Thus it was better for them to stand erect in valour than be grovelling in greed; with their souls not sinking into covetousness, but up and doing for renown.

In the battle they would have to use not gold but swords." As the king ended, a British knight, shewing them all his lapful of gold, said: "O King! From thy speech can be gathered two feelings; and one of them witnesses to thy cowardice and the other to thy ill will: inasmuch as thou forbiddest us the use of the wealth because of the enemy, and also thinkest it better that we should serve thee needy than rich.

What is more odious than such a wish?
What more senseless than such a counsel?
We recognise these as the treasures of our own homes, and having done so, shall we falter to pick them up?
We were on our way to regain them by fighting, we were zealous to win them back by our blood: shall we shun them when they are restored unasked?
Shall we hesitate to claim our own?
Which is the greater coward, he who squanders his winnings, or he who is fearful to pick up what is squandered?
Look how chance has restored what compulsion took! These are, not spoils from the enemy, but from ourselves; the Dane took gold from Britain, he brought none.

Beaten and loth we lost it; it comes back for nothing, and shall we run away from it?
Such a gift of fortune it were a shame to take in an unworthy spirit.

For what were madder than to spurn wealth that is set openly before us, and to desire it when it is shut up and kept from us?
Shall we squeamishly yield what is set under our eyes, and clutch at it when it vanishes?
Shall we seek distant and foreign treasure, refraining from what is made public property?
If we disown what is ours, when shall we despoil the goods of others?
No anger of heaven can I experience which can force me to unload of its lawful burden the lap which is filled with my father's and my grandsire's gold.