标题：巨人之剑
基本介绍
巨人之剑——远古传来的巨大武器 
所有者：贝奥鲁夫
时 代：中世纪欧洲 
地 域：北欧
出 典：《Beowolf》 
与西格鲁特齐名的北欧英雄贝奥鲁夫是传说中击败怪物格兰戴尔和他的母亲海底魔王巨龙的王者，在关于他的故事中登场的武器里，最具特色的应该说是那柄击倒海魔王的巨人之剑。
基本信息
《贝奥武夫》（Beowulf） 根据发音，我们译为：贝奥武夫。其实，它有两种意思：第一，Beo，是北欧单词的简写，因此，可翻译为：北欧之狼。第二，Beo，是“熊”的发音简写，寓意：像熊一样强壮以及像狼一样勇猛的男人。《贝奥武夫》它体现的是英雄叙事长诗，完成于公元九世纪。 全诗长3183行，以斯堪的纳维亚（Scandinavia）的英雄贝奥武夫（Beowulf）的英勇事迹构成主要内容。虽然历史上并未证实确有贝奥武夫其人，但诗中所提及的许多其他人物与事迹却得到印证。 本诗以西撒克斯（Wessex）方言写成，押头韵而不押尾韵，用双字隐喻而不用明喻。是现存古英语文学中最古老的作品，也是欧洲最早的方言史诗。在语言学方面也是相当珍贵的文献。 
《贝奥武夫》（Beowulf），一译贝奥武甫，完成于西元八世纪，约750年左右的英雄叙事长诗，长达3000行。故事的舞台位于北欧的斯堪的纳维亚半岛。是以古英语记载的传说中最古老的一篇，在语言学方面也是相当珍贵的文献。 贝奥武夫（Beowulf）乃现存古英文文学中最伟大之作，也是欧洲最早的方言史诗。该诗中并未提及英国，但学者相信该诗约於西元七二五年左右在英国完成。 
全诗凡三千一百八十二行，以斯堪地那维亚的英雄贝奥武夫的英勇事迹构成主要内容。虽然历史上并未证实确有贝奥武夫其人，但诗中所提及的许多其他人物与事迹却得到印证。 本诗原以西撒克逊方言写成，押头韵而不押尾韵，用双字隐喻而不用明喻。全诗内容分为两部分： 第一部分描叙丹麦霍格国王（King Hrothgurs）宏伟的宫殿，在前后十二年中，半人半魔的妖怪格兰戴（Grendel）每晚出没捉食霍格的战士。此时恰巧瑞典南部济兹（Geats）王子贝奥武夫率家臣来访，协助除害。国王当晚设宴款待，熟料妖怪格兰戴又复出现，捉食一名济兹战士，贝奥武夫与之格斗，贝氏扭断其臂，妖怪落荒而逃，因受重伤致死。第二天晚上，格兰戴的母亲前来为其子复仇，其后贝氏把她在一湖泊的洞穴中杀死。 第二部分描叙贝奥武夫返国，被拥为王，前后五十年，举国大治。最后贝奥武夫以垂老之年，杀一喷火巨龙，但其个人亦因而身受重创，终於身死。诗末叙其葬礼，并有挽歌。
诗歌节选
I 　Now Beowulf bode in the burg of the Scyldings, 　leader beloved, and long he ruled 　in fame with all folk, since his father had gone 　away from the world, till awoke an heir, 　haughty Healfdene, who held through life, 　sage and sturdy, the Scyldings glad. 　Then, one after one, there woke to him, 　to the chieftain of clansmen, children four: 　Heorogar, then Hrothgar, then Halga brave; 　and I heard that -- was --'s queen, 　the Heathoscylfing's helpmate dear. 　To Hrothgar was given such glory of war, 　such honor of combat, that all his kin 　obeyed him gladly till great grew his band 　of youthful comrades. It came in his mind 　to bid his henchmen a hall uprear, 　a master mead-house, mightier far 　than ever was seen by the sons of earth, 　and within it, then, to old and young 　he would all allot that the Lord had sent him, 　save only the land and the lives of his men. 　Wide, I heard, was the work commanded, 　for many a tribe this mid-earth round, 　to fashion the folkstead. It fell, as he ordered, 　in rapid achievement that ready it stood there, 　of halls the noblest: Heorot [1] he named it 　whose message had might in many a land. 　Not reckless of promise, the rings he dealt, 　treasure at banquet: there towered the hall, 　high, gabled wide, the hot surge waiting 　of furious flame. [2] Nor far was that day 　when father and son-in-law stood in feud 　for warfare and hatred that woke again. [3] 　With envy and anger an evil spirit 　endured the dole in his dark abode, 　that he heard each day the din of revel 　high in the hall: there harps rang out, 　clear song of the singer. He sang who knew [4] 　tales of the early time of man, 　how the Almighty made the earth, 　fairest fields enfolded by water, 　set, triumphant, sun and moon 　for a light to lighten the land-dwellers, 　and braided bright the breast of earth 　with limbs and leaves, made life for all 　of mortal beings that breathe and move. 　So lived the clansmen in cheer and revel 　a winsome life, till one began 　to fashion evils, that field of hell. 　Grendel this monster grim was called, 　march-riever [5] mighty, in moorland living, 　in fen and fastness; fief of the giants 　the hapless wight a while had kept 　since the Creator his exile doomed. 　On kin of Cain was the killing avenged 　by sovran God for slaughtered Abel. 　Ill fared his feud, [6] and far was he driven, 　for the slaughter's sake, from sight of men. 　Of Cain awoke all that woful breed, 　Etins [7] and elves and evil-spirits, 　as well as the giants that warred with God 　weary while: but their wage was paid them! 　[1] That is, "The Hart," or "Stag," so called from decorations in the gables that resembled the antlers of a deer. This hall has been carefully described in a pamphlet by Heyne. The building was rectangular, with opposite doors -- mainly west and east -- and a hearth in the middle of the single room. A row of pillars down each side, at some distance from the walls, made a space which was raised a little above the main floor, and was furnished with two rows of seats. On one side, usually south, was the high-seat midway between the doors. Opposite this, on the other raised space, was another seat of honor. At the banquet soon to be described, Hrothgar sat in the south or chief high-seat, and Beowulf opposite to him. The scene for a flying (see below, v.499) was thus very effectively set. Planks on trestles -- the "board" of later English literature -- formed the tables just in front of the long rows of seats, and were taken away after banquets, when the retainers were ready to stretch themselves out for sleep on the benches. 　[2] Fire was the usual end of these halls. See v. 781 below. One thinks of the splendid scene at the end of the Nibelungen, of the Nialssaga, of Saxo's story of Amlethus, and many a less famous instance.
英雄贝奥鲁夫
英雄传说《Beowolf》是八世纪在英国出现的英雄传说。故事用英语写成，传说的舞台是丹麦和挪威等北欧地区。和大多数德意志及北欧传说相同，《Beowolf》中也有各种各样的名剑登场。 
贝奥鲁夫是居住在瑞典南部的伊阿特族勇士埃吉塞沃的儿子，身形魁梧，力量巨大，他继承了父亲的勇猛，很小时就活跃在战场上。 
有一天，贝奥鲁夫得知在远方的丹麦有一个叫格兰戴尔的魔物出现，袭击弗罗斯卡的宫殿。为了击退魔物，贝奥鲁夫率领十五名部下出发去丹麦。 
格兰戴尔是在圣经中有杀弟罪名的该隐的后裔，身体巨大，拥有神秘的力量，皮肤坚硬，普通的刀枪根本无法伤到他。贝奥鲁夫向对手挑战，并约定如果对方空手作战，那么自己也不使用武器。激烈的战斗展开了，贝奥鲁夫的部下用长剑和枪弓等帮助他作战，但是根本无法给格兰戴尔造成伤害。最后，贝奥鲁夫终于切下了格兰戴尔的一只手。失去手腕的格兰戴尔逃走了，贝奥鲁夫把他的手腕装饰在宫廷的墙壁上。 
这时回到住处的格兰戴尔因为手腕出血太多而死去，他的母亲愤怒了，作为海底魔物的她为了夺回儿子的手腕，来到贝奥鲁夫的宫殿向他复仇。 
这个海底魔物比格兰戴尔更大，双手装有类似长剑的钩爪。怪物杀死了宫廷的看门人，将装饰在墙壁上的格兰戴尔的手臂夺走。 
为此，贝奥鲁夫再次来到丹麦，他从弗罗斯卡国王那里借来了名剑FRUNTING，只身前往魔物的住处。 
双方在魔物的住处展开激战。由于对手有着比格兰戴尔更坚硬的皮肤，即使是名剑FRUNTING也无法伤害到她，反而是贝奥鲁夫被魔物用钩爪抓伤了身体。 
正在无可奈何之际，贝奥鲁夫找到了从格兰戴尔宝山上获得的一柄巨大的长剑。这是一柄非常大的重剑，普通的战士根本无法举起，一看就不是为人类锻造的武器。 
于是，贝奥鲁夫手持这柄利剑再度挑战对手，结果凭借此剑强大的威力，干净利落地斩下了魔物的头颅。贝奥鲁夫又将以前因伤而死的格兰戴尔的头颅斩下，把他作为战利品带回了弗罗斯卡国王的住处。 
但是斩伤魔物的宝剑因为剑刃吸收了魔物的血而溶化，只剩下黄金的剑柄。击倒了格兰戴尔和其母亲的贝奥鲁夫成了最为著名的英雄，此后他仍不断地进行着冒险。最后在一场与龙的战斗中，他因染上毒液而不幸身亡。鲜血带来的光荣不会久长击倒格兰戴尔的母亲海底魔王的那把剑并不是给人类锻造的。它是在《圣经·创世记》中描绘的被洪水灭亡、叛逆神灵的巨人族的武器，是一柄全长超过两米的令人恐怖的重剑。据说贝奥鲁夫身材非常的高大，所以恐怕也只有他才能使用此剑。 
剑刃由钢铁制成，剑身有美丽的纹路，因为在剑身里溶入了各种金属而使其变得非常的坚硬。据说，这种刀剑的制法在现代莱茵河畔的手工作坊里仍在使用。 
另外，此剑在黄金造就的刀柄上装有大量的宝石，剑柄的末端是环形，在环上还装饰有蛇的造型。 
由妖精和矮人锻造的宝剑在凯尔特及日耳曼民族的传说中曾多次登场，但是为巨人而造的巨大宝剑却非常少，而本传说中提到的巨人之剑也因魔物的血液而溶化了，这种悲剧性的结局非常出人意料。 
这柄剑纯粹是为战斗而诞生，又因战斗而消亡的。从另一个角度来讲，它也暗示了像贝奥鲁夫这一类英雄人物的命运，由鲜血而带来的光荣毕竟不会久长，它最终会随着时间的流逝而归于尘土。