey Geatish que tomó a Beowulf como pupilo después de la muerte de Ecgtheow, el padre de Beowulf.

Breca: Amiga de la infancia de Beowulf, a quien derrotó en un partido de natación. Unferth alude a la historia de su concurso, y Beowulf luego lo relata en detalle.

Sigemund: Una figura de la mitología nórdica, famosa por matar a un dragón. La historia de Sigemund se cuenta en alabanza de Beowulf y presagia el encuentro de Beowulf con el dragón.

Rey Heremod: Un malvado rey de leyenda. El scop, o bardo, en Heorot habla del rey Heremod como una figura que contrasta mucho con Beowulf.

Reina Modthryth: Una malvada reina de leyenda que castiga a cualquiera que la mire de manera incorrecta. La historia de Modthryth se cuenta para contrastar su crueldad con el comportamiento gentil y razonable de Hygd.

Chapter 1

Listen! We have heard about the bygone days of glory of the Danish kings and their deeds of courage. Scyld, the son of Scef took many enemies’ mead-benches, and often subjugated many nations and caused terror. He was just a baby when they found him as a castaway, but he bid his time until his power and reputation prospered. Folks everywhere across the sea gave him their obedience and wealth. He was an excellent king.

A son was born to him as a savior sent from God for the people. He saw the distress that they had suffered for a long time without a prince. Then the Lord above gave him great honor. Beow became famous. His fame spread far and wide. He was Scyld’s heir in Scandinavia. The young man did good deeds, with rich gifts to his father’s friends, so that in later days when war came upon them, he had enough allies standing by his side. For in every nation, a man shall thrive by praiseworthy deeds.

At the appointed hour Scyld passed away into the care of the Lord. His dear companions carried him down to the sea’s edge, which was his final wish while he could still speak,