34° Beozvulf and IVidsith 



(7) The construction of Beowulf's grave-mound occupies ten 

 days (2159). For Hector, ten days are spent in the rearing of 

 the pyre and the burning of the body (//. 24. 664-5, 7^4' 5) > o^'^b' 

 one day more being allowed for the building of the barrow, 

 since on the twelfth day the Trojans must expect a renewal of 

 hostilities.^ 



Chadwick argues (p. 53) that the account of Beowulf's obse- 

 quies proves that the poem was originally a heathen work; but 

 if this part of it was elaborated under Homeric influence, and 

 particularly if this influence were due to suggestion emanating 

 either from Aldhelm or directly from Aldfrith, this contention 

 would lose its force, as Chadwick himself, who has adduced a 

 number of similarities between Homer and the Beozvulf,- would 

 doubtless be the first to acknowledge. It is true that Jordanes' 

 account^ of the funeral of Attila has certain features in common 



^ With the exception of (3) — for which see Acn. 6. 177-8, 215 — the 

 corresponding portions of the Acneid do not provide such prototypes. The 

 apostrophes of Aeneas (11. 42-58) and of Evander {Aen. 11. 152-180) to 

 the dead body of Pallas do not supply the requisite correspondence to (6). 

 The footmen who, in Acn. 11. 188-190 (following Od. 24. 68-70), are 

 associated with the horsemen that circle round the pyres, are found neither 

 in //. 23. 13 nor in Bcozv. 3169. With the typical number of the horsemen 

 in Beozvulf cf. //. 18. 336; 21. 27; 23. 22, 175, 181, the numbei; of the 

 Trojan youth sacrificed at the pyre of Patroclus, though possibly there is 

 association with the number of the Apostles (cf. Bcoiv. 2.J01 with Gu. 681 ; 

 An. 2, etc.) ; this number does not occur in Virgil. 



^ Cf. pp. 320 ff. (also 76). Chadwick's comparisons are these (some 

 being of mere phrases) : B. 194, etc.: //. 23. 113 fif. ; B. 205 fi.: Od. 4. 

 778 a.; B. 237 fi., 251 flf. : Od. i. 169 ff . ; 3. 71 fif. ; B. 320 ff. : Od. 4. 20 

 fif. ; B. 428, 663: //. 3. 229, etc.; B. 371, etc., 529, etc.: //. i. 130, etc.; 4. 

 317, etc.; B. 480 ff. : //. 20. 83 ff. ; B. 520 ff. : //. 12. 243; i.s. 494 

 ff. ; 24. 499-500; B. 610, etc.: //. 2. 243, etc.; B. 697: Od. 3. 208; 7. 196 

 ff.; B. 791, etc.: //. 8. 80, etc.; B. 856 ff., 1221 ff. : Od. 4. 724 ff. ; 9. 20; 

 B. 920 ff. :' Od. I. 328 ff.; B. 1050, 2338: //. i. 7, etc.; B. 1195 ff. : //. 6. 

 235-6; B. 1359: Od. 16. 365; B. 1369 ff. : //. 15. 271 ff. ; B. 1388, etc.: //. 

 9. 189, 524; B. 1870 ff. : Od. 16. 14 ff. ; B. 2124 ff. : //. 7. 79-80, etc.; Od. 

 II. 71 ff.; B. 2184: //. I. 162, etc.; B. 2634 ff., 2646 ff. : //. 16. 270-2; B. 

 2694 ff. : //. 5. 252 ff. ; B. 2802 ff. : //. 7. 85 ff. ; Od. 24. 80 ff. ; B. 2814 ff. : 

 Od. 14. 180-1. 



■' Chap. 49 : 'His body having been deposited under a silken pavilion in 

 the midst of the plain, a solemn spectacle was exhibited for the admiration 

 of all beholders. For, while horsemen chosen from the whole body of the 

 Huns moved in ordered evolutions, as if in the games of the circus, over 



