In Beowulf, more than a thousand years ago, Beowulf, the hero and great king, boasted a lot:

• Starting at line 415: Beowulf boasts and vows to fight Grendel bare-handed.
• Starting at line 499: Unferth casts doubt on Beowulf's boast. Beowulf responds with the true story of his swimming match with Breca.
• Starting at line 607 Responses of Hrothgar and Wealtheow to Beowulf's boast.
• Starting at line 675: Alone, waiting for Grendel, "the good man spoke then some promise-words."
• Starting at line 758: "The good man then recalled, the kinsman of Hygelac, / his evening-speech"
• From line 1383: Beowulf's philosophy and his promise to take revenge on Grendel's mother.
• From line 2510: "Beowulf . . .  spoke vow-words / for the last time"