These ordered words. More seemly speech from

youth I never heard

Strong is thy might, thy spirit just, and wise thy spoken

word!

And well I ween if so it be that Hrethel's heir, thy lord, The people's guard, shall die by spear, or battle's cruel sword,

Or steel, or sickness, while thou liv'st, the Sea-Goths could not choose

A better king for treasure-ward, if thou wilt not refuse The kingship of thy folk. Belovèd Beowulf! more and more

Thy spirit pleaseth me! The strifes and bitter thoughts of yore

Between Gar-Danes and Gothic men thy deeds have laid to sleep,

And peace between them aye shall be while I this wide realm keep;

Their treasures common be, and each shall speak the other fair;

Across the sea, the gannets' bath, the ring-stemmed ships shall bear

Gifts and love-tokens; every way unblamed the folk I

know

As in old wise, close knit shall be alike to friend and foe."

Then Halfdene's son, the shield of earls, twelve

gifts gave to his hand,

And bade him with these treasures seek his people dear and land,

In happiness and soon come back. And then the high-born king,

The Scyldings' lord, the good knight kissed, and round his neck did cling;

He wept aloud-the grey-haired man; yet now in eld's decay

Of two things looked for most he hoped that they in after day

With joy might meet again in hall. So for the man he yearned

These heart-throes could he not forbear; but deep the longing burned

Within his heart for him beloved-in bonds of thought held tight.

Then glad of gifts, of treasure proud, Beowulf the

good knight

Trod o'er the grassy mead. The ship at anchor still

abode

The coming of her lord. And oft was praised upon the road

The gift of Hrothgar; blameless king was he in every

way

Till robbed of glory's joy by eld that many doth

affray.

IV.

THE RETURN OF BEOWULF TO HIS
OWN LAND.

Then came the band of valiant youths together to

the shore;

All clad in mail and corselets linked. The warder as

before

Was watchful of the earl's return; but not with words

of pride

From sea-cliff greeted he the guests; to meet them did he ride,

And said that freely to the ship the knights of Weder

land

In corselets sheen might go.

The ring-stemmed bark upon the strand Sea-worthy loaded they with steeds, and gifts, and battle-gear;

And over Hrothgar's hoarded wealth did high the

And pushed off from the Danish land to plough the waters deep.

Firm to the mast was lashed the sail; the vessel

groaned aloud;

Winds hindered not her course o'er seas to that wavefloater proud;

With foamy throat and wreathed stem the traveller of the main

O'er billows sped, and surging flood, till they could

see again

The Gothic cliffs and well-known shore. The keel upon the land

Drave up, wind-thrust, and took the ground. Soon ready at the strand

The warder of the harbour stood, who had for many

a day

Waited the dear men's coming back, far looking o'er the bay.

The ship, wide-bosomed, fast he made with anchor on the beach,

That never raging breakers' might the goodly craft should reach;

And bade them land the nobles' wealth, the gems and beaten gold,

Not far from thence where they might seek the treasuregiver's hold.

There Higelac the son of Hrethel, near the water wall,

Dwelt with his thanes at home; in goodly house and lofty hall

A mighty king; with Hygd for wife, well nurtured, wise, though young;

Not many winters had she dwelt the palace bowers

among,

Yet Hæreth's daughter was not mean, nor e'er to Gothic folk

Niggard of gifts and precious things.

(Foul was the sin that woke In Thrytho's heart-the haughty queen. Never com

panion sweet

None save her lord alone so bold-her eyes dared full

to meet ;

But him she doomed to bonds of death, his hands in fetters laid,

And straightway then the sword was grasped, deep bit the deadly blade,

And baleful slaughter was revealed! A deed unwomanly,

For woman e'er to do, though fair beyond compare

she be

Weaver of peace—with groundless wrath a husband dear to slay!

Rightly for that the son of Heming drove her far

away.

Yet o'er their ale men said less ill and people's-woe

she wrought

When, through the wisdom of her sire, by valiant Offa

sought,

High-born and decked with gold she went across the

yellow seas,