In value exceed, let him hide it who will. Likewise he saw standing an all-golden banner

High over the hoard, greatest of wonders, Wrought with hand-craft; from it light stood,

So that the ground-plain he might perceive,

2770 Examine the treasures. There was not of the serpent

Any appearance, but sword took him off. Then I heard say, in the cave the hoard robbed,

The old work of giants, one man alone, Bore on his bosom the cups and the plates

2775

At his own will; the banner he took, Brightest of beacons, a bill sheathed with

The needs of my people; I may not longer be here.

Bid ye the war-famed a mound to make Bright after the pyre at the sea's point, Which shall for remembrance to mine own people

2805

Raise itself high on the Whale's ness,
That it the sea-farers hereafter may call
Beowulf's mound, who shall their high ships
O'er the sea's mists from afar drive.'
He put from his neck the golden ring,
The bold-minded prince, gave to the
thane,

2810

The young spear-warrior, his gold-adorned helm,

Collar and burnie, bade him use them well: "Thou art the last left of our own kindred Of the Wægmundings. Weird carried away all

Of mine own kinsmen at the time appointed,

2815 Earls in their strength: I shall go after them.' That was to the agèd the very last word In his breast-thoughts, ere the pyre he chose, The hot fiery waves: from his breast went His soul to seek the doom of the saints. 2820

For him easy gotten, who before lost his valor.

Wiglaf then spoke, Weohstan's son,

The sorrowful man (he looked on the unloved):

Lo! that may he say who will speak truth, That the folk-king who gave you the treas

ures,

2865

The war-equipments, in which ye there stand,

When he on the ale-bench often presented To the hall-sitters helmet and burnie,

The prince to his thanes, such as anywhere bravest

The life-destroyer: the fire ran stronger,
Welled from his breast. Too few defenders
Pressed round the prince, when the evil be-
fell him.

Now taking of jewels and giving of swords,
All joy of home for your own kindred, 2885
Comfort shall cease: of rights of land
Each one of men of this kindred tribe
Must be deprived, after the princes
From afar hear of your desertion,
Inglorious deed. Death shall be better 2890
To each one of earls than a life of disgrace.'
He bade then the battle-work tell at the
hedge

Upon the steep cliff, where the earl-band
The morning-long day sad in mind sat,
The warriors with shields, in expectance of
both,

The final day and the return

Of the dear man. Little kept silent

2895

In the track going of his peoples' earls. 2945 There was bloody track of Swedes and of Geats,

The slaughter of men widely observed, How the folk fought the feud one with another.

The good one then went with his companions

The agèd most sad, the fastness to seek, 2950
The earl Ongentheow betook himself higher;
He had of Hygelac's prowess heard tell,
The proud one's war-craft; in resistance he
trusted not,

That he the sea-men might then withstand,
His hoard protect from the sea-farers, 2955
His children and wife; he went after thence
Old 'neath the earth-wall. Then was given
pursuit

To the folk of the Swedes, their banner to Hygelac.

Forth then they went o'er the Peace-plain, After the Hrethlings pressed into the hedge;

2960

Forth under his hair. He was not though afraid,

The agèd Scylfing, but quickly repaid
In a worse way that fatal blow,

After the folk-king thither turned round: 2970
Might not then the quick son of Wonred
To the old churl a hand-stroke give,
But he on his head his helmet first cleft,
So that, stained with blood, he had to bow,
Fell on the earth: he was not yet fated, 2975
But he himself raised, though the wound
pained him.

Then the brave thane of Hygelac let

With his broad sword, when his brother lay down,

The old sword of giants, the helmet of giants Break over the shield-rim: then bowed the king, 2980

The herd of the folk; he was struck to his life.

Then were there many who bound up his brother,

Quickly him lifted, when for them it was settled

That is the feud and that the enmity,
Hate deadly of men, wherefore I expect 3000
That the Swedes' people against us will
seek,

After they learn that our own lord

Is 'reft of his life, him who before held
Against his foes his hoard and kingdom
After heroes' fall, the Scylfings brave, 3005
Wrought his folk's good and further still
Heroic deeds did. - Now is haste best
That we the folk-king there should behold.
And him should bring who gave us rings
To the funeral-pyre. There shall not a part
only

3010

With the brave perish, but there's hoard of treasure,

Gold without number, bitterly purchased,
And now at the last with his own life
Rings has he bought: these fire shall de-
vour,

The flame consume; no earl shall wear 3015
A jewel in memory, nor the beautiful maid
Have on her neck a ring-adornment,

But she shall sad in mind, robbed of her gold,

Often not once tread a strange land.

Now that the war-chief laughter has left, 3020 Mirth and enjoyment. For this shall the spear be,

Many a one morning-cold, clasped with the fingers,

Held in the hands; not at all shall harp's sound

Wake up the warriors, but the wan raven,
Eager over the fated, often shall speak, 3025
Say to the eagle how he joyed in the eating,
When with the wolf he robbed the slain."
So the brave warrior then was telling
Some tales of evil: he did not speak falsely
His facts nor words. The band all
arose;
3030

Sadly they went 'neath the Eagles' ness,
With flowing tears, the wonder to see.
Then they found on the sand deprived of his
life,

Holding his resting-place, him who rings them gave

In former times: then was the last day 3035
Past to the good one, so that the war-king,
The prince of the Weders, a wondrous death
died.

First there they saw a stranger being,
The worm on the plain opposite there,
The loathsome one lying; the fiery
dragon,

3040

The terror grim, was scorched with flames;
He was fifty feet, in his full measure,
Long as he lay; the air he enjoyed
Sometimes at night, down again went
To visit his den: he was then fast in
death,
3045

He had enjoyed the last of earth-caves.
By him there stood pitchers and cups,
Plates too lay there and precious swords,
Rusty and eaten-through, as in the earth's
bosom

A thousand of winters there they had re

To open the hoard, the charge of enchanters,
Even so to such man, as seemed to Him right.
Then was it seen that the way did not prosper
To him who with wrong had hid within
The hoard 'neath the wall. The keeper ere
slew

Some one of his foes: then was the feud
With battle avenged. Is it a wonder
When a warlike earl the end approaches
Of his life-fate, when may no longer

3060

A man with his kinsmen a mead-hall indwell? 3065

So was it to Beowulf, when he the mount's keeper,

The contest sought: he himself knew not
How his world-severing was to take place;
How it against doom's-day deeply had cursed
The mighty princes who that put there, 3070
That that man should be guilty of sins,
Shut up in cursed places, fast in hell-bonds,
Punished with plagues, who should that
plain tread.

He was not gold-greedy; he rather would have

Fitted with feathers followed the barb.'
Now then the wise son of Weohstan
Called from the crowd of the king's thanes
Seven together, the choicest ones,
Went one of eight 'neath the hostile roof;
One warrior brave in his hands bore
A lighted torch, who went in front.

3125

borne, The hoary warrior, to the Whale's ness. For him then prepared the folk of the Geats A funeral-pyre on the earth firm, Hung with helmets, with shields of war, With burnies bright, as he had begged. 3140 Laid they then in the midst the mighty prince,

The mourning warriors their lord beloved. 'Gan they then on the mountain the greatest

of pyres

The warriors to kindle: the wood-smoke

Mingled with mourning (the wind-roar was still),

Until it had broken the house of bone,