Beowulf Quotes

King Hrothgar: Did you kill her?

Beowulf: Would you like to hear the story of my struggle against this monstrous hag?

King Hrothgar: She's no hag, Beowulf. We both know that. But answer me, did you kill her?

Beowulf: Would I have been able to escape her, had I not?

King Hrothgar: Grendel is dead. That's all that matter to me. He can bother me no more. The mother, the hag... She's not my curse, not anymore. Not anymore.

Wiglaf: Do you want me to go in with you?

[Beowulf and Wiglaf look at each other]

Wiglaf: Good.

Beowulf: They say you have a monster here. They say your lands are cursed.

Soldier: Is that what they say?

Wiglaf: Bards sing of Hrothgar's shame from the frozen north to the shores of Vinland.

Soldier: There's no shame to be accursed by demons.

Beowulf: I am Beowulf and I'm here to kill your monster.

Wiglaf: Your legend is known from the high seas and the snow barriers to the Great Island Kingdom - you are the Monster Slayer.

Beowulf: We men are the monsters now. The time of heroes is dead, Wiglaf - the Christ God has killed it, leaving humankind with nothing but weeping martyrs, fear, and shame.

[last lines]

Wiglaf: He was the bravest of us. He was the prince of all warriors. His name will live forever.

Wealthow: His song shall be sung forever.

[first lines]

King Hrothgar: I want mead! Give me some mead, my queen!

Yrsa: They say he ripped the monster's limb off with his bare hands.

Gitte: [giggles] I wonder if Beowulf's strength is only in his arms, or in his legs as well... all three of them

[both giggle]

Wealthow: Well, after the feast tonight I'm sure you can find out, Gitte.

Gitte: Me? It's not me he wants, my queen.

King Hrothgar: [referring to the Royal Dragon Horn, but looking at his Queen] I wonder how many men have died for love of her beauty.

Beowulf: Can you blame them?

King Hrothgar: If you destroy my Grendel for me, she'll be yours forever and ever and ever.

Beowulf: [takes the horn in his hands] You do me great honor.

Wealthow: [asuming they are talking about her] It is we who are honored.

Beowulf: How many monsters must I slay? Grendel's mother, father, Grende's uncle? Must I hack down a whole family tree of demons?

King Hrothgar: She is the last of them. Whith her gone, demonkind will slip back into the darkness from whence it came.

Wiglaf: And where it belongs.

Beowulf: And the mother's mate? Where is Grendel's father?

King Hrothgar: Grendel's father can do no harm to man.

Beowulf: You want your name in The Song of Beowulf? You think it sould end with me killed by some Frisian raider with no name?

Frisian Leader: I'm Finn of Frisia and my name shall be remembered forever!

Beowulf: Only if you kill me. Otherwise you're nothing.

Wiglaf: Let's get you to a healer.

Beowulf: Not this time, old friend.

Wiglaf: You are Beowulf. A little thing like this isn't going to finish you off.

Beowulf: This is not battle, Wiglaf. This is slaughter.

Wiglaf: The Frisians want to make themselves heroes, my lord. They want the bards to sing of their deeds.

Beowulf: It's going to be a short song.

Beowulf: Great friend, There is something you should know.

Wiglaf: Nay! There is nothing I should know. You are Beowulf. Beowulf the mighty, the hero! The slayer and destroyer of demons! Now let us kill this flying devil where it sleeps and get on with our bloody lives!

Wiglaf: Hondshew, make me feel you're pretending to listen to me. It's only been five days since you waved your wife goodbye.

Hondshew: Five days? In the name of Odin, no wonder my loins are burning!

Wealthow: [after Grendel has attacked the Great Hall for the first time] What *was* that?

King Hrothgar: Grendel!

Beowulf: Unferth, son of Ecglaf. I know who you are. They say you killed both your brothers when you witnessed them having knowledge of your mother.

[Unferth pulls a knife, Beowulf holds his arm]

Beowulf: I have another true thing to tell you, Unferth Kin-Slayer.

[Unferth drops the weapon, Beowulf holds other arm]

Beowulf: If your strength and heart was as strong and fierce as your words Grendel would not feel free to murder and gorge on your people without fear of retaliation. Tonight will be different! Tonight he will find Geats waiting for him, not frightened sheep

[throws Unferth to the ground and points at him]

Beowulf: like you.

Beowulf: And you mighty Wiglaf, are you still with me?

Wiglaf: To the end.

Grendel's Mother: I see you brought me treasure.

Beowulf: [to Grendel's Mother] Show yourself! What are you?

Beowulf: Why not take that girl, and live out your remaining years in peace? Let some young hero save us.

Wealthow: And let the nightmare begin anew? No. I visited this horror upon my kingdom. I must be the one to finish her.

Wealthow: "Her..." Was she beautiful, Beowulf? A beauty so costly.

Beowulf: Beautiful, and full of fine promises. I was weak. I am sorry. So, so sorry. I have always loved you, my Queen.

Wealthow: And I you.

Unferth: Beowulf... I was wrong to doubt you before, and I shall not again. Yours is the blood of courage. I bet your forgiveness.

Beowulf: Granted.

Unferth: Cain. Cain! Take my sword. It belonged to my father's father. It's called 'Hrunting'.

Beowulf: The sword is no match for demon magic.

Unferth: I'm sorry I ever doubted you.

Beowulf: No, I'm sorry I mentioned you murdered your brothers. They were hasty words. Unferth, I may not return. Your ancestral sword may be lost with me.

Unferth: As long as it is with you, it will never be lost.

Beowulf: Take your damn horn. Leave my land in peace.

Grendel's Mother: Too late oh great one.

Grendel's Mother: I know that underneath your glamor you're as much a monster as my son, Grendel.

Beowulf: My glamor!

Grendel's Mother: One needs glamor to become a king.

Wiglaf: Heave! Heave! Heave! Heave! Beowulf. Hold fast.

Beowulf: No.

Soldier: Who are you? From your dress, you are warriors. Speak! Why should I not run you though right now?

Beowulf: We are Geats. I am Beowulf, son of Edgethow. We come seeking your Prince Hrothgar in friendship.

Grendel's Mother: A man like you could own the greatest tale ever sung. Your story would live on when everything now alive is dust. Beowulf... It has been a long time since a man has come to visit me.

Beowulf: I need no sword to kill you.

Grendel's Mother: Of course you don't my love. You took a song from me. Give me a son, brave thane. Stay with me. Love me... Love me... and I shall weave you riches... beyond imagination. I shall make you the greatest king that ever lived. As long as you hold me in your heart... and this golden horn remains in my keeping... You will forever be King. Forever strong, might... and all-powerful. This I promise. This... I swear...

[as Beowulf prepares to face the dragon]

Ursula: [crying] Don't go, my Lord! Stay with me, please, I beg you!

Beowulf: Forget about me. Find a good man, and bear him fine children, but bear him a son.

Ursula: I don't want another man! I want you!

Beowulf: I am not the man you believe me to be...

Ursula: You are a hero! You are a great man! This I know to be true!

Beowulf: [shouting] Then you are as foolish as the rest of them!

[Ursula runs out, sobbing]

King Hrothgar: Fight me! Fight me! You fight me, damn you.

Grendel: ...Nay.

King Hrothgar: [Wealthow refuses to sleep with him] My kingdom needs an heir, I need a son! It's time you did your duty!

Wealthow: How could I ever lay with you, knowing you laid with her?

King Hrothgar: I should never have told you. I should never have told you.