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? Little1 kept back

–––––––––––––––––––––––—Page 87

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-watch3 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 Hugas4 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 sire5 of Ohtere,

ancient and awful, gave answering blow;

the sea-king6 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.

–––––––––––––––––––––––—Page 88

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.