LotR -- Book 3 - Chapter 01 - The Departure of Boromir

[Bêthberry]

Lalwendë, I think you are certainly right. The repatriation of bodies of fallen soldiers is an important part of military history. And, besides, Tolkien's The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth is all about Torhthelm's and and Tídwald's efforts to recover the body of Beorhtnoth after the battle, a bit of a difficult task as he had been decapitated. According to Tolkien, historically, the body was recovered by the wish of the Abbot of Ely and buried in the abby, sans head.

For those of you discussing the meaning of ofermode, it is well to remember that it is found only in that line in The Battle of Maldon, at least as far as our extant sources of Old English literature allow us. So all discussion about translating it depend upon interpreting that one context. It is used to describe Beorhtnoth's action in voluntarily, without military need or pressure, yielding ground to the enemy.

For those of you discussing the heroic "wind" poems and the manner of their creation, here's some support to your idea from Tolkien:

'Will shall be the sterner, hear the bolder, spirit the greater as our strength lessens.l'
It is here implied, as is indeed probable, that these words were not 'original,' but an ancient and honoured expression of heroic will; Beorhtwold is all the more, not the less, likely for that reason actually to have used them in his last hour.

Quotations all taken from Tolkien's "The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthem's Son" This is about the Old English battle poem, "The Battle of Maldon", which Helen is referring to.