Beowulf
by
James A. Harrison and Robert Sharp, eds.
Part 4 out of 11
[throne].--E.
l. 2210. MS. has the more correct wintra.
l. 2211. Cf. similar language about the dragon at l. 100. Beowulf's
"jubilee" is fitly solemnized by his third and last dragon-fight.
l. 2213. B. proposes sê þe on hearge hæðen hord beweotode; cf. Ha., p. 75.
l. 2215. "The dragon lies round the treasures in a cave, as Fafnir, like a
Python, lay coiled over his hoard. So constant was this habit among the
dragons that gold is called Worms' bed, Fafnir's couch, Worms' bed-fire.
Even in India, the cobras ... are guardians of treasure."--Br., p. 50.
l. 2216. neóde. E. translates _deftly_; Ha., _with ardor_. H.-So. reads
neóde, = _with desire, greedily_, instr. of neód.
l. 2223. E. begins his "Part Third" at this point as he begins "Part
Second" at l. 1252, each dragon-fight forming part of a trilogy.
ll. 2224, 2225. B. proposes: nealles mid gewealdum wyrmes weard gäst sylfes
willum.--_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 211; _Beit._ xii. 100.
l. 2225. For þeów read þegn.--K. and Z.
l. 2225. þeów, st. m., _slave, serf_ (not in H.-So.).
l. 2227. For ofer-þearfe read ærnes þearfa.--Z.
ll. 2229-2231. B. proposes:
secg synbysig sôna onwlâtode,
þeáh þâm gyste gryrebrôga stôd,
hwäðre earmsceapen innganges þearfa
. . . . . . . . . .
feásceapen, þâ hyne se fær begeat.
--_Beit._ xii. 101. Cf. Ha., p. 69.
l. 2232. W. suggests seah or seîr for geseah, and Gr. suggests searolîc.
l. 2233. Z. surmises eorð-hûse (for -scräfe).
l. 2241. B. proposes læn-gestreóna, = _transitory_, etc.; Th., R. propose
leng (= _longer_) gestreóna; S. accepts the text but translates "the
long accumulating treasure."
l. 2246. B. proposed (1) hard-fyndne, = _hard to find_; (2) hord-wynne
dæl,--_a deal of treasure-joy_ (cf. l. 2271).--_Zachers Zeitschr._
iv. 211; _Beit._ xii. 102.
l. 2247. fecword = _banning words_ (?) MS. has fec.
l. 2254. Others read feor-[mie], = _furbish_, for fetige: _I own not one
who may_, etc.
l. 2261. The Danes themselves were sometimes called the "Ring-Danes,"
= clad in ringed (or a ring of) armor, or possessing rings. Cf.
ll. 116, 1280.
l. 2264. Note the early reference to hawking. Minstrelsy (hearpan
wyn), saga-telling, racing, swimming, harpooning of sea-animals, feasting,
and the bestowal of jewels, swords, and rings, are the other amusements
most frequent in _Beówulf_.
l. 2264. Cf. _Maldon_, ll. 8, 9, for a reference to hawking.
l. 2276. Z. suggests swýðe ondrædað; Ho. puts gesêcean for Gr.'s
gewunian.
l. 2277. Z. and K. read: hord on hrûsan. "Three hundred winters,"
at l. 2279, is probably conventional for "a long time," like hund
missera, l. 1499; hund þûsenda, l. 2995; þritig (of Beowulf's strength), l.
379; þritig (of the men slain by Grendel), l. 123; seofan þûsendo, l. 2196,
etc.
l. 2285. B. objects to hord as repeated in ll. 2284, 2285; but cf. Ha., p.
77. C. prefers sum to hord. onboren = _inminutus_; cf. B., _Beit._ xii.
102.
l. 2285. onberan is found also at line 991, = _carry off_, with on- = E.
_un--(un-bind, -loose, -tie_, etc.), G. _ent-_. The negro still pronounces
_on-do_, etc.
l. 2299. Cf. H.-So., p. 112, for a defense of the text as it stands. B.
proposes "nor was there any man in that desert who rejoiced in conflict,"
etc. So ten Br.
l. 2326. B. and ten Br,. propose hâm, = _home_, for him.--_Beit._ xii. 103.
l. 2335. E. translates eálond utan by _the sea-board front, the
water-washed land on the (its) outside_. See B., _Beit._ xii. 1, 5.
l. 2346. Cf. l. 425, where Beowulf resolves to fight the dragon
single-handed. E. compares _Guy of Warwick_, ll. 49, 376.
l. 2355. Ten Br. proposes laðan cynne as apposition to mægum.
l. 2360. Cf. Beowulf's other swimming-feat with Breca, ll. 506 _seq._
l. 2362. Gr. inserts âna, = _lone-going_, before xxx.: approved by B.; and
Krüger, _Beit._ ix. 575. Cf. l. 379.
l. 2362. "Beowulf has the strength of thirty men in the original tale.
Here, then, the new inventor makes him carry off thirty coats of
mail."--Br., p. 48.
l. 2364. Hetware = Chattuarii, a nation allied against Hygelâc in his
Frisian expedition; cf. ll. 1208 _seq._, 2917, etc.
l. 2368. B. proposes _quiet sea_ as trans, of sióleða bigong, and compares
Goth. _anasilan_, to be still; Swed. dial, _sil_, still water between
waterfalls.--_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 214.
l. 2380. hyne--Heardrêd; so him, l. 2358.
l. 2384. E. calls attention to Swió-rîce as identical with the modern
_Sverige_ = Sweden; cf. l. 2496.
l. 2386. Gr. reads on feorme, = _at the banquet_; cf. Möller, _Alteng.
Volksepos_, 111, who reads (f)or feorme. The MS. has or.
l. 2391. Cf. l. 11.
l. 2394. B., Gr., and Mûllenh. understand ll. 2393-2397 to mean that
Eádgils, Ôhthere's son, driven from Sweden, returns later, supported by
Beowulf, takes the life of his uncle Onela, and probably becomes himself
O.'s successor and king of Sweden. For another view see H.-So., p. 115. MS.
has freond (l. 2394), which Leo, etc., change to feónd. G. translates
_friend_.--_Beit._ xii. 13; _Anzeiger f. d. Altert_. iii. 177.
l. 2395. Eádgils is Ôhthere's son; cf. l. 2381; Onela is Ôhthere's brother;
cf. ll. 2933, 2617.
l. 2402. "Twelfsome"; cf. "fifteensome" at l. 207, etc. As _Beówulf_ is
essentially _the_ Epic of Philanthropy, of the true love of man, as
distinguished from the ordinary love-epic, the number twelve in this
passage may be reminiscent of another Friend of Man and another Twelve. In
each case all but one desert the hero.
l. 2437. R. proposes stýred, = _ordered, decreed_, for strêd.--_Zachers
Zeitschr._ iii. 409.
l. 2439. B. corrects to freó-wine = _noble friend_, asking, "How can
Herebeald be called Hæðcyn's freá-wine [MS.], _lord?_"
l. 2442. feohleás gefeoht, "a homicide which cannot be atoned for by
money--in this case an unintentional fratricide."--Sw.
l. 2445. See Ha., pp. 82, 83, for a discussion of ll. 2445-2463. Cf. G., p.
75.
l. 2447. MS. reads wrece, justified by B. (_Tidskr_. viii. 56). W.
conceives wrece as optative or hortative, and places a colon before þonne.
l. 2449. For helpan read helpe.--K., Th., S. (_Zeitschr. f. D. Phil._ xxi.
3, 357).
ll. 2454-2455. (1) Müllenh. (_Haupts Zeitschr._ xiv. 232) proposes:
þonne se ân hafað
þurh dæda nýd deáðes gefandod.
(2) B. proposes:
þurh dæda nîð deáðes gefondad.
--_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 215.
l. 2458. Cf. sceótend, pl., ll. 704, 1155, like rîdend. Cf. _Judith_, l.
305, etc.
l. 2474. Th. considers the "wide water" here as the Mälar lake, the
boundary between Swedes and Goths.
l. 2477. On oþþe = _and_, cf. B., _Tidskr_. viii. 57. See Ha., p. 83.
l. 2489. B. proposes hreá-blâc for Gr.'s heoro-.--_Tikskr_. viii. 297.
l. 2494. S. suggests êðel-wynne.
l. 2502. E. translates for dugeðum, _of my prowess_; so Ettmüller.
ll. 2520-2522. Gr. and S. translate, "if I knew how else I might combat the
monster's boastfulness."--Ha., p. 85.
l. 2524. and-hâttres is H.'s invention. Gr. reads oreðes and âttres, _blast
and venom_. Cf. oruð, l. 2558, and l. 2840 (where âttor- also occurs).
l. 2526. E. quotes fleón fôtes trym from _Maldon_, l. 247.
l. 2546. Gr., H.-So., and Ho. read standan stân-bogan (for stôd on
stân-bogan) depending on geseah.
l. 2550. Grundt. and B. propose deór, _brave one_, i.e. Beowulf, for deóp.
L. 2565. MS. has ungleaw (K., Th.), unglaw (Grundt.). B. proposes unslâw, =
_sharp_.--_Beit._ xii. 104. So H.-So., Ha., p. 86.
ll. 2570, 2571. (1) May not gescîfe (MS. to gscipe) = German _schief_,
"crooked," "bent," "aslant," and hence be a parallel to gebogen, _bent,
coiled?_ cf. l. 2568, þâ se wyrm gebeáh snûde tôsomne, and l. 2828. Coiled
serpents spring more powerfully for the coiling. (2) Or perhaps destroy
comma after tô and read gescäpe, = _his fate_; cf. l. 26: him þâ Scyld
gewât tô gescäp-hwîle. G. appar. adopts this reading, p. 78.
l. 2589. grund-wong = _the field_, not _the earth_ (so B.); H.-So., _cave_,
as at l. 2771. So Ha., p. 87.
l. 2595. S. proposes colon after stefne.--_Beit._ ix. 141.
l. 2604. Müllenh. explains leód Scylfinga in _Anzeiger f. d. Altert._ iii.
176-178.
l. 2607. âre = _possessions, holding_ (Kl., _Beit._ ix. 192; Ha., p. 88).
l. 2609. folcrihta. Add "folk-right" to the meanings in the Gloss.; and cf.
êðel-, land-riht, word-riht.
l. 2614. H.-So. reads with Gr. wræccan wineleásum Weohstân bana, = _whom, a
friendless exile, W. had slain_.
ll. 2635-61. E. quotes Tacitus, _Germania_, xiv.: "turpe comitatui virtutem
principis non adaequare." Beowulf had been deserted by his _comitatus_.
l. 2643. B. proposes ûser.--_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 216.
l. 2649. wutun; l. 3102, uton = pres. subj. pl. 1st person of wîtan, _to
go_, used like Mod. Eng. _let us_ + inf., Lat. _eamus_, Ital. _andiamo_,
Fr. _allons_; M. E. (_Layamon_) _uten_. Cf. Psa. ii. 3, etc. March, _A.-S.
Gram._, pp. 104, 196.
l. 2650. B. suggests hât for hyt,.--_Beit._ xii. 105.
l. 2656. fâne = fâh-ne; cf. fâra = fâh-ra, l. 578; so heánne (MS.) =
heáh-ne, etc., l. 984. See Cook's Sievers' Gram.
ll. 2660, 2661. Why not read beadu-scrûd, as at l. 453, = _battle-shirt?_
B. and R. suppose two half-verses omitted between byrdu-scrûd and bâm
gemæne. B. reads býwdu, = _handsome_, etc. Gr. suggests unc nû, = _to us
two now_, for ûrum; and K. and Grundt. read beón gemæne for bâm, etc. This
makes sense. Cf. Ha., p. 89.
l. 2666. Cf. the dat. absolute without preposition.
l. 2681. Nägling; cf. Hrunting, Lâfing, and other famous wundor-smiða
geweorc of the poem.
l. 2687. B. changes þonne into þone (rel. pro.) = _which_.--_Beit._ xii.
105.
l. 2688. B. supports the MS. reading, wundum.
l. 2688. Cf. l. 2278 for similar language.
l. 2698. B. (_Beit._ xii. 105) renders: "he did not heed the head of the
dragon (which Beowulf with his sword had struck without effect), but he
struck the dragon somewhat further down." Cf. Saxo, vi. p. 272.
l. 2698. Cf. the language used at ll. 446 and 1373, where hafelan also
occurs; and hýdan.
l. 2700. hwêne; cf. Lowl. Sc. _wheen_, a number; Chaucer's _woon_, number.
l. 2702. S. proposes þâ (for þät) þät fýr, etc., = _when the fire began_,
etc.
l. 2704. "The (hup)-seax has often been found in Saxon graves on the hip of
the skeleton."--E.
l. 2707. Kl. proposes: feorh ealne wräc, = _drove out all the life_; cf.
_Gen._ l. 1385.--_Beit._ ix. 192. S. suggests gefylde,--_he felled the
foe_, etc.--_Ibid_. Parentheses seem unnecessary.
l. 2727. däg-hwîl = _time allotted, lifetime_.
l. 2745, 2745. Ho. removes geong from the beginning of l. 2745 and places
it at the end of l. 2744.
l. 2750. R. proposes sigle searogimmas, as at l. 1158.
l. 2767. (1) B. proposes doubtfully oferhîgean or oferhîgan, = Goth,
_ufarhauhjan_, p. p. _ufarhauhids_ (Gr. [Greek: tuphwtheis]) = _exceed in
value_.--_Tidskr_. viii. 60. (2) Kl. proposes oferhýdian, = _to make
arrogant, infatuate_; cf. oferhýd.--_Beit._ ix. 192.
l. 2770. gelocen leoðocräftum = (1) _spell-bound_ (Th., Arnold, E.); (2)
_wrought with hand-craft_ (G.); (3) _meshed, linked together_ (H., Ho.);
cf. _Elene_, ll. 1251, 522.
l. 2778. B. considers bill ... ealdhlâfordes as Beowulf's short sword, with
which he killed the dragon, l. 2704 (_Tidskr_. viii. 299). R. proposes
ealdhlâforde. Müllenh. understands ealdhlâford to mean the former possessor
of the hoard. W. agrees to this, but conceives ærgescôd as a compd. = ære
calceatus, _sheathed in brass_. Ha. translates ærgescôd as vb. and adv.
l. 2791. Cf. l. 224, eoletes ät ende; landes ät ende, _Exod_. (Hunt).
l. 2792. MS. reads wäteres weorpan, which R. would change to wätere
sweorfan.
l. 2806. "Men saw from its height the whales tumbling in the waves, and
called it Whale's Ness (Hrones-næs)."--Br. p. 28. Cf. l. 3137.
l. 2815. Wîglâf was the next of kin, the last of the race, and hence the
recipient of Beowulf's kingly insignia. There is a possible play on the
word lâf (Wîg-_lâf_, ende-_lâf_).
l. 2818. gingeste word; cf. _novissima verba_, and Ger. _jüngst_, lately.
l. 2837. E. translates on lande, _in the world_, comparing _on lîfe, on
worulde_.
l. 2840. geræsde = pret. of geræsan (omitted from the Gloss.), same as
ræsan; cf. l. 2691.
l. 2859. B. proposes deáð ârædan, = _determine death_.--_Beit._ xii. 106.
l. 2861. Change geongum to geongan as a scribal error (?), but cf.
Lichtenheld, _Haupts Zeitschr._ xvi. 353-355.
l. 2871. S. and W. propose ôwêr.--_Beit._ ix. 142.
l. 2873. S. punctuates: wrâðe forwurpe, þâ, etc.
l. 2874. H.-So. begins a new sentence with nealles, ending the preceding
one with beget.
l. 2879. ätgifan = _to render, to afford_; omitted in Gloss.
ll. 2885-2892. "This passage ... equals the passage in Tacitus which
describes the tie of chief to companion and companion to chief among the
Germans, and which recounts the shame that fell on those who survived their
lord."--Br., p. 56.
l. 2886. cyn thus has the meaning of _gens_ or clan, just as in many
Oriental towns all are of one blood. E. compares Tacitus, _Germania_, 7;
and cf. "kith and kin."
l. 2892. Death is preferable to dishonor. Cf. Kemble, _Saxons_, i. 235.
l. 2901. The _[Greek: angelos]_ begins his _[Greek: angelia]_ here.
l. 2910. S. proposes higemêðe, _sad of soul;_ cf. ll. 2853 and 2864
(_Beit._ ix. 142). B. considers higemêðum a dat. or instr. pl. of an
abstract in -u (_Beit._ xii. 106). H. makes it a dat. pl. = _for the dead_.
For heafod-wearde, etc., cf. note on l. 446.
l. 2920-2921. B. explains "he could not this time, as usual, give jewels to
his followers."--_Beit._ xii. 106.
l. 2922. The Merovingian or Frankish race.
l. 2940 _seq._ B. conjectures:
cwäð hîe on mergenne mêces ecgum
gêtan wolde, sumon galgtreowu
âheáwan on holte ond hîe âhôan on þâ
fuglum tô gamene.
--_Beit._ xii. 107, 372. Cf. S., _Beit._ ix. 143. gêtan = _cause blood to
be shed._
l. 2950. B. proposes gomela for gôda; "a surprising epithet for a Geat to
apply to the 'terrible' Ongentheow."--Ha. p. 99. But "good" does not
necessarily mean "morally excellent," as a "good" hater, a "good" fighter.
l. 2959. See H.-So. for an explanatory quotation from Paulus Diaconus, etc.
B., K., and Th. read segn Higelâces, = H.'s banner uplifted began to pursue
the Swede-men.--_Beit._ xii. 108. S. suggests sæce, = _pursuit_.
l. 2977. gewyrpton: this vb. is also used reflexively in _Exod_. (Hunt), l.
130: wyrpton hie wêrige.
l. 2989. bär is Grundt.'s reading, after the MS. "The surviving victor is
the heir of the slaughtered foe."--H.-So. Cf. _Hildebrands Lied_, ll. 61,
62.
l. 2995. "A hundred of thousands in land and rings" (Ha., p. 100). Cf. ll.
2196, 3051. Cf. B., _Beit._ xii. 20, who quotes Saxo's _bis senas gentes_
and remarks: "Hrolf Kraki, who rewards his follower, for the slaying of the
foreign king, with jewels, rich lands, and his only daughter's hand,
answers to the Jutish king Hygelâc, who rewards his liegeman, for the
slaying of Ongentheów, with jewels, enormous estates, and _his_ only
daughter's hand."
l. 3006. H.-So. suggests Scilfingas for Scyldingas, because, at l. 2397,
Beowulf kills the Scylfing Eádgils and probably acquires his lands. Thus
ll. 3002, 3005, 3006, would indicate that, after Beowulf's death, the
Swedes desired to shake off his hated yoke. Müllenh., however, regards l.
3006 as a thoughtless repetition of l. 2053.--_Haupts Zeitschr._ xiv. 239.
l. 3008. Cf. the same proverb at l. 256; and _Exod._ (Hunt.) l. 293.
l. 3022. E. quotes:
"Thai token an harp _gle and game_
And maked a lai and yaf it name."
--_Weber_, l. 358.
and from Percy, "The word _glee_, which peculiarly denoted their art (the
minstrels'), continues still in our own language ... it is to this day used
in a musical sense, and applied to a peculiar piece of composition."
l. 3025. "This is a finer use than usual of the common poetic attendants of
a battle, the wolf, the eagle, and the raven. The three are here like three
Valkyrie, talking of all that they have done."--Br., p. 57.
l. 3033. Cf. Hunt's _Dan._ l. 731, for similar language.
l. 3039. B. supplies a supposed gap here:
[banan eác fundon bennum seócne
(nê) ær hî þæm gesêgan syllîcran wiht]
wyrm on wonge...
--_Beit._ xii. 372.
Cf. Ha., p. 102. W. and Ho. insert [þær] before gesêgan.
l. 3042. Cf. l. 2561, where gryre-giest occurs as an epithet of the dragon.
B. proposes gry[re-fâh].
l. 3044. lyft-wynne, _in the pride of the air_, E.; _to rejoice in the
air_, Ha.
l. 3057. (1) He (God) is men's hope; (2) he is the heroes' hope; (3) gehyld
= the secret place of enchanters; cf. hêlsmanna gehyld, Gr.'s reading,
after A.-S. hælsere, haruspex, augur.
l. 3060. B. suggests gehýðde, = _plundered_ (i.e. by the thief), for
gehýdde.
ll. 3063-3066. (1) B. suggests wundur [deáðe] hwâr þonne eorl ellenrof ende
gefêre = _let a brave man then somewhere meet his end by wondrous venture_,
etc.--_Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 241; cf. l. 3038. (2) S. supposes an indirect
question introduced by hwâr and dependent upon wundur, = _a mystery is it
when it happens that the hero is to die, if he is no longer to linger among
his people_.--_Beit._ ix. 143. (3) Müllenh. suggests: _is it to be wondered
at that a man should die when he can no longer live?_--_Zachers Zeitschr._
xiv. 241. (4) Possibly thus:
Wundrað hwät þonne,
eorl ellen-rôf, ende gefêre
lîf-gesceafta, þonne leng ne mäg (etc.),
in which hwät would = þurh hwät at l. 3069, and eorl would be subject of
the conjectural vb. wundrað: "the valiant earl wondereth then through what
he shall attain his life's end, when he no longer may live.... So Beówulf
knew not (wondered how) through what _his_ end should come," etc. W. and
Ho. join þonne to the next line. Or, for hwâr read wære: Wundur wære þonne
(= gif), etc., = "would it be any wonder if a brave man," etc., which is
virtually Müllenhoff's.
l. 3053. galdre bewunden, _spell-bound_, throws light on l. 2770, gelocen
leoðo-cräftum. The "accursed" gold of legend is often dragon-guarded and
placed under a spell. Even human ashes (as Shakespeare's) are thus banned.
ll. 3047-3058 recall the so-called "Treasury of Atreus."
l. 3073. herh, hearh, _temple_, is conjectured by E. to survive in _Harrow.
Temple, barrow_, etc., have thus been raised to proper names. Cf. Biówulfes
biorh of l. 2808.
l. 3074. H.-So. has strude, = _ravage_, and compares l. 3127. MS. has
strade. S. suggests stride, = _tread_.
l. 3074. H.-So. omits strâdan, = _tread, stride over_, from the Gloss.,
referring ll. 3174 and 3074 to strûdan, q. v.
l. 3075. S. proposes: näs hê goldhwätes gearwor häfde, etc., = _Beowulf had
not before seen the greedy possessor's favor_.--_Beit._ ix. 143. B. reads,
goldhwäte gearwor häfde, etc., making goldhwäte modify êst, = _golden
favor_; but see _Beit._ xii. 373, for B.'s later view.
l. 3086-3087. B. translates, "that which (i.e. the treasure) drew the king
thither was granted indeed, but it overwhelmed us."--_Beit._ xii. 109.
l. 3097. B. and S. propose äfter wine deádum, = _in memory of the dead
friend_.--_Beit._ ix. 144.
l. 3106. The brâd gold here possibly includes the iú-monna gold of l. 3053
and the wunden gold of l. 3135. E. translates brâd by _bullion_.
l. 3114. B. supposes folc-âgende to be dat. sg. to gôdum, referring to
Beowulf.
l. 3116. C. considers weaxan, = Lat. _vescor_, to devour, as a parallel to
fretan, and discards parentheses.--_Beit._ viii. 573.
l. 3120. fûs = _furnished with_; a meaning which must be added to those in
the Gloss.
ll. 3124-3125. S. proposes:
eóde eahta sum under inwit-hrôf
hilderinca: sum on handa bär, etc.
--_Beit._ ix. 144.
l. 3136. H.-So. corrects (after B.) to äðeling_c_, the MS. having _e_.
l. 3145. "It was their [the Icelanders'] belief that the higher the smoke
rose in the air the more glorious would the burnt man be in heaven."--
_Ynglinga Saga_, 10 (quoted by E.). Cf. the funeral pyre of Herakles.
l. 3146-3147. B. conjectures:
... swôgende lêc
wôpe bewunden windblonda lêg
(lêc from lâcan, see Gloss.).--_Beit._ xii. 110. Why not windblonda lâc?
l. 3147. Müllenhoff rejected wind-blond geläg because a great fire raises
rather than "lays" the wind; hence B., as above, = "swoughing sported the
flame wound with the howling of wind-currents."
l. 3151 _seq._ B. restores conjecturally:
swylce giômor-gyd sio geó-meowle
[äfter Beówulfe] bunden-heorde
[song] sorg-cearig, sæde geneahhe,
þät hió hyre [hearm-]dagas hearde on [dr]êde,
wälfylla worn, [w]îgendes egesan,
hý[n]ðo ond häftnýd, heóf on rîce wealg.
--_Beit._ xii. 100.
Here geó-meowle = _old woman_ or _widow;_ bunden-heorde = _with bound
locks;_ heóf = _lamentation;_ cf. l. 3143. on rîce wealg is less preferable
than the MS. reading, heofon rêce swealg = _heaven swallowed the smoke_.--
H.-So. B. thinks Beowulf's widow (geómeowle) was probably Hygd; cf. ll.
2370, 3017-3021.
l. 3162. H.-So. reads (with MS.) bronda be lâfe, for betost, and omits
colon after bêcn. So B., _Zachers Zeitschr._ iv. 224.
l. 3171. E. quotes Gibbon's accounts of the burial of Attila when the
"chosen squadrons of the Hun, wheeling round in measured evolutions,
chanted a funeral song to the memory of a hero."
ll. 3173-3174. B. proposes:
woldon gên cwîðan [ond] kyning
wordgyd wrecan ond ymb wel sprecan.
--_Beit._ xii. 112.
l. 3183. Z., K., Th. read manna for mannum.
l. 3184. "It is the English ideal of a hero as it was conceived by an
Englishman some twelve hundred years ago."--Br., p. 18.
NOTES TO THE FIGHT AT FINNSBURG.
The original MS. of this fragment has vanished, but a copy had been made
and printed by Hickes in his _Thesaurus Linguarum Septentrionalium_, i.
192. The original was written on a single sheet attached to a codex of
homilies in the Lambeth Library. Möller, _Alteng. Epos_, p. 65, places the
fragment in the Finn episode, between ll. 1146 and 1147. Bugge (_Beit._
xii. 20) makes it illustrate the conflict in which Hnäf fell, _i.e._ as
described in _Beówulf_ as antecedent to the events there given. Heinzel
(_Anzeiger f. d. Altert_.), however, calls attention to the fact that
Hengest in the fragment is called cyning, whereas in _Beówulf_, l. 1086, he
is called þegn. See H.-So., p. 125.
"The _Fight at Finnsburg_ and the lays from which our _Beówulf_ was
composed were, as it seems to me, sung among the English who dwelt in the
north of Denmark and the south of Sweden, and whose tribal name was the
Jutes or Goths."--Br., p. 101.
l. 1. R. supposes [hor]nas, and conjectures such an introductory
conversation as follows: "Is it dawning in the east, or is a fiery dragon
flying about, or are the turrets of some castle burning?" questions which
the king negatives in the same order. Then comes the positive declaration,
"rather they are warriors marching whose armor gleams in the moonlight."
--_Alt- und Angels. Lesebuch_, 1861. Heinzel and B. conjecture, [beorhtor
hor]nas byrnað næfre. So. G.--_Beit._ xii. 22; _Anzeiger f. d. Altert._ x.
229.
l. 5. B. conjectures fugelas to mean _arrows_, and supplies:
ac hêr forð berað [fyrdsearu rincas,
flacre flânbogan], fugelas singað.
He compares Saxo, p. 95, _cristatis galeis hastisque sonantibus instant_,
as explanatory of l. 6.--_Beit._ xii. 22. But see Brooke, _Early Eng.
Literature_, who supposes fugelas = _raven_ and _eagle_, while græg-hama is
= _wulf_ (the "grey-coated one"), the ordinary accompaniers of battle.
l. 11. hicgeað, etc.: cf. _Maldon_, l. 5; _Exod_. l. 218.
l. 15. Cf. B. (_Beit._ xii. 25), etc., and Saxo, p. 101, for l. 13.
ll. 18-21. H.-So. remarks: "If, according to Möller and Bugge, Gârulf is
one of the attackers, one of Finn's men, this does not harmonize with his
character as Gûðlâf's son (l. 33), who (l. 16, and _Beówulf_, l. 1149) is a
Dane, therefore one of Finn's antagonists." B. (_Beit._ xii. 25)
conjectures:
þâ gyt Gûðdene Gârulf styrode,
þät hê swâ freólîc feorh forman sîðe
tô þære healle durum hyrsta ne bære,
nû hîe nîða heard ânyman wolde;
in which Gûðdene is the same as Sigeferð, l. 24; hê (l. 22) refers to
Gârulf; and hîe (l. 21) to hyrsta.
l. 27. swäðer = _either_ (bad or good, life or death).--H.-So.
l. 29. cêlod: meaning doubtful; cf. _Maldon_, l. 283. G. renders "curved
board"; Sw. suggests "round"? "hollow"?
l. 30. B. suggests bâr-helm, = _boar-helm._ Cf. Saxo, p. 96.--_Beit._ xii.
26.
l. 34. B. conjectures: (1) hwearf flacra hræw hräfen, wandrode; (2) hwearf
flacra hræw hräfen fram ôðrum = _flew from one corpse to another_.--_Beit._
xii. 27.
l. 43. B. supposes wund häleð to be a Dane, folces hyrde to be Hnäf, in
opposition to Holtzmann (_Germania_, viii. 494), who supposes the wounded
man to be a Frisian, and folces hyrde to be their king, Finn.--_Beit._ xii.
28.
l. 45. B. adopts Th.'s reading heresceorp unhrôr = _equipments
useless_.--_Beit._ xii. 28.
l. 47. "Though wounded, they had retained their strength and activity in
battle."--B., _Beit._ xii. 28.
ADDENDA.
ll. 105 and 218. MS. and Ho. read won-sæli and fâmi-heals.
ll. 143, 183, 186, etc. Read þæm for þäm.
l. 299. MS. reads gôd-fremmendra. So H.-So.
l. 338. Ho. marks wräc- and its group long.
l. 530. Hwät should here probably be printed as an interj., hwät! Cf. ll.
1, 943, 2249.
l. 2263. Koeppel suggests nis for näs.
The editors are much indebted to E. Koeppel (in _Eng. Stud._ xiii. 3) for
numerous corrections in text and glossary.
l. 3070. H.-So. begins a new line with swâ.
GLOSSARY
A
ac, conj. denoting contrariety: hence 1) _but_ (like N.H.G. sondern), 109,
135, 339, etc.--2) _but_ (N.H.G. aber), _nevertheless_, 602, 697, etc.--3)
in direct questions: nonne, numquid, 1991.
aglæca, ahlæca, äglæca, -cea, w. m. (cf. Goth, aglo, _trouble_, O.N. agi,
_terror_, + lâc, _gift, sport: = misery, vexation, = bringer of trouble_;
hence): 1) _evil spirit, demon, a demon-like being_; of Grendel, 159, 433,
593, etc.; of the drake, 2535, 2906, etc.--2) _great hero, mighty warrior_;
of Sigemund, 894; of Beówulf: gen. sg. aglæcan(?), 1513; of Beówulf and the
drake: nom. pl. þâ aglæcean, 2593.
aglæc-wîf, st. n., _demon, devil, in the form of a woman_; of Grendel's
mother, 1260.
aldor. See ealdor.
al-wealda. See eal-w.
am-biht (from and-b., Goth, and-baht-s), st. m., _servant, man-servant_:
nom. sg. ombeht, of the coast-guard, 287; ombiht, of Wulfgâr, 336.
ambiht-þegn (from ambiht n. officium and þegn, which see), _servant,
man-servant_: dat. sg. ombiht-þegne, of Beówulf's servant, 674.
an, prep, with the dat., _on, in, with respect to_, 678; _with, among, at,
upon_ (position after the governed word), 1936; with the acc., 1248.
Elsewhere on, which see.
ancor, st. m., _anchor_: dat. sg. ancre, 303, 1884.
ancor-bend, m. (?) f. (?), _anchor-cable_: dat. pl. oncer-bendum, 1919.
and, conj. (ond is usual form; for example, 601, 1149, 2041), and 33, 39,
40, etc. (See Appendix.)
anda, w. m., _excitement, vexation, horror_: dat. wrâðum on andan, 709,
2315.
and-git, st. n., _insight, understanding_: nom. sg., 1060. See gitan.
and-hâtor, st. m. n., _heat coming against one_: gen. sg. rêðes
and-hâttres, 2524.
and-lang, -long, adj., _very long._ hence 1) _at whole length, raised up
high_: acc. andlongne eorl, 2696 (cf. Bugge upon this point, Zachers
Ztschr., 4, 217).--2) _continual, entire_; andlangne däg, 2116, _the whole
day_; andlonge niht, 2939.
and-leán, st. n., _reward, payment in full_: acc. sg., 1542, 2095 (hand-,
hond-lean, MS.).
and-risno, st. f. (see rîsan, surgere, decere), _that which is to be
observed, that which is proper, etiquette_: dat. pl. for andrysnum,
_according to etiquette_, 1797.
and-saca, w. m., _adversary_: godes andsaca (Grendel), 787, 1683.
and-slyht, st. m., _blow in return_: acc. sg., 2930, 2973 (MS. both times
hond-slyht).
and-swaru, st. f., _act of accosting_: 1) to persons coming up, _an
address_, 2861.--2) in reply to something said, _an answer_, 354, 1494,
1841.
and-weard, adj., _present, existing_: acc. sg. n. swîn ofer helme and-weard
(_the image of the boar, which stands on his helm_), 1288.
and-wlita, w. m., _countenance_: acc. sg. -an, 690.
an-sund, adj., _entirely unharmed_: nom. sg. m., 1001.
an-sýn, f., _the state of being seen_: hence 1) _the exterior, the form_,
251: ansýn ýwde, _showed his form_, i.e. appeared, 2835.--2) _aspect,
appearance_, 929; on-sýn, 2773.
an-walda, w. m., _He who rules over all, God_, 1273. See Note.
atol, adj. (also eatol, 2075, etc.), _hostile, frightful, cruel_: of
Grendel, 159, 165, 593, 2075, etc.; of Grendel's mother's hands (dat. pl.
atolan), 1503; of the undulation of the waves, 849; of battle, 597,
2479.--cf. O.N. atall, fortis, strenuus.
atelîc, adj., _terrible, dreadful_: atelîc egesa, 785.
Â
â, adv. (Goth, áiv, acc. from aiv-s aevum), _ever, always_, 455, 882, 931,
1479: â syððan, _ever afterwards, ever, ever after_, 283, 2921.--_ever_,
780.--Comp. nâ.
âd st. m. _funeral pile_: acc. sg. âd, 3139; dat. sg. âde, 1111, 1115.
âd-faru, st. f., _way to the funeral pile_, dat. sg. on âd-färe, 3011.
âdl, st. f. _sickness_, 1737, 1764, 1849.
âð, st. m., _oath in general_, 2740; _oath of allegiance_, 472 (?); _oath
of reconciliation of two warring peoples_, 1098, 1108.
âð-sweord, st. n., _the solemn taking of an oath, the swearing of an oath_:
nom. pl., 2065. See sweord.
âðum-swerian, m. pl., _son-in-law and father-in-law_: dat. pl., 84.
âgan, verb, pret. and pres., _to have, to possess_, w. acc.: III. prs. sg.
âh, 1728; inf. âgan, 1089; prt. âhte, 487, 522, 533; with object, geweald,
to be supplied, 31. Form contracted with the negative: prs. sg. I. nâh hwâ
sweord wege (_I have no one to wield the sword_), 2253.
âgen, adj., _own, peculiar_, 2677.
âgend (prs. part. of âgan), _possessor, owner, lord_: gen. sg. âgendes, _of
God_, 3076.--Compounds: blæd-, bold-, folc-, mägen-âgend.
âgend-freá, w. m., _owner, lord_: gen. sg. âgend-freán, 1884.
âhsian, ge-âhsian, w. v.: 1) _to examine, to find out by inquiring_: pret.
part. ge-âhsod, 433.--2) _to experience, to endure_: pret. âhsode, 1207;
pl. âhsodon, 423.
âht, st. n. (contracted from â-wiht, which see), _something, anything_: âht
cwices, 2315.
ân, num. The meaning of this word betrays its apparent demonstrative
character: 1) _this, that_, 2411, of the hall in the earth mentioned
before; similarly, 100 (of Grendel; already mentioned), cf. also 2775.--2)
_one_, a particular one among many, a single one, in numerical sense: ymb
âne niht (_the next night_), 135; þurh ânes cräft, 700; þâra ânum, 1038; ân
äfter ânum, _one for the other_ (Hrêðel for Herebeald), 2462: similarly, ân
äfter eallum, 2269; ânes hwät, _some single thing, a part_, 3011; se ân
leóda duguðe, _the one of the heroes of the people_, 2238; ânes willan,
_for the sake of a single one_, 3078, etc.--Hence, again, 3) _alone,
distinguished_, 1459, 1886.--4) _a_, in the sense of an indefinite article:
ân ... feónd, 100; gen. sg. ânre bêne (or to No.2[?]), 428; ân ... draca,
221l--5) gen. pl. ânra, in connection with a pronoun, _single_; ânra
gehwylces, _every single one_, 733; ânra gehwylcum, 785. Similarly, the
dat. pl. in this sense: nemne feáum ânum, _except a few single ones_,
1082.--6) solus, _alone_: in the strong form, 1378, 2965; in the weak form,
145, 425, 431, 889, etc.; with the gen., âna Geáta duguðe, _alone of the
warriors of the Geátas_, 2658.--7) solitarius, _alone, lonely_, see
æn.--Comp. nân.
ân-feald, adj., _simple, plain, without reserve_: acc. sg. ânfealdne
geþôht, _simple opinion_, 256.
ân-genga, -gengea, w. m., _he who goes alone_, of Grendel, 165, 449.
ân-haga, w. m., _he who stands alone_, solitarius, 2369.
ân-hydig, adj. (like the O.N. ein-râd-r, _of one resolve_, i.e. of firm
resolve), _of one opinion_, i.e. firm, brave, decided, 2668.
ânga, adj. (only in the weak form), _single, only_: acc. sg. ângan dôhtor,
375, 2998; ângan eaferan, 1548; dat. sg. ângan brêðer, 1263.
ân-päð, st. m., _lonely way, path_: acc. pl. ânpaðas, 1411.
ân-ræd, adj. (cf. under ân-hydig), _of firm resolution, resolved_, 1530,
1576.
ân-tîd, st. f., _one time_, i.e. the same time, ymb ân-tîd ôðres dôgores,
_about the same time the second day_ (they sailed twenty-four hours),
219.--ân stands as in ân-mod, O.H.G. ein-muoti, _harmonious, of the same
disposition_.
ânunga, adv., _throughout, entirely, wholly_, 635.
âr, st. m., _ambassador, messenger_, 336, 2784.
âr, st. f., 1) _honor, dignity_: ârum healdan, _to hold in honor_, 296;
similarly, 1100, 1183.--2) _favor, grace, support_: acc. sg. âre, 1273,
2607; dat. sg. âre, 2379; gen. pl. hwät ... ârna, 1188.--Comp. worold-âr;
also written ær.
âr-fäst, adj., _honorable, upright_, 1169; of Hûnferð (with reference to
588). See fäst.
ârian, w. v., (_to be gracious_), _to spare_: III. sg. prs. w. dat. nænegum
ârað; of Grendel, 599.
âr-stäf, st. m.,(elementum honoris), _grace, favor_: dat. pl. mid ârstafum,
317.--_Help, support_: dat. pl. for âr-stafum, _to the assistance_, 382,
458. See stäf.
âter-teár, m., _poisonous drop_: dat. pl. îren âter-teárum fâh (steel which
is dipped in poison or in poisonous sap of plants), 1460.
âttor, st. n., _poison_, here of the poison of the dragon's bite: nom.,
2716.
âttor-sceaða, w. m., _poisonous enemy, of the poisonous dragon_: gen. sg.
-sceaðan, 2840.
âwâ, adv. (certainly not the dative, but a reduplicated form of â, which
see), _ever_: âwâ tô aldre, _fôr ever and ever_, 956.
Ä
ädre, adv., _hastily, directly, immediately_, 77, 354, 3107. [ædre.]
äðele, adj., _noble_: nom. sg., of Beówulf, 198, 1313; of Beówulf's father,
263, where it can be understood as well in a moral as in a genealogical
sense; the latter prevails decidedly in the gen. sg. äðelan cynnes, 2235.
äðeling, st. m., _nobleman, man of noble descent_, especially the
appellation of a man of royal birth; so of the kings of the Danes, 3; of
Scyld, 33; of Hrôðgâr, 130; of Sigemund, 889; of Beówulf, 1226, 1245, 1597,
1816, 2189, 2343, 2375, 2425, 2716, 3136; perhaps also of Däghrefn,
2507;--then, in a broader sense, also denoting other noble-born men:
Äschere, 1295; Hrôðgâr's courtiers, 118, 983; Heremôd's courtiers, 907;
Hengest's warriors, 1113; Beówulf's retinue, 1805, 1921, 3172; noble-born
in general, 2889. --Comp. sib-äðeling.
äðelu, st. n., only in the pl., _noble descent, nobility_, in the sense of
noble lineage: acc. pl. äðelu, 392; dat. pl. cyning äðelum gôd, _the king,
of noble birth_, 1871; äðelum dióre, _worthy on account of noble lineage_,
1950; äðelum (hæleþum, MS.), 332.--Comp. fäder-äðelu.
äfnan, w. v. w. acc., _to perform, to carry out, to accomplish_: inf.
ellen-weorc äfnan, _to do a heroic deed_, 1465; pret. unriht äfnde,
_perpetrated wrong_, 1255.
ge-äfnan, 1) _to carry out, to do, to accomplish_: pret. pl. þät geäfndon
swâ, _so carried that out_, 538; pret. part. âð wäs geäfned, _the oath was
sworn_, 1108.--2) _get ready, prepare_: pret. part. geäfned, 3107. See
efnan.
äfter (comparative of af, Ags. of, which see; hence it expresses the idea
of _forth, away, from, back_), a) adv., _thereupon, afterwards_, 12, 341,
1390, 2155.--ic him äfter sceal, _I shall go after them_, 2817; in word
äfter cwäð, 315, the sense seems to be, _spoke back, having turned_; b)
prep. w. dat., 1) (temporal) _after_, 119, 128, 187, 825, 1939, etc.; äfter
beorne, _after the_ (death of) _the hero_, 2261, so 2262; äfter
mâððum-welan, _after_ (obtaining) _the treasure_, 2751.--2) (causal) as
proceeding from something, denoting result and purpose, hence, _in
consequence of, conformably to_: äfter rihte, _in accordance with right_,
1050, 2111; äfter faroðe, _with the current_, 580; so 1321, 1721, 1944,
2180, etc., äfter heaðo-swâte, _in consequence of the blood of battle_,
1607; äfter wälnîðe, _in consequence of mortal enmity_, 85; _in accordance
with, on account of, after, about_: äfter äðelum (hæleþum, MS.)frägn,
_asked about the descent_, 332; ne frin þu äfter sælum, _ask not after my
welfare_, 1323; äfter sincgyfan greóteð, _weeps for the giver of treasure_,
1343; him äfter deórum men dyrne langað, _longs in secret for the dear
man_, 1880; ân äfter ânum, _one for the other_, 2462, etc.--3) (local),
_along_: äfter gumcynnum, _throughout the races of men, among men_, 945;
sôhte bed äfter bûrum, _sought a bed among the rooms of the castle_ (the
castle was fortified, the hall was not), 140; äfter recede wlât, _looked
along the hall_, 1573; stone äfter stâne, _smelt along the rocks_, 2289;
äfter lyfte, _along the air through the air_, 2833; similarly, 996, 1068,
1317, etc.
äf-þunca, w. m., _anger, chagrin, vexatious affair_: nom., 502.
äglæcea. See aglæcea.
äled (Old Sax. eld, O.N. edl-r), st. m., _fire_, 3016. [æled.]
äled-leóma, w. m., _(fire-light), torch_: acc. sg. leóman, 3126. See leóma.
äl-fylce (from äl-, Goth. ali-s, [Greek: allos], and fylce, O.N. fylki,
collective form from folc), st. n., _other folk, hostile army_: dat. pl.
wið älfylcum, 2372.
äl-mihtig (for eal-m.), adj., _almighty_: nom. sg. m., of the weak form, se
äl-mihtiga, 92.
äl-wiht, st. m., _being of another species, monster_: gen. pl. äl-wihta
eard, of the dwelling-place of Grendel's kindred, 1501.
äppel-fealu, adj., _dappled sorrel_, or _apple-yellow_: nom. pl.
äppel-fealuwe mearas, _apple-yellow steeds_, 2166.
ärn, st. n., _house_, in the compounds heal-, hord-, medo-, þryð-, win-ärn.
äsc, st. m., _ash_ (does not occur in Beówulf in this sense), _lance,
spear_, because the shaft consists of ash wood: dat. pl. (quâ instr.) äscum
and ecgum, _with spears and swords_, 1773.
äsc-holt, st. n., _ash wood, ashen shaft_: nom. pl. äsc-holt ufan græg,
_the ashen shafts gray above_ (spears with iron points), 330.
äsc-wîga, w. m., _spear-fighter, warrior armed with the spear_: nom. sg.,
2043.
ät, prep. w. dat., with the fundamental meaning of nearness to something,
hence 1) local, a) _with, near, at, on, in_ (rest): ät hýðe, in _harbor_,
32; ät symle, _at the meal_, 81, ät âde, _on the funeral-pile_, 1111, 1115;
ät þe ânum, _with thee alone_, 1378; ät wîge, _in the fight_, 1338; ät
hilde, 1660, 2682; ät æte, _in eating_, 3027, etc. b) _to, towards, at, on_
(motion to): deáðes wylm hrân ät heortan, _seized upon the heart_, 2271;
gehêton ät härgtrafum, _vowed at_ (or _to_) _the temples of the gods_, 175.
c) with verbs of taking away, _away from_ (as starting from near an
object): geþeah þät ful ät Wealhþeón, _took the cup from W_., 630; fela ic
gebâd grynna ät Grendle, _from Grendel_, 931; ät mînum fäder genam, _took
me from my father to himself_, 2430.--2) temporal, _at, in, at the time
of_: ät frumsceafte, _in the beginning_, 45; ät ende, _at an end_, 224;
fand sînne dryhten ealdres ät ende, _at the end of life, dying_, 2791;
similarly, 2823; ät feohgyftum, _in giving gifts_, 1090; ät sîðestan,
_finally_, 3014.
ät-græpe, adj., _laying hold of_, prehendens, 1270.
ät-rihte, adv., _almost_, 1658.
Æ
ædre, êdre, st. f., _aqueduct, canal_ (not in Beów.), _vein_ (not in
Beów.), _stream, violent pouring forth_: dat. pl. swât ædrum sprong, _the
blood sprang in streams_, 2967; blôd êdrum dranc, _drank the blood in
streams_(?), 743.
æðm, st. m., _breath, gasp, snort_: instr. sg. hreðer æðme weóll, _the
breast_ (of the drake) _heaved with snorting_, 2594.
æfen, st. m., _evening_, 1236.
æfen-gram, adj., _hostile at evening, night-enemy_: nom. sg. m. æfen-grom,
of Grendel, 2075.
æfen-leóht, st. n., _evening-light_: nom. sg., 413.
æfen-räst, st. f., _evening-rest_: acc. sg. -räste, 647, 1253.
æfen-spræc, st. f., _evening-talk_: acc. sg. gemunde ...æfen-spræce,
_thought about what he had spoken in the evening_, 760.
æfre, adv., _ever, at any time_, 70, 280, 504, 693, etc.: in negative
sentences, æfre ne, _never_, 2601.--Comp. næfre.
æg-hwâ (O.H.G. êo-ga-hwër), pron., _every, each_: dat. sg. æghwæm, 1385.
The gen. sg. in adverbial sense, _in all, throughout, thoroughly_: æghwäs
untæle, _thoroughly blameless_, 1866; æghwäs unrîm, _entirely innumerable
quantity_, i.e. an enormous multitude, 2625, 3136.
æg-hwäðer (O.H.G. êo-ga-hwëdar): 1) _each_ (of two): nom. sg. häfde
æghwäðer ende gefêred, _each of the two_ (Beówulf and the drake) _had
reached the end_, 2845; dat. sg. æghwäðrum wäs brôga fram ôðrum, _to each
of the two_ (Beówulf and the drake) _was fear of the other_, 2565; gen. sg.
æghwäðres ... worda and worca, 287.--2) _each_ (of several): dat. sg. heora
æghwäðrum, 1637.
æg-hwær, adv., _everywhere_, 1060.
æg-hwilc (O.H.G. êo-gi-hwëlih), pron., unusquisque, _every_ (one): 1) used
as an adj.: acc. sg. m. dæl æghwylcne, 622.--2) as substantive, a) with the
partitive genitive: nom. sg. æg-hwylc, 9, 2888; dat. sg. æghwylcum, 1051.
b) without gen.: nom. sg. æghwylc, 985, 988; (wäs) æghwylc ôðrum trýwe,
_each one_ (of two) _true to the other_, 1166.
æg-weard, st. f., _watch on the sea shore_: acc. sg. æg-wearde, 241.
æht (abstract form from âgan, denoting the state of possessing), st. f.: 1)
_possession, power_: acc. sg. on flôdes æht, 42; on wäteres æht, _into the
power of the water_, 516; on æht gehwearf Denigea freán, _passed over into
the possession of a Danish master_, 1680.--2) _property, possessions,
goods_: acc. pl. æhte, 2249.--Comp. mâðm-, gold-æht.
æht (O.H.G. âhta), st. f., _pursuit_: nom. þâ wäs æht boden Sweona leódum,
segn Higelâce, _then was pursuit offered to the people of the Sweonas,
(their) banner to Hygelâc_ (i.e. the banner of the Swedes, taken during
their flight, fell into the hands of Hygelâc), 2958.
ge-æhtan, w. v., _to prize, to speak in praise of_: pret. part. geæhted,
1866. [geähtan.]
ge-æhtla, w. m., or ge-æhtle, w. f., _a speaking of with praise, high
esteem_: gen. sg. hy ... wyrðe þinceað eorla geæhtlan, _seem worthy of the
high esteem of the noble-born_, 369. [geähtla.]
æn (oblique form of ân), num., _one_: acc. sg. m. þone ænne þone..., _the
one whom_..., 1054; oftor micle þonne on ænne sîð, _much oftener than one
time_, 1580; forð onsendon ænne, _sent him forth alone_, 46.
æne, adv., _once_: oft nalles æne, 3020.
ænig, pron., _one, any one_, 474, 503, 510, 534, etc.: instr. sg. nolde ...
0nige þinga, _would in no way, not at all_, 792; lyt ænig mearn, _little
did any one sorrow_ (i.e. no one), 3130.--With the article: näs se
folccyning ... ænig, _no people's king_, 2735.--Comp. nænig.
æn-lîc, adj., _alone, excellent, distinguished_: ænlîc ansýn,
_distinguished appearance_, 251; þeáh þe hió ænlîcu sý, _though she be
beautiful_, 1942.
ær (comparative form, from â): 1) adv., _sooner, before, beforehand_, 15,
656, 695, 758, etc., _for a long time_, 2596; eft swâ ær, _again as
formerly_, 643; ær ne siððan, _neither sooner nor later_, 719; ær and sîð,
_sooner and later_ (all times), 2501; nô þý ær (_not so much the sooner_),
_yet not_, 755, 1503, 2082, 2161, 2467.--2) conjunct., _before, ere_: a)
with the ind.: ær hió tô setle geóng, 2020. b) w. subjunc.: ær ge fyr
fêran, _before you travel farther_, 252; ær he on hwurfe 164, so 677, 2819;
ær þon däg cwôme, _ere the day break_, 732; ær correlative to ær adv.: ær
he feorh seleð, aldor an ôfre, ær he wille ..., _he will sooner_ (rather)
_leave his life upon the shore, before_ (than) _he will_ ..., 1372.--3)
prepos. with dat., _before_ ær deáðe, _before death_, 1389; ær däges hwîle,
_before daybreak_, 2321; ær swylt-däge, _before the day of death_, 2799.
æror, comp. adv., _sooner, before-hand_, 810; _formerly_, 2655.
ærra, comp. adj., _earlier_; instr. pl., ærran mælum, _in former times_,
908, 2238, 3036.
ærest, superl.: 1) adv., _first of all, foremost_, 6, 617, 1698, etc.--2)
as subst. n., _relation to, the beginning_: acc. þät ic his ærest þe eft
gesägde (_to tell thee in what relation it stood at first to the coat of
mail that has been presented_), 2158. See Note.
ær-däg, st. m. (_before-day_), _morning-twilight, gray of morning_: dat.
sg. mid ærdäge, 126; samod ærdäge, 1312, 2943.
ærende, st. n., _errand, trust_: acc. sg., 270, 345.
ær-fäder, st. m., _late father, deceased father_: nom sg. swâ his ærfäder,
2623.
ær-gestreón, st. n., _old treasure, possessions dating from old times_: acc
sg., 1758; gen. sg. swylcra fela ærgestreóna, _much of such old treasure_,
2233. See gestreón.
ær-geweorc, st. n., _work dating from old times_: nom. sg. enta ær-geweorc,
_the old work of the giants_ (of the golden sword-hilt from Grendel's
water-hall), 1680. See geweorc.
ær-gôd, adj., _good since old times, long invested with dignity_ or
_advantages_: äðeling ærgôd, 130; (eorl) ærgôd, 1330; îren ærgôd
(_excellent sword_), 990, 2587.
ær-wela, w. m., _old possessions, riches dating from old times_: acc. sg.
ærwelan, 2748. See wela.
æs, st. n., _carcass, carrion_: dat. (instr.) sg. æse, of Äschere's corpse,
1333.
æt, st. m., _food, meat_: dat, sg., hû him ät æte speów, _how he fared well
at meat_, 3027.
ættren (see âttor), adj., _poisonous_: wäs þät blôd tô þäs hât, ættren
ellorgâst, se ær inne swealt, _so hot was the blood, (and) poisonous the
demon_ (Grendel's mother) _who died therein_, 1618
B
bana, bona, w. m., _murderer_, 158, 588, 1103, etc.: acc. sg. bonan
Ongenþeówes, of Hygelâc, although in reality his men slew Ongenþeów (2965
ff.), 1969. Figuratively of inanimate objects: ne wäs ecg bona, 2507; wearð
wracu Weohstânes bana, 2614.--Comp.: ecg-, feorh-, gâst-, hand-, mûð-bana.
bon-gâr, st. m. _murdering spear_, 2032.
ge-bannan, st. v. w. acc. of the thing and dat. of the person, _to command,
to bid_: inf., 74.
bâd, st. f., _pledge_, only in comp.: nýd-bâd.
bân, st. n., _bone_: dat. sg. on bâne (on the bony skin of the drake),
2579; dat. pl. heals ealne ymbefêng biteran bânum (here of the teeth of the
drake), 2693.
bân-côfa, w. m., "cubile ossium" (Grimm) of the body: dat. sg. -côfan,
1446.
bân-fâg, adj., _variegated with bones_, either with ornaments made of
bone-work, or adorned with bone, perhaps deer-antlers; of Hrôðgâr's hall,
781. The last meaning seems the more probable.
bân-fät, st. n., _bone-vessel_, i.e. the body: acc. pl. bân-fatu, 1117.
bân-hring, st. m., _the bone-structure, joint, bone-joint_: acc. pl. hire
wið halse ... bânhringas bräc (_broke her neck-joint_), 1568.
bân-hûs, st. n., _bone-house_, i.e. the body: acc. sg. bânhûs gebräc, 2509;
similarly, 3148.
bân-loca, w. m., _the enclosure of the bones_, i.e. the body: acc. sg. bât
bânlocan, _bit the body_, 743; nom. pl. burston bânlocan, _the body burst_
(of Grendel, because his arm was torn out), 819.
bât, st. m., _boat, craft, ship_, 211.--Comp. sæ-bât.
bât-weard, st. m., _boat-watcher, he who keeps watch over the craft._ dat.
sg. -wearde, 1901.
bäð, st. n., _bath_: acc. sg. ofer ganotes bäð, _over the diver's bath_
(i.e. the sea), 1862.
bärnan, w. v., _to cause to burn, to burn_: inf. hêt ... bânfatu bärnan,
_bade that the bodies be burned_, 1117; ongan ... beorht hofu bärnan,
_began to consume the splendid country-seats_ (the dragon), 2314.
for-bärnan, w. v., _consume with fire_: inf. hy hine ne môston ...
brondefor-bärnan, _they_ (the Danes) _could not burn him_ (the dead
Äschere) _upon the funeral-pile_, 2127.
bædan (Goth, baidjan, O.N. beðia), _to incite, to encourage_: pret. bædde
byre geonge, _encouraged the youths_ (at the banquet), 2019.
ge-bædan, w. v., _to press hard_: pret. part. bysigum gebæded, _distressed
by trouble, difficulty, danger_ (of battle), 2581; _to drive, to send
forth_: stræla storm strengum gebæded, _the storm of arrows sent with
strength_, 3118; _overcome_: draca ... bealwe gebæded, _the dragon ...
overcome by the ills of battle_, 2827.
bæl (O.N. bâl), st. n., _fire, flames_: (wyrm) mid bæle fôr, _passed
(through the air) with fire_, 2309; häfde landwara lîge befangan, bæle and
bronde, _with fire and burning_, 2323.--Especially, _the fire of the
funeral-pile, the funeral-pile_, 1110, 1117, 2127; ær he bæl cure, _ere he
sought the burning_ (i.e. died), 2819; hâtað ... hlæw gewyrcean ... äfter
bæle, _after I am burned, let a burial mound be thrown up_ (Beówulf's
words), 2804.
bæl-fýr, st. n., _bale-fire, fire of the funeral-pile_: gen. pl. bælfýra
mæst, 3144.
bæl-stede, st. m., _place for the funeral-pile_: dat. sg. in bæl=stede,
3098.
bæl-wudu, st. m., _wood for the funeral-pile_, 3113.
bær, st. f., _bier_, 3106.
ge-bæran, w. v., _to conduct one's self, behave_: inf. w. adv., ne gefrägen
ic þâ mægðe ... sêl gebæran, _I did not hear that a troop bore itself
better, maintained a nobler deportment_, 1013; he on eorðan geseah þone
leófestan lîfes ät ende bleáte gebæran, _saw the best-beloved upon the
earth, at the end of his life, struggling miserably_ (i.e. in a helpless
situation), 2825.
ge-bætan (denominative from bæte, _the bit_), w. v., _to place the bit in
the mouth of an animal, to bridle_: pret. part. þâ wäs Hrôðgâre hors
gebæted, 1400.
be, prep. w. dat. (with the fundamental meaning _near_, "but not of one
direction, as ät, but more general"): 1) local, _near by, near, at, on_
(rest): be ýdlâfe uppe lægon, _lay above, upon the deposit of the waves_
(upon the strand, of the slain nixies), 566; häfde be honda, _held by the
hand_ (Beówulf held Grendel), 815; be sæm tweonum, _in the circuit of both
the seas_, 859, 1686; be mäste, _on the mast_, 1906; by fýre, _by the
fire_, 2220; be nässe, _at the promontory_, 2244; sät be þæm gebrôðrum
twæm, _sat by the two brothers_, 1192; wäs se gryre lässa efne swâ micle
swâ bið mägða cräft be wæpnedmen, _the terror was just so much less, as is
the strength of woman to the warrior_ (i.e. is valued by), 1285, etc.--2)
also local, but of motion from the subject in the direction of the object,
_on, upon, by_: gefêng be eaxle, _seized by the shoulder_, 1538; âlêdon
leófne þeóden be mäste, _laid the dear lord near the mast_, 36; be healse
genam, _took him by the neck, fell upon his neck_, 1873; wæpen hafenade be
hiltum, _grasped the weapon by the hilt_, 1757, etc.--3) with this is
connected the causal force, _on account of, for, according to_: ic þis gid
be þe âwräc, _I spake this solemn speech for thee, for thy sake_, 1724; þû
þe lær be þon, _learn according to this, from this_, 1723; be fäder lâre,
_according to her father's direction_, 1951.--4) temporal, _while, during_:
be þe lifigendum, _while thou livest, during thy life_, 2666. See bî.
bed, st. n., _bed, couch_: acc. sg. bed, 140, 677; gen. sg. beddes, 1792;
dat. pl. beddum, 1241.--Comp: deað-, hlin-, läger-, morðor-, wäl-bed.
ge-bedde, w. f., _bed-fellow_: dat. sg. wolde sêcan ewên tô gebeddan,
_wished to seek the queen as bed-fellow, to go to bed with her_,
666.--Comp. heals-gebedde.
begen, fem. bâ, _both_: nom. m., 536, 770, 2708; acc. fem. on bâ healfa,
_on two sides_ (i.e. Grendel and his mother), 1306; dat. m. bâm, 2197; and
in connection with the possessive instead of the personal pronoun, ûrum
bâm, 2661; gen. n. bega, 1874, 2896; bega gehwäðres, _each one of the two_,
1044; bega folces, of _both peoples_, 1125.
ge-belgan, st. v. (properly, _to cause to swell, to swell_), _to irritate_:
w. dat. (pret. subj.) þät he êcean dryhtne bitre gebulge, _that he had
bitterly angered the eternal Lord_, 2332; pret. part. gebolgen, 1540;
(gebolge, MS.), 2222; pl. gebolgne, 1432; more according to the original
meaning in torne gebolgen, 2402.
â-belgan, _to anger_: pret. sg. w. acc. ôð þät hyne ân âbealh mon on môde,
_till a man angered him in his heart_, 2281; pret. part. âbolgen, 724.
ben, st. f., _wound_: acc. sg. benne, 2725.--Comp.: feorh-, seax-ben.
benc, st. f., _bench_: nom. sg. benc, 492; dat. sg. bence, 327, 1014, 1189,
1244.--Comp.: ealu-, medu-benc.
benc-swêg, st. m., (_bench-rejoicing_), _rejoicing which resounds from the
benches_, 1162.
benc-þel, st. n., _bench-board, the wainscotted space where the benches
stand_: nom. pl. benc-þelu, 486; acc. pl. bencþelu beredon, _cleared the
bench-boards_ (i.e. by taking away the benches, so as to prepare couches),
1240.
bend, st. m. f., _bond, fetter_: acc. sg. forstes bend, _frost's bond_,
1610; dat. pl. bendum, 978.--Comp.: fýr-, hell-, hyge-, îren-, oncer-,
searo-, wäl-bend.
ben-geat, st. n., (_wound-gate_), _wound-opening_: nom. pl. ben-geato,
1122.
bera (O.N. beri), w. m., _bearer_: in comp. hleor-bera.
beran, st. v. w. acc., _to carry_; III. sg. pres. byreð, 296, 448; þone
mâððum byreð, _carries the treasure_ (upon his person), 2056; pres. subj.
bere, 437; pl. beren, 2654; inf. beran, 48, 231, 291, etc.; hêht þâ se
hearda Hrunting beran, _to bring Hrunting_, 1808; up beran, 1921; in beran,
2153; pret. bär, 495, 712, 847, etc.; mandryhtne bär fäted wæge, _brought
the lord the costly vessel_, 2282; pl. bæron, 213, 1636, etc.; bæran, 2851;
pret. part. boren, 1193, 1648, 3136.--The following expressions are poetic
paraphrases of the forms _go, come_: þät we rondas beren eft tô earde,
2654; gewîtað forð beran wæpen and gewædu, 291; ic gefrägn sunu Wihstânes
hringnet beran, 2755; wîgheafolan bär, 2662; helmas bæron, 240
(conjecture); scyldas bæran, 2851: they lay stress upon the connection of
the man with his weapons.
ät-beran, _to carry to_: inf. tô beadulâce (_battle_) ätberan, 1562; pret.
þâ hine on morgentîd on Heaðoræmas holm up ätbär, _the sea bore him up to
the Heaðoræmas_, 519; hió Beówulfe medoful ätbär _brought Beówulf the
mead-cup_, 625; mägenbyrðenne ... hider ût ätbär cyninge mînum, _bore the
great burden hither to my king_, 3093; pl. hî hyne ätbæron tô brimes
faroðe, 28.
for-beran, _to hold, to suppress_: inf. þät he þone breóstwylm forberan ne
mehte, _that he could not suppress the emotions of his breast_, 1878.
ge-beran, _to bring forth, to bear_: pret. part. þät lâ mäg secgan se þe
sôð and riht fremeð on folce ... þät þes eorl wære geboren betera (_that
may every just man of the people say, that this nobleman is better born_),
1704.
ôð-beran, _to bring hither_: pret. þâ mec sæ ôðbär on Finna land, 579.
on-beran (O.H.G. in bëran, intpëran, but in the sense of carere), auferre,
_to carry off, to take away_: inf. îren ærgôd þät þäs ahlæcan blôdge
beadufolme onberan wolde, _excellent sword which would sweep off the bloody
hand of the demon_, 991; pret. part. (wäs) onboren beága hord, _the
treasure of the rings had been carried off_, 2285.--Compounds with the
pres. part.: helm-, sâwl-berend.
berian (denominative from bär, _naked_), w. v., _to make bare, to clear_:
pret. pl. bencþelu beredon, _cleared the bench-place_ (by removing the
benches), 1240.
berstan, st. v., _to break, to burst_: pret. pl. burston bânlocan, 819;
bengeato burston, 1122.--_to crack, to make the noise of breaking_: fingras
burston, _the fingers cracked_ (from Beówulf's gripe), 761.
for-berstan, _break, to fly asunder_: pret. Nägling forbärst, _Nägling_
(Beówulf's sword) _broke in two_, 2681.
betera, adj. (comp.), _better_: nom. sg. m. betera, 469, 1704.
bet-lîc, adj., _excellent, splendid_: nom. sg. n., of Hrôðgâr's hall, 781;
of Hygelâc's residence, 1926.
betst, betost (superl.), _best, the best_: nom. sg. m. betst beadurinca,
1110; neut. nu is ôfost betost, þät we ..., _now is haste the best, that
we..._, 3008; voc. m. secg betsta, 948; neut. acc. beaduscrûda betst, 453;
acc. sg. m. þegn betstan, 1872.
bêcn, st. n., _(beacon), token, mark, sign_: acc. sg. betimbredon
beadu-rôfes bêcn (of Beówulf's grave-mound), 3162. See beacen.
bêg. See beág.
bên, st. f., _entreaty_: gen. sg. bêne, 428, 2285.
bêna, w. m., _suppliant_, supplex: nom. sg. swâ þu bêna eart (_as thou
entreatest_), 352; swâ he bêna wäs (_as he had asked_), 3141; nom. pl. hy
bênan synt, 364.
ge-betan: 1) _to make good, to remove_: pret. ac þu Hrôðgâre wîdcûðne weán
wihte gebêttest, _hast thou in any way relieved Hrôðgâr of the evil known
afar_, 1992; pret. part. acc. sg. swylce oncýððe ealle gebêtte, _removed
all trouble_, 831. --2) _to avenge_: inf. wihte ne meahte on þam feorhbonan
fæhðe gebêtan, _could in no way avenge the death upon the slayer_, 2466.
beadu, st. f., _battle, strife, combat_: dat. sg. (as instr.) beadwe, _in
combat_, 1540; gen. pl. bâd beadwa ge-þinges, _waited for the combats_
(with Grendel) _that were in store for him_, 710.
beadu-folm, st. f., _battle-hand_: acc. sg. -folme, of Grendel's hand, 991.
beado-grîma, w. m., _(battle-mask), helmet_: acc. pl. -grîman, 2258.
beado-hrägl, st. n., _(battle-garment), corselet, shirt of mail_, 552.
beadu-lâc, st. n., (_exercise in arms, tilting_), _combat, battle_: dat.
sg. tô beadu-lâce, 1562.
beado-leóma, w. m., (_battle-light_), _sword_: nom. sg., 1524.
beado-mêce, st. m., _battle-sword_: nom. pl. beado-mêcas, 1455.
beado-rinc, st. m., _battle-hero, warrior_: gen. pl. betst beadorinca,
1110.
beadu-rôf, adj., _strong in battle_: gen. sg. -rôfes, of Beówulf, 3162.
beadu-rûn, st. f., _mystery of battle_: acc. sg. onband beadu-rûne, _solved
the mystery of the combat_, i.e. gave battle, commenced the fight, 501.
beadu-scearp, adj., _battle-sharp, sharp for the battle_, 2705.
beadu-scrûd, st. n., (_battle-dress_), _corselet, shirt of mail_: gen. pl.
beaduscrûda betst, 453.
beadu-serce, w. f., (_battle-garment_), _corselet, shirt of mail_: acc. sg.
brogdne beadu-sercean (because it consists of interlaced metal rings),
2756.
beado-weorc, st. n., (_battle-work_), _battle_: gen. sg. gefeh
beado-weorces, _rejoiced at the battle_, 2300.
beald, adj., _bold, brave_: in comp. cyning-beald.
bealdian, w. v., _to show one's self brave_: pret. bealdode gôdum dædum
(_through brave deeds_), 2178.
bealdor, st. m., _lord, prince_: nom. sg. sinca baldor, 2429; winia
bealdor, 2568.
bealu, st. n., _evil, ruin, destruction_: instr. sg. bealwe, 2827; gen. pl.
bealuwa, 281; bealewa, 2083; bealwa, 910.--Comp.: cwealm-, ealdor-,
hreðer-, leód-, morðor-, niht-, sweord-, wîg-bealu.
bealu, adj., _deadly, dangerous, bad_: instr. sg. hyne sâr hafað befongen
balwon bendum, _pain has entwined him in deadly bands_, 978.
bealo-cwealm, st. m., _violent death, death by the sword_(?), 2266.
bealo-hycgende, pres. part., _thinking of death, meditating destruction_:
gen. pl. æghwäðrum bealo-hycgendra, 2566.
bealo-hydig, adj., _thinking of death, meditating destruction_: of Grendel,
724.
bealo-nîð, st. m., (_zeal for destruction_), _deadly enmity_: nom. sg.,
2405; _destructive struggle_: acc. sg. bebeorh þe þone bealonîð, _beware of
destructive striving_, 1759; _death-bringing rage_: nom. sg. him on
breóstum bealo-nîð weóll, _in his breast raged deadly fury_ (of the
dragon's poison), 2715.
bearhtm (see beorht): 1) st. m., _splendor, brightness, clearness_: nom.
sg. eágena bearhtm, 1767.--2) _sound, tone_: acc. sg. bearhtm ongeâton,
gûðhorn galan, _they heard the sound, (heard) the battle-horn sound_, 1432.
bearm, m., gremium, sinus, _lap, bosom_: nom. sg. foldan bearm, 1138; acc.
sg. on bearm scipes, 35, 897; on bearm nacan, 214; him on bearm hladan
bunan and discas, 2776.--2) figuratively, _possession, property_, because
things bestowed were placed in the lap of the receiver (1145 and 2195, on
bearm licgan, âlecgan); dat. sg. him tô bearme cwom mâððumfät mære, _came
into his possession_, 2405.
bearn, st. n., 1) _child, son_: nom. sg. bearn Healfdenes, 469, etc.;
Ecglâfes bearn, 499, etc.; dat. sg. bearne, 2371; nom. pl. bearn, 59; dat.
pl. bearnum, 1075.--2) in a broader sense, _scion, offspring, descendant_:
nom. sg. Ongenþeów's bearn, of his grandson, 2388; nom. pl. yldo. bearn,
70; gumena bearn, _children of men_, 879; häleða bearn, 1190; äðelinga
bearn, 3172; acc. pl. ofer ylda bearn, 606; dat. pl. ylda bearnum, 150;
gen. pl. niðða bearna, 1006.--Comp.: brôðor-, dryht-bearn.
bearn-gebyrdu, f., _birth, birth of a son_: gen. sg. þät hyre ealdmetod
êste wære bearn-gebyrdo, _has been gracious through the birth of such a
son_ (i.e. as Beówulf), 947.
bearu, st. m., (_the bearer_, hence properly only the fruit-tree,
especially the oak and the beech), _tree_, collectively _forest_: nom. pl.
hrîmge bearwas, _rime-covered_ or _ice-clad_, 1364.
beácen, st. n., _sign, banner_, vexillum: nom. sg. beorht beácen godes, _of
the sun_, 570; gen. pl. beácna beorhtost, 2778. See bêcn.
ge-beácnian, w. v., _to mark, to indicate_: pret. part. ge-beácnod, 140.
beág, st. m., _ring, ornament_: nom. sg. beáh (_neck-ring_), 1212; acc. sg.
beáh (the collar of the murdered king of the Heaðobeardnas), 2042; bêg
(collective for the acc. pl.), 3165; dat. sg. cwom Wealhþeó forð gân under
gyldnum beáge, _she walked along under a golden head-ring, wore a golden
diadem_, 1164; gen. sg. beáges (of a collar), 1217; acc. pl. beágas (rings
in general), 80, 523, etc.; gen. pl. beága, 35, 352, 1488, 2285, etc.--
Comp.: earm-, heals-beág.
beág-gyfa, w. m., _ring-giver_, designation of the prince: gen. sg. -gyfan,
1103.
beág-hroden, adj., _adorned with rings, ornamented with clasps_: nom. sg.
beághroden, cwên, of Hrôðgâr's consort, perhaps with reference to her
diadem (cf. 1164), 624.
beáh-hord, st. m. n., _ring-hoard, treasure consisting of rings_: gen. sg.
beáh-hordes, 895; dat. pl. beáh-hordum, 2827; gen. pl. beáh-horda weard, of
King Hrôðgâr, 922.
beáh-sele, st. m., _ring-hall, hall in which the rings were distributed_:
nom. sg., of Heorot, 1178.
beáh-þegu, st. f., _the receiving of the ring_: dat. sg. äfter beáh-þege,
2177.
beáh-wriða, w. m. _ring-band_, ring with prominence given to its having the
form of a band: acc. sg. beáh-wriðan, 2019.
beám, st. m., _tree_, only in the compounds fyrgen-, gleó-beám.
beátan, st. v., _thrust, strike_: pres. sg. mearh burhstede beáteð, _the
steed beats the castle-ground_ (place where the castle is built), i.e. with
his hoofs, 2266; pret. part. swealt bille ge-beáten, _died, struck by the
battle-axe_, 2360.
beorh, st. m.: 1) _mountain, rock_: dat. sg. beorge, 211; gen. sg. beorges,
2525, 2756; acc. pl. beorgas, 222.--2) _grave-mound, tomb-hill_: acc. sg.
biorh, 2808; beorh, 3098, 3165. A grave-mound serves the drake as a retreat
(cf. 2277, 2412): nom. sg. beorh, 2242; gen. sg. beorges, 2323.--Comp.
stân-beorh.
beorh, st. f., _veil, covering, cap_; only in the comp. heáfod-beorh.
beorgan, st. v. (w. dat. of the interested person or thing), _to save, to
shield_: inf. wolde feore beorgan, _place her life in safety_, 1294;
here-byrne ... seó þe bâncôfan beorgan cûðe, _which could protect his
body_, 1446; pret. pl. ealdre burgan, 2600.
be-beorgan (w. dat. refl. of pers. and acc. of the thing), _to take care,
to defend one's self from_: inf. him be-beorgan ne con wom, _cannot keep
himself from stain_ (fault), 1747; imp. bebeorh þe þone bealontð, 1759.
ge-beorgan (w, dat. of person or thing to be saved), _to save, to protect_:
pret. sg. þät gebearh feore, _protected the life_, 1549; scyld wel gebearg
lîfe and lîce, 2571.
ymb-beorgan, _to surround protectingly_: pret. sg. bring ûtan ymb-bearh,
1504.
beorht, byrht, adj.: 1) _gleaming, shining, radiant, shimmering_: nom. sg.
beorht, of the sun, 570, 1803; beorhta, of Heorot, 1178; þät beorhte bold,
998; acc. sg. beorhtne, of Beówulf's grave-mound, 2804; dat. sg. tô þære
byrhtan (here-byrhtan, MS.) byrig, 1200; acc. pl. beorhte frätwe, 214, 897;
beorhte randas, 231; bordwudu beorhtan, 1244; n. beorht hofu, 2314.
Superl.: beácna beorhtost, 2778. --2) _excellent, remarkable_: gen. sg.
beorhtre bôte, 158. --Comp.: sadol-, wlite-beorht.
beorhte, adv., _brilliantly, brightly, radiantly_, 1518.
beorhtian, w. v., _to sound clearly_: pret. sg. beorhtode benc-swêg, 1162.
beorn, st. m., _hero, warrior, noble man_: nom. sg. (Hrôðgâr), 1881,
(Beówulf), 2434, etc.; acc. sg. (Beów.), 1025, (Äschere), 1300; dat. sg.
beorne, 2261; nom. pl. beornas (Beówulf and his companions), 211,
(Hrôðgâr's guests), 857; gen. pl. biorna (Beówulf's liege-men),
2405.--Comp.: folc-, gûð-beorn.
beornan, st. v., _to burn_: pres. part. byrnende (of the drake),
2273.--Comp. un-byrnende.
for-beornan, _to be consumed, to burn_: pret. sg. for-barn, 1617, 1668;
for-born, 2673.
ge-beornan, _to be burned_: pret. gebarn, 2698.
beorn-cyning, st. m., _king of warriors, king of heroes_: nom. sg. (as
voc.), 2149.
beódan, st. v.: 1) _to announce, to inform, to make known_: inf. biódan,
2893.--2) _to offer, to proffer_ (as the notifying of a transaction in
direct reference to the person concerned in it): pret. pl. him geþingo
budon, _offered them an agreement_, 1086; pret. part. þâ wäs æht boden
Sweona leódum, _then was pursuit offered the Swedish people_, 2958; inf. ic
þäm gôdan sceal mâðmas beódan, _I shall offer the excellent man treasures_,
385.
â-beódan, _to present, to announce_: pret. word inne âbeád, _made known the
words within_, 390; _to offer, to tender, to wish_: pret. him hæl âbeád,
_wished him health_ (greeted him), 654. Similarly, hælo âbeád, 2419; eoton
weard âbeád, _offered the giant a watcher_, 669.
be-beódan, _to command, to order_: pret. swâ him se hearda bebeád, _as the
strong man commanded them_, 401. Similarly, swâ se rîca bebeád, 1976.
ge-beódan: 1) _to command, to order_: inf. hêt þâ gebeódan byre Wihstânes
häleða monegum, þät hie..., _the son of Wihstan caused orders to be given
to many of the men..._, 3111.--2) _to offer_: him Hygd gebeád hord and
rîce, _offered him the treasure and the chief power_, 2370; inf. gûðe
gebeódan, _to offer battle_, 604.
beód-geneát, st. m., _table-companion_: nom. and acc. pl. geneátas, 343,
1714.
beón, verb, _to be_, generally in the future sense, _will be_: pres. sg. I.
gûðgeweorca ic beó gearo sôna, _I shall immediately be ready for warlike
deeds_, 1826; sg. III. wâ bið þäm þe sceal..., _woe to him who_...! 183;
so, 186; gifeðe bið is given, 299; ne bið þe wilna gâd (_no wish will be
denied thee_), 661; þær þe bið manna þearf, _if thou shalt need the
warriors_, 1836; ne bið swylc cwênlîc þeáw, _is not becoming, honorable to
a woman_, 1941; eft sôna bið _will happen directly_, 1763; similarly, 1768,
etc.; pl. þonne bióð brocene, _then are broken_, 2064; feor cýððe beóð
sêlran gesôhte þam þe..., "terrae longinquae meliores sunt visitatu ei
qui..." (Grein), 1839; imp. beó (bió) þu on ôfeste, _hasten!_ 386, 2748;
beó wið Geátas gläd, _be gracious to the Geátas_, 1174.
beór, st. n., _beer_: dat. sg. ät beóre, _at beer-drinking_, 2042; instr.
sg. beóre druncen, 531; beóre druncne, 480.
beór-scealc, st. m., _keeper of the beer, cup-bearer_: gen. pl.
beór-scealca sum (one of Hrôðgâr's followers, because they served the
Geátas at meals), 1241.
beór-sele, st. m., _beer-hall, hall in which beer is drunk_: dat. sg. in
(on) beórsele, 482, 492, 1095; biórsele, 2636.
beór-þegu, st. f., _beer-drinking, beer-banquet_: dat. sg. äfter beórþege,
117; ät þære beórþege, 618.
beót, st. n., _promise, binding agreement to something that is to be
undertaken_: acc. sg. he beót ne âlêh, _did not break his pledge_, 80; beót
eal ... gelæste, _performed all that he had pledged himself to_, 523.
ge-beótian, w. v., _to pledge one's self to an undertaking, to bind one's
self_: pret. gebeótedon, 480, 536.
beót-word, st. n., same as beót: dat. pl. beót-wordum spräc, 2511.
biddan, st. v., _to beg, to ask, to pray_: pres. sg. I. dôð swâ ic bidde!
1232; inf. (w. acc. of the pers. and gen. of the thing asked for) ic þe
biddan wille ânre bêne, _beg thee for one_, 427; pret. swâ he selfa bäd,
_as he himself had requested_, 29; bäd hine blîðne (supply wesan) ät þære
beórþege, _begged him to be cheerful at the beer-banquet_, 618; ic þe lange
bäd þät þu..., _begged you a long time that you_, 1995; frioðowære bäd
hlâford sînne, _begged his lord for protection_ (acc. of pers. and gen. of
thing), 2283; bäd þät ge geworhton, _asked that you_..., 3097; pl. wordum
bædon þät..., 176.
on-bidian, w. v., _to await_: inf. lætað hilde-bord her onbidian ... worda
geþinges, _let the shields await here the result of the conference_ (lay
the shields aside here), 397.
bil, st. n. _sword_: nom. sg. bil, 1568; bill, 2778; acc. sg. bil, 1558;
instr. sg. bille, 2360; gen. sg. billes, 2061, etc.; instr. pl. billum, 40;
gen. pl. billa, 583, 1145.--Comp.: gûð-, hilde-, wîg-bil.
bindan, st. v., _to bind, to tie_: pret. part. acc. sg. wudu bundenne, _the
bound wood_, i.e. the built ship, 216; bunden golde swurd, _a sword bound
with gold_, i.e. either having its hilt inlaid with gold, or having gold
chains upon the hilt (swords of both kinds have been found), 1901; nom. sg.
heoru bunden, 1286, has probably a similar meaning.
ge-bindan, _to bind_: pret. sg. þær ic fîfe geband, _where I had bound
five_(?), 420; pret. part. cyninges þegn word ôðer fand sôðe gebunden, _the
king's man found_ (after many had already praised Beówulf's deed) _other
words_ (also referring to Beówulf, but in connection with Sigemund)
_rightly bound together_, i.e. in good alliterative verses, as are becoming
to a gid, 872; wundenmæl wrättum gebunden, _sword bound with ornaments_,
i.e. inlaid, 1532; bisgum gebunden, _bound together by sorrow_, 1744; gomel
gûðwîga eldo gebunden, _hoary hero bound by old age_ (fettered, oppressed),
2112.
on-bindan, _to unbind, to untie, to loose_: pret. onband, 501.
ge-bind, st. n. coll., _that which binds, fetters_: in comp. îs-gebind.
bite, st. m., _bite_, figuratively of the cut of the sword: acc. sg. bite
îrena, _the swords' bite_, 2260; dat. sg. äfter billes bite, 2061.--Comp.
lâð-bite.
biter (primary meaning that of biting), adj.: 1) _sharp, cutting, cutting
in_: acc. sg. biter (of a short sword), 2705; instr. sg. biteran stræle,
1747; instr. pl. biteran bânum, _with sharp teeth_, 2693.--2) _irritated,
furious_: nom. pl. bitere, 1432.
bitre, adv., _bitterly_ (in a moral sense), 2332.
bî, big (fuller form of the prep. be, which see), prep. w. dat.: 1) _near,
at, on, about, by_ (as under be, No. 1): bî sæm tweónum, _in the circuit of
both seas_, 1957; ârâs bî ronde, _raised himself up by the shield_, 2539;
bî wealle gesät, _sat by the wall_, 2718. With a freer position: him big
stôdan bunan and orcas, _round about him_, 3048.--2) _to, towards_
(motion): hwearf þâ bî bence, _turned then towards the bench_, 1189; geóng
bî sesse, _went to the seat_, 2757.
bîd (see bîdan), st. n., _tarrying hesitation_: þær wearð Ongenþió on bîd
wrecen, _forced to tarry_, 2963.
bîdan, st. v.: 1) _to delay, to stay, to remain, to wait_: inf. nô on
wealle leng bîdan wolde, _would not stay longer within the wall_ (the
drake), 2309; pret. in þýstrum bâd, _remained in darkness_, 87; flota
stille bâd, _the craft lay still_, 301; receda ... on þäm se rîca bâd,
_where the mighty one dwelt_, 310; þær se snottra bâd, _where the wise man_
(Hrôðgâr) _waited_, 1314; he on searwum bâd, _he_ (Beówulf) _stood there
armed_, 2569; ic on earde bâd mælgesceafta, _lived upon the paternal ground
the time appointed me by fate_, 2737; pret. pl. sume þær bidon, _some
remained, waited there_, 400.--2) _to await, to wait for_, with the gen. of
that which is awaited: inf. bîdan woldon Grendles gûðe, _wished to await
the combat with Grendel, to undertake it_, 482; similarly, 528; wîges
bîdan, _await the combat_, 1269; nalas andsware bîdan wolde, _would await
no answer_, 1495; pret. bâd beadwa geþinges, _awaited the event of the
battle_, 710; sægenga bâd âgend-freán, _the sea-goer_ (boat) _awaited its
owner_, 1883; sele ... heaðowylma bâd, lâðan lîges (the poet probably means
to indicate by these words that the hall Heorot was destroyed later in a
fight by fire; an occurrence, indeed, about which we know nothing, but
which 1165 and 1166, and again 2068 ff. seem to indicate), 82.
â-bîdan, _to await_, with the gen.: inf., 978.
ge-bîdan: 1) _to tarry, to wait_: imp. gebîde ge on beorge, _wait ye on the
mountain_, 2530; pret. part. þeáh þe wintra lyt under burhlocan gebiden
häbbe Häreðes dôhtor _although H's daughter had dwelt only a few years in
the castle_, 1929.--2) _to live through, to experience, to expect_ (w.
acc.): inf. sceal endedäg mînne gebîdan, _shall live my last day_, 639; ne
wênde ... bôte gebîdan, _did not hope ... to live to see reparation_, 935;
fela sceal gebîdan leófes and lâðes, _experience much good and much
affliction_, 1061; ende gebîdan, 1387, 2343; pret. he þäs frôfre gebâd,
_received consolation_ (compensation) _therefore_, 7; gebâd wintra worn,
_lived a great number of years_, 264; in a similar construction, 816, 930,
1619, 2259, 3117. With gen.: inf. tô gebîdanne ôðres yrfeweardes, _to await
another heir_, 2453. With depend, clause: inf. tô gebîdanne þät his byre
rîde on galgan, _to live to see it, that his son hang upon the gallows_,
2446; pret. dreám-leás gebâd þät he..., _joyless he experienced it, that
he_..., 1721; þäs þe ic on aldre gebâd þät ic..., _for this, that I, in my
old age, lived to see that_..., 1780.
on-bîdan, _to wait, to await_: pret. hordweard onbâd earfoðlîce ôð þät æfen
cwom, _scarcely waited, could scarcely delay till it was evening_, 2303.
bîtan, st. v., _to bite_, of the cutting of swords: inf. bîtan, 1455, 1524;
pret. bât bânlocan, _bit into his body_ (Grendel), 743; bât unswîðor, _cut
with less force_ (Beówulf's sword), 2579.
blanca, w. m., properly _that which shines_ here of the horse, not so much
of the white horse as the dappled: dat. pl. on blancum, 857.
ge-bland, ge-blond, st. n., _mixture, heaving mass, a turning_.--Comp.:
sund-, ýð-geblond, windblond.
blanden-feax, blonden-feax, adj., _mixed_, i.e. having gray hair,
_gray-headed_, as epithet of an old man: nom. sg. blondenfeax, 1792;
blondenfexa, 2963; dat. sg. blondenfeaxum, 1874; nom. pl. blondenfeaxe,
1595.
bläc, adj., _dark, black_: nom. sg, hrefn blaca, 1802.
blâc, adj.: 1) _gleaming, shining_: acc. sg. blâcne leóman, _a brilliant
gleam_, 1518.--2) of the white death-color, _pale_; in comp. heoroblâc.
blæd, st. m.: 1) _strength, force, vigor_: nom. sg. wäs hira blæd scacen
(of both tribes), _strength was gone_, i.e. the bravest of both tribes lay
slain, 1125; nu is þînes mägnes blæd âne hwîle, _now the fulness of thy
strength lasts for a time_, 1762.--2) _reputation, renown, knowledge_ (with
stress upon the idea of filling up, spreading out): nom. sg. blæd, 18;
(þîn) blæd is âræred, _thy renown is spread abroad_, 1704.
blæd-âgend, pt., _having renown, renowned_: nom. pl. blæd-âgende, 1014.
blæd-fäst, adj., _firm in renown, renowned, known afar_: acc. sg.
blædfästne beorn (of Äschere, with reference to 1329), 1300.
bleát, adj., _miserable, helpless_; only in comp. wäl-bleát.
bleáte, adv., _miserably, helplessly_, 2825.
blîcan, st. v., _shine, gleam_: inf., 222
blîðe, adj.: 1) _blithe, joyous, happy_ acc. sg. blîðne, 618.--2)
_gracious, pleasing_: nom. sg. blîðe, 436.--Comp. un-blîðe.
blîð-heort, adj., _joyous in heart, happy_: nom. sg., 1803.
blôd, st. n., _blood_: nom. sg., 1122; acc. sg., 743; dat. sg. blôde, 848;
äfter deórum men him langað beorn wið blôde, _the hero_ (Hrôðgâr) _longs
for the beloved man contrary to blood_, i.e. he loves him although he is
not related to him by blood, 1881; dat. as instr. blôde, 486, 935, 1595,
etc.
blôd-fâg, adj., _spotted with blood, bloody_, 2061.
blôdig, adj., _bloody_: acc. sg. f. blôdge, 991; acc. sg. n. blôdig, 448;
instr. sg. blôdigan gâre, 2441.
ge-blôdian, w. v., _to make bloody, to sprinkle with blood_: pret. part.
ge-blôdegod, 2693.
blôdig-tôð, adj., _with bloody teeth_: nom. sg. bona blôdig-tôð (of
Grendel, because he bites his victims to death), 2083.
blôd-reów, adj., _bloodthirsty, bloody-minded_: nom. sg. him on ferhðe
greów breóst-hord blôd-reów, _in his bosom there grew a bloodthirsty
feeling_, 1720.
be-bod, st. n., _command, order_; in comp. wundor-bebod.
bodian, w. v., _(to be a messenger), to announce, to make known_: pret.
hrefn blaca heofones wynne blîð-heort bodode, _the black raven announced
joyfully heaven's delight_ (the rising sun), 1803.
boga, w. m., _bow_, of the bended form; here of the dragon, in comp.
hring-boga; as an instrument for shooting, in the comp. flân-, horn-boga;
bow of the arch, in comp. stân-boga.
bolca, w. m., "forus navis" (Grein), _gangway_; here probably the planks
which at landing are laid from the ship to the shore: acc. sg. ofer bolcan,
231.
bold, st. n., _building, house, edifice_: nom. sg. (Heorot), 998;
(Hygelâc's residence), 1926; (Beówulfs residence), 2197, 2327.--Comp.
fold-bold.
bold-âgend, pt., _house-owner, property-holder_: gen. pl. monegum
boldâgendra, 3113.
bolgen-môd, adj., _angry at heart, angry_, 710, 1714.
bolster, st. m., _bolster, cushion, pillow_: dat. pl. (reced) geond-bræded
wearð beddum and bolstrum, _was covered with beds and bolsters_,
1241.--Comp. hleór-bolster.
bon-. See ban-.
bora, w. m., _carrier, bringer, leader_: in the comp. mund-, ræd-,
wæg-bora.
bord, st. n., _shield_: nom. sg., 2674; acc. sg., 2525; gen. pl. ofer borda
gebräc, _over the crashing of the shields_, 2260.--Comp.: hilde-, wîg-bord.
bord-häbbend, pt., _one having a shield, shield-bearer_: nom. pl. häbbende,
2896.
bord-hreóða, w. m., _shield-cover, shield_ with particular reference to its
cover (of hides or linden bark): dat. sg. -hreóðan, 2204.
bord-rand, st. m., _shield_: acc. sg., 2560.
bord-weall, st. m., _shield-wall, wall of shields_: acc. sg., 2981.
bord-wudu, st. m., _shield-wood, shield_: acc. pl. beorhtan beord-wudu,
1244.
botm, st. m., _bottom_: dat. sg. tô botme (here of the bottom of the
fen-lake), 1507.
bôt (emendation, cf. bêtan), st. f.: 1) _relief, remedy_: nom. sg., 281;
acc. sg. bôte, 935; acc. sg. bôte, 910.--2) _a performance in expiation, a
giving satisfaction, tribute_: gen. sg. bôte, 158.
brand, brond, st. m.: 1) _burning, fire_: nom. sg. þâ sceal brond fretan
(_the burning of the body_), 3015; instr. sg. by hine ne môston ... bronde
forbärnan (_could not bestow upon him the solemn burning_), 2127; häfde
landwara lîge befangen, bæle and bronde, _with glow, fire, and flame_,
2323.--2) in the passage, þät hine nô brond ne beadomêcas bîtan ne meahton,
1455, brond has been translated _sword, brand_ (after the O.N. brand-r).
The meaning _fire_ may be justified as well, if we consider that the old
helmets were generally made of leather, and only the principal parts were
mounted with bronze. The poet wishes here to emphasize the fact that the
helmet was made entirely of metal, a thing which was very unusual.--3) in
the passage, forgeaf þâ Beówulfe brand Healfdenes segen gyldenne, 1021, our
text, with other editions, has emendated, bearn, since brand, if it be
intended as a designation of Hrôðgâr (perhaps _son_), has not up to this
time been found in this sense in A.-S.
brant, bront, adj., _raging, foaming, going-high_, of ships and of waves:
acc. sg. brontne, 238, 568.
brâd, adj.: 1) _extended, wide_: nom. pl. brâde rîce, 2208.--2) _broad_:
nom. sg. heáh and brâd (of Beówulf's grave-mound), 3159; acc. sg. brâdne
mêce, 2979; (seax) brâd [and] brûnecg, _the broad, short sword with bright
edge_, 1547.--3) _massive, in abundance_. acc, sg. brâd gold, 3106.
ge-bräc, st. n., _noise, crash_: acc. sg. borda gebräc, 2260.
geond-brædan, w. v., _to spread over, to cover entirely_: pret. part.
geond-bræded, 1240.
brecan, st. v.: 1) _to break, to break to pieces_: pret. bânhringas bräc,
(the sword) _broke the joints_, 1568. In a moral sense: pret. subj. þät þær
ænig mon wære ne bræce, _that no one should break the agreement_, 1101;
pret. part. þonne bióð brocene ... âð-sweord eorla, _then are the oaths of
the men broken_, 2064.--2) probably also simply _to break in upon
something, to press upon_, w. acc.: pret. sg. sædeór monig hildetuxum
heresyrcan bräc, _many a sea-animal pressed with his battle-teeth upon the
shirt of mail_ (did not break it, for, according to 1549 f., 1553 f., it
was still unharmed). 1512.--3) _to break out, to spring out_: inf. geseah
... streám ût brecan of beorge, _saw a stream break out from the rocks_,
2547; lêt se hearda Higelâces þegn brâdne mêce ... brecan ofer bordweal,
_caused the broadsword to spring out over the wall of shields_, 2981.--4)
figuratively, _to vex, not to let rest_: pret. hine fyrwyt bräc, _curiosity
tormented_ (N.H.G. brachte die Neugier um), 232, 1986, 2785.
ge-brecan, _to break to pieces_: pret. bânhûs gebräc, _broke in pieces his
body_ (Beówulf in combat with Däghrefn), 2509.
tô-brecan, _to break in pieces_: inf., 781; pret. part. tô-brocen, 998.
þurh-brecan, _to break through_, pret. wordes ord breósthord þurh-bräc,
_the word's point broke through his closed breast_, i.e. a word burst out
from his breast, 2793.
brecð, st. f., _condition of being broken, breach_: nom. pl. môdes brecða
(_sorrow of heart_), 171.
â-bredwian, w. v. w. acc., _to fell to the ground, to kill_ (?): pret.
âbredwade, 2620.
bregdan, st. v., properly _to swing round_, hence: 1) _to swing_: inf.
under sceadu bregdan, _swing among the shadows, to send into the realm of
shadows_, 708; pret. brägd ealde lâfe, _swung the old weapon_, 796; brägd
feorh-genîðlan, _swung his mortal enemy_ (Grendel's mother), threw her
down, 1540; pl. git eágorstreám ... mundum brugdon, _stirred the sea with
your hands_ (of the movement of the hands in swimming), 514; pret. part.
broden (brogden) mæl, _the drawn sword_, 1617, 1668.--2) _to knit, to knot,
to plait_: inf., figuratively, inwitnet ôðrum bregdan, _to weave a
waylaying net for another_ (as we say in the same way, to lay a trap for
another, to dig a pit for another), 2168; pret. part. beadohrägl broden, _a
woven shirt of mail_ (because it consisted of metal rings joined together),
552; similarly, 1549; brogdne beadusercean, 2756.
â-bregdan, _to swing_: pret. hond up â-bräd, _swung, raised his hand_,
2576.
ge-bregdan: 1) _swing_: pret. hring-mæl gebrägd, _swung the ringed sword_,
1565; eald sweord eácen ... þät ic þý wæpne gebrägd, _an old heavy sword
that I swung as my weapon_, 1665; with interchanging instr. and acc.
wällseaxe gebräd, biter and beadu-scearp, 2704; also, _to draw out of the
sheath_: sweord ær gebräd, _had drawn the sword before_, 2563.--2) _to
knit, to knot, to plait_: pret. part. bere-byrne hondum gebroden, 1444.
on-bregdan, _to tear open, to throw open_: pret. onbräd þâ recedes mûðan,
_had then thrown open the entrance of the hall_ (onbregdan is used because
the opening door swings upon its hinges), 724.
brego, st. m., _prince, ruler_: nom. sg. 427, 610.
brego-rôf, adj., _powerful, like a ruler, of heroic strength_: nom. sg. m.,
1926.
brego-stôl, st. m., _throne_, figuratively for _rule_: acc. sg. him
gesealde seofon þûsendo, bold and brego-stôl, _seven thousand_ see under
sceat), _a country-seat, and the dignity of a prince_, 2197; þær him Hygd
gebeád ... brego-stôl, _where H. offered him the chief power_, 2371; lêt
þone bregostôl Beówulf healdan, _gave over to Beówulf the chief power_ (did
not prevent Beówulf from entering upon the government), 2390.
breme, adj., _known afar, renowned_. nom. sg., 18.
brenting (see brant), st. m., _ship craft_: nom. pl. brentingas, 2808.
â-breátan, st. v., _to break, to break in pieces, to kill_: pret. âbreót
brimwîsan, _killed the sea-king_ (King Hæðcyn), 2931. See breótan.
breóst, st. n.: 1) _breast_: nom. sg., 2177; often used in the pl., so acc.
þät mîne breóst wereð, _which protects my breast_, 453; dat. pl. beadohrägl
broden on breóstum läg. 552.--2) _the inmost thoughts, the mind, the heart,
the bosom_: nom. sg. breóst innan weóll þeóstrum geþoncum, _his breast
heaved with troubled thoughts_, 2332; dat. pl. lêt þâ of breóstum word ût
faran, _caused the words to come out from his bosom_, 2551.
breóst-gehygd, st. n. f., _breast-thought, secret thought_: instr. pl.
-gehygdum, 2819.
breóst-gewædu, st. n. pl., _breast-clothing, garment covering the breast_,
of the coat of mail: nom., 1212; acc., 2163.
breóst-hord, st. m., _breast-hoard, that which is locked in the breast,
heart, mind, thought, soul_: nom. sg., 1720; acc. sg., 2793.
breóst-net, st. n., _breast-net, shirt of chain-mail, coat of mail_: nom.
sg. breóst-net broden, 1549.
breóst-weorðung, st. f., _ornament that is worn upon the breast_: acc. sg.
breóst-weorðunge, 2505: here the collar is meant which Beówulf receives
from Wealhþeów (1196, 2174) as a present, and which B., according to 2173,
presents to Hygd, while, according to 1203, it is in the possession of her
husband Hygelâc. In front the collar is trimmed with ornaments (frätwe),
which hang down upon the breast, hence the name breóst-weorðung.
breóst-wylm, st. m., _heaving of the breast, emotion of the bosom_: acc.
sg, 1878.
breótan, st. v., _to break, to break in pieces, to kill_: pret. breát
beódgeneátas, _killed his table-companions_ (courtiers), 1714.
â-breótan, same as above: pret. þone þe heó on räste âbreát, _whom she
killed upon his couch_, 1299; pret. part. þâ þät monige gewearð, þät hine
seó brimwylf âbroten häfde, _many believed that the sea-wolf_ (Grendel's
mother) _had killed him_, 1600; hî hyne ... âbroten häfdon, _had killed
him_ (the dragon), 2708.
brim, st. n., _flood, the sea_: nom. sg., 848, 1595; gen. sg. tô brimes
faroðe, _to the sea_, 28; ät brimes nosan, _at the sea's promontory_, 2804;
nom. pl. brimu swaðredon, _the waves subsided_, 570.
brim-clif, st. n., _sea-cliff, cliff washed by the sea_: acc. pl. -clifu,
222.
brim-lâd, st. f., _flood-way, sea-way_: acc. sg. þâra þe mid Beówulfe
brimlâde teáh, _who had travelled the sea-way with B._, 1052.
brim-lîðend, pt, _sea-farer, sailor_ acc. p. -lîðende, 568.
brim-streám, st. m., _sea-stream, the flood of the sea_: acc. pl. ofer
brim-streámas, 1911.
brim-wîsa, w. m., _sea-king_: acc. sg. brimwîsan, of Hæðcyn, king of the
Geátas, 2931.
brim-wylf, st. f., _sea-wolf_ (designation of Grendel's mother): nom. sg.
seó brimwylf, 1507, 1600.
brim-wylm, st. m., _sea-wave_: nom. sg., 1495.
bringan, anom. v., _to bring, to bear_: prs. sg. I. ic þe þûsenda þegna
bringe tô helpe, _bring to your assistance thousands of warriors_, 1830;
inf. sceal hringnaca ofer heáðu bringan lâc and luftâcen, _shall bring
gifts and love-tokens over the high sea_, 1863; similarly, 2149, 2505;
pret. pl. we þâs sælâc ... brôhton, _brought this sea-offering_ (Grendel's
head), 1654.
ge-bringan, _to bring_: pres. subj. pl. þat we þone gebringan ... on
âdfäre, _that we bring him upon the funeral-pile_, 3010.
brosnian, w. v., _to crumble, to become rotten, to fall to pieces_: prs.
sg. III. herepâd ... brosnað äfter beorne, _the coat of mail falls to
pieces after_ (the death of) _the hero_, 2261.
brôðor, st. m., _brother_: nom. sg., 1325, 2441; dat sg. brêðer, 1263; gen.
sg. his brôðor bearn, 2620; dat. pl. brôðrum, 588, 1075.
ge-brôðru, pl., _brethren, brothers_: dat. pl. sät be þæm gebrôðrum twæm,
_sat by the two brothers_, 1192.
brôga, w. m., _terror, horror_: nom. sg., 1292, 2325, 2566; acc. sg. billa
brôgan, 583.--Comp.: gryre-, here-brôga.
brûcan, st. v. w. gen., _to use, to make use of_: prs. sg. III. se þe longe
her worolde brûceð, _who here long makes use of the world_, i.e. lives
long, 1063; imp. brûc manigra mêda, _make use of many rewards, give good
rewards_, 1179; _to enjoy_: inf. þät he beáhhordes brûcan môste, _could
enjoy the ring-hoard_, 895; similarly, 2242, 3101; pret. breác
lîfgesceafta, _enjoyed the appointed life, lived the appointed time_, 1954.
With the genitive to be supplied: breác þonne môste, 1488; imp. brûc þisses
beáges, _enjoy this ring, take this ring_, 1217. Upon this meaning depends
the form of the wish, wel brûcan (compare the German geniesze froh!): inf.
hêt hine wel brûcan, 1046; hêt hine brûcan well, 2813; imp. brûc ealles
well, 2163.
brûn, adj., _having a brown lustre, shining_: nom. sg. sió ecg brûn, 2579.
brûn-ecg, adj., _having a gleaming blade_: acc. sg. n. (hyre seaxe) brâd
[and] brûnecg, _her broad sword with gleaming blade_, 1547.
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