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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Note to Grani Har 2II

[3, 4] hirð Hugins ‘for the retinue of Huginn <raven> [RAVENS]’: This is an unusual kenning for ‘ravens’, because such circumscriptions normally have a base-word that is a kinship term (see Meissner 119; but see ferð gylðis ‘the company of the wolf’ in ESk Run 9/2). However, hirð Hugins ‘the retinue of Huginn’ neatly parallels jóði ara ‘the brood of eagles’ (l. 2) and ætt arnar ‘the kin of the eagle’ (l. 5). Earlier eds construe Hugins with jól (jól Hugins ‘yule-feast of Huginn’), which could be taken quite literally (Haraldr fed the ravens) or else as a kenning for ‘carrion’ (so SnE 1998, II, 480). Huginn was one of Óðinn’s ravens (see SnE 1998, I, 91).

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. SnE 1998 = Snorri Sturluson. 1998. Edda: Skáldskaparmál. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2 vols. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
  4. Internal references
  5. Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Einarr Skúlason, Runhenda 9’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 557-8.

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