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their uncle Onela, and seeks sanctuary at the Geatish court; later, helped by Beowulf, he invades Sweden, kills Onela, and becomes king. EANMUND (2611), a Swedish prince, elder son of Ohthere and brother of Eadgils; killed by Weohstan. EARNANESS (3031), ‘the eagles’ promontory’, a Geatish headland near the spot where Beowulf and Wiglaf fight the dragon. ECGLAF (499), a Dane, father of Unferth. ECGTHEOW (263), a Waegmunding Geat, husband of Hrethel’s only daughter and father of Beowulf. ECGWELA (1710), an ancient Danish king. EOFOR (2486), a Geatish warrior, son of Wonred and brother of Wulf; kills the Swedish king Ongentheow, and is rewarded by Hygelac with the hand of his only daughter. EOMER (1960), son of the Angle king Offa. EORMENRIC (1200), king of the East Goths; killed himself about A.D. 375. FINN (1068), king of the Frisians, son of Folcwalda and husband of the Danish princess Hildeburh; in an obscure clash with Hildeburh’s brother Hnaef, he and his men besiege Hnaef’s group in a hall and force them to surrender, Hnaef himself being killed and his retainer Hengest coming to terms with Finn; the quarrel flares up again after an uneasy winter has passed, and Hnaef’s retinue kill Finn and take Hildeburh back to her own people. FINNS (581), Old English ‘Finnas’, but probably the Lapps inhabiting the northern Norwegian coast. FITELA (879), nephew (and son) of the outlaw Sigemund. FOLCWALDA (1089), father of Finn. FRANKS (1210), people inhabiting the Netherlands, invaded by the Geats under Hygelac; also called in the poem (but not in the translation) Hugas. FREAWARU (2023), daughter of Hrothgar and wife of Ingeld. FRIESLAND (1126), territory of the Frisians, west, east, and north of the Zuyder Zee. FRISIANS (1094), people in the Zuyder Zee area; those in the east are described as subjects of Finn, those in the west fight with the Franks against Hygelac. FRODA (2025), king of the Heathobards and father of Ingeld. GARMUND (1962), father of Offa. GEATS (205), people inhabiting Sweden south of the great lakes, later incorporated into the Swedish nation; enemies of the Swedes, friends of the Danes; ruled successively by Hrethel, Haethcyn, Hygelac, Heardred, and Beowulf; also referred to in the poem as War-Geats, Sea- 86

Geats, Weder-Geats, Weders, and Hrethlings: of which names ‘Geats’ and ‘Weders’ are used in the translation. GIFTHAS (2495), East Germanic tribe living near the mouth of the Vistula. GRENDEL (102), an anthropoid but homicidal monster of extreme strength and ferocity, descended from Cain; haunts the Heorot area, attacking, terrifying, and devouring the Danes; is killed by Beowulf, who thus accomplishes his mission in the first half of the poem. GUTHLAF (1148), a Danish warrior fighting in Hnaef’s retinue against Finn. HAERETH (1927), father of Hygelac’s wife and queen, Hygd. HAETHCYN (2434), second son of Hrethel the Geatish king; accidentally kills his elder brother Herebeald; rules for a short period after Hrethel’s death; killed by the Swedish king Ongentheow at Ravenswood. HALF-DANES (1069), tribe allied to the Danes; in the story of Finn, it is to this tribe that Hildeburh, Hoc, and Hnaef belong. HALGA (61), a Danish prince, younger brother of Hrothgar and father of Hrothulf. HAMA (1198), warrior of continental Germanic (Gothic) tradition who takes the Brosing necklace from Eormenric. HEALFDENE (57), Danish king, son of Beowulf-the-Scylding and father of Hrothgar. HEARDRED (2203), Geatish king, son of Hygelac; killed by the Swedish king Onela; succeeded by Beowulf, who had acted as regent while he was still under age. HEATHOBARDS (2032), Germanic tribe to which Froda and Ingeld belong; perhaps to be identified with the Langobardi or Lombards; their feud with the Danes is hopefully patched up by Hrothgar when he marries his daughter Freawaru to Ingeld. HEATHOLAF (460), warrior of the Wylfings, killed by Beowulf s father Ecgtheow. HELMINGS (620), family or tribe to which Hrothgar’s queen Wealhtheow belongs. HEMMING (1944), a kinsman of Offa and of Eomer. HENGEST (1083), leader of the Half-Danes after the death of Hnaef. HEOROGAR (61), Danish king, eldest son of Healfdene and elder brother of Hrothgar. HEOROT (78), the great royal Danish hall ‘Hart’, built by Hrothgar at what is now Lejre in Zealand; the scene of Beowulf’s encounter with Grendel; traditionally destroyed by fire in the Danish-Heathobard vendetta. HEOROWEARD (2161), son of Heorogar and nephew of Hrothgar. 87

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their uncle Onela, and seeks sanctuary at the Geatish court; later, helped by Beowulf, he invades Sweden, kills Onela, and becomes king. EANMUND (2611), a Swedish prince, elder son of Ohthere and brother of Eadgils; killed by Weohstan. EARNANESS (3031), ‘the eagles’ promontory’, a Geatish headland near the spot where Beowulf and Wiglaf fight the dragon. ECGLAF (499), a Dane, father of Unferth. ECGTHEOW (263), a Waegmunding Geat, husband of Hrethel’s only daughter and father of Beowulf. ECGWELA (1710), an ancient Danish king. EOFOR (2486), a Geatish warrior, son of Wonred and brother of Wulf;

kills the Swedish king Ongentheow, and is rewarded by Hygelac with the hand of his only daughter. EOMER (1960), son of the Angle king Offa. EORMENRIC (1200), king of the East Goths; killed himself about

A.D. 375. FINN (1068), king of the Frisians, son of Folcwalda and husband of the

Danish princess Hildeburh; in an obscure clash with Hildeburh’s brother Hnaef, he and his men besiege Hnaef’s group in a hall and force them to surrender, Hnaef himself being killed and his retainer Hengest coming to terms with Finn; the quarrel flares up again after an uneasy winter has passed, and Hnaef’s retinue kill Finn and take Hildeburh back to her own people. FINNS (581), Old English ‘Finnas’, but probably the Lapps inhabiting the northern Norwegian coast. FITELA (879), nephew (and son) of the outlaw Sigemund. FOLCWALDA (1089), father of Finn. FRANKS (1210), people inhabiting the Netherlands, invaded by the Geats under Hygelac; also called in the poem (but not in the translation) Hugas. FREAWARU (2023), daughter of Hrothgar and wife of Ingeld. FRIESLAND (1126), territory of the Frisians, west, east, and north of the

Zuyder Zee. FRISIANS (1094), people in the Zuyder Zee area; those in the east are described as subjects of Finn, those in the west fight with the Franks against Hygelac. FRODA (2025), king of the Heathobards and father of Ingeld. GARMUND (1962), father of Offa. GEATS (205), people inhabiting Sweden south of the great lakes, later incorporated into the Swedish nation; enemies of the Swedes, friends of the Danes; ruled successively by Hrethel, Haethcyn, Hygelac, Heardred, and Beowulf; also referred to in the poem as War-Geats, Sea-

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