Clash of the Gods

Have any of you been watching this show?  It’s about finding truth in the various mythical stories and legends of the world.   For the most part, I find the various commentaries to be interesting and insightful, except for the last couple of subjects:  The Odyssey and Beowulf.

The Odyssey. 

Not once, in the two episodes it took to discuss this story, did they mention the involvement of Athena.  They went on and on about the wrath of Poseidon, but not one single word about Athena.  Poseidon, the god of the sea, horses, and earthquakes versus Athena, goddess of wisdom, crafts, and war.  The power of natural chaos versus the order of the human mind.  This is one of the predominant themes of Greek mythology.

Beowulf.

First, the sword and scabbard.  I did not notice this, my nephew pointed it out to me.  The man who plays Beowulf wears his scabbard on his right side as if he fights left-handed, but, most of the time, he holds the sword in his right hand.

Second, the scholars talk about how, in this story, we see the Christianization of the old oral tales, but they neglect to mention one of the most obviously Christian allusions in the entire poem:  Hrothgar’s queen.

Third, the fact that they referenced the Icelandic sagas for the Battle on the Ice, but did not mention Bjorn Bjarki, the hero of that battle in the sagas.  Bjarki was, supposedly, part bear.  Beowulf translates into modern English as “bee wolf.”  A clear reference to a bear. 

And, fourth, in looking for historical evidence for people mentioned in the poem, they neglected to mention that there is a possible reference to the death of Beowulf’s overlord, King Hygelac of the Geats, in a Frankish chronicle:  The History of the Franks by Geoffrey of Tours.