80 That some man or other had discovered the gold,
          The famous folk-treasure.  Not fain did the hoard-ward
          Wait until evening; then the ward of the barrow
          Was angry in spirit, the loathed one wished to
          Pay for the dear-valued drink-cup with fire.
       85 Then the day was done as the dragon would have it,
          He no longer would wait on the wall, but departed

{The dragon is infuriated.}

          Fire-impelled, flaming.  Fearful the start was
          To earls in the land, as it early thereafter
          To their giver-of-gold was grievously ended.

    [1] For ‘long-gestreona,’ B. suggests ‘laengestreona,’ and renders,
    Of fleeting treasures.  S. accepts H.’s ‘long-gestreona,’ but
    renders, The treasure long in accumulating.

[2] For ‘hard-fyrdne’ (2246), B. first suggested ‘hard-fyndne,’ rendering:  A heap of treasures ... so great that its equal would be hard to find.  The same scholar suggests later ‘hord-wynne dael’ = A deal of treasure-joy.

    [3] Some read ‘fec-word’ (2247), and render:  Banning words uttered.

    [4] An earlier reading of H.’s gave the following meaning to this
    passage:  He is said to inhabit a mound under the earth, where he,
    etc. The translation in the text is more authentic.

    [5] The repetition of ‘hord’ in this passage has led some scholars to
    suggest new readings to avoid the second ‘hord.’  This, however, is not
    under the main stress, and, it seems to me, might easily be accepted.

[6] The reading of H.-So. is well defended in the notes to that volume.  B. emends and renders:  Nor was there any man in that desert who rejoiced in conflict, in battle-work. That is, the hoard-ward could not find any one who had disturbed his slumbers, for no warrior was there, t.B.’s emendation would give substantially the same translation.

    [7] ‘Sinc-faet’ (2301):  this word both here and in v. 2232, t.B.
    renders ‘treasure.’

XXXIII.

BRAVE THOUGH AGED.—­REMINISCENCES.

{The dragon spits fire.}

          The stranger began then to vomit forth fire,
          To burn the great manor; the blaze then glimmered
          For anguish to earlmen, not anything living
[79] Was the hateful air-goer willing to leave there.
        5 The war of the worm widely was noticed,
          The feud of the foeman afar and anear,
          How the enemy injured the earls of the Geatmen,
          Harried with hatred:  back he hied to the treasure,
          To the well-hidden cavern ere the coming of daylight.
       10 He had circled with fire the folk of those regions,
          With brand and burning; in the barrow he trusted,
          In the wall and his war-might:  the weening deceived him.