easure; and these he has done, though he lost his life therein;
yea, and I aided him all that I might, though it was but little I
could do. Now our dear lord Beowulf bade me greet you from him, and
bid you to make for him, after his funeral pyre, a great and mighty
cairn, even as he was the most glorious of men in his lifetime. Bring
ye all the treasures, bring quickly a bier, and place thereon our
king's corpse, and let us bear our dear lord to Hronesness, where
his funeral fire shall be kindled, and his burial cairn built."

The Geats, bitterly grieving, fulfilled Wiglaf's commands. They
gathered wood for the fire, and piled it on the cliff-head; then eight
chosen ones brought thither the treasures, and threw the dragon's body
over the cliff into the sea; then a wain, hung with shields, was
brought to bear the corpse of Beowulf to Hronesness, where it was
solemnly laid on the funeral pile and consumed to ashes.

"There then the Weder Geats wrought for their ruler dead
A cairn on the ocean cliff widespread and lofty,
Visible far and near by vessels' wandering crews.
They built in ten days' space the hero's monument,
And wrought with shining swords the earthen rampart wall,
So that the wisest men worthy might deem it.
Then in that cairn they placed necklets and rings and gems
Which from the dragon's hoard brave men had taken.
Back to the earth they gave treasures of ancient folk,
Gold to the gloomy mould, where it now lieth
Useless to sons of men as it e'er was of yore.
Then round the mound there rode twelve manly warriors,
Chanting their bitter grief, singing the hero dead,
Mourning their noble king in fitting words of woe!
They praised his courage high and his proud, valiant deeds,
Honoured him worthily, as it is meet for men
Duly to praise in words their friendly lord and king
When his soul wanders forth far from its fleshly home.
So all the Geat chiefs, Beowulf's bodyguard,
Wept for their leader's fall: sang in their loud laments
That he of earthly kings mildest to all men was,
Gentlest, most gracious, most keen to win glory."

CHAPTER II: THE DREAM OF MAXEN WLEDIG

The Position of Constantine

It would seem that the Emperor Constantine the Great loomed very large
in the eyes of mediaeval England. Even in Anglo-Saxon times many
legends clustered rou