where did the idea of orcs come from
Thomas Wright wrote, "Orcus was the name for Pluto, the god of the infernal regions, hence we can easily understand the explanation of "hel-deofol"
Orc
The is glossed as ""Orc, þyrs, oððe hel-deofol"" ("Goblin, spectre, or hell-devil") in the 10th century Old English "Cleopatra Glossary", about which Thomas Wright wrote, "Orcus was the name for Pluto, the god of the infernal regions, hence we can easily understand the explanation of "hel-deofol".
wiki:24654495
Orc [SEP] Old English
The is glossed as ""Orc, þyrs, oððe hel-deofol"" ("Goblin, spectre, or hell-devil") in the 10th century Old English "Cleopatra Glossary", about which Thomas Wright wrote, "Orcus was the name for Pluto, the god of the infernal regions, hence we can easily understand the explanation of "hel-deofol". "Orc", in Anglo-Saxon, like "thyrs", means a spectre, or goblin." The "Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal" defines "ork" in the closely related Old Dutch language as a "verslindend monster" ("devouring monster"), and points at a possible origin in the Old Dutch "nork" "petulant, crabbed, evil person". The term is used just once in "Beowulf" as the plural compound "orcneas", one of the tribes alongside the elves and ettins (giants) condemned by God: "Orcneas" is translated "evil spirits" above, but its meaning is uncertain.