[1-2]: The maids of Óðinn listed in this stanza are valkyries (valkyrjur ‘choosers of the slain’), whose duty, as stated in the eddic Grí 36 and in Gylf (SnE 2005, 30), is to serve ale to the warriors (einherjar) in Valhǫll. Óðinn sends the valkyries to battles to allot death to warriors and govern victory. All valkyries mentioned here are enumerated in Þul Valkyrja as well (see Notes to the respective stanzas). As is the case with the other names of valkyries used in poetic language, these occur as base-words in kennings for ‘woman’ and as determinants mostly in kennings for ‘man’ and ‘battle’.
References
- Bibliography
- SnE 2005 = Snorri Sturluson. 2005. Edda: Prologue and Gylfaginning. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2nd edn. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
- Internal references
- (forthcoming), ‘ Snorri Sturluson, Gylfaginning’ 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=113> (accessed 25 April 2024)
- Not published: do not cite ()
- 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 25 April 2024)