20. _Cæsar_, was the name given to the Emperor of the East--the "Greek Emperor." The Finns were at that time located in their present home in Finland.
21, 22. _Hagena, Heoden, Wada._ These heroes all belong to one myth-cycle, which was told in Europe for many centuries. It is difficult to reconstruct the story as it was known at the time _Widsith_ was written, for it has received many additions at the hands of subsequent writers. The essential parts of the tale seem to be these: Heoden asks his servant, the sweet-singing Heorrenda, for help in wooing Hild, the daughter of Hagena. Heorrenda, enlisting the services of Wada, the renowned sea-monster (or sea-god) goes to woo Hild. By means of Wada's frightful appearance and skill in swordsmanship they attract Hild's attention, and Heorrenda then sings so that the birds are shamed into silence. They then woo Hild and flee with her from her father's court. Hagena pursues, and Heoden, after marrying Hild, engages him in battle. Each evening Hild goes to the battlefield and by magic awakens the warriors who have fallen, and they fight the same battle over day after day without ceasing. _Heorrenda_, the sweet singer of the Heodenings (i.e., of the court of Heoden) is mentioned in _Deor's Lament_, vv. 36 and 39. _Wada_ is a widely-known legendary character. He had power over the sea. He was the father of Weland, the Vulcan of Norse myth (see _Deor's Lament_, and _Waldhere_, A, v. 2). The _Holm-Rugians_ and the _Hælsings_ were in the fourth century on the Baltic coast of Germany. The _Glommas_ are unknown.
24. _Theodoric_, son of Chlodowech, king of the Franks, is meant, and not the famous Gothic king. Cf. v. 115, below.
25. _Breoca_: the same as Breca, prince of the Brondings, the opponent of Beowulf in his famous swimming match (_Beowulf_, vv. 499-606).
27, 28. _Finn Folcwalding_ was the traditional hero of the Frisians. For fragments of the stories connected with him, see _Beowulf_, vv. 1068-1159, and the fragmentary poem, _The Fight at Finnsburg_ (p. 34, below). _Hnæf_, son of Hoc (hence ruler of the _Hocings_) also figures in the Finn story. Hnæf's sister marries Finn. For a summary of the story see the Introduction to _The Fight at Finnsburg_.