Note 500 — Chapter XV · THE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF TEUTONIC AND GREEK HEROIC POETRY.
Reading edition
ealdne eþelstol. If this expression is to be interpreted in a local sense ('seat of authority') it is possible to read the idea of patriotism as a sentiment into it; but my impression is that the poet means no more than defence of home. A different interpretation of the passage is given by Prof. Heusler (S.-B. d. Akad. d. Wiss. zu Berlin, 1909, p. 926), according to whom it means "Verteidigung des eald eþelstol, des alten Erbthrones (nicht Stammsitzes)."