登陆注册
18952000000041

第41章

"THE bloody swath of Swedes and Geats and the storm of their strife, were seen afar, how folk against folk the fight had wakened.

The ancient king with his atheling band sought his citadel, sorrowing much:

Ongentheow earl went up to his burg.

He had tested Hygelac's hardihood, the proud one's prowess, would prove it no longer, defied no more those fighting-wanderers nor hoped from the seamen to save his hoard, his bairn and his bride: so he bent him again, old, to his earth-walls. Yet after him came with slaughter for Swedes the standards of Hygelac o'er peaceful plains in pride advancing, till Hrethelings fought in the fenced town.[1]

Then Ongentheow with edge of sword, the hoary-bearded, was held at bay, and the folk-king there was forced to suffer Eofor's anger. In ire, at the king Wulf Wonreding with weapon struck;and the chieftain's blood, for that blow, in streams flowed 'neath his hair. No fear felt he, stout old Scylfing, but straightway repaid in better bargain that bitter stroke and faced his foe with fell intent.

Nor swift enough was the son of Wonred answer to render the aged chief;too soon on his head the helm was cloven;

blood-bedecked he bowed to earth, and fell adown; not doomed was he yet, and well he waxed, though the wound was sore.

Then the hardy Hygelac-thane,[2]

when his brother fell, with broad brand smote, giants' sword crashing through giants'-helm across the shield-wall: sank the king, his folk's old herdsman, fatally hurt.

There were many to bind the brother's wounds and lift him, fast as fate allowed his people to wield the place-of-war.

But Eofor took from Ongentheow, earl from other, the iron-breastplate, hard sword hilted, and helmet too, and the hoar-chief's harness to Hygelac carried, who took the trappings, and truly promised rich fee 'mid folk, -- and fulfilled it so.

For that grim strife gave the Geatish lord, Hrethel's offspring, when home he came, to Eofor and Wulf a wealth of treasure, Each of them had a hundred thousand[3]

in land and linked rings; nor at less price reckoned mid-earth men such mighty deeds!

And to Eofor he gave his only daughter in pledge of grace, the pride of his home.

"Such is the feud, the foeman's rage, death-hate of men: so I deem it sure that the Swedish folk will seek us home for this fall of their friends, the fighting-Scylfings, when once they learn that our warrior leader lifeless lies, who land and hoard ever defended from all his foes, furthered his folk's weal, finished his course a hardy hero. -- Now haste is best, that we go to gaze on our Geatish lord, and bear the bountiful breaker-of-rings to the funeral pyre. No fragments merely shall burn with the warrior. Wealth of jewels, gold untold and gained in terror, treasure at last with his life obtained, all of that booty the brands shall take, fire shall eat it. No earl must carry memorial jewel. No maiden fair shall wreathe her neck with noble ring:

nay, sad in spirit and shorn of her gold, oft shall she pass o'er paths of exile now our lord all laughter has laid aside, all mirth and revel. Many a spear morning-cold shall be clasped amain, lifted aloft; nor shall lilt of harp those warriors wake; but the wan-hued raven, fain o'er the fallen, his feast shall praise and boast to the eagle how bravely he ate when he and the wolf were wasting the slain."So he told his sorrowful tidings, and little[4] he lied, the loyal man of word or of work. The warriors rose;sad, they climbed to the Cliff-of-Eagles, went, welling with tears, the wonder to view.

Found on the sand there, stretched at rest, their lifeless lord, who had lavished rings of old upon them. Ending-day had dawned on the doughty-one; death had seized in woful slaughter the Weders' king.

There saw they, besides, the strangest being, loathsome, lying their leader near, prone on the field. The fiery dragon, fearful fiend, with flame was scorched.

Reckoned by feet, it was fifty measures in length as it lay. Aloft erewhile it had revelled by night, and anon come back, seeking its den; now in death's sure clutch it had come to the end of its earth-hall joys.

By it there stood the stoups and jars;

dishes lay there, and dear-decked swords eaten with rust, as, on earth's lap resting, a thousand winters they waited there.

For all that heritage huge, that gold of bygone men, was bound by a spell,[5]

so the treasure-hall could be touched by none of human kind, -- save that Heaven's King, God himself, might give whom he would, Helper of Heroes, the hoard to open, --even such a man as seemed to him meet.

[1] The line may mean: till Hrethelings stormed on the hedged shields, -- i.e. the shield-wall or hedge of defensive war --Hrethelings, of course, are Geats. [2] Eofor, brother to Wulf Wonreding. [3] Sc. "value in" hides and the weight of the gold.

[4] Not at all. [5] Laid on it when it was put in the barrow.

This spell, or in our days the "curse," either prevented discovery or brought dire ills on the finder and taker.

同类推荐
  • 咸宾录

    咸宾录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 绛云楼题跋

    绛云楼题跋

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 吹万禅师语录

    吹万禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 古杭杂记

    古杭杂记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 寄刘少府

    寄刘少府

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 武破穹苍

    武破穹苍

    凌羽:今天又有什么任务啊?系统:偷看美女洗澡。凌羽:我是那样的人吗?系统:确定任务失败?凌羽:把地址给我。系统:*******凌羽:擦!怎么是个老太婆...这就是你说的美女?你又坑我...一个杀手带着武者系统穿越到一个陌生的世界,这里是一个以武为尊的世界,穿越后的他能否在这世界从回王者巅峰呢?
  • 不死之门

    不死之门

    告白的那天,他穿越异界。灵体纵横,灵物玄奇,世界瑰丽奇幻。仇敌,朋友,亲人!唯有神明才能不死,唯有修炼才能立足!他选定了道路,手持圣者之枪,睥睨天下。灭尽恶徒邪灵,以不死之身越不死之门!——感谢腾讯文学书评团提供书评支持!
  • 一追到底

    一追到底

    俗话说,男追女隔座山,女追男隔层纱?可尹瑟要嫁陆以泽,隔的却是层金刚砂!--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 再见,好时光

    再见,好时光

    苏善生编著的《再见好时光》以散文、随笔的形式书写了一本关于人生感悟的图书。爱,原来是需要爱来当参照物的,年少时的我们,少不更事,常常看不到父辈们那份深沉的爱,是因为那时我们自己根本就不会爱。长大后,我们懂了,那个这样爱了我们一生的人,却是渐行渐远。花开当珍惜,爱也要趁早。
  • 嗨,缘来是你

    嗨,缘来是你

    十年,我们从青春到成熟,从仲夏到初秋十年,我们的照片都已经微微泛黄,记忆也开始也与我们躲躲藏藏十年前“喂,小胖子,你跑什么?”男孩在一个白胖的小女孩身后狂追十年后“喂,小胖子,你跑什么?”某个优秀到耀眼的男人在一个高挑的女孩身后狂叫“我警告你,不许再叫我小胖子。否则……”“否则怎样?”“否则我就赖你一辈子。某男魅惑一笑:“求之不得”。无视某女愤懑的眼神,径自将她搂入怀中。多年后的某一天,“老公,你再这样喂下去,我就又变成小胖子了。”没事,我不介意,手感好。”有人说他对她的爱只是记忆深处年少时的执念,但只有他自己知道那不是执念,那是一直无欲无求的心突然又鲜活的跳动了起来。
  • 空城纪传

    空城纪传

    古老的「天民」传说中,每逢乱世交替,天上「七星」便会降临人间寻找宿主,拯救苍生。从「长城」通天塔的建造,到始皇帝的「阿房」方舟现世,我们的祖先从来没有放弃过对于天民和他们所掌握的「七星」力量的探索。历史几番沉浮,天下数次易主,命运的车轮滚滚前行,空白的百年,预言的时刻,公元183年,注定不平凡的一个冬天……
  • 人鬼争权

    人鬼争权

    人鬼争权,讲的是60年后的2076年,一个风水师蛤舞与主人公(风水师)鹤宇甄发生矛盾,于是切断他家的子孙脉,在他们家后的上的龙脉钻掉,不聊,龙脉下面是宇甄的祖师爷封印鬼王的地方,钻破龙脉就开了封印,百鬼齐出,人间陷入混乱,回来,在鹤宇甄和朋友云层瑶的努力下找到了祖师爷留下封印鬼王的玄法佛陀和慈悲剑,鹤宇甄别慈悲剑刺向鬼王的头,又将佛陀发出的佛光照在他身上,把鬼王彻底消灭,人间又恢复平静,鹤宇甄和云层瑶结为夫妻。
  • 傲娇男神带回家:腹黑大小姐

    傲娇男神带回家:腹黑大小姐

    一夜缠绵,从此他缠上她登堂入室,腹黑男神誓要朝着妻奴方向一路到底,“报告少爷,少奶奶和古武协会打起来了”“哦,找人去摇旗呐喊,顺便把古武协会抢来”保镖晕眩,那可是古武界三大势力之一啊。“少爷,少奶奶要去闯玄天秘境”“让她去,叫六个十阶去帮忙搬东西”管家无奈,那可是十阶,任何世家都奉若上宾居然去帮少奶奶搬东西。“少爷,不好了,少奶奶要和萧家少主私奔”“什么”某人大怒,冲出门去,陪笑道“宝贝,我错了”
  • TF之蒲公英的约定

    TF之蒲公英的约定

    十五六岁认识的朋友大概是一辈子最要好的吧。三年高中让我们擦肩而过,或许是一种没到的缘分。
  • 日月龙戒

    日月龙戒

    这本书讲述着胡金这个主人公在日月龙戒的带领下穿越各个异界大陆,带我们穿越曾经的经典,创下不一样的曾经