{{Short description|Anglo-Saxon ritual boast}} {{Italic title}} {{Wiktionary|beot}} A '''{{lang|ang|bēot}}''' is Old English for a ritualized boast, vow, threat, or promise.<ref name="Einarsson 1934">{{cite journal|last1=Einarsson|first1=Stefán|title=Old English ''Beot'' and Old Icelandic ''Heitstrenging''|journal=PMLA|date=1934|volume=49|issue=4|pages=980|jstor=458120|doi=10.2307/458120|quote=For these and other instances of different meaning, see the dictionaries. They give three chief meanings: (1) a threatening, menace; (2) danger; and (3) boasting promise. It seems that the third one is the most usual, and logically the meanings would seem to have developed in the order: promise—boasting—threatening—danger.}}<!--|accessdate=3 December 2014--></ref><ref name="hall 1960 p42">Clark Hall, John R. ''A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary''. Cambridge University Press, 1960, p. 42.</ref> The principle of a ''bēot'' is to proclaim one's acceptance of a seemingly impossible challenge in order to gain tremendous glory for actually accomplishing it.
Anglo-Saxon warriors would usually deliver ''bēot''s in the mead hall the night before a military engagement<ref>Einarsson, 1934, p. 976-978</ref> or during the battle itself.<ref>Einarsson, 1934, p. 978-979</ref> For example, a typical warrior may boast that he will be the first to strike a blow in a battle, that he would claim a renowned sword from an enemy warrior as spoil of battle, that he will slay a particular beast that has been wreaking havoc on a town or village, and so on. ''Bēot''s were usually accompanied by grand stories of one's past glorious deeds. Although other cultures and times might disdain boasting as a sign of arrogance, or sinful pride, the pagan Anglo-Saxons highly regarded such behaviour as a positive sign of one's determination, bravery, and character.
Examples of the ''bēot'' can be seen throughout the epic poem ''Beowulf'', such as when Beowulf vows to fight Grendel without using any weapons or armour.<ref>Einarsson, 1934</ref>
==Etymology== The Old English word ''bēot'' comes from earlier ''bíhát'' meaning 'promise'. The original noun-form of ''bēot'' corresponds to the verb ''bi-'', ''be-ˈhátan''. A shifting of the stress from ''bíhát'' to ''bi-ˈhát'', on analogy of the verb, gave the late Old English ''beˈhát'', from which the Middle English word ''behote'' derives.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://oed.com/view/Entry/17815?redirectedFrom=beot# |title=Home : Oxford English Dictionary |website=oed.com |access-date=6 February 2011}}</ref> The second element of the term is cognate with Old Norse heit, also meaning 'promise'.
==Structure of a ''bēot'' (as seen in Beowulf)== # '''Pledge''' - The individual pledges to endeavour a specific challenge<ref>Beowulf, lines 679-685</ref><ref>Beowulf, lines 2510-2525</ref><ref name="Einarsson 1934 p975-976">Einarsson, 1934, p. 975-976, "In both instances we have to do with a solemn promise to carry out a feat—a fight—under very difficult circumstances, partly self-imposed to add glory"</ref> # '''Speculation of outcomes''' - The individual predicts two possible outcomes—success or failure—and elaborates the effects of either outcome.<ref>Beowulf, line 687</ref><ref>Beowulf, lines 2535-2537</ref> # '''Commissioning to a higher power''' - The individual commissions the outcome of the challenge to a higher power (e.g. ''God'', ''fate'').<ref>Beowulf, lines 685-687</ref><ref>Beowulf, lines 2526-2527</ref>
==See also== *Beowulf *Boast *''Craic'' *Flyting *Heitstrenging *Weregild *Wyrd
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Anglo-SaxonPaganism}}
Category:Anglo-Saxon law Category:Germanic paganism