“He was of mankind
    In might the strongest,
    At that day
    Of this life,
    Noble and stalwart. 
    He bade him a sea ship,
    A goodly one, prepare. 
    Quoth he, the war king,
    Over the swan’s road,
    Seek he would
    The mighty monarch,
    Since he wanted men.”
            Beowulf (Longfellow’s tr.).

[Sidenote:  Beowulf and Breka.] Although very young, Beowulf was quite distinguished, and had already won great honors in a battle against the Swedes.  He had also proved his endurance by entering into a swimming match with Breka, one of the lords at his uncle’s court.  The two champions had started out, sword in hand and fully armed, and, after swimming in concert for five whole days, they were parted by a great tempest.

“Then were we twain there on the sea
Space of five nights, till the floods severed us,
The welling waves.  Coldest of weathers,
Shadowy night, and the north wind
Battelous shocked on us; wild were the waters,
And were the mere-fishes stirred up in mind.”

          
                                                                        Beowulf.

Breka was driven ashore, but the current bore Beowulf toward some jagged cliffs, where he desperately clung, trying to resist the fury of the waves, and using his sword to ward off the attacks of hostile mermaids, nicors (nixies), and other sea monsters.  The gashed bodies of these slain foes soon drifted ashore, to Hygelac’s amazement; but when Beowulf suddenly reappeared and explained that they had fallen by his hand, his joy knew no bounds.  As Breka had returned first, he received the prize for swimming; but the king gave Beowulf his treasured sword, Naegeling, and praised him publicly for his valor.

Beowulf had successfully encountered these monsters of the deep in the roaring tide, so he now expressed a hope that he might prevail against Grendel also; and embarking with fourteen chosen men, he sailed to Denmark, where he was challenged by the coast guard and warmly welcomed as soon as he had made his purpose known.

      “’What men are ye,
    War gear wearing,
    Host in harness,
    Who thus the brown keel
    Over the water street
    Leading, come
    Hither over the sea?’”
               Beowulf (Longfellow’s tr.).

Hrothgar received Beowulf most hospitably, but vainly tried to dissuade him from his perilous undertaking.  Then, after a sumptuous banquet, where the mead flowed with true northern lavishness, Hrothgar and his suite sadly left the hall Heorot in charge of the brave band of strangers, whom they never expected to see again.

[Sidenote:  Beowulf and Grendel.] As soon as the king had departed, Beowulf bade his companions lie down and sleep in peace, promising to watch over them, yet laying aside both armor and sword; for he knew that weapons were of no avail against the monster, whom he intended to grapple with hand to hand should it really appear.