“‘Now quickly go to look at the hoard under the gray stone, . . . now that the worm lies sleeping from sore wounds, bereft of his treasure. Be quick now, so that I may see the ancient wealth, the golden things, may clearly look on the bright curious gems, so that . . . because of the treasure’s richness, I may the more easily leave life and nation I have long held.’”

—from Beowulf, prose translation by E. Talbot Donaldson, 1966.