His eye, darting2c1a eagerly about,3e*1 glimpsed a heavy sword3b1b hanging on the wall,2e1b a massive weapon+2a1a(i) made by the giants,1a1b(i) huger than any1a*1a(i) 3120human being2a1a(i) besides himself2b1a could swing in battle,+1a1a(i) forged in the giants’1a1b(i) fabulous smithy.2a1a(iii) The slayer of Grendel+1a*1a(i) seized it by the hilt2e1b and flourished it fiercely,+2a1a(iii) fighting for his life;2e1b he swung the snake‐patterned+1a1a(ii) 3130sword forcefully1d1 and hit the sea‐hag+1a1a(i) on her hideous neck,3b2b smashing her spine;2e1a the sword drove on2b1a through her doomed body2c1b and she dropped to the ground.2b2b His blade dripping blood,2b2a Beowulf rejoiced.3e*1 He noticed, now,3b1a 3140in that unnatural hall,3b2c fire burning2c1‐ fierce as the sun,2b2‐ heaven’s candle.2a1a(i) Hygelac’s thane3e1 hastily searched3e1 the whole area,+1d1 keeping to the walls2e1b and clutching the sword3b*1a tightly by the hilt:2e1b 3150he trusted its edges+1a*1a(i) to work his will2b1a and wanted to give3b*1a Grendel a final1a*1a(i) grim requital1a1a(i) for his killings on more3b*1b occasions than one,3b*1a that murderous first+3e1 midnight visit2a1a(i) when he slew Hrothgar’s2c1b 3160soldiers and thanes2e1a brutally in bed:3e*1 he bolted down3b1a fifteen retainers1a*1a(i) who had been fast asleep,2b1c then fled to the fens2b2a with fifteen more,3b1a a horrid booty.+2a1a(i) The hero had given+1a*1a(i) that cruel foe3b1a 3170his quittance in Heorot,+1a*1a(i) a fatal injury,+2a1a(ii) and found him now3b1a dead in bed,2b1‐ drained forever1a1a(i) of his ruthless strength.3b1b The rotten carcass+2a1a(i) burst open2c1‐ when Beowulf struck it+2a1a(iii) a last blow3f1a 3180and lopped off its head.3b*1a Soon the Danes2b1‐ sitting up above2e1b on land with Hrothgar+1a1a(i) and looking at the waves,+2e1b saw that the surges1a1b(i) of the sea were turning++1a1a(i) a ghastly red.3b1a Grey‐haired counselors2a1a(ii) blindly assumed2e1a 3190that Beowulf was dead;+3e*1 they said men would never+1a1b(i) see him again2e1a walking in triumph1a*1a(i) to wait on Hrothgar,+1a1a(i) their ancient king;3b1a they all thought3f1a the she‐wolf of the deep+2e1b was sure to have killed him.+1a1b(i) In late afternoon2b2a 3200they left the headland,+1a1a(i) care‐stricken comrades,2a1a(iii) and the king with them,2c1b their bountiful lord.+3e1 But Beowulf’s men+3e1 stayed there, heartbroken,2a1a(ii) staring at the water,1a*1b longing to look2e1a on their lord but never++1a1a(i) imagining they would.+3e*1 3210Meanwhile, down below,2e1b that gigantic blade3b1b had begun to melt2b1b in the demon’s blood,3b1b dripping to the earth2e1b like iciclesd1a at the end of winter,++1a1a(i) when the Lord loosens2c1b the ligatures of frost+3e*1 that fetter the waves,3b*1a 3220our Father, the Maker+1a*1a(i) of times and seasons,+1a1a(i) the true Creator.+1a1a(i) Beowulf disdained3e*1 to bear from that place2b2a any of the spoils2e1b lying all around him++1a1a(i) except for Grendel’s head3b1c and the golden hilt,3b1b ancient and awesome;1a*1a(i) 3230it was all that was left2b2b of that huge sword,3f1b so hot was the blood,2b2a so poisonous the fiend+3e*1 who had perished there.d1b When Beowulf saw+3e1 that both his enemies+1a1a(ii) were dead, he swam upward,+1a1b(i) diving through the water.1a*1b The ocean depths3b1a 3240had been exorcised,d1b cleansed of evil,1a1a(i) when the cruel fiend3b1b left this transient1a1a(i) and delusive world.3b1b Soon Beowulf,1d1 swimming steadily,2a1a(ii) breached the surface,1a1a(i) bearing the great2e1a burden of booty1a*1a(i) 3250he was bringing to land.3b*1b His men ran to meet him,+1a1b(i) a tumultuous throng3b2b of thanes, rejoicing+1a1a(i) and thanking God3b1a that they saw him again,3b*1b safe among them.1a1a(i) They unbuckled their lord’s3b*1b bloodstained mailcoat2a1a(i) and white helmet,2c1a 3260while the waters drowsed,3b1b curdling thickly,2a1a(i) clabbered with gore.2e1a Frolicking fearlessly,1d*1(ii) footsoldiers trooped3e1 from that fateful tarn,3b1b following the now3e*1 familiar track;3b1a mettlesome youths,3e1 four of them, lugged3e1 3270the fiend’s severed2c1a unsightly head3b1a from that seaside cliff,3b1b a taxing business+2a1a(i) for the two pairs of men3b*1b chosen to carry1a*1a(i) the chilling burden+2a1a(i) to the tall meadhall2c1b trussed to their spears.2b2‐ Soon they neared2b1‐ 3280the sumptuous building,+2a1a(iii) fourteen exulting1a*1a(i) foreign warriors2a1a(ii) marching together,1a*1a(i) in their midst their lord,2b1b pacing the well‐known1a*1a(i) path to Heorot.1a1a(i) At last the illustrious+1a1b(ii) leader of the Geats,2e1b honored by his acts,2e1b 3290entered the precincts1a*1a(i) of the hall itself2b1b to hail the king.2b1a The demon’s head3b1a was dragged by its hair2b2a and dumped on the floor2b2a where the drinkers sat,3b1b a dreadful sight3b1a for the Danes and their queen;2b2b they gazed in terror+1a1a(i) 3300at the grisly thing.3b1b