After the details of Scylds funeral, the next few passages give an account of the descendants of Scyld, going from Beowulf (mark I) to Healfdene and down to Hrothgar and then founding of Heorot.
Ða wæs on burgum Beowulf Scyldinga,
Leof leodcyning, longe þrage
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folcum gefræge (fæder ellor hwearf,
aldor of earde), oþþæt him eft onwoc
heah Healfdene; heold þenden lifde,
gamol ond guðreouw, glæde Scyldingas.
Literal:
Then in the strongholds was Beowulf the beloved king of his people, his fame lasted a long time – his noble father having turned elsewhere [dead] – until he had his own son, noble Healfdene who ruled while he lived, aged and fierce in battle, [the] gracious Syldings.
So, we have Beowulf taking up where Scyld left off. The is the curious phrase:
fæder ellor hwearf, aldor of earde
Father elsewhere turned/travelled, Lord of [this] land
Either a kenning for his father’s (Scyld) death, or again implying that Scyld’s departure is somehow more than death.
Another difficult part here is poetic phrasing when Healfdene’s birth is discussed:
oþþæt him eft onwoc, heah Healfdene
Until he/him again awoke, noble Healfdene
Though eft can mean:a second time, again, afterwards. And onwoc, awoke, is really poetic phrasing (in this context) for ‘was born’.
In the location of the verse we are dicussing the success of Beowulf, who ‘ruled a long time’ and throughout the people was ‘well known/renouwned’. So add that to the line:
[Beowulf ruled a long time] Until, after him noble Healfdene was born.
And in condensed form:
Throughout the strongholds,
Beowulf’s was renowned,
That King of men,
Ruled a long time.
Then new life came to him,
Noble Healfdene was born,
Who, while he lived,
Was fierce in battle,
Glorious were the Syldings.
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