l. 872. R. and B. propose secg[an], = rehearse, for secg, which suits the verbs in the next two lines.
ll. 878-98. "It pleases me to think that it is in English literature we possess the first sketch of that mighty saga [the Volsunga Saga = Wälsinges gewin] which has for so many centuries engaged all the arts, and at last in the hands of Wagner the art of music."—Br., p. 63. Cf. Nibelung. Lied, l. 739.
l. 894. Intransitive verbs, as gân, weorðan, sometimes take habban, "to indicate independent action."—Sw. Cf. hafað ... geworden, [l. 2027].
l. 895. "brûcan (enjoy) always has the genitive."—Sw.; cf. [l. 895]; acc., gen., instr., dat., according to March, A.-S. Gram., p. 151.
l. 898. Scherer proposes hâte, = from heat, instr. of hât, heat; cf. [l. 2606].
l. 901. hê þäs âron þâh = he throve in honor (B.). Ten Br. inserts comma after þâh, making siððan introduce a depend. clause.—Beit. viii. 568. Cf. weorð-myndum þâh, [l. 8]; ll. [1155], [1243].—H.-So.
l. 902. Heremôdes is considered by Heinzel to be a mere epithet = the valiant; which would refer the whole passage to Sigmund (Sigfrid), the eotenas, [l. 903], being the Nibelungen. This, says H.-So., gets rid of the contradiction between the good "Heremôd" here and the bad one, [l. 1710] seq.—B. however holds fast to Heremôd.—Beit. xii. 41. on feónda geweald, [l. 904],—into the hands of devils, says B.; cf. [ll. 809], [1721], [2267]; Christ, l. 1416; Andreas, l. 1621; for hine fyren onwôd, cf. Gen. l. 2579; Hunt's Dan. 17: hîe wlenco anwôd.
l. 902 seq. "Heremôd's shame is contrasted with the glory of Sigemund, and with the prudence, patience, generosity, and gentleness of Beowulf as a chieftain."—Br., p. 66.