[234] ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων σύστασις (Aristotle, Poet. VI 9).
[235] For the case of Widsith see p. [56] f. Supernatural beings, such as Grendel, and mythical personages of the past, such as Scyld, cannot fairly be regarded as exceptions, since it is not at all likely that they were invented by the poet himself. They figure largely in skaldic poems of the Viking Age (e.g. Hákonarmál) which probably never introduce fictitious contemporary characters. On the other hand some of the characters in the Edda poems may have been invented in the North.
[236] This must be emphasized because one constantly finds theories of fictitious origin introduced with some sentence such as the following: 'It has not yet been proved that this story has any historical foundation.' Such an attitude seems to me not only unreasonable but wrong in principle.
[237] Cf. Unwona, the name of a bishop of Leicester who died about the beginning of the ninth century, and Unwine (Unwenes, Gen.), the name of Eastgota's son (Wids. 114). The name Unfrid itself occurs in Germany during the eighth and ninth centuries.
[238] Prof. Olrik (Danmarks Heltedigtning, p. 25 ff.) suggests further that he was the instigator of a quarrel between Hrothwulf and Hrothgar or his sons. But I cannot help thinking that his interpretation of vv. 1166 ff., ingenious as it undoubtedly is, goes a good deal beyond what the passage actually warrants.
[239] Cf. Jiriczek, Deutsche Heldensagen, I 63 f., Sijmons, Grundriss, III2 683.
[240] The true form is probably Hami-. It is surely far more probable that Ammius is a shortened (hypocoristic) form from the compound name (cf. A.-S. Hemma, Hemmi). But in that case of course we shall have to conclude that the name had been familiar for some time before it came to Jordanes' knowledge.
[241] No argument can be based upon the name Suanailta which is found in a document at St Gall dating from 786 (in conjunction with other names which show a knowledge of the story of Eormenric), for it may contain either swan- or sōn-. It is admitted that the name Swanahilt was in use.
[242] With how much greater plausibility could the name Eormenric be accounted for! Had it not been for the incidental reference to this king in Ammianus Marcellinus' history, nothing could possibly have saved him from being regarded as a purely fictitious personage.
[243] In Ekkehard's case the influence of Stage III is supplemented or amended by erudition. The national names which he gives (Franci, Burgundia, etc.) are accommodated to the political divisions of his own time.