Rolf Stavnem (ed.) 2012, ‘Hallar-Steinn, Rekstefja 1’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 897.
[1] hǫrs ‘of linen’: (a) Ms. hers ‘of the troop’ is emended here, as in previous eds (Konráð Gíslason 1895-7; Skj B; Skald) to hǫrs, which combines with hrunda, gen. pl. of the valkyrie-name Hrund, to form a standard woman-kenning; cf. Meissner 407, 415, and cf. herr prúðr hǫrvi ‘troop adorned with linen’ referring to women in st. 35/7. (b) The ms. reading hers could be retained, giving gnótt hers hrunda ‘the great number of the army of valkyries’, which would presumably be a kenning or informal genitival expression meaning ‘women’. However, this would be without parallel, and gnótt ‘great number’ with hers ‘of the army’ would be somewhat tautological. Emendation to hǫrs therefore seems preferable, especially given that Bb is the only ms. for the stanza. — [1, 2] kveðk mér hljóðs gnótt hrunda hǫrs ‘I ask silence for myself from the great number of valkyries of linen [WOMEN]’: The skald’s request for silence is surprisingly directed towards women, who are addressed again at the close of the poem, st. 35/7-8, though a male audience seems to be indicated by st. 24/1, 3. There is no obvious explanation for this.
[1] hǫrs ‘of linen’: (a) Ms. hers ‘of the troop’ is emended here, as in previous eds (Konráð Gíslason 1895-7; Skj B; Skald) to hǫrs, which combines with hrunda, gen. pl. of the valkyrie-name Hrund, to form a standard woman-kenning; cf. Meissner 407, 415, and cf. herr prúðr hǫrvi ‘troop adorned with linen’ referring to women in st. 35/7. (b) The ms. reading hers could be retained, giving gnótt hers hrunda ‘the great number of the army of valkyries’, which would presumably be a kenning or informal genitival expression meaning ‘women’. However, this would be without parallel, and gnótt ‘great number’ with hers ‘of the army’ would be somewhat tautological. Emendation to hǫrs therefore seems preferable, especially given that Bb is the only ms. for the stanza. — [1, 2] kveðk mér hljóðs gnótt hrunda hǫrs ‘I ask silence for myself from the great number of valkyries of linen [WOMEN]’: The skald’s request for silence is surprisingly directed towards women, who are addressed again at the close of the poem, st. 35/7-8, though a male audience seems to be indicated by st. 24/1, 3. There is no obvious explanation for this.
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gnótt (noun f.): abundance
[1, 2] kveðk mér hljóðs gnótt hrunda hǫrs ‘I ask silence for myself from the great number of valkyries of linen [WOMEN]’: The skald’s request for silence is surprisingly directed towards women, who are addressed again at the close of the poem, st. 35/7-8, though a male audience seems to be indicated by st. 24/1, 3. There is no obvious explanation for this.
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Hrund (noun f.): Runde, Hrund, valkyrie
[1, 2] kveðk mér hljóðs gnótt hrunda hǫrs ‘I ask silence for myself from the great number of valkyries of linen [WOMEN]’: The skald’s request for silence is surprisingly directed towards women, who are addressed again at the close of the poem, st. 35/7-8, though a male audience seems to be indicated by st. 24/1, 3. There is no obvious explanation for this.
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sléttr (adj.): level, smooth
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hljóð (noun n.; °-s; -): sound, silence, a hearing
[1, 2] kveðk mér hljóðs gnótt hrunda hǫrs ‘I ask silence for myself from the great number of valkyries of linen [WOMEN]’: The skald’s request for silence is surprisingly directed towards women, who are addressed again at the close of the poem, st. 35/7-8, though a male audience seems to be indicated by st. 24/1, 3. There is no obvious explanation for this.
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2. kveðja (verb; kvaddi): (dd) request, address, greet
[1, 2] kveðk mér hljóðs gnótt hrunda hǫrs ‘I ask silence for myself from the great number of valkyries of linen [WOMEN]’: The skald’s request for silence is surprisingly directed towards women, who are addressed again at the close of the poem, st. 35/7-8, though a male audience seems to be indicated by st. 24/1, 3. There is no obvious explanation for this.
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ek (pron.; °mín, dat. mér, acc. mik): I, me
[1, 2] kveðk mér hljóðs gnótt hrunda hǫrs ‘I ask silence for myself from the great number of valkyries of linen [WOMEN]’: The skald’s request for silence is surprisingly directed towards women, who are addressed again at the close of the poem, st. 35/7-8, though a male audience seems to be indicated by st. 24/1, 3. There is no obvious explanation for this.
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3. at (prep.): at, to
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1. óðr (noun m.): poem
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rǫnd (noun f.; °dat. -/-u; rendr/randir): shield, shield-rim < randhvél (noun n.): [rim-wheel]
[3] Þundi rennu randhvéls ‘about the Þundr <= Oðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]’: (a) This kenning can be construed with óði ‘poem’ as in the interpretation above (and in Skj B and Skald). (b) It could alternatively be construed with Rekstefju, thus, ‘I commence Rekstefja about the warrior’. Either case involves the use of the dat. case to mean ‘about’, which is unusual, but cf. lof ‘praise-poem’ with a kenning in the dat. in the second helmingr.
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rǫnd (noun f.; °dat. -/-u; rendr/randir): shield, shield-rim < randhvél (noun n.): [rim-wheel]
[3] Þundi rennu randhvéls ‘about the Þundr <= Oðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]’: (a) This kenning can be construed with óði ‘poem’ as in the interpretation above (and in Skj B and Skald). (b) It could alternatively be construed with Rekstefju, thus, ‘I commence Rekstefja about the warrior’. Either case involves the use of the dat. case to mean ‘about’, which is unusual, but cf. lof ‘praise-poem’ with a kenning in the dat. in the second helmingr.
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rǫnd (noun f.; °dat. -/-u; rendr/randir): shield, shield-rim < randhvél (noun n.): [rim-wheel]
[3] Þundi rennu randhvéls ‘about the Þundr <= Oðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]’: (a) This kenning can be construed with óði ‘poem’ as in the interpretation above (and in Skj B and Skald). (b) It could alternatively be construed with Rekstefju, thus, ‘I commence Rekstefja about the warrior’. Either case involves the use of the dat. case to mean ‘about’, which is unusual, but cf. lof ‘praise-poem’ with a kenning in the dat. in the second helmingr.
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hvél (noun n.; °; -): wheel < randhvél (noun n.): [rim-wheel]
[3] Þundi rennu randhvéls ‘about the Þundr <= Oðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]’: (a) This kenning can be construed with óði ‘poem’ as in the interpretation above (and in Skj B and Skald). (b) It could alternatively be construed with Rekstefju, thus, ‘I commence Rekstefja about the warrior’. Either case involves the use of the dat. case to mean ‘about’, which is unusual, but cf. lof ‘praise-poem’ with a kenning in the dat. in the second helmingr.
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hvél (noun n.; °; -): wheel < randhvél (noun n.): [rim-wheel]
[3] Þundi rennu randhvéls ‘about the Þundr <= Oðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]’: (a) This kenning can be construed with óði ‘poem’ as in the interpretation above (and in Skj B and Skald). (b) It could alternatively be construed with Rekstefju, thus, ‘I commence Rekstefja about the warrior’. Either case involves the use of the dat. case to mean ‘about’, which is unusual, but cf. lof ‘praise-poem’ with a kenning in the dat. in the second helmingr.
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hvél (noun n.; °; -): wheel < randhvél (noun n.): [rim-wheel]
[3] Þundi rennu randhvéls ‘about the Þundr <= Oðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]’: (a) This kenning can be construed with óði ‘poem’ as in the interpretation above (and in Skj B and Skald). (b) It could alternatively be construed with Rekstefju, thus, ‘I commence Rekstefja about the warrior’. Either case involves the use of the dat. case to mean ‘about’, which is unusual, but cf. lof ‘praise-poem’ with a kenning in the dat. in the second helmingr.
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1. renna (noun f.; °-u): [rush]
[3] Þundi rennu randhvéls ‘about the Þundr <= Oðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]’: (a) This kenning can be construed with óði ‘poem’ as in the interpretation above (and in Skj B and Skald). (b) It could alternatively be construed with Rekstefju, thus, ‘I commence Rekstefja about the warrior’. Either case involves the use of the dat. case to mean ‘about’, which is unusual, but cf. lof ‘praise-poem’ with a kenning in the dat. in the second helmingr.
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1. renna (noun f.; °-u): [rush]
[3] Þundi rennu randhvéls ‘about the Þundr <= Oðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]’: (a) This kenning can be construed with óði ‘poem’ as in the interpretation above (and in Skj B and Skald). (b) It could alternatively be construed with Rekstefju, thus, ‘I commence Rekstefja about the warrior’. Either case involves the use of the dat. case to mean ‘about’, which is unusual, but cf. lof ‘praise-poem’ with a kenning in the dat. in the second helmingr.
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Þundr (noun m.): Þundr
[3] Þundi rennu randhvéls ‘about the Þundr <= Oðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]’: (a) This kenning can be construed with óði ‘poem’ as in the interpretation above (and in Skj B and Skald). (b) It could alternatively be construed with Rekstefju, thus, ‘I commence Rekstefja about the warrior’. Either case involves the use of the dat. case to mean ‘about’, which is unusual, but cf. lof ‘praise-poem’ with a kenning in the dat. in the second helmingr.
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rekstefja (noun f.): split-refrain
[4] Rekstefju ‘Rekstefja (“Split-refrain” (?))’: On the meaning of the title, see Introduction.
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2. taka (verb): take
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hefja (verb): lift, start
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ský (noun n.; °-s; -): cloud < skýrunnr (noun m.)
[5] Skýrunn*: ‘skvrvnzst’ Bb
[5] skýrunn* ‘tree of the cloud (lit. ‘cloud-tree’)’: (a) Finnur Jónsson in Skj B, partly following SHI 3, 271, emends the incomprehensible ms. reading ‘skurunzst’ to skýrunns (gen. sg.) ‘cloud-tree’, and assumes that the warrior-kenning of which runn- ‘tree’ is base-word forms a gen. with lof, hence ‘praise-poem about the warrior’. (b) The present edn, with Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) and Kock (NN §1167), prefers to take skýrunn as a dat. sg. with lof and to assume that two kennings stand in apposition. Both Konráð and Kock point to a parallel for endingless dat. sg. -runn rather than the more usual -runni.
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ský (noun n.; °-s; -): cloud < skýrunnr (noun m.)
[5] Skýrunn*: ‘skvrvnzst’ Bb
[5] skýrunn* ‘tree of the cloud (lit. ‘cloud-tree’)’: (a) Finnur Jónsson in Skj B, partly following SHI 3, 271, emends the incomprehensible ms. reading ‘skurunzst’ to skýrunns (gen. sg.) ‘cloud-tree’, and assumes that the warrior-kenning of which runn- ‘tree’ is base-word forms a gen. with lof, hence ‘praise-poem about the warrior’. (b) The present edn, with Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) and Kock (NN §1167), prefers to take skýrunn as a dat. sg. with lof and to assume that two kennings stand in apposition. Both Konráð and Kock point to a parallel for endingless dat. sg. -runn rather than the more usual -runni.
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runnr (noun m.; °dat. -i/-; -ar): bush, tree < skýrunnr (noun m.)
[5] Skýrunn*: ‘skvrvnzst’ Bb
[5] skýrunn* ‘tree of the cloud (lit. ‘cloud-tree’)’: (a) Finnur Jónsson in Skj B, partly following SHI 3, 271, emends the incomprehensible ms. reading ‘skurunzst’ to skýrunns (gen. sg.) ‘cloud-tree’, and assumes that the warrior-kenning of which runn- ‘tree’ is base-word forms a gen. with lof, hence ‘praise-poem about the warrior’. (b) The present edn, with Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) and Kock (NN §1167), prefers to take skýrunn as a dat. sg. with lof and to assume that two kennings stand in apposition. Both Konráð and Kock point to a parallel for endingless dat. sg. -runn rather than the more usual -runni.
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skjǫldr (noun m.; °skjaldar/skildar, dat. skildi; skildir, acc. skjǫldu): shield
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skjǫldr (noun m.; °skjaldar/skildar, dat. skildi; skildir, acc. skjǫldu): shield
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skjǫldr (noun m.; °skjaldar/skildar, dat. skildi; skildir, acc. skjǫldu): shield
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linnr (noun m.): snake
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linnr (noun m.): snake
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linnr (noun m.): snake
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skulu (verb): shall, should, must
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fríðr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): beautiful, fair
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lof (noun n.; °-s; -): praise, leave, permission
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smíða (verb): craft
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þing (noun n.; °-s; -): meeting, assembly < þingbaldr (noun m.)
[7] þing‑: ‘þig‑’ Bb
[7] þing- ‘assembly’: An unavoidable emendation introduced by Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SHI 3, 244). — [7] Þróttar þing-Baldr ‘Baldr <god> of the assembly of Þróttr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘assembly-Baldr of Þróttr’) BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr]’: Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) interprets this as the skald addressing a man, possibly the one who commissioned the poem, whereas Kock and this edn prefer to construe it as a parallel phrase to the warrior-kenning based on runn ‘tree’. On the form Baldr as dat., cf. Finnur Jónsson (1901, 7-8).
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þing (noun n.; °-s; -): meeting, assembly < þingbaldr (noun m.)
[7] þing‑: ‘þig‑’ Bb
[7] þing- ‘assembly’: An unavoidable emendation introduced by Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SHI 3, 244). — [7] Þróttar þing-Baldr ‘Baldr <god> of the assembly of Þróttr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘assembly-Baldr of Þróttr’) BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr]’: Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) interprets this as the skald addressing a man, possibly the one who commissioned the poem, whereas Kock and this edn prefer to construe it as a parallel phrase to the warrior-kenning based on runn ‘tree’. On the form Baldr as dat., cf. Finnur Jónsson (1901, 7-8).
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þing (noun n.; °-s; -): meeting, assembly < þingbaldr (noun m.)
[7] þing‑: ‘þig‑’ Bb
[7] þing- ‘assembly’: An unavoidable emendation introduced by Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SHI 3, 244). — [7] Þróttar þing-Baldr ‘Baldr <god> of the assembly of Þróttr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘assembly-Baldr of Þróttr’) BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr]’: Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) interprets this as the skald addressing a man, possibly the one who commissioned the poem, whereas Kock and this edn prefer to construe it as a parallel phrase to the warrior-kenning based on runn ‘tree’. On the form Baldr as dat., cf. Finnur Jónsson (1901, 7-8).
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þing (noun n.; °-s; -): meeting, assembly < þingbaldr (noun m.)
[7] þing‑: ‘þig‑’ Bb
[7] þing- ‘assembly’: An unavoidable emendation introduced by Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SHI 3, 244). — [7] Þróttar þing-Baldr ‘Baldr <god> of the assembly of Þróttr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘assembly-Baldr of Þróttr’) BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr]’: Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) interprets this as the skald addressing a man, possibly the one who commissioned the poem, whereas Kock and this edn prefer to construe it as a parallel phrase to the warrior-kenning based on runn ‘tree’. On the form Baldr as dat., cf. Finnur Jónsson (1901, 7-8).
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Baldr (noun m.): [Baldr, Baldur] < þingbaldr (noun m.)
[7] Þróttar þing-Baldr ‘Baldr <god> of the assembly of Þróttr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘assembly-Baldr of Þróttr’) BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr]’: Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) interprets this as the skald addressing a man, possibly the one who commissioned the poem, whereas Kock and this edn prefer to construe it as a parallel phrase to the warrior-kenning based on runn ‘tree’. On the form Baldr as dat., cf. Finnur Jónsson (1901, 7-8).
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2. Þróttr (noun m.): Þróttr
[7] Þróttar þing-Baldr ‘Baldr <god> of the assembly of Þróttr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘assembly-Baldr of Þróttr’) BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr]’: Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) interprets this as the skald addressing a man, possibly the one who commissioned the poem, whereas Kock and this edn prefer to construe it as a parallel phrase to the warrior-kenning based on runn ‘tree’. On the form Baldr as dat., cf. Finnur Jónsson (1901, 7-8).
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2. Þróttr (noun m.): Þróttr
[7] Þróttar þing-Baldr ‘Baldr <god> of the assembly of Þróttr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘assembly-Baldr of Þróttr’) BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr]’: Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) interprets this as the skald addressing a man, possibly the one who commissioned the poem, whereas Kock and this edn prefer to construe it as a parallel phrase to the warrior-kenning based on runn ‘tree’. On the form Baldr as dat., cf. Finnur Jónsson (1901, 7-8).
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mildr (adj.; °compar. -ri/-ari, superl. -astr): mild, gentle, gracious, generous
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2. er (conj.): who, which, when
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framr (adj.; °compar. framari/fremri, superl. framastr/fremstr): outstanding, foremost
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1. verða (verb): become, be
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beimi (noun m.; °; -ar): man
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
Hǫrs gnótt hrunda sléttum |
I ask silence for myself from the great number of valkyries of linen [WOMEN] for the smooth poem about the Þundr <= Óðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]; I commence Rekstefja (‘Split-refrain’ (?)). I will forge a praise-poem for the handsome tree of the cloud of the snakes of the shield [(lit. ‘cloud-tree of the snakes of the shield’) SWORDS > SHIELD > WARRIOR = Óláfr], for the generous Baldr <god> of the assembly of Þróttr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘assembly-Baldr of Þróttr’) BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr], who was the best of men.
This stanza and sts 7-8, 10-11, 24 and 32-5 are not preserved in a narrative context.
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