“Þū eart ęnde-lāf ūsses cynnes,
2815 Wǣgmundinga; ealle wyrd forswēop
mīne māgas tō metod-sceafte,
eorlas on ęlne; [ic him æfter sceal].”
Þæt wæs þām gǫmelan gingeste word
brēost-gehygdum, ǣr hē bǣl cure,
[2820] hāte heaðo-wylmas; [him of hreðre] [gewāt]
sāwol [sēcean] sōð-fæstra dōm.
[2795-99.] The expression sęcgan þanc takes the same construction as þancian; i.e., the dative of the person (Frēan) and the genitive (a genitive of cause) of the thing (þāra frætwa). Cf. note on biddan, [p. 45]. The antecedent of þe is frætwa. For the position of on, see [§ 94, (5)]. The clause introduced by þæs þe (because) is parallel in construction with frætwa, both being causal modifiers of sęcge þanc. The Christian coloring in these lines betrays the influence of priestly transcribers.
[2800.] Now that I, in exchange for (on) a hoard of treasures, have bartered (bebohte) the laying down (-lęge > licgan) of my old life. The ethical codes of the early Germanic races make frequent mention of blood-payments, or life-barters. There seems to be here a suggestion of the “wergild.”