XLI
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,
2950The aged most sad, the fastness to seek,
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,
2955His hoard protect from the sea-farers,
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,
2960After the Hrethlings pressed into the hedge;
There Ongentheow was, with the edge of the sword,
The gray-haired one, forced to remain,
So that the folk-king had to submit
To Eofor's sole will; angrily him
2965Wulf, son of Wonred, attacked with his weapon,
So that for the blow blood spurted in streams
Forth under his hair. He was not though afraid.
The agéd Scylfing, but quickly repaid
In a worse way that fatal blow,
2970After the folk-king thither turned round:
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,
2975Fell on the earth: he was not yet fated,
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
2980Break over the shield-rim: then bowed the king,
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 they the battle-place were to possess,
2985Whilst one warrior the other robbed,
From Ongentheow took his burnie of iron,
His hard hilted sword and his helmet besides,
The hoary one's armor to Hygelac bore.
The armor he took and to them fairly promised
2990Gifts to his people, and kept his word too.
The lord of the Geats paid for the contest,
The son of Hrethel, when he came to his home,
To Eofor and Wulf with very rich jewels,
To each of them gave a hundred thousand
2995Of land and locked rings (for the gifts him need not reproach
Any man on mid-earth, since they heroic deeds wrought),
And then to Eofor gave his sole daughter,
The home-adornment, as a pledge of his favor.
That is the feud and that the enmity,
3000Hate deadly of men, wherefore I expect
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
3005After heroes' fall, the Scylfings brave,
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
3010To the funeral-pyre. There shall not a part only
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 devour,
3015The flame consume; no earl shall wear
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.
3020Now that the war-chief laughter has left,
Mirth and enjoyment. For this shall the spear be,
Many a one morning-cold, clasped with the fingers,
field in the hands; not at all shall harp's sound
Wake up the warriors, but the wan raven,
8025Eager over the fated, often shall speak,
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
3030His facts nor words. -The band all arose;
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
3035In former times: then was the last day
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,
8040The loathsome one lying; the fiery dragon,
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
3045To visit his den: he was then fast in death,
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
3050A thousand of winters there they had remained,
Since that bequest exceedingly great,
The gold of the ancients, was bewitched with a spell,
So that the ringed hall might one not touch,
Any of men, unless God himself,
3055True King of victories, to whom He would granted
To open the hoard, the charge of enchanters,
Even so to such man, as seemed to Him right.
