localization. Thus Siegfried is never called Siegfried of
Troneg, as is Hagen. Other attempts to explain Troneg will
be found in Piper, I, 48.
(12) "Dankwart" is not an historical character nor one that
belonged to the early form of the legend. He may have come
from another saga, where he played the principal role as
Droege (ZsfdA. 48, 499) thinks. Boer considers him to be
Hagen's double, invented to play a part that would naturally
fall to Hagen's share, were he not otherwise engaged at the
moment. In our poem he is called "Dancwart der snelle", a
word that has proved a stumbling-block to translators,
because in modern German it means 'speedy', 'swift'. Its
original meaning was, however, 'brave', 'warlike', although
the later meaning is already found in M.H.G. In all such
doubtful cases the older meaning has been preferred, unless
the context forbids, and the word 'doughty' has been chosen
to translate it.
(13) "Ortwin of Metz" appears also in the "Eckenlied",
"Waltharius", and in "Biterolf". He is most likely a late
introduction (but see Piper, I, 44). Rieger thinks that he
belonged to a wealthy family "De Metis". Though the "i" is
long in the original, and Simrock uses the form "Ortewein"
in his translation, the spelling with short "i" has been
chosen, as the lack of accent tends to shorten the vowel in
such names.
(14) "Gere" is likewise a late introduction. He is perhaps the
historical Margrave Gere (965) of East Saxony, whom Otto the
Great appointed as a leader against the Slavs. See O. von
Heinemann, "Markgraf Gero", Braunschweig, 1860, and Piper, L
43.