Hondscio

Hondscio (Hond’-shee-oh) was an unnoteworthy Geatish warrior save for his companionship to Beowulf. Without much history, not much is known about him other than the fact that he was meant to hold the line against Grendel's attack.

Background
Hondscio does not have much documented history. It is known that he was a close companion to Beowulf and was meant to aid in his quest to defeat the monster attacking the Danes.

Strengths:

 * Capable Warrior
 * As most warriors in Beowulf's party were capable enough to fight, it is assumed that Hondscio was as well. Though it was shown that he did not have the super-human strength that Beowulf had shown.

Weaknesses:

 * Grendel
 * Hondscio was unable to protect the Danes and was unceremoniously devoured by Grendel.

Significance to Beowulf Text
Hondscio is significant to the text of Beowulf as he is one of the first deaths the reader experiences firsthand, emphasizing Grendel's power. This is done in part to make Beowulf's wrestling with Grendel all the more impressive. His relation to Beowulf (the character) is that of a close companion but he is not elaborated on much.

Old English:
"

Syððan heofones gim

glad ofer grudas gǣst yrre cwōm,

eatol ǣfen-grom ūser nēosan

ðǣr wē gesunde sǣl wearodon

þǣr waes Hondsciō hild onsǣge

feorh-bealu fǣgum; hē fyrmest lǣg.

Gyrded cempa; him grendel wearð,

mǣrum magu-þegne, tō muð-bonan

lēofes mannes lic eall forswealg

" (2072-2080)

Modern Translation:
"

After heaven's gem

had gone mildly to earth. That maddened spirit,

the terror of those twilights, came to attack us

where we stood guard. still safe inside the hall.

There deadly violence came down on Handscio

and he fell as fate ordained, the first to perish

out for the combat. A comrade our ranks

had come to grief in Grendel's maw:

he ate up the entire body.

" (Heaney 2072-2080)

This passage regards Beowulf recounting the fight against Grendel and is the first instance of Handscio's name being directly mentioned in the text. Previously, Handscio was noted as an anonymous man:

Old English:
"

ac hē gefēng hraðe forman sīðe

slǣpendne rinc, slāt unwearnum,

bāt bān-locan blōd ēdrum dranc,

syn-snǣdum swealh; sōna hæfde

unflyfigendes eal gefeormod,

fĕt ond folma

" (740-746)

Modern Translation:
"

he grabbed and mauled a man on his bench,

bit into his bone-lappings, bolted down his blood

and gorged on him in lumps, leaving the body

utterly lifeless, eaten up hand and foot

" (Heaney 740-744)

Other Appearances
Hondscio is a reoccurring character in the first few issues of the "Beowulf: Dragon Slayer" DC Comics. Starting in the first issue. He acts as more of a sidekick to Beowulf and occasionally gets the band of warriors into trouble.

Onomatology
The significance and history of Hondscio's name is up to debate of scholars. The most agreed upon theory (Attributed to James L. Roiser) is that his name is a form of pun. Being an amalgamation of the word hond (translating to hand) and scio (translating to shoe), his name can be literally translated to "Handshoe", or "Glove". This is done to bring reference to hands (a common motif in the story) and (as elaborated by Susan M Kim in "Boasting and Nostalgia in Beowulf" ) to contrast the fabulous glof (commonly translated to glove, but could also mean "pouch") that Grendel has. Implying that Beowulf's glove (Hondscio) had been stolen.

Another interpretation (as written by Anne Leslie Harris in "Hands, Helms and Heroes: The Role of Proper Names in Beowulf" ) Sees Hondscio's namesake as that of the function of a Glove. Just as A glove is intended to protect someone's hands, Hondscio was tasked with protecting Beowulf and his party. As the slang to refer to someone as one's "hand" when they are of significant use was commonplace, this analogy makes some sense for the time.