He compares Saxo, p. 95, cristatis galeis hastisque sonantibus instant, as explanatory of [l. 6].—Beit. xii. 22. But see Brooke, Early Eng. Literature, who supposes fugelas = raven and eagle, while græg-hama is = wulf (the "grey-coated one"), the ordinary accompaniers of battle.

l. 11. hicgeað, etc.: cf. Maldon, l. 5; Exod. l. 218.

l. 15. Cf. B. (Beit. xii. 25), etc., and Saxo, p. 101, for l. 13.

ll. 18-21. H.-So. remarks: "If, according to Möller and Bugge, Gârulf is one of the attackers, one of Finn's men, this does not harmonize with his character as Gûðlâf's son ([l. 33]), who ([l. 16], and Beówulf, [l. 1149]) is a Dane, therefore one of Finn's antagonists." B. (Beit. xii. 25) conjectures:

þâ gyt Gûðdene Gârulf styrode,

þät hê swâ freólîc feorh forman sîðe

tô þære healle durum hyrsta ne bære,

nû hîe nîða heard ânyman wolde;

in which Gûðdene is the same as Sigeferð, [l. 24]; ([l. 22]) refers to Gârulf; and hîe ([l. 21]) to hyrsta.

l. 27. swäðer = either (bad or good, life or death).—H.-So.