Wergild: Difference between revisions
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It was part of a warrior code. There is money to be paid for loss of life to the family of the victim. | == Wergild == | ||
A payment of reparation for a death. It was part of a warrior code. There is money to be paid for loss of life to the family of the victim. | |||
Example: King Hrothgar pays the Geats a wergild (also spelled weregild and wergeld) for Grendel's murder of one of their party. | |||
"And compensation, | |||
a price in gold, was settled for the Geat | |||
Grendel had cruelly killed earlier-- | |||
as he would have killed more, had not mindful God | |||
and one man's daring prevented that doom." | |||
-Beowulf [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/jan-june00/beowulf.html (Seamus Heaney translation)] | |||
Latest revision as of 18:09, 21 September 2006
Wergild
A payment of reparation for a death. It was part of a warrior code. There is money to be paid for loss of life to the family of the victim.
Example: King Hrothgar pays the Geats a wergild (also spelled weregild and wergeld) for Grendel's murder of one of their party.
"And compensation,
a price in gold, was settled for the Geat
Grendel had cruelly killed earlier--
as he would have killed more, had not mindful God
and one man's daring prevented that doom."
-Beowulf (Seamus Heaney translation)