Skjöldr

Skjöldr, also known as Shield Sheafson in Heaney's translation of Beowulf, is the legendary ancestor of the Danish royal lineage known as the Scyldings. Skjöldr inaugurates a long line of Danish rulers and embodies the Danish tribe's highest values of heroism and leadership.

Background
There are a myriad of stories regaling the tale of Skjöldr, King of the Danes. In the Skjöldunga saga and the Ynglinga saga he is said be a god, a son of Odin. It is also said that it was Odin who came from Asia and conquered Northern Europe. Odin gave Denmark to Skjöldr and gave Sweden to to his son Yngvi. Thus the Danish Kings went on to be called Skjöldungs and the Swedish Kings went on to be called Ynglings.

In Beowulf, it's said that Skjöldr was a foundling, an orphan, and, "would flourish later on as his powers waxed and his worth was proved."

Name Etymology
Skjöldr is said to originate from the Old Danish name Skjold which translates to Shield.

Strengths
He was a powerful warrior king who began a powerful line. In Beowulf it says, "There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes, a wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes. . . In the end each clan on the outlying coasts beyond the whale-road had to yield to him and begin to pay tribute. That was one good king." There was no tribe that would challenge him because he was too fierce of a warrior king.

Weaknesses
Skjöldr was a brash man and impatient man. He was always the first to throw a punch or insult. He was also often fought bare-handed to ensure that the fight lasted longer and received more scars.

Eventually, Skjöldr had defeated all of the able-body men in his hometown, and his fame traveled beyond the place of his birth.

Role in Beowulf
The importance of Skjöldr in Beowulf is to demonstrate all the best characteristics of a Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon warrior and warrior king. Due to Skjöldr's rise to power as the first Danish king he led to the Skjöldungs family line and the origins of his grandson Hrothgar who Grendel rampaged and who's kingdom Beowulf saved.

Translated
Heaney Lines 4-63:  "There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes,

a wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes.

This terror of the hall-troops had come far.

A foundling to start with, he would flourish later on

as his powers waxed and his worth was proved.

In the end each clad on the outlying coasts

beyond the whale-road had to yield to him

and begin to pay tribute. That was one good king.

Afterwards a boy-child was born to Shield,

a cub in the yard, a comfort sent

by God to that nation. He knew what they had tholed,

the long times and troubles they'd come through

without a leader; so the Lord of Life,

the glorious Almighty, made this man renowned.

Shield had fathered a famous son:

Beow's name was known through the north.

And a young prince must be prudent like that,

giving freely while his father lives

so that afterwards in age when fighting starts

steadfast companions will stand by him

and hold the line. Behaviour that's admired

is the path to power among people everywhere.

Shield was still thriving when his time came

and he crossed over into the Lord's keeping.

His warrior band did what he bade them

when he laid down the law among the Danes:

they shouldered him out to the sea's flood,

the chief they revered who had long ruled them.

A ring-whorled prow rode in the harbour,

ice-clad, outbound, a craft for a prince.

They stretched their beloved lord in his boat,

laid out by the mast, amidships,

the great ring-giver. Far-fetched treasures

were piled upon him, and precious gear.

I never heard before of a ship so well furbished

with battle tackle, bladed weapons

and coats of mail. The massed treasure

was loaded on top of him: it would travel far

on out into the ocean's sway.

They decked his body no less bountifully

with offerings than those first ones did

who cast him away when he was a child

and launched him alone out over the waves.

And they set a gold standard up

high above his head and let him drift

to wind and tide, bewailing him

and mourning their loss. No man can tell,

no wise man in hall or weathered veteran

knows for certain who salvaged that load.

Then it fell to Beow to keep the forts.

He was well regarded and ruled the Danes

for a long time after his father took leave

of his life on earth."

Original Old English
Lines 4-56:  "Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum,

monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah,

egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð

feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad,

weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah,

oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra

ofer hronrade hyran scolde,

gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning.

ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned,

geong in geardum, þone god sende

folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat

þe hie ær drugon aldorlease

lange hwile. Him þæs liffrea,

wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgeaf;

Beowulf wæs breme blæd wide sprang,

Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in.

Swa sceal geong guma gode gewyrcean,

fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme,

þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen

wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume,

leode gelæsten; lofdædum sceal

in mægþa gehwære man geþeon.

Him ða Scyld gewat to gescæphwile

felahror feran on frean wære.

Hi hyne þa ætbæron to brimes faroðe,

swæse gesiþas, swa he selfa bæd,

þenden wordum weold wine Scyldinga;

leof landfruma lange ahte.

þær æt hyðe stod hringedstefna,

isig ond utfus, æþelinges fær.

Aledon þa leofne þeoden,

beaga bryttan, on bearm scipes,

mærne be mæste. þær wæs madma fela

of feorwegum, frætwa, gelæded;

ne hyrde ic cymlicor ceol gegyrwan

hildewæpnum ond heaðowædum,

billum ond byrnum; him on bearme læg

madma mænigo, þa him mid scoldon

on flodes æht feor gewitan.

Nalæs hi hine læssan lacum teodan,

þeodgestreonum, þon þa dydon

þe hine æt frumsceafte forð onsendon

ænne ofer yðe umborwesende.

þa gyt hie him asetton segen geldenne

heah ofer heafod, leton holm beran,

geafon on garsecg; him wæs geomor sefa,

murnende mod. Men ne cunnon

secgan to soðe, selerædende,

hæleð under heofenum, hwa þæm hlæste onfeng.

ða wæs on burgum Beowulf Scyldinga,

leof leodcyning, longe þrage

folcum gefræge fæder ellor hwearf,

aldor of earde." 