Note to Anon Mv I 23VII
[7, 8] Bil baugstalls ‘the Bil <goddess> of the ring-seat [ARM > WOMAN]’: This emendation is conjectural. Baugstalls ‘of the ring-seat’ (i.e. ‘of the arm’) is clearly a determinant in a kenning for woman (see Meissner 420). However, brúðr ‘woman’ (so 721) cannot function as a base-word in such a kenning. Skj B emends to brú ‘bridge’ and reads brú baugstalls ‘the bridge of the ring-seat’ (i.e. ‘woman’), but brú ‘bridge’ is unattested as a base-word in a kenning for woman (see LP: brú). Bil, on the other hand, is a common base-word in such kennings (see LP: Bil) and in keeping with the other woman-kennings in Mv I (see also st. 14/6: auðar-Bil ‘wealth-Bil’ i.e. ‘woman’).
References
- Bibliography
- Skj B = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1912-15b. Den norsk-islandske skjaldedigtning. B: Rettet tekst. 2 vols. Copenhagen: Villadsen & Christensen. Rpt. 1973. Copenhagen: Rosenkilde & Bagger.
- Meissner = Meissner, Rudolf. 1921. Die Kenningar der Skalden: Ein Beitrag zur skaldischen Poetik. Rheinische Beiträge und Hülfsbücher zur germanischen Philologie und Volkskunde 1. Bonn and Leipzig: Schroeder. Rpt. 1984. Hildesheim etc.: Olms.
- LP = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1931. Lexicon poeticum antiquæ linguæ septentrionalis: Ordbog over det norsk-islandske skjaldesprog oprindelig forfattet af Sveinbjörn Egilsson. 2nd edn. Copenhagen: Møller.
- Internal references
- (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Óláfs saga helga (Legendary)’ 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. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=31> (accessed 6 April 2025)
- Kari Ellen Gade 2007, ‘ Anonymous, Máríuvísur I’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 678-700. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1031> (accessed 6 April 2025)