Bade he up then take the treasure of princes,
          Plate-gold and fretwork; not far was it thence
          To go off in search of the giver of jewels: 
[66] Hrethel’s son Higelac at home there remaineth,[4]
       35 Himself with his comrades close to the sea-coast. 
          The building was splendid, the king heroic,
          Great in his hall, Hygd very young was,

{Hygd, the noble queen of Higelac, lavish of gifts.}

          Fine-mooded, clever, though few were the winters
          That the daughter of Haereth had dwelt in the borough;
       40 But she nowise was cringing nor niggard of presents,
          Of ornaments rare, to the race of the Geatmen.

{Offa’s consort, Thrytho, is contrasted with Hygd.}

          Thrytho nursed anger, excellent[5] folk-queen,
          Hot-burning hatred:  no hero whatever
          ’Mong household companions, her husband excepted

{She is a terror to all save her husband.}

       45 Dared to adventure to look at the woman
          With eyes in the daytime;[6] but he knew that death-chains
          Hand-wreathed were wrought him:  early thereafter,
          When the hand-strife was over, edges were ready,
          That fierce-raging sword-point had to force a decision,
       50 Murder-bale show.  Such no womanly custom
          For a lady to practise, though lovely her person,
          That a weaver-of-peace, on pretence of anger
          A beloved liegeman of life should deprive. 
          Soothly this hindered Heming’s kinsman;
       55 Other ale-drinking earlmen asserted
          That fearful folk-sorrows fewer she wrought them,
          Treacherous doings, since first she was given
          Adorned with gold to the war-hero youthful,
          For her origin honored, when Offa’s great palace
       60 O’er the fallow flood by her father’s instructions
          She sought on her journey, where she afterwards fully,
          Famed for her virtue, her fate on the king’s-seat
[67] Enjoyed in her lifetime, love did she hold with
          The ruler of heroes, the best, it is told me,
       65 Of all of the earthmen that oceans encompass,
          Of earl-kindreds endless; hence Offa was famous
          Far and widely, by gifts and by battles,
          Spear-valiant hero; the home of his fathers
          He governed with wisdom, whence Eomaer did issue
       70 For help unto heroes, Heming’s kinsman,
          Grandson of Garmund, great in encounters.

    [1] For ‘scawan’ (1896), ‘scaethan’ has been proposed.  Accepting this,
    we may render:  He said the bright-armored warriors were going to
    their vessel, welcome, etc. (Cf. 1804.)