In this excerpt from beowulf, what do the underlined words imply about shield sheafson? so. the spear-danes in days gone by and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness. . there was shield sheafson, scourge of many tribes, a wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes. . a foundling to start with, he would flourish later on . . in the end each clan on the outlying coasts beyond the whale-road had to yield to him and begin to pay tribute. that was one good king.