Breca

In the Anglo-Saxon poem "Beowulf", Breca the Bronding is Beowulf’s childhood friend who defeated him in a swimming match. While dining, Unferth alludes to the story of their contest, and Beowulf then relates it in detail, explaining how he needed to stop and defeat multiple sea monsters during the match.

Breca is also mentioned in "Widsith" as the lord of the Brondings.

The Brondings and Breca are believed to have lived on the island of Brännö outside of modern Gothenburg, a realistic location for a childhood friend of Beowulf.

Scholars have debated about whether Beowulf and Breca competed in a swimming match or a rowing match. Ambiguities in the translation of "Beowulf" have left scholars with multiple interpretations for the Beowulf-Breca "swimming" episode. Karl P. Wentersdorf of Xavier University writes, “An adventure in which two youths spend seven days and nights swimming at sea is more than extraordinary, particularly since they are carrying heavy iron swords and wearing cumbersome coats of chain mail.”Karl P. Wentersdorf, “Beowulf’s Adventure with Breca,” Studies in Philology 72, no. 2 (spring 1975): 141.] According to Wentersdorf, the trouble with translation “results from the ambiguity of the word "sund" in the lines "ymb sund flite" (507b) and "he þeaet sunde oferflat" (517b).”Karl P. Wentersdorf, “Beowulf’s Adventure with Breca,” Studies in Philology 72, no. 2 (spring 1975): 155.] "Sund", though often translated by scholars as “swim” could, through evolution of language, be interpreted as “rowing.”Karl P. Wentersdorf, “Beowulf’s Adventure with Breca,” Studies in Philology 72, no. 2 (spring 1975): 159.] Beowulf and Breca could have been competing to see who was the more prodigious rower. The Old English term "rowan", used in "Beowulf", is not translated as “swim” in any other Anglo-Saxon poetry.Karl P. Wentersdorf, “Beowulf’s Adventure with Breca,” Studies in Philology 72, no. 2 (spring 1975): 159.] The kennings "earmum þehton" ("þeccean" “to cover, conceal”) and "mundum brugdon" ("bregdan" “to pull, move quickly, swing, draw”) used by Unferth to describe Beowulf’s match against Breca are applicable to both swimming and rowing.Karl P. Wentersdorf, “Beowulf’s Adventure with Breca,” Studies in Philology 72, no. 2 (spring 1975): 160.] Unferth also uses the phrases "wada cunnedon" (508b), “made trial of the waters,” and "glidon ofer garsecg" (515a), “glided over the sea” during his description of Beowulf’s match against Breca.Karl P. Wentersdorf, “Beowulf’s Adventure with Breca,” Studies in Philology 72, no. 2 (spring 1975): 161.] Both terms are equally applicable to swimming and rowing. Rowing was an essential skill for warriors during the Anglo-Saxon era, thus a rowing competition between Beowulf and Breca would not have been out of the question.

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