Forebare

• forbear: to refrain, restrain oneself

• forebear: ancestor

• forebare: before baring → before the girls exposed themselves to HCE → the two girls are also the ancillae or handmaidens on the coat of arms of Dublin city, who are depicted coyly raising the hems of their skirts, baring their ankles (FW 107.06-07)

• bear four → bear four children (i.e., Shem, Shaun, and Issy's two personalities) → ALP?

• for bearing: a female bearing the weight of a man with whom she is engaged in the act of sexual intercourse

• bear arms: FW 005.05 → II.2 corresponds to Vico's Heroic Age, which is characterized by the language of heraldry → HCE is Dublin City, and so is represented by the city's coat of arms

• bear: a totemic animal → cf. other animal allusions in these opening lines (orangutans, chimps) → Russian bear = HCE as the Russian General → Father Bear to Issy's Goldilocks

Commentary

The dreamer in bed is trying to forbear from thinking about the arousing notion of the two nubile girls he supposedly spied on, as HCE is trying to forebear from thinking about his daughter Issy, who he hears up the chimney. – John Gordon, Finnegana Wake: A Plot Summary