Anon Brúðv 9VII
Valgerður Erna Þorvaldsdóttir (ed.) 2007, ‘Anonymous Poems, Brúðkaupsvísur 9’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 535-6.
Lýðir ‘People’
(not checked:)
lýðr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; -ir): one of the people
[1] Lýðir: so 1032ˣ, 399a‑bˣ, 2166ˣ, ‘Ly[...]’ 721
hvöttu ‘urged’
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hvata (verb): incite, hasten
lyng ‘the heather’
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lyng (noun n.; °dat. -vi/-i; -): heather < lyngbjóðr (noun m.)
kennings
lyngbjóð‘the heather-giver ’
= GENEROUS MAN
the heather-giver → GENEROUS MAN
notes
[1] lyngbjóð ‘the heather-giver’: This seems to be a defective or half-kenning, with the determinant of the enclosing kenning missing, lyng-bjóðr [orms] ‘heather-giver of the snake (lit. giver of the heather of the snake) [GOLD > GENEROUS MAN]’, where lyng ‘heather’ does duty for the concept ‘lair’, ‘resting place’, the lair of the snake signifying gold. Jón Helgason suggested the emendation lung ‘ship’ for the mss’ reading lyng. This would produce lungbjóðr ‘ship-commander’, cf. Meissner, 330, who gives bjóðr as a base-word in the man-kenning elgsbjóðr stafna ‘the commander of the elk of the stems (lit. ‘the elk-commander of the stems’) [SEAFARER]’. The base-word bjóðr m. from the verb bjóða ‘to offer, command’ can be understood either way here, as ‘commander’ if Jón Helgason’s emendation is chosen, or as ‘giver, offerer’ if the reading of 721 is chosen, as is done here, as a determinant in a half-kenning.
bjóð ‘giver’
(not checked:)
2. bjóðr (noun m.): inviter < lyngbjóðr (noun m.)
kennings
lyngbjóð‘the heather-giver ’
= GENEROUS MAN
the heather-giver → GENEROUS MAN
notes
[1] lyngbjóð ‘the heather-giver’: This seems to be a defective or half-kenning, with the determinant of the enclosing kenning missing, lyng-bjóðr [orms] ‘heather-giver of the snake (lit. giver of the heather of the snake) [GOLD > GENEROUS MAN]’, where lyng ‘heather’ does duty for the concept ‘lair’, ‘resting place’, the lair of the snake signifying gold. Jón Helgason suggested the emendation lung ‘ship’ for the mss’ reading lyng. This would produce lungbjóðr ‘ship-commander’, cf. Meissner, 330, who gives bjóðr as a base-word in the man-kenning elgsbjóðr stafna ‘the commander of the elk of the stems (lit. ‘the elk-commander of the stems’) [SEAFARER]’. The base-word bjóðr m. from the verb bjóða ‘to offer, command’ can be understood either way here, as ‘commander’ if Jón Helgason’s emendation is chosen, or as ‘giver, offerer’ if the reading of 721 is chosen, as is done here, as a determinant in a half-kenning.
laungum ‘repeatedly’
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langr (adj.; °compar. lengri, superl. lengstr): long
á ‘to’
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3. á (prep.): on, at
kván ‘’
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kván (noun f.; °-ar): wife < kvánfang (noun n.): match, marriage, wife
faung ‘marriage’
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fang (noun n.; °-s; *-): grasp, tunic < kvánfang (noun n.): match, marriage, wife
en ‘but’
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2. en (conj.): but, and
súða ‘of planking’
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súð (noun f.; °-ar; gen. -a): planking, ship
kennings
snarmeiðr sóta súða‘the bold tree of the horse of planking ’
= SEAFARER
the horse of planking → SHIP
the bold tree of the SHIP → SEAFARER
súða ‘of planking’
(not checked:)
súð (noun f.; °-ar; gen. -a): planking, ship
kennings
snarmeiðr sóta súða‘the bold tree of the horse of planking ’
= SEAFARER
the horse of planking → SHIP
the bold tree of the SHIP → SEAFARER
svar ‘’
(not checked:)
svar (noun n.; °; -*): answer < svarmeiðr (noun m.)
snar ‘the bold’
(not checked:)
snarr (adj.): gallant, bold < snarmeiðr (noun m.)
[3] snarmeiðr: svarmeiðr 721
kennings
snarmeiðr sóta súða‘the bold tree of the horse of planking ’
= SEAFARER
the horse of planking → SHIP
the bold tree of the SHIP → SEAFARER
notes
[3] snarmeiðr ‘bold tree’: Emendation suggested by Jón Helgason.
meiðr ‘tree’
(not checked:)
meiðr (noun m.): beam, tree < snarmeiðr (noun m.)meiðr (noun m.): beam, tree < svarmeiðr (noun m.)
[3] snarmeiðr: svarmeiðr 721
kennings
snarmeiðr sóta súða‘the bold tree of the horse of planking ’
= SEAFARER
the horse of planking → SHIP
the bold tree of the SHIP → SEAFARER
notes
[3] snarmeiðr ‘bold tree’: Emendation suggested by Jón Helgason.
sóta ‘of the horse’
(not checked:)
sóti (noun m.; °-a): steed, Sóti
kennings
snarmeiðr sóta súða‘the bold tree of the horse of planking ’
= SEAFARER
the horse of planking → SHIP
the bold tree of the SHIP → SEAFARER
sóta ‘of the horse’
(not checked:)
sóti (noun m.; °-a): steed, Sóti
kennings
snarmeiðr sóta súða‘the bold tree of the horse of planking ’
= SEAFARER
the horse of planking → SHIP
the bold tree of the SHIP → SEAFARER
notes
[4] vara ‘was not’: Jón Helgason emended var ‘was’ to vara ‘was not’, which makes more sense in the context, since the young man is reluctant to marry, according to Mar (1871, 118). All mss read var, but the scribe of 2166ˣ has added the negative prefix ó-, (ó)fljótr ‘not ready’ to give the expected sense of the cl.
fljótr ‘ready’
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2. fljótr (adj.): quick
Faxa ‘of the maned one’
(not checked:)
faxi (noun m.): steed
kennings
Freyr faxa fjarðar‘The Freyr of the maned one of the fjord ’
= SEAFARER
the maned one of the fjord → SHIP
The Freyr of the SHIP → SEAFARER
Faxa ‘of the maned one’
(not checked:)
faxi (noun m.): steed
kennings
Freyr faxa fjarðar‘The Freyr of the maned one of the fjord ’
= SEAFARER
the maned one of the fjord → SHIP
The Freyr of the SHIP → SEAFARER
játti ‘consented’
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1. játa (verb): agree
Freyr ‘The Freyr’
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Freyr (noun m.): (a god)
kennings
Freyr faxa fjarðar‘The Freyr of the maned one of the fjord ’
= SEAFARER
the maned one of the fjord → SHIP
The Freyr of the SHIP → SEAFARER
loks ‘finally’
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loks (adv.): finally
fjarðar ‘of the fjord’
(not checked:)
fjǫrðr (noun m.): fjord
kennings
Freyr faxa fjarðar‘The Freyr of the maned one of the fjord ’
= SEAFARER
the maned one of the fjord → SHIP
The Freyr of the SHIP → SEAFARER
fjarðar ‘of the fjord’
(not checked:)
fjǫrðr (noun m.): fjord
kennings
Freyr faxa fjarðar‘The Freyr of the maned one of the fjord ’
= SEAFARER
the maned one of the fjord → SHIP
The Freyr of the SHIP → SEAFARER
en ‘’
(not checked:)
4. en (conj.): than
notes
[6] er þá: <r> is hardly legible in 721 and all the other mss have en. Jón Helgason thought þá ‘then’ should probably be emended to þó ‘though’ but did not carry this through in the main text. — [6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’.
notes
[6] er þá: <r> is hardly legible in 721 and all the other mss have en. Jón Helgason thought þá ‘then’ should probably be emended to þó ‘though’ but did not carry this through in the main text. — [6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’.
þá ‘then’
(not checked:)
2. þá (adv.): then
notes
[6] er þá: <r> is hardly legible in 721 and all the other mss have en. Jón Helgason thought þá ‘then’ should probably be emended to þó ‘though’ but did not carry this through in the main text. — [6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’.
þá ‘then’
(not checked:)
2. þá (adv.): then
notes
[6] er þá: <r> is hardly legible in 721 and all the other mss have en. Jón Helgason thought þá ‘then’ should probably be emended to þó ‘though’ but did not carry this through in the main text. — [6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’.
varð ‘was’
(not checked:)
1. verða (verb): become, be
notes
[6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’.
frænda ‘of [his] kinsmen’
(not checked:)
frændi (noun m.): kinsman, male relative
notes
[6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’.
við ‘to’
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2. við (prep.): with, against
flein ‘the spear’
(not checked:)
fleinn (noun m.; °dat. fleini): spear < Fleinþundr (noun m.)
kennings
flein-Þund,‘the spear-Þundr, ’
= WARRIOR
the spear-Þundr, → WARRIOR
Þund ‘Þundr’
(not checked:)
Þundr (noun m.): Þundr < Fleinþundr (noun m.)
kennings
flein-Þund,‘the spear-Þundr, ’
= WARRIOR
the spear-Þundr, → WARRIOR
fíkjum ‘a very’
(not checked:)
fíkjum (adv.): fiercely
notes
[6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’. — [8] fíkjum (adj. nom. fíkr ‘eager, greedy’) ‘very’: Dat. sg. or pl. is often used as adv. with an adj., as it is here (LP: fíkr; CVC: fíkjum).
fíkjum ‘a very’
(not checked:)
fíkjum (adv.): fiercely
notes
[6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’. — [8] fíkjum (adj. nom. fíkr ‘eager, greedy’) ‘very’: Dat. sg. or pl. is often used as adv. with an adj., as it is here (LP: fíkr; CVC: fíkjum).
um ‘for’
(not checked:)
1. um (prep.): about, around
notes
[6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’.
það ‘it’
notes
[6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’.
vili ‘wish’
(not checked:)
vili (noun m.; °-ja): will, wish
notes
[6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’.
ríkr ‘strong’
(not checked:)
ríkr (adj.): mighty, powerful, rich
notes
[6, 8] er fíkjum ríkr vili frænda varð um það þá ‘when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it’: An alternative reading would treat the adj. as predicative, er frænda vili um það varð þá fíkjum ríkr ‘when the kinsmen’s wish for this then became very strong’.
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
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Lýðir hvöttu lyngbjóð |
People repeatedly urged the heather-giver [GENEROUS MAN] to marriage, but the bold tree of the horse of planking [SHIP > SEAFARER] was not ready for that. The Freyr <god> of the maned one of the fjord [SHIP > SEAFARER] consented finally to the spear-Þundr <= Óðinn> [WARRIOR], when a very strong wish of [his] kinsmen then was for it.
[5-8]: The second helmingr describes the family pressure upon the young man to get married. The kenning flein-Þundr ‘spear-Þundr <Óðinn>’ (l. 7) refers to an otherwise unspecified kinsman to whom the young man finally promises to obey the family’s wishes.
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