may harass me not."
Then the heathen dogs hewed down the noble one,
And both the barons that by him stood--
Aelfnoth and Wulfmaer each lay slaughtered;
They lost their lives in their lord's defence.
185 Then fled from the fray those who feared to remain.
First in the frantic flight was Godric,
The son of Odda; he forsook his chief
Who had granted him gifts of goodly horses;
Lightly he leapt on his lord's own steed,
190 In its royal array --no right had he to it;
His brothers also the battle forsook.
Godwin and Godwy made good their escape,
And went to the wood, for the war they disliked;
They fled to the fastnesses in fear of their lives,
195 And many more of the men than was fitting,
Had they freshly in mind remembered the favors,
The good deeds he had done them in days of old.
Wise were the words spoken once by Offa
As he sat with his comrades assembled in council:
200 "There are many who boast in the mead-hall of bravery
Who turn in terror when trouble comes."
The chief of the folk now fell to his death,
Aethelred's earl; all his companions
Looked on their lord as he lay on the field.
205 Now there approached some proud retainers;
The hardy heroes hastened madly,
All of them eager either to die
Or valiantly avenge their vanquished lord.
They were eagerly urged by Aelfric's son,
210 A warrior young in winters; these words he spoke--
Aelfwine then spoke, an honorable speech:
"Remember how we made in the mead-hall our vaunts,
From the benches our boasts of bravery we raised,
Heroes in the hall, of hard-fought battles;
215 The time has now come for the test of your courage.
Now I make known my noble descent;
I come from Mercia, of mighty kinsmen;
My noble grandsire's name was Ealdhelm,
Wise in the ways of the world this elder.
220 Among my proud people no reproach shall be made
That in fear I fled afar from the battle,
To leave for home with my leader hewn down,
Broken in battle; that brings me most grief;
He was not only my earl but also my kinsman."
225 Then harboring hatred he hastened forth,