Page:Gummere (1909) The Oldest English Epic.djvu/139

with black thoughts welled, as his wont was never.
The folk’s own fastness that fiery dragon
with flame had destroyed, and the stronghold all
2335washed by waves; but the warlike king,
prince of the Weders, plotted vengeance.
Warriors’-bulwark, he bade them work
all of iron—the earl’s commander—
a war-shield wondrous: well he knew
2340that forest-wood against fire were worthless,
linden could aid not.—Atheling brave,
he was fated to finish this fleeting life,^[1]
his days on earth, and the dragon with him,
though long it had watched o’er the wealth of the hoard!—
2345Shame he reckoned it, sharer-of-rings,
to follow the flyer-afar with a host,
a broad-flung band; nor the battle feared he,
nor deemed he dreadful the dragon’s warring,
its vigor and valor: ventures desperate
2350he had passed a-plenty, and perils of war,
contest-crash, since, conqueror proud,
Hrothgar’s hall he had wholly purged,
and in grapple had killed the kin of Grendel,
loathsome breed! Not least was that
2355of hand-to-hand fights where Hygelac fell,
when the ruler of Geats in rush of battle,
lord of his folk, in the Frisian land,

son of Hrethel, by sword-draughts^[2] died,

1. Literally “loan-days,” days loaned to man. Professor Hart refers to the striking passage in Everyman, vv. 164 ff.
2. This fine figure of the sword drinking the blood from the wounds it has made should not be weakened. It is like that tremendous metaphor