nd here, out of love for his hero, the Christian
compiler of the story, after having allowed him to satisfy so much of
his heathen tastes, prepares him for heaven, and makes him utter words
of gratitude to "the Lord of all, the King of glory, the eternal Lord";
which done, Beowulf, a heathen again, is permitted to order for himself
such a funeral as the Geatas of old were accustomed to: "Rear a mound,
conspicuous after the burning, at the headland which juts into the sea.
That shall, to keep my people in mind, tower up on Hrones-ness, that
seafaring men may afterwards call it Beowulf's Mound, they who drive
from far their roaring vessels over the mists of the floods." Wiglaf
vainly tries to revive him with water; and addressing his unworthy
companions, who then only dare to come out of the wood, expresses gloomy
forebodings as to the future of his country: "Now may the people expect
a time of strife, as soon as the king's fall shall become widely known
to the Franks and Frisians.... To us never after [the quarrel in which
Higelac died] was granted the favour of the Merovingians
(_Mere-Wioinga_). Nor do I expect at all any peace or faith from the
Swedish people...." The serpent is thrown "over the wall-cliff; they let
the waves take, the flood close upon, the keeper of the treasures." A
mound is built on the hill, "widely visible to seafaring men.... They
placed on the barrow rings and jewels, ... they let the earth hold the
treasure of earls, the gold in the sand where it now yet remaineth, as
useless to men as it [formerly] was."[63] They ride about the mound,
recounting in their chants the deeds of the dead: "So mourned the people
of the Geatas, his hearth-companions, for their lord's fall; said that
he was among world-kings the mildest and the kindest of men, most
gracious to his people and most desirous of praise."

The ideal of a happy life has somewhat changed since the days of
Beowulf. Then, as we see, happiness consisted in the satisfaction of
very simple and primitive tastes, in fighting well, and after the fight
eating and drinking heartily, and listening to songs and music, and
after the music enjoying a sound sleep. The possession of many rings,
handsome weapons and treasure, was also indispensable to make up
complete happiness; so much so that, out of respect towards the chief,
some of his rings and jewels were buried with him, "useless to men," as
the author of "Beowulf" says, not without a touch of regret.