he　found　all　bleeding；　famous　chief
  at　the　lapse　of　life。　The　liegeman　again
  plashed　him　with　water；　till　point　of　word
  broke　through　the　breast…hoard。　Beowulf　spake；
  sage　and　sad；　as　he　stared　at　the　gold。
  〃For　the　gold　and　treasure；　to　God　my　thanks；
  to　the　Wielder…of…Wonders；　with　words　I　say；
  for　what　I　behold；　to　Heaven's　Lord；
  for　the　grace　that　I　give　such　gifts　to　my　folk
  or　ever　the　day　of　my　death　be　run！
  Now　I've　bartered　here　for　booty　of　treasure
  the　last　of　my　life；　so　look　ye　well
  to　the　needs　of　my　land！　No　longer　I　tarry。
  A　barrow　bid　ye　the　battle…fanned　raise
  for　my　ashes。　'Twill　shine　by　the　shore　of　the　flood；
  to　folk　of　mine　memorial　fair
  on　Hrones　Headland　high　uplifted；
  that　ocean…wanderers　oft　may　hail
  Beowulf's　Barrow；　as　back　from　far
  they　drive　their　keels　o'er　the　darkling　wave。〃
  From　his　neck　he　unclasped　the　collar　of　gold；
  valorous　king；　to　his　vassal　gave　it
  with　bright…gold　helmet；　breastplate；　and　ring；
  to　the　youthful　thane：　bade　him　use　them　in　joy。
  〃Thou　art　end　and　remnant　of　all　our　race
  the　Waegmunding　name。　For　Wyrd　hath　swept　them；
  all　my　line；　to　the　land　of　doom；
  earls　in　their　glory：　I　after　them　go。〃
  This　word　was　the　last　which　the　wise　old　man
  harbored　in　heart　ere　hot　death…waves
  of　balefire　he　chose。　From　his　bosom　fled
  his　soul　to　seek　the　saints'　reward。
  ＇1＇　Where　Beowulf　lay。
  XXXIX
  IT　was　heavy　hap　for　that　hero　young
  on　his　lord　beloved　to　look　and　find　him
  lying　on　earth　with　life　at　end；
  sorrowful　sight。　But　the　slayer　too；
  awful　earth…dragon；　empty　of　breath；
  lay　felled　in　fight；　nor；　fain　of　its　treasure；
  could　the　writhing　monster　rule　it　more。
  For　edges　of　iron　had　ended　its　days；
  hard　and　battle…sharp；　hammers'　leaving；＇1＇
  and　that　flier…afar　had　fallen　to　ground
  hushed　by　its　hurt；　its　hoard　all　near；
  no　longer　lusty　aloft　to　whirl
  at　midnight；　making　its　merriment　seen；
  proud　of　its　prizes：　prone　it　sank
  by　the　handiwork　of　the　hero…king。
  Forsooth　among　folk　but　few　achieve；
  though　sturdy　and　strong；　as　stories　tell　me；
  and　never　so　daring　in　deed　of　valor；
  the　perilous　breath　of　a　poison…foe
  to　brave；　and　to　rush　on　the　ring…board　hall；
  whenever　his　watch　the　warden　keeps
  bold　in　the　barrow。　Beowulf　paid
  the　price　of　death　for　that　precious　hoard；
  and　each　of　the　foes　had　found　the　end
  of　this　fleeting　life。
  Befell　erelong
  that　the　laggards　in　war　the　wood　had　left；
  trothbreakers；　cowards；　ten　together；
  fearing　before　to　flourish　a　spear
  in　the　sore　distress　of　their　sovran　lord。
  Now　in　their　shame　their　shields　they　carried；
  armor　of　fight；　where　the　old　man　lay；
  and　they　gazed　on　Wiglaf。　Wearied　he　sat
  at　his　sovran's　shoulder；　shieldsman　good；
  to　wake　him　with　water。＇2＇　Nowise　it　availed。
  Though　well　he　wished　it；　in　world　no　more
  could　he　barrier　life　for　that　leader…of…battles
  nor　baffle　the　will　of　all…wielding　God。
  Doom　of　the　Lord　was　law　o'er　the　deeds
  of　every　man；　as　it　is　to…day。
  Grim　was　the　answer；　easy　to　get；
  from　the　youth　for　those　that　had　yielded　to　fear！
  Wiglaf　spake；　the　son　of　Weohstan；
  mournful　he　looked　on　those　men　unloved：
  〃Who　sooth　will　speak；　can　say　indeed
  that　the　ruler　who　gave　you　golden　rings
  and　the　harness　of　war　in　which　ye　stand
  for　he　at　ale…bench　often…times
  bestowed　on　hall…folk　helm　and　breastplate；
  lord　to　liegemen；　the　likeliest　gear
  which　near　of　far　he　could　find　to　give；
  threw　away　and　wasted　these　weeds　of　battle；
  on　men　who　failed　when　the　foemen　came！
  Not　at　all　could　the　king　of　his　comrades…in…arms
  venture　to　vaunt；　though　the　Victory…Wielder；
  God；　gave　him　grace　that　he　got　revenge
  sole　with　his　sword　in　stress　and　need。
  To　rescue　his　life；　'twas　little　that　I
  could　serve　him　in　struggle；　yet　shift　I　made
  （hopeless　it　seemed）　to　help　my　kinsman。
  Its　strength　ever　waned；　when　with　weapon　I　struck
  that　fatal　foe；　and　the　fire　less　strongly
  flowed　from　its　head。　　Too　few　the　heroes
  in　throe　of　contest　that　thronged　to　our　king！
  Now　gift　of　treasure　and　girding　of　sword；
  joy　of　the　house　and　home…delight
  shall　fail　your　folk；　his　freehold…land
  every　clansman　within　your　kin
  shall　lose　and　leave；　when　lords　highborn
  hear　afar　of　that　flight　of　yours；
  a　fameless　deed。　Yea；　death　is　better
  for　liegemen　all　than　a　life　of　shame！〃
  ＇1＇　What　had　been　left　or　made　by　the　hammer；　well…forged。　＇2＇
  Trying　to　revive　him。
  XL
  THAT　battle…toil　bade　he　at　burg　to　announce；
  at　the　fort　on　the　cliff；　where；　full　of　sorrow；
  all　the　morning　earls　had　sat；
  daring　shieldsmen；　in　doubt　of　twain：
  would　they　wail　as　dead；　or　welcome　home；
  their　lord　beloved？　Little＇1＇　kept　back
  of　the　tidings　new；　but　told　them　all；
  the　herald　that　up　the　headland　rode。
  〃Now　the　willing…giver　to　Weder　folk
  in　death…bed　lies；　the　Lord　of　Geats
  on　the　slaughter…bed　sleeps　by　the　serpent's　deed！
  And　beside　him　is　stretched　that　slayer…of…men
  with　knife…wounds　sick：＇2＇　no　sword　availed
  on　the　awesome　thing　in　any　wise
  to　work　a　wound。　There　Wiglaf　sitteth；
  Weohstan's　bairn；　by　Beowulf's　side；
  the　living　earl　by　the　other　dead；
  and　heavy　of　heart　a　head…watch＇3＇　keeps
  o'er　friend　and　foe。　　Now　our　folk　may　look
  for　waging　of　war　when　once　unhidden
  to　Frisian　and　Frank　the　fall　of　the　king
  is　spread　afar。　　The　strife　began
  when　hot　on　the　Hugas＇4＇　Hygelac　fell
  and　fared　with　his　fleet　to　the　Frisian　land。
  Him　there　the　Hetwaras　humbled　in　war；
  plied　with　such　prowess　their　power　o'erwhelming
  that　the　bold…in…battle　bowed　beneath　it
  and　fell　in　fight。　To　his　friends　no　wise
  could　that　earl　give　treasure！　And　ever　since
  the　Merowings'　favor　has　failed　us　wholly。
  Nor　aught　expect　I　of　peace　and　faith
  from　Swedish　folk。　'Twas　spread　afar
  how　Ongentheow　reft　at　Ravenswood
  Haethcyn　Hrethling　of　hope　and　life；
  when　the　folk　of　Geats　for　the　first　time　sought
  in　wanton　pride　the　Warlike…Scylfings。
  Soon　the　sage　old　sire＇5＇　of　Ohtere；
  ancient　and　awful；　gave　answering　blow；
  the　sea…king＇6＇　he　slew；　and　his　spouse　redeemed；
  his　good　wife　rescued；　though　robbed　of　her　gold；
  mother　of　Ohtere　and　Onela。
  Then　he　followed　his　foes；　who　fled　before　him
  sore　beset　and　stole　their　way；
  bereft　of　a　ruler；　to　Ravenswood。
  With　his　host　he　besieged　there　what　swords　had　left；
  the　weary　and　wounded；　woes　he　threatened
  the　whole　night　through　to　that　hard…pressed　throng：
  some　with　the　morrow　his　sword　should　kill；
  some　should　go　to　the　gallows…tree
  for　rapture　of　ravens。　But　rescue　came
  with　dawn　of　day　for　those　desperate　men
  when　they　heard　the　horn　of　Hygelac　sound；
  tones　of　his　trumpet；　the　trusty　king
  had　followed　their　trail　with　faithful　band。
  ＇1＇　Nothing。　＇2＇　Dead。　＇3＇　Death…watch；　guard　of　honor；
  〃lyke…wake。〃　＇4＇　A　name　for　the　Franks。　＇5＇　Ongentheow。　＇6＇
  Haethcyn。
  XLI
  〃THE　bloody　swath　of　Swedes　and　Geats
  and　the　storm　of　their　strife；　were　seen　afar；
  how　folk　against　folk　the　fight　had　wakened。
  The　ancient　king　with　his　atheling　band
  sought　his　citadel；　sorrowing　much：
  Ongentheow　earl　went　up　to　his　burg。
  He　had　tested　Hygelac's　hardihood；
  the　proud　one's　prowess；　would　prove　it　no　longer；
  defied　no　more　those　fighting…wanderers
  nor　hoped　from　the　seamen　to　save　his　hoard；
  his　bairn　and　his　bride：　so　he　bent　him　again；
  old；　to　his　earth…walls。　Yet　after　him　came
  with　slaughter　for　Swedes　the　standards　of　Hygelac
  o'er　peaceful　plains　in　pride　advancing；
  till　Hrethelings　fought　in　the　fenced　town。＇1＇
  Then　Ongentheow　with　edge　of　sword；
  the　hoary…bearded；　was　held　at　bay；
  and　the　folk…king　there　was　forced　to　suffer
  Eofor's　anger。　In　ire；　at　the　king
  Wulf　Wonreding　with　weapon　struck；
  and　the　chieftain's　blood；　for　that　blow；　in　streams
  flowed　'neath　his　hair。　No　fear　felt　he；
  stout　old　Scylfing；　but　straightway　repaid
  in　better　bargain　that　bitter　stroke
  and　faced　his　foe　with　fell　intent。
  Nor　swift　enough　was　the　son　of　Wonred
  answer　to　render　the　aged　chief；
  too　soon　on　his　head　the　helm　was　cloven；
  blood…bedecked　he　bowed　to　earth；
  and　fell　adown；　not　doomed　was　he　yet；
  and　well　he　waxed；　though　the　wound　was　sore。
  Then　the　hardy　Hygelac…thane；＇2＇
  when　his　brother　fell；　with　broad　brand　smote；
  giants'　sword　crashing　through　giants'…helm
  across　the　shield…wall：　sank　the　king；
  his　folk's　old　herdsman；　fatally　hurt。
  There　were　many　to　bind　the　brother's　wounds
  and　lift　him；　fast　as　fate　allowed
  his　people　to　wield　the　place…of…war。
  But　Eofor　took　from　Ongentheow；
  earl　from　other；　the　iron…breastplate；
  hard　sword　hilted；　and　helmet　too；
  and　the　hoar…chief's　harness　to　Hygelac　carried；
  who　took　the　trappings；　and　truly　promised
  rich　fee　'mid　folk；　　and　fulfilled　it　so。
  For　that　grim　strife　gave　the　Geatish　lord；
  Hrethel's　offspring；　when　home　he　came；
  to　Eofor　and　Wulf　a　wealth　of　treasu