explains
wē as a "plur.
Beowulf
Gr. makes wēa nom. absolute.
l. 940. scuccum: cf. G. scheuche, scheusal; Prov. Eng. _old-shock_; perhaps
the pop. interjection _O shucks! _ (! )
l. 959. H.
explains wē as a "plur. of majesty," which Bēowulf throws off at
l. 964.
l. 963. fēond þone frætgan (B. _Beit. _ xii. 90).
l. 976. synnum. "Most abstract words in the poetry have a very wide range
of meanings, diverging widely from the prose usage, synn, for instance,
means simply _injury, mischief, hatred_, and the prose meaning _sin_ is
only a secondary one; hata in poetry is not only _hater_, but _persecutor,
enemy_, just as nīð is both _hatred_ and _violence, strength_; heard is
_sharp_ as well as _hard_. "--Sw.
l. 986.
