and thought that the foe should be attempted with gifts and not with arms:  as though he could fight with wealth alone, and prolong the war by using, not men, but wares!  So he undid the heavy coffers and the rich chests; he brought forth the polished bracelets and the heavy caskets; they only fed his destruction.  Rich in treasure, poor in warriors, he left his foes to take away the prizes which he forebore to give to the friends of his own land.  He who once shrank to give little rings of his own will, now unwillingly squandered his masses of wealth, rifling his hoarded heap.  But our king in his wisdom spurned him and the gifts he proffered, and took from him life and goods at once; nor was his foe profited by the useless wealth which he had greedily heaped up through long years.  But Rolf the righteous assailed him, slew him, and captured his vast wealth, and shared among worthy friends what the hand of avarice had piled up in all those years; and, bursting into the camp which was wealthy but not brave, gave his friends a lordly booty without bloodshed.  Nothing was so fair to him that he would not lavish it, or so dear that he would not give it to his friends, for he used treasure like ashes, and measured his years by glory and not by gain.  Whence it is plain that the king who hath died nobly lived also most nobly, that the hour of his doom is beautiful, and that he graced the years of his life with manliness.  For while he lived his glowing valour prevailed over all things, and he was allotted might worthy of his lofty stature.  He was as swift to war as a torrent tearing down to sea, and as speedy to begin battle as a stag is to fly with cleft foot upon his fleet way.

“See now, among the pools dripping with human blood, the teeth struck out of the slain are carried on by the full torrent of gore, and are polished on the rough sands.  Dashed on the slime they glitter, and the torrent of blood bears along splintered bones and flows above lopped limbs.  The blood of the Danes is wet, and the gory flow stagnates far around, and the stream pressed out of the steaming veins rolls back the scattered bodies.  Tirelessly against the Danes advances Hiartuar, lover of battle, and challenges the fighters with outstretched spear.  Yet here, amid the dangers and dooms of war, I see Frode’s grandson smiling joyously, who once sowed the fields of Fyriswald with gold.  Let us also be exalted with an honourable show of joy, following in death the doom of our noble father.  Be we therefore cheery in voice and bold in daring; for it is right to spurn all fear with words of courage, and to meet our death in deeds of glory.  Let fear quit heart and face; in both let us avow our dauntless endeavours, that no sign anywhere may show us to betray faltering fear.  Let our drawn sword measure the weight of our service.  Fame follows us in death, and glory shall outlive our crumbling ashes!  And that which perfect valour hath achieved during its span shall not fade for ever and ever.  What want we with closed floors?  Why doth the locked bolt close the folding-gates?  For it is now the third cry, Bjarke, that calls thee, and bids thee come forth from the barred room.”