The epic hero, Beowulf the Geat, shows a lot of qualities of a born king. In this epic poem, Beowulf overcomes the fact that his father was exiled and becomes a great man. He gains the loyalty and devotion of his men and defends good from evil. He was portrayed as being almost invincible, having the strength of three men and successful in battle. To be a good king, a person must possess leadership, inspire confidence, and demonstrate compassion. In this poem, Beowulf showed all the qualities that made him not only a good hero, but also a great king.
             First of all, Beowulf shows the makings of a good king because he displays leadership. As shown in the story, Beowulf led a band of fourteen Geats to the land of Scyldings when he heard of Hrothgar's problem. The fact that he was able to gather fourteen loyal men to follow him across open seas to face a "monster" of great powers demonstrates that his men believed in him and his determination for good. Other examples of leadership skills were shown at the first battle at the Great Halls of Heorot and later at the battle of Grendel's Dam. In facing these challenges illustrated leadership and bravery in battle.
             Another important characteristic of a good king is to carry himself honorably and earn the respect of others. An example of this would be when
             Beowulf first arrived at Hrothor's castle. Beowulf and his band of men presented themselves in shining armor, shields, and weapons, much to the delight of the king. Beowulf knew how to dress and carry himself with prestige and honor. When he came to talk to the king, he boasted about his lineage and put the honor of his people and his father, Ecgtheow, on the line. "Whomever death would take must trust in God's judgment (Beowulf 32)". These lines showe
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