《貝爾武夫》內容簡介

英文來源：SpakNotes

中文翻譯：陳佳蓉、談玉儀

Plot Overview (SparkNotes)

King Hrothgar of Denmark, a descendant of the great king Shield Sheafson, enjoys a prosperous and successful reign. He builds a great mead-hall, called Heorot, where his warriors can gather to drink, receive gifts from their lord, and listen to stories sung by the scops, or bards. But the jubilant noise from Heorot angers Grendel, a horrible demon who lives in the swamplands of Hrothgar’s kingdom. Grendel terrorizes the Danes every night, killing them and defeating their efforts to fight back. The Danes suffer many years of fear, danger, and death at the hands of Grendel. Eventually, however, a young Geatish warrior named Beowulf hears of Hrothgar’s plight. Inspired by the challenge, Beowulf sails to Denmark with a small company of men, determined to defeat Grendel.

丹麥國王荷羅斯加為偉大的國王齊爾德•謝馮的後裔，他的王國在他的統治之下欣欣向榮。他在草原上建造了一個雄偉的大廳，取名為希奧羅特，國王的戰士們可以在此聚集，一同飲酒作樂，享受國王賞賜的禮物，以及聆聽吟遊詩人的說唱故事。然而從宮殿中傳來的歡騰聲浪，對住在宮殿下方沼澤處的怪獸哥倫多而言，卻是異常擾人的噪音，於是，它每晚都會出來恐嚇那些丹麥人，當他們反抗時便殺了他們。多年來，在哥倫多的恐怖掌控之下，丹麥人活在恐懼、危險及死亡的陰影下。然而，有一位吉特族（位於瑞典南方的斯堪的納維亞）的英勇戰士貝爾武夫，得知丹麥國王深陷困境中，不拒艱辛，毅然決然的帶著一群勇士航行至丹麥，下定決心擊敗哥倫多。

Hrothgar, who had once done a great favor for Beowulf’s father Ecgtheow, accepts Beowulf’s offer to fight Grendel and holds a feast in the hero’s honor. During the feast, an envious Dane named Unferth taunts Beowulf and accuses him of being unworthy of his reputation. Beowulf responds with a boastful description of some of his past accomplishments. His confidence cheers the Danish warriors, and the feast lasts merrily into the night. At last, however, Grendel arrives. Beowulf fights him unarmed, proving himself stronger than the demon, who is terrified. As Grendel struggles to escape, Beowulf tears the monster’s arm off. Mortally wounded, Grendel slinks back into the swamp to die. The severed arm is hung high in the mead-hall as a trophy of victory.

丹麥國王荷羅斯加曾幫助過貝爾武夫的父親愛克斯爾歐，所以他馬上接受貝爾武夫等人的善意相助，並且以迎接英雄為名舉辦了盛宴款待他們。在宴會當中，善忌的丹麥武士恩費爾特嘲笑貝爾武夫，並且說他不配享有這樣的名譽，貝爾武夫也不甘示弱，自傲地敘述過往的英雄事蹟，他的自信鼓舞了丹麥的勇士們，宴會也因此持續到夜晚。最後，哥倫多終於現身，貝爾武夫在毫無裝備的情況下與哥倫多赤手搏鬥，想以此證明自己比恐怖的惡魔還強壯。在哥倫多傖皇逃跑之餘，貝爾武夫撕下它的手臂，哥倫多受到如此致命的一擊，遂逃遁至所居住的沼澤裡慢慢死去，而其手臂則被高掛在宮殿正門上作為貝爾武夫的戰利品。

Overjoyed, Hrothgar showers Beowulf with gifts and treasure at a feast in his honor. Songs are sung in praise of Beowulf, and the celebration lasts late into the night. But another threat is approaching. Grendel’s mother, a swamp-hag who lives in a desolate lake, comes to Heorot seeking revenge for her son’s death. She murders Aeschere, one of Hrothgar’s most trusted advisers, before slinking away. To avenge Aeschere’s death, the company travels to the murky swamp, where Beowulf dives into the water and fights Grendel’s mother in her underwater lair. He kills her with a sword forged for a giant, then, finding Grendel’s corpse, decapitates it and brings the head as a prize to Hrothgar. The Danish countryside is now purged of its treacherous monsters.

在極度高興的情境下，國王在宴會中贈送貝爾武夫禮物及寶藏，而所有歌曲也都宣揚貝爾武夫的勇敢事蹟，慶功宴一直持續到深夜。然而，另一個恐怖的威脅正逐漸逼近。住在荒涼沼澤女妖，哥倫多的媽媽，為了要替兒子報仇，來到希奧羅特宮殿，走之前她殺了國王最信任的顧問亞斯克瑞。為了要替亞斯克瑞報仇，貝爾武夫與勇士們同行人來到了幽暗的沼澤，貝爾武夫立即潛入水底哥倫多媽媽所住的洞穴中與她搏鬥。他在洞穴中拿了一把為巨人所鑄造的劍，殺了哥倫多的媽媽，同時他也發現了哥倫多的屍體，他斬下了他的頭並把它帶回去贈送給國王。此時，丹麥舉國上下已經徹底地從妖魔鬼怪的詛咒中解除。

The Danes are again overjoyed, and Beowulf’s fame spreads across the kingdom. Beowulf departs after a sorrowful goodbye to Hrothgar, who has treated him like a son. He returns to Geatland, where he and his men are reunited with their king and queen, Hygelac and Hygd, to whom Beowulf recounts his adventures in Denmark. Beowulf then hands over most of his treasure to Hygelac, who, in turn, rewards him. In time, Hygelac is killed in a war against the Shylfings, and, after Hygelac’s son dies, Beowulf ascends to the throne of the Geats. He rules wisely for fifty years, bringing prosperity to Geatland. When Beowulf is an old man, however, a thief disturbs a barrow, or mound, where a great dragon lies guarding a horde of treasure. Enraged, the dragon emerges from the barrow and begins unleashing fiery destruction upon the Geats. Sensing his own death approaching, Beowulf goes to fight the dragon. With the aid of Wiglaf, he succeeds in killing the beast, but at a heavy cost. The dragon bites Beowulf in the neck, and its fiery venom kills him moments after their encounter. The Geats fear that their enemies will attack them now that Beowulf is dead. According to Beowulf’s wishes, they burn their departed king’s body on a huge funeral pyre and then bury him with a massive treasure in a barrow overlooking the sea.

丹麥人再一次的興喜若狂，貝爾武夫的名聲也迅速傳開來了。在傷心地向視他如己出的國王道別之後，他回到了自己的國家吉特蘭，向國王海吉拉克和王后海吉敘述他在丹麥所經歷的冒險旅程。隨即，貝爾武夫拿出最珍貴的寶物送給國王，國王也給予獎賞做為回報。不久，國王海吉拉克在與夏爾分人的戰役中身亡，後來等到國王的兒子過世之後，貝爾武夫就登上國王寶座，在他在明智統治的15年期間，國運昌隆。

當貝爾武夫年歲衰老之際，突然，有一個小偷從火龍看守的寶穴中偷走金杯，此舉激怒了巨龍，它從寶穴中跳出，發瘋似地在吉特蘭境內大肆破壞。貝爾武夫意識到自己死期將近，便挺身與火龍作戰。在勇士威格拉夫的幫助下，他成功的殺死了怪獸，但是也為此付出了生命的代價。在他們最後一次的交手時，火龍地咬傷了貝爾武夫的脖子，那致命的毒液結束了貝爾武夫的生命。吉特蘭的人民擔心其他的敵國得知貝爾武夫已死而來攻擊他們，但是他們還是尊從貝爾武夫的遺願，將他的屍體放在火柴堆上火葬之後，將國王的骨灰與大批的寶物埋葬在瞰海洋的墳墓中。