I. Beówulf: an Anglo-Saxon poem. II. The fight at Finnsburh: a fragment.
General
I. Beówulf: an Anglo-Saxon poem. II. The fight at Finnsburh: a fragment.
Dragons -- Poetry; Epic poetry, English (Old); Monsters -- Poetry
Finn (gen. Finnes, 1069, etc.; dat. Finne, 1129), son of Folcwalda (1090),
king of the North Frisians, i.e. of the Eotenas, husband of Hildeburg, a
daughter of Hôc, 1072, 1077. He is the hero of the inserted poem on the
Attack in Finnsburg, the obscure incidents of which are, perhaps, as
follows: In Finn's castle, Finnsburg, situated in Jutland (1126-28), the
Hôcing, Hnäf, a relative--perhaps a brother--of Hildeburg is spending some
time as guest. Hnäf, who is a liegeman of the Danish king, Healfdene, has
sixty men with him (Finnsburg, 38). These are treacherously attacked one
night by Finn's men, 1073. For five days they hold the doors of their
lodging-place without losing one of their number (Finnsburg, 41, 42). Then,
however, Hnäf is slain (1071), and the Dane, Hengest, who was among Hnäf's
followers, assumes the command of the beleaguered band. But on the
attacking side the fight has brought terrible losses to Finn's men. Their
numbers are diminished (1081 f.), and Hildeburg bemoans a son and a brother
among the fallen (1074 f., cf. 1116, 1119). Therefore the Frisians offer
the Danes peace (1086) under the conditions mentioned (1087-1095), and it
is confirmed with oaths (1097), and money is given by Finn in propitiation
(1108). Now all who have survived the battle go together to Friesland, the
homo proper of Finn, and here Hengest remains during the winter, prevented
by ice and storms from returning home (Grein). But in spring the feud
breaks out anew. Gûðlâf and Oslâf avenge Hnäf's fall, probably after they
have brought help from home (1150). In the battle, the hall is filled with
the corpses of the enemy. Finn himself is killed, and the queen is captured
and carried away, along with the booty, to the land of the Danes,
1147-1160.
Finna land. Beówulf reaches it in his swimming-race with Breca, 580.
Fitela, the son and nephew of the Wälsing, Sigemund, and his companion in
arms, 876-890. (Sigemund had begotten Fitela by his sister, Signý. Cf. more
at length Leo on Beówulf, p. 38 ff., where an extract from the legend of
the Walsungs is given.)
Folc-walda (gen. Folc-waldan, 1090), Finn's father, 1090.
Francan (gen. Francna, 1211; dat. Froncum, 2913). King Hygelâc fell on an
expedition against the allied Franks, Frisians, and Hûgas, 1211, 2917.
Fresan, Frisan, Frysan (gen. Fresena, 1094, Frysna, 1105, Fresna, 2916:
dat. Frysum, 1208, 2913). To be distinguished, are: 1) North Frisians,
whose king is Finn, 1069 ff.; 2) West Frisians, in alliance with the Franks
and Hûgas, in the war against whom Hygelâc falls, 1208, 2916. The country
of the former is called Frysland, 1127; that of the latter, Fresna land,
2916.
Fr..es wäl (in Fr..es wäle, 1071), mutilated proper name.
Freáwaru, daughter of the Danish king, Hrôðgâr; given in marriage to
Ingeld, the son of the Heaðobeard king, Frôda, in order to end a war
between the Danes and the Heaðobeardnas, 2023 ff., 2065.
Frôda (gen. Frôdan), father of Ingeld, the husband of Freáware, 2026.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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