Page:Gummere (1909) The Oldest English Epic.djvu/114

98 in the strength of His spirit sendeth wisdom, estate, high station: He swayeth all things. Whiles He letteth right lustily fare the heart of the hero of high-born race,— in seat ancestral assigns him bliss, his folk’s sure fortress in fee to hold, puts in his power great parts of the earth, empire so ample, that end of it this wanter-of-wisdom weeneth none. So he waxes in wealth; nowise can harm him illness or age; no evil cares shadow his spirit; no sword-hate threatens from ever an enemy: all the world wends at his will; no worse he knoweth, till all within him obstinate pride waxes and wakes while the warden slumbers, the spirit’s sentry; sleep is too fast which masters his might, and the murderer nears, stealthily shooting the shafts from his bow!

 

“Under harness his heart then is hit indeed by sharpest shafts; and no shelter avails from foul behest of the hellish fiend. Him seems too little what long he possessed. Greedy and grim, no golden rings 