4. Sigla for individual verses

There are three basic siglum formats. (a) is used for poetry of any sort assigned to a named skald, and for anonymous poems (however fragmentary). (b) is for anonymous lausavísur or fragments presented under the heading of a prose work (not in vols 5 or 8). (c) is for poetry which is included under the heading of a saga in vols 5 or 8. For clarity, these types are subdivided in order to show their application to anonymous and named skalds; and to poem or verses.

a. Sigla for verses arranged by skald or anonymous poem

i. Sigla referring to a named skald and poem

Format: skald poem number^VOL

Example: Bragi Rdr 7^III

The poet and poem sigla will normally be the same as those in LP. Differences only arise where: (a) the LP skald siglum conflicts with our prose text siglum, e.g. LP has ‘Eg’ where we have Egill=skald, Eg=Egils saga; (b) our poem siglum is different in conformity with the principles outlined above.

ii. Sigla referring to named skald and lausavísur or fragments

Format: skald Lv/Frag number^VOL

Example: Oddi Lv 2^II

If the lvv or fragments for a particular skald occur in more than one volume, the numbering of verses does not restart for each volume. For example, the lvv of Máni and Einarr Eyjolfsson occur in more than one volume: Máni Lv 1^II, Máni Lv 2^II, Máni Lv 3^II, Máni Lv 4^IV, Máni Lv 5^III; Eþver Lv 1^I, Eþver Lv 2^V (Glúm 11) — see c. below for this last format.

iii.  Sigla referring to anonymous poems

Format: Anon Poem number^VOL

Examples: Anon Eirm 2^I; Anon Sól 34^VII

b. Sigla referring to anon. verse in a prose work (vols 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7)

This format is used for verses appearing in volumes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7, in which all non-anonymous poetry is arranged according to skalds, but anon. poetry appears under the prose work in which it is preserved.

Format: Anon (saga) number^VOL

Examples: Anon (ÓTOdd) 1^I, Anon (SnE) 4^III, etc.

The prose work sigla are those listed in the Editor’s Manual. Anonymous verses are numbered in a single continuous sequence by prose work.

c. Sigla referring to a verse in a fornaldar- or íslendingasaga (i.e. in vol. 5 or 8)

These sigla use the same formats as shown above, but with an optional designation of the saga location. This is because vols 5 and 8 are arranged entirely by saga, rather than by skald.

Format: skald/Anon poem/Lv/Frag number^VOL [(saga num)]

Examples: Grett Æv 6^V (Gr 41), Anon (Gr) 1^V (Gr 6)

Anon (Gr) 1^V is thus the sixth verse in Grettis saga, but the first anonymous verse.

d. Sigla for þulur

These are in a similar format to the skald/Anon-poem sigla, with the Icelandic name of the þulur category given in italics, if specified in the manuscript. A roman numeral is given where more than one list exists for a particular category. Þulur with names (i.e. Kálfsvísa and Þorgrímsþula) are treated as anonymous poems.

Format: Þul things number^III

Examples: Þul sverða 2^III, Þul jǫtna I 1^III, Anon Kálfsv 1^III

e. Sigla for runic inscriptions

These are not yet finalised.

References