: Hall,
Translation
of Beowulf.
Beowulf
These were the immediate cause of the war in
which Hrēðel's son, King Hæcyn, fell, 2478 ff.
Hrōð-gār (gen. Hrōðgāres, 235, etc. ; dat. Hrōðgāre, 64, etc. ), of the
dynasty of the Scyldings; the second of the three sons of King Healfdene,
61. After the death of his elder brother, Heorogār, he assumes the
government of the Danes, 465, 467 (yet it is not certain whether Heorogār
was king of the Danes before Hrōðgār, or whether his death occurred while
his father, Healfdene, was still alive). His consort is Wealhþēow (613), of
the stock of the Helmings (621), who has borne him two sons, Hrēðrīc and
Hrōðmund (1190), and a daughter, Frēaware (2023), who has been given in
marriage to the king of the Heaðobeardnas, Ingeld. His throne-room (78
ff. ), which has been built at great cost (74 ff. ), is visited every night
by Grendel (102, 115), who, along with his mother, is slain by Bēowulf (711
ff. , 1493 ff). Hrōðgār's rich gifts to Bēowulf, in consequence, 1021, 1818;
he is praised as being generous, 71 ff. , 80, 1028 ff. , 1868 ff. ; as being
brave, 1041 ff. , 1771 ff. ; and wise, 1699, 1725. --Other information about
Hrōðgār's reign for the most part only suggested: his expiation of the
murder which Ecgþēow, Bēowulf's father, committed upon Heaðolāf, 460, 470;
his war with the Heaðobeardnas; his adjustment of it by giving his
daughter, Frēaware, in marriage to their king, Ingeld; evil results of this
marriage, 2021-2070. --Treachery of his brother's son, Hrōðulf, intimated,
1165-1166.
Hrōð-mund, Hrōðgār's son, 1190.
Hrōð-ulf, probably a son of Hālga, the younger brother of King Hrōðgār,
1018, 1182. Wealhþēow expresses the hope (1182) that, in case of the early
death of Hrōðgār, Hrōð-ulf would prove a good guardian to Hrōðgār's young
son, who would succeed to the government; a hope which seems not to have
been accomplished, since it appears from 1165, 1166 that Hrōð-ulf has
abused his trust towards Hrōðgār.
Hrones-næs (dat. -næsse, 2806, 3137), a promontory on the coast of the
country of the Gēatas, visible from afar. Here is Bēowulf's grave-mound,
2806, 3137.
Hrunting (dat. Hruntinge, 1660), Hunferð's sword, is so called, 1458, 1660.
Hūgas (gen. Hūga, 2503), Hygelāc wars against them allied with the Franks
and Frisians, and falls, 2195 ff. One of their heroes is called Dæghrefn,
whom Bēowulf slays, 2503.
[H]ūn-ferð, the son of Ecglāf, þyle of King Hrōðgār. As such, he has his
place near the throne of the king, 499, 500, 1167. He lends his sword,
Hrunting, to Bēowulf for his battle with Grendel's mother, 1456 f.
According to 588, 1168, he slew his brothers. Since his name is always
alliterated with vowels, it is probable that the original form was, as
Rieger (Zachers Ztschr. , 3, 414) conjectures, Unferð.
Hūn-lāfing, name of a costly sword, which Finn presents to Hengest, 1144.
See Note.
Hygd (dat. Hygde, 2173), daughter of Hæreð, 1930; consort of Hygelāc, king
of the Gēatas, 1927; her son, Heardrēd, 2203, etc. --Her noble, womanly
character is emphasized, 1927 ff.
Hyge-lāc (gen. Hige-lāces, 194, etc. , Hygelāces, 2387; dat. Higelāce, 452,
Hygelāce, 2170), king of the Gēatas, 1203, etc. His grandfather is
Swerting, 1204; his father, Hrēðel, 1486, 1848; his older brothers,
Herebeald and Hæðcyn, 2435; his sister's son, Bēowulf, 374, 375. After his
brother, Hæðcyn, is killed by Ongenþēow, he undertakes the government (2992
in connection with the preceding from 2937 on). To Eofor he gives, as
reward for slaying Ongenþēow, his only daughter in marriage, 2998. But much
later, at the time of the return of Bēowulf from his expedition to Hrōðgār,
we see him married to the very young Hygd, the daughter of Hæreð, 1930. The
latter seems, then, to have been his second wife. Their son is Heardrēd,
2203, 2376, 2387. --Hygelāc falls during an expedition against the Franks,
Frisians, and Hūgas, 1206, 1211, 2356-59, 2916-17.
Ingeld (dat. Ingelde, 2065), son of Frōda, the Heaðobeard chief, who fell
in a battle with the Danes, 2051 ff. in order to end the war, Ingeld is
married to Frēawaru, daughter of the Danish king, Hrōðgār, 2025-30. Yet his
love for his young wife can make him forget only for a short while his
desire to avenge his father. He finally carries it out, excited thereto by
the repeated admonitions of an old warrior, 2042-70 (Wīdsīð, 45-59).
Ing-wine (gen. Ingwina, 1045, 1320), friends of Ing, the first king of the
East Danes. The Danes are so called, 1045, 1320.
Mere-wīoingas (gen. Mere-wīoinga, 2922), as name of the Franks, 2922.
Nægling, the name of Bēowulf's sword, 2681.
Offa (gen. Offan, 1950), king of the Angles (Wīdsīð, 35), the son of
Gārmund, 1963; married (1950) to Þrȳðo (1932), a beautiful but cruel
woman, of unfeminine spirit (1932 ff. ), by whom he has a son, Ēomǣr, 1961.
Ōht-here (gen. Ōhtheres, 2929, 2933; Ōhteres, 2381, 2393, 2395, 2613), son
of Ongenþēow, king of the Swedes, 2929. His sons are Ēanmund (2612) and
Ēadgils, 2393.
Onela (gen. Onelan, 2933), Ōhthere's brother, 2617, 2933.
Ongen-þēow (nom. -þēow, 2487, -þīo, 2952; gen. -þēowes, 2476, -þīowes,
2388; dat. -þīo, 2987), of the dynasty of the Scylfings; king of the
Swedes, 2384. His wife is, perhaps, Elan, daughter of the Danish king,
Healfdene (62), and mother of two sons, Onela and Ōhthere, 2933. She is
taken prisoner by Hæðcyn, king of the Gēatas, on an expedition into Sweden,
which he undertakes on account of her sons' plundering raids into his
country, 2480 ff. She is set free by Ongenþēow (2931), who kills Hæðcyn,
2925, and encloses the Gēatas, now deprived of their leader, in the
Ravenswood (2937 ff. ), till they are freed by Hygelāc, 2944. A battle then
follows, which is unfavorable to Ongenþēow's army. Ongenþēow himself,
attacked by the brothers, Wulf and Eofor, is slain by the latter, 2487 ff. ,
2962 ff.
Ōs-lāf, a warrior of Hnæf's, who avenges on Finn his leader's death, 1149
f.
Scede-land, 19. Sceden-īg (dat. Sceden-īgge, 1687), O. N. , Scān-ey, the most
southern portion of the Scandinavian peninsula, belonging to the Danish
kingdom, and, in the above-mentioned passages of our poem, a designation of
the whole Danish kingdom.
Scēf or Scēaf. See Note.
Scēfing, the son (? ) of Scēf, or Scēaf, reputed father of Scyld, 4. See
Note.
Scyld (gen. Scyldes, 19), a Scēfing. 4. His son is Bēowulf, 18, 53: his
grandson, Healfdene, 57; his great-grandson, Hrōðgār, who had two brothers
and a sister, 59 ff. --Scyld dies, 26; his body, upon a decorated ship, is
given over to the sea (32 ff. ), just as he, when a child, drifted alone,
upon a ship, to the land of the Danes, 43 ff. After him his descendants
bear his name.
Scyldingas (Scyldungas, 2053; gen. Scyldinga, 53, etc. , Scyldunga, 2102,
2160; dat. Scyldingum, 274, etc. ), a name which is extended also to the
Danes, who are ruled by the Scyldings, 53, etc. They are also called
Ār-Scyldingas, 464; Sige-Scyldingas, 598, 2005; Þēod-Scyldingas, 1020;
Here-Scyldingas, 1109.
Scylfingas, a Swedish royal family, whose relationship seems to extend to
the Gēatas, since Wīglāf, the son of Wīhstān, who in another place, as a
kinsman of Bēowulf, is called a Wǣgmunding (2815), is also called lēod
Scylfinga, 2604. The family connections are perhaps as follows:--
Scylf.
|
------------------------
Wǣgmund. . . . . . . .
| |
------------------ ----------
Ecgþēow. Wēohstān. Ongenþēow.
| | |
-------- -------- ---------------
Bēowulf. Wīglāf. Onela. Ōhthere.
|
-----------------
Ēaumund. Ēadgils.
The Scylfings are also called Heaðo-Scilfingas, 63, Gūð-Scylfingas, 2928.
Sige-mund (dat. -munde, 876, 885), the son of Wæls, 878, 898. His (son and
) nephew is Fitela, 880, 882. His fight with the drake, 887 ff.
Swerting (gen. Swertinges, 1204), Hygelāc's grandfather, and Hrēðel's
father, 1204.
Swēon (gen. Swēona, 2473, 2947, 3002), also Swēo-þēod, 2923. The dynasty of
the Scylfings rules over them, 2382, 2925. Their realm is called Swīorice,
2384, 2496.
Þrȳðo, consort of the Angle king, Offa, 1932, 1950. Mother of Ēomǣr, 1961,
notorious on account of her cruel, unfeminine character, 1932 ff. She is
mentioned as the opposite to the mild, dignified Hygd, the queen of the
Gēatas.
Wæls (gen. Wælses, 898), father of Sigemund, 878, 898.
Wǣg-mundingas (gen. Wǣgmundinga, 2608, 2815). The Wǣgmundings are on one
side, Wīhstān and his son Wīglāf; on the other side, Ecgþēow and his son
Bēowulf (2608, 2815). See under Scylfingas.
Wederas (gen. Wedera, 225, 423, 498, etc. ), or Weder-gēatas. See Gēatas.
Wēland (gen. Wēlandes, 455), the maker of Bēowulf's coat of mail, 455.
Wendlas (gen. Wendla, 348): their chief is Wulfgār. See Wulfgār. The
Wendlas are, according to Grundtvig and Bugge, the inhabitants of Vendill,
the most northern part of Jutland, between Limfjord and the sea.
Wealh-þēow (613, Wealh-þēo, 665, 1163), the consort of King Hrōðgār, of the
stock of the Helmings, 621. Her sons are Hrēðrīc and Hrōðmund, 1190; her
daughter, Frēawaru, 2023.
Wēoh-stān (gen. Wēox-stānes, 2603, Wēoh-stānes, 2863, Wih-stānes, 2753,
2908, etc. ), a Wǣgmunding (2608), father of Wīglāf, 2603. In what
relationship to him Ælfhere, mentioned 2605, stands, is not
clear. --Wēohstān is the slayer of Ēanmund (2612), in that, as it seems, he
takes revenge for his murdered king, Heardrēd. See Ēanmund.
Wīg-lāf, Wēohstān's son, 2603, etc. , a Wǣgmunding, 2815, and so also a
Scylfing, 2604; a kinsman of Ælfhere, 2605. For his relationship to
Bēowulf, see the genealogical table under Scylfingas. --He supports Bēowulf
in his fight with the drake, 2605 ff. , 2662 ff. The hero gives him, before
his death, his ring, his helm, and his coat of mail, 2810 ff.
Won-rēd (gen. Wonrēdes, 2972), father of Wulf and Eofor, 2966, 2979.
Wulf (dat. Wulfe, 2994), one of the Gēatas, Wonrēd's son. He fights in the
battle between the armies of Hygelāc and Ongenþēow with Ongenþēow himself,
and gives him a wound (2966), whereupon Ongenþēow, by a stroke of his
sword, disables him, 2975. Eofor avenges his brother's fall by dealing
Ongenþēow a mortal blow, 2978 ff.
Wulf-gār, chief of the Wendlas, 348, lives at Hrōðgār's court, and is his
"ār and ombiht," 335.
Wylfingas (dat. Wylfingum, 461). Ecgþēow has slain Heoðolāf, a warrior of
this tribe, 460.
Yrmen-lāf, younger brother of Æschere, 1325.
ABBREVIATIONS.
B. : Bugge.
Br. : S. A. Brooke, Hist. of Early Eng. Lit.
C. : Cosijn.
E. : Earle, Deeds of Beowulf in Prose.
G. : Garnett, Translation of Beowulf
Gr. : Grein.
H. : Heyne.
Ha.
: Hall, Translation of Beowulf.
H. -So. : Heyne-Socin, 5th ed.
Ho. : Holder.
K. : Kemble.
Kl. : Kluge.
Müllenh. : Müllenhoff.
R. : Rieger.
S. : Sievers.
Sw. : Sweet, Anglo-Saxon Reader, 6th ed.
Ten Br. : Ten Brink.
Th. : Thorpe.
Z. : Zupitza.
PERIODICALS.
Ang. : Anglia.
Beit. : Paul und Branne's Beiträge.
Eng. Stud. : Englische Studien.
Germ. : Germania.
Haupts Zeitschr. : Haupts Zeitschrift, etc.
Mod. Lang. Notes: Modern Language Notes.
Tidskr. : Tidskrift for Philologi.
Zachers Zeitschr. : Zachers Zeitschrift, etc.
NOTES.
l. 1. hwæt: for this interjectional formula opening a poem, cf. _Andreas,
Daniel, Juliana, Exodus, Fata Apost. , Dream of the Rood_, and the
"Listenith lordinges! " of mediaeval lays. --E. Cf. Chaucer, Prologue, ed.
Morris, l. 853:
"Sin I shal beginne the game, _What_, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name! "
wē . . . gefrūnon is a variant on the usual epic formulǣ ic gefrægn (l. 74)
and mīne gefrǣge (l. 777). _Exodus, Daniel, Phoenix_, etc. , open with the
same formula.
l. 1. "Gār was the javelin, armed with two of which the warrior went into
battle, and which he threw over the 'shield-wall. ' It was barbed. "--Br.
124. Cf. _Maldon_, l. 296; _Judith_, l. 224; _Gnom. Verses_, l. 22; etc.
l. 4. "Scild of the Sheaf, not 'Scyld the son of Scaf'; for it is too
inconsistent, even in myth, to give a patronymic to a foundling. According
to the original form of the story, Scēaf was the foundling; he had come
ashore with a sheaf of corn, and from that was named. This form of the
story is preserved in Ethelwerd and in William of Malmesbury. But here the
foundling is Scyld, and we must suppose he was picked up with the sheaf,
and hence his cognomen. "--E. , p. 105. Cf. the accounts of Romulus and
Remus, of Moses, of Cyrus, etc.
l. 6. egsian is also used in an active sense (not in the Gloss. ), = _to
terrify_.
l. 15. S. suggests þā (_which_) for þæt, as object of drēogan; and for
aldor-lēase, Gr. suggested aldor-ceare. --_Beit_. ix. 136.
S. translates: "For God had seen the dire need which the rulerless ones
before endured. "
l. 18. "Beowulf (that is, Beaw of the Anglo-Saxon genealogists, not our
Beowulf, who was a Geat, not a Dane), 'the son of Scyld in Scedeland. ' This
is our ancestral myth,--the story of the first culture-hero of the North;
'the patriarch,' as Rydberg calls him, 'of the royal families of Sweden,
Denmark, Angeln, Saxland, and England. '"--Br. , p. 78. Cf. _A. -S. Chron. _
an. 855.
H. -So. omits parenthetic marks, and reads (after S. , _Beit. _ ix. 135)
eaferan; cf. _Fata Apost. _: lof wīde sprang þēodnes þegna.
"The name _Bēowulf_ means literally 'Bee-wolf,' wolf or ravager of the
bees, = bear. Cf. _beorn_, 'hero,' originally 'bear,' and _bēohata_,
'warrior,' in Cǣdmon, literally 'bee-hater' or 'persecutor,' and hence
identical in meaning with _bēowulf_. "--Sw.
Cf.
"Arcite and Palamon, That foughten _breme_, as it were bores two. "
--Chaucer, _Knightes Tale_, l. 841, ed. Morris.
Cf. M. Müller, _Science of Lang. _, Sec. Series, pp. 217, 218; and Hunt's
_Daniel_, 104.
l. 19. Cf. l. 1866, where Scedenig is used, = _Scania_, in Sweden(? ).
l. 21. wine is pl. ; cf. its apposition wil-gesīðas below. H. -So. compares
_Héliand_, 1017, for language almost identical with ll. 20, 21.
l. 22. on ylde: cf.
"_In elde_ is bothe wisdom and usage. " --Chaucer, _Knightes Tale_, l. 1590,
ed. Morris.
l. 26. Reflexive objects often pleonastically accompany verbs of motion;
cf. ll. 234, 301, 1964, etc.
l. 31. The object of āhte is probably geweald, to be supplied from wordum
wēold of l. 30. --H. -So.
R. , Kl. , and B. all hold conflicting views of this passage: _Beit. _ xii.
80, ix. 188; _Zachers Zeitschr. _ iii. 382, etc. Kl. suggests lǣndagas for
lange.
l. 32. "hringed-stefna is sometimes translated 'with curved prow,' but it
means, I think, that in the prow were fastened rings through which the
cables were passed that tied it to the shore. "--Br. , p. 26. Cf. ll. 1132,
1898. Hring-horni was the mythic ship of the Edda. See Toller-Bosworth for
three different views; and cf. wunden-stefna (l. 220), hring-naca (l.
1863).
ll. 34-52. Cf. the burial of Haki on a funeral-pyre ship, _Inglinga Saga;_
the burial of Balder, Sinfiötli, Arthur, etc.
l. 35. "And this [their joy in the sea] is all the plainer from the number
of names given to the ship-names which speak their pride and affection.
which Hrēðel's son, King Hæcyn, fell, 2478 ff.
Hrōð-gār (gen. Hrōðgāres, 235, etc. ; dat. Hrōðgāre, 64, etc. ), of the
dynasty of the Scyldings; the second of the three sons of King Healfdene,
61. After the death of his elder brother, Heorogār, he assumes the
government of the Danes, 465, 467 (yet it is not certain whether Heorogār
was king of the Danes before Hrōðgār, or whether his death occurred while
his father, Healfdene, was still alive). His consort is Wealhþēow (613), of
the stock of the Helmings (621), who has borne him two sons, Hrēðrīc and
Hrōðmund (1190), and a daughter, Frēaware (2023), who has been given in
marriage to the king of the Heaðobeardnas, Ingeld. His throne-room (78
ff. ), which has been built at great cost (74 ff. ), is visited every night
by Grendel (102, 115), who, along with his mother, is slain by Bēowulf (711
ff. , 1493 ff). Hrōðgār's rich gifts to Bēowulf, in consequence, 1021, 1818;
he is praised as being generous, 71 ff. , 80, 1028 ff. , 1868 ff. ; as being
brave, 1041 ff. , 1771 ff. ; and wise, 1699, 1725. --Other information about
Hrōðgār's reign for the most part only suggested: his expiation of the
murder which Ecgþēow, Bēowulf's father, committed upon Heaðolāf, 460, 470;
his war with the Heaðobeardnas; his adjustment of it by giving his
daughter, Frēaware, in marriage to their king, Ingeld; evil results of this
marriage, 2021-2070. --Treachery of his brother's son, Hrōðulf, intimated,
1165-1166.
Hrōð-mund, Hrōðgār's son, 1190.
Hrōð-ulf, probably a son of Hālga, the younger brother of King Hrōðgār,
1018, 1182. Wealhþēow expresses the hope (1182) that, in case of the early
death of Hrōðgār, Hrōð-ulf would prove a good guardian to Hrōðgār's young
son, who would succeed to the government; a hope which seems not to have
been accomplished, since it appears from 1165, 1166 that Hrōð-ulf has
abused his trust towards Hrōðgār.
Hrones-næs (dat. -næsse, 2806, 3137), a promontory on the coast of the
country of the Gēatas, visible from afar. Here is Bēowulf's grave-mound,
2806, 3137.
Hrunting (dat. Hruntinge, 1660), Hunferð's sword, is so called, 1458, 1660.
Hūgas (gen. Hūga, 2503), Hygelāc wars against them allied with the Franks
and Frisians, and falls, 2195 ff. One of their heroes is called Dæghrefn,
whom Bēowulf slays, 2503.
[H]ūn-ferð, the son of Ecglāf, þyle of King Hrōðgār. As such, he has his
place near the throne of the king, 499, 500, 1167. He lends his sword,
Hrunting, to Bēowulf for his battle with Grendel's mother, 1456 f.
According to 588, 1168, he slew his brothers. Since his name is always
alliterated with vowels, it is probable that the original form was, as
Rieger (Zachers Ztschr. , 3, 414) conjectures, Unferð.
Hūn-lāfing, name of a costly sword, which Finn presents to Hengest, 1144.
See Note.
Hygd (dat. Hygde, 2173), daughter of Hæreð, 1930; consort of Hygelāc, king
of the Gēatas, 1927; her son, Heardrēd, 2203, etc. --Her noble, womanly
character is emphasized, 1927 ff.
Hyge-lāc (gen. Hige-lāces, 194, etc. , Hygelāces, 2387; dat. Higelāce, 452,
Hygelāce, 2170), king of the Gēatas, 1203, etc. His grandfather is
Swerting, 1204; his father, Hrēðel, 1486, 1848; his older brothers,
Herebeald and Hæðcyn, 2435; his sister's son, Bēowulf, 374, 375. After his
brother, Hæðcyn, is killed by Ongenþēow, he undertakes the government (2992
in connection with the preceding from 2937 on). To Eofor he gives, as
reward for slaying Ongenþēow, his only daughter in marriage, 2998. But much
later, at the time of the return of Bēowulf from his expedition to Hrōðgār,
we see him married to the very young Hygd, the daughter of Hæreð, 1930. The
latter seems, then, to have been his second wife. Their son is Heardrēd,
2203, 2376, 2387. --Hygelāc falls during an expedition against the Franks,
Frisians, and Hūgas, 1206, 1211, 2356-59, 2916-17.
Ingeld (dat. Ingelde, 2065), son of Frōda, the Heaðobeard chief, who fell
in a battle with the Danes, 2051 ff. in order to end the war, Ingeld is
married to Frēawaru, daughter of the Danish king, Hrōðgār, 2025-30. Yet his
love for his young wife can make him forget only for a short while his
desire to avenge his father. He finally carries it out, excited thereto by
the repeated admonitions of an old warrior, 2042-70 (Wīdsīð, 45-59).
Ing-wine (gen. Ingwina, 1045, 1320), friends of Ing, the first king of the
East Danes. The Danes are so called, 1045, 1320.
Mere-wīoingas (gen. Mere-wīoinga, 2922), as name of the Franks, 2922.
Nægling, the name of Bēowulf's sword, 2681.
Offa (gen. Offan, 1950), king of the Angles (Wīdsīð, 35), the son of
Gārmund, 1963; married (1950) to Þrȳðo (1932), a beautiful but cruel
woman, of unfeminine spirit (1932 ff. ), by whom he has a son, Ēomǣr, 1961.
Ōht-here (gen. Ōhtheres, 2929, 2933; Ōhteres, 2381, 2393, 2395, 2613), son
of Ongenþēow, king of the Swedes, 2929. His sons are Ēanmund (2612) and
Ēadgils, 2393.
Onela (gen. Onelan, 2933), Ōhthere's brother, 2617, 2933.
Ongen-þēow (nom. -þēow, 2487, -þīo, 2952; gen. -þēowes, 2476, -þīowes,
2388; dat. -þīo, 2987), of the dynasty of the Scylfings; king of the
Swedes, 2384. His wife is, perhaps, Elan, daughter of the Danish king,
Healfdene (62), and mother of two sons, Onela and Ōhthere, 2933. She is
taken prisoner by Hæðcyn, king of the Gēatas, on an expedition into Sweden,
which he undertakes on account of her sons' plundering raids into his
country, 2480 ff. She is set free by Ongenþēow (2931), who kills Hæðcyn,
2925, and encloses the Gēatas, now deprived of their leader, in the
Ravenswood (2937 ff. ), till they are freed by Hygelāc, 2944. A battle then
follows, which is unfavorable to Ongenþēow's army. Ongenþēow himself,
attacked by the brothers, Wulf and Eofor, is slain by the latter, 2487 ff. ,
2962 ff.
Ōs-lāf, a warrior of Hnæf's, who avenges on Finn his leader's death, 1149
f.
Scede-land, 19. Sceden-īg (dat. Sceden-īgge, 1687), O. N. , Scān-ey, the most
southern portion of the Scandinavian peninsula, belonging to the Danish
kingdom, and, in the above-mentioned passages of our poem, a designation of
the whole Danish kingdom.
Scēf or Scēaf. See Note.
Scēfing, the son (? ) of Scēf, or Scēaf, reputed father of Scyld, 4. See
Note.
Scyld (gen. Scyldes, 19), a Scēfing. 4. His son is Bēowulf, 18, 53: his
grandson, Healfdene, 57; his great-grandson, Hrōðgār, who had two brothers
and a sister, 59 ff. --Scyld dies, 26; his body, upon a decorated ship, is
given over to the sea (32 ff. ), just as he, when a child, drifted alone,
upon a ship, to the land of the Danes, 43 ff. After him his descendants
bear his name.
Scyldingas (Scyldungas, 2053; gen. Scyldinga, 53, etc. , Scyldunga, 2102,
2160; dat. Scyldingum, 274, etc. ), a name which is extended also to the
Danes, who are ruled by the Scyldings, 53, etc. They are also called
Ār-Scyldingas, 464; Sige-Scyldingas, 598, 2005; Þēod-Scyldingas, 1020;
Here-Scyldingas, 1109.
Scylfingas, a Swedish royal family, whose relationship seems to extend to
the Gēatas, since Wīglāf, the son of Wīhstān, who in another place, as a
kinsman of Bēowulf, is called a Wǣgmunding (2815), is also called lēod
Scylfinga, 2604. The family connections are perhaps as follows:--
Scylf.
|
------------------------
Wǣgmund. . . . . . . .
| |
------------------ ----------
Ecgþēow. Wēohstān. Ongenþēow.
| | |
-------- -------- ---------------
Bēowulf. Wīglāf. Onela. Ōhthere.
|
-----------------
Ēaumund. Ēadgils.
The Scylfings are also called Heaðo-Scilfingas, 63, Gūð-Scylfingas, 2928.
Sige-mund (dat. -munde, 876, 885), the son of Wæls, 878, 898. His (son and
) nephew is Fitela, 880, 882. His fight with the drake, 887 ff.
Swerting (gen. Swertinges, 1204), Hygelāc's grandfather, and Hrēðel's
father, 1204.
Swēon (gen. Swēona, 2473, 2947, 3002), also Swēo-þēod, 2923. The dynasty of
the Scylfings rules over them, 2382, 2925. Their realm is called Swīorice,
2384, 2496.
Þrȳðo, consort of the Angle king, Offa, 1932, 1950. Mother of Ēomǣr, 1961,
notorious on account of her cruel, unfeminine character, 1932 ff. She is
mentioned as the opposite to the mild, dignified Hygd, the queen of the
Gēatas.
Wæls (gen. Wælses, 898), father of Sigemund, 878, 898.
Wǣg-mundingas (gen. Wǣgmundinga, 2608, 2815). The Wǣgmundings are on one
side, Wīhstān and his son Wīglāf; on the other side, Ecgþēow and his son
Bēowulf (2608, 2815). See under Scylfingas.
Wederas (gen. Wedera, 225, 423, 498, etc. ), or Weder-gēatas. See Gēatas.
Wēland (gen. Wēlandes, 455), the maker of Bēowulf's coat of mail, 455.
Wendlas (gen. Wendla, 348): their chief is Wulfgār. See Wulfgār. The
Wendlas are, according to Grundtvig and Bugge, the inhabitants of Vendill,
the most northern part of Jutland, between Limfjord and the sea.
Wealh-þēow (613, Wealh-þēo, 665, 1163), the consort of King Hrōðgār, of the
stock of the Helmings, 621. Her sons are Hrēðrīc and Hrōðmund, 1190; her
daughter, Frēawaru, 2023.
Wēoh-stān (gen. Wēox-stānes, 2603, Wēoh-stānes, 2863, Wih-stānes, 2753,
2908, etc. ), a Wǣgmunding (2608), father of Wīglāf, 2603. In what
relationship to him Ælfhere, mentioned 2605, stands, is not
clear. --Wēohstān is the slayer of Ēanmund (2612), in that, as it seems, he
takes revenge for his murdered king, Heardrēd. See Ēanmund.
Wīg-lāf, Wēohstān's son, 2603, etc. , a Wǣgmunding, 2815, and so also a
Scylfing, 2604; a kinsman of Ælfhere, 2605. For his relationship to
Bēowulf, see the genealogical table under Scylfingas. --He supports Bēowulf
in his fight with the drake, 2605 ff. , 2662 ff. The hero gives him, before
his death, his ring, his helm, and his coat of mail, 2810 ff.
Won-rēd (gen. Wonrēdes, 2972), father of Wulf and Eofor, 2966, 2979.
Wulf (dat. Wulfe, 2994), one of the Gēatas, Wonrēd's son. He fights in the
battle between the armies of Hygelāc and Ongenþēow with Ongenþēow himself,
and gives him a wound (2966), whereupon Ongenþēow, by a stroke of his
sword, disables him, 2975. Eofor avenges his brother's fall by dealing
Ongenþēow a mortal blow, 2978 ff.
Wulf-gār, chief of the Wendlas, 348, lives at Hrōðgār's court, and is his
"ār and ombiht," 335.
Wylfingas (dat. Wylfingum, 461). Ecgþēow has slain Heoðolāf, a warrior of
this tribe, 460.
Yrmen-lāf, younger brother of Æschere, 1325.
ABBREVIATIONS.
B. : Bugge.
Br. : S. A. Brooke, Hist. of Early Eng. Lit.
C. : Cosijn.
E. : Earle, Deeds of Beowulf in Prose.
G. : Garnett, Translation of Beowulf
Gr. : Grein.
H. : Heyne.
Ha.
: Hall, Translation of Beowulf.
H. -So. : Heyne-Socin, 5th ed.
Ho. : Holder.
K. : Kemble.
Kl. : Kluge.
Müllenh. : Müllenhoff.
R. : Rieger.
S. : Sievers.
Sw. : Sweet, Anglo-Saxon Reader, 6th ed.
Ten Br. : Ten Brink.
Th. : Thorpe.
Z. : Zupitza.
PERIODICALS.
Ang. : Anglia.
Beit. : Paul und Branne's Beiträge.
Eng. Stud. : Englische Studien.
Germ. : Germania.
Haupts Zeitschr. : Haupts Zeitschrift, etc.
Mod. Lang. Notes: Modern Language Notes.
Tidskr. : Tidskrift for Philologi.
Zachers Zeitschr. : Zachers Zeitschrift, etc.
NOTES.
l. 1. hwæt: for this interjectional formula opening a poem, cf. _Andreas,
Daniel, Juliana, Exodus, Fata Apost. , Dream of the Rood_, and the
"Listenith lordinges! " of mediaeval lays. --E. Cf. Chaucer, Prologue, ed.
Morris, l. 853:
"Sin I shal beginne the game, _What_, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name! "
wē . . . gefrūnon is a variant on the usual epic formulǣ ic gefrægn (l. 74)
and mīne gefrǣge (l. 777). _Exodus, Daniel, Phoenix_, etc. , open with the
same formula.
l. 1. "Gār was the javelin, armed with two of which the warrior went into
battle, and which he threw over the 'shield-wall. ' It was barbed. "--Br.
124. Cf. _Maldon_, l. 296; _Judith_, l. 224; _Gnom. Verses_, l. 22; etc.
l. 4. "Scild of the Sheaf, not 'Scyld the son of Scaf'; for it is too
inconsistent, even in myth, to give a patronymic to a foundling. According
to the original form of the story, Scēaf was the foundling; he had come
ashore with a sheaf of corn, and from that was named. This form of the
story is preserved in Ethelwerd and in William of Malmesbury. But here the
foundling is Scyld, and we must suppose he was picked up with the sheaf,
and hence his cognomen. "--E. , p. 105. Cf. the accounts of Romulus and
Remus, of Moses, of Cyrus, etc.
l. 6. egsian is also used in an active sense (not in the Gloss. ), = _to
terrify_.
l. 15. S. suggests þā (_which_) for þæt, as object of drēogan; and for
aldor-lēase, Gr. suggested aldor-ceare. --_Beit_. ix. 136.
S. translates: "For God had seen the dire need which the rulerless ones
before endured. "
l. 18. "Beowulf (that is, Beaw of the Anglo-Saxon genealogists, not our
Beowulf, who was a Geat, not a Dane), 'the son of Scyld in Scedeland. ' This
is our ancestral myth,--the story of the first culture-hero of the North;
'the patriarch,' as Rydberg calls him, 'of the royal families of Sweden,
Denmark, Angeln, Saxland, and England. '"--Br. , p. 78. Cf. _A. -S. Chron. _
an. 855.
H. -So. omits parenthetic marks, and reads (after S. , _Beit. _ ix. 135)
eaferan; cf. _Fata Apost. _: lof wīde sprang þēodnes þegna.
"The name _Bēowulf_ means literally 'Bee-wolf,' wolf or ravager of the
bees, = bear. Cf. _beorn_, 'hero,' originally 'bear,' and _bēohata_,
'warrior,' in Cǣdmon, literally 'bee-hater' or 'persecutor,' and hence
identical in meaning with _bēowulf_. "--Sw.
Cf.
"Arcite and Palamon, That foughten _breme_, as it were bores two. "
--Chaucer, _Knightes Tale_, l. 841, ed. Morris.
Cf. M. Müller, _Science of Lang. _, Sec. Series, pp. 217, 218; and Hunt's
_Daniel_, 104.
l. 19. Cf. l. 1866, where Scedenig is used, = _Scania_, in Sweden(? ).
l. 21. wine is pl. ; cf. its apposition wil-gesīðas below. H. -So. compares
_Héliand_, 1017, for language almost identical with ll. 20, 21.
l. 22. on ylde: cf.
"_In elde_ is bothe wisdom and usage. " --Chaucer, _Knightes Tale_, l. 1590,
ed. Morris.
l. 26. Reflexive objects often pleonastically accompany verbs of motion;
cf. ll. 234, 301, 1964, etc.
l. 31. The object of āhte is probably geweald, to be supplied from wordum
wēold of l. 30. --H. -So.
R. , Kl. , and B. all hold conflicting views of this passage: _Beit. _ xii.
80, ix. 188; _Zachers Zeitschr. _ iii. 382, etc. Kl. suggests lǣndagas for
lange.
l. 32. "hringed-stefna is sometimes translated 'with curved prow,' but it
means, I think, that in the prow were fastened rings through which the
cables were passed that tied it to the shore. "--Br. , p. 26. Cf. ll. 1132,
1898. Hring-horni was the mythic ship of the Edda. See Toller-Bosworth for
three different views; and cf. wunden-stefna (l. 220), hring-naca (l.
1863).
ll. 34-52. Cf. the burial of Haki on a funeral-pyre ship, _Inglinga Saga;_
the burial of Balder, Sinfiötli, Arthur, etc.
l. 35. "And this [their joy in the sea] is all the plainer from the number
of names given to the ship-names which speak their pride and affection.
