to manage. This pending, one hero plundered the other, His armor of iron from Ongentheow ravished, His hard-sword hilted and helmet together; The old one’s equipments he carried to Higelac. He the jewels received, and rewards ’mid the troopers Graciously promised, and so did accomplish: The king of the Weders requited the war-rush, Hrethel’s descendant, when home he repaired him, To Eofor and Wulf with wide-lavished treasures, To each of them granted a hundred of thousands In land and rings wrought out of wire: None upon mid-earth needed to twit him With the gifts he gave them, when glory they conquered; And to Eofor then gave he his one only daughter, The honor of home, as an earnest of favor. That’s the feud and hatred—as ween I ’twill happen— The anger of earthmen, that earls of the Swedemen Will visit on us, when they hear that our leader Lifeless is lying, he who longtime protected His hoard and kingdom ’gainst hating assailers, Who on the fall of the heroes defended of yore The deed-mighty Scyldings, did for the troopers What best did avail them, and further moreover Hero-deeds ’complished. Now is haste most fitting, That the lord of liegemen we look upon yonder, And that one carry on journey to death-pyre Who ring-presents gave us. Not aught of it all Shall melt with the brave one—there’s a mass of bright jewels, Gold beyond measure, gruesomely purchased And ending it all ornament-rings too Bought with his life; these fire shall devour, Flame shall cover, no earlman shall wear A jewel-memento, nor beautiful virgin Have on her neck rings to adorn her, But wretched in spirit bereavèd of gold-gems She shall oft with others be exiled and banished, Since the leader of liegemen hath laughter forsaken, Mirth and merriment. Hence many a war-spear Cold from the morning shall be clutched in the fingers, Heaved in the hand, no harp-music’s sound shall Waken the warriors, but the wan-coated raven Fain over fey ones freely shall gabble, Shall say to the eagle how he sped in the eating, When, the wolf his companion, he plundered the slain.” So the high-minded hero was rehearsing these stories Loathsome to hear; he lied as to few of Weirds and of words. All the war-troop arose then, ’Neath the
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