feond

In the Old English poem Beowulf, the monster Grendel is described as “feond on helle”, “an enemy from hell”.

Archive 2009-06-01 Carla 2009

In the Old English poem Beowulf, the monster Grendel is described as “feond on helle”, “an enemy from hell”.

Old English gods and myths: Hell Carla 2009

Al swa of þen oþer areawe. to god ha beod isleine · Ah ha libbed to þe feond ⁊ beod alle in is hird · ⁊ serued him in his curt · Euch of þe mester þet him to falleð.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

Þis is al þe canges blisse ⁊ te feond bihalt tis gomen ⁊ laheð þ̵ he bersteð.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

+A+s sein Jerome leareð · ne beo ȝe neauer longe ne lihtliche of sum {} þing allunges idel · for anan rihtes þe feond beot hire his werc þe i godes werc ne swinkeð · ⁊ tuteleð anan toward hire. foR hwil he sið hire bisi {;} he þencheð þus · for nawt ich schulde nu cume neh hire {;} ne mei ha nawt iȝemen to lustni  {90} mi lare.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

  {70} [++Þ] E wreadfule biuoren þe feond skirmed mid kniwes · is his knif warpare · ⁊ pleied mid sweordes · bered ham bi þe sharpe ord open his tunge. swerd ⁊ knif eiþer beoð sherpe ⁊ keorwinde: word þat he warped from him ⁊ skirmed toward oþere.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

But, as the vowel in this unstressed syllable increasingly became the indeterminate sound Phoneticians call shewa, before long, there was an elision and feond/es became feonds, Beowulfes became Beowulfs: but there was an historical sense, a dim memory, that there was once, perhaps still should be, a something before that final 's': and it is that, which the possessive apostrophe memorialises.

Guy Fawkes' blog guidoadmin 2009

_ B | | godd | god C | | leuest | | 139. sahtnesse | sachtnesse C | | somentale | | te feond | þe feont C | | laðest B

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

· ⁊ te deouel leið his tutel dun to his eare · ⁊ tuteleð him al þ̵ he wule. for swa hit is sikerliche to hwa {m} se is idel of god {;} meaðeleð þe feond ȝeorne · ⁊ te idele underueð luueliche his lare.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall

_Prude and nid · and lecherie · Grede and idelhed · coueitise and glotunie beod seouen ded Sundes_.] ++Þe wreaðule biuore þe feond skirmeð mid cniues · ⁊ is his cnif warpere · ⁊ pleieð mid sweordes · bereð ha {m} bi þe scharp ord up on his tunge.

Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts Joseph Hall