XL + 

The Messenger of Death + 

Then he charged that the battle be announced at the hedge + 

Up o’er the cliff-edge, where the earl-troopers bided + 

The whole of the morning, mood-wretched sat them, + 

Bearers of battle-shields, both things expecting, + 

The end of his lifetime and the coming again of + 

The liegelord belovèd. Little reserved he + 

Of news that was known, who the ness-cliff did travel, + 

But he truly discoursed to all that could hear him: + 

“Now the free-giving friend-lord of the folk of the Weders, + 

The folk-prince of Geatmen, is fast in his death-bed, + 

By the deeds of the dragon in death-bed abideth; + 

Along with him lieth his life-taking foeman + 

Slain with knife-wounds: he was wholly unable + 

To injure at all the ill-planning monster + 

With bite of his sword-edge. Wiglaf is sitting, + 

Offspring of Wihstan, up over Beowulf, + 

Earl o’er another whose end-day hath reached him, + 

Head-watch holdeth o’er heroes unliving, + 

For friend and for foeman. The folk now expecteth + 

A season of strife when the death of the folk-king + 

To Frankmen and Frisians in far-lands is published. + 

The war-hatred waxed warm ’gainst the Hugmen, + 

When Higelac came with an army of vessels + 

Faring to Friesland, where the Frankmen in battle + 

Humbled him and bravely with overmight ’complished + 

That the mail-clad warrior must sink in the battle, + 

Fell ’mid his folk-troop: no fret-gems presented + 

The atheling to earlmen; aye was denied us + 

Merewing’s mercy. The men of the Swedelands + 

For truce or for truth trust I but little; + 

But widely ’twas known that near Ravenswood Ongentheow + 

Sundered Haethcyn the Hrethling from life-joys, + 

When for pride overweening the War-Scylfings first did + 

Seek the Geatmen with savage intentions. + 

Early did Ohthere’s age-laden father, + 

Old and terrible, give blow in requital, + 

Killing the sea-king, the queen-mother rescued, + 

The old one his consort deprived of her gold, + 

Onela’s mother and Ohthere’s also, + 

And then followed the feud-nursing foemen till hardly, + 

Reaved of their ruler, they Ravenswood entered. + 

Then with vast-numbered forces he assaulted the remnant, + 

Weary with wounds, woe often promised + 

The livelong night to the sad-hearted war-troop: + 

Said he at morning would kill them with edges of weapons, + 

Some on the gallows for glee to the fowls. + 

Aid came after to the anxious-in-spirit + 

At dawn of the day, after Higelac’s bugle + 

And trumpet-sound heard they, when the good one proceeded + 

And faring followed the flower of the troopers. + 