{Beowulf’s dying request.}

          Bade that remembering the deeds of your friend-lord
       40 Ye build on the fire-hill of corpses a lofty
          Burial-barrow, broad and far-famous,
          As ’mid world-dwelling warriors he was widely most honored
          While he reveled in riches.  Let us rouse us and hasten
[105] Again to see and seek for the treasure,
       45 The wonder ’neath wall.  The way I will show you,
          That close ye may look at ring-gems sufficient
          And gold in abundance.  Let the bier with promptness
          Fully be fashioned, when forth we shall come,
          And lift we our lord, then, where long he shall tarry,
       50 Well-beloved warrior, ’neath the Wielder’s protection.”

{Wiglaf charges them to build a funeral-pyre.}

          Then the son of Wihstan bade orders be given,
          Mood-valiant man, to many of heroes,
          Holders of homesteads, that they hither from far,
          [6]Leaders of liegemen, should look for the good one
       55 With wood for his pyre:  “The flame shall now swallow
          (The wan fire shall wax[7]) the warriors’ leader
          Who the rain of the iron often abided,
          When, sturdily hurled, the storm of the arrows
          Leapt o’er linden-wall, the lance rendered service,
       60 Furnished with feathers followed the arrow.” 
          Now the wise-mooded son of Wihstan did summon
          The best of the braves from the band of the ruler

{He takes seven thanes, and enters the den.}

          Seven together; ’neath the enemy’s roof he
          Went with the seven; one of the heroes
       65 Who fared at the front, a fire-blazing torch-light
          Bare in his hand.  No lot then decided
          Who that hoard should havoc, when hero-earls saw it
          Lying in the cavern uncared-for entirely,
          Rusting to ruin:  they rued then but little
       70 That they hastily hence hauled out the treasure,

{They push the dragon over the wall.}

          The dear-valued jewels; the dragon eke pushed they,
          The worm o’er the wall, let the wave-currents take him,
[106] The waters enwind the ward of the treasures.

{The hoard is laid on a wain.}

          There wounden gold on a wain was uploaded,
       75 A mass unmeasured, the men-leader off then,
          The hero hoary, to Whale’s-Ness was carried.

    [1] For ‘gehydde,’ B. suggests ‘gehyethde’:  the passage would stand as
    above except the change of ‘hidden’ (v. 2) to ‘plundered.’  The
    reference, however, would be to the thief, not to the dragon.