[4] fjǫlhress ‘very hearty’: Skj B and Skald emend to fjǫlvíss (adj.) ‘very wise’, which produces a better rhyme, but only if Moses’ name assumed the form Moíses (see Note below) Although fjǫlhress produces a less good rhyme, it makes good sense here (cf. dáðhress ‘deed-healthy’ 45/4, also used of God). Although hress ‘healthy, hearty’ does not occur very frequently in compounds in skaldic verse, it is interesting to compare several other examples in the C12th drápur. Pl decribes its hero as móðhress ‘hearty in courage’ 29/6 and the Emperor Trajan as víghress ‘hearty in battle’ 58/1, while S. Óláfr is characterised as eljunhress ‘energy-filled’ in Geisl 11/6.
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.
- Skald = Kock, Ernst Albin, ed. 1946-50. Den norsk-isländska skaldediktningen. 2 vols. Lund: Gleerup.
- Internal references
- Jonna Louis-Jensen and Tarrin Wills 2007, ‘ Anonymous, Plácitusdrápa’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 179-220. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1039> (accessed 18 April 2024)
- Martin Chase (ed.) 2007, ‘Einarr Skúlason, Geisli 11’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 16-17.