Þul Óðins 6^III

Sviðurr ‘Sviðurr’

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Sviðurr (noun m.)

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[1] Sviðurr: See also Sviðrir in l. 3 below (cf. Grí 50/1 (NK 67): Sviðurr oc Sviðrir ‘Sviðurr and Sviðrir’), Sviðarr in Gylf (Gylf gives all these derivational variants; see SnE 2005, 8, 22), and Sviðuðr (st. 4/2 above). None of these forms is otherwise attested in skaldic poetry. The names may be derived from sviða f. ‘spear’ (Óðinn is named after his spear, Gungnir; so Falk 1924, 28). Skm provides another explanation for Sviðurr, which is said to be an eponym of the Svíar ‘Swedes’ (SnE 1998, I, 105): Svíþjóð [var kallaðr] af nafni Sviðurs – þat er ok heiti Óðins ‘Sweden was named after Sviðurr’s name – that is also one of Óðinn’s names’. For other suggested interpretations, see AEW: Sviðrir, Sviðuðr, Sviðurr.

ok ‘and’

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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also

Skollvaldr ‘Skollvaldr’

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Skollvaldr (noun m.)

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[1] Skollvaldr: Lit. ‘skulking-ruler’. A hap. leg. from the m. noun skollr ‘skulking, deceit’ (cf. the adj. skollvíss ‘skulking, wily’ and skolli m. ‘fox’; Falk 1924, 26). The second element is valdr m. ‘ruler’. This nickname refers to Óðinn’s deceitful character.

Siggautr ‘Siggautr’

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Siggautr (noun m.)

[2] Siggautr: ‘sigꜹtr’ added in margin in scribal hand A, ‘[…]gautr’ B, ‘sigautr’ 744ˣ

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[2] Siggautr: Lit. ‘battle-Gautr’ or ‘victory-Gautr’, a cpd not attested elsewhere. The name, which is not attested elsewhere, was originally omitted in A but added in the left margin in scribal hand. The first element Sig- is illegible in B. The restored form Siggautr is also supported by ‘sigautr’ in 744ˣ and the LaufE mss, and the initial <s> is required by alliteration (cf. OE Sigegēat; Falk 1924, 25). See also Gautr (st. 1/6) and other Óðinn-names with Sig- as the first element (e.g. Sigfǫðr, Sigtryggr and Sigþrór, sts 4/4, 8/1, 7 as well as the heiti contained in the present stanza).

ok ‘and’

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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also

[2] ok: om. B

Viðurr ‘Viðurr’

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Viðurr (noun m.): Viðurr

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[2] Viðurr: In Grí 49/7 (NK 67) the name is interpreted as that of a war god (Viðurr at vígum ‘Viðurr in battles’), which may be connected with the weak verb viða ‘kill, destroy’ (see Noreen 1912a, 1-3); hence ‘destroyer, killer’. Alternatively, Falk (1924, 33) argues that this Óðinn-heiti was originally an eponym which is still preserved in place names in Bohuslän, Sweden, e.g. Väderöar, Väderfjord (cf. OE Weder-Gēatas or Wed(e)ras pl. ‘the Geats’, a tribe from southern Scandinavia mentioned in Beowulf ll. 225, 423, 1492 etc.). This Óðinn-name occurs quite frequently in poetry.

Sviðrir ‘Sviðrir’

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Sviðrir (noun m.): Sviðrir

[3] Sviðrir: so B, ok sviðrir A

notes

[3] Sviðrir: The name may well be a variant of Sviðurr (see l. 1 above; so Hellquist 1891, 24), although Falk (1924, 28), following Bugge (1881-96, I, 362; Bugge 1885, 240) and Olsen (1906a, 119-21), argues that Sviðrir is more likely to be related to OE sweðrian ‘retire, withdraw, subside, decrease’ (of storm and fire). According to him, the name means ‘one who calms storms’. That interpretation finds support in Hávm 154/4-6 (NK 43) vind ec kyrri | … | oc svæfic allan sæ ‘I calm the wind … and put the entire sea to sleep’ as well as in Yng (ch. 7, ÍF 26, 18) Þat kunni hann enn at gera með orðum einum at sløkkva eld ok kyrra sjá ok snúa vindum hverja leið er hann vildi ‘He was also able with mere words to extinguish fire and calm the sea and turn the winds any way he wished’. The name is otherwise attested only in Grí 50/1 and in the rímur (Finnur Jónsson 1926-8: Sviðrir).

Báleygr ‘Báleygr’

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Báleygr (noun m.): Báleygr

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[3] Báleygr: Lit. ‘fiery-eyed one’. The first part of this cpd is derived from bál n. ‘fire’ (cf. also Bileygr, Báleygr in Grí 47/4 (NK 67) and Note to Bileygr, st. 5/5 above). This Óðinn-name appears in several skaldic kennings.

Sigðir ‘Sigðir’

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Sigðir (noun m.)

[4] Sigðir: so B, ‘sigþær’ A

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[4] Sigðir: Perhaps ‘victorious one’. The name is likely a cpd (Sigðir < Sigþér; cf. the A variant ‘sigþær’ and ‘sigþer’ in the LaufE mss), formed from sigi (Sig(g)i is the name of Óðinn’s son) and ‑þér, which is the second element in many personal names (e.g. Hamðir). In Old Norse, the name occurs only in this þula, but it may be cognate with the Old High German pers. n. Sigideo, Sigitheo (AEW: sigðir 2). Falk (1924, 25) suggests that this Óðinn-heiti originally could have been the name of a legendary king. Cf. also Siggautr (l. 2 above).

Brúni ‘Brúni’

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Brúni (noun m.)

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[4] Brúni: This name could have been derived from brún f. ‘eyebrow’ (AEW: Brúni), and hence would characterise Óðinn as one with overhanging brows which hide his eyes (cf. Bileygr, st. 5/5). The name is most likely taken from the legend known from Saxo (Saxo 2005, I, 7, 12, 1, pp. 506-9, I, 8, 4, 3, pp. 518-19, I, 8, 4, 8-9, pp. 520-3), according to which Óðinn assumed the disguise of Bruno (cf. OHG Prūno), the confidant of Haraldr hilditannr ‘War-tooth’, and, acting as the driver of the king’s chariot, he treacherously killed him at the epic battle of Brávellir (cf. Falk 1924, 5). The name is not mentioned in other lists of Óðinn-heiti, nor does it otherwise occur in poetry, but it is attested in the rímur (Finnur Jónsson 1926-8: Brúni) and it is a dwarf-name in the Hb version of Vsp 13/3 (NK 3).

Sigmundr ‘Sigmundr’

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Sigmundr (noun m.): Sigmundr

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[5] Sigmundr: As an Óðinn-heiti, this pers. n. occurs only in this þula and in the later rímur (Finnur Jónsson 1926-8: Sigmundr). In heroic legend Sigmundr, the father of Sigurðr Fáfnisbani ‘Slayer of Fáfnir’, was a famous hero who descended from Óðinn.

Svǫlnir ‘Svǫlnir’

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Svǫlnir (noun m.): Svǫlnir

[5] Svǫlnir: ‘so᷎lner’ B

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[5] Svǫlnir: So A, lit. ‘cooler’; cf. the weak verb svala ‘chill, cool’ and the adj. svalr ‘cold’. Ms. B has ‘so᷎lner’, and the LaufE mss (normalised) Solnir or Sólnir. Svǫlnir may be related to Svalinn, otherwise attested as Svǫl, the shield that stands in front of the sun and cools the earth (cf. Grí 38/1; see also Þul Skjaldar 2/5). According to Falk (1924, 29), Svalinn was originally the name of Óðinn’s shield, and Bragi might have hinted at a connection between the two names when he chose the Óðinn-heiti Svǫlnir for his shield-kenning salpenningi Svǫlnis ‘Svǫlnir’s <= Óðinn’s> hall-penny’ (Rdr 12/1-2). If Falk’s explanation is correct, the actual meaning of Svǫlnir may be ‘the god with the shield’, although that interpretation remains speculative. This Óðinn-heiti frequently occurs in skaldic kennings.

Síðskeggr ‘Síðskeggr’

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Síðskeggr (noun m.)

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[6] Síðskeggr: Lit. ‘long-bearded one’ (from the adj. síðr ‘long, overhanging’ and skegg n. ‘beard’); cf. Langbarðr (st. 7/6) and Síðgrani lit. ‘long-whisker’, an Óðinn-name in Alv 6/3. The name is also listed in Grí 48/1 but it is not otherwise used in poetry.

ok ‘and’

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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also

Njótr ‘Njótr’

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njótr (noun m.): user, enjoyer

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[6] Njótr: The heiti means ‘enjoyer, user’ (an agent noun derived from the strong verb njóta ‘enjoy, benefit from’). According to Falk (1924, 23), however, this Óðinn-name is of foreign origin and most likely borrowed from OS Sahsnōt, the name of a Saxon deity and the eponymous father of various peoples (see Turville-Petre 1964, 63). The Old English equivalent of that name is Seaxnēat, a son of Óðinn and the divine ancestor of the kings of Essex. See also the statement in Flat 1860-8, III, 246 to the effect that Óðinn was Saxa god ‘the god of the Saxons’. Njótr is not mentioned in the list in Grí, but the name is used in skaldic kennings (see LP: njótr).

Olgr ‘Ólgr’

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1. Olgr (noun m.): noise-maker

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[7] Olgr: Lit. ‘noise-maker’. The name may reflect Óðinn’s connection to the sea (cf. the weak verb ólga ‘swell’ with respect to water; see Falk 1924, 23). It is also recorded as heiti for ‘ox’, ‘hawk’ and ‘fire’ (Þul Øxna 3/5, Þul Hauks 2/7 and Þul Elds 3/1; see Note there) but not otherwise attested in poetry.

Biflindi ‘Biflindi’

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Biflindi (noun m.)

[7] Biflindi: ‘biblindi’ A, ‘biklinnde’ B

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[7] Biflindi: The ms. readings are ‘biklinnde’ (B) and ‘biblindi’ (A and the LaufE mss), neither of which can be construed as Old Norse words. Although the form Biflindi is attested only in the Codex Regius version of Grí 49/9 (NK 67), it must be the heiti underlying the scribal corruptions in the present stanza. Falk (1924, 4) suggests that this Óðinn-heiti most likely means ‘one who has a *biflind’, i.e. a shield (= lind f., see Þul Skjaldar 1/8) with painted or carved images. In Þjóð Haustl 13/7 a shield decorated with scenes from myth and legend is described as fáða bifum ‘decorated with moving stories’ (see Note there). Óðinn may have been the owner of such a shield (cf. AEW: bifa f. or bifi m.; Biflindi). This Óðinn-name does not occur in poetry.

ok ‘and’

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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also

Ennibrattr ‘Ennibrattr’

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ennibrattr (noun m.)

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[8] Ennibrattr: The heiti is identical with the adj. ennibrattr ‘having a steep forehead’ and does not occur elsewhere. Falk (1924, 7) suggests that this name might have originated from a pictorial representation of the god. Cf. also Ennilangr, a name for Þórr (Þul Þórs l. 3).