Ásynja heiti — Þul Ásynja^III

This þula (Þul Ásynja) is recorded in mss R, Tˣ, C, A and B (and 744ˣ) of Skm (SnE). Ms. R is the main ms. for all stanzas except st. 3, where that ms. is defective. In mss A and B the þula has the heading heiti ásynja (A) ‘Names of the Ásynjur’ (Ásynju heiti ‘Names of the Ásynja’, B). Although this þula purports to list names of the goddesses, the so-called Ásynjur, these are enumerated only in sts 1-2, st. 3 deals with names for Freyja and her daughters, while the remaining stanzas are devoted to other supernatural female beings. Thus st. 4 contains the names of meyjar Óðins ‘Óðinn’s maids’, i.e. valkyries, whose names are also listed in Þul Valkyrja (which is found in ms. A only), while st. 5 mentions the norns, the goddesses of fate in Old Norse myth. In all mss, Þul Ásynja is preceded by Þul Ása II and followed by Þul Kvenna I. Stanzas 1-2, 4-5 of this þula are also found in LaufE (mss papp10ˣ(37r), 2368ˣ(84-85), 743ˣ(66v-67r); LaufE 1979, 253-4, 336) with the heading (normalised) Nǫfn Ásynja ‘Names of Ásynjur’. In 2368ˣ and 743ˣ, the heiti for Freyja given in st. 3 are included in a later section along with other circumlocutions with the heading Freyia kiennist svá ‘Freyja is circumscribed as follows’ (so 2368ˣ, omitted in 743ˣ). In papp10ˣ(39r) that section appears after the kennings and heiti for male gods and kennings for Frigg (LaufE 1979, 260). In LaufE the stanzas are given as prose, but the order of the names and the inclusion of some of the poetic text make it clear that the LaufE version was based on the þula. The readings show that the text must have been copied from a ms. close to A. RE 1665(Dd-Dd2) has a version similar to that of LaufE (2036ˣ, 743ˣ). Neither LaufE nor RE 1665 has been considered in the present edition.

References

1. Bibliography
2. LaufE 1979 = Faulkes, Anthony, ed. 1979. Edda Magnúsar Ólafssonar (Laufás Edda). RSÁM 13. Vol. I of Two Versions of Snorra Edda from the 17th Century. Reykjavík: Stofnun Árna Magnússonar, 1977-9.
3. Internal references
4. Edith Marold 2017, ‘Snorra Edda (Prologue, Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál)’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols [check printed volume for citation].
5. (forthcoming), ‘ Snorri Sturluson, Skáldskaparmál’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=112> (accessed 3 May 2024)
6. Elena Gurevich 2017, ‘ Anonymous, Ása heiti II’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 760. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=3189> (accessed 3 May 2024)
7. Elena Gurevich 2017, ‘ Anonymous, Kvenna heiti’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 772. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=3191> (accessed 3 May 2024)
8. Elena Gurevich 2017, ‘ Anonymous, Heiti valkyrja’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 968. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=3246> (accessed 3 May 2024)
9. (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Laufás Edda’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=10928> (accessed 3 May 2024)