Then ’twas seen that the journey prospered him little
Who wrongly within had the ornaments hidden1
Down ’neath the wall. The warden erst slaughtered
Some few of the folk-troop: the feud then thereafter
5
Was hotly avengèd. ’Tis a wonder where, 2
When the strength-famous trooper has attained to the end of
Life-days allotted, then no longer the man may
Remain with his kinsmen where mead-cups are flowing.
So to Beowulf happened when the ward of the barrow,
10
Assaults, he sought for: himself had no knowledge
How his leaving this life was likely to happen.
So to doomsday, famous folk-leaders down did
Call it with curses—who ’complished it there—
[104]
That that man should be ever of ill-deeds convicted,
15
Confined in foul-places, fastened in hell-bonds,
Punished with plagues, who this place should e’er ravage. 3
He cared not for gold: rather the Wielder’s
Favor preferred he first to get sight of. 4
Wiglaf addresses his comrades.
Wiglaf discoursed then, Wihstan his son:
20
“Oft many an earlman on one man’s account must
Sorrow endure, as to us it hath happened.
The liegelord belovèd we could little prevail on,
Kingdom’s keeper, counsel to follow,
Not to go to the guardian of the gold-hoard, but let him
25
Lie where he long was, live in his dwelling
Till the end of the world. Met we a destiny
Hard to endure: the hoard has been looked at,
Been gained very grimly; too grievous the fate that5
The prince of the people pricked to come thither.
30
I was therein and all of it looked at,
The building’s equipments, since access was given me,
Not kindly at all entrance permitted
He tells them of Beowulf’s last moments.
Within under earth-wall. Hastily seized I
And held in my hands a huge-weighing burden
35
Of hoard-treasures costly, hither out bare them
To my liegelord belovèd: life was yet in him,
And consciousness also; the old one discoursed then
Much and mournfully, commanded to greet you,
Beowulf’s dying request.
Bade that remembering the deeds of your friend-lord
40
Ye build on the fire-hill of corpses a lofty
Burial-barrow, broad and far-famous,
As ’mid world-dwelling warriors he was widely most honored
While he reveled in riches. Let us rouse us and hasten
[105]
Again to see and seek for the treasure,
45
The wonder ’neath wall. The way I will show you,
That close ye may look at ring-gems sufficient
And gold in abundance. Let the bier with promptness
Fully be fashioned, when forth we shall come,
And lift we our lord, then, where long he shall tarry,
50
Well-beloved warrior, ’neath the Wielder’s protection.”
Wiglaf charges them to build a funeral-pyre.
Then the son of Wihstan bade orders be given,
Mood-valiant man, to many of heroes,
Holders of homesteads, that they hither from far,
6Leaders of liegemen, should look for the good one 55
With wood for his pyre: “The flame shall now swallow
(The wan fire shall wax7) the warriors’ leader Who the rain of the iron often abided,
When, sturdily hurled, the storm of the arrows
Leapt o’er linden-wall, the lance rendered service,
60
Furnished with feathers followed the arrow.”
Now the wise-mooded son of Wihstan did summon
The best of the braves from the band of the ruler
He takes seven thanes, and enters the den.
Seven together; ’neath the enemy’s roof he
Went with the seven; one of the heroes
65
Who fared at the front, a fire-blazing torch-light
Bare in his hand. No lot then decided
Who that hoard should havoc, when hero-earls saw it
Lying in the cavern uncared-for entirely,
Rusting to ruin: they rued then but little
70
That they hastily hence hauled out the treasure,
They push the dragon over the wall.
The dear-valued jewels; the dragon eke pushed they,
The worm o’er the wall, let the wave-currents take him,
[106]
The waters enwind the ward of the treasures.
The hoard is laid on a wain.
There wounden gold on a wain was uploaded,
75
A mass unmeasured, the men-leader off then,
The hero hoary, to Whale’s-Ness was carried.
[1] For ‘gehýdde,’ B. suggests ‘gehýðde’: the passage would stand as above except the change of ‘hidden’ (v. 2) to ‘plundered.’ The reference,
however, would be to the thief, not to the dragon.
[2] The passage ‘Wundur … búan’ (3063-3066), M. took to be a question asking whether it was strange that a man should die when his appointed
time had come.—B. sees a corruption, and makes emendations
introducing the idea that a brave man should not die from sickness or from
old age, but should find death in the performance of some deed of
daring.—S. sees an indirect question introduced by ‘hwár’ and dependent
upon ‘wundur’: A secret is it when the hero is to die, etc.—Why may the
two clauses not be parallel, and the whole passage an Old English cry of
‘ How wonderful is death!’? —S.’s is the best yet offered, if ‘wundor’ means
‘mystery.’
[3] For ‘strude’ in H.-So., S. suggests ‘stride.’ This would require ‘ravage’
(v. 16) to be changed to ‘tread.’
[4] ‘He cared … sight of’ (17, 18), S. emends so as to read as follows: He (Beowulf) had not before seen the favor of the avaricious possessor.
[5] B. renders: That which drew the king thither (i.e. the treasure) was granted us, but in such a way that it overcomes us.
[6] ‘Folc-ágende’ (3114) B. takes as dat. sing. with ‘gódum,’ and refers it to Beowulf; that is, Should bring fire-wood to the place where the good folk-ruler lay.
[7] C. proposes to take ‘weaxan’ = L. ‘vescor,’ and translate devour. This gives a parallel to ‘fretan’ above. The parenthesis would be discarded and
the passage read: Now shall the fire consume, the wan-flame devour, the
prince of warriors, etc.