SAGA-BOOK - Viking Society Web Publications

254
Beowulf, Swedes and Geats
gave me land, a place to dwell, noble bliss. He had no need to
seek out a less good warrior from among the Gepidae, the spear­
Danes, or from among the kingdom of the Swedes, buying him
with treasure ....
It seems clear that despite the conflicts with the Swedes,
normal contacts could be made, and a member of that tribe
could have been accepted into the Geats without
difficulty. The next topic in the reminiscence is the
Frisian battle in which Hygelac fell (2490-2509). There
is a parallel in the two brief accounts. The keynote
appears to be revenge. Hygelac avenged H;e15cyn by
slaying Ongenoeow ; Beowulf avenged Hygelac, repaid
him for past favours, by killing Dseghrefn, the Frankish
champion. Beowulf says nothing further about Swedish­
Geatish conflicts before he dies; what is more important,
his last speech is decidedly not full of dreadful omens; he
has died protecting his people, who will (he thinks) gain
from the treasure. He leaves his personal treasure to
Wiglaf, who is the strongest figure in the kingdom after
himself (2794-2818).
It is in the speech of the Messenger (2900 ff.) that we
hear of further conflicts between the two tribes. He
expects times of difficulty for the Geats, attacks from the
Franks and Frisians, now that Beowulf is dead (2900­
2921). Peace and good faith from the Swedes were also
not to be expected. The whole past history of the conflict
is reviewed. Beowulf has mentioned the attacks of the
Swedes on the death of Hreriel (2472-83); the Messenger
gives an account of the subsequent attack of the Geats on
the Swedes (2922-98). The Geats had taken off Ongenl)eow's
queen, and a great deal of treasure; Ongenoeow
attacks the party, kills H;el)cyn, and the rest of his band,
lordless, escape to Hrefnesholt, where they are taunted
with threats of execution during the night that follows.
Hygelac, with another party, attacks at dawn, and drives
off Ongenoeow and his men; Ongenoeow is killed by Wulf
and Eofor, retainers of Hygelac. The account of Ongen-