Final answer:
The best restatement is 'had rid the land of pain and suffering,' as it conveys the hero's action in eliminating the suffering caused by Grendel and restoring peace to Herot.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase that best restates the underlined words in the quotation from Beowulf, "He who had come to them from across the sea, / Bold and strong-minded, had driven affliction / Off, purged Herot clean," is 'had rid the land of pain and suffering'.
The phrase that best restates the underlined words in the quotation from Beowulf is had rid the land of pain and suffering. In the original quote, the speaker is describing someone who has come from across the sea and has successfully driven affliction off and purged Herot clean. This means that this person has rid the land of pain and suffering, making option b the best restatement.
This phrase captures the essence of the original passage, which describes the hero's accomplishment of driving out the torment that afflicted the land of Herot, symbolized by the cleansing of a great hall. In this context, 'affliction' refers to the pain and suffering caused by the monster Grendel, and 'purged Herot clean' suggests that the hero has eliminated the source of distress, restoring peace and well-being to the land.
Therefore answer is b-had rid the land of pain and suffering.