In response to Tyler’s blog about comitatus, I feel that I would have to agree with what he wrote. I think that the idea of comitatus that is represented in Beowulf, is a strong bond between the leader, and the warriors.
This bond was broken when Beowulf’s men left him, when they saw that he was going to be killed. I thought it interesting how Tyler put it, “Comitatus is till death do us part.” I think that this quote does capture the idea of comitatus, that it is a bond between leader and warrior that was not superficial, that it was not broken because you are faced with death.
The deal that made up comitatus was that the leader would offer his protection and riches to the warriors, if the warriors would in turn fight for and protect the leader. I think that Wiglaf truly understood comitatus and recognized what Beowulf had blessed him with, and in turn Wiglaf fulfilled his part of the deal.
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