Egil was large-featured, broad of forehead, with large eyebrows,
a nose not long but very thick, lips wide and long,
chin exceeding broad, as was all about the jaws;
thick-necked was he, and big-shouldered beyond other men,
hard-featured, and grim when angry.
He was well-made, more than commonly tall, had hair wolf-gray and thick,
but became early bald. He was black-eyed and brown-skinned,
But as he sat (as was before written),
he drew one eye-brow down towards the cheek,
the other up to the roots of the hair.
He would not drink now, though the horn was borne to him,
but alternately twitched his brows up and down.
King Athelstan sat in the upper high-seat.
He too laid his sword across his knees.
When they had sat there for a time,
then the king drew his sword from the sheath,
and took from his arm a gold ring large and good,
and placing it upon the sword-point he stood up,
and went across the floor, and reached it over the fire to Egil.
Egil stood up and drew his sword, and went across the floor.
He stuck the sword-point within the round of the ring, and drew it to him;
then he went back to his place.
The king sate him again in his high-seat.
But when Egil was set down, he drew the ring on his arm, and then his brows went back to their place.
He now laid down sword and helm, took the horn that they bare to him, and drank it off.
Then sang he:

'Mailed monarch, god of battle,
Maketh the tinkling circlet
Hang, his own arm forsaking,
On hawk-trod wrist of mine.
I bear on arm brand-wielding
Bracelet of red gold gladly.
War-falcon's feeder meetly
Findeth such meed of praise.'