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1. 
   reillyp Teacher
   High School - 11th Grade

   Well, Beowulf boasts to Hrothgar when he comes to Hrothgar's kingdom to kill Grendel.  Here is when he explains to Unferth and the men in the meadhall about the time he swam and killed sea beasts with and without the use of weaponry when Unferth tell Beowulf that he cannot win against Grendel: Unferth starts the battle with: "Unferth, Ecglaf's son, who sat at the feet of the king of the Danes,
   spoke,/ unloosing a battle-rune/ (The bravery of Beowulf
   was a vexation to him because he envied any man/on this middle-earth who had more glory than himself)/:

   Beowulf answers him with his boast:
   "Well, my friend Unferth, you/have said a good many things
   about Brecca and that trip,/drunk on beer as you are./Truth to tell, I had more strength/but also more hardships in the waves./He and I were both boys/and boasted out of our youth/that we two would risk/our lives in the sea.
   And so we did./With naked swords in hand,/to ward off whales,/we swam. Brecca could not/out-swim me, nor could I
   out-distance him. And thus we were, for five nights./It was cold weather andthe waves surged,/ driving us apart, and the North wind came like a battle in the night./Fierce were the waves and the anger of the sea fish stirred./ My coat of mail,
   adorned in gold and locked hard by hand,/helped against those foes./ A hostile thing drew me to the bottom in its grim grip,/but it was granted to me to reach it with my sword's
   point./ The battle storm destroyed that mighty/sea beast through my hand./And on and on evil things threatened me./
   I served them with my sword as it was right to do./ Those wicked things had no joy of the feast,/did not sit at the sea's bottom eating my bones./When the morning came my sword had put many to sleep,/ and even today in that fiord they don't hinder seafarers./ Light shone from the East,/that bright beacon of God,/ and the seas subsided./I saw cliffs, the windy walls of the sea./Fate often saves an undoomed man if
   his courage holds./Anyway, with my sword I slew nine sea monsters./Nor have I heard tell of a harder fight or a more distressed man ever to go in the sea./I survived the grasp of hostiles, and the sea bore me,/ the surging water, weary, into the land of the Finns.
   I have not heard anything about you surviving such battles,
   such terrors of the sword./Neither Brecca nor you have
   performed such deeds in war sport or with shining swords.
   Yet I don't boast about it. But you, your own brother's
   murderer, shall be damned and burn in Hell no matter
   how strong your wit is./ I say to you truly,
   son of Ecglaf, that wretch Grendel would never have done
   such horrors, such humiliations on you chief, if you were so
   fierce as you suppose."

   Beowulf then boasts again, after Hrothgar gives him permission to fight: "Beowulf, that good man, then
   spoke some brave words before he got in bed:/
   "I don't claim myself any lower in strength or brave deeds
   than Grendel./ Therefore, I will not kill him with a sword,
   though I easily might./Though he is famous for strength,
   he knows no weapons to cut a shield./If he chooses to forego a sword,/if he dares seek me without weapon,then we two shall fight without,/ and wise God, that king, shall choose who shall win glory."/

   Sources:

   http://www.lnstar.com/literature/beowulf/beowulf2.htm

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   Posted by reillyp on Saturday December 12, 2009 at 2:01 PM