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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Note to Refr Þorst 2III

[1] bǫðgœðis ‘of the battle-promoter [= Óðinn]’: The emendation (addition of -s) is necessary because a gen. is needed to integrate the word in the kenning for ‘poem’. The kenning ‘battle-promoter’ is a traditional warrior-kenning, but the context shows that it can only refer to Óðinn here, because ægi ógnstǫðvar ‘the ocean of the terror-place [BREAST]’ must be supplemented by ‘Óðinn’ to fit the pattern ‘liquid of Óðinn’s breast [POEM]’ (on the use of warrior-kennings for Óðinn, see Meissner 253). As the god of war, Óðinn continually ‘promoted’ battle by causing strife among warriors (cf. Hárb 24, HHund II, 34 and ARG II, 57 for more examples).

References

  1. Bibliography
  2. 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.
  3. ARG = Vries, Jan de. 1956-7. Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte. 2 vols. 2nd edn. Berlin: de Gruyter.
  4. Internal references
  5. Not published: do not cite ()

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