'lofgeornost' - Critics have often wondered whether this compound adjective is critical of Beowulf. Lofgeorn, in homiletic writings, means 'boastful' or 'vainglorious'. It is the only occurrence of this word (try searching for it in the Old English Corpus. The translator of Bede's Historia ecclesiastica rendered his description of the pagan king Ethelfrith as gloriae cupidissimus ('most desirous of renown') with the adjective gylpgeornosta. However, as Jack sensibly points out, here lofgeornost is surely positive, 'for the word is attributed to those who are lamenting the hero's death and cannot reasonably be supposed to be expressing criticism of him'. Indeed, the poet earlier declares that those who wish to gain longsumne lof ('longlasting glory') must imitate Beowulf's example.