Þul Óðins 7^III

Bǫlverkr ‘Bǫlverkr’

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Bǫlverkr (noun m.)

notes

[1] Bǫlverkr: Lit. ‘evil-doer’ (from bǫl f. ‘misfortune, evil, harm’ and the agent noun verkr ‘doer’), a name that Óðinn assumed when he was working for Baugi, brother of the giant Suttungr (Hávm 109/5-7; SnE 1998, I, 4). This name conveys the opposite meaning of Hagvirkr (st. 4/2 above). Bǫlverkr is recorded in the list of Óðinn-names in Grí 47/5, Gylf (SnE 2005, 22) and in C14th skaldic poetry (EGils Selv 3/3^IV). It is also the name of vikings in Hálf and Sǫrla saga sterka (FSN II, 36, 54, III, 426, 428, 430).

Eylúðr ‘Eylúðr’

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eylúðr (noun m.)

notes

[1] Eylúðr: The name may mean ‘ever-trumpeting’, from the adv. ey ‘ever’ and lúðr m. ‘trumpet’ (AEW: Eylúðr). Lúðr can also mean ‘cradle, box, coffin’, however (AEW: lúðr), so the exact meaning of the cpd cannot be determined with certainty. As an Óðinn-name, Eylúðr is not attested elsewhere, but the cpd occurs in Snæbj Lv 1/4. According to Falk (1924, 7), this is one of the names that may suggest a close connection between Óðinn and the sea (cf. Hléfǫðr, Hléfreyr and Ólgr, sts 4/1, 5/3, 6/7).

Brúnn ‘Brúnn’

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1. brúnn (noun m.; °brúns)

notes

[2] Brúnn: Not attested elsewhere as a name for Óðinn. It may be the same as the adj. brúnn ‘brown’ and hence a horse-name transferred to the god (Falk 1924, 5, 40). Cf. Brúnn, the name of a black horse (CVC: brúnn), OE Brūn (and also cf. Vakr, l. 5). Alternatively, Brúnn may be a variant of Brúni (st. 6/4 above) or it could have been derived from the noun brún f. ‘eyebrow’.

Sanngetall ‘Sanngetall’

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Sanngetall (noun m.)

notes

[2] Sanngetall: Lit. ‘one who guesses true’. This heiti is listed in Grí 47/2, but it does not occur elsewhere in poetry. The name characterises Óðinn as one who is wise at guessing  (cf. Gestumblindi, l. 8 and Gizurr, st. 1/5). The first element of the name is from the adj. sannr ‘true’ and second element is related to the strong verb geta ‘guess’ (cf. OE andgietel, andgeotol adj. ‘understanding, sensible’; AEW: geta).

Þekkr ‘Þekkr’

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þekkr (adj.): pleasing

notes

[3] Þekkr: This name can be translated either as ‘beloved one’, ‘friendly one’ or as ‘agreeable one’ (from the adj. þekkr). In Yng, Óðinn is described as follows (ch. 6, ÍF 26, 17): Hann var svá fagr ok gǫfugligr álitum, þá er hann sat með sínum vinum, at ǫllum hló hugr við ‘He was so handsome and distinguished of appearance when he sat among his friends, that it made everyone happy’. See Falk (1924, 29). This Óðinn-name is otherwise found only in Grí 46/4 and in the rímur (Finnur Jónsson 1926-8: þekkr), but it is a  heiti for ‘dwarf’ and ‘ship’ (Þul Dverga 4/7, Þul Skipa 4/7).

Þuðr ‘Þuðr’

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Þunnr (noun m.): Þunnr

notes

[3] Þuðr: Or Þunnr (from the adj. þunnr/þuðr ‘thin’); hence lit. ‘lean one’. Þuðr is also mentioned in the enumeration of Óðinn-names in Gylf (SnE 2005, 21), while the Codex Regius version of the same list in Grí 46/5 (NK 66) has Þundr. The LaufE mss have (normalised) Þyðr lit. ‘gentle, friendly one’ here.

Ómi ‘Ómi’

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Ómi (noun m.)

notes

[3] Ómi: The name may mean ‘one heard from a distance’, from ómr m. ‘tinkling sound or voice heard afar off’ (CVC: ómr), presumably referring to the noise of battle (so Falk 1924, 23-4). ÍO: Ómi suggests that, alternatively, the name may be related to Goth. auhuma ‘higher’, OE ȳmest ‘highest’ and have the meaning ‘highest one’. This Óðinn-heiti is otherwise attested only in Grí 49/8 and in the rímur (Finnur Jónsson 1926-8: Ómi).

Þ*undr ‘Þ*undr’

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Þundr (noun m.): Þundr

[4] Þ*undr: ‘þrvndr’ A, ‘þrunndr’ B

notes

[4] Þ*undr: The reading (normalised) þrundr found in both mss of this þula cannot be interpreted and must have been caused by scribal corruption. The correct form is probably Þundr (so the LaufE mss), one of the most frequently attested Óðinn-names (Falk 1924, 31). That name is mentioned in Grí 46/5 (NK 66: Þundr oc Uðr ‘Þundr and Uðr’) and given again in Grí 54/3, and it would have been conspicuously absent from the present list unless þrundr were a corrupt form of Þundr. The origin of Þundr is unclear. According to Falk (loc. cit.), it is related to the Old English verb þindan ‘swell’ and possibly characterises Óðinn as a god of the stormy sea (cf. Ólgr, st. 6/7). Alternatively, it could be derived from *þuniða-, cf. OE ðunian ‘crash, make noise’ (see ÍO: þundur 1), but cf. also ModIcel. þundur ‘bow’, hence perhaps ‘strained’ (so Olsen 1934, 94-5).

ok ‘and’

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

Ófnir ‘Ófnir’

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2. Ófnir (noun m.): Ófnir

notes

[4] Ófnir: See Note to Sváfnir (st. 4/3, another mythical serpent; cf. Þul Orma 1/3). If the stem vowel is short (Ofnir), the name is related to ofinn, p. p. of the strong verb vefa ‘weave’, hence ‘weaver’. If the vowel is long, Ófnir may be connected with the adj. œfr ‘vehement, angry, chafing’ (‘one who incites to battle’, ‘instigator’, cf. Hnikuðr, st. 1/8; see Falk 1924, 23).

Uðr ‘Uðr’

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Uðr (noun m.): Uðr

notes

[5] Uðr: Or Unnr. Perhaps derived from the strong verb vinna ‘work, perform, conquer’ (see AEW: unnr 2). However, according to Falk (1924, 32), this name may have originated from the Germanic m. pers. n. *Unþa- (cf. OHG Und in Undesburg and OE Ūþa), and as an Óðinn-heiti he connects it with unnr f. ‘wave’ (hence ‘stormy’, ‘warlike’). Alternatively, this heiti could have been derived from the strong verb unna ‘love’ and, if so, it would refer to Óðinn’s relations with his chosen ones (óskasynir ‘foster-sons’) (Falk 1924, 32).

Jólnir ‘Jólnir’

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Jólnir (noun m.): Jólnir

[5] Jólnir: so B, jǫlnir A

notes

[5] Jólnir: So B and also attested in skaldic poetry (cf. Eil Þdr 13/7). The A variant, normalised jǫlnir, must be a scribal error. Jólnir is most likely formed from jóln n. pl. ‘gods’, hence perhaps Jólnir ‘one of the gods’. Jóln, in turn, is derived from jól n. pl. ‘Yule’, the name of the great heathen winter feast, later transferred to Christmas (ÍO: jóln). In Flat 1860-8, I, 564, the etymology of this Óðinn-name is explained as a heathen derivative from jól ‘Yule’, whereas in Ágrip, the name of the feast is erroneously interpreted as originating from that of the god (ÍF 29, 3): var af Jólni jól kǫlluð ‘Yule was named after Jólnir’ (see also Falk 1924, 20-1).

Vakr ‘Vakr’

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1. vakr (noun m.): hawk

notes

[5] Vakr: Perhaps ‘wakeful one’ or ‘watchful one’. As an Óðinn-heiti the name is otherwise found only in Grí 54/4. Vakr is first of all known as a horse-name, from the adj. vakr ‘alert’ (see Anon Kálfv 2/4 and Þul Hesta 2/5). See also Hrosshársgrani (st. 4/7) and Jálkr in the next line. The very fact that there are names of horses among the Óðinn-heiti may suggest that this was one of the forms in which the god appeared, but there is no direct evidence to support such an assumption (on Óðinn’s association with horses, see Falk 1924, 40 and Turville-Petre 1964, 56-7).

Jalkr ‘Jálkr’

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Jalkr (noun m.): [Jálkr]

notes

[6] Jalkr: The name may be derived from jálkr m. ‘gelding’ (cf. Vakr in l. 5). According to Grí, Jálkr was one of the names Óðinn adopted on certain occasions. In Grí 49/3 (NK 67) it is said that he was called Iálc at Ôsmundar ‘Jálkr when visiting Ásmundr’, while Grí 54/6 (NK 68) mentions another occasion when Óðinn went by that name (Gautr oc Iálcr með goðom ‘Gautr and Jálkr among the gods’). In skaldic poetry Jálkr is also the name of a sea-king (LP: Jalkr).

ok ‘and’

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

Langbarðr ‘Langbarðr’

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langbarðr (noun m.; °; -ar)

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[6] Langbarðr: Lit. ‘long-bearded one’. Cf. Síðskeggr (st. 6/6 above), which is most likely modelled on Langbarðr (so Falk 1924, 22). However, it is possible that this Óðinn-name was influenced by the ethnic name of the Lombards, who received it from Godan (= Wotan, Óðinn): Paulus Diaconus relates the tale of the origin of this name in his Historia Langobardorum (Book I, chs 7-8, Bethmann and Waitz 1878, 52; see also Turville-Petre 1964, 72). As an Óðinn-heiti, Langbarðr is not otherwise attested in poetry, but it is also a heiti for ‘serpent’ and ‘sword’ (Þul Orma 3/3, Þul Sverða 2/3; see also Note to Eyv Hák 7/3^I).

Grímr ‘Grímr’

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Grímr (noun m.): Grímr

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[7] Grímr: See st. 3/1 above.

ok ‘and’

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

Loðungr ‘Loðungr’

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Loðungr (noun m.)

[7] Loðungr: lǫndungr B

notes

[7] Loðungr: Lit. ‘one in a fur cloak’, a hap. leg. Cf. Óðinn’s appearance in a fur cloak (loði m.) in Grí 1/4. The B variant Lǫndungr (so also the LaufE mss), which has been adopted in Skj B and Skald for metrical reasons, is also unattested in other sources (Falk 1924, 23 rejects it as utvilsomt falsk ‘undoubtedly false’). Lǫndungr is apparently derived from land n. ‘land’ and possibly characterises Óðinn as a great ruler, cf. dróttinn foldar ‘lord of the earth’ (= Óðinn) in Þjóð Haustl 5/1.

Gestum ‘Gestum’

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gestr (noun m.): guest, stranger < Gestumblindi (noun m.)

[8] Gestum‑: ‘gest[…]‑’ B, ‘gestum‑’ 744ˣ

notes

[8] Gestumblindi: The name is known from Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks (Heiðr, FSN I, 531-3) where it is said that Óðinn took on the appearance and social position of his worshipper, Gestumblindi from Reiðgotaland (cf. Gestiblindus Gothorum rex mentioned by Saxo, Saxo 2005, I, 5, 10, 1, pp. 342-3) and helped him outwit King Heiðrekr in a riddle contest (see Gestumbl Heiðr^VIII (Heiðr 48-84), Heiðrekr Heiðr^VIII (Heiðr 85)). According to Wessén (1924, 537-48), Gestumblindi is a contraction of Gest-inn-blinda ‘the blind stranger’ (so also ÍO: Gestumblindi; cf. FSN I, 463-88: Gestr hinn blindi), whereas A. Kock (1891, 180) interpreted the name as a contracted form of *Gest-unblindi, i.e. *Gest úblindi ‘non-blind stranger’, which is less plausible. Cf. Bileygr (st. 5/6).

blindi ‘blindi’

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blindi (noun f.): [blindness, blindi] < Gestumblindi (noun m.)

notes

[8] Gestumblindi: The name is known from Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks (Heiðr, FSN I, 531-3) where it is said that Óðinn took on the appearance and social position of his worshipper, Gestumblindi from Reiðgotaland (cf. Gestiblindus Gothorum rex mentioned by Saxo, Saxo 2005, I, 5, 10, 1, pp. 342-3) and helped him outwit King Heiðrekr in a riddle contest (see Gestumbl Heiðr^VIII (Heiðr 48-84), Heiðrekr Heiðr^VIII (Heiðr 85)). According to Wessén (1924, 537-48), Gestumblindi is a contraction of Gest-inn-blinda ‘the blind stranger’ (so also ÍO: Gestumblindi; cf. FSN I, 463-88: Gestr hinn blindi), whereas A. Kock (1891, 180) interpreted the name as a contracted form of *Gest-unblindi, i.e. *Gest úblindi ‘non-blind stranger’, which is less plausible. Cf. Bileygr (st. 5/6).