Thy shepherd of folk, and thou fast to life hold thee, Then no better than thee may the Sea-Geats be having 1850 To choose for themselves, no one of the kings, Hoard-warden of heroes, if then thou wilt hold Thy kinsman's own kingdom. Me liketh thy mood-heart, The longer the better, O Beowulf the lief; In such wise hast thou fared, that unto the folks now, The folk of the Geats and the Gar-Danes withal, In common shall peace be, and strife rest appeased And the hatreds the doleful which erst they have dreed; Shall become, whiles I wield it, this wide realm of ours, Treasures common to either folk: many a one other 1860 With good things shall greet o'er the bath of the gannet; And the ring'd bark withal over sea shall be bringing The gifts and love-tokens. The twain folks I know Toward foeman toward friend fast-fashion'd together, In every way blameless as in the old wise. Then the refuge of warriors, he gave him withal, Gave Healfdene's son of treasures yet twelve; And he bade him with those gifts to go his own people To seek in all soundness, and swiftly come back. Then kissed the king, he of noble kin gotten, 1870 The lord of the Scyldings, that best of the thanes, By the halse then he took him; from him fell the tears From the blended of hoar hair. Of both things was there hoping To the old, the old wise one; yet most of the other, To wit, that they sithence each each might be seeing, The high-heart in council. To him so lief was he That he his breast-welling might nowise forbear, But there in his bosom, bound fast in his heart-bonds, After that dear man a longing dim-hidden Burn'd against blood-tie. So Beowulf thenceforth, 1880 The gold-proud of warriors, trod the mould grassy, Exulting in gold-store. The sea-ganger bided Its owning-lord whereas at anchor it rode. Then was there in going the gift of King Hrothgar Oft highly accounted; yea, that was a king In every wise blameless, till eld took from him eftsoon The joyance of might, as it oft scathes a many. XXVIII. BEOWULF COMES BACK TO HIS LAND. OF THE TALE OF THRYTHO.