He saw the monster in his resting place, war-weary and wrecked, a lifeless corpse, a casualty of the battle in Heorot. The body gaped at the stroke dealt to it after death: Beowulf cut the corpse's head off.

A brutal plunder. Beowulf in his fury
now settled that score: he saw the monster
in his resting place, war-weary and wrecked,
a lifeless corpse, a casualty
of the battle in Heorot. The body gaped
at the stroke dealt to it after death:
Beowulf cut the corpse’s head off.

– Beowulf, Seamus Heaney (trans.)

Lines 1584-1590: After killing Grendel’s mother with his sword, Beowulf cuts the dead Grendel’s head off before presenting it to Hrothgar.

Beowulf Quotes