The Beowulf Discussion: Section XLII

[Michael]

This discussion was originally posted to the Endor mailing list. It used the Project Gutenberg eText based on Leslie Hall's translation of the poem. The source can be found here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16328/16328-8.txt

XLII.

WIGLAF'S SAD STORY.--THE HOARD CARRIED OFF.

Then 'twas seen that the journey prospered him little
Who wrongly within had the ornaments hidden[1]
Down 'neath the wall. The warden erst slaughtered
Some few of the folk-troop: the feud then thereafter
5 Was hotly avengèd. 'Tis a wonder where,[2]
When the strength-famous trooper has attained to the end of
Life-days allotted, then no longer the man may
Remain with his kinsmen where mead-cups are flowing.
So to Beowulf happened when the ward of the barrow,
10 Assaults, he sought for: himself had no knowledge
How his leaving this life was likely to happen.
So to doomsday, famous folk-leaders down did
Call it with curses--who 'complished it there--
[104] That that man should be ever of ill-deeds convicted,
15 Confined in foul-places, fastened in hell-bonds,
Punished with plagues, who this place should e'er ravage.[3]
He cared not for gold: rather the Wielder's
Favor preferred he first to get sight of.[4]

{Wiglaf addresses his comrades.}

Wiglaf discoursed then, Wihstan his son:
20 "Oft many an earlman on one man's account must
Sorrow endure, as to us it hath happened.
The liegelord belovèd we could little prevail on,
Kingdom's keeper, counsel to follow,
Not to go to the guardian of the gold-hoard, but let him
25 Lie where he long was, live in his dwelling
Till the end of the world. Met we a destiny
Hard to endure: the hoard has been looked at,
Been gained very grimly; too grievous the fate that[5]
The prince of the people pricked to come thither.
30 _I_ was therein and all of it looked at,
The building's equipments, since access was given me,
Not kindly at all entrance permitted

{He tells them of Beowulf's last moments.}

Within under earth-wall. Hastily seized I
And held in my hands a huge-weighing burden
35 Of hoard-treasures costly, hither out bare them
To my liegelord belovèd: life was yet in him,
And consciousness also; the old one discoursed then
Much and mournfully, commanded to greet you,

{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 'gehýdde,' B. suggests 'gehýðde': 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.

[2] The passage 'Wundur ... búan' (3063-3066), M. took to be a
question asking whether it was strange that a man should die when his
appointed time had come.--B. sees a corruption, and makes emendations
introducing the idea that a brave man should not die from sickness or
from old age, but should find death in the performance of some deed of
daring.--S. sees an indirect question introduced by 'hwár' and
dependent upon 'wundur': _A secret is it when the hero is to die,
etc_.--Why may the two clauses not be parallel, and the whole passage
an Old English cry of '_How wonderful is death!'?_--S.'s is the best
yet offered, if 'wundor' means 'mystery.'

[3] For 'strude' in H.-So., S. suggests 'stride.' This would require
'ravage' (v. 16) to be changed to 'tread.'

[4] 'He cared ... sight of' (17, 18), S. emends so as to read as
follows: _He (Beowulf) had not before seen the favor of the avaricious
possessor._

[5] B. renders: _That which drew the king thither_ (i.e. _the
treasure_) _was granted us, but in such a way that it overcomes us._

[6] 'Folc-ágende' (3114) B. takes as dat. sing. with 'gódum,' and
refers it to Beowulf; that is, _Should bring fire-wood to the place
where the good folk-ruler lay_.

[7] C. proposes to take 'weaxan' = L. 'vescor,' and translate
_devour_. This gives a parallel to 'fretan' above. The parenthesis
would be discarded and the passage read: _Now shall the fire consume,
the wan-flame devour, the prince of warriors, etc_.

INITIAL COMMENTARY:
Barrow mounds can be found throughout Europe. Even after cremation, many lords and princes were interred in the Earth. Elaborate burials would be arranged, where houses were constructed for the dead, filled with ornaments, weapons, sometimes dead animals, wagons, and rich clothing. For very wealthy princes, gold and silver objects were often included.

Of all the burial mounds I've read about, including even Sutton Hoo, only one has stood out as having a special memorial attached to it. This was a burial mound located somewhere in Germany. The mourners erected a statue over the mound. The statue is believed to have remained standing for several centuries, but eventually it was either knocked over or fell over and was subsequently buried by nature above the mound.

The head of the statue became separated and rolled downhill before it, too, was covered up.

Does that sound familiar? It reminds me of the severed head of the king statue in Gondor that Frodo, Sam, and Gollum see.

But that burial was remarkable because of the statue. Whomever that leader was, his people so loved him that they memorialized him in a way no other German or Celtic leader is presently known to have been commemorated.

Maybe other statues have been discovered that I haven't read about. But that memorial stone has always impressed upon me just how highly esteemed the man must have been who was buried beneath it.