They are fatherless creatures,

and their whole ancestry is hidden in a past

of demons and ghosts. They dwell apart

among wolves on the hills...

beowulf, 1355-1358

But the Lord was weaving

a victory on His war-loom for the Weather-Geats.

Through the strength of one they all prevailed;

they would crush their enemy and come through

in triumph and gladness. The truth is clear:

Almighty God rules over mankind

and always has.

beowulf, 696-702

as a side-note to the general awesomeness of this passage, the image of God at a loom weaving the story of the world seems like a much truer picture than zeus with his jars of good and evil. just saying.

But he knows he need never be in dread

of your blade making a mizzle of his blood

or of a vengeance arriving ever from this quarter --

from the Victory-Shieldings, the shoulderers of the spear.

beowulf, 595-598

i would dread my blood being made a mizzle.

Well, friend Unferth, you have had your say

about Breca and me. But it was mostly beer

that was doing the talking.

beowulf, 530-532.

ooooooooooooh.

They had seen me boltered in the blood of enemies

when I battle and bound five beasts,

raided a troll-nest and in the night-sea

slaughtered sea-brutes...

therefore, to heighten Hygelac's fame

and gladden his heart, I hereby renounce

sword and the shelter of the broad shield,

the heavy war-board: hand-to-hand

is how it will be, a life-and-death

fight with the fiend. Whichever one death fells

must deem it a just judgment by God.

beowulf, 419-441

beowulf is a new david: a king who comes with three triumphs (remember david had already killed the bear and the lion before goliath, so having killed goliath and triumphed a third time he was ready to become king) and now, like david, renounces armor, saying that the battle is the Lord's.

The leader of the troop unlocked his word-hoard;

the distinguished one delivered this answer...

beowulf, 258-259

He took over Heorot,

haunted the glittering hall after dark,

but the throne itself, the treasure-seat,

he was kept from approaching; he was the Lord's outcast.

beowulf, 166-169

perhaps the first glimmerings of the Divine right of kings to rule.