Not at all could the king of his comrades-in-arms
venture to vaunt, though the Victory-Wielder,
2875God, 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.
2880Its 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,
2885joy 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,
2890a fameless deed. Yea, death is better
for liegemen all than a life of shame!”
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,
2895daring shieldsmen, in doubt of twain:
would they wail as dead, or welcome home,
their lord belovéd? Little[1] kept back
of the tidings new, but told them all,
the herald that up the headland rode.—
2900“Now the willing-giver to Weder folk
- ↑ Nothing.
