142
BEOWULF.
by Hygelac’s widow (2369 ff.); acted as guardian and protector to Hygelac’s son Heardred (2377), and on the death of the latter became king of the Geats, whom he ruled for fifty years (2209).
Beowulf is a hero worthy of our only great English epic, a warrior “sans peur et sans reproche.” His love of fighting, his eagerness for praise (3182), his touch of braggadocio, were far from being faults in the eyes of the “scop,” and he has some of the qualities of true greatness: in the closing words of the poem he is called the mildest, gentlest, and kindest of men.
The Beowulf who took part in Hygelac’s historical expedition against the Hetware is probably historical too; but the Beowulf of the four great exploits of the poem, the swimming match with Breca, and the contests with Grendel, with his dam, and with the dragon, has probably stepped into the place of the mythical Beowa of the Old English royal genealogies.
Breca, son of Beanstan (524), and a chief of the Brondings (522). Beowulf’s swimming-match with Breca is the subject of Unferth’s taunt (ll. 506 ff.).
Brondingas, 521, see Breca.
Brōsinga mene (Icel. Brisinga men), the famous Brising necklace or collar. “This necklace is the Brisinga-men—the costly necklace of Freyja, which she won from the dwarfs and which was stolen from her by Loki, as is told in the Edda.”—Kemble.
The circlet given to Beowulf after the slaughter of Grendel can only be compared to the Brosings’ (or Brisings’) necklace which Hama carried off when he fled from Eormenric (ll. 1195 ff.). See Bugge in “Beiträge” xii.
Cain is the ancestor of Grendel (111, 1265).
Dæghrefn (dat. 2501), a brave warrior of the Hugs, seems to have killed Hygelac in the battle (cf. ll. 1207—11 with 2503—4). Beowulf was his “hand-slayer” (2502).
Dene (gen. Dena 242, Deniga 271, Denia 2125), the Danes, the subjects of Hrothgar. They dwell in the Scede-lands (19), in Sceden-ig (1686), “between the seas” (1685). They are called by various other names in the poem: Beorht-Dene, Gār-Dene, Hring-Dene, in supposed allusion to their warlike character; Ēast-Dene, Norð-Dene, Sūð-Dene, West-Dene, in supposed allusion to their wide distribution; Scyldingas, etc., Ingwine, and Hrēðmen, all of which see.
Ēadgils, younger son of Ohthere.
What is told of the brothers Eadgils and Eanmund in the poem, as in the case of the other allusions and episodes, must have been
