Beatrice La Farge (ed.) 2017, ‘Áns saga bogsveigis 3 (Án bogsveigir, Lausavísur 3)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry in fornaldarsögur. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 8. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 9.
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því (adv.): therefore, because
[1] Því betr mér þykkir: Því betr \mér/ þykkir 343a, því þykkir betr 109a Iˣ
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betr (adv.; °superl. bezt/bazt; pos. vel adv.): better
[1] Því betr mér þykkir: Því betr \mér/ þykkir 343a, því þykkir betr 109a Iˣ
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ek (pron.; °mín, dat. mér, acc. mik): I, me
[1] Því betr mér þykkir: Því betr \mér/ þykkir 343a, því þykkir betr 109a Iˣ
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2. þykkja (verb): seem, think
[1] Því betr mér þykkir: Því betr \mér/ þykkir 343a, því þykkir betr 109a Iˣ
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3. ef (conj.): if
[2] ef valr skal þá falla ‘if then the slain are to fall’: This subordinate clause is proleptic, since warriors become valr ‘the slain’ when they fall in battle.
[2] ef valr skal þá falla ‘if then the slain are to fall’: This subordinate clause is proleptic, since warriors become valr ‘the slain’ when they fall in battle.
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skulu (verb): shall, should, must
[2] ef valr skal þá falla ‘if then the slain are to fall’: This subordinate clause is proleptic, since warriors become valr ‘the slain’ when they fall in battle.
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1. valr (noun m.; °dat. -i; -ir): corpse, the slain
[2] ef valr skal þá falla ‘if then the slain are to fall’: This subordinate clause is proleptic, since warriors become valr ‘the slain’ when they fall in battle.
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falla (verb): fall
[2] ef valr skal þá falla ‘if then the slain are to fall’: This subordinate clause is proleptic, since warriors become valr ‘the slain’ when they fall in battle.
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nær (adv.): near, almost; when
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vér (pron.; °gen. vár, dat./acc. oss): we, us, our
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2. fœra (verb): bring
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3. at (prep.): at, to
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geirr (noun m.): spear
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2. drekka (verb; °drekkr; drakk, drukku; drukkinn/drykkinn): drink
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allr (adj.): all
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af (prep.): from
[5-6] af hlenni ennigeira uxa ‘from the resounding sea (?) of the forehead-spears of oxen [HORNS > DRINK]’: Ennigeirar uxa ‘the forehead-spears of oxen’ is clearly a kenning for drinking horns, and it is presumed that hlenni must here denote some kind of liquid, in order to produce a kenning for alcoholic drink similar to Egill Lv 6/3-4V (Eg 10) ýring atgeira ýrar ‘moisture of the spears of the [female] aurochs’ (cf. ÍF 2, 110 n.). In the construction drekkum ... af ... hlenni the form hlenni must be dat. sg. The only Old Norse word with the stem hlenn- is hlenni ‘robber, thief’, but the dat. sg. of this word is hlenna and in any case it does not fit the context. Finnur Jónsson (Skj B) offers no explanation of the word here (cf. LP: hlenni; Skj B). Kock suggests that there may be an etymological connection between the word hlenni here and such Old English words as hlyn (m. ‘sound, noise, din’; NN §1484). Since many Old Norse words whose etymological meaning is ‘noise, din’ are used to denote the sea or a wave, Kock suggests that hlenni ennigeira uxa is a kenning for drink of the type ‘resounding sea/wave of the drinking horn’ (cf. Meissner 432). Hughes (1972, 221 n. 36) emends hlenni to hlemi, which he appears to interpret as a word meaning ‘noise’ (1972, 46). The word hlenni remains obscure, but the meaning of the kenning and the passage as a whole is clear.
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oxi (noun m.; °-a; yxn/øxn/oxar): ox
[5-6] af hlenni ennigeira uxa ‘from the resounding sea (?) of the forehead-spears of oxen [HORNS > DRINK]’: Ennigeirar uxa ‘the forehead-spears of oxen’ is clearly a kenning for drinking horns, and it is presumed that hlenni must here denote some kind of liquid, in order to produce a kenning for alcoholic drink similar to Egill Lv 6/3-4V (Eg 10) ýring atgeira ýrar ‘moisture of the spears of the [female] aurochs’ (cf. ÍF 2, 110 n.). In the construction drekkum ... af ... hlenni the form hlenni must be dat. sg. The only Old Norse word with the stem hlenn- is hlenni ‘robber, thief’, but the dat. sg. of this word is hlenna and in any case it does not fit the context. Finnur Jónsson (Skj B) offers no explanation of the word here (cf. LP: hlenni; Skj B). Kock suggests that there may be an etymological connection between the word hlenni here and such Old English words as hlyn (m. ‘sound, noise, din’; NN §1484). Since many Old Norse words whose etymological meaning is ‘noise, din’ are used to denote the sea or a wave, Kock suggests that hlenni ennigeira uxa is a kenning for drink of the type ‘resounding sea/wave of the drinking horn’ (cf. Meissner 432). Hughes (1972, 221 n. 36) emends hlenni to hlemi, which he appears to interpret as a word meaning ‘noise’ (1972, 46). The word hlenni remains obscure, but the meaning of the kenning and the passage as a whole is clear.
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oxi (noun m.; °-a; yxn/øxn/oxar): ox
[5-6] af hlenni ennigeira uxa ‘from the resounding sea (?) of the forehead-spears of oxen [HORNS > DRINK]’: Ennigeirar uxa ‘the forehead-spears of oxen’ is clearly a kenning for drinking horns, and it is presumed that hlenni must here denote some kind of liquid, in order to produce a kenning for alcoholic drink similar to Egill Lv 6/3-4V (Eg 10) ýring atgeira ýrar ‘moisture of the spears of the [female] aurochs’ (cf. ÍF 2, 110 n.). In the construction drekkum ... af ... hlenni the form hlenni must be dat. sg. The only Old Norse word with the stem hlenn- is hlenni ‘robber, thief’, but the dat. sg. of this word is hlenna and in any case it does not fit the context. Finnur Jónsson (Skj B) offers no explanation of the word here (cf. LP: hlenni; Skj B). Kock suggests that there may be an etymological connection between the word hlenni here and such Old English words as hlyn (m. ‘sound, noise, din’; NN §1484). Since many Old Norse words whose etymological meaning is ‘noise, din’ are used to denote the sea or a wave, Kock suggests that hlenni ennigeira uxa is a kenning for drink of the type ‘resounding sea/wave of the drinking horn’ (cf. Meissner 432). Hughes (1972, 221 n. 36) emends hlenni to hlemi, which he appears to interpret as a word meaning ‘noise’ (1972, 46). The word hlenni remains obscure, but the meaning of the kenning and the passage as a whole is clear.
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enni (noun n.; °-s; -): forehead, brow < ennigeirr (noun m.)
[5-6] af hlenni ennigeira uxa ‘from the resounding sea (?) of the forehead-spears of oxen [HORNS > DRINK]’: Ennigeirar uxa ‘the forehead-spears of oxen’ is clearly a kenning for drinking horns, and it is presumed that hlenni must here denote some kind of liquid, in order to produce a kenning for alcoholic drink similar to Egill Lv 6/3-4V (Eg 10) ýring atgeira ýrar ‘moisture of the spears of the [female] aurochs’ (cf. ÍF 2, 110 n.). In the construction drekkum ... af ... hlenni the form hlenni must be dat. sg. The only Old Norse word with the stem hlenn- is hlenni ‘robber, thief’, but the dat. sg. of this word is hlenna and in any case it does not fit the context. Finnur Jónsson (Skj B) offers no explanation of the word here (cf. LP: hlenni; Skj B). Kock suggests that there may be an etymological connection between the word hlenni here and such Old English words as hlyn (m. ‘sound, noise, din’; NN §1484). Since many Old Norse words whose etymological meaning is ‘noise, din’ are used to denote the sea or a wave, Kock suggests that hlenni ennigeira uxa is a kenning for drink of the type ‘resounding sea/wave of the drinking horn’ (cf. Meissner 432). Hughes (1972, 221 n. 36) emends hlenni to hlemi, which he appears to interpret as a word meaning ‘noise’ (1972, 46). The word hlenni remains obscure, but the meaning of the kenning and the passage as a whole is clear.
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enni (noun n.; °-s; -): forehead, brow < ennigeirr (noun m.)
[5-6] af hlenni ennigeira uxa ‘from the resounding sea (?) of the forehead-spears of oxen [HORNS > DRINK]’: Ennigeirar uxa ‘the forehead-spears of oxen’ is clearly a kenning for drinking horns, and it is presumed that hlenni must here denote some kind of liquid, in order to produce a kenning for alcoholic drink similar to Egill Lv 6/3-4V (Eg 10) ýring atgeira ýrar ‘moisture of the spears of the [female] aurochs’ (cf. ÍF 2, 110 n.). In the construction drekkum ... af ... hlenni the form hlenni must be dat. sg. The only Old Norse word with the stem hlenn- is hlenni ‘robber, thief’, but the dat. sg. of this word is hlenna and in any case it does not fit the context. Finnur Jónsson (Skj B) offers no explanation of the word here (cf. LP: hlenni; Skj B). Kock suggests that there may be an etymological connection between the word hlenni here and such Old English words as hlyn (m. ‘sound, noise, din’; NN §1484). Since many Old Norse words whose etymological meaning is ‘noise, din’ are used to denote the sea or a wave, Kock suggests that hlenni ennigeira uxa is a kenning for drink of the type ‘resounding sea/wave of the drinking horn’ (cf. Meissner 432). Hughes (1972, 221 n. 36) emends hlenni to hlemi, which he appears to interpret as a word meaning ‘noise’ (1972, 46). The word hlenni remains obscure, but the meaning of the kenning and the passage as a whole is clear.
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geirr (noun m.): spear < ennigeirr (noun m.)
[6] ‑geira: ‘ge[…]’ 109a Iˣ
[5-6] af hlenni ennigeira uxa ‘from the resounding sea (?) of the forehead-spears of oxen [HORNS > DRINK]’: Ennigeirar uxa ‘the forehead-spears of oxen’ is clearly a kenning for drinking horns, and it is presumed that hlenni must here denote some kind of liquid, in order to produce a kenning for alcoholic drink similar to Egill Lv 6/3-4V (Eg 10) ýring atgeira ýrar ‘moisture of the spears of the [female] aurochs’ (cf. ÍF 2, 110 n.). In the construction drekkum ... af ... hlenni the form hlenni must be dat. sg. The only Old Norse word with the stem hlenn- is hlenni ‘robber, thief’, but the dat. sg. of this word is hlenna and in any case it does not fit the context. Finnur Jónsson (Skj B) offers no explanation of the word here (cf. LP: hlenni; Skj B). Kock suggests that there may be an etymological connection between the word hlenni here and such Old English words as hlyn (m. ‘sound, noise, din’; NN §1484). Since many Old Norse words whose etymological meaning is ‘noise, din’ are used to denote the sea or a wave, Kock suggests that hlenni ennigeira uxa is a kenning for drink of the type ‘resounding sea/wave of the drinking horn’ (cf. Meissner 432). Hughes (1972, 221 n. 36) emends hlenni to hlemi, which he appears to interpret as a word meaning ‘noise’ (1972, 46). The word hlenni remains obscure, but the meaning of the kenning and the passage as a whole is clear.
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geirr (noun m.): spear < ennigeirr (noun m.)
[6] ‑geira: ‘ge[…]’ 109a Iˣ
[5-6] af hlenni ennigeira uxa ‘from the resounding sea (?) of the forehead-spears of oxen [HORNS > DRINK]’: Ennigeirar uxa ‘the forehead-spears of oxen’ is clearly a kenning for drinking horns, and it is presumed that hlenni must here denote some kind of liquid, in order to produce a kenning for alcoholic drink similar to Egill Lv 6/3-4V (Eg 10) ýring atgeira ýrar ‘moisture of the spears of the [female] aurochs’ (cf. ÍF 2, 110 n.). In the construction drekkum ... af ... hlenni the form hlenni must be dat. sg. The only Old Norse word with the stem hlenn- is hlenni ‘robber, thief’, but the dat. sg. of this word is hlenna and in any case it does not fit the context. Finnur Jónsson (Skj B) offers no explanation of the word here (cf. LP: hlenni; Skj B). Kock suggests that there may be an etymological connection between the word hlenni here and such Old English words as hlyn (m. ‘sound, noise, din’; NN §1484). Since many Old Norse words whose etymological meaning is ‘noise, din’ are used to denote the sea or a wave, Kock suggests that hlenni ennigeira uxa is a kenning for drink of the type ‘resounding sea/wave of the drinking horn’ (cf. Meissner 432). Hughes (1972, 221 n. 36) emends hlenni to hlemi, which he appears to interpret as a word meaning ‘noise’ (1972, 46). The word hlenni remains obscure, but the meaning of the kenning and the passage as a whole is clear.
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2. hlenni (noun ?): ?
[5-6] af hlenni ennigeira uxa ‘from the resounding sea (?) of the forehead-spears of oxen [HORNS > DRINK]’: Ennigeirar uxa ‘the forehead-spears of oxen’ is clearly a kenning for drinking horns, and it is presumed that hlenni must here denote some kind of liquid, in order to produce a kenning for alcoholic drink similar to Egill Lv 6/3-4V (Eg 10) ýring atgeira ýrar ‘moisture of the spears of the [female] aurochs’ (cf. ÍF 2, 110 n.). In the construction drekkum ... af ... hlenni the form hlenni must be dat. sg. The only Old Norse word with the stem hlenn- is hlenni ‘robber, thief’, but the dat. sg. of this word is hlenna and in any case it does not fit the context. Finnur Jónsson (Skj B) offers no explanation of the word here (cf. LP: hlenni; Skj B). Kock suggests that there may be an etymological connection between the word hlenni here and such Old English words as hlyn (m. ‘sound, noise, din’; NN §1484). Since many Old Norse words whose etymological meaning is ‘noise, din’ are used to denote the sea or a wave, Kock suggests that hlenni ennigeira uxa is a kenning for drink of the type ‘resounding sea/wave of the drinking horn’ (cf. Meissner 432). Hughes (1972, 221 n. 36) emends hlenni to hlemi, which he appears to interpret as a word meaning ‘noise’ (1972, 46). The word hlenni remains obscure, but the meaning of the kenning and the passage as a whole is clear.
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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
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munu (verb): will, must
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snarpr (adj.): sharp, keen
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sverð (noun n.; °-s; -): sword
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svipan (noun f.): movement
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3. ef (conj.): if
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ek (pron.; °mín, dat. mér, acc. mik): I, me
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skulu (verb): shall, should, must
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ráða (verb): advise, rule, interpret, decide
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
Því betr mér þykkir, |
It will seem to me so much better, if then the slain are to fall, when we quickly betake our feet to the meeting of spears [BATTLE]. Let us drink fully from the resounding sea (?) of the forehead-spears of oxen [HORNS > DRINK]; there will be a swinging of sharp swords [BATTLE], if I am to have my way.
Án speaks this stanza when King Ingjaldr and his followers have arrived in the territories of Ingjaldr’s half-brothers. Ingjaldr has announced that his half-brothers are not willing to settle the matter of their inheritance peacefully and that it will therefore be necessary to do battle against them. Many of Ingjaldr’s followers now wish they had remained at home. The king orders that they all be provided with drinks, so that they become more eager to go on. Án proclaims his willingness to fight in the stanza he speaks as he has been given a large oxhorn filled with drink.
The metre of this stanza, like that of st. 1, is an irregular variant of dróttkvætt. It is ornamented with three kennings, an unusually high number for a fornaldarsaga stanza.
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