Note 5
XXIX. BEOWULF AND HIGELAC.

This is perhaps the least understood sentence in the poem, almost every word being open to dispute. (1) The ‘nó’ of our text is an emendation, and is rejected by many scholars. (2) ‘Seldan’ is by some taken as an adv. (= seldom), and by others as a noun (= page, companion). (3) ‘Léod-hryre,’ some render ‘fall of the people’; others, ‘fall of the prince.’ (4) ‘Búgeð,’ most scholars regard as the intrans. verb meaning ‘bend,’ ‘rest’; but one great scholar has translated it ‘shall kill.’ (5) ‘Hwær,’ Very recently, has been attacked, ‘wære’ being suggested. (6) As a corollary to the above, the same critic proposes to drop ‘oft’ out of the text.—t.B. suggests: Oft seldan wære after léodhryre: lýtle hwíle bongár búgeð, þéah séo brýd duge = often has a treaty been (thus) struck, after a prince had fallen: (but only) a short time is the spear (then) wont to rest, however excellent the bride may be.