Beowulf With The Finnsburg Fragment (First Edition 1914)
Beowulf With The Finnsburg Fragment (First Edition 1914)
Beowulf With The Finnsburg Fragment (First Edition 1914)
CORNELL
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
WiLLARD FiSKE
Endowment
Library
Cornell university
PR 1580.W97 1914
The original of tliis book is in
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BEOWULF
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
C. F. CLAY, Manager
EnnJon: FETTER LANE, E.C.
ffiiinbtttBij : 1°° PRINCES STREET
",>.
'^
f-aj.
129" {Vi^-)
MS. Cott. Vit. A. XV. (reduced) fol.
JJWJ^T WE GARDE
na ingear dagum. j^eod cyninga
A. J. WYATT
NEW EDITION REVISED
WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES
by
R. W. CHAMBERS
Cambridge :
New York :
G. P. Putnam's Sons
1914
5
£K4i
eCambttlrge:
<>€4b^
CONTENTS
PAGES
Inteodtjotion .... ix—xxxviii
Text op BEowDir, with notes 1
Glossary 180
Facsimileb of MS.
The Manuscript
point, that the corruption had crept into the text, and
that therefore the generally accepted emendations must be
given up, and an attempt made to solve the crux by starting
from the point where the "erasure" occurs.
Having made up his mind from the autotype that there
wcLS an erasure, he subsequently examined the MS. at the
British Museum, and whilst thinking that the erasure was
not as manifest in the MS. as in some copies of the autotype,
he adhered to his position. The appearance of an erasure
is indeed so strong in the facsimile that no one has dis-
puted it: and I was therefore greatly surprised, when con-
sulting the MS. itself, to find that it showed no trace of that
roughening of the surface which was to be expected. On
the parchment being held up to the light, all the dim marks,
which in the facsimile (and at first sight in the MS. also)
look like firagments of an erased word, turned out to be
nothing more than strokes of the word on the other side of
the which (as so often in the Beowulf MS.) shine
leaf,
A
facsimile is given of two pages of the MS., and of the
pages in Thorkelin's transcripts A and B corresponding to
the second of these.
The facsimiles of the MS. should be compared with the
corresponding passage in the text. Such a comparison will
show the student what are the main difficulties which beset
the editor, and how he is helped by Thorkelin's transcripts.
Several things will at once be obvious:
(1) The lines of the MS. do not correspond to the
verse lines of the poem. This does not, however, cause any
serious trouble, for so uniform is Old English metre that
cases where there can be any real doubt as to the division
of the lines very seldom occur. Holthausen would put
geaf at the end of 1. 2430 Schiicking at the beginning of
:
1. 2431.
(2) The punctuation of the MS. is meagre and unre-
liable. The full stop is, indeed, sometimes used as we should
use it: e.g. after the word cyning in 1. 11 of p. 1; but it is
' A list is given below of the vowels marked long in the MS.
xiv On the Text of Beowulf
diflSculty of deciding and when he did not, intend
when he did,
the vague and indeterminate space which he left between
letters to be regarded as a gap separating two words.
%.,
%yi'
|e.4w^% l|T'hi«i^ ntmo^yyn j5?&a
MS. Cott. Vit. A. XV. (reduced) fol. 176" (179") ( = 11. 2105-2127)
Transliteration, 11. 2105—2127.
Jiirilti.' liilbe beon.Uatljtha.fl VVnne Jfi tnei hubu- •y^ertx.e. Iipilu Vjj^ abjiOJC. liS
ect o«-rj<x»\ elbo -7.e«u.nben -t,omel •vuS'hi-z.et -z-iosvulje cHrocuw li»l&« .._
rinne. "7 lanrne. oet- niobe ina.n\a.n onSo<ex.''niVtX. bficbom . tfSeh -co j!|16itnn
Sohli pu-U i*u.«u- iefltS" kohnam bi^hece beAfto. Bir iinti^he n<|he oe«Kn» ..
-iKbhCK teokn oichecdbe ettenlice Wli biEV- (EJVl kehe Evtoian j^^^n Jjixolk
i!eofili uy^tn-te. MoSeh li^Umt Metnofton fy^SoLW mej^ xen cpo»n tSerti^..—
behiT-tie. iema. leoh&' bfionbe |?oh Dtehnaut >ieon eel hfaiau:t. leojifie
Textual Emendation
c2
xxvi On the Text of Beowulf
accurate scribe did not as a rule depart from the wording
of his original except as a result of oversight. On the other
hand, even an accurate scribe did not hesitate to alter the
spelling and form of words.
Accordingly, whilst it is often possible from MS. evidence
to aim at reconstructiug the exact words of a text, it is an
immeasurably more diflScult task, unless we have some
external help, to aim at reconstructing the original dialect.
The rule which I have followed is therefore this. Where
there is reason to think that the spelling or the dialectal form
has been tampered with, I do not try to restore the original,
such a task being at once too uncertain and too far-reaching.
But where there is reason to think that the scribe has de-
parted from the wording and grammatical construction of
his original, and that this can be restored with tolerable
certainty, I do so.
And here again the study of metre is of the greatest
help. There can be no possible doubt that a half-line like
secg betsta (1. 947) is unmetrical : that the half-line originally
ran secga betsta. No device of circumflex accents can help
us here, and it appears to me that the editor has no choice
but to write the words as they originally stood. Yet caution
is advisable: where there is even a sporting chance of the
satisfactory.
"I have indulged but sparingly," Mr Wyatt wrote, "in
the luxury of personal emendations, because they are ob-
|
was the ^ which was used all along and the g which was
added later to denote the stopped sound.
In the text I have therefore followed the Old English
usage, and have written the^ wherever it occurs in the MS.
:
It will have been seen that the MS. gives no help in one of the
most difBcult problems that beset the editor of O. E. poems, the
question of the use of hyphens. Grein and Sweet discard them
altogether. I cannot but question whether this is not to shirk one's
is impossible to neglect.
To and cons of these disputed
discuss at length the pros
points is such task must be left
impossible in a text-book :
'
Holthausen"' to the article in the Z.f.d.Ph.
'
Names of Commentators xxxiii
I>ugu/> is much more than grown up men.' ThraUs and churls half trained
'
Acknowledgements xxxv
in war may be grown up, and may on occasion even be warriors, but they
are not dugub.
xxxvi On the Text of Beowulf
R. W. Chambers.
University College, London,
Auff. 8, 1914.
: :
NOTE
33 dn, 100 -wdt, 123 w6p, 128 -w4t, 210; Mt, 211 Md, 264
lit-, ; ; ; ; ;
ndt, 681 sse-, 690 -st6d, 759 dbeag, 775 Mn-, 780 wlc, 821 s£fe-, 895
; ; ; ; ; ;
-f6n, 911; sir, 975; fib, 1038; ddn, 1116; asfe-, 1149; m6d, 1167
bnic, 1177 sfer, 1187; rsfed, 1201 safe, 1223
; win, 1233 -wit, 1274 ; ; ;
-ydo, 1275 hid, 1297 hdr, 1307 bid, 1313 riin-, 1325 wit, 1331
; ; ; ; ;
g6d, 1870; 888-, 1882 rid, 1883; scfr-, 1895; s^-, 1896, 1924; gir-, 1962
;
-d6n, 2090; c6m, 2103 sarlfc, 2109 d6m, 2147 ; Hro«gir, 2155 -st61, ; ; ;
2196 in, 2210 (see note) fser, 2230 (see note) -pid, -bid, 2258 in,
; ; ; ;
2280 -w6c, 2287 -bid, 2302 f6r, 2308 -g6d, 2342 wfd-, 2346 -ddm
; ; ; ; ; ;
2376; sir, 2468; min-, 2514; birne stin, 2553; -swit, 2558; -swif,
2559 bid, 2568 -wic, 2577 -swic, 2584 -g6d, 2586 ; wfc-, 2607
; ; ; ;
Wiglif, 2631 gir-, 2641 fine, 2655 -r^c, 2661 stdd, 2679 fyr-, 2689,
;
; ; ; ;
2701 wis-, 2716 bid, 2736 Iff, 2743, 2751 stod, 2769 d6m, 2820,
; ; ; ; ;
2858; -rid, 2898; (-)c6m, 2944, 2992; id-, 3010; fiis, 3025; -r6f, 3063
Wiglif, 3076; -bid, 3116 fiis, 3119; id, 3138; -r^c, 3144; bin-, 3147.
;
some doubt
bit, 742; bin-, 1116; bl6d, 1121; gin, 1163; ir-, 1168; s*-, 1652;
1850 (now either gone or covered by the paper) ; wit, 1863 ; gir-,
see-,
2043 ; hrin, 2270 ; gir-, 2674 -swic, 2681 ; -hr6f, 3123 ; -hiis, 3147. ;
brim-, 222 ; fus-, 232 ; me, 472 ; win, 1162 ; woe, 1960; dom, 2666,
2964.
:
1151 feonda, 1152 (the supposed mark is that of dr-, 1168, shining
;
Schucking adds to the list of vowels marked long till, 2721 and
un{riht), 2739. But the mark over these vowels is quite unlike the
mark of length : it occurs again over up, 2893.
(6) Entirely omitted hy SedgefiAd: dn, 100; mdt, 442; sse-, 544;
-f6n, 911; d6m, 1528; gftr-, 1962; sld, 2086; d6m, 2147; -stdl, 2196;
-pdd, 2258 ; -w6c, 2287 ; -r^o, 2661.
Letters supplied in the text, but found neither in the MS. nor in Thor-
kelin's transcripts, are printed within square brackets. When it is clear
that the absence of these letters from the manuscript is not due to the
damage which the MS. has sustained, and that the letters can never have
stood there, both square brackets and italics are used. Other deviations
from the MS. are indicated in the text by italics alone, and the reading of
the MS. is given in a footnote. The term MS. reading ' must not however
'
be taken to imply that the letters can all be read in the MS. in its present
condition ; but only that there is satisfactory evidence that they once stood
there.
Certain letters and words which, though found in the MS., were pre-
sumably not in the original, but were added by the scribes, have been placed
between brackets thus (}iara). :
here ; (2) *ofteohan, to tug, draw away (cf Goth, tiuhan) taking an ace. of
' ' .
an earl seems rather forced : 1. 795 is not quite parallel [cf. Sievers in
'
P.B.B. xxix. 560-576]. Yet eorl may be defensible [cf. Kock in Anglia
xivii. 219, etc. xxviii. 140, etc. ; Klaeber^^].
;
B. 1
: —
2 Beowulf
he frofre jebad,
•f fea-sceaft funden; J^ses
7, fea-sceaft, as a helpless
' child.' Bee Index of Persons: Scyld; and
ct. umbor-wesende below.
}>tes frofre, 'consolation for that,' i.e. for his helplessness.
9. para ispresumably the addition of a scribe, being opposed to the
usage of Beowulf both (1), metrically, since ^mbsit&ndra makes a complete
half-line, and the preceding J>ara is not only otiose, but irregular [see
Sievers in P.B.B. x. 256]; and (2), syntactically, since si, seo, J>eet is in
Beowulf a demonstrative, and is very seldom used as a mere article. [See
Introduction to Beowulf]
15. psst MS. -JS, which is normally used as an abbreviation for J>mt.
:
Since the antecedent fyren-Searf is fem., some would take here as an •)>
abbreviation for pa: 'the dire need which they had suffered.' Zupitza
supports this interpretation of although dubiously.
-JJ,
of a lord.' But we can take pset as a conj. without this change: 'that,
being without a lord, they had before experienced a long time of sorrow':
for dragon lange hwile cf. 1. 87, pirdge gepolode.
For the explanation of aldor-lease see Index of Persons: Heremod.
16. Him, pi.; psss, 'in compensation for that,' i.e. the evil days.
frea. The metre demands a disyllabic form, such as frega [Sievers];
and most recent editors insert this form in the text.
18. Beowulf. Not the hero of the poem.
18, 19. eafera is in apposition with Beowulf. Trautmann, Heyne-
Schiioking and Holthausen follow the emendation of Kemble,
Beowulf wees breme, blsed wide sprang
Scyldes eaferaln] Scede-landum in.
= 'the glory of the son of Scyld spread far and wide.' The alteration is
not necessary [cf. Klaeber in Engl. Stud, xxxix. 428].
20. MS. defective. Grein's reading adopted in text.
21. MS. defective at corner. The respective merits of the restorations
attempted by the earlier editors have been zealously canvassed ever since.
These restorations are
feorme, 'while yet in his father's support' [Kemblej];
: ; ; ;; ;
Beowulf 3
We are dealing here, not with conjectural emendation, but with attempts
to decipher a MS. reading which has been partially lost. The data which
can still be ascertained are
First a space (^ in.) for two or three letters;
Then a fragment of a letter involving a long down stroke (i.e. either /, r,
s, J>, or w; this letter was seen fully only by the five earliest transcribers or
collators, who unanimously describe it as )'; the fact that Thorkelin in his
edition chose to read J>ina, and altered the r of his transcript to /> in con-
formity with his theory, in no way invalidates this evidence)
Then something which can now be read either as m, in, or blank space
followed by n (the earliest transcribers support only the readings or in) m
Then e.
Wine and asrree are, then, opposed to the evidence of the earliest tran-
scribers, and cannot be read into the MS. even in its present condition, for
they fail to make the line come up to the margin, which the scribe (with
only the rarest exceptions, e.g. 1. 1753) keeps precisely.
Uofne fills the space, but is syntactically faulty [cf. Sievers in P.B.B.
xxix. 306] and the / is inconsistent with the early transcriptions.
feorme gives unsatisfactory sense and is metrically impossible as in-
volving double alliteration in the second half -line;
hearme fits exactly (the hea, for instance, of 1. 40 just fills the necessary
-^in.), and gives satisfactory sense, especially if, with Klaeber [J.E.G.Ph.
vi. 190], we render 'in his father's possession': the young prince gives
-treasures from his father's store-^which, as Klaeber (foUowiug Sievers)
remarks, would agree excellently with Saxo's description of Scioldus pro- :
'
these transitory days' [Kluge's*]; Ian [or ISn} geahte 'possessed the grant,
the land lent by God' [Kock in Anglia, xxvii. 223. For many other emen-
dations and interpretations see Cosijn'; Bright m
M.L.N, s.. 43 {geweald
ior weold) Child in M.L.N, xxi. 175 ; Sievers in P.B.B. xxix. 308].
;
1—2
; .
4 Beowulf
33. wig, covered with ice [of. Sievers in P.B.B. xxxvi. 422].
'
'
it to the seashore. Baldr's ship was named Hringhorni : it was the greatest
of all ships, and the gods sought to launch it, and to build the pyre of
Baldr on it. ..Then was the body of Baldr borne out onto the ship. ..Odin
laid on the pyre the gold ring named Draupmr...and Baldr's horse with all
his trappings was placed on the pyre.'
In historic times the chiefs were still burnt or buried in ships.
For the voyage of the dead, cf. the stories of SinfJQtli (O.E. Fitela),
whose body is wafted away by a mysterious ferryman (see Index of Perscms) ;
of Elaine (the lady of Shalott) ; and of Arthur himself, who, like Scyld,
goes "from the great deep to the great deep."
53. Beowulf. Still the prince of 1. 18: to be distinguished from the
hero of the poem.
: ; :
Beowulf 5
57-8. heah and gamol are both conventional epithets for Healfdene,
—
found also in O.N. (Halfdan gamle Skdldshaparmdl, 73: Hal/dan hmstr
—
Skjolldunga Hyndluljdff, 14).
guif-reomw shows the w on the way to becoming a vowel and causing the
triphthong eou [cf. Zupitza in Z.f.d.A. xxi. 10].
glBide may be an adverb 'gladly,' but is more probably an adjective
agreeing with Scyldingas, ' the gracious, lordly Soyldings [cf. Klaeber in'
62. ...\Pn\elan, Grundtvig [Brage, iv. 500]; Bugge [Tidsskr. viii. 43]
supported this and supplied wses the name of the lady and part of that of
:
her consort were omitted by the scribe, who wrote hyrde ic -p elan cwen,
without anything to indicate at what point in the sentence the omission
may have occurred.
As the husband is a Swede (HeaSoscilfing, cf. 1. 2205) the coincidence
between elan and the name of the Swedish king Onela is too remarkable to
be overlooked, especially as it relieves us &om having to postulate a
Germanic princess with the extraordinary name of Elan. The reading of
the text, which leaves the lady's name unknown, is therefore preferable to
the theory [of GreiUj, Ettmiillerj, Sedgefieldj, etc.] which makes Elan the
name of the queen, and supplies Ongentheow, father of Onela, as the
husband
hyrde ic }>sit Elan cwen {Ongenpeowes wses]
Headb-Scilfingas heals-gebedda.
There is no external evidence for either alliance : chronologically either is
possible.
Kluge [Engl. Stud. xxii. 144], following the Saga of Rolf Kraki, where
Halfdan has a daughter Signy, who weds earl Saevil, suggested
hyrde ic pset [Sigeneow wses Smwjelan cwen.
So Sedgefield 2 and Schiicking. But Saevil was not a king of Sweden. [For
a full discussion of the passage see Trautmann in Anglia, Beiblatt, x. 259.]
63. For gen. sg. in as, of. 11. 2453, 2921; Sievers, § 237, N. 1. For
gebedda, masc. in form, but here fern, in meaning (as foregenga, applied
to Judith's female attendant, Judith, 127), cf. Sievers, § 278, N. i.
67. be-arn from be-ieman, q.v.
:
6 Beowulf
power.'
77. sedre mid yldum, 'presently amid men.' Earle's rendering with a '
78. Heorot is probably so named from the horns on the gable, cf hom- .
geap, 1. 82. But possibly horn simply means 'corner,' 'gable,' and horn-
geap 'wide-gabled' [cf. Miller in Anglia, xii. 396].
83. Two interpretations of lenge are offered
(1)'the time was not yet at hand that...,' lenge being an adj. meaning
'pertaining to'; gelenge in this sense is not uncommon, but there is no
certain instance of lenge, and to take ' pertaining to ' in the sense of ' at
hand' is forced. However this interpretation [Bieger^^] has been followed
vridely, and recently by Schucking, Sedgefield and Holthauseus.
Or (2) lenge may be another form of the comparative adv. leng (Grein).
The comparative here (where Mod. Eng. would use a positive) would be
paralleled by U. 134, 2555. The meaning would then be ' the time was
not very distant.' [So Klaeber^'.]
Holthausen2 reads longe.
; '
Beowulf 7
84. ecg-hete, Greinj: MS. secghete. Cf. 1. 1738, and Seafarer, 70.
afmm-swerian qjum=' son-in-law,' sajeor =' father-in-law.' It is clear
:
to abum-sweorum; and it may well be that this was the original reading,
and that the scribe misunderstood a^um as 'oaths' and so came to miswrite
sweorum as swerian to swear.' Yet swerian may perhaps be defended as
'
but standing to sweor much as suhtriga to suhtor, both meaning nephew '
(of. Genesis, 1775, his luhtrian wif). [Bugge, Tidsskr. viii. 45-6 defended
swerian, comparing Goth, hroprahans and Icel. feffgar.']
The reference is to the contest between Hrothgar and his son-in-law
Ingeld (of. 11. 2020-69). Possibly the hall was burnt in this contest, which
took place, as we know from Widsith, set Heorote. But more probably
'
'
1. 82 refers to the later struggle among the kin of Hrothgar, when the hall
was burnt over Hrothulf 's head. See Index of Persons Hrothulf. :
86. ellen-gmst. Greinj and Bieger^^ emend to the more usual ellor-
gmst, which is also adopted by Earle and Sedgefleld; cf. 11. 807, 1617, etc.
See note to 1. 102.
87. Jrrage, a hard time (Klaeber^"*, comparing Juliana, 464, is peos
'
'
8 Beowulf
102. gmst. This ambiguous word may stand for gdst 'spirit,' or giest,
gist, gyst, 'stranger'; giest is, of course, akin to the Latin Jtostis, and some-
times acquires the sense of 'hostile stranger,' 'foe' (e.g. 11. 1441, 1522, 1545
lele-gyst, 2560 gryre-giest).
In U. 1800, 1893 there can be no doubt that gmst stands for giest,
'stranger.' In 1. 2073 and in inwit-gmst (2670) the word is connected with
mco«[i]aji 'to visit,' which makes it highly probable that it means giest and
is used with grim irony. In the last instance we have confirmation from
the fact that gryre-giest is applied to the dragon in 1. 2560 and I should ;
be inclined also to take gsst (2312), nlS-gssst (2699) as= giest, niS-giest.
The dragon is not regarded as a spirit of hell, but as a strange phenomenon.
Grendel and his mother, on the contrary, are regarded as diabolic spirits
(of. 1266); and when applied to them I take gesst=gast 'spirit' (102: wml-
grnt, 1331, 1995: ellor-gMtt, 1349, 1617). This is confirmed by the fact
that 11. 807, 1621 give (ellor)-gdst, which can only mean 'spirit.'
In 1. 1123 gsesta=gasta,
104. Moor and fen were the appropriate dwelling-places of misbegotten
beings. Jordanes, recording Gothic traditions, mentions the offspring of
witches and evil spirits a race 'which was of old amid the fens.' Cf. note
:
to 1. 426.
106-8. Sievers [P.B.B. ix. 137]
...forscrifen hsefde
in Caines cynne (Jpone cwealm gewrssc
Ice Drihten)...
'
Had proscribed him amid the race of Cain (the eternal Lord avenged that
death) for that he slew Abel.'
109. fte...fte Mne = Cain... God, Cain.
112. orcneas. The meaning 'sea-monster' is often attributed to this
word (e.g. by Heyne and Sohucking), on the theory that it is a compound, the
first element connected with loel. firkn 'a kind of seal' [cf. Lat. orca 'a kind
of whale'], and the second with O.E. eoh, 'horse.' [Kluge in P.B.B. ix.
188, in part following Heyne.]
But the context seems to demand 'evil spirit,' rather than 'sea-horse.'
From the Lat. Orcus 'Hell, Death' was derived the O.E. ore 'giant' or
'devil,' as is proved by the gloss orcus ore, fiyrs oSSe hel-deofoV
' : Orc-neas
may be a compound of ore with ne 'corpse' (of. ne-fugol, 'oarrion-bird,'
Gen. 2158; dryht-neum, 'host of corpses,' Exod. 163; and Goth, n/ius, 'a
corpse'). [See BuggeS»-82 and in Z.f.d.Ph., iv. 193; and of. ten Brink";
Sievers in P.B.B. xxxvi. 428.]
Beowulf 9
115. mosian. Sieyers reads neosan, for metrical reasons. Cf. 1. 125. See
Introdvetion to Beowulf: Metre.
116. hean. The weak adj. without definite art. is a feature of early
O.E. poetry. See Introduction to Beowulf. '
120. Sievers [P.B.B. ix. 137] reads wera[s], 'the men knew not
sorrow.' Some edd. put the stop after unhlelo, ' they knew not sorrow, aught
of evil.' But with this punctuation Grim ond grsedig makes a very abrupt
beginning of the next sentence; and I see no reason to doubt that wiht
unhSlo can mean the creature of evil, Grendel ' ; of. hSlo-bearn, ' Saviour-
'
child' in Crist, 586, 754. [See also Klaeber, Christ. EUmenten, in Anglia,
XXXV. 252.]
128. after wiste, 'after their weal,' or 'after their feasting,' followed
lamentation. This seems a more likely interpretation than that there was
lamentation concerning Grendel's feasting upon the thirty thanes. {Cf.
Eock in Anglia, xxvii. 223.]
131. SryS-swyS. Earle takes this as a noun, 'mighty pain,' 'majestic
rage,' comparing leel. sviSi, a smart from burning.'
'
Surely this is seeking
trouble, for there is no evidence for any O.E. noun swyS, 'pain, smart,'
whilst the adj. sviyd, 'strong,' is common. It seems, then, natural to take
SryS-swyS as an adj., 'strong in might,' parallel to earm-m)iS, mod-swiff,
which are indisputably adjs., meaning 'strong in arm,' 'strong in mind,'
not nouns meaning 'arm-pain,' 'mind-pain.' Context too supports the
adjectival rendering 'strong in might'; for it is at least as satisfactory here
as 'mighty pain,' and more so in 1. 736, the only other passage where Jiryff-
iwyff oeeurs. If we thus make Jrrgff-swyff an adj., we have to take fiolian as
intransitive. But there is no di£Bculty about this of. 1. 2499, and Maldon,
:
307. [Earle quotes Grein in support of his interpretation yet Greio, renders
:
'stark an Kraft.'] I
. : ; '
10 Beowulf
who sought rest outside the hall,' amounts to saying that all deserted it.
139. [softte] Grein 1 ; no gap in MS.
140. sifter burum. The bowers lie outside the hall, as in the ' Gynewulf
and Cyneheard ' episode in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. The retainers, who
would normally sleep in the hall, prefer a bed by the bowers, which are
free from Grendel's attack.
142-3. The survivors held themselves 'the safer the further awav.'
146-7. Sievers [P.B.B. ix. 137]
hUsa selest {wses seo hwil micel)
twelf wintra tid...
147. twelf: MS. .xii.
148. Scyldinga, Grundtvig'*', Eemblej: MS. scyldenda.
149. No gap in MS.: [syS'Jjam,'] supplied by Kemblej, following private
communication from Thorpe. Cf. U. 1453, 2175. Some stop-gap is required
for the alliteration. Klaeber [J.E.G.Ph. vi. 191] supplies secgum, so too
Schtlcking; Holthausen 2, 3 aona; Buggers', sarcwidum; Sievers [P.B.B.
; :
Beowulf 11
xxix. 313], for J>am socnum: cf. 1. 1777. Klaeber, following Sievers' sug-
gestion, substitutes /oriTaM, the form usual in Bemoulf.
154^5. sibbe a,ndL feorh-bealo feorran are possibly parallel, 'hewishednot
for peace, or to remove the life-bale,' the verbal phrase explaining the noun
more fully, as in 11. 185-6, frdfre...wihte gewendan [cf. Bugge*^; Klaeber^].
We can, however, construe sibbe as an instrumental, in which case there
should be no comma after Deniga 'he would not out of compassion to any
:
man remove the life-bale.' [Cf. Grein; Sievers, P. B.B. xxix. 317.]
156. fea. Kemble^ normalized to fio, and has been followed by all the
editors. Tet ea for lo is a common Anglian (especially Northumbrian)
peculiarity. See Sievers 3 §150. 3.
157-8. wenan to, 'to expect from.' See Glossary: wenan, and cf.
1. 1396.
158. beorhtre is, of course, not comparative, as taken by many editors
and translators, but gen. fem., agreeing with bote, after wenan.
hanan, Kembleji miswritten in MS. hanib. The error possibly arose
. through the influence of folmH (cf. 1. 2961) ; or possibly bam {=banan) in an
older MS. was written with an open a and tlus, as so often, was wrongly
transcribed as u (cf. 11. 581, 2821, 2961).
159. MS. defective. [Atol] Thorpe; [ac se], without a period, Bieger^s*.
163. heUrunan. The fem. hel-rUne, ' witch,' occurs in several glosses
the Gothic equivalent is recorded by Jordanes Filimer, King of the Goths,
:
found among his people certain witches, ' quas patrio sermone Haliurunnas is
ipse cognominat' [Getica, cap. xxiv.]. It is not clear whether in this passage
in Beowulf we have the fem., or a corresponding masc, hel-runa, not elsewhere
recorded.
167-9. for Metode is generally taken ' on account of the Lord ': cf. 1. 706,
J)d Metod nolde. Holtzmanu [Germania, viii. 489] makes he refer to Hrothgar
'he could not touch his throne, his treasure, by reason of God's prohibition,
nor have joy in it.' But this seems very difficult, since Grendel has been
the subject for the last fifteen lines. Most probably, then, he refers to
Grendel, who was not suffered to outrage Hrothgar's throne by reason of
'
God's prohibition: he knew not His mind' (i.e. the fate in store tor him).
But the phrase may mean simply that Grendel is a fiend rejected by God,
::
12 Beowulf
170 JJset wses wrsec micel wine Scyldinja,
modes brectSa. Moni^ oft jesaet
the scene of Grendel's deeds: Earle rightly renders 'in his distant home.'
Cf. 1. 410.
197. /xBHi can bear the alliteration because emphatic.
203. This, by the customary understatement (cf. 11. 2738, 3029), means
that they heartily approved of his enterprise, as is shown by 1. 415. [Cf.
Klaeber in M.L.N, xvii. 323, and Cosijn^]
204. [T\dfne is the conjecture of Eask [Grundtvig''^''] and is certain.
The MS. is defective: only the lower part of the first letter is left, and this
may have been r, /, /, «, or w. The letter must have been only half legible
even in Thorkelin's time ; transcript A has }>ofne, B fame.
hml sceawedon, watched the omens.' Tacitus notes the attention paid
'
209. lagu-crmftig mon. This is often taken to refer to a pilot, but more
probably it relates to Beowulf himself. Seamanship is a characteristic of
the perfect hero, as of Slfrlt in the Nibelungen Lied.
wisade... land-gemyrcu has been rendered 'pointed out the land-marks'
[Earle, Clark-Hall]; but the travellers do not appear to be as yet afloat.
14 Beowulf
2^.f^fJJL,
w-t^^
2IO Fyrst forfS jewat; flota waes on ySum,
bat under beorje. Beornas gearwe
on stef'n stijon; stieamas wundon,
sund wis sande; secjas bseron
on bearm nacan beorhte frset^we,
the embarkation had passed : or, quite generally, ' time passed on.'
' '
due time, on the next day.' Earle arrives at the same rendering, though on
different grounds, which to me are not clear.
224. eoletes. The word occurs here only. The sense seems to demand
'
sea then was the sound traversed at the far side of the sea.' Yet this
; '
'
—
passive use of liden is dMcult a difficulty which Thorpe sought to avoid
by reading sund-lida ea-lade st ende, the sea-sailer (i.e. boat) at the end of
'
its watery way.' Bugge [Tidsskr. viii. 47] interpreted stormy sea (O.N. ' '
gl, 'storm'). But the first element, eo, in eolet may, by the Anglian con-
fusion of eo and ea, be the same as ea, river' (Lat. aqiia, Goth. ahwa). Others
'
suppose the word to mean 'labour' (cognate with Greek i\a6vu), or else to
be a mere 'ghost-word,' the result of a scribe's blunder. [Sedgefield^]
:
Beowulf 15
Beowulf 17
136».
swa we so]?lice Isecjan hyrdon, I'^ol-
who promises deeds.' Earle adopts the latter reading, and translates
'author of deeds.' The former is, however, the more probable: hatian
means not merely 'to hate' but 'to pursue with hatred, persecute'; cf.
1. 2466 [see Klaeber'*'].
276. fiurh egsan, in dread wise : for
' ' ^rh
marking attendant circum-
stances, of. 1. 1335, and perhaps 1. 184. [Cf. Klaeber^'i and in Archiv, cxv.
178.] Above, 1. 267, and below, 1. 278, Jiurk retains more clearly its meaning
of cause or instrument. And purh egsan may mean by reason of the awe '
18 Beowulf
ofer lagu-strealjnas
'
leofne mannan Fol. 136".
--'"
f
/^ '^
wuclu wunden-&als to "Weder-mearce, ' '
;
god-fremmendra swylcum sifejje biS-",^'
^
'"^
'-
300 ]73et/J)ODe hilde-rSs' hal jedijeS."*"' '.
297-9.leofne mannan and swylcum may refer to the whole band, ' to
whomsoever it shall be granted' [Kemble, Thorpe]. For a full defence of
this rendering see Klaeber^s"; liofne mannan would be a singular used
colleetively : of. eorl (1. 795), xpelinge (1. 1244). Most recent translators
make of 11. 299, 300, an assertion relating to Beowulf: 'to such a valiant
man it will be granted....' It has been objected that this is to attribute to
the coast-guard a statement which is absurd a view refuted 'by all the —
brave men who have ever fallen in battle [Eieger*^]. Tet he may reason- '
ably say Valiant men like your captain are destined to win.'
'
compares cinberg, Exod. 175] MS. hleor beran. If we retain the MS.
:
reading we must either take beran = bSron, 'they bore over their faces,' or
else, with Grein, assume a noun hleor-bera, visor Sedgefield2 reads ofer '
' ;
The latter part of 1. 305 has been widely read ferh wearde heold, ' the
pig' (ferh for fearh, parallel to eofor-llc) 'held guard': but the expression
ferh, 'pig' for eofor, 'boar' is strange [Cosijn']. The reading of the text
ferhwearde heold {ferh for feorh) involves a rapid change from pi. to sg.
but in O.E. poetry this is no insuperable difficulty. Translate the gleaming '
and tempered [helm] held guard of lite over the valiant man (gufrmodgwm men).''
The MS. reading, gupmod grummon, hardly admits of interpretation.
If a verb, grummon must be from grimman, 'to rage, roar,' which gives
no satisfactory sense; the meaning 'hasten' is generally apphed to it here,
but this is forced why should to roar mean to hasten ? And gupmod as
;
'
'
'
'
Beowulf 19
'^
wiS wrarS werod ' wearae healdan. . Pol. 137".
[Jlf.i.J?'. X. 43] had made the same emendation, but with adverbial meaning,
'grimly.'
Tacitus notes these boar-helmets but as a characteristic, not of the
:
Germans proper, but of the ^stii {Germ. xlv. Inaigne superstitionis formas
;
aprorum gestanf].
The straightening out of this passage, so far as it admits of explanation,
is mainly due to Buggers [and in Z.f.d.Ph. iv. 195, etc.], who proposed
eofor lic-scionon
ofer hleorberan gehroden golde
fah ond fyrheard ferh-wearde heold
gup-modgum men.
'The boar, over the visor, adorned with gold, gleaming and tempered,
held guard of life over the valiant man, fair of body (Uc-scwnorC).' Bugge's
interpretation, at least of 11. 305, 306, seems likely, and has been adopted by
Sohiieking and Holthausen2; cf. Klaeber*>^
307. [s]ffiJ timbred, Kemblej: MS. seltimbred.
308. For infinitives in on cf. 11. 2167, 2842, and Sieverss §363, N. 1.
312. [,h]of, Kemble2: MS. of. Both sense and alliteration demand the
change.
315. ^fter, 'thereupon.'
326. regn-hearde. Begn (Goth, ragin, 'counsel,' raginon, 'to rule')
comes in O.N. (regin) to be a synonym for the gods. Here it is used simply
to intensify. Cf. the proper name Eeginhart (Eeynard), appropriately
applied to that 'thoroughly hardened sinner,' the fox.
2—2
20 Beowulf
gumena; jaras stodon,
jutS-searo
sge-manna searo, samod setjseder.e,. ,.
332. apelwm, Greini (cf. 1. 892, and for the sense U. 251-2): MS.
a scribal blunder due to the hmle& of the previous line.
ftaeZe'-itm— evidently
For oret-, see Sieversj §43, N. 4.
338. Wen. Some editors write this wm' (=wene). Cf. 11. 442 and
52S.
344. mnu. The editors from Kemblej downwards have adopted the
more usual form of the dat., suna; but see Sieversj §§270 and 271, N. 2.
357. anhar MS. unhar. Bugge [Z.f.d.Ph. iv. 197] suggests that the
:
mistakes were easily made at a period when, the top of the a being left open,
it was hardly distinguishable from u another example is wudu for wadu,
:
have been that it is the oblique case of a noun glsedma, 'gladness,' or that it
should be read as two words, glsed man. GImd, 'gracious,' is a stock epithet
of princes. Grundtvig's emendation [1861, p. 13] gleed-mod is followed by
Holthauseni,2 and Sedgefield.
368. wig-getdwum. Note the spelling here, and in 11. 395, 2636 the :
editors generaJly alter into the more usual form wig-geatwum, etc., and this
emendation is supported here by metrical considerations. Geatwe is generally
supposed to be a corruption (Sieverss § 43, N. 4) of getdwe. It would seem,
then, that the more primitive form, getawum, has been, by a scribal error,
inserted here, although the metre shows that the form actually used was the
corrupt geatwe. Yet it has been maintained that the two words, geatwe and
getdwe, are from distinct roots {geatwe cognate with frsetwe getSwe with ;
tdwian, 'to prepare'). If so, they were certainly confused and interchanged
by the scribes. [Cf. von Grienberger in Z.f.o.G. 1905, 753.]
372. cniht-wesende, uninfleoted ; see note to 1. 46, above.
373. eald fseder -.MS. ealdfmder. This compound, meaning 'grandfather,
ancestor,' occurs in the forms ealdfeeder, ealdefmder; but its use here is
a strain to the meaning of the passage, and we may safely assume that the
scribe has run two words into one, as in numerous other instances. Eald
fader makes excellent sense.
375. eafora, Grundtvig272, Kembki: MS. eaforan.
'
22 Beowulf
Beowulf 23
397. onbidan. The scribe seems to have written onbidman, and to have
erased the m very carelessly, so that one stroke, resembling an i, remains.
Some editors read onbidian.
402. fid is metrically excessive [Sievers in P.B.B. x. 256], the only
parallel being {J>ara)ymbsittendra, where we can be certain that fidra was
not original (see note to 1. 9). Holthausen omits fid here also.
403. [hyge-rof eode], Greinj no gap in MS. :
407. WsBs; » for e: ef. spr9ec (1. 1171). See Sieversg §427, N. 10;
BiUbring § 92. 1.
411. Most editors have followed Thorkelin and Kemblej in normalizing
to fies. But fixs is a possible Northern form of the nom. maso. [SieverSj
§ 338, N. 4].
As in the Hildebrand Lay, news is brought by seafaring folk {seohdante),
414. hador. If we retain the MS. reading we must take hador as either
(1) 'brightness,' which is unprecedented (hador being elsewhere an adj.)
and does not give good sense, or (2) 'vault of heaven,' connecting with a
word twice recorded in the Riddles, which seems to mean 'receptacle' or
'confinement' (Ixv. [Ixvi.] 3, on headre; xx. [xxi.] 13, on heafiore; cf. Goth.
hefijo, ' chamber ' some editors emend to haSor here in Beowulf). Cf 11. 860,
: .
24 Beowulf
lating 'after the bright evening light is hidden under the sky.' [But cf.
Klaeber in Engl. Stud. xliv. 124.] Sedgefield2 under heofene hddor.
418. min[n']e, Greinj MS. mine. Cf. 1. 255.
:
420. J>Sr ic fife geband. The emendation J>s^a for J>Sr [Eieger^''] it
unnecessary: J>Sr can mean 'when'; Klaeber**^ compares U. 513, 550.
Unless 'eotens' and 'nioers' are different beasts, there is a discrepancy,
since later Beowulf claims to have slain nine nickers (1. 575). It seems
possible that fife is either a form (as Grein thought), or, more probably, a
corruption, of fifel, sea-monster.' There are several conjectures based
'
Beowulf 25
analogy with href, 'glory'; but the term HreS-menn here cannot signify
' Goths.' It may possibly refer to the Geatas, whose king is HreSel, in which
case a comma must be inserted after dyde. But I rather take it to mean the
Danes, part of whose kingdom is in Icelandic called ReiS-Gotaland; this
gives a more satisfactory sense he thinks to treat the Geatas as he did
:
'
26 Beowulf
Onsend Hijelace, jif mec hild nime,
beadu-scruda betst, )?8et mine breost wereS,
hraegla selest ;
|?set is Hrsedlaa laf,
have been proposed: that in the text is by Trautmann [in his edition:
otherwise Trautmann^'^], and we must render, with Klaeber [J.E.G.Ph. vi.
191], 'because of deeds done,' i.e. owing to the ancestral ties mentioned
below. [Cf. also Sievers in P.B.B. xxxvi. 401 ; Klaeber«S]. Thorpe, fol-
lowed by Schiicking, reads fore fyhtum, and emended wine to freond, so as
to alliterate. But tlie error obviously lies in fere fyhtum, which should be,
and is not, parallel to ond for dr-stafum [Sievers, P.B.B. ix. 138].
459. Holthausen, followed by recent editors, reads for metrical reasons,
J>in fseder gesloh.
Klaeber^*^ translates 'thy father brought about by fight the greatest
of feuds.' Schiicking, following Klaeber, similarly renders geslian, ' dnroh
Schlagen verursaohen.' But (1) geslSan conveys an idea of finality, and
means to achieve rather than ' to cause ' by blows and (2) since Ecgtheow
'
' ;
escapes safely, and the Wylfingas have to be content with a money payment
from a third party, such ineffective vengeance could not be described as
'
the greatest of feuds ; for the honours go to the side which last slays
'
the greatest of kingdoms.' [For geslean cf. Kock in Anglia, xxvii. 226-7.]
461. Wedera, Grundtvig (1861, p. 16): MS. gara: see 11. 225, 423, etc.
462. for here-brogan, ' because of the terror of war.'
465. Deniga, Kemblej MS. deninga see 11. 155, 271, etc.
: :
466. ginne rice, 'my ample kingdom,' and gumena rice have been pro-
posed.
467. Heregdr. Heorogdr is of course meant. Many editors alter the
name accordingly. When names are confused, it is frequently found, as
Beowulf 27
28 Beowulf
pa waes 'Teat-msecgum jeador aetsomae
on beor-sele bene jerymed;
)7aer swiS-ferh]>e sittan eodon,
uegum..., weota being from witian: 'in happiness ordaiu to these viotorions
men as thy soul bids thee.'
The reading on sSl meota sige-hrelf secga [Klaeber in J.E.G.Ph. tI. 192]
is an improvement upon Holthausen's, being much nearer to the MS., and
giving better sense: 'in joyful time think upon viotorj' of men.' This has
since been adopted by Holthausen2. The verb *metian is not elsewhere
recorded, but may be inferred from the Goth, miton, consider.' '
secgum.
Cosiju"' would read Sigehre3secgum,= HreSmonnum= 'unto the Danes.'
499. TJnferff always written with an h in the MS. although alUterating
: ,
with vowels.
505. gehedde. This is usually interpreted 'obtain' or 'achieve,' and
is explained either as a compound of hydan, 'to hide' (Bosworth-ToUer
of. 11. 2235, 3059), or of hedan, 'to heed' (so Sedgefield). But it may be, as
Holthausen (who reads gehegde) and Schiioking suppose [cf. Sievers, P.B.B.
ix. 293], from gehegan (1. 425), 'to carry out,' in which case mffir(fo='deeds
of glory.' Grein adopted all three interpretations in turn.
507. sund flite. The older editors took this as one word, 'swimming
contest.' It is better, however, to render 'didst strive in swimming.' •
Beowulf 29
been suggested.
For the gen. sg. wintrys see SieverSj § 44, N. 2 winter properly belongs
:
night.'
519. Heajjo-Emmas, Greinj MS. heafiorsemes. The most correct form
:
of the name, Hea/>o-Reamas, occurs in Widsith (1. 63) and some editors
would substitute it here.
520. eSel: MS. f^. The O.E. name of this runic character ft was
edel; hence the character is used here and in 1. 913 for the word eifc/.
525. Either we must take wyrsan as gen. pi. for toyrsena, a form which
would be extraordinary, but not quite unprecedented (cf. fiotan and sceotta,
Brunanbwrh, 32) or we must alter gepingea into gepinges [BiegerSS"].
,
The meaning is 'I expect from thee a worse issue.' Cf. 1. 1396 [and
see Kook in Anglia, xxvii. 224].
nean: a disyllabic.
528. Note the characteristic syntax, 'to await
from near at hand.' So Beowulf hears of Grendel'a deeds, not set ham,
hut from ham; see 1. 194.
530. Un/crd": seenotetol. 499.
534. earfefio, 'stress,' is not a good parallel to mere-strengo, so that
many editors have altered to eafeJ>o, 'strength.'
; ; ;
30 Beowulf
on jeojotS-feore —
J'set wit on jar-secg ut
543. him can take the alliteration because emphatic. Of. 1. 197.
548. ondhwearf: MS. -jhwearf; for the use of this symbol with com-
pound verbs, cf. jswarode, 1. 258. Grain takes hwearf to be an adj., which
he glosses 'versatilis, volubilis,' and compares loel. hverfr, 'shifty.'
565. Some grammarians have seen in mecum (1. 565), sweordum (1. 567),
mmgum (1. 2353), perhaps magum (1. 2614), heafdum (Eood, 63), etc., a
survival of an old instrumental singular. This, however, is exoeedinslv
doubtful [cf. Osthoff, I.F. xx. 163-218].
The use of pi. for sg. is to be found in Latin, Greek and O.E.: of.
;
Beowulf 31
1.1074, bearnum ond broSrum. Similarly here the plural has become almost
an epic formula, which is ueed, although logically inaccurate, since Breca's
sword had no share in this slaughter. [Cf. Cosijn'^. This seems better
than to suppose with Heinzel that Breca and Beowulf together slaughter the
monsters, and that the apparent inconsistency with the preceding lines,
544, etc. , where the separation of Beowulf and Breca is told, is due to that
O.B. 'harking back,' which he justly emphasizes. See A.f.d.A. x. 220.]
567. sweo[r]dum, Kemblej MS. defective at corner, having only swe
:
32 Beowulf
600. sendeft is the MS. reading, but the meaning is not clear. Leo
translated 'feasteth' but though sand often means 'a course,' 'mess,' or
:
Beowulf ^
eafoS Olid ellen ungeara nu ^
5u]je jebeodan. 'jEe]? eft se )>e mot ^
to medo modig, si]?]7an morjen-leoht 0>
ofer ylda beam o]jres dogores, A ^_,
sunne swegl-wered, su)7an scineS.'!/
ba wses on salum ' smces brytta, A
,i.
5am61-feax end juS-rof; geoce gelyfde''
Ibrejo Beorht-^^ena jehyrde onlBeowulfe Fol. 144*.^
;
''•-'•^^^
630 ond )7a jyddode juj^e jefysed ; -^^-'^^/r
Beowulf maJ>elode, beam EcjJ^eowes:
takes eafoS ond ellen Geata as subject, guiTe as object, and gives as his
reason for suppressing ic, that we can hardly construe ic Geata as ' I of the
Geatas,' or ' I among the Geatas.' This is true, but, as a previous editor
has remarked, it ' is what Coleridge calls the "wilful ingenuity of blundering."
What is to prevent ic being taken as the subject, and ea/od' ond ellen Geata
as the object ?
603. gufie may be parallel to eafof ond ellen, or may mean 'in battle.'
605. opres dogores, adverbial, 'on the next day,' as in 1. 219.
612. Compare the picture of the gracious lady in the Exeter Book
Gnomic Verses, 85, etc.
617. The verb 'to be' is understood after bUSne, as frequently,
629. The metre demands the unoontracted Wealhfieowan.
B. 3
;
34 Beowulf
"Ic Jjset hojode, )>a ic on holm jestah,,
-^" sse-bat jesset mid minra secja jedriht,
)7set ic anunga eowra leoda :~ ^ ^-'-^•^ r^^.^^M^
635 willan geworhte, oJ-Se on wael crunje^^"^
"^feond-'grapum fsest. Ic gefremman sceal
ende-dsej "'-^'<^»'- "*•'•'(
'eoriic elien, o)??Se
darkness of night ["was" understood, Bugge^'] over all.' This is more satis-
factory than Earle's defence of the usual meaning or There is something
'
' :
'
651. wan has changed its meaning from 'dark' to 'pale.' The modern
meaning inappropriate here. In other phrases, such as waters wan,' the
is '
Beowulf 35
3—2
;
36 Beowulf
"'
^l^'^^^
meerSo dettie, swa him temet bince."- .
' '
Beowulf 37
^''-,
fsetfum lahne; '^'
ne wses past forma siS,^-^-^
l^set he Hrojjjares ham jesohte.-=^- --";""
the parallel of mcui-acaSa (1. 712) favours the derivation of the first element
from synn, 'crime,' rather than (as in sin-here, syn-sTiMd) from sin-, 'in-
cessant.' But the alliteration is incorrect [of. Schroder in Z.f.d.A. xliii.
36S-6]. The second element in a compound noun is the less important, and
therefore should not take the alliteration when the first does not, and
accordingly Grein, followed by Holthausen, Trautmann'^*, Sohiicking,
emended to scinscajja, or scyn-sceafia, 'spectral foe.'
708. he, Beowulf^
719. hea/rdran hSle we may render ' with worse omen ' [Holthausen in
Anglia, xxiv. 267], or 'with sterner greeting.' If we read heardran hale,
'braver men,' we have an exceptional type of line [cf. Sievers in P.B.B. x.
275]. Holthaueeuj after numerous earlier attempts, finally (ii. 170) reads
<
certainty. The preceding letters have been lost, but as there must have been
two preceding letters we can hardly, with Sohiicking and Sedgefield, read
hrdn.
The contention that the simple form is preferable, because whilst hrinan
usually governs the dat., gehrinan more commonly takes the aoc, can be
met by reading [sethrfin (eethrinan takes the gen. and would therefore suit
the context). This excellent suggestion was made by- Grundtvig^'^ in 1820,
but has been generally overlooked.
723. MS. faded. Sd he gebolgen wees was conjectured by Grundtvig'"'
in 1820 and is adopted by recent edd. Kemble and the older edd. read da
hS dbolgen wxs. Zupitza says 'Now bolgen is still distinct, and before it I
:
think I see traces of two letters of which the first seems to have been g
[I can see nothing of this]: 'but what preceded this is entirely faded.
38 Beowulf
recedes mu|?aii. Ra)»e sefter J»oii
'^^'^
725' on feond treddode,
ifasne flor"
'^eode yrre-mod; him of eajum stod A«y- ^^^ i^j^.-<S^>^
-i5-.^-.
li^ge jelicost leoht uafiejer. ''-v"-*
Teseah he in recede, rinca mani^e,
^
swefan sibbe^driht samod setjaedere-^ ^
^ 1
'
under fEer-jripum ' gefaran wolde. ' -«-/-
^'''"/
Ne )>set se aglseca yldan \o\yXQ,'^'
740 ac he 5e|fen5 hraSe , forman si?5e «^ /"--^'^ Fol. 131».
'
unlyfigendes "eal jefeormod,
745 fet end lolma. ForSS near aetstop, ~^ ~'-
'A^ y-rvt*c-
nam ])a mid handa Jiije-jjihtigne- '' .a-<!5i*V- X. <w-r^
Beowulf 39
''''^'
-»-'—^'swylce he on ealder-dajum ser jemette.'^*-'''-'*'^ '*'^^^
"^ lemunde ]7a se TO^d[^]a mSg Hijelaces
"^ jefen-sptEeoe, up-lang astod x-^^i—>'«;^-*-^
;
(Beowalf) received him (Orendel) with hostile intent,' i.e. he did not flinch
or try to avoid the attack but came to grips with Grendel whilst still lying
down. This is the best rendering of onfeng, and is the situation implied in
11. 750 ft. Against this it is objected (Schiicking) that inwit has a significa-
tion of malice and treachery which makes it unsuitable to Beowulf, and that
we should render: 'Beowulf took, perceived, his (Grendel's) treacherous
hostility.' Cosijn" conjectures inwit-fianculum (dat. of adj. inwit- />ancol,
•' hostile in intent,' referring to Grendel). Grein took inwit-panc as an adj.
agreeing with 'Grendel' understood: but in the five other passages where
the word oeenrs in O.B. poetry it is a substantive.
749. wiS earm gesmt has been taken to mean (1) that Beowulf settled
upon Grendel's arm [so, e.g. Clark-Hall] ; (2) that he propped himself on his
,
own arm [so, e.g., Grein, Gummere]. The second meaning is supported by
The Harrowing of Hell, 67 (Christ and Satan, 432). Mr Grattan writes to
me ' Have you never tried to throw off a bigger man than yourself who has
:
758. rnodlijgyt, Bieger : MS. goda. The emendation is necessary for the
sake of the alliteration, and is followed by recent editors: Holthauaen,
Schiicking, Sedgefield.
762. mSra, 'notorious': cf. 1. 103. For other mstanoes see Bosworth-
Toller.
Jtser. MS. defective at corner only the lower part of the r is now left
:
but Thorkelin's transcripts agree upon the last two letters, air. As to the
preceding letters, A has a blank, B records to, but with another ink, and
crossed out in pencil. With evidence so confused, the parallel of 1. 797 tells
in favour of fieer, which is read by most editors.
'
40 Beowulf
"^^
Jia wses wundor
wiShiBfde hea];o-deorum,
micel, ]Jset
)?aet
se win-sde^^
he on nrusan ne
^ ^^^ ^^^
feci,
765. }>mtwsii, Greinj: MS. /»* ftc was. The emendation is generally
accepted.
765-6. Since tlS is masc, atmU is probably intransitive, and the
second ]im a conj. not a pronoun, as in 1. 717, etc. Translate ' that was a
,
distress. Bugge ITidsakr. viii. 294-5] connects with scirian, ' to dispense
(taken ironically, they were given to drink of a deadly wine ').
'
770. ren-weardas. This has usually been read ren (—regn) weardas,
'mighty guardians'; cf. regn-heard in 1. 326. Holthausen and Klaeber
[J.E.G.Ph. vi. 193] have independently suggested that ren=em=eBm,
'house,' by the common metathesis of r (Sieversj § 179, 1); rendegn
\ren-pegn] — aedis minister occurs in the Erfurt Glossary. 'The guardians
of the house' gives the more satisfactory sense.
779. mid gemete. Klaeber ^^^ argues for the meaning 'in any wise,'
rather than 'with strength,' comparing Bede, 86. 8, ealle gemete=omni-
modo, etc.
780. betlic, Grundtvig278: MS. hetlic. Cf. 1. 1925.
781. Cf. U. 82-5, and the note there.
;
Beowulf 41
42 . Beowulf
' ac he sige-wsepnum jforsworen h^fde, Fol. 147^
-'''•*'^
815 lifijende laS. Lic-sar jebad-*!-^/-*'^-^
atol sejlaeca; him on eaxle wearS-^**—
'^^
£^' syn-doih sweotol ; seonowe onsprungon,
burston Ban-locan. ^eowulfe wearS
tuS-hrefS gj'^^e ; scolde Trendel J^onan
82o'^-feorFseoc fleon und,er''Ten-hleoSu,^f:U-<^ .„^^«G©t^/H*r)
secean -wyn-leas wic ; wiste \e. ^eovnor,^ ^'^^^^ '"^'^^''j/
)78et ende gegongen, '^-^-^
his aidres wbbs '
V .
804. fortmoren, not that Grendel had 'forsworn,' 'renounced' the use
of swords, but that he, had ' laid a spell on the swords of his foes. If we '
slay Grendel with the sword, but he, knowing better, had forsworn weapons
[and trusted to his grip]. This is quite a possible rendering, for although
below (1. 805) his must again refer to Grendel, such rapid transitions can
easily be paralleled in O.E. syntax.
For the blunting of swords by the glance, see Saxo, Bk. vi. fed. Holder,
p. 187). •
811. Kemble^ first inserted was after he, and was followed -by almost
all editors except Wiilker. This appears to be a distinct enfeeblement of
the MS. reading. Fag comes at the beginning of a line in the MS., and
Heyne says it cannot be settled whether or no W9es stood before it. But
the facsimile shows ' there was no room for wms before fag (Zupitza). '
Beowulf 43
iW.-i'
*
"^^donfolq-tp^n feorran ond nean ^f-v^*-^'*^
840 jeoiid^ md-we5£^''~^undor sceawian, 25~=-<-*'
la|?es f^tas. Nq his lif-jedal --^*--'-''®- J^
tributed to Eask, but Grundtvig does not say so]. The reading hi\pf\ is
confirmed by 1. 926. There is no contradiction with 1. 983, if we sup-
pose that the arm is placed outside the hall, reaches over the door, and
towers to the roof. For such a use of under, not necessarily implying that
the hand is within the house, of. 1. 211. [See T. Miller, ' The position of
Grendel's arm in Heorot,' Anglia, xii. 396, etc.; and of. Cosijn".]
845. nlSa ofercumen. Unmetrical: cf. 11. 954, 2150. Holthausen
emends niSa genseged.
846. feorh-ldstas, tracks of failing life.'
'
[Heyne cf. Klaeber, Anglia,
:
xxviii. 445.]
849. hdton. MS. hat on heolfre, and so Greinj, Wiilker. Greinj
rightly read liat on as one word, hatan (unnecessarily altering on to an, for
which see 1. 788). The reading hdton is much easier than hat an, and
1. 1428 turns the probability in its favour. No weight can be attached to
the spacing of words in the MS.
850. The MS. reading deog has been explained as dyed ' (Grein) or '
'concealed himself (Heyne after Leo), but no verb deagan with either
meaning is recorded in O.E.
Sievers [P.B.B. ix. 138] heoro-dreore weol deaff-fSge deep 'the deadly
abyss welled with gore'; Bugge*', deaff-fSges deop 'the abyss of the death-
doomed one.' Cosijni', whilst supporting Sievers, suggests tentatively that
the MS. may be right, and that deog is a noun = dea£r, 'dye.' Kemble^ had
already suggested dmg. Considerations of O.E. style favour our taking dealf-
fmge deog or deop as parallel to brim weallende, etc.
However deo/, the Northern form for deaf, from dufan, dive, ' an '
44 Beowulf
f^ '
' covered with glory ' (as Klaeber^", who compares gylp-geomest [Bede i. 34],
translating gloriae cwpidissimus).
870-1. word oper fand soife gebunden, framed a new story founded'
iv. 203] thought, that 11. 867-874 are all one sentence, and that these words
form a parenthesis (' word followed word by the bond of truth,' Earle). Cf.
Hdvamdl : orff mgr of orSi orffs leitadt, ' word from word found me word.'
Yet, though we may delete the stop in 1. 871, we need not therefore,
with Eieger and Bugge, alter secg to secgan for cyninges J>egn, guma gilp-
:
hleeden, and secg would all be parallel, subject of ongan styrian eft (1. 871) :
would go with hwilum (1. 867), echoing the hwilum of 1. 864, just as in
11. 2107-11 hwilum hwilum... hwilum eft. [Klaeber^'''.]
For styrian in the sense of ' treat of,' a parallel has been quoted from
Byrhtferth's Handboc : Ne gelyst us Jids Jdng leng styrian.
875. 'Concerning Sigemund, concerning his deeds of valour.' Grein's
emendation Sigemundels] is the more probable in that the next word begins
with s ; but, since it is not absolutely necessary, I refrain.
—
Beowulf 45
46 Beowulf
surpassed Sigmuud, but the former fell from grace, turned tyrant, and in
fact was precisely what the aspiring hero should not be quite the opposite, —
say, of this glorious Beowulf.' Sigemund is the greatest wrecca since
Heremod.
In 1. 902 fm must refer to Heremod [not to Sigemund, as MiillenhofEii',
Eieger"^ and others have taken it]. Heremod's story ia continued; just as
in the parallel passage, 1. 1197, etc., sypSan Hdma eetioseg, the story of
Hama is continued in 11. 1200-1. In each case the poet drags in allusions
rather forcibly. But that the connection between Heremod and Sigemund
is not fortuitous, or the work of our poet, is shown by their being also
mentioned together in the Old Norse. See Index of Persons Heremod. :
(2) that the word here is a personal name distinct from the common noun,
perhaps signifying Jutes.' [See Schiicking for references.]
'
appointment to the wise, who had hoped that he would be a credit to his
country.
909. ' Put their hope in him (Heremod) as a remedy against their evils
{bealwa to). For other instances of to following the noun it governs, see
Glossary.
913, 915. He, 1. 913, ia Beowulf, 'the kinsman of Higelac': but hine,
1. 915, is Heremod.
915. gefsegra, ' more pleasing, comparative of an otherwise unrecorded
'
'
Beowulf 47
O.E. gefmg or gefaga, which can be postulated with some likelihood from
the analogy of O.H.G. gifag(o): M.H.G. gevage. [Of. Sievers in Z.f.d.Ph.
xxi. 356 Klaeber iu Anglia, xxviii. 440. ]
:
Heyne' took the -word here: 'he stood beside the central (wooden) pillar of
Heorot. ' Heyne was thinking no doubt of the Branstock, the central oak
'
'
which plays its part in the story of the Volsung hall. Sohiicking and others
still adhere to this interpretation, or to a parallel one which would make the
stapol correspond to the 'high seat pillars' of Icelandic halls [Sarrazin,
Anglia, xix. 370].
But (1) 'beside,' though possible (cf. 1. 1117), is not the most obvious
meaning of on, (2) we have no evidence for any great middle pillar or high
seat pillars in Heorot, and, above all, (3) this would necessitate our supposing
that Grendel's hand had been placed among the ratters, but it seems from
1. 983 to have been outside the hall.
Miller [Anglia, xii. 398] therefore interpreted stapol as the steps leading
up to the door or the landing at the top of them, his authorities being an
O.E. gloss, and the Mid. Eng. use of the word J>e steire of fiftene staples.
:
before his door. The same interpretation has been arrived at independently
by Earle'ss.
Eask's emendation on sta/o2e = 'foundation,' 'base,' has been revived by
Bugge'" and Trautmann, but is unnecessary and unsatisfactory too, for he
: '
'
sorrows ( = 0.E. gym). The latter interpretation is probably correct, for
'
; .
48 Beowulf
wunder aefter wundre, wuldres Hyrde.
Dast wses ungeara, \^t ic senisra me
•weana ne wende to widan feore
Holthausen2 , in a note, suggested wean wide scufon, ' woes scattered each
of the councillors': so Sedgefield2: already in 1820 Grundtvig^^' came very
near this : wean vndscufon. Similarly Sedgefieldi , wea wide sceaf.
942, etc. Perhaps a biblical reminiscence.
947. secg[a']. The alteration is necessary here, and in 1. 1759, for
metrical reasons. [Cf. Sievers in P.B.B. x. 312.]
949. [n^Snigra, GreiUj : MS. emigre. Grein afterwards abandoned this
emendation ; Grein^ nsenigre. [Cf. Bugge in Z.f.d.Ph. iv. 208.]
;
Beowulf 49
s^mran set sascce. J7u \e self hafast^
[mid] dp^um sefremecl; "'*)>aet J>in [^^ iyfaS
955 awa to aldre. Al-walda |>ec ^---^
"^^-"^
-^3!^ 5ode forjylde, swa he nti gyt dyde '" !
•
^-^"^^
954. No gap in MS. Thetoetre demands [mid] before dffidum, and this is
supplied by Holtbanseuj : so Sedgefieldj. Holthauseng, dBdum gefremed[ne'].
[dofii] is sapplied by Kemble,.
962. frsetewum. Grendel bore no armour; but the familiar formula,
'
the foe in his trappings,' is used, probably not with any such grimly ironical
reference as Trautmauni™ sees, to some fetters with which Beowulf hoped to
deck him.
963. hine, Thorpe: US. him.
965. mund-gripe, Kemblej; MS. hand gripe. The emendation is de-
manded by the alliteration.
976. nyd-gripe, Bugge [Tidsskr. viii. 49] MS. mid gripe ; Thorpe, niS- :
B. 4
— :
60 Beowulf
,f.
egl unheoru ;
^jhwylc jecwsetS,
983.' Looked np over' or 'in the direction of the high roof, and saw....'
MS. seems possible, it is here retained in the text [as also by Schiicking].
986. hilde-rinces MS. hilde hilde rinees, the first hilde being the last
:
word on the page, the second the first word overleaf. In such cases it seems
needless to call attention to the alteration by italics in the text.
spora is elsewhere a weak masc. ; Eiegei* would read spent, ' spears ; so '
Beowulf 51
'
fyren-dseclum faj oq fleam jewand/ '
1000. MS. )>e emended by Ettmiiller2 and almost all editors to fici.
: It
does not seem clear that this is necessary: for pe without antecedent can
mean 'where,' 'when,' of. 1. 2468. [Ct Sehiicking, SatzverknWpfunq 1904, ,
pp. 7, 57-8.]
1004. gesecMan, Kemblej : MS. gesacan. If we keep the MS. reading we
must render either 'gain by strife...' (cf. gesUan), or, with Schuoking and
Bosworth-Toller, ' strive against the inevitable prepared place of the chUdren
of men.' Neither of these meanings gives very satisfactory sense gesacan :
MS. now has only Used left, and de on the next line.
1015. wdran. Ten Brink'3 and Klaeber [Anglia, xxviii. 442] suggested
iceeron MS. J>ara. All recent editors have adopted this emendation, except
:
Trautmann'*", who reads mdgas J/wmre, ' the gentle kinsmen. ' Earlier
4—2
— :
52 Beowulf
HroSjar ond HroJ^ulf. Heorot innan wses
freondum afylled; ^ nalles facen-stafas
|?enden fremedon.
^
peod-Scyldinjas
I020 Fdi-geaf ]7a^Beowulfe
'
'""Bearn^Healfdenes
ne sefrsBjn iclreondlicor
'
feow^r madmas . .^^ ,,. ;
editors retained the MS. reading, and attempted to remedy the obscurity by
devices of punctuation. Wyatt in 1894 read:
Bugon Jja to bence blad-agende,
fylle ge^gon ; fcegere gefSgon
medo-fnl manig magas )>ara...
But it may be objected (1) that the task of emptying the cups would not be
confined to Hrothgar and Hrothulf ; (2) that the point of the allusion is not
that Hrothgar and Hrothulf are akin to the Daiiish nobility {bWd-agande),
but that they are akin to each other, and are, as yet, true to the ties which
kinship imposes (cf. 11. 1164-5).
The alteration is a very slight one, pajia' (i.e. wdran) might easily be mis-
'
read ' I'atia' (i.e. }>dra), and the gain in sense is very great. The poet has been
speaking of rejoicing : then, with the tragic irony which he loves, he con-
tinues, beginning a new period, ' The kinsmen too were in the hall no J yet —
was wrong being plotted.' See Index of Persons : Hrothulf.
1020. beam, Grundtvig^^^ : MS. brand.
1022. hilte-cumbor. Ettmiillerj hilde-, followed by Eieger^^, Holthausen,
Trautmann and Schticking (1913) hilte-cumbor perhaps gives satisfactory
:
sense, banner with a handle ' [of. Cosijn^'], but it is very difficult to account
'
" '
"^^wid-cupes wi^,
' SSonne walu feollon.
Ond Sa'Beowulfe beja gehwsejjres 9 ^-^
''"<, eodor Injwina on weald jeteah,?-— - >
beorge wirum be wunden walan utan heold. If we leave the MS. reading un-
altered there is a choice of difficulties. Either we must take walan as subject
and heafod-beorge as object, with a striking violation of grammatical concord
in the verb Mold ; or we must (with Heyne and Sociu) take heafod-beorge as
a weak fem. noan in the nom. and walan as object, with considerable loss to
the sense. The nom. pi. scur-beorge {Ruin, 5) also tells against the latter
view, which has no support from analogy. The emendation has accordingly
of late been generally adopted. Sievers, Bugge^", Trautmann and Sedgefield
prefer the more archaic form walu (Goth, walus, staff '). The change is
'
it being merely Thorkelin's two transcripts. Bat, from the position of the
word, it must have been perfectly clear, when these transcripts were made,
whether the reading was laf or lafe. Therefore to write lafe to agree with
meahton is practically as violent a departure from MS. authority as to write
meahte to agree with laf and since the former change lands us in metrical
:
tions are offered tempered in water ' (cf. ' the ice-brook's temper,' Othello,
:
'
V. ii. 253) ; ' hard or sharp in the storm of battle,' ' cutting like a storm.'
[Cf. M.L.N, vii. 193 ; viii. 61 ; xix. 234.] But I doubt if scur does more
than intensify: 'mighty hard.' Cf. Miuot, x. 43: Full swith redy semis
fand J>ai pare a schowre, i.e. a great quantity, abundance.'
'
1037. under eoderas. The same expression is used in the Heliand (of
the court of the High Priest, into which the earls led Christ thar leddun
' '
:
54 Beowulf
.;.••'•• /,v«. ^.^^..'('•-..>--^^
.-, /, •
,
' '
golde forjyldan, ]7orie Se ^rendel ^r
'
for)?an bis andjit seghwser selest,/- 7
'.y
"
1060 ferhSiies fore-]7anc. Fela sceal jebidan '-.— ^^- -'^ '' '
suggests Healfdena. [Cf. also Klaeber in Anglia, xxviii. 449, note ; Traut-
mann'^; Cosijn^*-^'.]
To interpret fore as concerning [Grein, Jahrbuch f. rom. u. engl.
'
'
Beowulf 55
mention of the children of Finn, when the sudden attack fell upon them,
a tale which was a hall-joy adowu the mead-bench. '...It is less satisfactory
from the point of view of style to make the lay begin, as in the text,
with 1. 1068 ; but it enables us to keep eaferum, which we must take as
instrumental: 'At the hands of the children ot Finn. ..the hero of the
Healfdene, Hnsef, was doomed to fall.' [See Klaeber in Anglia, xxviii.
443.]
The emendation Heal/denes [Graudtvig^ Kemble,], usual in editions
up to and including Wiilker, is unnecessary and misleading, since Healfdene
is presumably a tribal name. [See Bugge"^ and Index of Persons.']
1070. MS. infr es weele 'r altered from some other letter' [perhaps],
:
' after it a letter erased, then es on an erasure that fres is all that the
:
to 1. 565.
1079. All editors follow Ettmiillerj in altering he to heo, making fiser
ft«[o] Sr mMste heold worolde wynne refer to Hildeburh. This is not
necessary. Finn lost his thanes where he had had the greatest joy in the
world, i.e. in and around his mead hall.
1081. feaum. The original form must have been feam ; the u has been
inserted on the analogy of other datives.
1083. gefeohtan. 'Kla.ehex [Anglia, xxviii. 443], followed by HolthauseUj
suggests gebeodan, ' offer fight (cf 1. 603) on the ground that wiht gefeohtan,
' . ,
jured oath ' (cf. man, wickedness, and mansworn in the Heart of
'
'
and particularly the Frisians) should not mention it although the Danes
were following the slayer of their lord,' i.e. the Danes are not to be taunted
[Heinzel in A.f.d.A. xv. 192], or (2) 'they (the Danes) should not bemoan,
although....' If we adopt (2) we must (since it is Finn's oath we are
considering) render /at ' upon condition that,' and ponne ' then on the
other hand.' [Cf. Klaeber in Anglia, xxviii. 444.]
;
Beowulf 57
1102. hana must mean 'slayer,' not merely 'foe,' as Helnzel takes it
[A.f.d.A. XV. 192], It does not follow that Finn slew Hnsf with his own
hand. The achievements of the retainers are attributed to the chief, as
Tacitus tells us.
1104. frecnan, Thorpe: MS.frecnen.
1106. Unless we are to understand some word like 'decide' a rather —
—
violent proceeding something must, as Sievers supposes, be missing here ;
or perhaps the necessary infinitive to scolde is concealed in the word syffffan.
Holthausen suggests sn^d'iran, 'restrain,' or sw^Jfan, 'confirm': Trautmann,
and, independently, Sedgefield, sehtan, ' settle ' Klaeber [J.E.G.Ph. viii. 255]
:
seman, reconcile,' or geSan, ' declare the truth,' ' prove,' ' settle.'
'
1107. Aff. The emendation dd, ' the pyre [Grundtvig^^], has had its
'
this word is, of course, pure guess-work. It has been proposed to emend
iln'icge-gold, on the analogy of incge-ldfe, 1. 2577, where see note [Singer in
P.B.B. xii. 213 ; so already Eieger, LesebucK] or itge, 'bright,' not found in
;
O.E., but cf. Icel. itr, 'glorious' [Holthausenj ; but cf. also Anglia, Beiblatt,
xiii. 364]; or See (a word found once on a runic inscription and supposed
to mean 'one's own,' hence, ' domestic wealth ') [Klaeber in J.E.G.Ph. viii.
256] or to write ondicge as one word = ' exciting envy [von Grienberger in
; '
Anglia, xxvii. 331 : butcf. Sievers in P.B.B. xxxvi. 421]; orondiege 'openly,'
not elsewhere recorded, but cf. andSges, 1. 1935, and Goth, anddugjo,
'
openly' [Bugge^, SedgefieldJ. Holthauseug takes icge = idge eager.' '
expression is found in O.N. {dffr d bdl stigi, of Balder's funeral). [Cf. Bugge
in Tidsskr. viii. 51.]
1120. for hldwe, 'in front of the mound.' It has been objected that
this would not yet have been raised, and emendations have been suggested.
[Of. Klaeber in Engl. Stud, xxxix. 463.] But no change is necessary.
Bodies vrere frequently burnt at the burial place, beside mounds which
had been previously raised. See Introduction to Beowulf: Archaeology ;
Burials.
1125. Finn's army breaks up and his warriors return home [cf. Klaeber
in J.E.G.Ph. vi. 193].
neosian. Metre favours neosan, which is the more usual form in Beowulf :
cf. 1. 115 (note), 11. 125, 1786, 1791, etc. [and Sievers, P.B.B. x. 233].
1128-9. The reading in the text is that of KemblCj 3. MS. midfinnel
unhlitme; Heyne, mid Finne [caJJes] «mWi«m« ( = uniteiy ') [cf. Bieger^^ '
;
Eng. Sel. Pron., § 102). Sievers [P.B.B. xii. 193] would read }>SBr...inne
'
where, he knew, the heroes were.' Cf. Holthausen's note.
1142. worold-rssdenne. How does Hengest 'not refuse the way of the
world ? The current explanation has been that it means he died [e.g.
'
'
'
Schticking puts comma after gemunde, and renders stvd... 'in such wise
that,...' i.e., without breaking his allegiance.
1143. hilde-Veoma is probably the name of the sword which Hunlafing
places in Hengest's bosom. See Introduction to Beowulf: Finnsburh.
1150. weana dSl, their manifold woes ' d»/ signifying 'a large part,'
'
;
breast that is he died.' For wSfre of a spirit about to depart, cf. 1. 2420.
'
; '
But it is more in accordance with O.E. style that 11. 1150-1 should be
parallel to 11. 1149-50. Hence Bugge [Tidsskr. viii. 295], following
Ettmuller, the spirit (of the attacking party, Guthlaf and Oslaf) could no
'
60 Beowulf
Sceotend Scyldinsa to scypon feredon
1158. M)i/=Hildeburh.
1161. For beorhtian, 'to brighten,' used of sound, of. heaSotorkt, of a
clear loud sound, 1. 2353. Sedgefield reads beorhtmode {beorhtm ' sound').
1163. etc. Note the expanded lines. Cf. 11. 2173 a, 2995.
1164. suhter-gefsederan. See Index of Persons : Hrothulf, Unferth, and
cf. note to 1. 84, ajmm-swerian.
1165. VnfcrJ,:KS.hunferJ>.
1174. We
must either understand (with Holthausen) or read (with
Sedgefield) [^e] Jm nu hafast : ' Be mindful of gifts you have plenty of ;
them.'
Ettmiillerj suggested Jm nu IfriSu'] hafast, and the reading /riiftt or
freodo has been widely accepted. But metrically it is unsatisfactory [of.
Sievers in P.B.B. x. 248 but see also xii. 196]. Also the alliteration should
;
run on n not /.
[See also Bngge^^; Klaeber in J.E.G.Ph. viii. 256-7.]
1176. Kemhle2: M.S. here ric. The omission of the « (written
here-rinc,
as a mere stroke above the vowel) is a not uncommon scribal error. Cf.
„
Beowulf 61
'
-'
wme
-
'• -
Scildinra, worold oflsetest;-^-'"'^
^t-,v^^_ ^ ^ t •
423 [Anglia, iv. 155]; hyndo in 1. 475 is perhaps also a gen. pi.
1186-7. Holthausen compares Tacitus [Germania, xx.] : sororum filiis
idem apud avunculum qui apud patrem honor and this close tie between the :
maternal uncle and hia sister's sons is of course a feature of many primitive
tribes (see note to 11. 1114-7, above). But Hrothulf is son, not of a sister,
but of the brother Halga, himself a mighty sea-king : he has claims to the
succession which the queen justly fears. See Index of Persons : Hrothulf.
1194. earm-reade: so MS.; Greinj earm-[hyeade. For the occasional
absence of initial ft, especially in the second element of compounds, see
Sieversg § 217, Biilbring § 526.
1198. hord-madm : MS. hard madmum. Almost all editors have emended
to mdSSum [Greini] or matfm [Grundtvig, 1861]. The emendation is here
adopted (though the spelling madm is retained) because (1) a dat. madmum
can only be construed with difficulty, (2) mdSm is metrically superior, and
3) a scribe, having in his original the archaic form maSm or madm, and
62 Beowulf
to pme byrhtan byrig Brosin^a mene,
searo-niSas ileah. '^ ••
I2CX) sijle ond sinc-fset; y-';''< '
/'
fsehSe to Frysum. _He_]'a fraetwe wsej,
eorclan-stanas, ^jjfer ySa ful,
'
" ;
note to 1. 707.
1200. sine-fset. On the analogy of gold-feet {Phcenix, 302) the meaning
'precious setting' has been proposed [Klaeber, J.E.G.Ph. vi. 194].
fleah, Leo, Grundtvig (1861), Oosijn iP.B.B. viii. 569], Bugge*" MS. :
fecdh. "Fleah gives an easier construction and is confirmed by the fact that,
according to the saga, Hama in reality fled from the enmity of Eormenric.'"
'
1201. Two explanations of 'he chose the eternal counsel, welfare' have
been suggested. (1) 'He went into the cloister,' as Hama does in the
Thidreks saga. This, it is objected, is hardly a likely interpretation in so
early a poem as Beowulf. The retirement of the hero to a monastery seems
indeed to be a motive found most frequently in French Bomance. Yet, since
we know of early Anglo-Saxon chiefs, e.g. King Ethelred of Mercia and
Eadberht of Northumbria, who did end their days in the cloister, it may
have been a motive also in O.E. poetry. (2) The meaning 'he died' ia
suggested: similar euphemisms for death are common. Bngge^" and Elaeber
IChriat. Elementen, in Anglia, xxxv. 456] combine both meanings: 'he
went into the monastery, and there ended piously.'
But in 1. 1760, and in Exodus, 515, the phrase ece reedas seems rather to
mean counsel such as will lead to eternal benefit,' without any connotation
'
Beowulf 63
,/^ic*,~zS.*.^^
•f 'medes milde, man-drihtne hol[d] j^w ;
here we should expect silence for the speech of Wealhtheow (cf. 11. 1698-9).
:
533.] This co for ea may be Anglian yet it ia also possible that geo is
;
crepancy between this ' long time and the shortness of the time which does,
'
''-'
fsederen-mEese ; he j^a' faj gewat,^'':
"/ morpre jemearcod, |man-dream fl^orii Fol.^l58».
/' *
jeo-sceaft-jasta j waes )>8era -rrendel sum,-" ' '
^'^
jim-fseste gife, ?Se him 7od sealde,
Grendel's mother and even should we, with Thorpe, Greinj and Holt-
:
hausen, emend to Jte[o], 8e[o], there remain passages like 1. 1379, where
Grendel's mother is called fela-sinnigne secg. The poet is inconsistent,
thinking sometimes of the female sez, sometimes of the daemonic power, of
the monster. Ten Brink"'."'' saw in this confusion traces of an earlier
version in which Beowulf fought under the water with two monsters, one
female, and one male— Grendel's mother and Grendel.
1261. Cain, Grnndtvig''*', Kemblej, etc.: MS. camp.
1266. See note to 1. 1234.
1271. EemblC;,, etc., gin-feeste an unnecessary emendation. For the
:
B. 5
66 Beowulf
'
hratSe heo sej^elinja anne hsefde
129s fseste befanjen ;
})a heo to renne ganj.
'>^Se wses Hro)?5are h8Ble]>a leofost '*^«-'^-^ | '^<*^««-
"^^ on jesiSes tao^ be ssem tweonum,-i<-^Ci-'j-<^ y^o*^
i*^^^ rice rand-wija, ,
]?one Se heo on raeste abreatj-^^^y^)
blsed-fsestne beorn. Najs Beowulf Sser,
jeteohhod '^-^-p-^---^
1300 ac wses oj^er in 7^, ser
seffcer ma>tSum-tife' mserum 'jeate. -* ^Sa. g^-'-^
/'^^ „, '
•''' hwsejjre him AZ-walda sefre wille >
J>e hine, whom,' for /a hine, was suggested by Grein, (followed by Heyne,
'
Sweet, etc.) and is ingeniouB but not necessary. [Cf. Fogatscher, Unautge-
drUcktes SuJgekt im Altenglischen, Anglia, xxiii. 296.]
1302. under heolfre, 'amid the gore,' 'blood-stained.'
1304-6. '
The exchange wag not a good one which they had to buy, to
pay for, with the lives of their friends.' A typical description of a blood-
feud, where, as in the Icelandic sagas, the lives on each side are set off, one
against the other. On bd healfa, not, as often taken, the Danes and the
Geatas, but the monster brood on the one side, and the Danes and Geatas
on the other.
1314. Alwealda, Thorkelin ; Al-walda, Thorpe : MS. alf walda. Cf.
U. 316, 955.
wille. For the tense wiJie, not wolde, Elaeber^^" compares 11. 381, 1928, 2495.
: ^ '
Beowulf 67
lin's transcripts A
and B, swy scolde.
1329. No gap in MS. Grundtvig's emendation [1861, cedeling}.
1331. wsel-gSst. See note to 1. 102.
hwsideT : MS. hicmjier. Ten Brink'* [ef. Mbller, V.E., 136] saw in hwmj>er,
' which of the two,' a confirmation
of his view that there had been a version
representing Beowulf fighting under the water with both Grendel and his
mother, and that what Hrothgar here states is that he does not know which of
the two is the assailant [of. Schuckingi]. But unless we are prepared, vrith
ten Brink, to regard 11. 1330-1 as an isolated fragment of such a version, out
of harmony with its present context, we must read not ' I know not which
but ' whither ' : since it appears from the context that Hrothgar has no doubt
as to the personality of the assailant, but does not know her exact retreat (cf.
U. 1333, 1339).
We may therefore (1) retain hwseper, attributing to it the meaning of
hwider [Heyne,, Holthausen], for which no precedent can be found ; (2) emend
to hwwder, a form of hwider, of which examples are elsewhere found, see
Bosworth-Toller [GreiUj, Heyncj, Cosiin^^"^, Sedgefield, Sohiiekiugg, etc.];
or (3) emend to hwider [Sweeti, Greiu-Wiilker, etc.]. The via media (2)
seems preferable.
5—2
• :
68 Beowulf
'>-<-' jjLMLA,„>-a .*-^;>^-ua_
atol aese wlanc eft-siSas teah,
fylle jefrSjnod. Heo )?a fsehSe wraec, -m^-<->>!^ .-z^ ^k*-^
y^"
1333. The emendation of Eemblej, geJSgnod, 'made glad,' has been
widely accepted: fylle would be tromfyllo, 'feast,' rather than /«JZ, 'fall,'
'death' [of .Esohere]: cf. 11. 562, 1014.
1342. sinc-gyfa should signify 'a ruling (not neoessarily independent)
chief: iEschere may have been, like Wulfgar, a tributary prince. Or
perhaps, with Holthausen, we can take the word as a fem. abstract noun
' after the giving of treasure ' by Hrothgar joyful occasions when the absence
:
1351. onllcnes, Kemble,: MS. onlic nses; Sweet, onlic, wses...; Holt-
hausen, following Grundtvig [^ but cf. his edit, of 1861], omits nses.
1334. MS. defective ; Thorkelin's transcripts A and B, nemdod ; Eemblci,
nemlnodon] Kemblcg nemldon].
; ,
howulf 69
':/-^^^"^-*'"-''-^ ^"'^
unlifjendup sefter selest.
1390 weard;
Aris, rices utbn hraj^e feran 9^ -f^^';-"-*^
Beowulf 71
' '
'
winum Scyldinja, weorce on mode '^^''^^^^ "^^ '^^'^
Some classical parallels for the scenery of the episode of Gxendel's mother
are discussed by Cook (M.L.N. xvii. 418).
1410. This line occurs also in Exodus, 58.
1414. fsiringa. As with semninga (1. 644, q.v.) the meaning must not
be pressed.
1418. winum Scyldinga. The expression is more usual in the sg., re-
ferring to the king alone (11. 30, 148, 170, etc.), but that it can also be used
of the more distinguished retainers seems to follow from 1. 2567. See also
note to 1. 1342 [and cf. Klaeber in J.E.G.Ph. vi. 195].
1423. katan. Cf. 1. 849.
1424. MS. defective at edge. Thorkelin's transcript B gives/...; /[yrd]-
is an emendation of Bonterwek [1859 : Z.f.d.A., xi. 92].
'
72 Beowulf
sellice see-dracan, sund cunnian,
swylce on'naes-hleoSurii nicras \ic^ea,^l,^>vL^y(tt^ ^^-^
on undern-mJel
SSa oft bewiti5a?S -^tAJ^-^-^
"^
J sorh-fulne siS on sejl-rade, ^^^^-^^ - ^->.«-j—
^•,i.** V '43° wyrmas ond wil-deor hie on wej hiUTon ;
^^(j^ ^'^ ^
%*"
f jV bitere ond jeboljne, ^
bearhtm onjeaton, .ssu^^ £i.u- «.
yt'-u^ <hi^ry^
I
sundes j^e'ssenra, tSe hyne swylt fornam. .-<6t-*^z2L "^f^^
f-
ai-' eo'rres inwit-feng' aldre 5esce)>San ;- ,
''^ ^^
ac se hwita helm |hafelan werede, fi-'^***-^ Foi. 169».
1426. The syllable lie in words like »eViie is probably sometimes long,
sometimes short. Metrical considerations make it likely that it is here
short. Cf. 11. 232, 641 [and Sievers in F.B.B. x. 504 ; xxix. 568].
1428. It seems more reasonable to suppose that the nickers 'look after,'
or ' undertake,' journeys of their own fraught with trouble, than that they
' look at those of others. See Glossary (be)weoti(m.
' :
pretation adopted recently by Sedgefieldj : but cf. Sievers, Anglia, xiv. 135].
The emendation wSg-fara, 'the wave-farer,' has been suggested [Traut-
mann, followed by Holthauseni_ J : wSg-fara is not recorded, but wmg-faru
is. The word t»%-deor, tentatively suggested by Elaeber [Engl. Stud, xxxix.
463], occurs in Crist, 988.
1447. eorres. Non-W.S. form, corresponding to W.S. ierres, yrres.
1449. mengan may possibly mean 'piingle with, visit,' as usually inter-
preted but mingle together, stir up seems a more likely rendering, in view
:
'
'
of the common use of gemenged = ' disturbed ' (cf. 11. 848, 1593). [Gf. Klaeber
in M.L.N. xvi. 16.]
Beowulf 73
-t^ --'.j
Nses ]?6nne mStost maBSen-fultuma,^^^'^:^^
145s
^^"'X'^i^^
"
)>3et'
]7get
74 Beowulf
XXII BEOWVLF ma]?elode, beam EcsJ^eowes:
" 7e]7enc nu, se msera ^aga Healfdenes,
1475 snottra l^igSr, nu ic eom siSes i\\s,^^-c^ /-^ ^^ /^"^^
jold-wme juTnena,' hwset wit jlo^sprsecon
jif ic set ]7earfe ]?inrescdde
.„.^1H»-«-
aldre linnan, J»aet Su me.a wSre-* -<^-«*«>^Ae_
^4or5 gewitenum on fseder stEele.-^ » /"'•^^^-^'^/^'^'^
1480 Was |»u niund'-bora minum majo-Jjajnum, .-?r>K^ ^iii^in
^ajr^'^ttan, ^^g^ongT^te^-—^;
Ond Jru (H)unfert5 iSt ealde lafe, f^ /"-i'^'^
1474. For this use of se with the vocative, which does not occur else-
where in Beowulf, of. hsdep min se leofa. Hood, 72.
1481. kond-gesellum. As this word does not occur elsewhere, Holthausen
follows Grundtvig (1861, p. 51) in reading hond-gesteallum.
1485. HrMdles. Many editors normalize to RreSles unnecessarily see : ;
1502-3. 'No whit the sooner did she harm his body, but it remained
whole.'
1506. brim-wyllf], Eemble^: MS. brim wyl.
1508. J>eah, Grrein: MS.^»m. Grein's emendation makes good sense.
The majority of editors follow Grundtvig (1861, p. 52), reading fims, but are
not agreed whether to take no with he pss modig wsis or not : and neither
rendering, 'he was,' or 'he was not, brave enough to wield his weapons,'
gives a very satisfactory sense. Schucking and Sedgefleldj read fiSr.
& 1510. »M)e[ra]cte, Eemblej : MS. swecte : the n, which probably in an older
MS. was signified simply by a stroke over the e, has been omitted cf. 1. 1176. :
^"^ 1
'^'''^
fs^esTyr^hraBgl ; Sa wass forma sifS j^^ TX*-^
:/^ deorum madme, Jjset his dom alsej.
about the hero 'extricating himself from the coil.' The language o€ 1. 1518
would rather lead ns to suppose that the hero meets his adversary for the
first time within the cave. This is certainly the case in the Grettis saga,
and is probably the original form of the story.
1520. Aomd, Bouterwek IZ.f.d.A. xi. 92], Greinj: MS. hard. Sweet,
svienge hand, without explanation. The dat. swenge seems strange we :
should expect the ace., and many editors accordingly alter to swtng here.
1322. gist. The 'stranger' is Beowulf.
1529. an-rmd. Here, and in 1. 1575, it does not seem certain whether we
should read dnrsed, resolute,' or (with Holthausen and Schuoking) am-Sd
'
=onrwd, 'brave.'
1530. Hylaces. On metrical grounds it is to be presumed that the
original Beowulf had the Northern form of the name, Hygldc [cf. Sievers in
P.B.B. X. 463]. This has nearly everywhere been altered by the scribes to
Hygeldc. We
have here a survival of the older spelling : Hyldc standing for
Hygldc as WiUif for Wiglaf (1. 2853). [Cf. Kla«ber«™ ]
1531. wunden-irml, Kemblej: MS. wundel rrml. Cf. note to 1. 1616.
1534. don for doan, disyllabic. Cf. gdn (=gdan or gangan) below,
1. 1644.
1537. [fleaxe, Bieger: MS. eaxle. Bieger's emendation betters the
alliteration,and has been adopted by Sweet, and by resent editors. Those
who retain the reading goda in 1. 758 would however be justified in quoting
that line as a parallel to gefeng pa he eaxle. To me feaxe appears also to
give better sense: but this maybe disputed. Mr Wyatt writes: 'William
Morris agreed with me that it debased Beowulf's character, turning a wrestle
into an Old Bailey brawl. Hair-pulling is a hag's weapon.'
::
Beowulf 77
1541. and-Uan, Bieger"* : MS. hand lean. Rieger's emendation has been
accepted by lecent editors, to allow of the word alliterating with eft.
The same scribal blander appears in 1. 2094, where again the„alliteration
demands the vowel: ondlean. Cf. also 11. 2929, 2972.
1543. oferwearp: if we retain the MS. reading, with the nominatives
itrengest and fefie-cempa referring to Beowulf, we must translate oferwearp,
' stumbled.' But no other instance is to be found of this intransitive nse of
oferweorpan. Hence the emendation of Ettmiiller^, fej>e-cempan: and of
Cosijn'", wigena strengel : ' she overthrew the prince of warriors, the champion'
(cf. 1. 3115). The added n is the slightest of alterations (see note to reeswan,
1. 60), but even this is not essential, since fejie-cempa might refer to
Grendel's mother.
[For a defence of oferwearp = stumbled,' see Schucking in Engl. Stud.
'
xxxix. 98.]
1545. seax, Ettmiillerj followed by all recent editors except Schucking
,
1556. Whether ySeliee should be taken with gesced or with astod has
been much disputed, and does not seem to admit of final decision. The
comparison of 1. 478, God eajre mmg, favours the punctuation of the text.
[Cf. Elaeber in Eng. Stud, xxxix. 431.]
1557. on searwum, among other arms' rather than during the struggle.'
'
'
;
.
78 Beowulf
eald sweord eotenisp, ecjum )>yhti5,
wijena weorS-mynd ;
Jjset \wibs\ wsepna cyst,
Sara he jeworhte
)?e to West-Denum
oftor micle Sonne on senne siS,
1580 ]7onne he HroSjares heorS-jeneatas
sloh on sweofote, slsepende frset
insomuch that he now beheld him...' [Earle]; 'he paid him back.. .to that
degree that...' [Clark-Hall]; 'paid him back... where he saw him lying'
[Sohiicking : cf. Satzverkniipfung, 58].
Beowulf 79
80 Beowulf
aefter heaj^o-swate hilde-jicelum,
wij-bil wanian; Jiset wses wundra sum,
)?set hit eal jemealt ise jelicost,
Sonne forstes bend Fseder onlseteS,
1610 onwindeS wsel-rapas, se geweald hafaS
stela ond msela; ]?set is sQS Metod.
Beowvlf 81
'
wini^ea' leasum— ,
>set ic Sy wsepne jebr^. .mo^^
1665^ Ofsloh Sa at |8ere ssed'ce,"' J>a me ssel ajeald, cX^-«^ ^fp^
^ buses hyrdas.
"'
}7a )»set hilde-bil i*^-^^
>—^^
"'^^forbarn, brogden msel, swa >set blod gesprans.-V^-.-^/'^^
bato^t hea>o-W£Lta. hilt^Dan«?i^ ^^^^^ i&.^.-^.*ii-
Ic }?aet
healfe «-"CZ.-'-''r^—
-'^
1675 iJ^eoden" Scyldii^a, ^
,on )>a
'on the metal plates' (with which the hilt was often covered). [This last
'suggestion is that of Cosijn, Taalkundige Bijdragen, i, 286, 1877. He com-
pares Dutch scheen, an iron band.']
'
84 Beowulf
sunu Healfdenes : —
switedon ealle .,
1700 "paet, la! msej secgafa, se pe soS ond rint
^ fremetS "pn, folce, feor eal jemon,-/*-'"'^'''^ i^-*"''^^^-'-^"^''^
vt-fr-*-
eald etSel-weard, ]73et t5es eorl wsere ^«vv^x. >tv^ ') o- .^<,^-t-tt>^
"^ geboren betera. Bleed is arsered *«^ —^ -.-^-.-c:*!-*,
^^
.
Sel^stan
freode,
.,.„_,
swa wit furSum sprsecon
^ ; ?5u
^ ^
scealt to frofre
i.„,y^
weor]jai;i-f*'
^ <i'*
breat borgetl-Efiod '
*
.
_ eafe]7um stepte ofer ealle men, ^
forS jefremede, ^
hwaej^ere him on ferhjje jreow
breost-hord blod-reo^ ; nallas beajas jeaf--<-o ^u*-^ i^ >
1734. Thorkeliu reads for his unsnyttrum, but for is not in his transcripts.
Eemble omits, Thorpe retains, /or. There would perhaps have been room
for the word in the MS., but in view of the conflicting evidence it seems
impossible to decide whether it ever stood there or no. Cf. Elene, 947.
1737. MS. defective at edge: sefa[n2, Grnndtvig^, Eemble j.
GreiUj ne gesaca ohwwr ecg-hete eoweS, nor doth the adversary any where
,
'
1739. The MS. has a stop after con, the usual space with the number
xxT, and then a large capital 0. But it seems impossible to begin a fresh
sentence with oS put, 'until,' as Earle does. Grundtvig [1861, p. 60] and
Grein^ make the break in the middle of 1. 1739, Heyne after 1. 1744.
1740. ofer-hygda dml, 'a deal of presumption, excessive pride.' Cf.
1. 1150, note; and 1. 1752 below.
1766-7. Earle and Clark-Hall translate 'glance of eyes will mar and
darken an allusion to the evil eye. But the verbs seem to be intransi-
all':
tive: translate then 'the light of thine eyes shall fail.'
1767. iemninga. Cf. 1. 644.
1770. wigge beleac. It is not clear whether this means that Hrothgar
protected his people 'from war' [Klaeber in Engl. Stud, xxxix. 464] or 'in
war,' 'by his warlike valour.'
The spelling ig = l is particularly frequent in this part of the poem:
hig = hi (1596); wigge =wige (1656, 1783); Scedenigge = Scedemge (1686);
sig^si (1778); wigtig = witig (1841). See note to 1. 1085.
1774. edwenden, Grein: MS. ed wendan. Cf. 11. 280, 2188.
1776. Most editors read eald-gewinna. I have avoided such compounds
except where clearly indicated by the absence of inflection in the adj. Cf.
11. 373, 945, 1781 (where no editor makes a compound of eald gewin) with
Beowulf 89
(Beowulf) orders Hrunting to be borne to Unferth, bids him take his sword,
thanks him for the loan, and courteously speaks well of it.
But the text can be interpreted as it stands. We may render : Then '
the brave one (Beowulf) bade the son of Ecglaf bear Hrunting, bade him
take his sword.' Or we may suppose that Beowulf has already returned the
sword lent by Unferth. Then se hearda (Unferth) presents the sword to
Beowulf, who courteously thanks him for the gift. The adj. hearda can
well be applied to Unferth, whose spirit no one doubts (11. 1166-7), though
admittedly he is inferior to Beowulf, to whom the term hearda is even
more appropriate (11. 401, 1963). The change of subject (Unferth subject of
heht, Beowulf of smgde) though harsh, can also be paralleled. That a parting
gift should be given to Beowulf by so important an official as Unferth seems
quite natural. The relations of Beowulf and Unferth would, with this inter-
pretation, be curiously like those of Odysseus and Euryalus (Odyssey, viii.
408, etc.). [See Klaeber**". Other interpretations have been suggested by
JeUinek and Kraus, Z.f.d.A. xxxv. 280.]
1816. hsele, Kemble 3 MS. helle.
:
90 Beowulf
folces hyrde, he mec fremman wile
)?8et
hardly sufficient. The difficulty is, however, even greater if we take the
verb as hergian, 'harry,' and interpret, with Leo and Schiioking, 'supply
with an army,' or, with Cosijn'^, snatch away.' If the symbol -f is some-
'
times used for /a (see note to 1. 15) it might be so interpreted here fid :
ic fie wel herige, i.e. when I have so much to report in thy praise,' Hygelac
'
Beowulf 91
1857. gemmne, Sievera {P.B.B. ix. 140] MS. ge mmnum. The Boribal
:
8g. manig. Such syntax is possible, but it is surely simpler to take wesan
and gegrettan as infinitives depending on sceal, sculon, supplied from 1. 1855.
1862. heafu, Klnge'"*: MS. heajm. Heapu was retained by the older
editors, who attributed to it the meaning 'sea' [from Mah: altum, mare,
Grein ; of. also Cosijn, P.B.B. xxi. 10]. This would necessitate long ea :
insufficient evidence.
Sarrazin would retain ofer heafiu, ' after the fight (of. 11. 1857-8). '
his tears. The corner of the parchment is here broken away, and, on palaeo-
graphical grounds alone, it is likely that a short word has been lost, though^
when ThorkeUn's transcripts were made, orjly seoSSa was to be seen, as now.
Bugge's conjecture is therefore almost certain, and has been suppoi-ted by
Sievers [Anglia, ziv. 141] and adopted by Trautmann, Holthausen and
geieon, 'see each other.' For a parallel usage of geseon see Andreas,
1012 also gedmlan in the sense of parting from each other is found in
: ' '
To avoid the unusual construction in the second half of this line Sedge-
field would read Gewdt him Beowulf panan. Cf. 1. 1601."
1883. dge^nyi-frean, Eemble, MS. agedfrean.
:
188S. A colon is usually placed after geeehted, and Earle remarks that
what follows is the gist of their talk as they went.' I take it to be a
'
Beowulf 93
94 Beowulf
sSlde to sande sid-fsej'me scip
oncer-bendum faest, Jjy lies hym y)?a Srym
wudu wynsuman forwrecan meahte.
1920 Het ]?a up beran asjjelinga 5estreon,
fraetwe ond fset-gold; nses him feor J>anoii
to jesecanne sinces bryttan,
Higelac HreJ^linj, \^t set ham wuna?5
selfa mid jesiSum sse-wealle neah.
1925 Bold wses betlic, bre^o rof cyninj,
h^a healle, Hygd swiSe jeonj,
wis,wel Jjungen, j^eah Se wintra lyt
under burh-locan jebiden haebbe
HsereJ'es dohtor; nses hio hnah swa }»eah,
on heahealle, with the same meaning ; on hean healle has also been sug-
gested [Kluge, Holthauseug].
1928. heebbe. See note to 1. 1923, above.
1931. Mod }}rySe \ne] She [Hygd], brave queen of the
wseg, Schiicking :
'
folk, had not the mood, the pride of MS. pryHfo wng. The altera-
Thryth ' :
Moreover the emendation explains fremu folces cwen, which seems not
very applicable to Thryth also it explains the otherwise unintelligibly
:
Beowulf 95
e before a vowel in 11. 338 and 442. But perhaps the true explanation of
the forms frofor in 1. 698 and firen here wiU be found in Sievers,
§ 261, N.
1933. Jjmt anticipates the clause fiat. ..starede (1. 1935).
1934. The MS. may be read either as sinfrea, 'the great lord,' or as
sin frea, ' her lord.' It has been urged that njetrioaUy the first is preferable :
yet instances enough can be found of the possessive bearing the alliteration.
Cf. note to 1. 262.
Thryth is the perilous maiden of legend, who slays her wooers, till the
destined husband arrives. Her cruel acts are prior to her marriage, and
therefore sinfrea, ' the great lord,' i.e. her father, gives good sense. Yet sin
—
frea is possible none save Offa, her destined husband, could gaze upon her
as a wooer without paying the penalty. [See Cosijn in P.B.B. xix. 454
Elaeber in Anglia, xxviii. 449 ; and Introdv£ticm to Beowulf: Thryth.]
1935. hire an deeges eagum starede. (1) This has been interpreted
' gazed on her by the eyes of day' [Grein, etc.]. But hire an, ' upon her,'
is difficult, for starian on takes the ace. (cf. 11. 996, 1485). (2) If we read
an-dages, the rendering ' gazed upon her by day,' or the whole day,' has '
been proposed [Leo] : but here again the construction, starian hire, to '
gaze upon her,' is inexplicable. The substitution of hie for hire has there-
fore been proposed. (3) The MS. certainly divides an dseges. But, since
little importance can be attached to this spacing, Bugge [Tidsskr. viii. 296],
following a suggestion of P. A. Munch, supposed andSges=and-eges=' in
the presence of (cf. Goth, and-dugjo), governing hire, ' that gazed with his
'
eyes in her presence.' Suchier [^P.B.B. iv. 502] rendered ' eye to eye,' into '
cided.' [So Suchier in P.B.B. iv. 502, and (with unnecessary emendation,
scyrian, after Thorpe's glossary) Bugge in Z.f.d.Ph. iv. 207.] But these
renderings are forced and unnecessary.
The second hand in the MS. begins with moste.
1941. efnanne. Cf. note to 1. 473.
1942. Kemblej, onsece [bo Bieger*'^, Schiicking and Holthausen]. The
emendation is supported by Juliana, 679, feores onsohte, 'deprived of life.'
96 Beowulf
sefter lise-torne leofne mannan.
Huru Jjset onhohsnod[e] Hemminjes m^j.
1945 Ealo-drincende oSer ssedaD,
}>aet hio leod-bealewa ISs jefremede,
inwit-nitSa, syStSan rerest weartS
jyfen jold-hroden 5eon5um cempan,
aeSelum diore, sySSan hio Offan flet
presumably Offa.
1945. offer smdan, 'said yet another thing,' i.e. said further
'
not 'said
' ;
otherwise.' The words do not imply contradiction with what was said
before. [Cf. Cosijn^; Klaeber in Anglia, xxviii. 448.]
1956. If we retained the MS. reading /ass, we should have to take brego
also as a gen., which is unparalleled, the word being elsewhere extant only
in nom. voc. and ace. Hence almost all editors follow Thorpe in altering to
fione. _
1960. For the MS. geomor, which fails to alliterate, Thorpe read Earner;
so, simultaneously and independently, Baohlechner [Germ. i. 298] Eonmr,
Eomser, in the Mercian genealogies, is grandson of Ofia (see Index of
Persons). The emendation seems fairly certain, though a skilful attempt to
defend geomor, as referring to Offa's dulness in his youth, has been made by
Miss Eickert [Mod. Phil. ii. 54-8].
;;
Beowulf 97
B. 7
.
98 Beowulf
sinne jeseldan in sele J»ara hean
1985 ^jre fricjcean, hyne fyrwet brsec,
Beowulf 99
is good in itself, but seems incompatible with the (certainly very conflicting)
evidence of Thorkelin's transcripts. These leave us in doubt what was the
letter following/, but make it clear that it was not I.
2018. reading, bsedde, must mean 'constrained, urged them to
The MS.
be merry.' But the conjecture of Klaeber^^' seems likely bSlde from bieldan,
:
would be a bold man who should correct all its grammatical anomalies.
[Cf. Klaeber2«».]
2033. fidra is emphatic, and hence can take the alliteration.
2034. etc. The general drift of what follows is perfectly clear. The
Danish warriors, who escort Freawaru into the hall of the Heathobeard king,
Ingeld (see Index of Persons: Heathobeardan, Ingeld), carry weapons which
have been taken from slaughtered Heathobeard champions during the war
now ended. An old Heathobeard warrior urges on a younger man (ap-
parently not, in this version, Ingeld himself) to revenge, and in the end
this Heathobeard youth slays the Dane, the fSmnan />egn of 1. 2059, who
wears his father's sword; the slayer (se oSer, 1. 2061) takes to flight. Thus
the feud breaks out again.
Beowulf 101
slight, since the difference between n and r in O.E. script is often im-
perceptible, and may well have been so here in the original from which
our Be&wulf MS. was copied cf. urder for under, 1. 2755.
;
Ingeld, 'when he goes with his lady into hall, that his high lords should
entertain a noble scion of the Danes' [Clark-Hall, following Wyatt]. This
interpretation compels us to assume a pi. subject with a sg. verb [duguSa
biwenede), but in subordinate clauses such false concords can be paralleled:
cf. 11. 1051, 2130, 2164, 2251, etc. For the omission of pset of. 1. 801 and
note to 1. 2206.
In both (1) and (2) the dryht-bearn Dena is a young Danish warrior
escorting the queen. Some editors alter to dryht-beom, 'noble warrior.'
(3) Sedgefield takes dryht-bearn Dena to mean the young queen herself:
'it displeases Ingeld when he treads the floor with his wife, that noble
child of the Danes, attended by her chivalry.' With this interpretation it is,
of course, to the duguf, and not to the dryht-bearn, that the mischief-causing
weapons belong.
(4) Elaeber [Engl. Stud, xxxix. 465] would take duguSa biwenede as
a parenthesis: 'the heroes are being feasted.' (For the omission of the
verb 'to be' Elaeber compares 11. 811, 1559.)
2037. HeaSabeama. Thorpe normalized to HeaSobeardna, and has
been followed by most editors. It is not easy to say whether the omission
of the d is an error of the scribe, due to confusion with beam, 'child,' or
whether it represents the omission of the middle consonant, which frequently
occurs when three consonants come together. [Cf. Blilbring, § 533.] The d
is omitted also below (1. 2067) and was likewise omitted by the scribe of the
Exeter Book (Widsith, 49) who, however, corrected himself.
2038-9. hie... hie: the Heathobeard warriors.
2039. The MS. has a large capital at the beginning of this line, such
as one finds elsewhere only at the beginning of a new section (cf. 1. 1740).
But the number xziz [xzvnn] is wanting, and the next break is at 1. 2144,
where the number is xxxi. There are signs of confusion and erasure in the
numbering from the twenty-fourth section (1. 1651) up to this point.
2041. beah is strange, for it is a sword, not an armlet, which is the
cause of strife. If beah can mean simply treasure,' it may be applied to a
'
her escort.
, ;
102 Beowulf
eald aesc-wiga, se Se eall 5em[an],
jar-cwealm jumena —him biS 5rim sefa —
onjinne?? jeomor-mod 5eon3[um] cempan
2045 ]7urh hretSra gehygd hijes cunnian,
wij-bealu weccean, ond ]?set word acwyS:
'
Meaht Sii, min wine, mece ^ecnawan,
)7one )7in fseder to jefeohte bser
under here-5riman hindeman siSe,
2050 dyre iren, ]?£er hyne Dene slo^on,
2051. WiSergyld. Some of the older editors take the word as a common
noun: soHeynej, iySSan wiSer-gyld Img, 'when vengeance failed.' But a
hero of this name is mentioned in Widaith, 124, although not in a context
which would connect him with this story.
2052. Scyldungas, in apposition with Dene.
2055. MS. defective at edge: gylpeS, KemblCj, For maSJmm referring
to a sword, cf. 1. 1528 and mdi^um-sweord, 1. 1023.
2062. MS. defective at corner and edge here and in two following lines.
Thorkelin's transcripts, A
figende, B eigende ; ThorkeUn's edition, wigende
(so older editors) ; Heyne, [li]figende, followed by all recent editors.
kim is a kind of 'ethic dative' or dative of advantage,' which cannot be
'
Beowulf 103
a proper name Hondscio are found in both English and German charters
{Andscoheshdm, Handschuchsheim) seems to place the matter beyond doubt.
It is necessary, with Holtzmann and Bieger^'", to alter the hilde of the
MS. to hild. Bugge, in Z.f.d.Ph. iv. 209.]
[Cf. also
2079. magu, Kemblcj: MS. mesrU magu (i.e. magum) pegne. But see
11. 293, 408, etc. The mistake is due to 'repetition,' magu being written,
incorrectly, through the influence of mserii. In 1. 158 we have the opposite
error of ' anticipation.'
2085. ()i«aro, Thorkelin's correction : MS. jeareo.
;
104 Beowulf
He mec on innan
j?8er unsynnijne,
2090 dior died-fruma, jedon wolde
manijra sumne; hyt ne mihte swa,
sySSan ic on yrre upp-riht astod.
To lanj ys t5 i-eccenne, hu i[c S]am leod-scea?San
the harp in 1. 2107; rather than [with Earle, Clark-Hall and others] to
assume an abrupt transition from Hrothgar to some anonymous warrior,
and back to Hrothgar again. The poem gives us no ground,' says
'
toes [Volmnga saga, cap. 87]. And, as a matter of history, the last king of
the Vandals, driven to the mountains, craved three boons from his con-
querors : one was a harp, vrfth which he might bewail his lot. [Procopins,
Sell. Vand. 11. 6.]
2108. gomen, Grundtvig^s' : Thorkelin's transcripts A and B gomel : mel
not now visible in MS.
'
B^wvlf 105
But note that the song is of an elegiac type. [Cf. Schiioking in Engl. Stud.
xxxiz. 12.]
2i26. MS. hil (= beel). See note to 1. 1981.
2128. fsedlmum], Greinj: MS. torn. Grein's emendation probably
represents what was actually written in the MS. Zupitza gives the MS.
reading as fseffnmga, but unga rests only upon a conjecture of Thorkelin,
and the torn letter, which Thorkelin read as r, may well have been part of
an m.
[u»]der. Eemblej conjectured [^mr un]der.
2131. d"me life, 'conjured me by thy life': certainly not, as Earle
translates it, ' with thy leave.' For leave is leaf; also, how could Hygelac's
'
'
leave be obtained?
2136. grimne, Thorpe: MS. grimme.
; ;
106 Beowulf
pser unc hwile w8bs hand-jemEene
holm heolfre weoll, ond ic heafde becearf
in5am [grund-']se\e 7rendeles modor
2140 eacaum ecjum unsofte ]?onan
;
2137. All recent editors read hand gemMiie, but of. German handgemein
werden, 'to fight hand to hand.'
2139. No gap in MS. [grund-'i was conjectured independently by
Grnndtvig297 and Bouterwek (Z.f.d.A. xi. 97]; \jguS-'[sele, Thorpe [followed
by Holthausen and Sedgefield].
2146. MS. defective in corner here and in next line. Thorkelin's
transcripts A and B give ...is: Grundtvig*" and Kemblei conjecture
[mdSrmi\s.
2147. [miri^ie, Kemblei: \>in\ne, the emendation of Grundtvig [1861,
p. 73], gives inferior sense. With on \mlTi\ne sylfes dom of. on hyra sylfra
dom {Maldon, 38), 'at my, their own choice.' Exactly parallel is the old
Icelandic legal expression sjalfdoemi, ' self-doom,' the right of one party to
settle for himself the extent of the compensation he shall receive from the
other. So, too, in the 'Oynewnlf and Cyneheard' episode in the A. S.
Chronicle, the pretender ofiers to the retainers of the fallen king hiera
agmne dom, 'as much as they wished' and in Beowulf, 2964, Ongentheow
:
had to abide Eafores dnne dom, 'Eofor did as he chose with him.' [See
Kock in Anglia, xxvii. 235.] Cf. the Old Saxon phrase an is seltes dom
[Heliand, 4488, where Sievers' note should be compared].
2149-50. Does this mean 'From now on I look to you only for my
reward: I have done with foreign service'?
2150. MS. lissa gelong is unmetrical [Sievers] : emendations suggested
are lissa gelenge or gelongra but a simpler remedy is to transpose the words
:
hafo. For this old form of the 1st pers. sg. cf. U. 2668, 3000.
2152. Most editors read eafor-heafod-segn. For the triple compound
Cosijn^' compares wulf-heafod-treo. But, as compounds of three words
are as rare in O.E. poetry as compounds of two words are common, it
seems better to make two parallels, like wudu, wsel-sceaftas (1. 398).
But what is this boar ensign 1 A helmet, or au ensign with a boar-figure
upon it? The last alternative is supported by 1. 1021 [Klaeber**^]. The
eoforcumbul of Elene, 259, hardly helps us, being similarly ambiguous.
; ; .
Beowulf 107
'alike swift'?
2167. bregdon = bregdan.
2168. MS. defective at edge: renlian], Kemblea.
2174. MS. defective at edge : d" eo(J[ncs], Kemble i
2175. sadol-beorht. Cf. 1. 1038.
2176. 6r[p]ost, Thorpe, Grundtvig [1861, p. 74] : MS. brost.
; ;
108 Beowidf
Swa bealdode beam EcjSeowes,
juma juSum cuB, jodum dsedum,
dreah sefter dome, nealles druncne sloj
2180 heorS-jeneatas ; naes him hreoh sefa,
2186. The MS. has dnhten wereda, which means Lord of Hosts [cf.
' '
310.
2195. Probably ' seven thousand hides of land,' which would be an earl-
dom of the size of an English county. [Cf. Kluge in P.B.B. ix. 191 and
2994.]
2198. oSrum, Hygelao, as being higher in rank (selra). [Cf. Cosijn".]
2202. Hear[<Jr]«de, Grundtvig2»8: MS. ftearede. See 1. 2375.
—
Beowulf 109
gone in MS.
2212. MS. very indistinct ; nothing in Thorkelin's transcripts A and B
between hea and hord. Zupitza, healSoyhlsewe, and in a foot-note ' what is
:
left of the two letters after liea justifies us in reading them So.' Zupitza's
reading is followed by Holthausen and Schiicking. But it gives unsatis-
factory sense: what is a 'war-mound'? 'A burial mound about which a
fight is going to take place,' says Schiicking this however seems at best
:
a far-fetched explanation.
Further, there is no evidence that the two missing letters were So they :
look much more like um. And it is clear that the following word was not
hltewe, for the second letter of the word was not I. The word might be hSfre
or hope. Sedgefield reads heaum hSj>e, 'on the high heath': but hsep is
feminine; htejje was also read by Sievers in 1870-1 [P.B.B. xxxvi. 418], so
this is probably to be taken as the MS. reading. However to me it looks
more like heaum hope, 'on the high hollow.' The word hop survives in
Northern English hope, 'a hollow among the hills,' as, for example, in
Forsyth, Beauties of Scotland: 'The hills are everywhere intersected by
small streams called bwns. These, flowing in a deep bed, form glens or
hollows, provincially called hopes.'
Although by the sea, the mound may have stood in such a hollow or
hope cf. the mention of the burn in 11. 2545-6.
:
110 Beowulf
stan-beorh steapne; stij under Isej
upright stroke i.e. either b, h, I, oi p: (2) there is not room for lafeorde
;
Beowulf 111
I
[earm-]sceapen Fol. IVS"*.
2220. hu-foU or hy-folc seems to be the MS. reading, and has been
adopted by Bugge and Sedgefield. Holthausen follows Kluge, burh-fole but :
the faint traces of letters in the MS. certainly favour by or bu, not burk:
and there is not room for the longer word. Bugge ^t* compares the prose
bifylc, 'neighbouring people, province': Sedgefield renders bO-folc, 'nation,
people.'
gebolge[n], GrciUj.
2221. 'weoldum the later hand instead of wealdum, the a being still
recognisable.' (Zupitza.)
The later hand reads wyrm horda crseft, which makes no sense. Kaluza's
wyrmhordabrsBC, 'broke into the dragon's hoard,' has been adopted by Holt-
hausen (q.v.), Schucking, and Sedgefield.
2223. Zupitza, J>\_egn\, and in a foot-note: 'the traces of three letters
between }> and not justify us in reading egn (f>egn, Kemble.)' [So Holthausen
and Schiicking.] But the last three letters are now quite illegible, and even
Thorpe, who made a careful collation of the MS. in 1830, three years before
Kemble's first edition, leaves a blank. As pegn seems from the whole con-
text to be an unlikely term for the fea-sceaftum men (1. 2285), I read pemo,
following Grundtvig [1861, p. 76]. [So Sedgefield.]
2224. Later hand^coft.
2225. semes is not clear, but 'to judge from what is left' (Zupitza), and
that is exceedingly little, it seems to be correct.
fealh, Greiuj Thorkelin's transcripts A and B weall.
: 'Now only weal
left, but w stands on an original /, which is still recognisable [perhajjs] '
'
and what seemed to be another I in Thorkelin's time may have been the
remnant of an original ft.' (Zupitza.)
2226. The second hand has traced over the obscured letters sona
mwatide, viMah, of course, is nonsense. But what does it misrepresent?
Thorpe [followed by Schucking : cf. Bugge'"!], j^jj^ inwldtode, 'soon he gazed
in': Holthausen, sona he wagode, 'soon he (the dragon) bestirred himself:
Sedgefield, sona he pa, eode.
2227. Grein 2 [followed by Holthausen] suggests /fflr to fill the gap. But
probably more than 3 letters are missing Sedgefield thinks 4, Zupitza 5 ; it
:
is difQcnlt to say exactly, as the gap comes at the end of a line in the MS.
'
The indistinct letter after gyst seems to have been e. The traces of the
third word allow us to read [with Grein] gryre.' (Zupitza.)
2228. 'According to the traces left, the first word [i.e. in the MS. line]
may have been earm.' (Zupitza.) Kemble gives it as earm.
2230. Zupitza reads, with some doubt, '/a fttme before se.' The extant
traces seem to me to bear this out with fair certainty.
fSr; Wiilker reads this as fees; Zupitza 'fees freshened up, but s seems
:
to stand on an original r.' There can be little doubt that this is so.
:
112 Beowulf
sinc-faet [jeseah]. pier waes swylcra fela
in Sam eorS-[hu]se Sr-jestreona,
swa hy on jear-dagum jumena nat-hwylc,
eormen-lafe se)?elan cynnes,
2235 Jjanc-hycgende j^eer jehydde,
deore maSmas. Ealle hie deai5 fornam
Srran mselum, ond se an ?5a gen
leoda dujuSe, se Sser lenjest hwearf,
weard wine-geomor, wende ]>aes ylcan,
2240 he lytel faec
]78et long-jestreona
brucan moste. Beorh eall jearo
wunode on wonje wseter-ySum neah,
niwe be nsesse, nearo-craeftum faest;
)>8er on innan ba?r eorl-jestreona
224s hringa hyrde hord-wyrSne d^l,
fsettan joldes, fea worda cwaeS
"Heald ]?u nu, hruse, nu hseleSS ne mostan,
2231. After the first line of the new folio, the illegibility is confined to
the edges of the next three lines.
geseah is Heyne's emendation, but I doubt if there is room either for
that or for genom, Holthausenj^j. Yet the metre demands two syllables:
fartde might fit in.
2232. \}vS\se, Zupitza's conjecture.
2237. 'SI the later hand, but i seems to stand on an original e.'
(Zupitza.) I cannot see this.
2239. wears' or weard both make sense.
:
'
The fast letter of the first
word was originally IT, although the later hand has not freshened up the
stroke through the d.' (Zupitza.) I cannot detect traces of this stroke and :
Beowulf 113
2250. rearh bealc later hand, but the first r stands on an original /, and
'
c on an original 0. (Zupitza.)
' Not clear to me.
fyra, Kembles [Jira]: MS. fyrena.
2251. J>ara : the later hand has Jrana ; ' nor do I see any sign of the
third letter having originally been r.' (Zupitza.)
[lif] supplied by Kemblsj: [leoht], Holthausen.
2252. gesipa sele-dream, a conjecture of Eieger^o^, is adopted by Holt-
hausen. Similar in meaning is {ge)secga sele-dream [Trautmami : and
independently Klaeher, in J. E.G. Ph. vi. 193, Engl. Stud, xxxix. 465]. This
is supported by Andreas, 1656, secga sele-dream ; a support which is all the
more weighty because the writer of the Andreas seems to have imitated the
Beowulf. The change from gesdwon to gesecga is not as violent as it looks
for gesawon in the Anglian original of Beowulf may have been written
gesega(n), which might easily have been miswritten for gesecga or secga.
In support of the text, however, can be quoted Exod. 36, geswSfon sele-
dreamas.
Holthausen supplies ic, as there is a gap in the MS. suf&cient for two
letters.
2253. MS. defective here and in 11. 2254, 2255, and 2268 ; fe[oy[mie],
the emendation of Greinj, is supported by Zupitza, who shows that the
remaining traces of the word in the MS. make fetige impossible. A trace of
the tail of an r certainly seems to be visible. Cf. 1. 2266.
A C-line: Bean odde feormie.
2254. dug[uS}, Kemblea.
scoc, Greiaj: MS. seoc.
2255. hyr in [hyr}sted comes at the end of the line and is now lost. It
is recorded by Kemble, after having been conjectured by Grundtvig**.
2256. Many editors have normalized to feormiend or feormend (cf 1. 2761)
.
to 673.
1.
2260. mfter beorne: after is here certainly temporal: 'after the death of
the warrior.' The same interpretation is often given to sifter wig-fruman in
the next line. But the two phrases are, in spite of appearances, not parallel
and it is very likely that ssfter wig-fruman means 'behind,' 'following,'
'along with,' the waixior. [Cf. Klaeber in J.E.O.Ph. vi. 197.] This is
certainly the meaning of hmleSum be healfe, 'by the heroes' side.'
B. 8
114 Beowulf
hseleSum be healfe. Nis hearpan wyn,
jomen jleo-beames, ne jod hafoc
jeond ssel swinjeB, ne se swifta mearh
2265 burh-stede beateS. Bealo-cwealm hafaS
fela feorh-cynna forS onsended."
2280. Most editors follow Grundtvig^"", and alter to the normal form
dbealh. Such normalizations would not be tolerated in a Middle English
text why should they be allowed in an Old English one?
: The speUing eh
is interesting here; see Sieverss § 223, N. 1.
2281. MiiUenhoff"! thinks that the lord (man-dryhten) to whom the
treasure was carried, and who in return gave the fugitive his protection,
must be Beowulf. This does not however seem certain. All we know is that
the treasure ultimately came to Beowulf (1. 2404).
:
Beowulf 115
2295. Cosijn^s, followed by recent editors, reads sdr. But cf. 1. 2526.
2296. hlSw, Kembleg. Thorkeliu's transcripts A
and B have hlwwum.
Grundtvig (ed. 1861, p. 79) hlmw nu.
ymbehwearf. The e of ymbe has probably been inserted by a scribe. [Cf.
Sievers in P.B.B. x. 258, and 11. 2618, 2691, 2734, Finnsburg, 35.]
2297. ealne utan-weardne is unmetrical. Holthausen and Elaeber [Engl,
Stud, xxxix. 465], following Sievers [P.B.B. x. 306; Metrik, §85], propose eal
utanweard; Sohiicking, ealne utweardne. Cf. 1. 2803.
2297-8. The MS. has ne Sar anig mon on pxre westenne hwsiSre hilde
:
gefeh. This gives a sentence without a verb, and a line which fails to
alliterate. The reading of the text is that of Schiicking's edition [adopted
by Holthauseuj, vol. u. p. 170]: nces is a conjecture of Cosijn^. It makes
sense and gives a metrical line with the least possible disturbance of the
text. Grein reads nc [i«»s] /fflr... Heyne [was] on /Sreieesfejine. Eieger^s
;
than any rebellion against divine decree, and their unwonted character (swd
him gefywe ne wm) represents rather a lapse from Beowulf a customary
optimism [Cosijn^] than from his 'high standard of piety' [Earle].
2334. Arguments as to the home of the Geatas have been based upon
interpretations of ea-U>nd as 'island.' But it seems clear that ea-lond need
mean no more than water-land, ' land that is bordered (not of necessity
'
'
evU.'
2338. eall-irenne (masc.) forms, of course, a false concord with wig-lord
(ueut. ) Hence many editors [Holthausen j, 21 Schiicking, 1910] have adopted
.
the emendation irenne scyld proposed by Bugge \Tidsshr. viii. 56]. Bugge
subsequently withdrew his suggestion, in favour of the less probable ex-
planation that there was a form irenne standing to iren as wtterne to Stren
[Z.f.d.Ph. iv. 213]. But syntax is often confused in Beowulf: acyld may
have been in the author's mind when he wrote eall-irenne [cf. Klaeber in
Engl. Stud, xxxix. 465]. Holthausen g reads :
118 Beowulf
)7eah hord-welan
?5e heolde lan5e.
2345 Oferho5ode 5a hringa fen5el,
)78et he |Jone wid-flojan weorode jesohte,
sidan herje; no he him ^d ssecce ondred,
ne him Jjaes wyrmes wig for wiht dyde,
2347. pa, Eembles: MS. pa{=J?am). Smcc is fem. (Sieverss §258, 1).
The by a natural error, has repeated the stroke (signifying m) over
scribe,
the a, -which he rightly wrote over the i in the preceding hi ( = ftim).
2353. msegum. See note to 1. 565.
2355. }wnd-gemdt[a], Eemblei: MS. Iwnd gemot.
2858. 'Died by the thirsty sword' [Earle, CosijnSB]. The metaphor is
an obvious one. But it is not so easy to say which, of many interpre-
tations, was in the poet's mind. [Cf. Kriiger in P.B.B. ix. 574: Eickert in
Mod. Phil. ii. 67.]
2361. MS. defective at comer, here and in two following lines. Before
prittig, written xxx in the MS., there seems to be space for some three
letters. Oreini supplied [ana\.
2362. [ef^g, Kemblej.
2363. /ior/[t]o?i, Kemblei. hremge porfton, ' needed to be exultant.
2366. Holthausen and Sedgefield take hild-frecan as a dat. pi, =lfet-
warum. But surely it refers to Beowulf : few got them back again from
'
that war- wolf to see their homes ' [Clark-Hall : so also Earle].
2367. sioleffa ftipoBj = expanse of still waters,' if the conjecture of
'
Bugge [Z.f.d.Ph. iv. 214] be correct, and sioloff is to be connected with the
Goth, anasilan, to sink to rest.' [Dietrich in Z.f.d.A. xi. 416 would connect
'
with tol. But we have seen that the apparent occurrence of this word
'
Beowulf 119
in 1. 302 with the meaning of sea ia due to a scribal error and the mean-
' ' :
2383. MS. Se Se, the first Se at the end of a line, the second at the
beginning of the next.
2384. With the punctuation given above, Him refers, of course, to
Hygelae's son Heardred 'that was his life's limit.' (For mearc in temporal
:
sense cf. Genesis, 1719.) Sedgefield takes him pset to mearce wearS with the
preceding lines, interprets him as referring to Onela, the helm Scylfinga, and
mearc as meaning 'territory': Sweden had become his land,' i.e. Onela had
'
succeeded Ohthere.
2385. for feorme. The MS. has orfeorme, 'forsaken,' which does not
give very satisfactory sense. Grein's on feorme, 'at a banquet,' is an
improvement. Better stiU is for feorme, ' on account of his hospitality.
This was suggested by Moller {V.E. Ill], and has been adopted by most
recent editors and translators.
2387. OngenSioes beam, i.e. Onela.
120 Beowulf
fea-sceaftum freond, folce jestepte
2396. cealdum the battle between Eadgils and Onela took place on the
:
ioe of Lake Weuer; nevertheless, ceald may mean nothing more than
'bitter, hostile.' »
,
2401. twelfa MS. xii.
:
2409. wong wisian. Not merely 'to show,' but 'to lead the wav.'
Of. 1. 208.
'
Beowulf 121
freo-wine (=' noble brother,' Earle), comparing Genesis 983, freomSg ofsloh,
hrofioT sinne. Keeping frea-wine smote him who should have been his
:
'
lord.'
2439. ofseet=ofseeat.
2441. fyrenum ial. 1744 perhaps means 'maliciously,' 'treacherously':
but here it has only an intensifying force, exceedingly no malicious
'
' ^
the likeness seems remote. Ermanario was not credited with taking the
death of his kin so much to heart.
2445. Cf. galgan ridan in the Fates of Men, 33, and the Scandinavian
'kenning' for the gallows, 'Odin's horse.'
2446. MS. wrece. Grein wreceS, followed by many editors, including
Holthausen and Sedgefield. But the change is unnecessary. [Cf. Bugge in
Tidsskr. viii. 56.]
2448. helpan. Kemblej emended to helpe. There is no other certain
instance of the weak noun. Possibly the scribe wrote helpan for helpe,
thinking of the infinitive. [Cf. Sievers in Z.f.d.Ph. xxi. 357.] Indeed it
would be possible to take helpan and fremman as two parallel infinitives,
' cannot help him, or in any wise support him
' (understanding hine), as sug-
gested by Kock [Anglia, xxvii. 220-1]. But Bnige — ' in any wise lacks
'
Beowulf 123
script £ has a blank, but A has rid: a mutilated O.E. w might easily be
mistaken for r.
2475. For oSSe=ond, see note to 11. 648-9.
Sedgefield's conjectures, seoSSe (^siSffan), or oS (fffl[t], do not seem
necessary. War broke out after Hrethel died, and after Ongentheow's sons
had grown to be valiant warriors.
him may be an ^ethic dative' referring to Ongentheow's sons [Bugge in
Tidsskr. viii. 57], in which case it need not be translated, or it might refer
to the Geatas : ' valiant against them.
Holthansen, following Sievers, spells OngenSeos.
2477. Hreosnabeorh is unknown. Sedgefield, following Bugge, reads
Brefna beorh (of. 11. 2925, 2935). But the engagements and the localities
seem to have been distinct; Hreosnabeorh in the land of the Geatas,
Hrefna wudu in the land of the Swedes, as Bugge" admits.
2478. as. ge ge fremedon. Cf. U. 986 (see note), 2383.
2479. mag-wine mine, i.e. Hsethcyn and Hygelac.
2481. his. hit, the emendation of Greinj [adopted by Schiicking and
Sedgefield], is certainly an improvement.
;
124 Beowulf
heardan ceape ; HaetScynne weartS,
Teata dryhtne, jutS onssege.
edge of the sword brought home to the slayer the death of the other' but :
the kinsmen are not Eofor and Wulf, as there explained (since Wulf is not
slain), but Hygelao and HsBthoyn. [See Kock in Anglia, xxvii. 232 Cosijn^.] :
2501-2. Beowulf praises his sword, which has done him good service
early and late, since the time when he slew Dssghrefn. But the following
lines show that in this feat Beowulf did not use his sword. Hence some
:
Beowulf 125
Nalles he Sa fraetwe Fres-cyning[e],
breost-weorSunje, brinjan moste,
2505 ac in campe gecronj cumbles hyrde,
aejjelinj on elne; ne wses ecj bona,
ac him hilde-jrap heortan wylmas,
ban-hus jebraec. Nu sceall billes ecj,
bond end heard sweord, ymb hord wijan."
2510 Beowulf matSelode, beot-wordum sprsec,
niehstan siSe : "Ic jeneSde fela
juSa on jeojotSe; jyt ic wylle,
frod folces weard, fsehSe secan,
mSrSum fremman, gif mec se raan-sceaSa
2515 of eortS-sele ut jesecetS."
gejrette 5a jumena jehwylcne,
hwate helm-berend, hindeman siSSe,
swEese jesitSas: "Nolde ic sweord beran,
wsepen to wyrme, jjif ic wiste hu Fol. 186^.
126 Beowulf
2520 wis Sam ajlsecean elles meahte
jylpe wiSjripan, swa ic 516 wiS grendle dyde
ac ic Sser heatSu-fyres hates wene,
[o]re5es ond attres; forSon ic me on hafu
bord ond byrnan. Nelle ic beorjes weard
2525 oferfleon fotes trem, ac unc [furSur] sceal
weortSan aet wealle, swa unc wyrd jeteoB,
metod manna jehwses. Ic eora on mode from,
]7aet ic wits ]7one juS-flo^an jylp ofersitte.
-rebide je on beorge bymum werede,
2530 secjas on searwum, hwseSer sel mseje
sefter wael-rsese wunde jedyjan
uncer twe5a. Nis )»aet eower siS,
2520-1. Sievers \P.B.B. ix. 141] suggests pss dglmeean gylpe, ' against
the boast of the adversary.' Sohroer [Anglia, xiii. 345] suggests giipe for
gylpe, ' come to grips with the adversary in war.' I take gylpe = ' with
boast,' i.e. 'in such a manner as, to fulfil my boast.'
2523. [o]reif(!S, Greini.fflttresKemblea: M.S. reffes j hattres. Cf. 11. 2557,
2839. There is a dot over the h of hattres, which Sievers [Z.f.d.Ph. xxi.
3S5] regards as intended by the scribe to signify that h is cancelled. X should
rather regard the dot as accidental.
2525. The second half-line is metrically deficient : furfor is Klaeber's
emendation {Archiv, exv. 181] adopted by Holthausen. Holthausen's earlier
suggestion, /coftte [Litteraturblatt filr germ. u. rom. Philologie, 1900, p. 61],
is adopted by Schiicking. Buggei"^ had also suggested feohte.
In view of the rarity of a ' prelude of two syllables with this type of line
'
[cf. Sievers in P.B.B. x. 302] Bugge'"* would omit ofer, comparing Maldmi,
HI , fieon fotes trym. [So Sedgefield^.]
Holthausen 3 reads /er^eon {=forJleon).
2528. /ifflt = ' so that.' Sievers' emendation [P.B.B. ix. 141] /»«,
'
therefore,' is unnecessary. [Cf. Klaeber*^', Schiicking, Satzverk., 25.]
' The conj. Jisst is found to denote the relation between
two facts in the
vaguest possible manner' (Klaeber).
2529. Note that, where the pronoun follows the imperative of the verb,
the normal inflection of the verb is dropped.
2533. MS. defective at edge: nefn[e], GrundtvigS"*.
2534. /»f, Grundtvig3»«, Kemblei: MS. wat.
Beowulf 127
geseah tSa be wealle, |se Se worna fela, Pol. 186'>.
'nigh to the hoard could not the hero unsoorched any whUe survive.'
2556. freode. Sedgefield reads /rcoifo.
2559. Biorn refers to Beowulf. Sedgefield reads 60m, and puts the
stop after beorge, making 1. 2559^ a continuation of 11. 2556-8 the earth : '
resounded and burned under the hill.' For biorn, beom=bom, beam he
compares 1. 1880.
2562. seceanne. See note to 1. 473.
Mr 'had already drawn his sword.'
gebrsed,
2564. MS. un glaw. ' A letter erased between
\
I and a in glaw that it :
was e is not quite certain ' (Zupitza), As there is all the appearance of an
uncompleted alteration, I have adopted the emendation of Bugge'"* (following
Thorpe). Klaeber [Anglia, xxix. 380] defends ungleaw, which he takes to
mean ' very sharp,' with un intensifying, as in unhdr (1. 357). But this use
of un appears to be very problematical.
128 Beowulf
StiS-mod jestod wi8 steapne rond
winia bealdor, wyrm jebeah
Sa se
sntide tosomne;
he on searwum bad.
gewat Sa byrnende sebogea scriSan,
2570 to jescipe scyndan. Scyld wel jebearg
life ond lice Isessan hwile
mserum J^eodne, J>onne his myne sohte;
Sser he J>y fyrste forman dojore
wealdan moste, swa him wyrd ne jescraf
2575 hreS aet hilde. Hond lip abreed
^eata dryhten, jryre-fahne sloh
incge lafe, jjset sio eeg jewac
briin on bane, bat unswiSor,
|7onne his tSiod-cyninj J?earfe hsefde,
2580 bysijum jebseded. pa wses beorjes weard
sefter heaSu-swenje on hreoum mode,
wearp wsel-fyre; wide sprunjon
hilde-leoman. HreS-sijora ne jealp
jold-wine 7eata; juS-bill geswac
2585 nacod aet niSe, swa hyt no sceolde,
iren Eer-jod. Ne waes )78et eSe sitS,
Beowulf 129
Srund-wong ]7one ofgyfan wolde ;
2588. grund-wong was taken by the older editors to mean the earth '
'
grund-wong has recently been defended by Klaeber ^Engl. Stud, xxxix. 466].
Since Bugge [Tidsskr. viii. 298], it has been more usual to interpret
grund-wong as the ground in front of the barrow [so Cosijn '•] or the floor of
the dragon's den. Beowulf has hardly got so far as the floor but a con- :
slain his (Onela's) brother's son' (i.e. Eanmund, sou of Ohthere), II. 2618-9.
Tet Weoxstan belongs to the Wsegmundingas (1. 2607), a family of the
Geatas to which Beowulf is related (1. 2814). Why he was serving with
B. 9
; ;
130 Beowulf
msej iElfheres; geseah his mon-dryhten
2605 under here-jriman hat Jjrowian;
jemunde Sa Sa are, )>e he him ^r forjeaf,
the national enemy, or why, in spite of this, his own people ultimately
received him back, we do not know. [Cf. Ghadwiok, Origin of the English
Nation, p. 173.] The re-grant (1. 2606) of Weoxatan's fief to Wiglaf must not
be taken as signifying that the fief had been forfeited by Weoxstan a formal :
re-grant is in every case necessitated by the death of the father. [See Widsith,
95-6, and cf. Ghadwiok, p. 169.]
[The diificulties are well explained by Miillenhofi in A.f.d.A. iii. 176-8.]
2612. Ofticre[«], GrundtvigS"^, Kemblci MS. ohtere (partially corrected
:
by Thorkelin).
2613. MS. defective at corner «irecca[m], Ettmiillerj : Weohstm,
:
to 1. 565.
his may refer to Weoxstan (see 1. 2603, above) or, more probably, to
Eanmund.
2615.The alliteration is improved if, with Eieger, followed by Holt-
hausen, we read byrnan hringde.
2620. He, i.e. Weoxstan.
. Grundtvig [1861, p. 89], followed by Holthausen, supplies J>d before
frsetwe.
2623. We must understand Weoxstan as subject to geaf.
Beowulf 131
generally.
2636. See note to 1. 368.
2642. Bugge [Z.f.d.Ph. iv. 216] suggested hlaford User instead of hlaford
Us: Gosiin^, hlaford ur.
2645. forSam MS. forSa Zupitza transliterates forSan. So also
: ;
1. 2741.
penden hit hat sy or Jienden hat sy are alternative suggestions of
2649.
Kemblea: hat is supported by Bugge i"^, who compares 1. 2605, and is adopted
by Earle and Sedgeiield.
9—2
: .;
132 Beowulf
mid minne sold-gyfan jled fseSmig.
Ne )>ynce?5 me gerysne, J^set we rondas beren
eft to earde, nemne we seror mse^en
fane jefyllan, feorh ealgian Pol. 197".
265s
Wedra tSeodnes. Ic wat geare,
This device, to signify that the word sceal has heen omitted after urum, has
often been misunderstood, and the line misread in consequence.
urum bdm seems a strange way of expressing unc bam. Bugge [Tidsskr.
viii. 58 ; Z.f.d.Ph. iv. 216] supposes a gap. So Eieger*" and Earle. Parallels
can, however, be found Cosijn quotes examples of nSniges ures, ures ndnes,
:
etc., for nSniges ure, ure nanes [P.B.B. viii. 573] and iowra sel/ra is found
in Orosius [ed. Sweet, 48, 21] for iower selfra.
Sedgefield ^*8 conjectures huru for urum 'surely sword and helmet. ..must
;
be common to both.'
2660. beadu-scrud, Ettmiillerj (so Thorpe) ; MS. byrdu scrud. The word
byrdu, which is unknown, is defended by von Grienberger IP.B.B. xxxvi. 83]
and byrdu-scrud interpreted to mean ' coat of mail.' Yet it is possible that
beadu has (not unnaturally) been written byrdu through the influence of
the preceding byrne. Holthausen's further alteration [following Cosijn **],
bord ond beadu-scj-ud, does not seem essential, though it certainly improves
the reading of the text, in which the shield is not mentioned, and the coat
of mail enumerated twice.
Bugge ITidiskr. viii. 55 etc.] suggested bywdu scrud, ' adorned vestment'
byvian, to adorn, occurs in 1. 2257.
—
Beowulf 133
^fter Sam wordum wyrm yrre cwom,
2670 atol inwit-jsest, oSre siSe
fyr-wylmum fah fionda mos[i]an,
laSra manna. Lig-ytSum forborn
bord wis rond[e]; byrne ne meahte
jeonjum jar-wijan jeoce gefremman;
2675 ac se maja jeonja under his msejes scyld
elne jeeode, }>a his ajen w[8es]
jledum forgrunden. pa gen juS-cyninj
m[SrSa] gemunde, maejen-strenjo sloh
hilde-bille, ]>set hyt on heafolan stod
2680 ni]7e jenyded; Nsejling forbserst,
jeswac ffit sfficce sweord Biowulfes,| Fol. ig?".
5omol ond srSj-msel. Him )>8et jifeSe ne wses,
J'set him irenna ecje mihton
helpan set hilde —
waes sio hond to strong
2685 se Se meca jehwane, mine jefrseje,
swenje ofersohte, ]7onne he to ssecce bser
wsepen wund[r-]um heard ; nses him wihte Se sel.
2671. MS. defective, here and in 11. 2676, 2678. Though evidence
points to niosian having stood in the MS. here, it mast have been a mere
scribal variant of the form niosan, which the metre supports, and which is
also found in Beowulf. See note to 11. 115, 1125.
2673. Tondle], Kemblei MS. rond. The emendation is metrically
:
134 Beowulf
biteran baaum; he seblodejod wear?S
sawul-driore ; swat yS5um weoll.
XXXVII DA ic set )?earfe [^efr^^n] ]7eod-cyiiinges
Feond jefyldan —
ferh ellen wrsec —
ond hi hyne )>a begen abroten hsefdon,
sib-£et5elingas ; swylc sceolde secg wesan,
)>egn set tSearfe. jJaet 5am j^eodne wses
2710 si?Sas[i] sige-hwi? sylfes dgedum,
dragon fights in Saxo and those in our text are close. Sigurd also attacked
Pafnir from below, but in a more practical and less heroic manner.
2698. mSges, Kemblej: MS. mmgenes (so Grein-Wiilker) cf. L 2628, ;
i.e. to Hell. With much the same meaning Kluge"^ reads feorh edlne
wreec, drove out all his life,' comparing Genesis, 1385.
'
'
That was to the chieftain a viotorioua moment of his allotted epan, of his
life-work.'
sige-Tiwil, Kemble2: MS. sigehwile. After sige, hwile might easily be
written in error for hwil. Greinj, sige-hwila.
2714. The older editors read bealo-nlS, bo also Sedgefieldj but the word :
comes at the end of the line, and evidence points to a letter having been
lost. (Thorkelin's transcripts: A bealomS, B bealo niSi: now only heal left.)
Bealo-niSe is essential on metrical grounds [of. Sievers in F.B.B, a. 269],
and is probably to be regarded as the MS. reading.
2715. giong, 'went.'
2719. ece. Holthausen would read ecnc = eacn«, mighty.' '
'
itself the arches
2728. MS. defective: hel[rn], Greini, etc., following Grimm.
2724. Beowulf speaks ofer benne, over his wound,' wounded as he
' '
was,' just as the warriors boast ofer e.alowSge, over their cups (1. 481).'
'
[Cf. Cosijn", and Klaeber, Archiv, civ. 287, where the passage is elaborately
discussed. Corson's rendering, 'beyond (i.e. concerning other things than)
his wound,' M.L.N., iii. 193, seems impossible.]
2725. wsel-bleate. Holthausen, following Grein [Sprachschatz], reads
wsd-blate, ' deadly pale.' Of. Grist, 771, bldtast benna.
2727. M))/nj![e], Thorkelin's correction: MS. defective.
136 Beowulf
sefter wurde Fol.l89^
senij yrfe-|weard
lice gelenge. Ic Sas leode heold
fiftij wintra ; uses se folc-cyninj
oferhigian with heah, 'high,' and with Goth, ufarhduhids, 'puffed up, vain'
[Bugge, in Tidsskr. viii. 60, 298; Klaeber in Engl. Stud, xxxix. 466]; or with
oferhyd (oferhygd), oferhydig, 'proud' [Kluge^^^, followed by Schiicking,
who spells oferhidgian, and others]. Against the last it is objected [Holt-
hausen] that a derivative from the adj. oferhydig must preserve the accent
on the first syllable, and so cannot alliterate with ft. Sedgefield^** suggests
oferhiwian (not elsewhere recorded, but assumed to mean ' deceive ': hiwian
means 'to assume a false appearance,' 'to feign'): Sedgefieldj, oferhig[e
h]San, ' raise him above his (usual) mind, render presumptuous.'
2769. Earle follows Thorpe in reading leoffo-crseftum (with eo), looked
'
Uoma, Kemblej,: MS. leoman. For the opposite mistake cf. 1. 60.
2771. wrate, Thorpe, here and in 1. 3060 MS. wrsece in both places.
:
brass.' This has the support of Thorpe and Grein, but lacks analogy ; for
the reading in the text cf. 1. 1587, and 11. 1615, 2562, and 2973.
2778. BiU...eald-hldforde», the MS. reading, is understood by Bugge
138 Beowulf
]7am Kara maOma mund-bora wses
2780 longe hwile, lij-ejesan waej
hatne for horde, hioro-weallende
middel-nihtum, |o5 )78et he morSre swealt. Pol. 190*.
slain the guardian of the treasure.' If, with Kemble, we read bill Sr-gescod,
this wiU be object of genom in 1. 2776, and we must accordingly delete
the full stop.
Bieger''!* and Cosijn^' read eald-hldforde ( = the dragon) in apposition
with />am. [This is adopted by Earle and Sedgefield.]
2791. waiteres. Kembleg, etc. emended to wsetere but the instrumental
:
gen. seems possible enough [Bugge in Z.f.d.Ph. iv. 218 Cosijn^*]. Cf. ;
guff-geweorca, 1. 1825.
2792. No gap in MS. Beowulf maSelode was suggested by Grundtvig""*
and Eemblcs [so Sedgefield]. But since maSelode is never found in the
second half-line, other suggestions have been made Blowulf reordode :
i.0U90.
2799. Instances of in, on=' in exchange for,' are quoted by Klaeber
{Anglia, xxvii. 258] : He bebohte beam wealdendes on seolfres sine, Crist and
Satan, 577.
mine, Ettmiillerj : MS. minne.
;
Beowulf 139
Achillea] did we, the holy host of Argive warriors, pile a great and gloriou^
tomb, on a jutting headland above the broad Hellespont, that it might be
seen afar from off the sea by men, both by those who now are, and by
those who shall be hereafter.'
2814. forsweop, Kemblej: MS. for speof (speof at the beginning of the
next line).
2819. hrseHre : MS. hvtmdre, which might very easily have been mis-
written for hrmSre. Kemblcj emended hreSre.
2820. There is no number in the MS. after this line to indicate the
beginning of a new section, but there is a space, and 1. 2821 begins with a,
large capital. The next ' fitte-'number (1. 2892) is xl.
2821. guman, Grein2: MS. gwmu unfrodu, doubtless another instance
of 'anticipation.' Cf. 1. 158, where the MS. has banu folmu, and see
note.
;
140 Beowulf
bleate jebSran. Bona swylce Isej,
middel-nihtum,
J
maSm-sehta
11
wlonc
ansyn ywde, ac he eorSan gefeoll
2835 for Saes hild-fruma^ hond-jeweorce.
Hum Jjset on lande lyt manna ?5ah
msejen-agendra, mine jefrseje,
Jieah 5e he dseda jehwses dyrstig wsere,
J7aet he wis attor-sceaSan oreSe gersesde,
2840 oSSe hring-sele hondum styrede,
gif he WBBccende weard onfunde
buon on beorge. Biowulfe wearS
dryht-maSma dsel deaSe forgolden;
haefde SjhwseSer ende jefered
2845 ISnan lifes. Nses 5a lang to Son,
meaning of cfeore he compares Gottonian Gnomic Verses, 44, gif Keo nelle on
folce gej/eon, if she will not attain among the people that... and a number
'
'
of examples from the O.E. version of Bede's History, etc. [of. Anglia, xxvii.
282].
2841. wseccende. Thorpe altered to wseccendne. But wteecende as aoc.
sing. maso. can be paralleled : ef. 1. 46, umbor-wesende.
2842. bu.on=buan.
2844. SghwmSer, Kemblej: MS. seghwseSre. Grein,, sghwseSre (ace.
pi.),ende (nom.). But of. 1. 3063 ; besides, Sghwaffer is found nowhere else
in the pi.
'
Beowulf 141
>set ?5a hild-latan holt ofjefanf"
tydre treow-lojan tyne setsomne,
8a ne dorston ser dareSum lacan
on hyra man-dry htnes miclan )?earfe;
2850 ac hy scamiende scyldas bseran,
juS-jew^du, J78er se 5omela Iseg;
2857. The reading of the text would mean change aught ordained of
'
God.' Most editors follow Thorpe in substituting willan for wiht [so
Holthausen and Schucking]. Klaeber suggests weorold-endes wiht, any- '
thing of the end of his life ' ; i.e. ' he could not avert his death at all
[j. E.G. Ph. viii. 258].
2860. The strong form geongum. after Ufam is, of course, exceptional,
and isprobably only a scribal error for geongan. Holthausen and Schucking
alter to geongan. See note to 1. 158.
2863. ae<^'], Thorkelin's correction MS. sec.
:
142 Beowulf
2Z70 ower feor oS5e neah findan meahte —
]7aet he geDunja guS-gewsedu
wraSe forwurpe, Sa hyne wig bejet.
Nealles folc-cyninj fyrd-jesteallum
gylpan ]7orfte; hwsetSre him qoA uSe,
Jyrun (u altered from a) swiSor. Greiu conjectured /^r ran swiSbr. Since
this is inconsistent with wies />y smmra (1. 2880) we should then have to
make Beowulf, instead of the dragon, the subject of wxs. Some [e.g.
Cosiju"' and Sedgefield] take Beowulf, in any case, as the subject of wses:
but it seems better to make the dragon the subject. This is clearer if, with
Sievers [P.B.B. ix. 142] and Holthausen, we alier ferhS-genifflan to ferhS-
genidla, putting a comma after drep.
2882. Wergendra, Grundtvig^"^, Kemble^ MS. fergendra, which is
:
Jrrdg gewdt...
2886. If lufen means love,' it certainly forms an unsatisfactory parallel
'
Tacitus [Germ, vi] mentions suicide as the last refuge from such disgrace
multique superstites bellorum infamiam laqueo finierunt. [Of. Scherer
Kleinere Schriften, 1. 490, for a comparison of this passage with other
: '
Beowulf 143
XL Heht tSa ]7£Bt heaSo-weorc to ha5an biodaa
up ofer e^-clif, \^x Jjset eorl-weorod
morgen-lonjne dseg mod-giomor sset
2895 bord-hsebbende, beja on wenum,
ende-dojores ond eft-cymes
leofes monnes. Lyt swijode
niwra spella, se Se nses gerad,
ac he sotSlice ssegde ofer ealle
2900 "Nu is wil-jeofa Wedra leoda,
dryhten geata, deatJ-bedde fsest,
the case: ecg, 'verge, brink of high ground,' occurs very frequently in the
charters. Nevertheless, since nws in 1. 2898 makes it probable that the
army was stationed on a sea-cliff, I adopt Kemble's emendation, though
with hesitation.
2898. See note to 1. 2834.
2904. siex-bennum. Holthausen and Sedgefield spell sex-bennum [from
seax']. Cf. Sieverss § 108, 2.
2909. Kemble2 and Kieger^" read hige-meSum, 'holds watch over the
spirit-wearied, i.e. the dead.' This is not, in reality, a textual alteration,
since in the Anglian original meffum and mSSum would have coincided in
form ; but we should rather have expected hige-meSra, agreeing with leofes
ond lades. Sievers [P.B.B. ix. 142; but cf. F.B.B. xxxvi. 419] and, tenta-
tively, Bugge '"^ would read hige-mede, weary of soul,' qualifying Wiglaf,
'
1. 2442, where, however, it seems to mean ' wearying the mind.' Bugge
also suggests hige-meSum, from a presumed hige-meSu, ' weariness of spirit
£so Holthausen].
2911. under[ne], Greiui: MS. under. Cf. 1. 127, and, for omission of
m, 1. 1931.
144 Beowulf
2916. MS. gehnsigdon: genSgdon, ' assailed,' Greiiii and Bngge {Tidtikr.
64] followed by Holthausen and Sedgefield : cf. 1. 2206.
viii. This has the
advantage of avoiding double alliteration in the second half-line : of. 1. 1151
and note.
2919. The prince gave no treasures to his retainers (as he would
'
'
gen. Eg., 'of the Merovingian king.' See note to 1. 2453. [So Bugge in
Tidsskr. viii. 300.]
2922. ie is the unaccented subsidiary form of to. Instances occnr both
in E.W.S. (Cura Pastoralis) and in early glosses. Cf. O.S. ti-, te- ; O.H.G.
zi, ze. See Bosworth- Toller, and Napier's O.B. Glosses.
2929. ondslyht, a correction of Greiuj ; MS. hond slyht, here and in
1. 2972. The change is necessary for the alliteration. Cf. 1. 1641 (and
note), and see SieverSj § 217, N. 1.
2930. dbreot. Some editors follow Kemble^ in normalizing to abreat.
But confusion of eo and ea is common in the non-W. S. dialects, and traces
of it are abundant in Beowulf. Further, in this type of strong verb, eo is
found in place of ea, even in W.S. See Sieversj § 384, N. 2.
brim-wisan refers to Hsethcyn, who must have carried off the wife of
Ongentheow.
bryd aheorde. The MS. has bryda heorde. No importance can be
attached to the spacing of the MS. yet the verb aheordan, to release
: '
Beowulf 145
[For the etymology cf. I.F. xx. 327, where Holthausen adduces Lithuanian
and Lettish cognates.]
The MS. has sum on galg treowu to gamene Thorpe corrected 8um[e] and
:
emended to treowu[m].
Bugge"' [of. Tidsskr. viii. 60], Holthausen, and Sievers [P.B.B. ix. 143]
suppose a gap here of a line or more, and this is borne out by the fact that,
even after making the three corrections in the text in U. 2940-1, the con-
struction is not very satisfactory.
2943. ham ond byman are to be taken together in apposition with
gealdor [with Holthausen], rather than Tyyman construed as a gen. dependent
on gealdor [with Schiicking, etc.].
2946. Sw[e\ona, Thorkelin's correction MS. swona. :
2951. It is difficult to say whether ufor means on higher ground or ' '
'
further away.' [Cf. Koek in Anglia, xxvii. 236.]
2955. heaSo-llSendum. See note to 1. 1862.
B. 10
146 Beowulf
eald under eorB-weall. pa wses seht boden
Sweona leodum, sejn Higelace ;
2957-9. If we retain the MS. reading, we must interpret : ' Pursuit was
offered to the Swedes and a captured banner [was] offered to Hygelao.'
Thus many editors, and lately Sohiicking, who quotes parallels for the
importance attached in Germanic times to the capture of the enemy's
banner. [Cf. Cosijn''.] This reading compels us to take boden with two
widely different nouns, but 1. 653 may be quoted as a parallel to this
[Klaeber^"] ; and, though the construction is harsh, none of the emenda-
tions are sufficiently convincing to justify our deserting the MS.
Sehroer [Anglia, xiii. 347] takes SAt as ' treasure, and alters leodum to
'
' the treasure of the Swedes and a banner were offered [as ransom]
leoda : to
Hygelac.' So, too, Sedgefield, but without altering the text were offered :
'
by the people of the Swedes to Hygelac' Buggei"' [and in Tidsikr. viii. 61],
following Kembleg and Thorpe, read Hygelaces, and explained the banner :
'
of Hygelac was raised as a sign of pursuit' But this also involves a forced
construction : therefore if we read Hygelaces it is better to delete the semi-
colon, and construe with Holthausen : ' the banners of Hygelac overran the
fastness [so Clark-Hall].
' Sievers, swcc Hygelaces, 'the battle of Hygelac,'
parallel to eeht.
Holthausen, oht, pursuit,' for eeht.
'
2964. Grundtvig"", Eafores. But see 1. 2757 (note), and of. eafor,
1. 2152.
Beowulf 147
ac hg hyne gewyrpte, J>eali Se him wund hrine.
Let se hearda Hijelaces J^ejn
brad[?i]e mece, J)a his bro?Sor Isbj,
eald sweord eotonisc, entiscne helm
2980 brecan ofer bord-weal; 5a jebeah cyning,
folces hyrde, wees in feorh dropen.
Da wSron monije, )>e his miej wriSon,
ricone arSrdon, ?5a him gerymed wearS,
)>set hie wsel-stowe wealdan moston.
2985 penden reafode rinc oSerne,
nam on OngenSio iren-byrnan,
heard swyrd hilted ond his helm somod;
hares hyrste Higelace baer.
He t5[am] frsetwum feng, ond him fsegre gehet
2990 leana [mid] |leodum, ond gelSste swa ; Fol. 194".
geald Jjoae guS-rses veata dryhten,
HreSles eafora, J>a he to ham becom,
lofore ond Wulfe mid ofer-maSmum,
sealde hiora gehwasSrum hund J>usenda
2995 landes ond locenra beaga; ne Sorfte him Sa lean
oSwitan
mon on middan-gearde, syS8a[»j,] hie Sa mserSa
geslogon
2990. MS. defective at corner room for either two or three letters.
:
Kemble 1 ,
[ots] ; Grundtvig (1861, p. 102), [mid]. Bugge "s compares 11. 2611,
2623.
_
gelSste, Kemblej . MS. gelsesta.
2994. According to Plummer [Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 11,* 23]
JtUsenda.
and Eluge [P.B.B. ix. 191], hides must be understood. But an earldom
'
'
of 100,000 hides would have been about the size of the whole land of the
Geatas : Sussex contained only 7,000 see 1. 2195. Again, how, in this :
case, are we to construe locenra biagal I should rather, with Eieger*i= and
Schiicking, understand some money denomination the value of 100,000 :
'
10—2
148 Beowulf
ond tSa lofore forjeaf anjan dohtor,
ham-weorSunge, hyldo to wedde.
paet ys sio fsehtSo ond se feond-scipe,
3000 wiel-niS wera, Sees ?Se ic \wen\ hafo,
of Hrothulf, and was taken by a Swedish prince, who ruled jointly over
both kingdoms. Since Saxo does not recognise any kingdom of the Geatas
apart from the Swedes, this might reasonably be interpreted as a reminis-
cence of such a tradition as Thorpe assumes. The Geatio kingdom was at
this date nearing its fall. It is accordingly exceedingly improbable that
any such rule existed as a historic fact for its existence in tradition of. the
:
the fall of the heroes, the Scylfingas were bold' ; or (4) it can be transposed
to follow 1. 3001 [Ettmiillerg : so Holthausen and Sedgefield]. -
Beowulf 149
beajas [jebohjte; ^p& sceall brond fretan,
3015 Med jjeccean, jnalles eorl wejan Fol. 195».
maSSum to jemyndum, ne maejS scyne
habban on healse hring-weorSunge,
ae sceal geomor-mod, jolde bereafod,
oft, nalles eene, el-land tredan,
3020 nu se here-wisa hleahtor alejde,
gameh ond jleo-dream. ForSon sceall jar wesan,
monij morjen-ceald, mundum bewunden,
hsefen on handa, nalles hearpan swej
wijend weccean, ac se wonna hrefn
3025 fus ofer fsejum fela reordian,
earne secjan hu him set ^te speow,
]?enden he wis wulf[e] wsel reafode."
Swa se secj hwata secjjende waes
laSra spella; he ne leaj fela
3030 wyrda ne worda. Weorod eall aras
eodon unbliSe under Earna-naes,
wollen-teare, wundur sceawian.
Fundon 8a on sande sawul-leasne
hlim-bed healdan, J?one )7e him hrinjas jeaf
303s serran m^um; )?a wses ende-dsej
jodum jejonjen, jpset se juS-cyninj,
Wedra ]>eoden, wundor-deatSe swealt.
^r hi )>ffir jesejan syllicran wiht,
attempts have been made to improve this sentence [/]ffir hi fid geiegan,
:
150 Beowulf
wyrm on wonge wiSer-rsehtes y^t
3040 laSne licjean; wses se lej-draca,
^rimlic 5ry[re-fah], [jledum besw^led. Fol. 195'.
(of. 1. 2560) was based on Kolbing's statement that there is room for from
four to six letters on the missing corner. [So Holthausen and Schiicking.]
Znpitza, on the other hand, reads gryr^e'] simply. Xet an examination of
the other side of the leaf, where several letters have been lost, makes it
probable that more than one letter has been lost on this side also. On the
other hand, there is hardly room for gry[re-gasf] but grylre-fah] [Bugge :
in Tidsskr. viii. 52] fills the gap well, and has the support of 1. 2576.
3043-4. It is not clear whether lyft-wynne means 'joy in the air, pleasure
of flying,' or is equivalent to wynsumne lyft, 'the joyous air,' abstract for
concrete, like eard-lufan (1. 692). [For this last rendering cf. Cosiju''.]
Equally it is uncertain whether we should construe nihtes hwilum as
'
by night, at times [of. Bugge*™] or in the time of night' [CosijnSB].
' '
P.B.B. XXX. 377], is one of those improvements of the MS. which are hardly
legitimate.
3050. Jmsend wintra. Miillenhofi draws attention to the discrepancy
with 1. 2278, according to which the time was 300 years. Kriiger [P. B.B. ix.
577] tries to reconcile the passages by interpreting swa here ' as if,' ' as
though.' But the discrepancy is immaterial. [Cf. Cosiin*.]
3051. Jionne, i.e. when the gold was laid in the earth [Bugge''-*].
3056. Buggei™ [followed by Holthausen and Schucking] would read
hsdejia for manna [so Morgan in P.B.B. xxxiii. 110], so as to get the
alliterating syllable in the right place. The same improvement can be made
more simply by transposing the words : he is gehyld manna [Sedgefieldj].
Greiuj reads helsmanna gehyld in apposition to hord; so Earle: 'to open
the hoard, the sorcerers' hold.'
— ' ;
Beowulf 151
3058, mean, apparently, that the issue was a bad one for the
etc.,
dragon. Bugge™' ^^ attempts a re-arrangement of 11. 3051-76, and makes
11. 3058-60 refer to the fugitive who originally stole the treasure.
3060. wrme, Thorpe: MS. wrmce. Cf. 1. 2771.
3061. feara sumne means Beowulf, being 'one of a few' (of. 1. 1412),
i.e. Beowulf with few companions. But, by the usual understatement,
'few' here probably means 'none.' Cosijn*" compares Rood, 69, maite
weorode, interpreting with a small company,' as meaning quite alone.
' '
3062 ff. The meaning seems to be 'It is a subject for wonder [i.e. it is
uncertain] where a man will end his life, when he may no longer dwell on
this earth. Even so was it with Beowulf he knew not...'; ponne in
1. 3062 is parallel with ponne in 1. 3064. [See Kock in Anglia, xxvii. 238
Sievers in P.B.B. ix. 143 Nader in Anglia, x. 544-5 Cosijn^", who com-
; ;
pares Alfred's Cura Pastoralis, Preface (ed. Sweet, p. 8), uncuS hu longe, it '
to him, had been placed upon the gold by the great chiefs (peodnas mssre)
who had it in olden time. [Cf. Klaeber in Engl. Stud, xxxix. 432.] So
feared were these curses that forms of prayer are extant for purifying
vasa reperta in locis antiquis. [See Rituale Eccl. Dunelmensis, Surtees
Society, 97, etc., and Bouterwek in Z.f.d.A. xi. 109.] The curse on the
Niblung hoard may be compared.
3069. dwpe. Holthauseni, diore so Sedgefield. :
152 Beowulf
wommum gewitnad, se Sone wonj strade;
nses he jold-hwate jearwor haefde
3075 Ajendes est ser gesceawod.
biggest prize of gold which God had ever granted to him. [So Bugge in
Tidstkr. viii. 62, etc.'] The MS. is also tentatively defended by Cosijn",
but with a, different explanation ' he (Beowulf) had by no means in gold-
:
Klaeber^M. ] This would mean that, although Wiglaf had shown him some
of the spoils, Beowulf had not been able to survey the hoard closely.
MuUenhoff [Z.f.d.A. xiv. 241] also retains the MS. reading.
Holthausen's objection that gold-hwmte must be wrong, because hwmt
is only compounded with abstract nouns, seems invalid : bled-hwat, ' flower
or fruit abounding {Riddles, i. [11.] 9), is an exact parallel, and Holthausenj
'
healdan [Kemblej etc.], 'leave him (the dragon) to fulfil his high destiny'
[Earle, Sedgefield] ; or we might read heoldon= healdan [Bugge in Z.f.d.Ph.
iv. 220-2, q.v. for further suggestions].
gesceawod. Sarrazin [Engl. Stud, xxviii. 410] suggests geceapod,
' purchased.'
3085. gifeSe, 'Fate,' rather than, with Buggei"', 'that which enticed
the king (i.e. the treasure) was granted (gifeSe) in manner too overpowering,
i.e. at too great a price, bought too dear.'
3086. No gap in^ MS. ; [J>md-cyning'\, Greiuj; Grundtvig^" had sug-
gested peoden.
3094. wis and gewitiig, either ' the prudent and wise king ' [Scheinert
in P.B.B. XXX. 381, footnote] or 'still alert and conscious' [Klaeber in
Anglia, xxix. 382]. This last interpretation is supported by the use ot
gewittig in ^Ifrio's Homilies, e.g. 11. p. 24, 1. 12 : Keo J^ierrihte wearS
gewittig, 'she forthwith became of sound mind.'
3096. sefter wines d^dum, 'in memory of the deeds of our king,' is
defended by Cosijn''i against the conjecture of Bugge [Tidsskr. viii. 300],
sfter wine deadum, '
in memory of your dead king.'
3101. No gap in MS. ; [sUfe], Grundtvig^'^, Kembleg.
3102. Line defective both in sense and metre. Bugge "^ supplied
[gimmd], comparing 11. 1157, 2749.
3103-4. Sievers [P.B.B. ix. 144] suggests J?ser for /asS, with ic eow wisige
in parentheses ; so too Holthausen. [But see Schiioking, Satzverk. 26.]
Grundtvig'i^ normalized neon to mean, but unnecessarily. [See SieverSj
§ 150, 3, and Bugge in Tidsskr. viii. 68.]
154 Beowulf
3105 beajas ond brad gold. Sie sio b^r jearo
Eedre geaefned, ]7onne we ut cymen,
ond Jjonne jeferian frean tiseme,
leofne mannan, J>ier he lonje sceal
Beowulf 155
sySSan orwearde Eenigne dsel
secgas jesejon on sele wunian,
ISne licjan; lyt eenij mearn,
3130 ]7set hi ofostlic[e] ut jeferedon
dyre maSmas. Dracan ec scufun,
wyrm ofer weall-clif, leton weg niman,
flod fseSmian, fraetwa hyrde.
pa wses wunden jold on wsen hladen,
3135 ieghwaes unrim ; se]jelin^ boren,
bar hilde[-Wnc], to Hrones-nsesse.
XLIII Him Sa gegiredan leata leode
ad on eorSan unwaclicne,
helm[Mm] behonjen, hilde-bordum,
3140 beorhtum byrnum, swa he bena wses;
alejdon Sa tomiddes mserne ]?eoden
hseleS hiofende, hlaford leofne.
Onjunnon ]?a on beorge bsel-fyra msest
wijend weccan; wud[u]-rec astah
3145 sweart ofer swioSole, swojende le^f
3134. MS. -p, which should stand for }>sst (but see note to 1.115): J>a,
Thorkelin's emendation, so Kemble^ : pmr, Kembleg
3135. SBj>eling, Eemblcg: MS. mpelinge. Probably the original MS. had
apelingc [Buggeio^]. See Sievers, § 215.
3136. MS. hilde to. ' I am unable to decide whether there is an
erasure of one letter after hilde or an original blank ' (Zupitza) : \rine\ is
an emendation of Ettmiiller2 cf. 11. 1307 and 3124.
:
156 Beowulf
[b]unden-heorde
. . . sorg-cearij seelSe jeneahhe,
jjset hio hyre ::::::: jas hearde on : : ede
wael-fylla wonn : : : : des egesan
3155 hySo h : d.
: :Heofon rece swe[a]l5.
: : :
It must be remembered tbat this page has been almost entirely freshened
up in a later hand, and, in part, erroneously. Thus in 11. 3150, 3155, though
only \s]ia, hySb can now be read, no doubt lio, hynSo were the original
readings. Bugge's restoration is therefore not to be discredited merely
because a letter does not agree with what is now visible in the MS.
The reconstruction of 11. 3150-55 made by Bugg©"""" is, apart from the
last half-line, not to be improved upon
3150 swylce giomor-gyd slo geo-nieowle
mfter Beowulfe bunden-heorde
song sorg-cearig, sSde geneahhe,
/>wt hio hyre hearm-dagas hearde ondrede
wSsl-fylla worn wigendes egesan
3155 hynSo ond hseft-nyd heof on rice wealg.
geo (1. 3150) had been conjectured by Ettmiiller, and sio geo-meowle,
partly conjectured, partly deciphered, by Zupitza, who pointed out that this
reading was confirmed by the Latin gloss anug written above. Under an
exceptionally good light, Zupitza had also read, or thought he had been '
able to read,' first metodes, and later [w]igendes (1. 3154). The 6 of bunden-
heorde (1. 3151) was conjectured by Greinj. All the remainder of this
excellent restoration is due to Bugge.
But Bugge's last half-line, heof on rice wealg, ' lamentation in a strange
land,' is a wanton departure from the MS., and is certainly wrong. The
MS. reading is clearly heofon rece swealg, heaven swallowed the smoke '
3153. ' The first two letters after hearde look like on or an, the letter
before de may have been e, as the stroke that generally connects e with a
following letter is preserved' (Zupitza).
3157. Zupitza, leode hi : on life, and in a foot-note ' I am unable to
: :
make out hl&w after leode : the two last letters seem to me to be rather eo
[certainly]; hlsew is recorded by Eemblci as the MS. reading. See 1. 3169.
Thorpe, hliSe.
Holthausen [followed by Schiicking] reads, for the sake of the metre,
hl[Sw] on [fe]Mife[» nosanj.
3158. The remainder of this page of the MS. is frequently illegible or
defective, both at the edges and elsewhere.
wmg is Eemble's conjecture.
.
Beowulf 157
ond betimbredon on tyn dajum
3160 beadu-rofes been; bronda lafe
wealle beworhton, swa hyt weorSlicost
fore-snotre men findan mihton.
Hi on beorj dydon beg ond siglu,
eall swylce hyrsta, swylce on horde ser
3165 mS-hedije men jenumen haefdon;
forleton eorla gestreon eorSan healdan,
gold on jreote, Jjjer hit nu jen lifaS
eldum swa unnyt, swa hi[t serojr wses.
Pa ymbe hlsew riodan hilde-deore
3170 aejjelinja beam ealra twelfa,
woldon [ceare] cwiSan, kyninj mSnan,
word-jyd wrecan, ond ymb w[er] sprecan;
eahtodan eorl-scipe, ond his ellen-weorc
dujuSum demdon, swa hit 5ede[fe] bits,
3175 mon his wine-dryhten
J'set wordum herge,
ferhSum freoje, )7onne he forS scile
of Itc-haman [laeded] weor?San.
Swa bejnornodon Teata leode
hlafordes [hryjre, heorS-jeneatas;
3180 cwiedon J>3et he wSre wyruld-cyninj,
manna mildust ond mon-[8w]8erust,
leodum li?Sost, ond lof-jeornost.
3163. heg. Thorpe, beagas [so Holthausen, begas].
3168. Zupitza, hi : : : : r ; h[it mro]r, Kemblej
3169. So when
Attila was buried (doubtless according to Gothic rites)
mounted horsemen rode round the body as it lay in state. The account of
the burial of Achilles {Odyssey, zxiv. 68-70) may also be compared And : '
many heroes of the Achaeans moved in armour around thy pyre as thou
wast burning, both foot and horse.'
3170. twelfa may be a gen., attracted to ealra, but more probably it is
miswritten for twelfe, 'twelve of the entire body' [EttmTiller2 So Klaeber .
3177. Zupitza: 'lachaman MS., but there can be little doubt that lac
instead of lie is owing only to the late hand.'
Zupitza, :: ; Kemble, ISne, so Schiicking.
: : Eluge, Trautmann, Sedge-
field, lysed. But the reading ISded is supported by a comparison of the Speech
of the Soul, 21, sySSan of liehoman ISded weere [Jacobsen, so Holthausen].
3179. Zupitza, : : re ; Thorpe, hryre.
:
APPENDIX
THE FIGHT AT FINNSBURG
George Hickea first printed the fragment of the Fight at Finmburg in his
Thesaurus (1705 vol. i. p. 192). He mentions that he had found it written
:
easily and often confused, cf. 1. 27 below and Beowulf, 158, 581, etc.
5-6. The two half-lines make sense individually, but do not combine.
Hence it has been generally supposed that between them two half-lines
have been lost, though there is no gap indicated by Hickes. Bugge \Tidsskr.
viii. 305, P.B.S. xii. 23], following in part a suggestion of Bieger ILesebiwh,
of. Z.f.d.A. xlviii. 9], proposed :
7. grseg-hama, ' the grey coat,' may refer equally well to the wolf or to
a coat of mail.
8. Jres mona, 'the moon,' is quite idiomatic. [Of. Klaeber in Archiv,
CXT. 181.]
9. waSol. Exact meaning unknown. Suggestions, full (moon) [ao ' '
not adopted, by Bugge [P.B.13. xii. 23], and has been adopted by Holthausen
and Trautmann. Exodus, 215, etc., Moyses behead eorlas..,habban heora
hlencan, hycgan on ellen, seems to be connected with the Finnsburg passage,
and it seems probable therefore that hlencan should be restored here.
hicgeaS is Grundtvig's obviously successful correction of Hickes' hie
geaff.
13. pindaff on orde, Ye who are in the front rank, show your temper
'
[Eieger, Z./.d.4. xlviii. 10; Klaeber, Engl. Stud, xxxix. 428]. Till Traut-
mann [B.B. vii. 41] this was erroneously read windaS, and 'corrected' to
viinnad'. Sedgefield retains windaS.
14. Metrically this, line seems rather overweighted, and it is likely
enough that two lines have here been telescoped into one. Holthausen [in
part following Trautmann] reads
Sd
drds [of rseste rum-heort] mssnig
goldhladen [gum-'ifegn gyrde hine his swurde.
'
Then arose from his couch many a valiant and gold-bedeoked thane.'
17. Sigeferth, prince of the Seogan (1. 25), is clearly identical with the
Sseferth, prince of the Syogan, mentioned in Widsith, 31.
Eaha. Most editors emend to Eawa, a form for which there is more
authority, as it occurs in the Mercian Genealogy.
18. durum. PI. for sg.
Ordlaf : Ordlaf and Guthlaf are no doubt identical with the Quthlaf and
Oslaf of Beowulf, 1148.
' ;
leod,
wreccea wide cuS. Fsela ic weana jebad,
heardra hilda; Se is jyt her witod,
swsej^er Su sylf to me secean wylle."
30 Da waes on wealle wsel-slihta jehlyn,
sceolde ceUod bord cenum on handa,
with Maldon, 283, leaves little doubt as to the correctness of the restoration
the meaning of cellod is a more difficult matter. Suggestions are ' keel- :
shaped [Grein]
' '
vaulted [Lat celatv^, Kluge]
: '
' chilled, cold
[Jellinek
; '
B. 11
162 The Fight at Finnsburg
driht-jesiSa, ac hig Sa duru heoldon.
4S Da jewat him wund hseletS on wsej janjan,
sffide ]73Bt his byrne abrocen waere,
here-sceorp unhror, and eac waes his helm ?Syrl.
44. duru must be pi., and is very probably an error for dura. Similar
miswritings of u for a occur in 11. 3 and 27.
46. etc. It seems impossible to decide who is the wounded champion or
whether the king who enquires is Husef or Finn. Is it possible that the
speaker is Hnsef, who enquires why the wigend, the opposing warriors, seem
to recover miraculously from the blows which his men give them? The
position would then be identical with that in Seimskringla [ed. J6usson, i.
449], when King Olaf Tryggvason 'looked forward on the ship and saw his
men swinging their swords and smiting fast, but that the swords bit ill,
and he shouted, "Is it because ye raise your swords so dully that I see
they bite not?" A man answered, "Our swords are blunted and
broken"....'
47. Hickes has here-sceorpum hror, 'the brave one in his battle array,'
which can be construed as in apposition to wund heeled'. Thorpe, followed
by Bugge and moat editors, here-sceorp unhror, in appcsition with byrne, an
exceedingly probable emendation. The interpretation of unhror is, however,
not clear. Is it ' not stirring in the sense of 'firm,' ' trusty,' ' his bymie
'
was broken, his trusty war gear,' or is it not stirring,' 'inactive,' 'useless,'
'
' his bymie was broken and his war gear useless ? So Hialto exclaims
'
50. Eieger [Z.f.d.A. xlviii. 12] suggests that the struggle probably ended
by the hall being fired, Hnsef and his sixty men being driven into the open,
and Hnsef there slain by Finn. This is improbable, for in that case we may
presume that they would have all been overwhelmed, whilst we gather from
Beowulf, 1082-5, that after Hnsef'a death they were able, under Hengest's
leadership, to hold out against Finn successfully to the end.
GENEALOGICAL TABLES
Heorogar
[no Scandinavian
parallel]
:
element in the name may be connected with O.N. bauni, dog-fish," '
'
thus echoing the aquatic names of Breca (q.v.) and the Brondingas.
Beorht-Dene, 427, 609, Bright-Danes; see Dene.
Beowulf the Dane (not the hero of the poem), 18, 53, an ancestor of the
Danish king Hrothgar. Cf. Chadwick, Origin, 273, 291.
Beowulf the Geat (the second scribe, who begins in the MS. in 1. 1939,
preserves the spelling 'Biowulf,' 1987, 1999, etc.), the hero of the
poem, first mentioned as Hygelac's thane in 1. 194, first named in
'
'
not given, but she was the daughter of Hrethel, king of the Geatas, and
therefore sister of Hygelac (871-5). After his seventh year Beowulf was
brought up at the court of his grandfather, Hrethel (2428-34). In his
youth (Uke many other heroes of legend) he was despised as slothful
(2183-9), but when he grew up his hand had the strength of thirty
other men's (379, cf. 2361). He gained glory in a swimming match
with Breca (506-581), voyaged to Heorot, the hall of Hrothgar, king
of the Danes, and purged from the ravages of Grendel and
it
The
setting against which Beowulf s exploits are depicted is historic :
Breca, son of Beanstan (524), and a chief of the Brondingas (521). Unferth
taunts Beowulf with his unsuccessful swimming-match with Breca.
Beowulf asserts that he was the better swimmer, and could have out-
paced Breca, but did not wish to do so (543).
Breca probably had a place in Old English legend, quite independently
of Beowulf he is mentioned as prince of the Brondingas, and a famous
:
Andreas, 223, 513), and branding has for centuries been in use among
the sailors of the North Sea to signify 'breakers,' 'surge.' But we
need not therefore regard Breca as a mythological abstraction of the
sea, which Beowulf conquers. A swimming contest between young men
is a favourite episode in Germanic story. Cf. Bugge^".
166 Beowulf
Cain is the ancestor of Grendel (107 ff., 1261 ff.), as of monsters and giants
generally see Emerson, "Legends of Cain, especiallyin Old and Middle
:
English," in Pub. Mod. Lang. Assoc. Amer. 1906, xxi. 831, particularly
§ vi., on " Cain's descendants." Such a theological view of Grendel is
not an isolated one, limited to the two passages where Cain's name
occurs, but runs through the whole earlier portion of the poem. Con-
trast the dread (but not hellish) fire drake. For further notes on Cain's
kin, cf. Bugge8i-2j Eittredge, F.B.B. xiii. 210.
DsBghrefn (dat. 2501) a warrior of the Hugas, seems to have killed Hygelac
,
(cf. 1207-14 with 2503-4). Beowulf was his hand-slayer (2501-8). '
'
in upon his extensive empire, after which he slew himself (about the
year 375 a.d.). Eormenrio was remembered in the traditions of all the
Germanic peoples as the type of ji tyrant: he was supposed to have
slain his wife Swanhild and his nephews the Harlungen (O.E. Here-
lingas), and to have persecuted and exiled a third nephew, Theodorio
of Verona. This last evil deed is chronologically impossible, the sup-
posed nephew not having been born till eighty years after the death of
the supposed uncle. The story of the murder of Swanhild is based on
a cruel vengeance which the king is stated to have executed upon the
wife of a traitor who had escaped him
(Jordanes, xxiv.). Of the origin
of the tale of the Harlungen we know nothing. By a
murder of the
series of most hazardous conjectures it has been argued that it was
through this murder that Eormenric became possessed of the Brosinga
mene, which Hama in turn stole from him.
How well-known Eormenric was in Old English tradition is proved
from the references to him in Widsith and Dear. See Clark, Sidelights,
232, etc.; Widsith, Introduction, pp. 15-36.
Eotenas, 1072, 1088, 1141, 1145; see Finn.
Finn (Fin, 1096, 1146, 1152; r/ere. Pinnes, 1068, etc.), king of the Frisians,
in some way comes to blows with Hnsef, the brother of his wife HUde-
burh. Hnaef is the son of Hoc and lord of the Hooingas (Widsith,
1. 29), who are a Danish, or at least half-Danish, clan (and are therefore
called Healf-Dene, q.v.). Hnsef is slain, but ultimately vengeance for
his death is taken upon Finn.
The story has to be pieced together from the short fragment of the
Lay of Finnsburg, and from the references in the Finn-Episode in
Beowulf (1068-1159), which are allusive and obviously intended for
people who knew the story quite well. Agreement has not been reached
as to the relation of these two versions. According to Moller, Hnsef
attacks Finn, in vengeance for an old quarrel, in which Finn had carried
off his sister Hildeburh by force and slain his father Hoc. [For all
168 Beowulf
this there is no evidence whatever.] Hnaf is slain, and peace made
between Finn and Hengest, the successor of Hntef and captain of the
Danish survivors. But the Frisians, MoUer assumes, break the truce
and attack Hengest. This, according to him, is the night attack
described in the Fragment.
Mailer's view is open to at least half a dozen objections, of which the
most serious are (1) that it forces us to suppose that the war-young '
king ' who is attacked by night in the Fragment is Hengest, whilst the
evidence would lead us to suppose it to be Hnasf ; and (2) that it forces
us to assume a stirring night attack to have taken place between
11.1145 and 1146 of the Episode, although there is no mention of it there.
This theory is, therefore, now generally discredited, and most recent
scholars foUow in the main the view of Bugge that Finn attacked Hnsef :
by night, and that this is the night attack narrated in the Fragment ;
is responsible for the acts of his followers. So Hygelac is called slayer '
Fres-wael, 1070, the Frisian field or place of battle, where Hnsef fell ; see
Finn.
Froda, 2025, father of Ingeld (q.v.).
Froncau (gen. Francna 1210), the Franks. Hygelae was defeated and slain,
Frysan (gen. Fresena 1093, Frysna 1104, Fresna 2915), the Frisians. The
Frisians are alluded to in two connections, (1) as the people of Finn
(q.v.; 1068 ff.), who are apparently the main body of the Frisians,
dwelling east and north of what is now the Zuyder Zee; (2) as the
[West] Frisians, who combined with the Franks against Hygelae
(1202 ff., 2912 fl.). The land of the former is called 'Frys-land' in
1. 1126, that of the latter '
Fres-lond ' (pi.) in 1. 2357, 'Fresna land '
in
though at a later date they were absorbed in Sweden, the title of the
king of Sweden, rex Sveorum Gothorumque, commemorates to the
present day the old distinction.
Another theory (the warmest advocates of which have been Fahlbeck,
Bugge, and Schiitte) identifies the Geatas with the Jutes. But the
arguments in favour of this view are not conclusive.
Cf. Bugge^, etc.; ten Brink i'^, etc.; Schiick, Folknamnet Geatas,
Upsala, 1907; Schutte in J.B.G.Ph. xi. 574, etc.; Introduction to
Beowulf.
Geat-mecgas {dat. Geat-msecgum 491, gen. Geat-mecga 829), Geat men,
referring to the fourteen Geatas (207) who accompanied Beovralf to
Heorot.
GlfSas (2494), probably the Gepidae, a people closely akin to the Goths, and
originally their neighbours, dwelling near themouth of the Vistula.
They migrated south in the third century, and founded a kingdom in
what is now S.E. Hungary, which was overthrown by the Langobardi
in the sixth century. After this the Gepidae disappear from history,
though their mention here and in Widsith (1. 60) points to the name
having survived in tradition.
Grendel {gen. Grendles 127, 195, 2002, etc., Grendeles 2006, 2118, 2139,
2353; dat. Grendle 666, 930, 1577, 2521, etc.), the famous monster,
slain by Beowulf. He is of the kindred of Cain (1265 ff.). His father is
unknown (1355).
Grendles modor (Grendeles modor 2118, 2139), Grendel's dam, the slaying of
whom is Beowulf's second great exploit. She is sometimes spoken of as
a male, sometimes as a female; cf. 11. 1260, 1379, 1392, 1394, 1497,
2136 with 1292 ff., 1339, 1504 ff., 1541 ff.
GflB-Geatas, 1538, War-Geatas see Geatas. ;
Gtl'Slaf, 1148, a Danish warrior under Hneef and Hengest. Since it was
customary to give brothers names in which the same element occurred,
it is probable, on a priori grounds alone, that the Ordlaf who is asso-
ciated with Gutblaf (F. 18) is his brother, and that Hunlaf, who would
be the father of Hunlafing, is a third brother. This is confirmed by
the discovery of Chadwick, that, in the Latin summary of the Skjgl-
.
Hereric, 2206. Heardred is called ' Hererioes nefa.' Probably Hereric was
the brother of Hygd ; the tie with the uncle on the mother's side was
always peculiarly close.
Here-Scyldingas, 1108, the Army-Scyldings; see Scyldlngas.
netware, 2363, 2916, the Hattuarii, the tribe against whom Hygelac made
the raid in which he met his death. They were a Frankish people, and
seem, in classical times, when they are first mentioned as submitting to
Tiberius, to have been dwelling between the Bhine and the present
Zuyder Zee. Subsectnently they spread higher up the Rhine, to the
neighbourhood of the modern Cleves, and it was no doubt here that
Hygelac attacked the Attoarios,' as they are called in the account of
•
sou, Hengest undertakes to help to avenge him, and thus to break his
174 Beowulf
When his brother Hsethcyn was defeated and slain by Ongentheow
at Eavenswood (2924), Hygelao came quickly in pursuit (2943) and put
Ongentheow to flight (2949) ; but though, as the leader of the attack,
he is called * Ongentheow's banesman (1968), the actual slayer was '
Eofor (q.v.), whom Hygelac rewards with the hand of his only daughter
(2977 ff.). At the later time of Beowulf s return from his expedition
against Grendel, Hygelao, who is still young (1831), is married to Hygd,
who is herself very young and has not long been queen (1926-8) she
' ' ;
Tours, who wrote in the same century in which it took place and in ;
Tacitus, was the name of those Germanic peoples who dwelt proximi
Oceano. Ing, the eponymous hero from whom the Ingwine claimed
to derive their name, is referred to in the Bunic Poem, 67-8 :
'
Ing was
first seen among the East Danish folk.'
Cf. Chadwick, Origin, 209, 287-90, 295-6.
lofor, 2993, 2997; see Eofor.
Merewloiug {gen. Merewioingas 2921), the Merwing or Merovingian king of
the Franks.
NsBgllng, 2680, the name of the sword which Beowulf used in his encounter
with the dragon.
NorV-Dene, 783, North-Danes ; see Dene.
Offa, 1949, 1957, king of the Angles (' Offa weold Ongle,' Widsith, 1. 35). The
Persons and Places 175
reference to Offa as a descendant of Garmund and ancestor of Eomsar
[MS. geomor] identifies him with Ofia son of WsBrmund, whose name
occurs in the Mercian pedigree twelve generations above that of Offa II,
the historic king of Mercia. Offa the First must, if this pedigree is
accurate, have ruled over the Angles towards the end of the fourth century,
whilst they were still dwelling on the Continent; and there is very little
doubt that he actually did so. His warlike exploits are alluded to in
Widsith (11. 35-44), and much later we have a detailed account of
them in the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus, and in the Life of
Offa I, written at St Albans (both documents belonging to about the
year 1200).
The Beowulf poet gives no details of these warUke exploits, but
speaks at some length of Thryth, the fierce queen of Ofia. In the
Lives of the Two Offas, Thryth has been confused with Cynethryth,
the historic wife of Offa II, and the story of the fierce wife is attributed
in an altered form to the later king. There is little doubt, however,
that the tale really belongs to Ofia I, and that Thryth is a type of the
176 Beowulf
ScSfing, 4 ; see Scyld.
Scyld Sceflng, 4, 19, 26, the mythical founder of the Danish Scylding
dynasty. He comes as a child across the sea, and, after a glorious
reign, his body is sent back in a funeral ship over the ocean. His
mysterious advent rather precludes the idea of his parentage being
known. We may then interpret Scyld Scefing not as '
son of Soeaf
but as 'Scyld with the sheaf,' for according to one version the child
was found in the boat with his head resting on a sheaf of corn. Or we
may suppose that the story was originally told of Sceaf, and has
been transferred to Scyld. The names of both Scyld and Soeaf occur
in the West Saxon genealogy, and two Anglo-Latin historians, Ethel-
werd and William of Malmesbury, tell the tale, but make the hero
Sceaf, not Scyld.
See Chadwick, Origin, 274-285 ; Widsith, Introduction, pp. 117-
121 ; Introduction to Beowulf.
Scylding (Seilding 2105), 1792, the Scylding, i.e. Hrothgar.
Scyldingas (Scyldungas 2052; gen. Scildunga 2101, Scyldunga 2159, Soyl-
dinga 30, etc.), 58, etc., the Soyldings, descendants of Scyld (q.v.), the
name Danish dynasty, commonly extended to include
of the reigning
the Danish people. They are also called Ar-Scyldingas, Here-SeyMingas,
Sige-Scyldingas, and Jxod-Seyldingas (q.v.). Of. Chadwick, Origin,
284, and see Dene.
Scylflng (Soilfing 2968), 2487, the Scylfing, i.e. Ongentheow.
Scylflngas, 2381, the Scylfings, the name of the reigning Swedish dynasty,
extended to the Swedish people in the same way as Scyldings to the '
'
of the Swedish king, and may well have wedded a Swedish princess.
Sigemund, 875, 884, son of Wsels, and uncle of Pitela. In our poem
Sigemund slays the dragonin the Vglsunga Saga and the Nibelungen-
;
XX. 191.
Sige-Scyldingas, 597, 2004, Victory-Seyldings, a name of the Danes; see
Scyldingas.
SIlS-Dene, 463, 1996, South-Danes; see Dene.
Sweon, 2472, 2946*, 2958, 3001, the Swedes, called also 'Sweo->eod,' and
their country 'Swio-rioe.' They are ruled by the Scylfing dynasty.
Their home was in Sweden, north of the Geatas.
Sweo-)>eod, 2922, = Sweon (q.v.).
Swio-rlce, 2383, 2495, the land of the Swedes', modern Svea Bike see SwSon. ;
gen. Wedra everywhere but in 1. 2336 see 11. 2120, 2462, etc.), = Weder-
' ' ;
B. 12
.
178 Beowulf
West-Dene, 383, 1578, West-Danes see Dene. ;
PLAN OF GLOSSARY
The order of words is strictly alpliabetical, except in the case of
compound verbs, which will be found under their simple verbs.
Past participles compounded with ge- are usually glossed under the
simple verb (Sieversj § 366), but occasionally an infinitive also compounded
with ge- is assumed.
ae comes between ad and af
V and (> are treated as identical, and come after t.
Numerous cross references are given, especially for unusual forms, but
not as a rule for mere flexional forms, such as parts of verbs, which a know-
ledge of grammar should suiSoe to trace.
All words are glossed under forms which actually occur in the poem, not
under normaUsed forms. When divergent forms of the same word occur and
cross references are not given,
io (both initial and medial) should be sought under eo,
y „ i,
a (before nasals) ,, o.
Dative and Instrumental are not distinguished, except when they have
different forms, as in the singular of adjectives and of some pronouns.
Where the Modem English word Is directly connected with the given
Old EngUsh equivalent it is printed In small capitals. But the student
must remember that In 'Beowulf we normally find the word in its West
Saxon form, which often differs from that Anglian form fl'om which the
modem word is derived. Where the Modern EngUsh word is descended from a
related word, whether in O.E. or belonging to some other Gtermanic dialect.
It is printed in small italic capitals. Such related words may naturally
show umlaut changes or a different ablaut-grade.
Of course the Modern English etymological equivalent is often quite
unsatisfactory as a translation. See Preface, p. zzxiv.
Gothic cognates have been given in eases where it appeared that they
would be helpful, but not in cases where the Gothic parallel, without further
details, might mislead a student (e.g. Goth, cwens, O.E. cwen). When
doubtful whether or not to insert a Gothic cognate, I have quoted it if it
occurs in parts of the Gothic Bible usually read by students, but have avoided
exceptional words.
An Asterisk is placed after the reference in cases where the word is not
found in the MS., but is conjecturaUy restored.
St.
GLOSSAKY
N.B. All compound verbs must be sought under their simple verbs.
(the death of) the warrior,' 2260; sel-militig, adj. [cf. eaU], almighty;
ffifter ma'SSum-welan, ' after
ob- weak, Be ^Imihtiga, 92.
taining wealth of treasure,' 2750; sel-wiht, St. /., [alien-wioHT] strange
with the tide, 580,
oaf ter f arotSe, '
'
_ monster, 1500.
3096 {see note). [Cf. Goth, aftra.] sene, adv., osce, once only, 3019.
sefter, adv., aeteb, afterwards, 1389, asnig, adj.-pron., any, anyone, 474,
315 (thereupon), etc. eafera ffifter ; 503, etc. rumi. nses se folc-oyniug
;
cenned, 'a son born coming after ymbe-sittendra Snig Sara fe,
him,' 12; so 2731. among neighbouring
'
folk-kings
:;' ;;
Glossary 181
there^was not one that,' 2734. at the hands of, from, 629, etc. nu :
_For EBnige }>inga see jjing. is se rSd gelang eft est ^e auum,
sen-llo, adj., \[otiE-ixss\ unique, ' now is the rede again along of
_ peerless, 251, 1941.
_ thee alone,' 1377.
senne, see i,n. set, St. n., EATing, meal, 3026.
seppel-fealu, adj., apple-p allow, aet-gSBdere, adv., toGETHEK, 321,
_ apple or reddish yellow, 2165. etc.; after samod, 'all together,'
JBr, adv., EBE, erst, before, formerly,
329^ etc.
15, ete.j earlier, 2500 ; first, 3038. 8Bt-grEBpe, adj., at grips with,
no J>y ser, 'none the sooner,' 754, 1269.
etc. ; ffir he feorh sole's... Sr he..., set-rilite, adv., almost, 1657.
'he will sooner give up life than set-sonme, adv., together, 307, etc.
he^ .
,
1370. ' [C/. Goth. Mris.] SBttren, adj., poisonous, 1617.
aer is often used simply to mark se)>ele, adj., noble, 198, etc.
that the verb is pluperfect : sweord sebeling, st. m., atheling, noble,
ffir gemealt, the sword had melted,
' prince, 3, etc.
1615. Of. 2562, 2777, 3060. se)ielu,St. neut. (always pi. in ^Beo-
seror, com/par., before, formerly, wulf), noble descent, lineage,
first, 809, etc. 332*, 392: sejielum god, diore,
ierest, sv/perl., [ekst] first, 6, good, dear, by virtue of lineage,'
'
sulyj.252, etc.; with indie. 2019. 487, etc. ; absolutely, 31 (but see
Correl. with Sr adv. (q. v.), 1371. note). Neg. form nah=ne-(-ah,
ser )>on, conj., eke, 731. 2252. [Cf. Goth. Aigan.]
ser-dseg, st. m., [eke-dat] morning agen, adj. (pp. of agan), own, 2676.
twilight, day-break, 126, etc. Agend, st. m. (pres. part.), owwer,
iirende, st. neut., ebrand, 270, 345. perhaps = God, 3075 (see note to
srest, see ar. U. 3074-5).
99r-fseder, st. m. , [eee-pathek] father, agend-frea, w. m., oir^ing lord,
_ 2622. owner, _1883*.
ser-gestreon, st. neut., [ERE-treasure] aglseca, SBgleeca, w. m. : adversary
ancient treasure, former gain, 1757, hence: (1) monster, 159, 425, 433,
_ 2232. 556, 592, 732, 739, 816, 1000,
:sr-g^eweorc, st. neut., [eee-wokk] 1269, 2520, 2534, 2557, 2905,
ancient work, 1679. ahlascan, 646, 989; (2) champion,
Eer-god, adj., [eke-good] good before 893, perhaps 1512 (see note)
others, very good, 130, 989, etc. both meanings combined, 2592.
sm, St. neut., house, 2225*. [C/. aglSc-wK, St. neut., monster- wife ;
Goth, razn, and O.E. renweardas, nom. Grendles modor, ides, aglSc-
_ 1.770.] wif, 1259.
arra, compar. adj. (formed from adv. ah, ahte, see agan.
Sr), earlier, former dat.pl. »rran : ahsian, (ascian), w. v., learn by
mSlum, in former times,' 907,
' ASKing, 423, 483, 1206. [Bievers,
_2237, 3035. § 204. 3.]
aer-wela, w. m., [eke-weal] ancient aht ( = a-wiht), St. neut., aught;
_ wealth, 2747. with gen. aht cwices, 'aught liv-
sea, St. neut. carrion, carcase, corpse
, ing,' 2314; see also o-wlht.
dat. atol Sse wlanc, the dire '
aider, see ealdor.
creature carrion-proud' (Grendel's Al-walda, Alwealda, w. m., the
mother exulting over jEsohere's ALL-ifTEicer, God, 316, 928, 955,
corpse), 1332. 1314.
sesc, St. m., [ash] spear, 1772. an, 1225, pres. sg. 1st o/unnan, q. v.
sesc-holt, St. neut., [ash- wood] spear, an, prep., see on.
330. an, num. (adj. and pron.), ace. sg.
aesc-wiga, w. m. [ASH-warrior] spear-
,
m. arme and snne:
warrior, 2042. (1) ONE, AN, A, 46, 100, 135, etc.
set, prep, with dat., at, in, of time, with the def. art. 1053, 2237;
place and circumstance, 32, etc. emphatic, sometimes perha/ps de-
;
182 Beowulf
monstrative, 1458, 1885, 2410, crete sense, estate, 2606; gen. pi.
2774 : weak masc. ana, only, ama, 1187 ;dat. pi. arum healdan,
aloNE, 145, etc. on Bnne bKS,
:
' hold in (with) honour, hold safe,'
'once,' 1579; gen. pi. anra geh- 296, 1099, 1182.
wylces, gehwylcum, ' of, to, each ar-fsest, adj., [kindness-FAST] merci-
one,' 732, 784; (=Lat. alter) an ful [cf. Klaeber«9J 1168.
sefter anum, the one for the
' arian, w. v., with dat., respect, spare,
other,' 2461. 598.
(2) oNly, aloNE, 46, 1377, 2964 -am, see -iernaa.
(sole) ; gen. anes hwset, a part ' ar-stafas, st. m. pi, only, favour,
only,' 3010. [C/. Goth, iins.] mercy, kindness, 317, 882, 458.
ancor, st. m., anchoa, 303, 1883. atellc, adj., horrible, dire, 784.
[From Lat. ancora.] ater-tan, st. m., poison-twig, 1459
and, see end. (see note). [Cf. Goth, tains, and
auda, w. m., indignation, evil intent, Mod. Eng. toe in mistletoe.]
mischief, 2814 ; dat. wrajjum on atol, eatol, adj., dire, horrible, 159*,
andan, ' meaning mischief to the etc. ; dat. pi. atolan, 1502.
foe,' 708. [Cf. Goth, us-anan, attor, St. neut., poison, venom, 2715
'
breathe out. '] gen. sg. attres, 2523*.
and-glt, St. neut., understanding, in- attor-scea%a, w. in., [poison-
telligence, 1059. BCATHer] poisonous foe, 2839.
and-lean, see ond-lean. aU, St. m., OATH, 472, etc. [Cf.
and-long, see ond-long. Goth. 4i}is.]
and-rysno, st. /., etiquette, courtesy, aS-sweord, st. n., OATH-swEABing,
attention due, 1796. oath, 2064.
and-weard, adj. ace. neut., sweord
: aUum-swerlan, w. m. pi., father-
swate fah swin of er-helme... and- in-law and son-in-law dat. aiSum-
;
an-bar, adj., hoary, 357* (see note). _of the funeral pile, pyre, 1109, etc.
an-hydig, adj., resolute, 2667. bsel-tyr, St. neut., fibe of the funeral
an-mod, adj., resolute, F. 13. pile, 3148.
3,n-pseS, st. m., [one-path] lonesome liiel-stede, st. m., pyre-siEAD, place
path, or single track, 1410. of the funeral pUe, 3097.
an-raed, adj., resolute, 1529 (see basl-wudu, St. m., pyre- wood, wood
note), 1575. _for the funeral pile, 8112.
an-Bund, adj., sound, 1000. bSBT, St. /., BIEE, 3105.
an-syn, see on-syn. -bssran, w. v.
an-tid, St. /., 219 (see note). ge-bieran, w. v., bear oneself,
anunga, adv., oNce for all, utterly, behave, fare, 2824; with two com-
634 paratives, ne gefrsegen ic [la mffig)>e
An-walda, w. m., [os-wiBLDer'] God, maran weorode...sel gebSran, 'I
1272. heard not that that people in
anwlg-gearu, adj., prepared for greater numbers ever bore them-
single combat, 1247 (see note). selves better,' 1012; cf. P. 40.
ar, St. m., messenger, 336, 2788. bssman, w. v., trans., bubn, 1116,
[Cf. Goth, fcus.] 2318. [Cf. Goth, -gabrannjan.]
ar, St. /., honour, kindness, benefit, forbsernan, w. v., trans., bum
favour, grace, 2378, 1272 ; in con- up, 2126.
;
Glossary 183
l>3ataii, w. v., bridle, hit: pp. gebseted, beado-grlma, w. m., battle-mask,
1399. helmet, 2257.
bBBlJ, St. neut.,bath, 1861. beado-brsegl, st. neut., [battle-BAiL]
baldor, see bealdor. coat of mail, 552.
balu, adj., BALEful; dat.pl., balwon, beado-leoma, w. m., [battle-ray]
977. sword, 1528.
ban, St. neut., bone, 2578 (of the beado-mece ,st.m. ,battle-sword, 1454.
dragon's teeth), 2692. beado-rinc, st. m., [battle-]warrior,
bana, see bona. 1109.
ban-cofa, jo. m., [bone-cove] body, beadu-folm, st.f., battle-hand, 990.
1445. beadu-lac, st. neut., battle-play,
ban-fset, st. neut. [bone-vat] body, battle, war, 1561.
ace. pi. ban-fatu, 1116. beadu-rof, adj., battle-strong, 3160.
Mn-fSg, adj., BONE-dight, adorned beadu-rlln, st. /., [hattle-BUNE]
with antlers, 780. quarrel, 501.
ban-belm, st. m., P. 32 (see note). beadu-sceaxp, adj., battle-SHAEP,
b3,n-taTing, st. m., bone-bing, verte- 2704.
bra, 1567. beadu-scrtld, st. neut., [battle-
bg,n-h11s, St. neut. bone-house, body,
, sHKOun] coat of mail, 458, 2660*
2508, 3147. (see note),
b^n-loca, w. m., bone-xoc^, joint, beadu-serce, w. /., battle-sAKK, coat
818 ; BONE-iocirer, body, 742. of mail; ace. sg. beadu-sercean,
bannan, st. v. [cf. ban in sense of 2755. [Sieversj § 159, 1, 2.]
'
sununon ']. beadu- weorc, st. neut., battle-woBK,
ge-bannan, st. v., order; inf. battle, 2299* (but see note),
Sa io wide gefrssgn weoro geban- beag, beab, st. m., ring, circlet
nan manigre mMg]ie, then I learnt '
(armlet, necklace, etc.), money,
that orders for the work were given treasure, 35, 80, etc.; ace. sing.
widely to many a tribe, 74. ' used collectively, beg, 3168. [Cf.
bat, St. m., BOAT, 211. O.E. biigan.]
bat-weard, st. m., boat-waed, 1900. beag-gyfa, w. m., rmg-oiyer, 1102.
be, bl, prep., with dat., by in its beag-liroden,[0.£.*hreo5an,'adom']
various meanings, originally and adj. {pp.), ring-adorned, 628.
usu. local, more rarely instru- beab-hord, st. neut., ring-HOAKo,
mental (nearer in meaning to 894, etc.
German bei than Eng. by) : BEside, beab-sele, st. to., ring-hall, hall in
near, by, 36, 814, 1191, 1537, which rings were given, 1177.
1722, 1872, 1905, 1950, 2243, beah-)>egu, st.f., ring-receiving, 2176
2538, 2716, 2756; by, along, 566 (referring to Hygd's receiving
(rest), 1188 (motion), 1578; by from Beowulf the necklace which
(in 'I'U do my duty by you'), in Wealhtheow gave him).
connexion with, 1723. Following beab-writSa, w. m., riag-wBEATH,
its case, him big, 3047. WSpen circlet, 2018.
hafenade heard be hiltum, raised ' bealdian, w. v., bear oneself BOLDly,
the sharp weapon by the hilt,' 2177.
1574 ; be ^e lifigendum, during '
bealdor, baldor, st. m., prince, lord,
thy life,' 2665; wses se gryre Isessa 2428, 2567. [Cf O.N. Baldr.]
efne swa miele, swa bi^ msegjia bealo, bealu, st. neut., bale, evil,
or8eft...be wffipned-men, ' the terror ruin, 2826; gen. pi. bealwa, 909,
was less even by so much, as is bealuwa, 281, bealewa, 2082.
women's power beside (in com- bealo, bealu, adj., see balu.
parison with) a man,' 1284. bealo-cwealm, st. m., BALEful or
be (bl) sSm tweonum = be- violent death, 2265.
tweonum s£em, between the ' bealo-hycgende, adj. (pres. part.),
seas,' 858, 1297, 1685, 1956. [BALE-thinking] intending evil,
beacen, st. neut., beacon, 570, 2777 2565.
nom. been, 3160. bealo-bydig, adj. ,
[BALE-minded]
beacnian, w. v., [beckon] indicate intending evil, 723.
pp. gebeacnod, 140. bealo-niS, st. m., [BALB-envy, -hate,
beado, beadu, st. f. , battle, war, 709 -mischief] baleful envy, malicious
gen. beaduwe, 2299 *,beadwe, 1589. hatred, 1758, 2404, 2714.
,; .
184 Beowulf
bearlitin, st. m. a-beodan, st. v., announce,
brightness, 1766 (see note). 390; offer, 668; pret. him hiel
(1)
(2) sound, 1431.
ahead, 'bade him hail, wished
bearm, st. m., [baem] lap, bosom, him health,' 653; hSlo ahead,
35, etc., 21*, 2404 (possession). 'bade farewell,' 2418.
[Of. Goth, barms.] be-beodan, st. v., bid, com-
beam, st. neut., baien, child, son, mand, order, 401, 1975.
59, etc. ; pi. ylda beam, 605, ge-beodan, st. v., proclaim,
gumena beam, 878, niWa bearn(a) offer, give, 603, 2369; inf. het )>a
berian, w. v., bare, clear, 1239. biter, adj., bitter, cutting, sharp,
berstan, st. v., intrans., burst, 760 furious, 1431, 1746, 2704; dat.
(crack), 818, 1121, F. 32. pi. biteran, 2692.
for-beratan, st. v., intrans., bitre, adv., BiTTEKly, 2331.
burst, break in pieces, snap, 2680. blao, adj., BLEAK, bright, brilliant,
betan, ?c. v. [C/. Goth, botjan.] 1517.
g;e-betan, w. v., amend, make blsec, adj., black, 1801.
good, requite, 1991, 2465; pp. blied, St. TO., breath, life, prosperity,
pi. gebette, 830. renown, 18, 1124, 1703, 1761.
betera, adj. compar. (o/god), better, blsed-agande, adj. {pres. part.),
469, 1703. [C/. Goth, batiza.] suooess-oirMng, prosperous, 1013.
betost, betst, svperl., best, 453, bliid-fsest, adj., prosperous, re-
3007, etc.; weak forms betsta, 947, nowned, 1299.
betstan, 1871. blanca, w. m., a white horse, 856.
betllc, adj., excellent, splendid, bleate, adv., miserably, pitifully,
780 », 19i25. 2824.
bl, see be. bllcan, St. v., shine, gleam, 222.
bl-, see be-, bllSe, adj., blithe, joyous, 617;
bicgan, see bycgan. gracious, with gen., 436. [Cf.
bid, St. neut.,Bn>ing; on bid wreoen, Goth, bleijis.]
'brought to bay,' 2962. bllS-heort, adj., BLiTHE-HEARTed,
bidan, St. v., with gen. or absolutely, 1802.
BIDE, abide, wait for, 82, 87, etc. blod, St. neut., blood, 486, 742, etc.
a-bldan, st. v., with gen., aeidb, blodegian, w. v., make bloody;
await, -977. pp. geblodegod, 2692.
ge-bldan, st. v. bldd-fag, adj., BLOOD-stained, 2060.
(1) usu. with ace. or governed blodig, adj., bloody, 2440, etc.
clause, BIDE, abide, endure, ex- blSdig-toU, adj., BLooDY-TooTHed,
perience, 7, 264, 638, etc.; pp. 2082.
gebiden, 1928 imperat. absolutely,
; blod-reow, adj., BLOoD-fierce, blood-
gebide ge, 2529. (2) with gen., thirsty, 1719.
wait for; dat. inf. o'Sres...t5 ge- blonden-feax, adj., [BLENvei-
bldannc.yrfeweardas, 'to wait for haired] gray-haired, 1594, 1791,
another heir,' 2452. 187B; weak nom. sg. blonden-fexa,
on-bldan, st. v. with gen. aBiDE,
, , 2962.
await; 2302, inf. Iseta^ hildebord bodian, w. v. , [bode] announce, 1802.
her onbidan...wordage)>inges, 'let bolca, w. m., gangway, 231.
your battle-boards here abide the bold, St. neut., BuiLDing, 997,
issue of words,' 397. 1925, etc.
' ;
186 Beowulf
boId-9,gend, st. m. {pres. part.), a-bregdan^ si. v., swing, lift;
house-owjfer, 3112. pret. sg. abrSd, 2575.
bolgen-mod, adj., swollen in mood, ge-bregdan, st. v., with ace.
enraged, 709, 1713. or dat.
bolster, St. m., bolster, 1240. (1) draw; pret. gebrsegd, gebrSd,
bona, bana, ^D. m., bane, banesman, 1564, 1664, 2562, 2703.
slayer, 158*, 587, etc. (2) BRAID, weave; pp. gebroden,
bon-gar, st. m., BANE-spear, deadly 1443.
spear, 2031. on-bregdan, j«. v., burst open;
bord, St. neut., [boabd] shield, 2259, pret. sg. onbrsed, 723.
2524, 2673, F. 31*. brego, St. m., prince, lord, king,
bord-basbbend, adj. {pres. part.), 427, 1954 (see note to 1. 1956), etc.
[BOAKD-HAving] sMeld-bearing, worn, brego rof cyning, the prince '
Glossary 187
broden, see bregdan. bune, w. /., cup, drinking- vessel,
broga, w. m., terror, 1291, etc.; 2775, 3047.
gen. sg. 583. bflr, St. neut., bowee, room, 140,
brond, st. m., brand, burning, fire, etc.
sword, 1454, 2126, 2322, 3014, burg, burh, st. /., bueoh, borough,
3160. fortified place,
castle, city, 53,
bront, adj., high, steep, towering, 523, 1968, 2433, 2452; dat. byrig,
238, 568 (see note), 1199.
brosnlan, w. v., crumble, perish, burb-loca, w. m., mj-sas-LOCE,
2260. castle-look, town -precincts, 1928.
brobor, st. m., beother, 587, 1074, burb-stede, st. m., buroh-stead,
etc.; gm. brotSor, 2619. courtyard, 2265.
brflcau, st. v., with gen., brook, use, burh-)>elu, st. castle floor, buruh-
f. ,
Eng. 'keel,' which is from the cuman, st. u., pret. c(w)om: come,
Norse.] 23, etc.; subj. pres. pi. cymen,
ceorfan, st. v., cabte. 3106; pret. pi. cwomon, 239, etc.,
be-ceorfan, st. v., with ace. cwoman, 650; pp. pi. cumene,
pers. and dat. rei, cut ofi, 1590, 361. Often with foil. inf. {which
2138. is sometimes best translated by a
oeorl, St. m., chukl, man, 202, etc. pres. part.}, 268, 710, etc. [Cf.
ceoaan, closan, st. v., choose, ac- Goth, quiman.]
cept, 2376, 2818; pp. pi. geco- be-cuman, st. v., pret. bec(w)om-
rone, 206. [Gf. Goth, kiusan.] (1) COME, 115, 192, etc.
Glossary 189
(2) with ace. pers., befall, 2883. able '), customs, courtesies, eti-
ofer-cuman, st.v. ovekcome pret. ;
quette, 613.
sg. oferowom, 1273; pret. pi. oyne-dSm, st. m., KiNgDOM, 2376.
ofercomon, 699; pp. 845. cyning, kyning, st. m., king, 11,
cumbol, St. m.j standard, banner, 619, 3171, etc.
2505. cyning-bald, adj., [kino-bold] roy-
cunnan, pret.-pres. o., pres. sg. 1st, ally bold, 1634.
Srd, con, can, 2nd, const: Kyning-wuldor, st. m., KiNoly
(1) with ace. or clause, know, be glory. King of glory, God, 665.
acquainted witli, 359, 372, 392, c^pan, w. v., sell. [Cf. ceap.]
418, 1180, 1377, 1739, etc.; with ge-cypan, w. v., buy, purchase,
ace. and clause, 1355. hire, 2496.
(2) with inf., know how to, be cyssan, w. v.
able to, 50, 90, 182, etc. ge-oyssan, w. v., kiss, 1870.
cvumlan, w. v., with
ace. or gen., cyst, St. /., [csoosing] choice,
try, make explore, 508,
trial of, choice quality, excellence, pick,
1426, 1444, 1500, 2045. 673, 802, 867, 923, etc.: wSpna
cms, adj. {pp. of cunnan, ef. Goth. cyst, choicest of weapons,' 1559.
'
cwellan, w. v., quell, kill, 1334. enced deeds (of violence),' 2454.
a-cwellan, w. v., quell, kill, died-cene, adj., [deed-keen] bold
886, 1055, 2121. in act, 1645.
cwen, St. /., QUEEN, wife, 62, etc. dsBd-ftuma, w. m., [DEED-chief] doer
cwen-llc, adj., queenly, womanly, _of deeds, 2090.
1940. daed-liata, w. m., [DEED-HAier] one
cwe'San, st.say, speak, 2041;
v., who shows his hatred in deeds,
pret. cwEe^, 'quoth,' 92, etc.; persecutor, 275 (see note).
cwetS, F. 26. [Cf. Goth. qij>an.] dSBg, St. TO., DAY, 197, 485, etc. [Cf.
a-cweSan, st. v., say, speak; Goth, dags.]
pres. sg. acwyS, 2046; pret. sg. dseges, gen. of dseg used ad-
acwselS, 'quoth,' 654. verUally, by day, 2269.
ge-cweSan, st. v., say, agree, dsg-hwll, St. /., DAY-WHILE, day;
535, 2664; pret. sg. gecwse'S, ace. pi., 2Ti&.
'quoth,' 857, etc. dseg-rlm, st. neut., [day-kime] num-
on-cweVan, st. v., answer, ber of days ; nam. dogera dsegrim,
F. 8.
'
the number of his days,' 823.
cwlc, cwlco, adj., quick, living, d»l, St. m., DEAL, part, portion,
alive, 98, etc. share, 621, etc.; a large part,
cwlVan, w. v., with ace., lament, great deal, 1150, 1740, 1752, 2028,
mourn, 2112, 8171. 2068, 2245, 2843.
-owyU, see -cwetSan. dSlau, w. v., DEAL, divide, distribute,
cjmie, St. m., coiuring; pi. 257. share, 80, 2584, etc. [Cf. Goth.
cymen, see cuman. diiljanj
cym-Uce, adv. be-dselan, w. v., with dat. rei,
cym-llcor, compar., in more deprive, bereave, 721, 1275.
COMELY fashion, more 38. fitly, ge-dsSlan, w. v., deal out, 71;
cyn(ii), St. neut., kin, race, 98, 107, divide, part, 781, 2422.
421, etc. [Cf. Goth, kuni.] dagian, w. v., dawn, F. 8.
oyn(n), adj. and noun, ('aKiN, suit- daroV, st. m., bast, javelin, 2848.
:
190 Beowulf
dead, adj. bead, 467, etc. \Cf. Goth.
, dol-scea'Sa, w. m., DO£tish
daujjs.] scATsei, foolish or rash foe, 479.
*deagan, st. v., dye; but see note dom, St. m., doom, judgment, 441,
to 850.
1. etc. ; free-will, choice, 895, 2147,
dSah, see dugan. etc. ; glory, 885, 2666, e.tc. sefter
:
deall, adj., proud of, adorned by, dome, 'according to right custom,'
494. 1720 dreah setter dome, lived,
;
'
deaS-cwealm, st. m., [dsats-qubll- 1058 pret. sg. dyde, etc., 44, 1676,
;
ing] violent death, slaughter, 1670. 2809, etc. : him Hunlafing hilde-
deaB-dseg, st. m., death-day, 187, leoman...on bearm dyde, the son '
deop, adj., deep, 509, 1904. [Cf. this is so, or whether it is from
Goth, diups.] ond-rsedan is disputed. [See
deor, dlor, adj., bold, brave, fierce, Pogatscher in Anglia, Beiblatt,
1933, 2090. [Cf. Goth, dius.] XIV. 182.]
deorc, adj., daek, 160, 275, etc. dreah, see dreogan.
deore, see dyre. dream, st. m., joy, mirth, 88, 99,
deor-llc, adj., bold, 585. etc.
deor-mod, adj., valiant, P. 25. dream-leas, adj., joyLEss, 1720.
deS, see don. drgfan, w. v., trouble, stir, 1904;
-digan, see -dygan. pp. gedrefed, 1417. [Cf. Goth.
diope, adv., DEEPly, 3069. drobjan.]
diore, see dyre. dreogan, st. v., [dbee] go through,
disc, st.m., DISH, 2775, 3048. [From experience, suffer, enjoy, 589,
Greek through Lat. discus.] r470, 2179- {see dom), etc. ; im-
dogor, St. neut., day, 219, 2573 (see perat. sg. dreoh, 1782; pret. sg.
note), etc.; inst. sg. dogore, 1797, dreah, 131 pret. pi. drugon, 798,
;
dogor, 1395 (see note) gen. pi. ; 1966 ; pp. gedrogen, ' spent,' 2726
dogora, 88, dogera, 828, dogra, sund-nytte' dreah, did a feat of
'
faQ, decline, 1754, 2666. 573, etc., with gen. 526; treat well
drepan, st. v., strike, hit; pret. sg. (with dat.), 1821.
drep, 2880; pp. drepen, 1745, dugut!, St. f. (1) DopGHtiness (2) the
, ;
192 Beowulf
dat. pi. eafelSum, 1717: ic him etc.; vitals, 1434: to aldre, 'for
Geata sceal eafoS ond ellen...guj>e life, for ever, always,' 2005, 2498;
gebeodan, I shall proclaim to him
' awa to aldre, ' for ever and ever,
the strength, courage and warfare 955.
of the Geatas,' 602 (see note to aldoT-bealu, st. neut,, life-BALE,
1. 601). death, 1676.
gage, w. neut., eye, 726, etc. [Cf. aldor-oearu, st. /., life-CAEE,
Goth, augo.] 906.
eagor-stream, st. m., water-STEEAM, aldor-dssg, ealder-dseg, st, m.,
513. life-DAT, day of life, 718, 757.
eahta, num. eight,
, 1035 ; gen. ealita aldor-gedal, si. neut,, life-part-
sum, '
one of eight, with seven ing, death, 805.
others,' 3123. [Cf. Goth, ahtau.] ealdor-gewimia, w, m. [life-yntraer]
,
Glossary 193
eann, it. m., arm, 513, etc. [Gf. eft, adv., AFTer, afterwards, again,
Goth, arms.] back, 22, etc.
earm, adj., wretched, 2368, 2938; eft-cyme, st. n., back-comng, re-
weak fern, earme, 1117. [C/. turn, 2896.
Goth, arms.] eft-slB, St. m., back-journey, return,
earmra, compar., more wretched, 1332, etc.
577. eg-clif, St. neut., sea-CLiFP, 2893*.
earm-beag, U. m., AEM-ring, armlet, egesa, w. m., fear, terror, 784, etc.;
2763. ace. egsan, 276 (see note). [Gf.
earm-[h]r§ad, st. /., AHM-ornament, Goth, agis.]
1194 (see note). egea-full, adj., terrible, 2929.
earm-llc, adj., wretched, miserable, eges-llo, adj., terrible, 1649, etc.
807. egl, St. /., [Aiii=a spike or awn of
earm-sceapen, adj. (pp.), wretched- barley] claw, 987 (see note).
SHAPEN, miscreated, miserable, egsa, see egesa.
1351, 2228*, 2229*. egalan, w. v., terrify; pret. 6 (see
«arn, st. m., ekne, eagle, 3026. note)
eart, art, 352, 506, etc., 2ndsg. pres. Sg-stream, st. m., water-siREAM,
indie, of wesan (q. v.). ocean current, 577.
eastan, adv., from the east, 569, ebtan, w. v., with gen., pursue, per-
F. 3*. secute, 159, 1512.
eatol, see atol. ehtigaS, see eahtian.
SaSe, ylSe, adj., easy, pleasant, 228, elde, see ylde.
1002, etc. ; once eSe, 2586. eldo, see yldo.
eaSe, adv., easily, 478, etc. el-land, st. neut. , alien land, strange
SaU-fynde, adj., easy to find, 138. land, 3019.
Sawan, see ywan. ellen, st. neut., strength, courage,
eaxi, St. /., [axle] shoulder, 816, bravery, 3, 573, etc.; dat. sg. elne,
835, etc. sometimes best rendered by an adv.,
eazl-gestealla, w. m., shoulder- courageously,
'
2676 ; sometimes
'
B. 13
; ;
194 Beowulf
elra, adj., another, 752 [compar. of eorllc (=eorl-lic), adj., eabl-like,
•el(l), Goth, aljis— TOOS found in noble, 637.
elles and ellor]. eorl-sclpe, st. m., eaklship, courage,
adj., of alien nation, heroic deeds, 1727, 2133, etc.
el-|ieodig,
foreign, 336. eorl-weorod, st. neut., [EABL-host]
warrior-band, 2893.
ende, st. m., end, 224, etc.; ace.
hsafde eoriS-sorafa ende genyttod, eormen-cynn, st. neut., [vast kin]
'
had had the last of his earth- mankind, 1957.
caves,' 3046; dat. eorlum on eormen-grund, st. m., [vast aKonun]
ende, 2021 (see note). [C/. Goth. the whole broad earth, 859.
andeis.] eormen-iaf, st.f., [vast LEAVVD.g\ im-
ende-dseg, st. m., end-day, day of mense legacy, 2234.
death, 637, 3035. eorre, see yrre.
eude-dogor, st. neut., esd-dat, day of eorS-bflend, st. m. (pres. part.),
death, 2896. dweller in the land, F. 34.
ende-laf, st. /., [T.m>-LEAving] last eorfS-cyning, st. m., eabth-king,
remnant, 2813. earthly king, 1155.
ende-lean, st. neut., END-reward, final eorV'draca, iv. m. , earth -drake,
reward, 1692. earth-dragon, 2712, 2825.
ende-s5ta, w. m., [END-sirter] coast- eorSe, w. /., earth, world, 92, 2834
guard, 241. (see note), etc.
ende-stsef, st. m., [end-staff] end; eotV-Ms, St. neut., eakth-house,
ace. on ende-stssf, 'towards, in, 2232*.
the end,' 1753. eortS-reced, st. neut., EARTH-house,
endian, w. v. earth-hall, 2719 (see note).
ge-eudian, w. v., end; pp. eorB-sersef, st. neut., EARTH-cave;
geendod, 2311. gen. pi. eortS-scrafa, 3046.
enge, adj., narrow, 1410. eorS-sele, st. m., EARTH-hall, 2410,
ent, St. m., giant, 1679, 2717, 2515.
2774. eorS-weall, st. m., earth-wall,
entisc, adj., gigantic, 2979. 2957, 3090.
eode, eodon, see gan. eorlS-weard, st. ni., EARTH-possession,
eodor, st. m. land-property, locality, 2334.
(1) fence, barrier; ace. pi.
under eoten, eoton, st. m., ettin, giant,
eoderas, within the barriers, into
' monster, 112, 421, 761, 883, 902
the house,' 1037, (see note), etd.
(2) protector, lord, prince, 428, eotenisc, eotonisc, adj., gigantic, of
1044; nam. eodur, 663. a giant, 1558, 2979; ace. etonisc,
eofer, eofor, st. m., boar, figure of a 2616.
boar upon a helmet, 1112, 1328; eoten-weard, st. /., [ettin-ward]
ace. eafor, 2152. ward or watch against a monster
eofer-spreot, st. m., boar-spear, 1437. ace. eoten-weard ahead, ' offered
eofor-Uc, St. neut., boar-LiKsness, watch against Greudel,' 668 (see
figure of a boar upon a, helmet note),
pi. 303. eow, pers. pron., ace. and dat. pU
eotoV, see eafoS. (of |;u), yon, 391, 2865, etc.
eolet, St. m. or neut.; gen. 224 (see eowan, see ywan.
note). eower, pers. pron:, gen. pi. {of ]>u),
eom, AM, see wesan. of TO0, 248, etc.
eorclan-stan, st. m., precious stone, eower, poss. adj., your, 251, etc.
1208. [Of. O.N. jarkna-steinn, eowic, pers. pron., ace. pi. (of ]>u),
and Goth, -alrkns, 'good, holy.'] YOU, 317, 3095.
eored-geatwe, st. f. pi., troop-trap- est, St. /., favour, grace, 958, 2165,
pings, military equipments, 2866. etc.; ace. 2157 (see note), 3075; dat.
[eored from * eoh-rad.] pi. estum, with adverbial force,
eorl, St. m., earl, noble, warrior, 'graciously, gladly, kindly,' 1194,
6, 248, etc. 2149, 2378. [Of Goth, ansts.]
eorl-gestreon, st. neut., eabls' este, adj., gracious; with gen. hyre
treasure, 2244. ...este wSre beam-gebyrdo, 'was
eoTl-gewiede, st. neut., [eabl-webds] gracious to her in her child-
armour, 1442. bearing,' 94S.
:
Glossary 195
etan, st. v., eat, 444, 449. ^rlnga, adv., suddenly, 1414 (see
^UTh-etan, st. v., eat throuoh; note), 1988.
pp. pi. Jjurhetone, 3049. f»T-til8, St. m., [FEAB-malice] sudden
etonlac, see eotenlsc. mischief, 476.
615-tiegSte, adj., [easy-BEGorten] faest, adj., fast, 137, etc.; oftenwith
easily got, 2861. dat. 1290, 1878, etc.
etSe, see SaVe. fsestan, w. v., fastcu.
SiSel, St. m., native land, fatherland, be-fsestan, w. v., commit to,
land, estate, 520, etc. 1115.
eUel-rllit, st. neut., land-EioHT, 2198. fseste, adv., fast, 554, etc.
eBel-stol, st. to., [fatherland-STOOL] fsastor, compar., faster, 143.
native seat; pi. country, 2371. fsesten, st. neut., FASxness, strong-
eSel-turf, st. /., native tdkf, native hold^ 104, 2333, 2950.
soil; dat. e'Sel-tyrf, 410. f89Bt-rsed, adj., [fast-bede] firm-
eUel-weard, st. m., fatherland-wABD, purposed, steadfast, 610.
guardian of his country, 616, fast, St. ne«{. VAT, vessel, flagon, 2761.
,
sudden terror, terror of sudden 1412, 3061 (see note) ; dat. feaum,
danger, 174. 1081. [C/. Goth. pi. ttmki.]
13—2
196 Beowulf
-feah, see -feon. of money, valuable gift, 21, 1025,
feolan.
fealli, see 1089.
feallan, st. v., fall, 1070, etc. pret. feoh-leas, adj., pee-less, not to be
sg. feol(l), 772, 2919, etc. atoned for with money, 2441.
be-feallan; ]yp. befeallen, 'de- feobtan, st. v., fight, F. 43.
prived, bereft,' 1126, 2256. ge-feobtan, st. v., figbt out,
ge-feallan, st. v. achieve, 1083.
(1) intrans. , tall, 1755. feohte, w. /., fight, 576, 959.
(2) trans., fall to, fall on to, 2100, feolan, st. v., penetrate; pret. sg.
2834 {see note). fealh, 1281, 2225*- [C/. Goth.
fealo, see fela. filhan. ]
fealu, adj., fallow, yellow, dun; 39t-feolan, st. v., cleave, stick;
ace. sg. m.
fealone, 1950; /. pret. EBtfealh, 968.
fealwe, 916; ace. pi. fealwe, 865. -feon, St. V.
fSa-Bceaft, adj., wretched, destitute, ge-feon, st. v., rejoice; pret.
7, 973, 2285, 2373, 2393. sg. gefeah, 109, etc., gefeh, 827,
feax, St. neut., hair, hair of the etc.; pret. pi. gefSgon, 1014,
head, dat. feaxe, 1537*, 1647, gefegon, 1627.
fexe, 2967. fSond, St. m., FIEND, foe, 101, 164,
fedan, w. v., feed. [Cf. Goth. etc. [Cf. Goth, fijands.]
fodjan.] feond-grap, st. /., piENE-Giezp,
Sl-fedan, w. v. bring up, 693.
, foe's grasp, 636.
-fSgon, see -feon. feond-Bca'Ba, w. m., [piEND-sc^rHer}
-feh, see -feon. dire foe, 554.
fehS, see fon. feond-acipe, st. m., fiendship, en-
fel (-fSol), st.f., file; gen.pl. felalaf, mity, 2999.
'leaving of files, i.e. sword,' 1032. feor, adj., fab, 1361, 1921.
fela, St. neut., indecl., nrach, many, feor, adv., far, afar, 42, 109, 542, 808,
36, etc. [Cf. Goth, filu, dat. 1221, 1340, etc.; once feorr, 1988;
fil4u.] of time, 'far back,' 1701. [Cf.
Usu. with gen. sg. <yr pi.; fealo, Goth, falrra, 'far.']
2757; see also worn. tyr, compar., farther, 143, 252.
Used as an adj. qualifying worn feor-btlend, st. m. (pres. part.), par
(q. v.), 530, etc. dweller, dweller afar; pi. 254.
fela, adv., much, greatly, 1385, etc.; feor-cySU, St. /., par country; pi.
fsela,F. 27, 35 (see micel). f eor-cyJj'Se beo'S selran gesohte \>tem
fela-geomor, adj. very sad, 2950.
, fie him selfa deah, 'distant lands
fela-hror, adj., very vigorous, 27. are better sought by one who is
fela-mSdig, adj., [very moody] very himself a good man,' 1838.
brave, 1637, 1888. feorh, St. m. neut., life, 73, 439,
fela-synnig, adj., very siNful, 1379 1152 (bodies), 1210 (see note),,
(but see note), 2040, etc.; gem. feores, 1433, etc.;
fell, St. neut.,fell, skin, 2088. dat. feore, 1843, etc.; ace. ferh {see
fen(n), st. neut., fen, moor, 104, wrecan), 2706; wtes in feorh
1295. [_Cf. Goth, fani, 'clay.'] dropen, 'was mortally wounded,'
fen-freoSo, st. /., FEu-refuge, 851. 2981; widan feorh, 'ever,' 2014;,
feng, St. m., clutch, grasp, 578, dat. to widan feore, 'ever,' 933.
1764. [Cf. Goth, fairhwus, 'world.']
fSng, see f5n. feorh-bealu, -bealo, strong neut.,
fengel, st. m., prince, 1400, 1475, life-BALE, deadly evil, 156, 2077,
2156, 2345. 2250, 2537.
fen-geiad, st. neut., FEN-path, 1359. feorh-benn, st. /., life-wound, deadly
fen-hliS, st. neut., PEN-slope; pi. wound, 2740.
fen-hleoSu, 820. feorh-bona, w. m., [life-BANE] mur-
fen-hop, St. neut., FEN-retreat, derer, 2465.
'sloping hollow with a fenny feorb-cynn, st. neut., life-KiN, gene-
bottom' (Skeat), 764. ration or race of men, 2266.
feoh, St. neut., pee, property, money; feorb-genlSla, w. m., life-foe, deadly
dat. sg., feo (fea), 156 (see note), foe, 969, 1540, 2933.
etc. {Cf. Goth, falhu.] feorb-iaet, st. m., life-step, 846 (see
feoh-gift, -gylt, St. /., PEE-GiFT, gift note).
;
Glossary 197
feorh-legu, st. /., decreed term of ge-ferian, w. o., bear, bring,
Vde, hence conclusion of life, ace. 1638, 3130; imperat. pi. 1st, ge-
nil ic on maSma hord mine be- ferian, 'let us bear,' 3107.
bohte frode feorh-lege, 'now that of-ferlan, w. v., bear off, 1583.
in exchange for the hoard of o8-ferian, w. v., bear away,
treasures I have sold my
old life,' save, 2141.
2800. fetel-hllt, St. neut., belted hilt,
feorh-seoc, adj., life-sicK, mortally 1563.
wounded, 820. fetian, w. v., fetch; pp. fetod, 1310.
feorh-sweng, st. m., [Vde-switiG] ge-fetian, w. v., fetch, bring,
deadly blow, 2489. 2190.
feorh-wund, st. /., life-wouND, leUa, w. m., troop on foot, troop,
deadly wound, 2385. 1327, 1424, 2497, 2544, 2919.
feorh-weard, st. /., guard over life, feBe, St. neut., movement, pace,
305 (see note). 970.
feonn, st. /., food, sustenance, 451 feSe-cempa, w. m., foot-champion,
(see note), 2385* (see note). foot-warrior, 1544, 2853.
feormend-leas, adj., polisher-LESs, feSe-gest, st. m., foot-GUEST, 1976.
wanting the furbisher, 2761. feSe-last, st. m., [movement-track]
feormian, w. v. foot-track, 1632.
(1) polish; siibj. pres. 2253*. feSer-gearwa, st. f. pi., feather-
(2) eat, devour; pp. gefeormod, gear, 3119*.
744. fe'Se-wIg, St. m., foot-war, battle on
feormynd, st. m. {pres. part.), foot, 2364.
polisher; pi. 2256. fex, see feax.
feorran, w. v., banish, 156. flf, num., FIVE, 545, F. 43; inflected,
feorran, adv., from apab, fife, 420. [C/. Goth, fimf.]
(1) of space, 361, etc. fifel-cynn, st. neut., monster-KiN,
(2) of time, 91, 2106 (of old race of monsters, 104.
times). fif-teue, num., fifteen; ace. tft-
feoTTan-cund, adj., come from aFAs, tyne, 1582; inflected gen., flf-
1795. tena sum, 'with fourteen others,' ^.
feor-weg, st. m., fak way, distant 207.
land, 37. flftlg, num., fifty; as adj. 2209;
feower, num., four, 59, 1027, 1637, with gen. 2733; inflected gen. sg.
2163. fiftiges, 3042.
feower-tyne, num. foukteen, 1641.
, flndan, st. «., find, 7, 207, etc.;
ferau, w. v., fare, go, 27, etc.; obtain, prevail, 2373: pret. fand,
pret. pi. ferdon, 839, 1632 ; subj. 118, etc.; funde, 1415, etc.; inf.
pres. pi., feran, 254. swa hyt weortSlieost fore-snotre
ge-ferau, w. v. men findan mihton, 'as very wise
(1) trans., go to, reach, gain, men could most worthily devise
bring about, 1221, 18S5, 2844, it,' 3162.
3063. , on-flndan, st. v., find out, per-
(2) intrans., fare; pret. pi., 1691 ceive, 750, 1293, 1890, etc.
(see note). finger, st. m., finger, 760, etc.
ferh, 2706, see feorh. flras, St. m. pi., men, 91, etc.; gen.
ferh, St. m., [paebow] pig, 305 (see pi. fyra, 2250*. [P. B. B. x.
note), 487.]
ferh-weard, see feorh-weard. firen, fyren, st. /., crime, violence,
ferhU, St. m. or neut., heart, mind, 754, 915, etc.; ace. fyrene, 101, 137,
etc. [connected with feorh, 'life']. 153, etc., firen, 1932: dat. pi.
ferhS-frec, adj. bold-minded, 1146.
, fyrenum, by crimes, maliciously,'
'
ferhS-genlSla, w. m., life-foe, deadly 1744. For 2441 see note. [Gf.
foe, 2881. Goth, falrina, 'accusation.']
ferlan, w. v., [fekey] bear, carry, fyren-daed, st. /. , crime-DEED,
bring ; pres. pi. f erigea^, 333 deed of violence, 1001, 1669.
pret. pi. feredon, 1154, etc., fy- fyren-Kearf, st. f., [crime-need]
redon, 378; pp. pi. geferede, 361. dire distress, 14.
[t/. Goth, farjan.] fl^en-, see fjrrgen-.
set-ferian, w. v., bear off, 1669. flseac, St. neut., flesh, 2424. .
198 Beowulf
flsesc-homa, w. m., PLESH-oovering, folc-red, st. m., polk-bede; ace.
body, 1568. folo-red fremede, 'did what was
fiacor, adj., flickering, quickly for the public good,' 3006.
moving, P. 36*. folc-rilit, St. neut., polk-eight,
arrow, barb, 2438, 3119.
flan, St. m., public right, 2608.
flan-boga, w. m., arrow-sow, 1433, folc-scaru, st.f., folk-shake, (public)
1744. land, 73.
fleah, see fleon. folc-stede, st. m., folk-stead, 76
fleam, st. m., flight, 1001, 2889. (Heorot) ; ace. folc-stede fara,
fleogan, st. v., ply, 2273, F. 3. 'the field of battle,' 1463.
fleon, St. v., FLEE, 755, etc.; pret. folc-toga, w. m., POLK-leader, 839.
sg., with ace, fleah, 1200* (see fold-bold, St. neut., eaith-BuiLDing,
note), 2224. hall on the earth, 773.
be-fleon, st. v., with ace, flee, fold-bflend, st. m. (pres. part.),
escape from; dat. inf. no bffit earth-dweller, 309; pi. fold-buend,
fSe byS to befleonue, 'that (fate 2274, fold-buende, 1355.
or death) will not be easy to folde, w. /., earth, ground, world,
escape from,' 1003. 96, 1137, 1196, etc.
ofer-fleon, st. v., plee from; inf. fold-weg, St. m., earth-wAY, 866,
nolle ic beorges weard oferfleon 1633.
fotea trem, 'I wUl not flee from folglan, w. u., poLLow, pursue,
the barrow's warden a foot's 1102, 2933.
space,' 2525. folm, st.f., hand, 158, etc.
flSotan, St. v., [fleet] float, swim, fon, St. v., seize, take, receive,
542, 1909. grapple, clutch, 439; pres. 3rd,
flet, 8*. neut., floor, floor of a hall, feh'S oSer to, 'another inherits
hall, 1025, 1036, 1086, etc. (the treasure),' 1755; pret. feng,
flet-raest, st. /., floor-EEsi, bed in a 1542, with dat. 2989. [Cf. Goth.
hall, 1241. fahan.]
flet-sittend, st. m. (pres. part.), be-fon, bl-fSn, st. v., seize,
floor-siTTing, hall-sitter, 1788, seize on, embrace; pp. befongen,
2022. 976, 1451, 2274, etc., bifongen,
flet-werod, st. neut., [floor-host] 2009, befangen, 1295, etc.
hall-troop, 476. ge-fon, St. v., with ace, seize;
fllht, St.m., FLIGHT, 1765. pret. gefeng, 740, 1501, 1537, 1563,
flltan, St. v., [Sc. flite] contend, 2215, 2609, 3090.
strive, 916 ; pret. sg. 2nd, 507. on-fon, St. v., usu. with dat.,
ofer-flltan, st. v., ovEHCome, receive, take, seize, 911; imperat.
517. sg. onfoh, 1169 ; pret. onfeng, 52,
flod, St. m., FLOOD, 42, 545, etc. 1214, etc.; 748 (see note).
[C/. Goth, flodus.] ^urh-fon, with
st. v., ace.,
fl6d-y8, St./., FLOOD- wave, 542. [seize through] penetrate, 1504.
flSr, St.m., FLOOR, 725, 1316. wiU-fon, St. v., with dat.,
flota, w. m., [FLoATer] bark, shin, grappjg with; pret. wilS-feng, 760.
210, etc. ymbe-lda, st. v., with ace.,
flot-here, st. m., [PLOAT-armyl fleet, [seize about] encircle, enclose;
2915. pret. ymbefeng, 2691.
flyman, w. v., put to flight; pp. fondian, fandian, w. v., with gen.,
geflymed, 846, 1370. [Of. fleam.] search out, prove, experience;
-foil, see -f5n. pp. gefaudod, 2301, hafatJ dSda
folc, St. neut.,
polk, nation, people, gefondad, 'has experienced deeds
warriors, army, 14, 55, 262, etc. (of violence),' 2464.
The plural is sometimes used with for, prep.
thesame meaning as the singular, (1) with dat., before, 358, 1026,
1422, etc.; cf. leod, leode. 1120, 1649, 2020, 2990; before or
folc-lgend, st. m. (pres. part.), because of, 169, 2781; por, out of,
[FOLK-o>rj?er] folk-leader, 3113 (see from, through, because of, on
note). account of, about, 110, 338-9,
fOlC-CWSn, St.f., POLK-QUEEN, 641. 385, 508, 832, 951, 965, 1442,
folc-cyning, st. m., polk-kihg, 2733, 1615, 2501 (see note), 2549, 2926,
2873. 2966, etc.; for (purpose), 382, 468.
Glossary 199
(2) with ace, fok, instead of, as, note) ; of the Deity, the Lord, 27,
947, 1175, 2348. 2794. [Gf. Goth, fr^uja.]
foran, adv., beroEE, to the fore, frSa-drUiten, st. m. lord and master,
,
200 Beowulf
fireoVu-webbe, w. /., peace- iKE^rer, fullsstan, see under lastan.
lady, 1942._ fultiun, St. m., help, aid, 698, 1273,
frioSo-wsBr, frloBu-wter, st. /., 1835, 2662.
peaoe-oompact, treaty of peace, funde, pret., see findan.
1096, 2282. fundian, w. v., hasten, intend, strive
ftiSu-sibl), St. /., peace-kin, to go, 1137, 1819.
peace-bringer, 2017. furtJum, adv., first, 328, 465, 2009;
fretan, st. v., [fket] devour, con- at first, formerly, 1707.
sume, 1581, 3014, 3114. [Cf. furSur, adv., fukther, further for-
Goth, fra-itan.] ward, 254, 761, 2525', 3006.
friogean, st. v., ask, learn; inf. flls, adj., ready, eager, longing, 1241,
fricgcean, 1985 ; pres. part, fela 1475, etc.; hastening, inclined,
friogende, ' learning much, experi- 1916 (see note to 1. 1915), 1966.
enced,' 2106. ftlB-lIc, adj., ready, prepared, 1424,
ge-fricgean, w. v., learn, 3002 ; 2618 ; neut. pi. fusliou, 232.
pres. subj. 1826, 2889. fyf-tjne, see fif-tene.
friclan, w. v., seek for, 2556. lyu, St. m., FALL, 1544, 2912.
fMgnan, frinan, st. v., ask, inquire, fyilan, w. V. [From full, cf. Goth.
851; imperat. sg. frin, 1322; pret. fuUjan.]
sg. frffign, 236, etc. [Cf. Goth. a-iyilan, w. v., fill up, fill, 1018.
fraihnan.] fyllan, w. V. [From feall.]
ge-frignan, st. v., learn, hear ge-fyUan, w. v., fell, 2655
of pret. sp., gefrsegn, 74, 194, etc.,
;
pret. pi. gefyldan, 2706.
gefrsBgen, 1011 ; pret. pi. gefrunon, ^Uo, St. /., FILL, 562, 1014, 1333.
2, etc., gefrungon, 666; pp. gefru- fyl-werlg, adj., fall-weaics, weary
nen, 694, etc., gefrsegen, 1196. to the point of falling, 962.
Often follmbed by ace. and inf. tyi, see feor, adv.
74, 1969, etc. fyr, St. neut., fike, 185, etc.
fnnan, see frignan. f^as, see firas.
IrioSo-, frloSu-, fri'Su-, see freotSo-. fSr-bend, st. m.f., tike-band, band
IrBd, adj., old, wise, 279, 1806, etc. forged with fire, 722.
[C/. Goth. froJ>s.] fjrrd-gestealla, w. m., army-com-
frofor, St. /., solace, comfort, 14, rade, 2873.
etc.; ace. frofre, 7, etc., frofor, fyrd-hom, st. m. , army-coat, coat of
698. mail, 1504.
from, adj., forward, keen, bold, lyrd-hrsegl, st. neut., [army-BAn.]
1641, 2476, 2527; splendid, 21. armour, 1527.
from, firam, prep., with dat., fkom, fyrd-hwsBt, od/., [army-active] war-
away from, 194 (see note), 420, like, brave ; pi. fyrd-hwate, 1641,
541, 1635, 2565, etc.; of, con- 2476.
cerning, 532, 581, etc. Following f^d-leo8, St. neut., army-lay, war-
its case, 110, etc. song, 1424*.
&om, fram, adv., away, forth, 754, fyr-draoa, w. m., fiee-dkake, fire-
2556. dragon, 2689.
fttuna, w. m., beginning, 2309. . fyrd-seaxu, st. neut., [army-] armour,
fnim-cyn, st. neut., [first kin] lin- 2618 pi. 232.
;
Glossary 201
fyr-lSoht, sf. neut., mkelioht, 1516. ge-g3,n, St. a., pret.
fyrmest, adv. superl. {of fore), gelode (2200):
FOREMOST, 2077. first, (1) GO (intrans.), 1967, 2676.
fyru-dagas, st. m. pi., former days, (2) oo(trans.), make, venture,
days of old, 1451. [C/. Goth. 1277, 1462.
fairueis, '
old.'] gain (by going), obtain, 1535;
(3)
l^m-geweorc, st. neut., former work, VJith dependent clause, 2917.
ancient work, 2286. (4) happen, 2200.
jym-gewiim, st. neut., former strife, ofer-g3.li , St. v., with ace. , oo
ancient strife, 1689. OVER, 1408, 2959.
^n-mann, st. m., former man, man cS-gan, St. v., GO (to), 2934.
of old, 2761. ymb-gan, st. v., with ace, go
fyrn-wita, iv. m., former counsellor, about, go around, 620.
old counsellor, 2123. gang, St. m., Going, journey, 1884
fyrst, St. m., time, space of time, 76, power of going, 968; track, 1391,
545, etc. 1404.
lyrSran, w. v., pdrthek; pp. frset- gang, gangan, see gongan.
wum gefyrSred, furthered by, ' ganot, St. m., gannet. Solan goose,
urged on by, the jewels (hasten- ' 1861.
ing to show them to Beowulf), gar, St. m., spear, javelin, 328, etc.
2784. [Frmn furtSor.] gar-cSne, adj., spear-KESN, spear-
lyr-wet, -wyt, st. neut., curiosity, bold, 1958.
232, etc. gar-cwealm, st. m., [spear-QPBii-
fyr-wylm, st. m., riKB-ir^iiing, ing] death by the spear, 2043.
surge of fire, 2671. gar-holt, St. neut., spear-HOLT, spear-
fyaan, w. v., make ready, incite; shaft, spear, 1834.
pp. gefysed, 630, 2309, 2561; gar-secg, st. m., ocean, 49, 515, 537.
winde gefysed, impelled by the '
.
gar-wiga, w.m., spear-warrior, 2674,
wind,' 217. [From fus.] 2811.
gar-wlgend, st. m. (pres. part.),
spear- warrior, 2641.
G gaat, giest, St. m., ghost, sprite,
devil, 102 (see note), 133, etc.
gad, St. neut., lack, 660, etc. [C/. gen. pi. gasta, 1357, gsesta,
Goth. gMdw.] 1123.
gsedeling, st. m., relative, comrade, gast-bona, w. m., [ghost-bane] soul-
2617, 2949. slayer, the devil, 177.
gsest, gaest, see note to 1. 102. ge, conj., and, 1340; ivith swylce,
gsX, see gan. 2258; carrel. ge...ge, both. ..and,' '
202 Beowvlf
gSax-dagas, st. m. pi., tobe-days, gegnum, adv., forwards, straight,
days of yore, 1, 1354, 2233. direct, 314, 1404.
geare, see gearwe. gehlyn, st. n., noise, din, F. 30.
gearo, gearu, once geara, adj., take, gehSo, see giobSo.
ready, prepared, 77, 1109, 1914, ge-hwa, pron., with gen., each, each
etc. with gen. 1825
; aec. eg. f.
; one ace. gehwone, gehwane, 294,
;
etc.; withne, 'not at all,' 246. mym. neut., an wig gearwe ge set
gearwor, compar. more readily,
, ham ge on herge, ge gehweejier
3074. Jiara efne swylce mSla, ready for '
gearwost, superl., most surely, war both at home and in the field,
715. and either (i.e. both) of them even
-geat, see -gitan. at such times,' 1248.
geato-Uc, adj., stately, splendid, ge-Uwylc, ge-hwelc, adj.-pron., with
215, 308, 1401, 1562, 2154. gen. each, 98, 148, etc.
geatwa, st. f. pi., garniture, 3088. ge-hygd, St. f. and neut., thought,
ge-bedda, w. m. or /., BED-fellow, 2045.
665. [Of. heals-gebedda.] ge-hyld, st. neut., protection, 3056.
ge-brsec, st. neut., crash, 2259. [Gf. \_From healdan.]
brecan.] ge-lac, at, neut., play, 1040, 1168.
ge-broUor, ge-bro8ru, st. m. pi., ge-lad, St. neut., [lode] path, 1410.
BROTHERS, 1191. ge-lang, see ge-long.
ge-byrd, st. f. or neut., order, . ge-lenge, adj., bezoj^eing to, 2732.
established order, fate, 1074. ge-llc, adj., LIKE, 2164 (but see note).
ge-cynde, adj., [kind] natural, he- ge-llcost, superl., likest, most
reditary, 2197, 2696. like, 218, 727, 985, 1608.
ge-dal, St. neut., severance, parting, ge-15me, adv., frequently, 559.
3068. [Of. Goth. daUs, ' division.'] ge-long, ge-lang, adj. gelong (ge-
;
Glossary 203
gengan, gengde, see gongan. ge-saca, w. m., adversary, 1773.
ge-nip, St. neut., mist, 1360, 2808. ge-sacu, st.f., strife, 1737.
ge-n5g, adj., enoi/oh, 2489, 3104. ge-scad, St. neut., difference, 288.
ginunga, adv. wholly, utterly, 2871.
, geacEep-hwU, st. /., [sH^ped while]
geo, glo, lu, adv., formerly, 1476, fated hour, 26.
2459, 2521. [C/. Goth, ju.] ge-8oeaft, st. /., [what is SHAPEri]
geoc,8«./.,help, 177, 608, 1834, 2674. creation, world, 1622. [Cf. scyppan
geocor, adj., dire, sad, 765. and Goth, gaskafts.]
geofon, gifen, gyfen, st. neut., ocean, ge-sceap, st. neut., shape, 650;
362, 515, 1394, 1690. destiny, 3084 (see note).
geofU, see gifta. ge-scipe, st. netit., fate, 2570 (see
geogotS, giogoU, St. /., yoniH, both note).
abstract and concrete ( = younger ge-selda, w. m., hall-fellow, comrade,
warriors), 66, etc.; gen. iogo'Se, 1984.
1674. ge-si?, St. m., retainer (originally
geogoS-feorh, st. m. and neut., youth- comrade in a journey), 29, etc.
life,days of youth, 537, 2664. ge-slyht, St. neut., slaying, encoun-
geolo, adj., tellow, 2610. ter, 2398. [Cf. O.E. slean.]
geolo-rand, st. m., yellow buckler, ge-Btreon, st. neut., possession, trea-
yellow shield, 438. sure, 1920, 2037, 3166.
geo-mann, see in-moim. gest-sele, st. m., oxjEST-hall, 994.
geo-meowle, to. /., former maiden, ge-sund, adj., sound, safe and sound,
spouse, 3150*; ace. io-meowlan, 1628, 1988 with gen. siSa gesunde,
;
geom, adj., YEABNing, eager, 2783. ge-trywe, adj., tkue, faithful, 1228.
[Cf. Germ, gem.] ge-^lnge, st. neut. :
204 Beowulf
ge-wsede, st, neut., weeds, armour glf-stSl, St. m., GiEt-STOOL, throne,
292. 168 2327
ge-wealc, st. neut., [walk] rolling, gUu, St. /., Girt, 1173, 1271, etc.;
464. gen. pi. gifa, 1930, geofena, 1173
ge-weald, st. neut., TviELmng, power, dat. pi. geofum, 1958.
control, 79, 808, 2221 (see mid), gigant, St. TO., giant, 113, 1562, 1690.
etc. [P.B.B. X. 501. From Greek,
ge-wealden, adj. (pp.), subject, 1732. through hat. gigantem.]
ge-weorc, st. neut., work, 455, etc. gilp, gylp, St. m. and neut., [yelp]
ge-wider, st. neut., weather, storm, boast, 829, 1749, 2521 (see note
tempest; pi. 1375. to 11. 2520-1), etc.; on gylp,
ge-wif, St. neut., web, of destiny, 'proudly,' 1749.
fortune; pi. gewiofu, 697. [C/. gilpam, gylpan, st. v. [yelp] boast, ,
Glossary 205
for-gytan, st. v. , fokobt, 1751i gold-hwffit, adj., [G0LD-activ«]
on-gitan, on-gytan, st. v. greedy for gold, 3074 (see note).
(1) GET hold of, seize; pret. sg. gold-m9,8uiu, St. m., ooLD-treasure,
angeat, 1291. 2414.
(2) get hold of with the mind, gold-sele, st. m. , ooLD-hall, 715,
perceive, 14, 1431, 1723, 2748, 1253, 1639, 2083.
etc. inf. ongyton, 308.
;
gold-weard, st. m., [gold-wakd]
gladlan, w. v., shine triumphantly, guardian of gold, 3081.
2036. gold-wine, st. m., GOLD-friend,
glssa, adj., [glad] gracious, 58 (see prince, 1171, etc.
note), etc. gold-wlanc, adj. , gold proud, 1881.
glsed-man, adj., cheerful, courteous, gomban, w. ace, tribute, 11. [Only
367 (see note). twice recorded: gender and exact
gl:ed-m5d, adj., glad of mood, 1785. form of nom. uncertain."]
gled, st.f., GLEED, ember, fire, 2312, gomen, gamen, st. neut., game,
etc. mirth, joy, 1160, 2459, etc.
gled-egesa, w. m., GusED-terror, gomen- waS, st. /., [oAME-path]
terror of fire, 2650. joyous journey, 854.
gleo, St. neut., glee, 2105. gomeu-wudu, st. m., [game-wood]
gleo-beam, »t. m., [glee-beam], glee- harp, 1065, etc.
wood, harp, 2263. gomol, gomel, gamol, adj., old,
gleo-dr€am, st. m., [GLEE-joy] mirth, gray, aged, ancient, 58, 2112,
3021. 3095, etc.; weak gomela, gamela,
gleo-mann, st. m., gleeman, min- 1792, 2105, etc.; gem. pi. gomehra
strel, 1160. lafe, 'the heirlooms of their
gUdan, glide, 515, etc.
St. v., fathers before them,' 2036.
tS-gUdan, St. v., [glide asunder] gamol-feaz, adj., gray-haired,
fall to pieces, 2487. 608.
glltinlan, w. v., GLirter, glisten, gongao, gangan, gengan, st. v. go, ,
gnom, St. m. or neut., sorrow, 2658. gengde, 1412; pp. gegongen, 822,
gnomian, w. v., mourn, 1117. 3036 ; inf. gangan cwomon, came '
Glossary 207
gflfl-liom, at. m., war-HOEN, 1432. gyrede, etc. , see gyrwan.
gfl1S-lir§8, St. m. or neut., war-fame, gym, gryn, st. masc. or fem., sorrow,
819. 1775; gryn, 930 {see note).
gWS-kyning, see gflU-oyning. gyrn-wraou, st. /., revenge for
gflS-leoS, St. neut., war-lay, battle- harm, 1138, 2118.
song, 1522. gyrwan, w. v., pret. gyrede, pp.
gftlS-mSdIg, adj. [war-Moocy] of war-
, gegyr(w)ed: gear, prepare, equip,
like mind, 306* (see note to 11. 303, adorn, 994, 1472, 2087, etc.; pp.
etc.). pi. gegyrede, 1028, etc. [i^Vom
gUV-rsea, st. m., [war-u^cs] attack gearo. ]
in war, storm of battle, 1577, ge-gyrwan, w. v., gear, pre-
2426, 2991. pare, 38, 199 ; pret. pi. gegiredan,
g11'S-reo(u)-w, adj., war-fierce, 58. 8137.
gtlV-rlnc, St. m., warrior, 838, 1501, gyst, see giest.
1881, 2648. gystra, adj., yestee, 1334.
gttS-r6f, adj., war-famed, 608. g^, see git.
&flS-soear, st. m. [war-SHE^Bing]
, gytsian, w. v., b§ greedy, covet,
slaughter in battle, 1213. 1749.
gUS-sceatSa, w. m., war-scATHer,
battle-foe, 2318. H
gflB-searo, st. neut., war-armour, babban, w. hsefde: have,
v., pret.
215, 328. 383, etc.; often as auxiliary,
m., war-hall, 443.
fflitS-sele, St. 106, etc. Pres. 1st, hafu, 2523,
grdS-aweord, st. neut., war-swoKD, hafo, 2150, 3000; 2nd, hafast,
2154. 953, etc.; 3rd, hafa«, 474, etc.
gtH-werig, adj., war-WEAKT, dead, Negative form of suhj. pres. pi.
1586. nsebben, 1850.
gdU-wiga, w. m., warrior, 2112. for-liabban, w. v., keep back,
gfllS-wine, st. m., war-friend, sword, retain, refrain, 1151 (see note to
1810, 2735. 1. 1150), 2609.
208 Beowulf
llSBlo, St. /., HEALth, HAJLi farewell, batian, w. v., with ace., hate,
2418. pursue with hatred, 23ld, 2466.
haarg-trsef, st. neut., idol-tent, b§, beo, bit, pers. pron., he, she, it,
heathen fane, 175*. 7, etc.; sing. nom. m., he, /. heo,
lissste, adj., violent, 1335. 627, etc.; hio, 455, etc.; n. hit,
tSSen, adj., heathen, 179, 852, etc. 77, etc.; hyt, 2091, etc.; ace. m.,
hJeCen, st. m., heathen, 986. [Cf. hine, 22, etc., hyne, 28, etc., /.
Goth, haijino.] hie, re. hit, 116, etc., hyt, 2091,
liie'S-stapa, w- m., HEATH-STEpper, etc.; gm. m. n., his, /. hire, 641,
stag, 1368. etc., hyre, 1188, etc.; dat. m. n.,
hafa, imperat. sg. of habban. him, /. hire, 626, etc., hyre, 945,
hafela, liafala, Ixeafola, w. m., etc. Plur. m. f. n., nom. ace, hie,
head, 446, 672, etc. 15, etc., hy, 307, etc., hi, 28, etc.,
hafen, see hebban. hig, 1085, etc., gen., hira, 1102,
bafenian, w. v., heave, uplift; pret. etc., hyra, 178, etc., hiera, 1164,
hafenade, 1573. heora, 691, etc., hiora, 1166, etc.;
bafo, hafu, see habban. dat. him, 49, etc. Used reflexively,
bafoc, St. m., hawk, 2263. 26, 301, 2949, 2976, etc. Alliter-
baga, w. m., [haw] hedge, enclosure, ating, he, 505. Possessive dat-. 40,
entrenchment, 2892, 2960. etc.
hal, adj., hale, safe and
whole, b§a, see beab.
sound, 800, 1503: wees. ..hal, b6a-burb, st. /., high burgh, chief
'hail,' 407; with gen. heatSo-laces 1127.
city,
hal, 'safe and sound from the beafo, see bsef
strife,' 1974. [Cf. Goth, h&ils.] beafod, st. neut., head, 48, etc.;
baUg, adj., holy, 381, 686, 1553. dat. pi. heafdon, 1242. [Cf. Goth.
bals, see beals. haubib.]
bam, m., home; ham, uninflected
St. beafod-beorg, st.f., HEAo-protection
dat. used with preps., 124, etc. ace. sg. 1030 [see wala).
[Gf. Goth, h&ims, 'village.'] beafod-msBg, st. m., HEAD-kinsman,
bamer, see homer. near relative, 588; gen. pi. hesktoi-
bam-weorSung, st. /., HOME-adorn- maga, 2151.
ing, that which graces a home, hSafod-segn, st. m. neut., HEAn-sign,
2998. 2152 (see note).
band, see bond, bSafod-weard, st. /., head-wabd,
bangian, see bongian. guard over the head, 2909.
bar, adj., hoar, hoary, gray, 887, beafola, see bafela.
etc.; gen. hares hyrste, 'the old beab, adj., high, 57, etc.; ace. sg.
man's (Ongentheow's) harness,' m. heanne, 983; gen. dat. hean,
2988. 116, 713; dat, sg. m. heaum,
bat, adj., HOT, 1616, etc.; dat. sg. 2212*; pi. hea, 1926. Denoting
baton (see note), 849; nom. wyrm position, heah ofer horde, 'high
hat gemealt, 'the dragon melted above the hoard,' 2768. [Cf.
in its heat,' 897. Goth. hfi,uhs.]
batost, superl., hottest, 1668. beab-cyning, st. m., high king,
bat, St. neut., seat, 2605. 1039.
batan, st. v.: bSah-gestr§on, st. neut., high trea-
(1) order, command, 293, bid, '
sure, splendid treasure, 2302.
386, etc.; pret. sg. heht, 1035, beab-lufu, w. f., high love, 1954.
etc.; het, 198, etc.; pp. 'Sa, wses beab-sele, st. m., high hall, 647.
haten hretie Heort innan-weard bgab-setl, st. neut., high settle,
folmum gefrsetwod, then was the
'
high seat, throne, 1087.
order quickly given, and Heorot beab-atede, st. m., high stead,
within was adorned by hands,' high place, 285.
991. beal(l), St. /., HALL, 89, etc.; pi.
(2) name, call, 102, etc.; subj. healle, 1926.
pres. pi. hatan, 2806. beal-sern, st. neut., HALL-house, 78.
ge-batan, st, v., usu. with ace, bealdan, st. v., with ace, pret.
promise, vow, 1392, 2024, etc.; heold, 2183, etc., hiold, 1954:
with gen. 2989; pret. gehet, 175, HOLD, keep, protect, have, possess,
2937, etc. inhabit, 230, etc.; rule, 57, 1852;
:
Glossary 209
mhj. sg. for pi. 2719, hold up bearde, adv., habd, 1438, 3153.
(but see note). Geata
leode beard-ecg, adj., HABD-EDOEd, 1288,
hrea-wio heoldon, 'the corpses of 1490.
the Geatas covered the field,' beard-bicgende, adj. (pres. part.),
1214 3084 (see note) soeft nytte
; ; [HABD-thinking] brave-minded,
heold, 'the shaft did its duty,' bold of purpose, 394, 799.
3118. [C/. Goth, haldan.] beanu, st. m., haem, insult, 1892.
be-healdan, st. v., with ace, bearm-dseg, st. m., day of sorrow,
11) HOM), guard, (2) behold, 1498 3153*.
(sundor-) nytte Ijeheold, 'minded, bearm-scaSa, w, m., Ibajim-scath-
attended to, the (special) service,' er] harmful foe, 766.
494, 667; bry^-swy'S beheold mSg bearpe, w.f., habp, 89, etc.
Higelaces, Hygelac's
'
mighty bealSerian, w. v., restrain, confine;
kinsman beheld,' 736. pp. hergum gehea^erod, confined '
beap, St. m., heap, band, company, blood shed in battle, 1460, 1606,
335, 400, etc. 1668.
beard, adj., habd, hardy, strong, beaSo-torbt, adj., battle-bright,
brave, cruel, severe, 166, 322, clear in battle, 2553.
342, 432, 540, 1574, 1807, etc.; beaSo-wsede, st. neut., [battle-WEED]
wk. hearda, 401, etc.; dat. pi. armour, 39.
heardan, 963. With gen. 'brave beaBo-weorc, st. neut., battle-woEK,
in,' 886, 1539, etc. Adverbial 2892.
usage: J>8et hire witS halse heard beaUo-wylm, st. m., [battle- wEii-
grapode, 'so that [the sword] ing] flame-surge, surging of fire,
smote her sharply on the neck,' 82, 2819.
1566. [C/. Goth, hardus.] beaSu-sweng, st. m., [haXtle-swma]
beardra, compar., hakdeb, 576, battle-stroke, 2581.
719. beawan, st. o., hew, 800.
14
210 Beowulf
ge-heawan, st. v., hew, cleave, heoro-blac, adj., [sword-BtE^Jsr]
682. sword-pale, 2488* (see note).
hebban, st. v., pp. hafen, hsefen: heoro-dreor, heoru-dreor, st. m. or
HEAVE, raise, lift, 656, 1290, 3023. neut., sword-blood, 487, 849.
[C/. Goth, hafjan.] heoro-dreorig, adj., [sword-DREAKv]
a-hebban, st. o., upheave, up- sword-goiy, 935, 1780, 2720.
lift,128, 1108. hioro-dryne, st. m., sword-
hedan, w. v., with gen., heed; pret, DBiNK, 2358 (see note).
2697 (see note). heoro-glfre, adj., [sword-greedy]
ge-hedan, w. v., 505 (see note). fiercely greedy, 1498.
hefen, see heofon. heoro-grim, heoru-grim, adj.,
-hegan, w. V. [sword-GBiM] fiercely grim, 1564,
ge-hSgan, w. v., carry out, hold 1847.
(a meeting, etc.) Mng gehegan,
; heoro-hocyhte, adj., [sword-HooKed]
'to hold a meeting,' 425: see also savagely barbed, 1438.
505, note. [C/. 0. JSf. heyja, hloro-serce, w. /., [sword-SABK]
'conduct a meeting, duel, etc.'] shirt of mail; ace. hioro-sercean,
hSht, see Mtan. 2539. [Sieverss § 159. 1, 2.]
hel(l), st.f., HELL, 101, etc. heoro-sweng, st. m., [sword-SHTifo]
helan, st. v. sword-stroke, 1590.
be-helan, st. v., hide; pp. be- heorot, st. m., habt, 1369.
holen, 414. hioro-weallende, adj. {pres.
hell-bend, st. m. and f. seiiTi-eoud, , part.), [sword-] fiercely WELLing;
3072. ace. sg. m. -weallende, 2781.
helle-gast, St. m., hell-ohost, 1274. beoro-wearh, st. m., [sword-felon]
helm, St. m., [helm]: fierce monster, 1267.
(1) helmet, 672, etc. heorr, st. m., hinge, 999. [Gf.
(2) covert, protection, 1B92 (see Chaucerian harire.]
note). heorte, w. /., heakt, 2270, 2463,
(3) protector, king, 371, etc.; 2507, 2561. [Gf. Goth, hairto.]
God, 182. heoru, see heoro.
helm-berend, st. m. {pres. part.), heortt-geniat, st', m., EEABTH-com-
[HELM-BEAKiug] hclmet-wearer, rade, 261, etc.
2517, 2642. heoS, st.f., 404 (see note),
helmian, w. v. her, adv., hebe, hither, 244, etc.
ofer-helmlan, w. v., with ace, here, st. m., army; dat. sg. herge,
ovEEhang, overshadow, 1364. 2347, 2638; on herge, 'in the
help, st.f., HELP, 551, etc. field,' 1248. [Gf. Goth, harjis.]
helpan, st. v., help, 2340*, etc. here-brSga, w. m., army-tprror, fear
heipe, w. f. HELP, 2448 (an exceed-
, of war, 462.
ingly doubtful form: see note). here-byrne, w. /., army-BiBwr, coat
hel-rdna, w. m., (but see note), of mail, 1443.
sorcerer, 163. here-grlma, w. m., army-mask,
heofon, St. m., heaven, 52, etc.; visored helmet, 396, 2049, 2605.
dat. hefene, 1571. here-net, st. neut., army-KEi, coat
heolfor, St. m. or neut., gore, 849, of ring-mail, 1553.
1302, 1423, 2138. here-nl8, st. m., army-hate, hosti-
heolster, st. m. or neut., place of lity, 2474.
concealment, darkness, 755. [Of. here-pa,d, st. /., army-coat, coat of
Mod. Eng. holsteb of a pistol, mail, 2258.
and 0. E. helkn, 'hide.'] here-rinc, st. m., army-man, war-
heonan, heonon, adv., hencc, 252, rior, 1176*.
1361. here-sceaft, st. m., [army-SHAPi]
heora, gen. pi. of he (q. v. ). spear, 335.
-heordan, w. v. here-Bceorp, st. n., war-dress, F. 47.
*a-heordan, w. v., liberate, here-sped, st. /., [army-sPEEc] suc-
2980 (see note), cess in war, 64.
heorde, see bunden-heorde. here-Btrlel, st. m., army -arrow,
heore, adj., canny, pleasant, 1372. war-arrow, 1435.
heoro, heoru, st. m., sword, 1285. here-syrce, w. /., army-sAEK, shirt
[Gf. Goth, hairus.] of mail, 1511.
Glossary 211
liere-wnde, neut.,
[army-WBED]
s*. hllde-lileinm, -hleemm, st. m., battle-
armour, 1897. crash, crash of battle, 2201, 2351,
bere-wastm, st. m., army-might, 2544.
prowess in war; dat. pi. here- hilde-lSoma, w. m., battle-ray:
wsesmun, 677. [Sec Biilbring in
(1) battle-flame (of the dragon),
Anglia, Beiblatt, xv, 160, note.] 2583.
here-wlsa, w. m., [army -wise] army-
(2) flashing sword, 1143 (see note),
leader, 3020. hllde-mece, st. m., battle-sword; pi.
here, St. m., idol-grove, idol-fane, hilde-meceas, 2202.
3072 {see healSerian). hUde-mecg, st. m., battle-man, war-
berge, n., see here. rior, 799.
herge, v., see herlan. bilde-rses, st. m., [battle-s^cE] rush
herian, w. v., with ace, praise, 182, of battle, 300.
1071; pres. subj. herige, herge, hilde-rand, st. m., battle-shield, 1242.
1833 (see note), 3175. [C/. Goth. hilde-rinc, at. m., battle-man, war-
hazjan.] rior, 986, etc.
hete, St. m., hate, 142, 2554. [Cf. bilde-ased, adj., [sad] battle-sated,
Goth, hatis.] 2723.
hete-Uc, adj., full of hatred, hate- hilde-sceorp, st. neut., battle-dress,
ful, 1267. armour, 2155.
hete-nlS, st. m., HAiE-enmity, bitter hllde-setl, [battle-SEiiLE] st. neut.
enmity, 152. battle-seat, saddle, 1039.
hete-BWeng, st. m., HAiE-blow; pi. bilde-streugo, st.f., battle-sTRENoth,
hete-swengeas, 2224. 2113.
bete-Kl^C, St. m., HATE-IHOUOHt, hilde-awat, st. m. \ha\ii\e-awEAT]
,
14—2
.
212 Beowulf
USw, Maw, St. m., [low, in place- hof, St. neut., court, dwelling, man-
names] mound, burial mound, sion, 312*, 1236, etc.
1120, 2411, 3157 *, etc. [Cf. Goth bSfian, w. v.
hmiw.] be-hofian, w. v., with gen., [be-
hiaford, St. m., lobd, 267, etc. hove] need, 2647.
hlaford-leas, adj., lokd-less, 2935. hogode, see bycgan.
Maw, see MSw. -hSbsDlan, w. v.
Meahtor, tt. m., laughter, 611, * on-hobBnian, w. v., check 1944
3020. (but see note)
Meapan, st. v., leap, gallop, 864. ixolA,adj. friendly, gracious, 267, 290,
,
a-Meapan, st. v., leap up, 1397. 376, etc.; faithful, loyal, 487,
Menca, Mence, w, m. and /., link, 1229*, etc.
coat of mail, F. 12*. hBllnga, adv., without reason, 1076.
Meo, St. m., [lee] refuge, protection, bolm, St. m., ocean, sea, mere, 48,
protector (used of a chieftain or etc.
king), 429, 791, etc. bolm-clif, St. neut., sea-CLirr, 230,
Meo-biirli, St. /., protecting bubgh or 1421, 1635.
city, 912, 1731. bolm-wylm, st. m., [sea-jTEiiing]
-Meed, see -Madan. sea-surge, 2411.
Meonlan, w. v., lean, slope, 1415. bolt, St. neut., holt, wood, 2598,
hleor-berge, TO./., cheek-guard, 304* 2846, 2935.
(see note to 11. 303, etc.). taolt-wudu, St. m., holt-wood; wood,
Meor-bolster, st. m., [cheek-] bolster, forest, 1369; wood (material), 2340.
688. homer, bamer, st. m., hammer, 1285;
Meotan, st. v., with ace, get by lot, gen. pi. homera lafe, 'leavings of
2385. hammers, i.e. swords,' 2829.
MSolSor-cwyde, st. m., [sound-speech] h6n, St. V. [Cf. Goth, hahan.]
courtly speech, ceremonious speech, be-bon, st. v., trans., bans
1979. with; pp. behongen, 3139.
bleoVrian, w. v., speak, P. 2. bond, band, st. /., hand, 558, 656,
Mldan, St. V. etc.
to-MIdan, St. v., spring apart; band-bona, -bana, w. m., [hand-
pp. pi. tohlidene, 999. bane] hand-sl_ayer, 460, 1330, 2502.
MleMian, st. v. [Cf. Goth, hlahjan.] haJid-geniEene, adj. [hand-mean]
,
a-MieMian, st. v., laugh aloud; hand hand nam. neut. J>sr unc
to ;
Glossary 213
bond-slylit, see ondslyht. hream, m., noise, clamour, 1302.
st.
hond-wundor, «{. neut., [hand-won- hrea-wlc, st. neut., [corpse-wioK]
deb] wonderful handiwork, 2768. abode of corpses, 1214 (see heal-
-hongen, see -hon. dan).
hongian, hangiam, w. v., hang, 1363, hrelh, hrsefeu, st. m., raven, 1801,
1662, etc. etc.,F. 36.
hop, St. «., glen, 2212* (see note). hrSmig, adj., exultant, 124, etc.; pi.
iLOrd, St. neut., hoard, treasure, 887, hremge, 2363.
912, etc. [Gf. Goth, huzd.] hreoh, hreow, adj., rough, fierce,
hord-sem, st. neut. HOABD-hall, trea-
, cruel, sad, 1564, 2180; dat. sg. m.
sure-cave, 2279, 2831. hreon, 1307, hreoum, 2581; pi.
hord-burh, st. /., hoaed-burgh, hreo, 548.
wealthy city, 467. hreoh-mOd, adj., of fierce mood, of
hord-gestreon, st. neut., HOABD-trea- sad mood, 2132, 2296.
sure, 1899, 3092. breosan, st. v., fall, 1074, 1430, etc.
iLord-madm, st. m., HOAED-treasure, be-hreosan, st. v., deprive; pp.
hoarded jewel, 1198* (see note). pi. behrorene, 2762.
hord-weard, st. m., [hoabd-wabd] •hrgolSan, st. v., cover, clothe, adorn;
guardian of a hoard or treasure, pp. hroden, gehroden, 304, 495,
1047 (of the king), 2293 (of the 1022.
dragon), etc. hreow, St. /., distress, grief, 2129,
hord-wela, M).m.,H0AED-wEAL, wealth 2328.
of treasure, 2344. . hreran, w. v.
hord-weofSung, st. /., [HOABD-hon- on-hreran, w. v., rouse, arouse,
ouring] honouring by gifts, valu- stir up, 549, 2554. [Gf. hror.]
able reward, 952. hre'S, St. m. or neut. , glory, renown
hord-wynn, st. /., noAKD-joy, joy- ace. 2575 (see note to 11. 2573, etc.).
giving hoard, 2270. hrcSe, see hratSe.
hord-wyrlS, adj., woETBy of being brelSer, st. neut., breast, heart, 1151,
hoarded, 2245*. 1446, etc.; dat. sing. hrse'Sre,
horn, St. m., hobn, 1369, etc., gable 2819 *.
of a hall, F. 1*,F. 4. hreSer-bealo, st. neut., heart-BALE;
hom-hoga, w. m., horn-bow, 2487. nom. )>aBS )>e Mnoean mseg tegne
hom-geap, adj., with wide interval monegum hrejier-bealo hearde,
. . .
214 Beowulf
hring-Iren, s*. rwat. , eing-ieon ; mim. Iiwset, adj., active, keen, bold; weak
hring-iren soir song in searwum, hwata, 3028 dat. hwatum, 2161
;
'
the bright Iron rings rang in the pi. hwate, 1601, etc.
armour,' 322. hws9t, pron., see hwa.
hring-mSl, adj., EiNO-adomed, 2037, hwset, interj., what, lo, 1, 240*,
used as subst., BiNO-sword, 1521, 530, etc.
1564. hwseVer, adj. -pron., whetheb, which
hring-naca, w. m., [Eme-bark] ship of two; mom. gebide ge...hw£eSer
with a ringed prow, 1862. sel m£ege...uncer twega, 'await ye
hring-net, st. neut., [eing-nbt] shirt whether of us twain may the
of mail made of rings, 1889, 2754. better,' 2530; ace. f. on swa hwse-
Iirlng-sele, st. m., Bmo-hall, 2010, ^ere hond...swa him gemet bince,
2840, 3053, etc. '
on whichsoever hand it may seem
liring-weorBung, st. /., BiNO-adom- to him meet,' 686. [Cf. Goth.
ment, 3017. hwajjar.]
liroden, see IireoVan. hwseVer, hwaelSre, conj., whetheb,
href, St. m. BOOF, 403, 836*, 926, 983,
, 1314, 1356, 2785.
etc. liwsBS(e)re, adv., however, yet, 555,
Iir5f-gele, st. m., Boored hall, 1515. 578 ' , etc. anyway, however that
;
hron-fix (hron-flsc), st. m., whale- may be, 674 (see note) with swa ;
Glossary 215
hwylc, adj.-pron., which, what, any, ge-b^ran, w. v., hear, learn,
274 {see witan), 1986, 2002, etc.; 255, 290, 785, etc.
with gen., 1104, 2iSS. [Cf. Goth. hyrdan, w.v. [From heard, cf. Goth.
hwUeiks.] hardjan.]
Bwa hwylc swa, see swa. 9,-hyrdan, w. v., BARDen, 1460.
nwyrfan, w. v., move, 98. [Cf. hyrde, st. m., [herd] keeper, guard-
hweorfan.] ian, etc., 610, etc. ; nom. wuldres
hwyrft, St. m., going, turn; dat.pl. Hyrde, 'the King of glory,' 931,
'in their goings, or to and fro,' fyrena hyrde, 'lord in the king-
163. dom of crime," 750. [Cf. Goth.
hycgan, hlcgan, w.v., think, resolve hairdeis.]
(upon) pret. hogode, 632, F. 12 *.
; byre, gen. and dat. sg. f. of he (q. v.).
[(y. Goth, hugjan.] hyrst, St. f,, harness, accoutrement,
for-lilcgau, w, v., FORgo, reject, adornment, 2988, 3164, F. 22.
despise, 485. hyrstan, w. v., adorn; pp. 'dight,
ge-hyogan, w. v., purpose, 1988. jewelled,' 672, 2255*.
ofer-hyogan, w. v., scorn, 2345. hyrtau, w. v., HEABTen, embolden;
b^dan, w. v., hide, 1372*, 2766; with refl. pron., 2593. [Frmn
bury, 446. heorte.]
ge-h^dan, w.v., hide, 2235, 3059. hyse, hysse, st. m., youth, 1217, F.
hyge, hige, st. m., mind, soul, tem- 50.
per, purpose, 267, etc. [Cf. Goth. hyt, (mtt) St. /., HEAT, 2649.
hugs.] _ hyt, neut. of he (q. v.)
hlge-mseS, st. j.,mind-honour, iyS, St. f., HYTHE, haven, 32.
heart-reverence, 2909 (but see hyUo, see note on 11. 3150, etc.
note). hyU-weard, st. m., [hythe-ward]
Mge-meVe, adj., wearying the guard of the haven, 1914.
soul or mind, 2442.
Uge-^lhtlg, adj., great-hearted,
746.
Jiige-^Tymm, st. m., [mind-
strength] magnanimity, 339. io, pers. pron. , I, 38, etc. ; ace. me,
hyge-bend, st. m. /., mind-BOjfD; 415, etc., mec, 447; gen. min,
dat. pi., hyge-beudum f8est...dyrne 2084, etc. dat. me, 316, etc. ; dual
;
langalS, 'a secret longing... fast in nom. wit, 535, etc. ; ace. unc, 540,
the bonds of his mind,' 1878. etc. gen. uncer, 2002, etc. ; dat.
;
hyge-glomor, adj., sad at heart, unc, 1783, etc. ; pi. nom. we, 1,
2408. etc.; ace. iisic, 458, etc.; gen. fire,
hyge-r3f, hige-rSf, adj., strong of 1386, user, 2074 ; dat. us, 269.
mind or heart, valiant, 204 *, 403 *. lege, adj., 1107 (see note).
hyge-sorg, st. /., sorkow of^mind or Idel, adj., idle, empty, 145, 413;
heart, 2328. deprived; rwm. lond-rihtes...idel,
hyht, St. m., hope, 179. [C/. hyc- 'deprived of land-right,' 2888.
gan.] Idel-hende, adj.,iDiiE-HANDedL, empty-
byldan, w. v., HEEii(D) over, incline handed, 2081.
(oneself), lie down; pret. 688. Idea, st.f., woman, lady, 620, etc.
hyldo, St. /., favour, friendliness, ieman, st. v. [Cf. Goth, rinnan.]
670, 2293, 2998; ace. hyldo ne be-ieman, st. v., bun, occur;
telge...Denum unfScne, 'I reckon pret. him on mod beam, it occur- '
216 Beowulf
in, adv., in, 386, 1037, etc.; once iren-heard, adj., iron-habd, 1112.
inn, 3090. iren-^reat, st. m., lEON-band, troop
in, St. neut., inn, dwelling, 1300. of armed men, 330.
tno, pers. pron. {dat. dual, of hii), to is, St. neut., ice, 1608.
you two, 510. isem-byme, w. /., byrny of iron,
incer, pers. pron. {gen. dual, of fu), coat of iron mail, 671. [Gf.
of you two, 684. O.E. iren.]
inoge, adj., 2577 (see note). iseni-scttr, st. /., jbow-showee,
in-frod, adj., very old, 1874, 2449. 3116. [sciir is elsewhere masc,
in-gang, st.m., entrance, 1549. but for use here cf. Goth, skura.]
In-genga, w. m., iN-Goer, invader, is-gebind, st. neut., ice-bond, 1133.
1776. isig, adj., lOT, covered with ice, 33.
in-gesteald, st. neut., house-property, iu, see geo.
1155. iu-monn, st. m., former man, man of
inn, see in, adv. olden times, 3052.
innan, adv., withiN, inside, 774, etc.
in innan, within ; with pre-
ceding dat. 1968, 2452. K
on innan, within, 2715; with
preceding dat. 1740. kyning, 619, 3171; Kyning-wuldor,
|>Sr on innan, therein, there- 665, see oynlng.
within, in there, 71, 2089, etc.
innan-weard, adj., inwakd, inside,
interior, 991, 1976.
inne, adv., mside, within, 390 (see la, interj., lo, 1700, 2864.
note), 642, 1866, etc.; therein, lac, St. neut., gift, offering, booty,
1141_. prey, 43, 1584, etc.
t>8Br inne, therein, 118, etc. lacan, st. v., play, 2832, 2848. [C/.
inne-weard, adj., inwakd, interior, Goth, laikan, to leap.'] '
Glossary 217
(2)mtft occ, do, perfonn, 2663.
latSra, eompar., more LOATnly,
fUl-lwstan, w. v., with dat., more hateful, 2432.
help; pres. sg. 1st ful-lastu,
ia%-bite, St. m., ioe-siTE, wound,
2668.
_
ge-lrestan, w, v. :
1122.
13.8-getSona, w. m., evil-doer,
(1) with ace. or dat., help, serve,
monster, 559, 974.
24, 2500.
ia,S-lIc, adj., loathly, 1584.
(2) usu. with ace, do, perform, leaf, St. neut,, leae, 97.
fulfil, _etc., 1706, 2990*, etc.
ISafUes-woTd, st. neut., leave-wokd,
ge-lfflsted, pp. of ISstan or ge- permission, pass-word, 245.
Isestan, 'performed,' 829.
-leah, see -leogran.
last, adj., [late] slow; with gen. lean, st. neut., reward, 114, 951,
_1529. [Cf. Goth, lats, '
slothful.'] 1021, etc. [Of. Goth. J&un.]
l»tan, St. v., LET, allow, 48, eto. lean, st. v., w. ace, blame; pres.
a-lsetan, st. v., let, 2665; let sg. Zrd lyh«, 1048; pret. log, 203,
go, leave, 2591, 2750. eto.
for-lstan, st. v., let, leave be-Iean, st. v., with oaic. rei and
behind, 970, 2787, 3166 ; let go, dat. pers., dissuade from, prohibit,
792.
_
oMietan,
511.
st. v., leave, 1183, leanian, w. v., with acc. rei and dat,
1622.
_
on-lsetan,
st. v., loosen, 1609.
pers., pay for, repay, reward for,
1380, 2102.
laf, St. LEAving, heirloom, be-
/., leas, adj., [-less] with gem., lacking,
quest (often a sword), 454, etc. deprived of, 850, 1664. [Cf. Goth.
[C/. Goth, l&iba, 'remnant.'] laus, empty.']
'
leof, adj., LiBP, dear, 31, etc. llfa^S, etc., see libban.
leoma, w. m., gleam, ray, 311, 1570 lig, leg, St. m., flame, 83, 2549,
(see note), etc. etc. ; dat. ligge, 727.
leomum, see lim. lig-draca, leg-draca, w. m., flame-
leon, St. v., LEni; pret. lah, 1456. drake, flaming dragon, 2338, 3040.
[0/. Goth, leihwan.] lig-egesa, w. m., flame-terror, 2780.
on-leon, st. v., with gen. rei and lige-tom, St. neut., [LYing-anger]
dat.pers., LEni; pret. onlah, 1467. pretended insult, 1943. (See
leomlan, w. v., learn, study, devise, Bugge, Z.f.d. Ph., iv. 208.)
2336 (see note). ligge, see lig.
leosam, st. v., lose. [Of. Goth. lig-yS, St. /., flame- wave, 2672.
(fra-)liusan.] Um, St. neut., limb, branch; dat. pi.
be-leosan, st. v., deprive pp. ;
leomum, 97.
beloren, 1073. limpan, st. v., happen, befall; pret.
for-lgosan, st. v., with dat., lomp, 1987.
LOSE, 1470, etc. a-llmpan, st. v., befall, 622, 733.
leoS, St. neut., lay, 1159. be-limpan, st. v., befall, 2468.
leoBo-crseft, st. m., [limb-CKAri] ge-Iimpan, st. v., befall, happen,
hand-craft; da*. jaJ. segn...gelocen 76, 626 (be fulfilled), 929 (be given),
leo^o-orsef turn", a banner woven
' etc.
by skill of hand,' 2769 (see note). ge-lumpen, pp. of limpan or
leoSo-syrce, w. /., limb-SABS, shirt of gelimpan, 'fulfilled,' 824.
maU, 1505, 1890. lind, St. /., LiHDen, shield (made of
lettan, w. v., with ace. pers. and gen. linden), 2341, 2365, 2610.
rei, LET, hinder, 569. [Gf. Goth. Ijnd-gestealla, w. m., shield-com-
latjan.] rade, comrade in arms, 1973.
Utiljau, w. v., pres. sg. Ufa's, lyfaS, lind-hsebbende, st. m. {pres. part.),
leofa'S; suhj. lifige; pret. lifde, [LiNDen-HAving] shield-warriors,
lyfde; pres. part, lifigende: live, 245, 1402.
57, etc. lind-plega, w. m., LiNien-PLAY,
lie, St. n., [ltoh] body, 451, etc.; battle, 1073*, 2039.
corpse, 1122, etc. [Gf. Goth, leik.] lind-wlga, w. m., Liniien-warrior,
llcg(e)an, st. v., lie, lie down, lie shield-warrior, 2603.
low, lie dead, 40, etc. ; fail, 1041. linnan, st. v., with gen. or dat.,
a-Ucg(e)an, st. v., fail, cease, cease, depart, be deprived, 1478,
1528, 2886. 2443.
ge-licg(e)an, st. v., sink to rest, liss, St. /. favour, 2150.
, [From
3146. *li«s, cf. WSe, 'gentle.']
lic-homa, lic-hama, w. m., [lvch- list, St. m. andf., cunning; dat.pl.
covering] body, 812, 1007, etc. adverbially, 781.
lician, w. v., with dat., [uke] please, liVan, St. v., go; pp. liden, 'tra-
639, 1854. versed,' 223 (see note to 1. 224).
: ;
'
Glossary 219
iHSe, adj., gentle, mild, 1220. t5-ltlcan, St. v., shatter, destroy,
USoat, swperl., gentlest, 3182. 781.
liSend, s«. ro. (jjres. part.), [going] lufen, St. /., hope, comfort, 2886
sailor, 221. [occurs here only ; Goth.
cf.
lilS-wSge, St. neut., stoup of drink, lubains, hope,' but see note].
'
1982. [C/. GoJft. lei>u, 'strong lufian, w. v., love, hence, show love,
drink.'] treat kindly, 1982.
Imm, M). D., gleam, glisten; vret. luf-tacen, st. neut., love-token,
lixte, 311, 485, 1570. 1868.
locen, see lUcau. lufu, w. /., love, 1728 (see note).
IScian, w. v., look, 1654. lungre, adv.
lof, St. m., praise, 1536. 11) quickly, hastily, 929, 1630, etc.
lof-dSd, St. /., praise-DEED, deed (2) quite, 2164 (but see note).
worthy of praise, 24. lust, St. m., [lust] pleasure, joy ace.
;
lofgeom, adj. , YEAsmng for praise, on lust, dat.pl. lustum, ' with joy,
lof-geomost, swperl. , most eager with pleasure,' 618, 1653.
for praise, 8182. lyfan, w. V.
ISg, see lean, a-iyfan, w. v., entrust, permit,
lomp, see limpan. 655, 3089.
lond, land, st. neut., land, 221, 2197, ge-lffan, w. v., beLiEVB in, trust
2836 (see note), etc. for, rely on ; with dat. pers. 909
laud-ftuma, w. m., LAND-ohief, with dat. rei, 440, 608; >£Bt heo
ruler of a land, 31. on anigne eorl gelyfde fyrena
land-gemyrcu, st. neut. pi., frofre (ace), ' that she believed in
LAND-MARKS, boundaries, shore, any earl for comfort from crime,
209. [Cf. O.E. mearo.] 627; him to Anwaldan are {ace.)
land-geweorc, st. neut., land- gelyfde, ' believed in favour from
WOKK, stronghold, 938. the Almighty for himself,' 1272.
laud-waru, st. /., LAND-people; [_Gf. Goth, gal&ubjan.]
pi. land-wara, people of the
' lyfa*, lyfde, see libban.
land,' 2321. lyft, St. m. f. neut., [lept] air, 1375,
land-weard, st. m., [land-wabd] etc.
guardian of a country, 1890. lyft-floga,w. m., [LiFi-Piier] flier
lond-bflend, land-bilend, st. m. {pres. in the air, 2315.
part.), LAND-dweller, 95, 1845. lyft-geswenced, adj. (pp.), wind-
land-kight, right
lond-rllit, St. neut., urged, driven by the wind, 1918.
of a citizen or freeholder, 2886. lyft-wynn, st. /., [LiFT-joy] air-joy,
long, lang, adj., long, 16, 54, etc. 8043 (see note).
Jxng-twiSig, adj., LONO-granted, lyhV, see lean,
lasting, 1708. lysan, w. v. [From leas, cf. Goth.
lengra, compar., longer, 134. l&usjan.]
longe, lange, adv., long, 31, etc. a-lysan, w. v., loose, loosen,
leng, Issng, compar., longbt, 1630.
leng, 451, 974, etc. ; laeng, 2307. lystan, w. v., impers., with ace. pers.,
lengest, swperl., longe&t, 2008, LIST, please ; pret. 1793. [From
2288. lust.]
long-gestreon, st. neut., [LONG-pos- lyt, neut. adj. or n., indecl., few,
session] treasure of long ago, 2365 ; with gen. 1927, 2150, 2882,
2240. 2836 (dat.) (see note).
long-sum, adj., [lono-some] lasting 1ft, adv., LiTTle, but Uttle, 2897,
long, 134, etc. 3129.
losiaji, w. v., [lose oneself] escape, lytel, adj., little, 1748, 2097, etc. ;
1392, etc. ace. f. lytle hwile, ' but a little
Iflcau, St. v., LOCK, interlock, while,' 2030.
weave ; j)p. locen, gelocen, 'looked, lyt-hwon, adv., littIc, but little (see
220 Beowulf
madmas, etc., see ma8(S)iim. maga, w. m., son, man, 189, etc.
mseg, see magan. mSlga, see mng.
mrag, St. m., kinsman, blood-relative, magan, pret, pres. v., mat, can, be
408, etc. pi. magas, etc., 1015,
;
able; pres. sg. 1st and 3r(J msBg,
etc. gen. pi. maga, 2006 dat. pi.
;
; 277, etc., ind meaht, 2047, miht,
magum, _1178, etc., 2614 (see 1378; pres. subj. sg. msege, 2530,
note), msBgum, 2353. etc., pi. msBgen, 2654; pret.
miig-btirg, st. /., [kin-BUBOH] meahte, 542, 648, etc., mihte,
family; gen. mSg-burge, 2887. 190, 308, etc., mehte, 1082, etc.
msege, msegen, 2654, see magan. With gan omitted, 754.
msegen, si. neut., main, strength, mage, w. f., kinswoman, 1391.
force, army, 155, 445, etc. mago, si.7n.,kinsman, son, man, 1465,
msegen-agende, adj. {pres. part.), etc. [Gf. Goth, magus, boy.'] '
Glossary 221
me, pers. pron., ace. and dat. of io, mere, it. m., mere, sea, 845, etc.
ME, to me, 316, 415, etc. ; dat. for [Gf. Goth, marei.]
myself, 2738. mere-deoT, st, neut., mere-deer,
meagol, adj., forceful, earnest, sea-monster, 558.
solemn, 1980. mere-fara, w. vi., MERE-FABer, sea-
meahte, meahton, see magan. farer, 502.
mSaras, etc., see mearh. mere-fix (mere-flsc), st. m., mere-
mearc, st.f., mark, limit; dat. 2384 pish, sea-fish, 549. [Sieversa
(see note). [C/. Goth, marka.) § 204, 3.]
mearcian, w. v., mark, stain, en- mere-grund, st. m., [mere-ground]
grave, 450; pp. gemearcod, 1264, bottom of a mere or sea, 1449,
1695. 2100.
mearc-stapa, w. m., MARK-srepper, mere-hrsBgl, st. neut., [mere-rail]
march-stalker, 103, 1348. sea-garment, sail, 1905.
mearli, st. m., [mabe] horse; pi. mere-liSend, st, m. (pres. part.),
mearas, etc., 865, etc. [MEEE-going] sailor, 255.
meam, see muman. mere-strsBtj st. /., [mere-street]
mec, pers. pron., ace. of ie, me, 447, way over the sea, 514.
etc. mere-strengo, st.f,, [MEEE-sTEENoth]
mece, at. m., sword, 565, etc. [C/. strength in swimming, 533.
Goth, mekeis.] mere-wif, st. neut., [mere-wipe] mere-
med, St. /., MEED, reward, 2134, etc. woman, 1519.
gen. pi. medo, 1178. mergen, see morgen.
medo, medu, st. m., mead, 2633; met, St. neut., thought; pi. meoto,
F. 41, dat. 604. 489 (see note).
medo-sem, st. neut., MEAD-hall, metan, st. v., mete, measure, pass
69. over, 514, 917, 924, 1633.
medo-benc, medu-benc, meodu-benc, metan, to. v., meet, find, 751, 1421.
st.f., MEAD-BENCH, 776, 1052, 1067, ge-metan, w. v., meet, find,
1902, 2185. 757, 2785 pret. pi. hy {ace.) ge-
;
medo-fiil, st. neut., MEAD-cup, 624, metton, met each other,' 2592.
'
meodo-, meodu-, see under medo-. mid, prep. , loith dat, and aee.
meoto, see met, metian. (1) with dat., with, among, 77,
meotod-, see metod-. 195, 274, etc. ; following its case,
mercels, st. m., mabk, aim, 2439. 41, 889, 1625; of time, 126 ; with,
[Sieversa § 159, 1, 2: ef. O.E. by means of, through, 317, 438,
mearc] etc.: mid rihte, 'by right,' 2056;
:
222 Beowulf
mid gewealdmn, of his own
' m5d-sefa, w. m. [MooD-mind] mind,
,
accord,' 2221; mid him, 'among courage, 180, 349, 1853, 2012,
themselves,' 2948. 2628.
(2) with ace, with, among, 357,
mod-liracu, st.f., [mood-] daring, 385.
879, 2652, etc. [Gf. Goth. mi)>.] moii(n) man(ii), st, m., weak manna;
,
mid, adv., with them, withal, there- dat. sg. men(n); pi. men: man, 25,
with, 1642, 1649. etc.; weak ace. sg. mannan, 297
middau-geard, st. m., [mid- yard] (see note), 1943, 2127, 2774, 3108;
world, earth, 75, etc. ; gen. ' in mannon, 577.
the world,' 504, etc. [C/. Goth. men, man, indef. pron., one, they,
midjungards.] people, 1172, 1175, 2355.
midde, w. /., MiDDle, 2705. mona, w. m., moon, 94, F. 8. [Gf.
mlddel-nilit, st. /., middle of the Goth, mena.]
NiQHT, 2782, 2833. mon-cynn, man-cynn, st. neut.,
jnlht, St. /., MIGHT, 700, 940. [Gf. MANKiNd, 110, 164, 196, 1276,
Goth, mahts.] 1955, 2181.
mUite, see magan. mon-dream, man-dream, st. m.,
mmtig, adj., miohty, 558, etc. [man-dkeam] human joy, 1264,
milde, adj., mild, kind, 1172, 1229. 1715.
mllduBt, superl., mildest, kind- mon-dryhten, -drlhten, man-dryb-
est, 3181. ten, -drihten, st. m., [MAN-]lord,
mll-gemearc, st. neut., mile-maiie, etc., 436, 1229, 1978, 2865, etc.
measure by miles; gen. nis Jjffit monig (moneg-), manig (maneg-),
feor heonon mil-gemearees, ' that adj., MANY, 6, 75, etc.; msenig,
is not many miles away,' 1362. F. 14; rurm. monig oft gesset rice
[From hat. milia, miUia.] to riine, 'many a mighty one oft
milts, St. f., jfiiDness, kindness, sat in council,' 171. Often abso-
2921. lutely, 857, etc.; and with de-
min, jyers. pron. (gen. sg. of io), of pendent gen. pi. 728, etc. [Gf.
me, 2084, 2533. Goth, manags.]
min, poss. adj. {gen. sg. of ic), mine, mon-)>ware, adj., [MAN-]gentle, kind
my, 255, etc. to men, 3181*-
missan, w. v., w. gen., miss, 2439. mor, St. m., moob, 103, etc.
mlssere, st. neut., half-year, 153, morgen, mergen, st. m., dat. morgne,
1498, 1769, 2620. mergenne: morn, MORNing, mor-
mist-hUU, St. neut., Misi-slope, misty row, 565, 837, 2484, etc.; gen.
hiU-side; dat. pi. misthleoJ>um, pi. moma, 2450.
710. morgen-ceald, adj., MORNing-coLD,
mistlg, adj., misty, 162. cold in the morning, 3022.
mod, St. neut. morgeu-leolit, st. neut., MORNiug
(ij MOOD, mind, etc., SO, etc. LIGHT, morning sun, 604, 917.
(2) courage, 1057, etc. morgen-long, adj., MORNing-LONO,
mSd-cearu, st. /., mood-cabe, sor- 2894.
row of mind or heart, 1778, 1992, morgen-sweg, m., [MORN-socfGff]
st.
3149. morning-clamour, 129.
mddega, modgan, etc., see mSdlg. morgen-tid, st. /., MORNing-TiDE,
mSd-gehygd, st. f. and neut., mind- 484, 518.
thought, 233. mor-bop, st.nejtt. MOOR-hollow, slop-
, '
mod-ge^onc, st. m. and neut. mind- , ing hollow on a moorside (Skeat), '
Glossary 223
mSste, see mOtan. pi. gen£egdan,_2206, 2916* (see
mOtaji, pret. pres. v., may, be to, note) ; pp. genSged, 1439.
MUST, 186, 2886, etc.; pret. moste, nragl, St. m., NAIL, 985.
168, 2574, etc.; pret. pi. mostan, nffigllan,w. v., nail; pp. nsegled,
2247*. _^nailed, riveted, studded,' 2023*.
munan, pret. pres. v. nsanig (=ne senig), adj.-pron., not
ge-munan, {pret. pres.) v., have ANY, none, no, 859, etc.; with
in MiNi, remember; pres. gemon, gen. pi. 157, eto. _
geman, 265, 1185, etc.; pret. ge- nSre, nSron, =:ne wSre, ue wseron,
mundon, 179, eto.; imp. sg. ge- see wesan.
myne, 659. n8es,=ne wees, see wesan.
on-mvman, pret. pres. v., reifiwd nses, neg. adv., not, not at all, 562, etc.
pret.onmunde usio mSrSa, 're- iues(8), St. m., NESS, headland, 1358,
minded UB of glory, urged us on etc.
to great deeds,' 2640. nsea-hliV, st. neut., NESs-slope, head-
mund, st.f., hand, 236, eto. land-slope ; dat. pi. nffls-hleotSum,
mund-bora, w. m., protector, 1480, 1427.
2779. [C/. beran.] n9,li, = ne ah, see 3.gan.
mund-gripe, st. ro., hand-ORip, 380, nalas, nalses, nales, nallas, nalles,
etc., 1938 (see note). see nealles.
miiman, st. v., mourn, be anxious, nam, see niman.
reck, care, 50, 136, etc. nama, w. m., name, 78, 343, 1457,
be-mornan, st. v., with ace, F. 26.
BEMODEN, mourn over, 907, 1077. n9,man, -nSLmon, see niman.
mtlVa, w. m., mooth, 724. [C/. nan, ( = ne an), adj.-pron., none, no,
Goth. mun)>s.] 988; with gen. pi. 803, F. 43.
mflU-bona, w. m., mouth-banje, one nat, =:ne wat, see witan.
who slays by biting, 2079. nat-hwylc (=ne wat hwylc; of. 1.
myndglan, w. v., call to mind: 274), adj.-pron., [wot Not which]
(1) with gen., remember, 1105. • some, some one, a certain (one),
(2) TBMIND, 2057. 1513; with gen. pi. 2215, 2223,
ge-myndgian, w. v., bring to 2233, etc.
MIND, remember; pp. gemyndgad, ne, ne, neg. particle. Not, 38, 1384,
2450. etc.; doubled, ne...ne, 182, 245-6,
myne, st. m. : [Cf. Goth, muns.] etc.; n5^er...ne, 2124>^ ne...n6,
(1) wish, hope, 2572. 1508. Often found irCcomposition
(2) love: ace. ne his myne wisse, with verbs, e.g. nah, nsebben, nses,
'nor did he know his mind,' 169 nolde, nat, etc., for which see agan,
(see note). habban, wesan, willan, witan; in
-myne, see munan. composition with a, ffinig, etc., it
myntan, w. v., be miNiei, intend, forms the words na, nsnig, etc.
712, 731, 762. (q- ^)-
myrce, MUBKy, 1405.
adj., Correlated with ne or another
myrlS, st. /., mxbth; dat. modes negative, not.. .nor, neither... nor,
myrSe, 810 (see note). etc., 511, 1082-4, etc.; ne...ne
...ne, 1100-1; no...ne, 168-9,
575-7, etc.; n6..,ne...ne...ne,
N 1392-4, 1735-7; n£Bfre...ne, 583-
4, 718; nalles... ne, 3015-6.
na, neg. adv.. Never, Not at all, not, ne, not preceded by another nega-
445, 567, 1536, 1875*. tive, 'nor,' 510, 739 (see note),
pp. genered, 827. [C/. Goth. fight, in war, by force, 845, 1439,
nasjan.] 1962, 2170, 2206.
nesan, st. v. nlSaa, see niSSas.
ge-nesan, st. v.: nDS-draca, w. m., [envy-DEAKB]
(1) intrant, survive, escape, 999. malicious dragon, 2273.
(2) trans, survive, escape (from), mi^er, nyUer, adv., [nbthek] down,
1977, 2426, F. 49; pp. genesen, downwards, 1360, 3044; compar.
2397. nioVor, further down, 2699.
: :
Glossary 225
niB-gsBBt, St. m., [envy-euEST] mali- nytt, St. /., duty, office, service,
cious guest, 2699. (See note to 494, 3118.
1. 102.) nyttlan, w. v., with gen.
nlS-geweorc, st. neut. [envy-woEK] , ge-nyttian, w. v., with ace,
work of enmity, deed of violence, use, enjoy; pp. genyttod, 3046.
683. nyUer, see niSer.
nfiS-grim, adj., [envy-oRiM] mali-
ciously grim or terrible, 193.
niS-heard, adj., war-HABD, hardy
in war, 2417.
nlV-hedtg, adj., war-minded, 3165. of, prep., with dat., from, 37, etc.;
nl8-sele, st. m., hostile hall, 1513 OP {after ut), 663, 2557; out of,
(see note). 419; OFF, 672. Following case:
niWSas, nlSaa, st. m. pi., men, 1005, ^a he him of dyde, 'then he
2215. [Cf. Goth, nijjjos, 'kins- doFFed,' 671. [Of. Goth, af.]
men. '] ofer, prep., over, with ace. (of
niS-wundor, st. neut. , dread wonder, motion, etc.) and dat. (of rest)
1365. (1) with ace, over, 10, 46, etc.
nlwe, adj., new, 783 (startling), 949, against, 2330, 2409, 2589*, 2724
etc.; dat. weak nlwan, niowan, (see note); above, beyond, 2879
Etefne, 'anew,' 1789, 2594. [Cf. without, 685; of time, after, 736,
Goth, niujis.] 1781 (but see note). Ofer eor'San!
nlwian, w. v., reNEw; pp. geniwod, 'on earth,' 248, etc.; ofer wer-
geniwad, 1303, 1322, 2287 (see }>eode, throughout the nations of
'
nlw-tyrwed, adj. (pp.), new-tabbed, eould hear,' 2899; ofer eal, P. 24.
295. (2) with dat., over, 481, etc.
no, adv.. Not at all, not, 136, 168 [Cf. Goth, ufar.]
(scene), 541, 543, 1508 {scene), etc. ofer, St. m., bank, shore, 1371.
nolde, =ne wolde, see wlUan. ofer-hygd, -h^d, st. f. neut., con-
nSm, see niman. tempt, pride, 1740, 1760.
non, St. /., [noon] ninth hour, ofer-mssgen, st. neut., oveb-main,
3 p.m., 1600. [From Lat. nona.] superior force, 2917.
norV, adv., north, 858. ofer-maSum, st. m., [over- treasure]
norSan, adv., from the north, 547. very rich treasure, 2993.
nose, 10. /., [nose] naze, cape, 1892, ofOBt, St. /., haste, 256, 3007 dat. ;
15
; ',
226 Beowulf
(A-3wimming), 1643, 1662, 1830 soio hild onsSge, 'there warfare
(with respect to), 1884, 2197, 2248, assailed Hondscio,' 2076.
2276, 2311 (upon), 2705, 3157, etc.; on-syn, an-si^n, st. f. sight, appear-
,
after its case, 1935 (but see note) ance, form, 251, 928, 2772, 2834.
2357, 2866 in, among, 1557 at,
; ; on-weald, st. m., [iriEii>ing] con-
126, 303, 575, 683, 3148; by, 1484. trol, possession, 1044.
(2) with ace, onto, into, 35, 67, open, adj., open, 2271.
etc.; on, in, 507, 516, 627, 635, openian, w. v., open, 3056.
708, 996, 1095, 1109, 1297, 1456, or, St. m., beginning, origin, van,
1675, 2132, 2193, 2690, 2650 (with 1041, 1688, 2407.
regard to; cf. 1830-1), etc.; of ore, St. m., flagon, 2760, etc. [Cf.
time, 484, 837, 1428, etc.; to, 2662, Goth, aiirkeis. From Lat. uroeus.]
1739 (according to) orcneas, st. m. pi., monsters, 112
878 (see sped), 1579 (see an), 1753 (see note).
(xeeendestsef), 2799 (»eefeorh-legu), ord, St. neut., point, front, van, 556,
2908 (see efn), 2962 (see wrecan); etc.
oil gebyrd, 'by fate,' 1074; an ord-fnima, w. m., chief, prince, 263.
wig, 'for war,' 1247 (see note); on oret-mecg, st. m,, warrior, 832, 363,
ryht, 'rightly,' 1555; on unriht, 481. \
'falsely, 2739 ; on gylp, proudly,
' ' oretta, w. m., warrior, 1532, 2538.
1749; on minne sylfes dom, 'at [Cf. oret, from orhat, 'a caUiug
my own disposal, choice,' 2147; out, challenge, \ and see Sieverss
))e ic her on starie, 'on which § 48, N. 4.] 1
rasan, w. v., race, rush, 2690. law' (sing., ealde being the weak
ge-rnsan, w. v., race, rush, form), 2330.
2839. rihte, adv., BioHiIy, 1695.
rsest, St. /,, REST, resting-place, bed, rlman, w. v., count, number; pp.
_122, etc' gerimed, 59.
rseswa, w. m., leader, 60. rlnc, St. m., man, wight, warrior,
rand, see rond. 399, etc.
rasian, w. v., explore; pp. rasod, riodan, see rIdan.
2283. risan, st. v.
raSe, see hraSe. 3.-rIsan, st. u., arise, 399, etc.
reafian, w. v., reave, rob, plunder; ilxian, see ncsian.
pret. reafode, reafedon, 1212, rodor, st. m., sky, heaven, 310,
2985, etc. [C/. Goth. rdubOn.] 1376, 1555, 1572.
Ije-reaflan, w. v., bereave; pp., rof, adj., strong, brave, renowned,
with dat., bereft, 2746, etc. 1793, 1925, 2538, 2666, 2690;
rec, St. m., beek, smoke, 3155. with gen. 682, 2084.
reccan, w. v., with gen., beck, care; rond, rand, st. m., shield, 231, 656,
pres. 3rd, recce's, 434. 2538, 2673 (boss), etc.
reccan, w. v., relate, tell, 91; dat. rand-wiga, w. m., shield-
inf. reccenne, 2093; pret. rehte, warrior, 1298, etc.
2106, 2110. rond-hssbbend, st. m. (pres. part.),
reced, st. neut., house, building, [shield-HAving] shield- warrior, 861.
haU, 310, 412, etc. rowan, st. v., bow, swim; pret. pi,
regn-heard, [mighty-HAED]
adj., reon=reowon, 512, 539.
wondrous hard, 326 (see note), rUm, St. m., room, space, 2690.
regnian, renian, w. v., prepare, rflm, adj., EOOMy, spacious, ample,
adorn, 2168*; pp. geregnad, 777. great, 2461; Jjurh rumne sefan,
ren-weard, st. m., 770 (see note). 'gladly and freely and with all
reoo, fierce, 122. good will,' 278.
reodan, st. v., make red, 1151*. rflm-heort, adj., [room-heart] great-
reofan, st. v. hearted, 1799, 2110.
te-reofan, st. v., bereave, rto, St. f., RUNE, council, 172.
deprive; pp., ace. sg. f., berofene, rfln-stsBf, St. m., rune-stilYE, runic
2457, 2931. letter, 1695.
reon, see rowan, rfln-wlta, w. m., [rune-] wise man,
reord, st. f., speech, 2555. [C/. councillor, 1325.
Goth, razda.] rybt, see riht.
reordian, w. v., speak, 2792*, 3025. ryman, w. v. \Jrom rum]:
ge-reordian, w. v., prepare a (1) make Boomy, prepare; pp.
feast; pp. gereorded, 1788. gerymed, 492, 1975.
15—2
228 Beowulf
(2) make boom, clear a way; B^-lac, St. neut., SEA-booty, 1624;
pp. fSa him gerymed wear's, Jjtet occ. pi. sffi-lac, 'sea-spoils,' 1652.
hie wsel-stowe wealdan moston, Sffl-lad, St. /., sEA-path, sea-voyage,
'when the way was made clear _1139, 1157.
for them so that they were s»lan, w. v., bind, tie, secure, 226,
masters of the field, 'i 2983; so 1917; pp. gesSled, bound, twisted,
'
nan, 'that a peaceweaver should BffilSe, 3152 note to 11. 3150, etc.)
(see
assail the life of a beloved man,' sn-mami, m., sea-man, 329, 2954.
st.
1942. S8B-metSe, adj., sea- weary, 325.
(2) with ace. rei and dat. pers., siemra, compar. adj. {without pos.)
refuse, dispute, 2954. worse, weaker, 953, 2880.
aaou, strife, 1857, 2472)>^c.
^
St. /., Bffl-nsBBB, St. m., sEA-NESs, headland
ssece, 154. [Of. sasoc.]
^ _223, 571.
sadol, St. m., saddle, 1038. sssne, adj.
sadol-beorlit, adj., saddle-beioht, sSnra, compar., slower, 1436.
_2175. ss-rinc, st. m. sea- warrior, 690.
,
sa,jt. m.f., SEA, 318, etc.; dat. pi. ssB-BiS, St.m., sEA-journey, 1149.
sffim, 858, etc. [Cf. Goth. s4iws.] sS-weall, St. m., sea-wall, 1924.
sse-bat, St. m., sea-boat, 633, 895. sli-wong, st, m., SEA-plain, shore,
Bseoc, St. /., strife, fight, contest, _1964.
953, 1977, 2029, etc.; gen. sg. Bsa-wudu, St. m., sea-wood, ship, 226.
'seooe, 600. [Cf. sacu, and Goth. Bffl-wylm, St. m., [sea- tFEiiing]
sakjo.] sea-surge, 393.
ssece, see sacu. -saga, see -secgan.
sS-cyiiliig, St. m., sea-king, 2382. sal, St. m., rope, 302*, 1906.
s^dan, see secgan. s3ilum, see ssel.
SK-deor, st. neut,, sea-deer, sea- samod, see somod.
monster, 1510. Baud, St. neut., sand, 213, etc.
Bs-draca, w, m., sea-deake, sea- Bang, St. m., song, 90, etc.
_dragon, 1426. Bar, St. neut., soee, pain, wound,
ssBgan, w. v., cause to sink, lay 787, 975 ; nom. sio sax, 2468 (gender
low; pp. gesffiged, 884. [Cf. extraxyrdinary ; see note) ace. sare,
;
ge-Bcadan, st. v., decide; pret. two, 1526; pret. sg. gesoer, 2973.
gesced, 1555. -scet, see -sceotan.
scadu-helm, st, m., [shade-heliu] sce'SSan, st. and w. v., usu. with dat.,
shadow-covering, cover of night; SCATHE, injure, 1514, 1S24, 1887,
gen. pi. scadu-helma gesceapu, etc. ; absolutely, 243. [C/. Goth.
'shapes of the shadows,' 650. skaj>jan.]
scainl(g)an, w. v., be asHAMsd, 1026, ge-Bce'8tSaJi, w. v., with dat.,
2850. SCATHE, injure, 1447, 1502, 1587.
sca^a, see scea^a. Pret. sg. se ^e him sare gesoeod,
sceaeen, sceacetS, see scacan. 'who injured himself sorely,' 2222,
scead, st. neut,, shade: ace. pi. 2777 (see note),
under soeadu bregdan, draw under ' sclld-, see soyld-.
the shades, i.e. kill,' 707: see also sclle, see sculan.
note to 1. 1803. [C/. Goth, ska- solma, w. TO., brightness, gleam,
dus.] 1803 ' (see note),
sceaden-mal, adj., curiously inlaid solnan, Bcynan, st. v., shine, 1517,
sword, 1939. etc., F. 6; pret. pi. scinon, 994,
sceadn-genga, w. m., SHADE-soer, scionon, 303 (see note).
prowler by night, 703. soinna, w. m., apparition, 939.
sceal, etc., see sculan. scionon, see sclnan.
soealo, St. to., td3,xsha.l, retainer, scip, St. neut., ship, 302, etc.; dat.
918, 939. [Cf. Goth, skalks.] pi. scypon, 1154.
scearp, adj., shabf, 288. scip-here, st. m., sHip-army, naval
Bceat, St. m., [sbeet] comer, re- force; dat. soip-herge, 243.
gion, quarter, 96 gen. pi. seeatta,
;
BClr, adj., SHEEE, bright, 322, 496,
752. [C/. Goth, sk^uts, 'hem of 979 ; weak gen. 1694.
a garment.'] sclr-bam, adj., bright-coated, with
Bceatt, St. m., money, 1686. [C/. shining mail, 1895.
Goth, skatts.] Bcod, see sceSSan.
Bcea^a, sca|>a, w. to., scathbi, foe, scolde, etc., see sculan.
warrior: iwm. pi. scafian, 1803, scop, St. m., [SHAPer] maker, bard,
1895; gen. pi. sceaj>ena, 4, scea- etc., 90, 496, 1066.
«ona, 274. scop, see scyppan.
sceawi(g)an, w. v. with ace. [show, , scota, w. TO., SHoorer, warrior.
shew] espy, see, view, observe, See note to 1. 1026.
840, 843, 1391, etc. pres. pi, subj.
;
Borlfan, st. v., [shrive] prescribe,
sceawian, 3008 pret. pi. sceawe-
;
pass sentence, 979. [From Lat.
don, 132, etc.; pp. gesoeawod, scrlbo.]
3075, 3084. for-scrlfan, st. v., with dat. pers.,
'-seed, see -scadan. proscribe, 106.
ge-scrlfan, st. v., prescribe pret.
soeft, St. TO., SHAFT, 3118, F. 8. :
230 Beowulf
sctlfan, St. v., with ace, shove, scyran, w. v., bring to light, hence
launch, 215, 918 pret. pi. soufun,
;
decide, 1989. [Cf. scir.]
3131. [Cf. Ooth. -skiuban.] Be, sec, l>8et, detnonst. adj., the, that,
be-scllfan, st. v., with ace. shove, ,
Sing.: nam. m. se; /. seo, 66
cast, 184. etc. ; slo, 2098, etc. ; n. \>set ; ace
wid-scflfan, st. v., [wide-shove] m. Jjone /. jpa; n. }>SBt ; gen. m.
;
mon,' 2659; soeal se hearda helm seo, sio, n. ))8et; ace. m. Jpone, /.
...fffitum befeaUen, 2255; >onne Jia, n. ))Eet gen. m. n. Jjsbs, /. Jjare
;
•Su forS scyle, 1179; so, 2816. dat. m. n. Jigm, 183, etc., Jiam
scllr-heard, adj., [showeb-haed] 1083 1957, /. Jjffire; instrum. m. n. J>y,
(see note). 87, etc., >e, 821, etc., ton, 504,
scyld, St. m., shield, 325, etc. etc. Immediately followed by the
scild-weall, st. m., shield-wall, rel. particle >e (q. v.): nom. se i>e,
8118. 90, etc. ; ace. J)one >e, dat. ))am Jie;
Bcyldan, w. v., shijeld: pret. nym^e gen. pi. Jjara >e, 98, etc., 1625 ('of
mec God scylde, ' unless God had those things which'). With J;e
shielded me,' 1658. omitted: >am=J)am))e, 2199, 2779.
scyld-freca, w. m., SHiELD-warrior, Correl. with se used as a rel. pron.:
1083. se...se, 2406-7.
scyldig, aAj., guilty; with dat., syn- Special usages
num scildig, 3071 ; with gen. 1683; (1) gen. neut. )>Ees, of that, of this,
ealdres scyldig, 'having forfeited thereof, for that, for this, therefor,
his life,' 1338, 2061. 7, etc. Correl. with Jjset, conj.,
Bcyld-wlga, w. m., shield- warrior, 2026-8, etc. See also ^ses, adv.
288. (2) instr. neut. |>y, >e, by that,
scyle, see sculan. therefore, 1273, 2067. Correl. with
sc^an, see sc&ian. J>e, conj. (q. v.), 487, 1436, 2688.-
scyndan, w. v., hasten, 918, 2570. Often with comparatives, THE 821, :
Bc^e, adj., SHEEN, beauteous, 3016. etc., 2880; no >y ser, 'none the
[Cy. Goth, skauns, 'beautiful.'] sooner,' 754, etc.
scyn-sca)>a, w.m., spectral-foe, 707* (3) instr. neut. J>on, 2428 (see note);
(see note). J)on ma,
'(the) more,' 504; sefter
Bcyp, see BCip. J)on, 'after that,' 724; Sr })on,
Bcyppan, st. v., shape, create, make, 'ere,' 731; be >on, 'by that,' 1722;
78; wass sio wroht soepen heard t5 J)on, JjSBt, 'until,' 2591, 2845;
wi^ Hugas, the strife was made
'
to J>on, 'to that degree, so,' 1876.
hard against the Hugas,' 2918. See also under to.
[Cf. Goth, -skapjan.] II. Bel. pron., that, who,
ge-scyppan, st. v., shape, create, which, what; m. se, 143, etc.; se
97. for seo, 2421 (see also ^e); neut.
Scyppend, st. m. [pres. part.), SHAPEr, J)eet='what,' 15 (but see note),
Creator, 106. 1466, 1748, m. ace. )>one, 13, etc.;
. ;
Glossary 231
/. ace. >a, 2022 ; gen. neut. Gode ge-sSc(e)aii, w. v., 684, 1004*
Jjanoode Jjses
. . se man geBprteo,
. (see note), etc.; dat. inf. to gese-
'thanked God for what the man canne, 1922 ; pret. pi. gesohton,
spake,' 1398; J)£es ic wene, 'ac- 2926, gesShtan, 2204: seek, in its
cording to what I expect, as I various meanings as above, 463, etc.;
ween,' 272; so, 383; dat. sing, often of hostile attack, 2515, etc.
m. and neut. >Sm, J>am, 137, etc., ofer-aSc(e)an, w. v., ovEEtax,
exclusively J)am in portion of poem test too severely; pret. sg. se %
written hy second scribe ; pi. i>a,, meca gehwane...swenge ofersohte,
41, etc. See also baes, adv. 'which with its aiding overtaxed
b%3 )ie, see under )>89b. every swo^d,' 2686.-'
sealde, etc., see sellan. secc, see ssscc.
aealma, w. m., sleeping-place, couch, secg, St. m., man, etc., 208, 213, etc.;
chamber, 2460. of Grendel's mother, 1379.
sealo-brUn, adj., sallow-eeown, dark- secg, st.f., sword, 684.
brown, F. 37. seegan, w. v., 51, etc.; sat, speak,
sealt, adj., salt, 1989. dat. inf. to secganne, 473, 1724;
searo, st. neut. pret. sg. ssegde, 90, etc., ssde, F.
(1) skill, device, cunning, dat. pi. 46; pret. pi. seagdon, 377, etc.,
adverhially, searwum, cunningly, '
Sffldan, 1945; pp. gessegd, gesSd,
curiously,' 1038, 2764; 'published, made manifest,' 141,
(2) [cunningly devised] ajmour, 249, 1696. Imperf. with partitive gen.
323, 329, etc., 1557 (see note); secggende wses la'Sra spella, 'was
(3) ambush, straits, 419 (but the telling dire tales,' 3028.
meaning may be when I did off
:
'
a-secgan, w. v., say out, declare,
my armour ') 344.
searo-bend, st. m. f., cunning bai^b, ge-secgan, w. v., say, 2157;
2086. imperat. sg. gesaga, 388.
searo-jah, adj., cunningly coloured, sefa, w.m., mind, soul, heart, 49, etc.
variegated, 1444. Beft, compar. adv. (o/softe), soi^'Ter,
searo-gimm, st. m., cunning gem, more easily, 2749.
jewel of artistic workmanship, -Began, see -seon.
1157, 2749, 3102*. segen, see segn.
searo-grlm, adj., [cunniug-OKiM] cun- segl, St. neut., sail, 1906.
ningly fierce, or fierce in battle, segl-rad, st.f., sail-eoad, sea, 1429.
594. segn, St. m. neut., baimer, 1204; ace.
Bearo-hssbbend, st. m. {pres. part.), segn, 2767, 2776, segen, 47, 1021,
[armour-HAving] warrior, 237. 2958 (see note to 11. 2957-9).
searo-net, st. neut., [cunning- or [Fromh. signum, whence 'sign.']
armoux-NET] coat of mail, 406. -segou, see -seon.
searo-ni'S, st. m., armour-strife, hos- -Beh, see -seon.
tility, 582, 3067; cunning -hatred, Bel, see Bsel.
wile, plot, 1200, 2738. ael, compar. adv. {no positive, ef.
searo-bonc, st. m., cunning selra), better, 1012, 2277, 2530,
THOVGHi, 775. 2687, F. 40, 41.
searo-wimdor, st. neut., [ounning- seldan, adv., seldom, 2029 (see note).
wondee] rare wonder, 920. seld-guma, w. m. hall-man , nam. :
232 Beowulf
BSlest, etc., see under sSlra. seen, see, look, 387, etc.;
St. v., inf.
sele-|>egrn, st. m., hall-iHANE, cham- m8eg...seon, 'there it is
J>ffir pos-
berlain, 1794. sible to see, there may one see,'
sele-weard, st. m., fhall-wAKD] guard- 1365; yre«. pi., sSgon, 1422. [Cf.
ian of a hall, 667. Goth, saihwan.]
self, reflex, adj. ; nom. sg. self, 594, ge-seon, st. v., see, 229, etc.;
920, etc., sylf, 1964; weak self a, see one another, 1875; pret. pi.
29, 1924, etc., seolfa, 3067, sylfa, gesawon, 221, etc., gesegon, 3128,
505, etc.; ace. sg. m. selfne, 961, gesegan, 3038; subj. pret.pl. gesa-
etc., sylfne, 1977, 2875 ; gen. sg. m. won, 1605.
selfes, 700, etc., sylfes, 2013, etc.; geond-seon, st. v., see through-
/. selfre, 1115 Tiom. pi. selfe, 419,
; out, see over; pret. sg. geondseh,
sylfe, 1996; gen. pi. sylfra, 2040: 3087.
SELF, etc. Often absolutely 419, ofer-seou, st. v., ovebsee, sur-
2222, etc. on minne sylfes dom,
; vey, look on, 419.
2147. Sometimes agreeing with on-seon, st. v., look on, look at,
the nom. instead of with the oblique 1650 (but see note).
case next to which it stands: l>u seonu, St. /., sinew; nom. pi. seon-
]>e (dat.) self, 953; )>£em tpe him owe, 817.
aelfa deah, 1839. seCSan, st. v., with ace, seethe,
sella, see aelra. brood over; pret. sg. mSl-ceare,
seUan, syllan, w. v., [sell] give, mod-oeare... sea's, 190 (see note to
give up, 72, etc. [Gf. Goth, saljan, 1. 189), 1993.
'
to bring an offering.'] Beo98an, see si'SVan.
ge-sellan, w. v., [sell] give, 615, seowlan, w. v., sew, link; pp. seowed
etc. (of a bymy), 406.
sel-lio, syl-llc ( = seld-lic), adj., rare, sess, St. m., seat, 2717, 2756.
strange, 2086, 2109 ; acc.pl. sellice, setan, see sittan.
1426. [Gf. Goth. sUda-leiks.] setl, St. neut., settle, seat, 1232,
syl-llcra.compar., 3tranger,3038. 1289, etc.
selra, compar. adj. [no positive, but aettan, w. v., set, set down, 325,
cf. Goth, sels], better, 860, etc., 1242; pp. geseted, 1696. [Cf.
2198 (see note), nom. sg. m. sella, Goth, satjan.]
2890. Absolutely, Jjcet selre, 1759. 3,-settan, w. v., set, set up, 47;
selest, superl., best, 146, etc. pp. aseted, 667.
Weak form, reced selesta, 412; be-settau, w. v., beset, set about,
and often after the def. art. se, 1453.
1406, etc. ge-settan, w. v.:
semnlnga, ad«., forthwith, presently, (1) set, 94.
644 (see note), 1640, 1767. (2) set at rest, 2029.
sendan, w. v., send, IB, 471, 1842. slb(b), St. /., peace, kinship, friend-
[C/. Goth, sandjan.] ship, 949, etc. ; uninfleeted ace.
for-sendan, w. v., send away, sibb, 154, 2600 (see note). [Cf.
904. Goth, sibja.]
on-sendan, w. v., send away, sib-ss'Seling, st. m., kindred-ATHEL-
send off, 382, 452, 1483; with iNO, 2708.
forS, 45, 2266. slbbe-gediiht, st. /., kindred-band,
sendan, w. v., 600 (see note). band of kindred-warriors, 387 (see
sSo, see se, se. note), 729.
aeoc, adj., sick, 'sick unto death,' aid, adj., broad, ample, great, 149,
1603, 2740, 2904. [Cf Goth. 1291, 1726 (see note), etc.; weak
sinks.] forms 1733, 2199, 2347.
seofon, SEVEN, 517; ace. seofan, side, adv., widely, 1223.
2195 ; inflected syfoue, 3122. [C/. sld-fa'8me, adj., [wide-EATHOMed]
Goth, sibun.] broad-bosomed, 1917.
seolfa, see self. ald-fse'Smed, adj. {pp.), [wide-PATHOM-
seomlan, siomian, w. v. ed] broad-bosomed, 302.
(1) rest, ride, lie, stand, 302, 2767. sId-rand, st. m., broad shield, 1289.
seomade ond syrede, he held him-
'
ale, see wesan.
selfin ambush, and entrapped aiex-benn, st. /., hipknife- wound,
them,' 161. 2904. [From seax.]
. :
Glossary 233
slg, see vesan. sound, 496, 1423, F. 6; pret. sg.
s^an, St. v., sink, march down, hring-iren soir song in searwum,
307, 1251. 'the bright iron rings rang in the
ge-Blgan, sink, fall, 2659.
st. v., armour,' 323.
sige-beom, st. m., victorious warrior, a-slngan, st. v., sing, sing out,
F. 40. 1159.
sige-dilhten, st. m,, victory-lord, sin-here, st. m., [continuous army]
victorious prince, 391. army drawn out, very strong,
sige-SacUg, adj., rich in victories, immense ; dat. sin-herge, 2936.
victorious, 1557. sin-nlht, st. /., long night; sin-
slge-folc, St. neut., victory -folk, vic- nihte, 'duringthelongnights,'161.
torious people, 644. sln-sulSd, see syn-sniid.
sige-hre'S, st. m. neut., victory -fame, stnt, see wesan.
presage of victory, confidence or sio, see se, se.
exultation in victory, 490. slolcB, St., still water, 2367 (see
sige-hrSIJlg, adj., victory exultant, note)
exulting in victory, 94, 1597, 2756. siomian, see seomian.
sige-hwn, St. /., viotory-WHiLE, 2710 sittan, St. V. ; pret. pi. sseton, 1164,
(see note). setan, 1602*; pp. geseten, 2104:
Bigel, St. neut., sun, 1966. SIT, 130, etc. ; inf. eodon sittan,
sige-lSas, adj., victory-LESs, of de- '
went and sat,' 493.
feat, 787. be-slttan, st. v., [sit by] besiege,
8ige-r5f, adj., victory-famed, victor- 2936.
ious, 619. for-slttan, st. v., fail; pres. sg.
sige-^Sod, St. /. , victory-nation, vic- 3rd, 1767 (see note to 11. 1766-7).
torious people, 2204. ge-sittau, st. v.
slge-wSpen, st. neut. victory -weapon,
, (1) intrans. sit, sit together, 171,
804. 749 (see note), etc.
slgle, St. neut., sun-shaped orna- (2) trans, sit down in, 633.
ment, jewel, 1157, 1200 ace. pi. ; ofer-sittan, st. v., with ace,
slglu, 3163. abstain from, refrain from, 684,
sigor, St. m. or neut., victory, 1021, 2528.
2875, 3055. of-sittan, st. v., with aec., sit
sigor-eadig, adj., rich in victories, upon, 1545.
victorious, 1311, 2352. on-sittan, st. v., with aec,
sia, pass, adj., his, her, 1236, etc. dread, 597.
sine, St. neut., treasure, jewelry, ymb-sittan, st. v., with aec,
gold, silver, prize, 81, etc. sit about, sit round, 564.
siac-fset, st. neut., treasure-VAT, SI'S, St. m.. [C/. Goth, sinjis.]
costly vessel, casket, 1200 (but (1) way, journey, adventure, 765,
see note), 2231, 2300; ace. pi. etc., (exploit), 908 (way of
872
sinc-fato sealde, passed the
' life or
exile —
see note), 1971
jewelled cup,' 622. (return), 2586 (course), 8089 (pas-
Binc-fag, adj. treasure-variegated,
,
bedecked with treasure weak ace. ; (2). time, repetition, 716, 1579,
sg. neut. sino-fage, 167. 2049, etc.
sinc-gestreon, st. neut., treasure- sH5, compar. adv. {pos. srS) ; ser ond
possession, costly treasure, 1092, SI'S, '
earlier and
2500. later, '
234 Beowulf
si'S^au, sjSSan, seoWan, ad,v., snyttnim, dat. pi. used adver-
[siTHENce] siNce, after, afterwards, bially, wisely, 872.
142, etc. For 1106, see note : ter snyBSan, w. v.
ne si'SSan, 'before nor since,' 718. be-anyUSan, w. v., deprive,
Gmrel. with sy^an, ccmj., 2201-7. 2924.
BitSBau, syifSan, seo'S^an, conj., Bocn, St. /., persecution ; dat. Jjasre
[siTHENoe] siNce, after, when, 106, socne, from that persecution,
'
etc. With pret. =pluperf. 1978, 1777. [C/. Goth, sokns, ' search,
etc. With pret. and plwperf. enquiry.']
sySSan mergen com, ond we t5 Bomod, samod, adv., together, 1211,
symble geseted lisefdon, 2103-4. 2196, etc. with setgaedere, 329,
;
'^
(1) strike, 2699. sorhge, 2468.
(2) SLAT, 108, etc. sorh-cearig, sorg-cdarlg, adj., [sob-
ge-slean, st. v., with ace. gain, : Row-CABEful] sorrowful, heart-
achieve by fighting, 459 (see broken, 2455, 3152.
note) ; pret. pi. hie %a msr^a ge- 8orh-ful(t), adj., soRROwruL, 512,
slogon, they gained glory by
'
1278, 1429, 2119.
fighting,' 2996. sorh-leas, adj., sohrowless, free
of-Blean, st. v., slat, 574, 1665, from sorrow, 1672.
1689, 3060. Borh-leo'S, st. neut., soERow-lay,
slitan, St. v., slit, tear to pieces, lamentation, 2460.
741. Borh-wylm, st. m., [sorrow- JKEii-
BliSe, adj., savage, hurtful, danger- ing] surge of sorrow or care, 904,
ous, 184, 2398. 1993.
sllBen, adj., dire, deadly, 1147. BoS, St. neut., SOOTH, truth, 532,
smiS, St. m., smith, 406; nom. etc.; dat. to so^e, 'for sooth,'
wSpna smVS, '
weapon-smith,' 51, etc. ; inst. s&Se, used adver-
1452. bially, 'truly, with truth,' 524,
BmiSian, w. v. 871.
be-sml'Sian, w. v., make firm so*, adj., [sooTH] true, 1611, 2109.
by smith's work, 776. SoU-cyning, st. m., [Sooth-king]
Bnell, adj., brisk, prompt, keen, God, 3055.
bold weak nom. sg. m. sneUa,
; so'S-fSBBt, adj., SOOTHFAST, just, 2820.
2971. sotS-lice, adv., [soothly] truly, 141,
snel-Uc, adj., brisk, prompt, keen, 273, 2899.
bold, 690. Bpecan, speak, 2864, see sprecan.
Bnotor, snottor, adj., wise, prudent, sped, St. f., SPEED, success ; ace. on
190, etc. pi. snotere, 202, snottre,
; sped, ' with good speed, success-
1591 ; weak nom. sg. m. snottra, fully,' 873.
1313, etc., snotra, 2156, etc. ab- ; spel(l), St. neut., spell, story, tale,
solutely, 1786, etc. [C/. Ooth. tidings, 2109, 2898, 3029 ; ace. pi.
suutrs.] spel gerade, skilful tales,' 873.
'
Bnyttru, st. /., wisdom, prudence, spSwan, St. v., impers., with dat,
942, 1706, 1726. [C/. snotor.] pers., speed, succeed; pret. sg.
'; ;
Glossary 235
him wiht ne speow, he had no '
the nails was most like to steel,'
sueeess,' 2854* hu him set Ste
; 985 (see note).
speow, how he sped at the eating,
'
stefli, St. m., stem (of a ship), 212.
3026. stefn, St. m., time, repetition; dat.
spraac,st, /., speech, 1104. sg. niwan (niowan) stefne, anew,' '
starlan, w. v., pres. sg. 1st starige, (lie), etc.; pret. pi. stodon, 328,
starie, 3rd stara^, pret. starede, stodan, 3047 lixte se leoma, leoht
:
staredon: stake, gaze, 996, 1485, inne stod, the beam shone forth,
'
236 Beowulf
withsTAND, avert, defend, 1549 substantively, or as an indef.
ccmxtrued, either with ace. of thing pron., 400, 1251, 1432, etc.; neut.
averted: him wyrd forstode, ne sceal JjSr dyme sum wesan,
'averted fate from them,' 1056; 'there shall be naught secret,'
ingang forstod, prevented entry,'
' 271. Often with partitive gen.
1549 ; or ace. of person or thing 675, 713, 1499, etc.; esp. with
defended : hea'SolKendum hord gen. of numerals and adjs. of
forstandan, '
defend his hoard quantity: fiftena sum, 'one of
against the ocean-farers,' 2955. fifteen, i.e. with fourteen others,'
ge-stoudan, st. v., stand, take 207; so 3123, 1412, 2091; sumne
up one's stand, 358, 404, 2566, feara, one of a few, i.e. some
'
atrengo, st. f,, STEENoth; ace. dat. Bunne, w.f., son, 94, 606, 648.
strenge, 1270, 1533, dat. strengo, sunu, St. m., son, 268, etc. dat. suna,
;
with dat., swealh, 743, swealg, swigode, 2897, pZ. swigedon, 1699.
3155*; pret. subj., absolutely, Bwilce, see swylce.
swulge, 782. swlmman, swymman, st. v., swim,
for-swelgan, st. v., swallow 1624.
up, 1122, 2080. ofer-Bwimman, st. u., ovee-swim,
swellan, st. v., swell, 2713. swim over; pret. oferswam, 2367.
Bweltau, St. v., [swelter] die, Bwin, swyn, st. neut., swine, image
1617, etc. with cognate dat.
; of a boar on a helmet, 1111,
moHSre, -dea«e, 892, 2782, 3037. 1286.
Bwencan, w. v., molest, oppress, Bwmcan, st. v., swink, toil, 517.
1510*. [Of. Bwinoan.] Bwingan, st. v., swing, 2264.
:
238 Beowulf
awln-llc, St. neut., swiNE-shape, sw^, see swin.
image of a boar, 1453. awynaian, w. v., resound, 611.
swIoSol, m. or neut., flame, 3145*
St. awyrd, see aweord.
(see note to 1. 782). awytS, see swiS.
BT»TO, swyB, adj., strong, severe, -aw^an, see -ainVan.
191, 3085. [C/. Goth, swings.] awylSe, see awlVe.
8Wi8ra, compar., stronger; nam. ay, see wesan.
fern,slo switSre hand, ' the right syfan-wintre, adj., seven winters
hand,' 2098. old, 2428.
swiSan, St. and w. v. ayfone, see Beofon.
ofer-swylSan, st. and w. v., ovek- -ayhV, see -aeon.
power, overcome, 279, 1768. 8ylf(a), see self.
BW^e, adv., strongly, greatly,
BTrttSe, ayll, st.f., SILL, base, floor, 775.
very, 597, etc. syllan, see aellan.
swiSor, compar., more greatly, syllic, see sellic.
more, more especially, rather, 960, Bymliel, st. neut. feast, banquet, 564,
,
swiS-ferhU, awy1S-ferh15, adj., strong 81, 489, 1008. [From Greek through
souled, stout-hearted, 173, 498 Lat. symbola, a share
' ' ; cf. Holt-
826, 908. hausen, Anglia, Beiblatt xm. 226.]
swlS-Ucgende, adj. (pres. part.) symbel-wynn, st. /., feast-joy,
joy
[strong-thinking] stout-hearted, in feasting, 1782.
919, 1016. aym(b)le, adv., always, 2450, 2497,
swiiS-mod, adj., [strong-Moon] stout- 2880. [Gf. Goth, simle, 'once.']
hearted, 1624. symle, n., see aymbel.
swogan, St. v., sound; pres. part. syn-byaig, adj., [sin-eusy] guilt-
3145. [Gf. Goth. ga-sw6gjan, ' to haunted, troubled by guilt, 2226.
sigh,' and O.E. swegan.] ayn-dolli, st, neut. , ceaseless wound,
Bwor, see swerian. incurable wound, 817.
-sworean, see -sweoroan. syndon, see wesan.
sword, see sweord. ayngales, see singalea.
swuloes, see swylc. syngian, w. v., sm; pp. gesyngad,
swurd, see sweord. 2441.
swutol, see sweotol. synn, st. /., sin, crime, injury,
swylc, adj. -pram., such, such as, as. hatred, struggle, 975, 1255, 2472,
[Gf. Goth, swa-leiks.] 3071.
I. (=L. talis) such: syn-Bca15a, w. m., cruel scathbi,
(1) adj. 582, 1347, etc. 707 jsee note), 801.
(2) pran. 299 (with gen.), 996; ayn-ansed, st. /., [ceaseless piece]
gm. swuloes, 880 (see Uwa); ace. huge gulp, 743.
o^er swylc tit ofierede, carried out '
synt, see wesan.
and off another such [number,],' Byrce, w. f, sabk, shirt of mail,
1583. 226, 334, 1111.
II. (=L. qualis) such as, 1156 ayrwan, w. v., ensnare, 161. [From
(with gen.), 1797, 2869; ace. eaE searu.]
gedffilan... swylc him God sealde, be-syrwan, w. v., ensnare, 713,
' deal out all that God gave him,' etc.; contrive, 942; besyred, 2218*.
72. sySSan, see siWan.
III. (=L. talis. ..qualis) swylc...
swylo, 'such. ..as,' 1249 (with
gen.), 1328-9, 3164.
swylce taoen, st. neut., token, 833; dat.
I. adi;., as well as, likewise, 113, taoue, 141, 1654. [Gf. Goth.
293, etc. ; once swilce, 1152. taikns.]
II. conjunctive adv., as, 757; as tScan, w. V.
if, F. 38.
ge-tsBcan, w. v., teach, indicate,
swylt, St. m., death, 1255, 1436. assign, 313, 2013.
{Gf. Goth, swulta-.] talian, w. v., reckon, claim, 532,
swylt-dseg, St. m., death-DAT, 2798. 594, 677, 2027; pres. sg. 1st wen
[Gf. sweltan.] io talige, ' I reckon it a thing to be
swynuuan, see awlmmau. expected, ' 1845.
:
Glossary 239
te, prep, with dat., to, from, 2922 tir-fSBSt, adj., [glory-FASi] glorious,
(see note), 922.
tear, st. m., teak, 1872. [C/. Goth. tir-leas, adj., glory-LESs; gen. sg.
tagr.] absolutely, 843.
tela, adv., well, 948, etc. tilSian, w. v., impers., with gen.,
telge, see tellan. grant; pp. wsB3...bene getilSad,
tellan, w. v., tell, reckon, deem, '(of) the boon (it) was granted,'
794, etc.; pres. sg. 1st telge, 2067: 2284.
ac him weel-bende weotode tealde, t6, prep., with dat., to, towards, 28,
'but [if he did] he might reckon etc.: as, esp. in predicative
for,
death-bands prepared for himself,' dats., 14, to so^e, 'as a fact,' 51,
1936. etc.:with verbs of asking, etc. at
tech, St. /., band, troop; dat. sg. the hands of, from, 158, 525, 601,
teohhe, 2938. etc.; at (time), 26.
teoliliian, w. v., assign, 951; pp. Special usages
geteohhod, 1300. (1) for, in adverbial phrases of
teon, St. v., [tow} tug, draw, 553, time: to aldre, 'for ever,' 955,
1036, 1288 (of a sword), 1439; 2005, 2498; to life, 'in his life-
pret. sg. brim-lade teah, 'took the time, ever,' 2432; to widan feore,
ocean-way,' 1051 ; so eft-sSSas teah, 'ever,' 933.
1332. [Cf. Goth, tiuhan.] (2) to, with gerundial infin., 316,
9.-teon, St. v., [rcro] take; pret. 473 (see note), etc.
sg. ateah, 766 (see note to (3) weorSan to, 'to become,' 460,
11. 765-6). 587, etc.
ge-teon, st. v., tug, draw, 1545, (4) Following its case: him to,
2610, F. 17; deliver, 1044: im- 'to it,' 313; 909 (see note); 1396
perat. sg. no ^u him wearne geteoh (see wenan) i>e >u her to locast,
;
^Snra gegn-cwida, 'do not Ihou 'on which thou lookest here,'
give them a refusal of thy replies,' 1654; lis seoea'S to Sweona leoda,
366; pret. sg. he him est geteah
'
the peoples of the Swedes wilt
meara ond matJma, 'he presented come against us,' 3001.
to him the horses and treasures,' to hwan, see hwa, hwEet.
2165. to bses, adv., so, 1616.
of-teon, St. v., tuq off or away, to |>sea >e, conjunctive phrase,
withhold; with gen. rei and dat. TO (the point) where, thither
pers., 5; with dat. rei, 1520; with Whence, 714, 1967, 2410; to the
ace. rei, 2489. See of-teon, below point (degree) that, until, 1585
and note to 1. 5. (see note).
(lOrli-teon, st. v., [tug thkough] to |>on, adv. to that degree, so,
,
trem, st. m. or neut.: ace. sg. biim, THEM, see se, se.
adverbially, fotes trem, 'a foot's JiSr : [Cf. Goth. >ar.]
breadth or space,' 2525. I. adv., TpEEE, 32, etc.; un-
treow, St. /., TEoth, TKuth, good emphatic {ItSee mod. there with
faith, 1072, 2922. [C/. Goth. impers. verm) \271, 440, etc. For
triggwa.] tSSr on innan, ,71, 2089, etc., see
treowan, w. v., with dat., trow, innan.
trust: pret. sg. gehwylc hiora his II. rei. adv., where, 286, etc.; (to)
ieiht>e treowde, 'each of them where, 356, etc.; if, 1835. With
trusted Unferth's mind,' 1166. Bwa following: 'S£er...swa, 'if so
(See also triiwian.) be that,' 797, 2730. (Cf. note to
treow-loga, w. m., TKoth-Liar, troth- J. 762.)
breaker, 2847. )>3ara, |>sere, see se, se.
trodu, st.f., track, 843. )>ses, adj.-pron., see se, se.
trum, adj., strong, 1369. )i9S, adv.:
trdwlan, w. v., with gen. or dat., (1) therefore, 900, 1992, etc.; see
TROW, trust, believe, 669, 1993, etc. se.
ge-trtlwlan, w. v.: (2) so, 773, 968, etc.
(1) with gen. or dat., trow, trust; taes (>e, conj.:
with gen., 2322, 2540; with dat., 11) as, 1341, 1350, 3000.
1533. (2) because, 108, 228, 626, 1628,
(2) with ace, confirm; pret. pi. 1751, 1998, 2797, etc.; eorrel.with
getriiwedon, 1095. preceding Jiees, 1779.
tryddian, see treddian. to |>83s )>e, see to.
trywe, adj., true, 1165. [Cf. Goth. l>SBt,adj.-pron., see se, se.
triggws.] tiset,conj., THAT, so that, 62, etc.;
twa, see twegen. until, 84, 1911; in that, 3036;
twafan, w. v. oftencorrel. with the demonst. neut.
ge-twSfan, w. v., usu. with pron. >a2t or >8es (see se), 778-9,
ace. pers. and gen. rei, divide, 1591-3, 1598-9, etc.; repeated,
sever, separate, restrain, 479, 2864-5-71. See note to 1. 765.
etc.; pp. getwfflfed, 'ended,' 1658. J>aet )ie, eonj., that, 1846.
twaman, w. v. Jjsette ( = )3ffit >e), conj., that, 151, etc.
ge-twSman, w. v., with aec. bafian, w. v., with ace., consent to,
pers. and gen. rei, sever, cut off, submitto, 2963.
968. see -)>icgan.
-ball,
twegen, m., twa,/. and neut., num., bam, see se, se.
TWAiM, iwo, 1095, 1163, etc.; gen. banan, see bonan.
twega, 2532; dat. twSm, 1191. banc, St. m.:
[Of. Goth. tw4i.] (1) with gen.
rei, thanks, 928,
twelf, num., twelve; 147; twelfa, 1997, etc.
3170 (see note). [Of. Goth. (2) content, pleasure; dat. sg. ba
twa-lif.] ie gif-sceattas Geata fyredon
tweonum, dat. ~ pi. of distrih. nu- Jpyder to bance, 379.
meral: be (bi) sfflm tweonum, banc-hycgende, adj. (pres. part.),
'
by the two seas, i.e. beTWEEN the [rHotrcjHt-thinking], TsovGuttvl,
seas,' 858, 1297, 1685, 1956. 2235.
Glossary 241
>ancian, w. v., thank, 625, 1397; bSah, adv., THOUGH, yet, however,
pret. pi., J)ancodon, 1626, Jjan- 1508.
cedon, 227. Bw3, beab, see bwS,.
^ajion, see ^onan. bearf, st. /., need, 201, etc.; ace.
^a,ra, see se, sg. fremma'S gena leoda bearf e, 'fulfil
^B, see ^3. still the people's need,' 2801. [Cf.
()|, rel. particle, indecl., who, that, Goth, barba.]
which, etc. bearf, v., see burfan.
(1) Alone, 192, 500, etc.; ace. sg. bearfa, w.m., semes bearf a, 'shelter-
355, 2182; dat. sg. 2400, 3001; less,' 2225.
rum. pi. 45, etc.; ace. pi. 2490, ((/e-)bearfian, w. v., necessitate,
2796 gen. pi. 950 dat. pi. >e ge
; ; render necessary; pp. gebearfod,
>8er on standalJ, 'in which ye stand 1103.
there,' 2866; so 1654: heo ba bearle, adv., severely, hard, 560.
fffih^ wrsec, Jpe Jju gystran niht beaw, St. m., [thew] custom, 178,
Grendel cwealdest, 'she avenged etc.; dat. pi. 'in good customs,'
the feud, in which thou killedst 2144.
Grrendel yesternight,' 1834; mid bee, pers. pron. {archaic ace. of bu),
Jjffire sorhge, >e him sio sar belamp, thee, 946, etc.
with the sorrow, wherewith that
'
beccean, w. v., [thatch] cover,
blow befell him (see sar),' 2468. enfold, 3015; pret. pi. behton,
(2) Immediately preceded by se, seo, 513.
))8et, etc.; se Jie, 103,
1260, 1342, begn, St. m., thane; used of Beo-
1449, 1462 {antee. oengum) ; se be wulf, 194, etc., Hengest, 1085,
for seo i>e, 1344, 1887, 2685 ; seo Wiglaf, 2721, etc.
]>e, 1445; Soue J>e, 1054, 1298, begn-Borg, st. /., thane-sobrow,
2056, 2173 ; pi. >a ]>e, 1592. Cor- sorrow for one's thanes, 131.
relatives: se...se >e, 506 (followed begon, begun, see bicgan.
by verb in 2nd pers.) ; seo hand beh, see beah.
...se >e, 1343-4; sio hond...se l>e, behton, see beccean.
2684-5. beno(e)an, w. v., think, intend:
N.B. After Jiara Jpe the verb is usu. with following inf., 355, 448
often in the sg.: 843, 996, 1051, (fut.), 739, etc.; with dependent
1461, 2130, 2251, 2383. clause, 691; absolutely, 289, 2601
(3) Followed by redundant he ace. : (see onwendan).
sg.m. )>e hine dea^ nime^, whom ' S,-benc(e)an, w. v., think out,
death will take,' 441, cf. 1436, etc. intend, 2643.
t>3es be, see |>3eB, adv. ge-benc(e)an, w. v., with ace,
Vsii be, see Jiset, conj. THINK, think of, 1474, 1734.
)>eah )>e, see beah. benden, adv., then, 1019, 2985.
forSon
)>e, see for|>am. benden, conj., with indie, or subj.,
to bses i>e, see to. while, whilst, 30, etc.
be, pers. pron. (ace. and dat. of ]>u), bengel, st. m., prince, king, 1507.
THEE, to thee, etc., 417, etc. With bSnian (=begniau), w. v., with dat.,
a comparative, than thou, 1850. serve, 560.
H) demMist. pron. see se. , beod, St. /., people, nation, 643, etc.
be, conj.: [Cf. Goth, biuda.]
(1) because, correl. with a pre- bsod-cyning, -kyning, |aod-cyiiing,
ceding by, be {see se), 488, 1436. St. m., nation-KiNG, king of a
De he i3sie...geoeas...J>e, 'on this people, 2, 2144 (Hrothgar), 2579
account he chose us, because,' (Beowulf), 2963 (Ongentheow),
2638-41. etc.
242. bSoden, bioden, st. m., prince, king,
(2) that, so that,
-beab, see -bicgan. 34, dat. beodne, 345, etc.,
etc.;
beali, conj., usu. with subj., rarely beoden, 2032; pi. beodnas, 3070.
indie. (1102): though, although, [Cf. Goth, biudans.]
203, etc.; <mce,\>eh, 1613; beah ic beoden-leas, adj., prince-LESS, with-
eal msege, ' although I may, 680. ' out one's chief, 1103.
beod-gestreon, st. neut., nation-
[Cf. Goth, b^uh.]
beah be, conj., usu. with subj., treasure, national possession, 44,
THOUGH, although, 682, etc. 1218*.
16
242 Beowulf
^Sod-kynlng, see )>eod-cyiiing. ^olian, w. v., [thole] endure: [Of.
Hod-scea'Sa, w. m., nation-soATHei, Goth. J>ulan.]
national foe, 2278, 2688. (1) trans. 832, 1525, etc.
(eod-t>rea, st. f. and w. m., national (2) intram. 2499.
misery, 178. ge-^olian, w. v., [thole]:
Hof, St. m., THIEF, 2219. (1) tram., endure, 87, 147; dat.
Hon, St. v., thrive, succeed, 8; pret. inf. to gejjolianne, 1419.
sg. 2836 (see note). [0/. Goth. (2) intrans., wait patiently, 3109.
)>eihan.] >on, jwora., see se.
ge-^Son, St. v., thrive, 25, 910; to ^n, adv., to that degree, so,
imperat. sg., 1218. 1876; see se.
on-)>eon, st. v., thrive; pret. sg. to >on, |>set, until, 2591, 2845;
he J)EBS Sr on))a,h, 'he therefore see se.
throve erewhile,' 900 (but see ^onan, Irauon, |>auan, tanon, adv.,
note). THENcA 819, 520, 1668, 111, etc.;
>eon (=>ywan), w. v., oppress, 2736. sometimes of personal origin, 1960,
Hos, see bes. etc.
Hostre, adj., dark, 2332. ^one, see se, se.
How, St. m., slave, 2223*. jionne, adv., then, 377, etc.; re-
tiea, )ieos, |>is, demonst. adj., this, peated, 1104-6. See ]>oime, conj.
nom. m. Jies, /. Jieos, n. )Aa;
airag. ^onne, conj.:
ace. m. J)isne, 75, Jiysne, 1771, (1) when, while, with indie, and
/. )>as, 71. >is; gen. m. n. J>isses, subj., 23, 573, etc.; in elliptical
1216, >ysses, 197, etc., /. Jiisse; sentence, breac J>onne moste, 'en-
dat. m. n. J>issum, 1169, 'Syssum, joyed [him or them] while I
2639,/. >isse; instrum. m. n. ^ys. might,' 1487. Correl. witftjjonne,
Plur. m. f. n. nom. ace, J>as ; gen. adv.: 484-5, 2032-4; Jionne he
J)issa, dat. Jjyssum, 1062, etc. gyd wrece...j>onne his sunu han-
Hcg(e)an, st. v., with aec, seize, gar, '[that] he should then utter
take, partake of, eat, 736, 1010; a dirge, when his son is hanging,'
pret. pi. indie. J'egun, 2633, subj. 2446-7.
Jiegon, 563. (2) THAN, after compars.: 44*,
ge-^icgan, st. v., with aec., etc. With compar. omitted: medo-
take, receive, 1014; pret. sg. ge- 8Bm mieel...J)onne yldo beam
).eah, 618, 628; ge>ah, 1024. ffifre gefrunon, 'a great mead-
in, pois. adj., thine, thy, 267, etc. hall, [greater] than the children
>lnc(e)an, see )>yncan. of men ever heard of,' 70* (but
)>indau, st. v., swell with pride, see note).
anger, etc., P. 13. ^onou, see Hnan.
^ing, St. neut., thing, matter, afiair, txxctte, see J>urfan.
409, 426; gen. pi. Snige J>iriga, trag, St. /., time ; ace. sg. of dwra-
'by any means, in any way, on tion of time, 54, 114, 1257; nom.
any condition, at all,' 791, 2374, sg. >a hyue slo Jirag becwom,
2905. 'when the time (of stress) came
HngS'ii, w. v., determine, appoint, upon him,' 2883 ; cf. 87 (see note).
1938; pp. wiste JiSm ahlScan... [Of. Goth. Jjragjan, 'to run.']
hilde ge>inged, 'knew that battle |>rea-nedla, w. m., dire need, 2223.
was in store for the monster,' 647. [Cf 0. E. uyd.]
ge-)>ingau, w. v., withrefl. dat., frrea-nyd, st. /., dire need, oppres-
determine (to come, go, etc.); sion, misery, 284; dat. pi. )>e hie
pres. gif him Jjonne HreJ>rio to ...for Jirea-nydum Jjolian scoldon,
hofum Geata geMnge'S, 'if then 'which they through dire com-
Hrethrio betakes him to the pulsion had to endure,' 832.
Geats' court,' 1836. m., troop, band, 4, 2406.
)>reat, st.
^inglan, w. v.: treatlan, w. v., iHEEAien, press;
(1) address, speak, 1843. pret. pi. mec...J>reatedon J>earle,
(2) compound, settle, allay, 156, 'pressed me hard,' 560.
470. )«rec-wudu, st. m., [might-woon]
Mod-, see Hod-. spear, 1246.
^odeu, see ^eoden. )>r6o, jlrio, num. neut. (of trie),
\aa, demonst. adj., see Hs. THBEE, 2278, 2174. [C/.Gof/i.hreis.]
Glossary 243
^reottSo^a, ord. num., THinTEEnTH, beaga, 2994 (see note). Even
2406. without a dependent gen. : ace, pi.
bridda, ord. num., thied, 2688. ond him gesealde seofan >usendo,
ringan, st. v., intrans., throng, 2195.
2960; pret. sg. >rong, 2883. by, see se, sS.
for-brlngan, «{. v., snatch, by Ises, conj., LBst, 1918.
rescue, 1084. byder, adv., thitheb, 379, 2970,
ge-bringan, st. v., throng, 3086.
bound, 1912. byhtig, adj., doughty, strong, 1558.
bno, see |>rgo. [Cf. beon.]
rist-nydig, adj., bold-minded, 2810. -byle, St. m., spokesman, 1165, 1456.
biitig, britUg, St. neut., with gen., byncan, bincean, w. v., with dat.
THIRTY, 123, 2361; gm. sg. 379. pers., seem, 368, 687, etc.; some-
brong, see bringan. times impers., 2653.
brSwian, w. v., suffer, 2605, etc.; of-byncan, w. v., displease,
pret. sg. >r6wode, 2594, J>rowade, 2032.
1589, 1721. byrl, adj., pierced, P. 47.
ge-^itiea, pp. (isolated: Sievers. byrs, St. m., giant, 426.
§ 385, N. 1), forged, 1285 (see bys, see bes.
note). bys-lic, adj. , [thi/slike] such ; nom.
|>rym(m), m., might, force, 1918;
st. ng- /.. byslicu, 2637.
glory, 2; dat. pi. adverbially, bysne, bysses, byssum, see bes.
>rymmum, 'powerfully,' 235. bystru, St. /., darkness, 87. [C/.
brym-lic, adj., mighty, glorious, beostre.]
1246. bywau, w. v., oppress, 1827, see been.
br^, St. /., strength; dat. pi. [C/. beow.]
>rySum dealle, 'proud in their
strength,' 494.
bryU-sern, st. neut., mighty house, U
noble haU, 657.
J>rfS-lic, adj., excellent, 400, 1627. ufan, adv., from above, above,
bryd-licoBt, superl., most excel- 330, 1500.
lent; ace. pi. 2869 (see note). nfera, compar. adj., later; dat. pi.
bryS-BwyB, adj., strong in might, uferan, 2392, ufaran, 2200.
131 (see note), 736. ufor, compar. adv., higher, up-
brJIS-word, st. neut., choice or wards, on to higher ground, 2951
mighty woed, excellent talk, 643. (but see note).
^^ pers. pron., thou, 269, etc.; aec. fllite, w. /., dawn, twilight, 126.
sg. Jiec, J>e (q. v.). [C/. Goth, uhtwo.]
Jiungen, ge-bungen, adj. (pp.), flht-floga, w. m., d&Yfn-Fzier, 2760.
[thriven] mature, distinguished, flht-Uem, St. m., din or crash
excellent, 624, 1927. [C/. J>eon in the dawn, 2007.
and see SieverSj §§ 383, N. 3, flht-acealSa, w. m., dawn-sc^irifer,
386, N. 2.] dawn-foe, 2271.
bunian, w. v., THUNder, resound, umbor-wesende, adj. (pres. part.),
groan, hum; pret. J)unede, 1906. being a child, 46, 1187.
g«-J>uren, see ^e-brtien. un-l)li1!e, adj., unblithe, joyless,
burfan, pret. pres. v., need: pres. 130, 2268, 3031.
J>earf, Jjearft, 445, 595, etc.; suhj. un-byrnende, adj. (pres. part.),
>urfe, 2495; pret. >orfte, 157, etc.; UNBUBNing, without being burnt;
pret. pi. 2363* (see note). [Cf. nom. sg. absolutely, 2548.
Goth. t>aurhan.] unc, pers. pron. (dat. and ace. dual
burh, prep., with ace., thbough, of ic), to us two, us two, 540,
local, causal, instrumental or 545, 2137, etc.
marking attendant circumstances uncer, pers. pron. (gen. dual of ic),
(see note to 1. 276), 267, etc. of us two, 2532 ; coupled with the
bus, adv., THUS, 238, 387, 430. gen. of a proper name, uncer
bflseud, St. neat., thousand, 3050; Grendles, 'of Grendel and me,'
pi. >usenda, 1829. Without fol- 2002.
lowing noun of measure: gen. pi. uncer, poss. adj. (see above), our
hund Jjusenda landes ond locenra (dual) dat. pi. uncran, 1185.
;
16—2
244 Beowulf
un-clltS, adj., cncouth, unknown, un-liflgende, un-lyfigende, adj. (pres.
evil, 1410, 2214;
276, gen. sg: part.), UNLiving, lifeless, dead,
absolutely, 960 (Grendel) ; uncujies 468, 744, 1308, 2908; dat. sg. m.
fela, 'many a thing unknown,' J)set bi'S driht-guman unlifgendum
876. sefter selest, 'that will afterwards
xmiei, prep., dndeb: be best for the noble warrior when
(1) with dat. (of rest), 8, etc.;
dead,' 1389.
amid, 1302, 1928; (temporal) un-iytel, adj., [dnlittle] no little,
during, 738 (see note). 498, 833, 885.
(2) with ace. (of motion, expressed un-mumlioe, adv., UNMouRNfulLY,
or implied), 403, etc.; within, without hesitation, recklessly, 449,
underneath, 1037. To denote ex- 1756.
tent: under swegles begong, 'under mman, pret.-pres. v., grant, will,
the sky's expanse,' 860, 1773; wish, OWN, 503, 2874; pres. sg.
under heofones hwealf, 2015. 1st, an, 1225; sulg. pret. \st, u>e
under, adv., undeb, beneath, 1416, ic swi>or, >8Bt 'Su hine self ne geseon
2213. moste, 'I would rather that thou
undem-msBl, st. ncM/:.,[uNDEKN-MEAL] mightst have seen himself,' 960;
morning-time, 1428. 3rd, Jieah he u^e wel, 'how much
un-deamlnga, adv., openly, P. 24. soever he wished,' 2855.
[C/. dyrne.] ge-unnan, pret.-pres. v., grant,
un-dyme, un-deme, adj., DNseoret, 346, 1661.
manifest, 127, 2000, 2911*. un-nyt, adj., useless, 413, 3168.
un-dyme, adv., UNseoretly, openly, un-riit, St. neut., uneight, wrong,
150, 410. 1254, 2739.
un-fJBOae, adj., DNguileful, sincere. un-rihte, adv., UNEiGHily, wrongly,
3059.
un-fsge, adj., [cnfet] undoomed, un-rim, st. neut. countless number,
,
Glossary 245
lire, poss. adj. (see above), o0b, 2647, See Sieversj § 392, 2. [Gf. Qoth.
Qrum, pers. pron. (anrnn. form of the gawaknan.]
dat. pi. of ic, used here for une), to on-wsacnan, [awaken] 2287; be
us, 2659 (see note). born, arise, spring, 56, 111.
Us, pers. pron. {dat. pi. of io), to us, wsed, St. n., flood, sea, wave; nom,
346, 382, etc. for us, 2642.
; pi, wado, 546; wadu, 581*: gen.
flser, pers. pron. (=ure, gen. pi. of pi. wada, 508.
io) ; user neosan, 'to visit us,' wsefre, adj., WAVEnmg, about to
2074. die, expiring, 1150 (but see note),
daer, poss. adj. (see above), our ace. ; 2420; wandering, 1331.
sg. m. iiseiTie, 3002; gem. sg. neut. wseg, see weg.
usses, 2813; dat. sg. m. tlssum, wsBg-bora, w. m., 1440 (see note).
2634. wsege, si. neut., stoup, flagon, tank-
tlsio,pers. pron. {ace. pi. of io), us, _ard, 2253, 2282.
458, 2638, etc. wsBg-holm, St. m., the billowy sea,
usses, ussum, see User, poss. adj. _217.
Ht, adv., OUT, 215, etc. wseg-UtSend, st. m. (p^-es, part.),
fltan, adv. from withouT, witliout,
, wave-farer, sea-farer, 3158*.
774, etc. [Cf. Goth. Qtana.] waegnan, w. v.
Iltan-wearcl, adj., outward, the out- be-wsegnan, w. v., offer, 1193.
side of, 2297. wSg-Bweord, st. neut., wave-swoKD,
at-ftls, adj., ouTward bound, ready sword with a wavy pattern, 1489.
to start, 33. WSBI, St. neut., slaughter, the slain,
uton, see wutun. corpse, 448, etc.; nom. pi. walu,
flt-weard, adj., [outwaed] webs iit- 1042.
weard, 'was outward bound,' 761. wsBl-bedd, st. neut,, slaughter-BEC,
see unnau.
-Q'Se, 964.
tUS-genge, adj., escaping, transitory; wsel-bend, st. m. f., slaughter-sosD,
nom. sg. wses .Ssohere...feorh il'S- Ae^th-BAND, 1936.
genge, 'life departed from Me- wsBl-bleat, adj. [slaughter-wretched]
,
wadau, st. v., wade, go; pret. sg. geweox he... to w£el-fealle...Deniga
wod, 714, 2661 pp. gewaden, 220.
;
leodum, 'he waxed great for a
on-wadan, st. v., assail; pret. sg. slaughter to the Danish people,'
bine fyren on wod, 'him (Heremod) 1711.
crime assaUed,' 915. wael-ftls,adj. [slaughter-ready] ex-
Jnirh-wadan, st. v., wade pecting death, 2420.
THBODGH, pierce, penetrate, 890, wsel-fyll, see wsel-feall.
1567. wsel-fyllo, St. f. slaughter-FiLL, fill
,
246 Beowulf
brsed biter ond beadu-scearp, drew ' Waldend, see Wealdend.
his keen and battle-sharp knife,' wald-swseV, st. neut., or
2703. wald-swa'Su, st. /., [wold-swath]
Wffilm, see wylm. forest-track, forest-path; dat. pi.
wsel-i^, m., deadly enmity, 85,
St. wald-swa^um, 1403.
2065, 3000. walu, see waal.
wsBl-rSs, St. m., [slaughter- jj^cjs] wan, v., see winnan.
deadly strife, mortal combat, 824, wan, adj., see won.
2581, 2947. wandrlan, w. v., wander, P. 36.
wSl-rap, St. m., [pool-uoPE] icicle, wang, see wong.
1610 (see note). wanian, w. v.: .
wsBstm, St. m., growth, form; dat. various meanings ; rampart, burgh-
pi. on weres wsestmum, in man's ' wall, 785, etc. ; wall of a building,
form,' 1352. 326, 1573; natural wall of rook,
waster, st. neut., wateb, the sea, 93, sometimes the side of a barrow or
etc. ; dat. wastere, 1425, 1656, den, 2307, 2759, 3060, etc. ; wall
2722, wffitre, 2854; instrumental of cliff, 229, etc. [From Lat.
gen. he hine eft ongon wseteres vallum.]
weorpan, 'he began again to wea-lS.f, St./., [woE-iE^nng] wretch-
sprinkle him with water,' 2791. ed remnant (of either army after
wseter-egesa, w. m., WATEu-terror, the fight in which Hnaef fell), 1084,
the terrible mere, 1260. 1098.
wseter-ylS, st.f., wATEK-wave, 2242. wealdan, st. v., with dat., gen., or
wag, St. m., wall, 995, 1662. absolutely, wield, rule, rule over,
wala, w. m., wale, 'wreath' (in govern, possess, control ; pre-
heraldry), a protecting rim or roll vail; 442, etc. penden wordum
on the outside qf the helmet weold wine Soyldinga, 'while the
(Skeat) nom. sg. ymb Jises helmes
; friend of the Soyldings still had
hrof heafod-beorge wirum bewun- power of speech,' or 'ruled with
den wala iitan heold, 'round the his word,' 30; 2574 (see note to
helmet's crown the "wreath," 11. 2573, etc ), wselsti'iwe wealdan,
wound about with wires, gave pro- ' to be masters of the field, 2984. '
tection for the head from the out- ge-wealdan, st. v., with gen.,
side,' 1031 (see note). [Cf. Goth. dat., or ace., wield, control, pos-
walus.] sess, bring about, 1509, 1554, 2703.
'
Glossary 247
Wealdend, Waldend, st. m. (preg. sat-wegaa, st. v., bear away,
part.), the wiELDen:, God, 1693, carry off, 1198.
etc.; often with dependent gen.,
17, wegan, st. v.
etc. ; gen. Wealdendes, 2857, Wal-
ge- wegan, st. v., engage, fight,
dendes, 2292, 3109; dat. Weal- 2400.
dende, 2329. wSg-flota, w. m., wave-ELOAier, ship,
weall, see weal. 1907.
weallan, st. «,, well, boil, be agi- wehte, see weccan.
tated, literally and figuratively; wel(l), adv., well, rightly, much,
pret. weoll, 2113, 2138, etc.; weol,
186, 289, etc.; usual form wel, but
515, etc.; pres. part, weallende, well, 2162, 2812.
847, weallinde, 2464; nom. pi. wel-hwylc, indef. adj. and pron.
neitt. weallende, 546, weallendu, I. Pron. : with gen. wel-hwyle
581. Ingelde weallalS wcel-uMas, witena, 'every councOlor,' 266;
'in Ingeld's breast deadly hatred neut. absolutely, everything, 874.
wells up,' 2065; hre«er S'Sme II. Adj. every, 1344.
weoU, 'his breast swelled with wellg, adj., wEALthy, rich, 2607.
breath,' 2593. wen, St. /., wEENing, expectation,
weall-clif, st. neat., wall-glut, sea- 383, 734, etc.: wen ic talige, 'I
eliff, 3132. reckon it a thing to be expected,'
weard, st.m., [wakd], guarlwi, 1845; dat. pi. bega on wenum,
owner, 229, 1741 (see aote), etc. ende-dogores ond eft-cymes leofes
weard, st. /., wakd, watch, 305, monnes, 'in expectation of both,
319. the day of death and the return of
weardian, w. v., wakd, guard, in- the dear man' (i.e. expecting one
dwell, 105, 1237, 2075. Especially or the other), 2895.
in the phrase last or swatSe weard- wenan, w. v., with gen., infin., clause,
ian: inf. he his folme forlet...last or absolutely : ween, expect, hope,
weardian, he left his hand behind
'
157, etc. ; pres. sg. 1st wen, 338,
to mark his track,' 971; so pret; 442: >Ees io wene, 'as I hope,'
weardade, 2098; pret. sg. for pi. 272; swa ie Jie wene to, 'as I
in subordinate clause, i>eet J>am expect from thee,' 1396; similarly
f rsetwum f eower mearas ... last wear- with 157-8 (see note), 525 (see
dode, 'that four horses followed note), 1272-3; with inf. ic snigra
the armour,' 2164. me weana ne wende. .bote gebidan, .
wecc(e)an, w. v., wake, rouse, stir back, desist, cease, 280 (but see
up, 2046, 3024; pret. wehte, 2854. note).
Basl-fyra maest weccan ' to kindle
. . .
,
ge- wendan, w. v., trans, and
the greatest of funeral piles,' 3144. intrans., turn, change, 186, 315.
[Cf. Goth, (us)-wakjan.] on-wendan, w. v., trans., turn
td- weccan, w. v., wake up, stir aside, set aside, avert, 191 sibb :
248 Beowulf
289; dat.pl. wordum ne worcum, weorSian, w. v., woetht ('Lear,' ii.
1100: he J)ses gewinnes weorc 2. 128), honour, adorn, 2096, 1090,
>rowade, 'he suffered trouble for etc. pp. geweor^od, 2176
; ge- ;
that strife,' 1721; dat. pi. ad- weor«ad, 250, 1450, 1959; gewur-
verbially, weoroum, 'with diffi- «ad, 331, 1038, 1645; weorSad,
culty,' 1638; dat. (instr.) sg. 1783.
weorce, used adverbially, 'griev- weorW-lIoe, adv.
ously,' 1418. wuriSlIcor, compar., morewoKTH-
weorod, see werod. Ilt, p. 39.
weorpan, st. v., [wasp]: [Cf. Goth. weorV-lIcost, superl. most ,
(3) with dat., east forth, 2582. 'for (his) honour,' 1186.
for-weorpan, st. v., throw away; weotena, see wita.
pret. subj. forwurpe, 2872. weotian, w. v., prepare, etc.: pp. ace.
ofer-weorpan, st. v., stumble, wBelbende weotode, death-
1543 (but see note).
pY
bands prepared, appointed, destin-
'
weortS, St. neut., wobth, price, pay, ed,' 1936; witod, P. 28. [Cf.
2496. Goth, witoj), 'law.']
weorS, woetht, honoured, dear;
adj., te-weotian, be-wltian, w. v.,
nom. m. weoriS Denum SB^eliug,
sg. observe, etc. : pres. pi. \>a, 'Se syn-
'the atheling dear to the Danes,' gales sele bewitia'5, 'those [wea-
1814. See also wyife. [Cf. Goth. thers, days] which continually
-wairJ)S.] observe the season,' 1135; bewiti-
weor})ra,co7repar.,worthier,1902*. ga'S sorhfulne sr5, 'make a journey
weorlSan, st. v., become, be, befall, fuU of woe,' 1428 (see note) ; pret.
happen, come, 6, etc.; ire/, wur^an, sg. ealle beweotode J>egnes ^earfe,
807 pres. pi. wurSa'S, 282 pret.
; ;
' attended to all the thane's needs,'
sg. he on fylle wearS, 'he fell,' 1796*; hord beweotode, 'watched
1544; pp. geworden, 'happened, over aboard,' 2212.
arisen,' 1304, 3078. Often with war, St. m., man, 105 (used of Gren-
predicative dat. governed by to, del), etc.; gen.pl. wera, 120, etc.;
and dat. pers. : ^u scealt to frofre weora, 2947. [Cf. Goth, wair.]
weortSan, .leodumjiinum, hsele'Sum
. wered, st. neut., beer, mead, 496.
to helpe, 'thou shalt be for a werede, etc., see werod.
comfort to thy people, a help to werga, adj., cursed; gen. sg. wergan
the heroes,' 1707; so also 460, gastes, 133 (Grendel: see note),
etc. [Cf. Goth. wair>an.] 1747 (the devil).
ge-weorSan, st. v. werge, etc., see wSrig.
(1) intrans., become, be, happen, wergend, st. m. (pres. part, o/werian),
3061. defender, 2882*.
(2) trans., agree about, settle; inf. werglan, w. v., weary; pp. gewergad,
tset 'Su...lete SiiS-Dene sylfe ge- 2852.
weor^an gu^e wiS Grendel, that '
werhflo, st.f., curse, damnation; ace.
thou wouldst let the South Danes sg. werhSo, 589. [Cf. Goth, war-
themselves settle their war with gi>a.]
Grendel,' 1996. werian, w. v., guard, defend, protect,
(3) impers., with gen., and follow- 453, 1205, etc.; reflex., 541; pp.
ing clause in apposition, appear, nom. pi. 238, 2529. [Cf. Goth.
seem, seem good; pret. ))a tStes wafjan.]
monige gewearlS, >8Bt..., 'then it be- werian, w. v., defend ; pret.
appeared to many that . . .
,
' 1598; pp. subj. beweredon, 938.
hafa^ geworden wine Scyld-
Jjses werig, adj., with gen. or dat., weary,
inga...>BBt..., 'this had seemed good 579; dat. sg. wergum, 1794; ace.
to the friend of the Scyldings, f. sg. or pi. werge, 2937.
that,' 2026. w§rig-in5d, adj., weary of mood,
weorB-full, adj. 844, 1543.
weort-fullost, swperl., [wobth- werod, weorod, st. neut., troop, band,
fullest], woKTHiest, 3099. 290, 319, 651, etc.; dat. werede,
: ;
,
Glossary 249
1215, 2035*; weorode, 1011, 2346; wid-weg, St. m., wide-way, way lead,
gen. pi. wereda, 2186 ; -weoroda,
ing afar, highway; ace. pi. geond
60. [Cy. O.E. wer.] wid-wegas, 'along distant ways,'
•wer-|>goa, st.f., [man-nation] people;
'far and wide,' 840, 1704.
ace. pi. ofer wer-Jieode, 'through-
wif, st.neut., wiB'E, woman, 615, etc.
out the nations of men,' 899. Wif-lUfU, Wif-lUfe, 10. /., WEPE-LOVE,
wesan, irreg. v., be, 272, etc.; pres. love for one's wife, 2065. [See
sg. 3rd is, 256, 1761, etc. ys, 2093,
; Sievers3§218, N. 1.]
2910, 2999, 3084; pres. pi. sint, wig, St. m. or neut.
388 synt, 260, 342, 864 syndon,
; ;
(1) war, battle, 28, 65, etc. dat.;
287, 257, etc. ; pres. subj. sg. sie, and instr. wigge, 1656, 1770 (see
435, etc.; sy, 1881^, etc.; sig, 1778, note), 1783.
etc. ; pret. pi. wseron, 233, etc.
(2) war-prowess, valour, might,
w»ran, 2475, waran, 1015*; im- 350, 1042, 2323, 2348.
perat. sg. wes, 269, etc., wses, 407. wiga, w. m., warrior, 629, etc.
Negative forms : pres. sg. 3rd nis, [P.B.B. X. 511.]
249, etc. ; pret: sg. 1st and 3rd wigan, St. v., war, fight, 2509. .
nses, 134, etc.; pret. pi. nsron, wlg-bealu, St. neut., war-BAUE, the
2657 ; pret. subj. sg. nsere, 860, etc. evils" of war, 2046.
Special usages wig-bil, .St. neut., war-EiLL, war-
(1) Omission of infin. 617, 1857, sword, 1607.
2363, 2497, 2659 ; also 992, 2256. wlg-bord, St. neut., [war-soAKo] war-
(2)Forming, with a pres. part., an shield, 2339.
imperf. tense: secgende wsbs, 'was wig-oraeft, st. m., war-CKAFT, war-
saying,' 8028. might, 2953.
weste, adj. , waste; ace. sg. m. westne, wlg-crseftig, adj., war-OKAFTY,
2456. mighty in battle, 1811.
westen, st. m. and neut., waste, Trtgend, st. m. (pres. part.), warrior,
1265; dat. westenne, 2298 (see 3099; ace. sing, or pi. wigend,
note). 3024, nom. pi. wigend, 1125,
wic, St. neut., [wick] dwelling, 821, 1814, 3144, gen. pi. wigendra,
etc.; often in pi., 125, etc.; dat. 429, etc.
pi. wicun, 1304. [Lat. vicus.] wig-freoa, w. m., war-wolf, warrior,
wican, St. V. 1212, 2496.
ge-wlcan, st. v., intrans., weak- wIg-Jtuma, w.m. ,war-ohief ,664, 2261.
en, give way, 2577, 2629. wigge, see wig.
wlcg, St. neut., horse, steed, 284, wig-getawa, st. f. pi., war-equip-
286, 1400, etc.; pi. wieg, 2174. ments, 368. [See gdV-geatwa.]
[Cf. O.E. wegan, 'carry.'] wig-giyre, st. m., war-terror, 1284.
wic-stede, st. m., [wick-stead] dwel- wig-heafola, w. m., [war-head] war-
ling-place, 2462, 2607. helmet, 2661.
wid, adj., WIDE, extended, long, of wig-heap, st. m., war-HEAP, band of
space and time, 877, 933, 1859, etc. warriors, 477.
Trid-cflS, adj., [wide-couth] widely wig-iete, st. m., war-HATE, 2120.
known, 1256, etc.; gen. absolutely wig-hryre, st. m., [war-falling]
wId-cu'Ses (i.e. Hrothgar), 1042. slaughter, 1619.
wide, adv., widely, 18, etc.; quali- wig-sigor, St. m. or -neut., war-
fying a superlative, wide marost, victory, 1554.
'the most famous far and wide,' wig-sped, ^st. f. war-SPEED, success
,
widre, see wide. (see note) ; aee. for wiht, for '
250 Beowulf
in. Adverbial use, aoGHT, at wind-blond, st. neut., \yiiKi)-BLEND]
all; almost always negative (with tumult of winds, 3146.
ne), naught, noT at all, no whit. wlnd-geard, st. m., dwelling of the
(1) Ace, with ne or no: 541, 862, winds, 1224.
etc. ; no hine wiht dwelelS adl ne wind-gerest, st. /., [wind-eest] wind-
yldo, ' aiokness or age hinders swept resting-place, 2456 (see
him not a whit,' 1735. note).
(2) Dat. ; with ne, 186, 1514, etc. wlndig, adj., windy; pi. windige,
affirmatively, 1991. 572, 1358.
wll-ciuna, w. m., [wiLL-coMer] wel- wine, St. m., friend, esp. friend and
come guest, 388, 394, 1894. lord, friendly ruler, 30, 148, 170
wU-deor (= wild deor), st. neut., gen. pi. winigea, 1664 ; winia,
[WEDD deek] wild beast, 1430. 2567.
wile, see wUlan. wine-dryhten, wine-drihten, st. m.,
wil-geofa, w. m., wiLL-Gzrer, joy- friend-lord, friend and lord, friend-
giver, 2900. ly ruler, 360, 862, 1604, etc.
wil-gesi'S, St. m., [wiLL-companion] wlne-geomor, adj. , friend-sad,
willing or loved companion, 23. mourning for the loss of friends,
willa, w, m., will, wish, desire, 2289.
desirable thing ; joy, pleasure wine-leas, adj., friendLESs, 2613.
sake : 626, etc. ; dat. sg. to wO- wine-mSg, st. m., friend-kinsman,
lan, 'for his pleasure,' 1186; anes relative and friend, loyal subject;
willan, for the sake of one,' 3077
'
pi. wine-magas, 65.
gen. pi. wilna, 660, 950, 1344; winia, winigea, see wine.
dat. pi. willum, according to our
'
winnan, st. v., [win] strive, fight,
wishes,' 1821; so sylfes willum, 113, 506; pret. sg. 3rd wan, 144,
2222, 2639. [Gf. Goth, wilja.] 151, won, 1132 ; pi. wunnon, 777.
willan, irreg. v., will: pres. sg. \st win-reced, st. neut., wiNE-house,
wille, 318, 344, etc.; wylle, 947, etc. wine-hall, 714, 993.
2nd wylt, 1852; 3rd! wile, 346; win-sele, st. m., wiNE-hall, 695, 771,
wyle, 2864; wiUe, 442, 1371, etc.; 2456.
wylle, 2766; pi. wyUa«, 1818. winter, st. m., winter, year, 1128,
Negative forms : nelle = ne -t- wille, etc. ;
gen. sg. wintrys, 516 ; pi.
679,2524; nolde=ue-hwolde, 706, wintra, 147, etc.
791, 2518, etc. With omission of wir, St. m., wiee, wire-work, filagree,
inf. no ic fram him wolde, 543. 1031, 2413.
wilnlan, w. v., desire, 188. wis, adj., WISE, 1413, 1845, 3094
wil-si'S, St. m., [wiLL-joumey] willing (see note), etc. Weak forms: nom.
journey, 216. m. wisa, 1400, 1698, 2329; aec.
win, St. neut., wine, 1162, 1233, sg. wisan, 1318.
1467. [From Lat. vlnum.] wisa, w. m., wise one, guide, 259.
wia-sern, st. neut., wiNE-hall, 654. Tris-dom, St. m., wisdom, 350, 1959.
wind, St. m., wind, 217, etc. wise, w. /., WISE, fashion; instru-
wln-deeg, st. m., strife-UAY, day of mental ace. (Grein), eald,e wIsan,
strife, 1062. '
in the old fashion,' 1865.
windan, st. v., intrans., wind, twist, wis-fsest, adj., [wise-past] wise, 626.
212, 1119, 1193, etc. pp. dat. sg.; wis-hycgende, adj. (pres. part.),
wundini golde, ' with twisted gold,' wiSE-thinking, 2716.
1382 (see note). wisian, w. v., with ace. rei, dat.
set- windan, st. v., with dat. pers., or absolutely, [make wise]
pers., WIND away, escape, 143. point out, show ; direct, guide,
be- windan, st. v., wind about, lead 2409, etc. ; pres. sg. 1st
;
brandish, enclose, grasp, mingle, wisige, 292, etc. ; pret. sg. wisode,
1031, 1461, etc.; pp. galdre be- 320, 402, etc. wisade, 208 (see
;
Glossary 251
wlst-fyllo, food-riLL, abund-
St. /., wilS, prep, with dat. and ace., with
ant meal gen. sg. wist-fylle, 734.
; (with ace. 152, etc., with dat. 113,
wit, St. neut., wit, 589. etc.), can often be rendered by Mod.
wit, pers. pron. (dual of io), we two, Eng. 'with,' especially with verbs
535, etc. denoting strife, such as winnau,
wita, IV. m., wise man, councillor, 152 ; but against ' is a rendering
'
pi. the wiTAN, 778 ilgen.pl. wltena, more generally satisfactory, 326,
157, etc., weotena^ 1098. etc. ; sometimes towards (ace.) 155,
witan, pret. pres. v., [wit] know, 1864; iy (ace), 2013, 2566; from
764, 1863, 2519, etc. pres. sg. 1st ; (dat.), 827, 2423. With ace. and
and 3rd wat, 1331, etc. negative, ; dat. in the same sentence : 424-6
nat, 681, etc.; 2nd wast, 272; gesset >a witS sylfne...mfflg wi^
pret. sg. 1st' and 3rd wiste, 646, mffige, he sat then by [the king]
'
etc.; wisse, 169, etc.; pret. pi., himself, kinsman with kinsman,'
wiston, 181, etc. ; wisson, 246 1977-8 wi« duru healle, to the
: '
to ^8BS '5e he eorlS-sele anne door of the hall,' 389* wi'S earm ;
earth-hall to be, knew of that bord wi^ rond[e], the shield was
'
earth-hall,' 2410 ; so, 715 ; pres. burnt up to the boss,' 2673; wiS
sg. 1st, io on Higelace wat..,J)£et Hrefnawudu, 'by (over against)
he, 'I know concerning Hygelac, Eavenswood,' 2925.
that he,' 1880*; negative, soea- wifler-rselites, adv., opposite, 3039.
•Sona io nat hwilc, ' I know not wHSre, St. neut., resistance, 2953.
which of scatters, some foe,' 274; wlanc, see wlonc.
Srd, God wat on mec (ace), Jpset wlatlan, w. v., look, look for, 1916.
me is miole leofre, God knows '
[C/. Goth, wlaiton, 'to look round '].
concerning me that I would much in-wlatlan, w. v., to gaze in,
rather,' 2650. 2226*.
ge-witan, pret.-pres. v., know, wlenco, st.f., pride, bravado, daring;
1350. dat. wlenco, 338, 1206, wlenoe,
witan, St. v., with ace. rei and dat. 508.
pers., [wite] reproach, blame, wlitan, St. v., gaze, look, 1572, 1592;
2741. pret. pi. wlitan, 2852.
set-witan, st. v., with ace. rei, giond-wlitan, si.j;., look through,
TWIT, blame, charge pret. pi. ;
view thoroughly, 2771.
setwiton weana dSl, charged [him] ' wUte, St. TO., countenance, 250. [Cf.
with their many woes,' 1150. Goth, wlits.]
o'S- witan, with ace. rei
st. v., wlite-beorlit, adj., of eeight aspect,
and dat. pers., reproach inf. ne ; 93.
^orfte him ISa lean olSwitan mon wllte-seon, st.f., sight, 1650.
on middan-gearde, no man on ' wlitig, adj., beautiful, 1662.
earth needed to reproach him (or wlonc, wlanc, adj., proud, 331, 341,
them: see note) with those re- 2833, 2953 with dat. sese wlanc,
;
cases best rendered by a pres. part.) knows not how to protect himself
234, 291, 853, 2387, etc. pp., dat. ;
against the crooked wondrous com-
sg. m., i>8et 'Su me a wsere fort! mands of the cursed spirit,' 1747
gewitenum on feeder stsele, that ' (if so punctuated, but see note).
thou wouldst aye be to me when woh-bogen, adj. (pp.), orooked-
dead in a father's place,' 1479. Bowed, coiled, 2827.
wltian, see weotian. woloen, St. neut., welkin, cloud;
witig, adj., WITTY, wise (applied to dat. pi. wolcnum, 8, etc.
the Deity), 685, etc. ; wigtig, 1841. wolde, pret. of wUlan.
[P.B.B. X. 511.] woUen-teare, adj., with WELL'mg
witnian, w. punish, torment; pp.
v., TEAES, 3032.
wommum gewitnad, tormented ' wSm, see w5h.
with plagues,' 3073. wonun, St. m., spot, plague, 3073.
;
252 Beowulf
won, v., see wiunan. make abstract nouns); ace. sg.,
•won, wan, adj., [wan] dark, 702, 1142 (see note).
1374; rwm. pi. neut., wan, 651; worSlg, St. m., homestead, court,
weak form wonna, 3024, 3115. precincts, street, 1972.
wong, wang, st. m., plain, meadow, wortJ-mynd, see weorU-mynd.
93, etc. woruld-candel, st. /., wokld-candle,
wong-Btede, st. m., [plain-STEAD] the sun, 1965.
ehampaign spot, 2786. wonild-ende, st,m., woeld-enb, the
won-hyd, st.f. [wan-, i.e. un-thought]
,
end of the world, 3083.
carelessness, rashness, 434. wracu, St. /., revenge ace. sg. ;
wonn, 3154 (see note to 11. 3150, etc.). wrffice, 2336. [Of. Goth, wraka.]
won-sffllig, adj., unhappy; won-sSli, wrSc, St. neut., wback, misery,
105. exile, 170, 3078.
won-sceaft, st. /., [wAN-sji^iping] wrsBcca, see wreooa.
misery, 120. wrsece, see wracu.
wop, St. wEEPing, 128, 785,
m., wrSc-last, st. m., exile-track, path
3146. O.E. wepan.]
[C/. of exiles, 1352.
wore, see weoro. wrsBC-msecg, st. m., banished man,
word, St. neut., wokd, 30, etc. The exile, 2379.
dat. pi. is common with verbs of wrsBC-siS, St. m., WB^cx-journey,
saying: 176, 388, 1193, 2795, exile, 2292 ; dat. pi. nalles for
3175. wrsBc-silSum ac for hige->rymmum,
word-cwlde, -owyde, st. m., woed- '
by no means because of banish-
saying, speech, 1841, 1845, 2753. ment, but out of magnanimity,'
word-gyd, st. neut., woBD-lay, dirge, 338.
3172. wrset, st.f,, ornament, jewel; ace.
word-hord, st. neut., wokd-hoaed, ijZ.jwrjete, 2771*, 3060*; gen.pl.
259. wrjetta, 2413 ; dat. pi. wrattum,
word-rilit, st. neut., [wobd-kight] 1531.
right or befitting word, 2631. wrsBt-lic, adj., ornamental, curiously
worlite, see wyroan. wrought, splendid, wondrous, 891,
worn, St. multitude, number,
m., 1489, etc.
264 ; ace. sg. Jjonne he wintrum wrat!, adj., weoth, hostile, abso-
Irod worn gemunde, when he, ' lutely, foe; 319, 660, etc.
old in years, remembered the num- wralSe, adv., amiss, 2872.
ber [of them],' or 'remembered wralS-lice, adv., weothly, wrath-
many a thing,' 2114. Qualified fuUy, 3062.
by tela, or eall nom. sg. worn fela,
: wrecan, st. v., with ace, wreak,
'
a great number,' 1783 ; ace. sg. drive, drive out, utter, avenge,
})fl worn fela,..ymb Breean sprfflce, 423, 1278, etc. ; often wrecan gid,
' thou hast said a great deal about spel, etc., 'utter, rehearse a lay,
Breca,' 530 ; eal-fela eald-gesegena legend, or tale,' 873, etc. : subj.
worn, ' a very great number of old pres. Jjonne he gyd wreoe, ' [that]
tales,' 870; worn eall gesprsee then he should utter a dirge,'
gomol, the aged one spake very
'
2446; pret. sg. ferh ellen wrsec,
many things,' 3094. Similarly in 'strength drove out life,' 2706
gen. pi. governed by fela with gen. : (see note); pp. wearB...on bid
sg. worna fela...sorge, very much ' wrecen, was driven to bay,' 2962.
'
sorrow,' 2003; with gen. pi. worna a- wrecan, st. v., tell ; with ace,
fela...gutSa, 'very many wars,' gid, 1724, 2108.
2542. for-wrecan,- st. v., with ace,
worold, St. /., woELD, 60, etc.; gm. drive away, banish, 109, 1919.
sg. worulde, 2343, worlds, 2711; ge-wreean, st. v., usu. with ace,
his worulde gedal, his severance ' WEEAK, avenge, 107, 3062, etc.
from the world,' 3068. »pret. pi. gewTffican, 2479 ; with
worold-ar, st. /., woKiiD-honour, 17. reflex, ace 2875 ; absolutely, he
worold-cynlng, wymld-cynlng, st. gewrffic sy^an, he took ven-
'
Glossary 253
wiecend, st. m. {pres.part.), wEEAKer, wundor-dSa?, st. m., wondee-death,
avenger, 1256. wondrous death, 3037.
wreoVen-Iiilt, adj., with wEEAiHed wundor-Iic, adj., [wondeklike] won-
or twisted hilt, 1698. drous, 1440.
wxidlan, w. v., grow, 1741. [P.B.B. wondor-sion, st. /., woNDEK-sight,
X. 511.] wondrous sight, 995.
wiitan, St. v., WHITE, engrave, 1688. wundor-smi'S, st.m., wonder-smith,
for-wiitan, st. v., cut asunder, mystic-smith, 1681.
2705. wundur-maWum, st. m., wonder-
wiiSan, with ace, [writhe]
st. v., jewel, wondrous jewel, 2173.
bind, 964; bind up, 2982. wunian, w. v., [won] :
wrixl, st.f. orneut., exchange, 2969. (1) intrans. dwell, remain, 284,
wrizlan, w. v., with dat. wordum, 1128, etc.; with dat. wicum wu-
exchange, interchange, words,'
' nian, 3083.
366, 874. (2) trans, indwell, inhabit, 1260,
wroht, m. and f., strife, contest,
St. 2902.
2287, 2473, 2913. [C/. Goth. ge-wunian, w. v., with ace.,
wrohs, ' accusation.'] dwell remain with
with, ; suij.
wudu, St. m. WOOD
, : pres. pi. gewunigen, 22.
(1) a wood, 1364, 1416. -WTirtSad, see weorSian.
(2) a spear ; ace. pi. wudu, 398. wvirSan, see weorSan.
'
(3) a ship, 216, 298, 1919 nom. ; wurtjlic, see weorSlic.
sg. wudu wunden-hals. =
wutun, uton, let us, with foil, inf.,
wudu-rec, st. m., wood-beek, smoke, 1390, 2648, 3101. [Cf. O.E. ge-
3144*. witan. ]
wuldor, St. neut., glory; gen. sg. wyle, wfOaX, wylle, wylt, see
wuldres, 17, etc. [C/. Goth. wUlau.
wuljirs.] wylm, wsalm, st. m., surge, flood,
wund, st.f., WOUND, 2711, etc.; ace. WBOUGHT [Of. Goth, waiirkjan]
sg. wunde, 2725, etc. (1) with aee. work, make, 92, 930,
wand, adj., wonuoed, 565, etc. 1452 pret. part. pi. {as adj.) ' dis-
;
wunden-feax, adj., with wound, i.e. posed,' feeste geworhte, steadfast,' '
twisted or curved prow, 298. wyrce se )>e mote domes, ' achieve
wunder-fset, st. ;
1452, etc.
wundrum, ' wondrous(ly),'
woem-kin,
2687*. wyrm-cynn, tt. neut.,
serpent kind, 1425.
wundor-tebod, st. neut., wondee-
wyrm-filli, adj.jWOEM-adorned, snake-
command, wondrous command,
adorned, 1698.
1747.
; : ,
254 Beowulf
wyrm-hord, et. nmt., woem-hoabd, gen. pi. ymb-sittendra, 9; ymbe-
dragon's hoard, 2221. sittendra, 2734.
wyrnan, w. v. [from weam]. yppe, w.f., high seat, throne, 1815.
for-wyrnan, w. v., refuse, 429, [From up.]
1142. yrfe, st. neut., heritage, 3051. [Cf.
wyrp, st.f., change, 1315. Goth, arbi.]
wyrpan, w. v. [from weorpan]. yrfe-iaf, st.f., heirloom, 1053, 1903.
ge-wyrpan, w, v., recover; with yrfe-weard, st. m., heir, 2731 ; gen.
reft,, ace. 2976. sg. yrfe-weardas, 2453 (see note).
wyrsa, adj. compar. (o/yfel), wobse, yrmlSo, st. f. misery ; ace. yrm'Se,
,
ylde, elde, st. m. pi., men, 70, 77, yS-gesene, see elS-ges^e.
150, etc.; dat. eldum, 2214, 2814, ^-gewinn, st. neut., wave-strife,
2611, 3168. 1434, 2412.
yldesta, see eald. yB-lad, St. /., [wave-LODE] wave-path,
yldo, st.f., [eld] age, old age, 1736, way over the sea ; pi. 228.
etc. ; dat. ylde, 22, eldo, 2111. y8-iaf, [wave-iEJFing] what
St. /.,