The mighty mead-hall of Hrothgar the Dane stands empty at night, for none of his warriors can face the hideous onslaught of the swamp-fiend Grendel. Now, there comes a man from the North - a man who will face Grendel unarmed and unarmored, in a battle destined to become legend. He is the greatest of all Viking heroes... Beowulf. This adaptation brings the Viking-age epic to life with all of its archaic style and mythic stature. The battles are lightning-paced contests of muscle and will, the speeches are filled with the courage of the ancient Norsemen, and the fjords are alight with burning funeral-boats. This edition features an archaic verse translation. For the simpler prose translation, see Beowulf by Gareth Hinds (green cover).