Bragi Rdr 12III
Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.) 2017, ‘Bragi inn gamli Boddason, Ragnarsdrápa 12’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 46.
má ‘can’
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mega (verb): may, might
sókn ‘attack’
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sókn (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): attack, fight
á ‘on’
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3. á (prep.): on, at
notes
[1-2] á Svǫlnis salpenningi ‘on the penny of the hall of Svǫlnir <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘hall-penny of Svǫlnir’) = Valhǫll > SHIELD]’: The understanding of this inverted kenning depends on one’s knowledge of an Old Norse mythological ‘fact’, that Valhǫll, Óðinn’s hall, was roofed with shields, as is recorded in Gylf (SnE 2005, 7), where it is stated that the shields were gilded. Cf. the similar shield-kenning Sváfnis salnæfrar ‘the hall-shingles of Sváfnir <= Óðinn>’ in Þhorn Harkv 11/3I. Viking-Age shields were round, and often painted in bright colours, hence the appropriateness of the coin analogy. The reference to Valhǫll may also be intentionally pointed in this narrative of a valkyrie-like woman, possibly aided by Óðinn, sending a group of warriors to their deaths.
Svǫlnis ‘of Svǫlnir’
(not checked:)
Svǫlnir (noun m.): Svǫlnir
kennings
Svǫlnis salpenningi.‘hall-penny of Svǫlnir’
= SHIELD
the hall of Svǫlnir. → Valhǫll
the penny of VALHǪLL → SHIELD
notes
[1-2] á Svǫlnis salpenningi ‘on the penny of the hall of Svǫlnir <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘hall-penny of Svǫlnir’) = Valhǫll > SHIELD]’: The understanding of this inverted kenning depends on one’s knowledge of an Old Norse mythological ‘fact’, that Valhǫll, Óðinn’s hall, was roofed with shields, as is recorded in Gylf (SnE 2005, 7), where it is stated that the shields were gilded. Cf. the similar shield-kenning Sváfnis salnæfrar ‘the hall-shingles of Sváfnir <= Óðinn>’ in Þhorn Harkv 11/3I. Viking-Age shields were round, and often painted in bright colours, hence the appropriateness of the coin analogy. The reference to Valhǫll may also be intentionally pointed in this narrative of a valkyrie-like woman, possibly aided by Óðinn, sending a group of warriors to their deaths.
Svǫlnis ‘of Svǫlnir’
(not checked:)
Svǫlnir (noun m.): Svǫlnir
kennings
Svǫlnis salpenningi.‘hall-penny of Svǫlnir’
= SHIELD
the hall of Svǫlnir. → Valhǫll
the penny of VALHǪLL → SHIELD
notes
[1-2] á Svǫlnis salpenningi ‘on the penny of the hall of Svǫlnir <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘hall-penny of Svǫlnir’) = Valhǫll > SHIELD]’: The understanding of this inverted kenning depends on one’s knowledge of an Old Norse mythological ‘fact’, that Valhǫll, Óðinn’s hall, was roofed with shields, as is recorded in Gylf (SnE 2005, 7), where it is stated that the shields were gilded. Cf. the similar shield-kenning Sváfnis salnæfrar ‘the hall-shingles of Sváfnir <= Óðinn>’ in Þhorn Harkv 11/3I. Viking-Age shields were round, and often painted in bright colours, hence the appropriateness of the coin analogy. The reference to Valhǫll may also be intentionally pointed in this narrative of a valkyrie-like woman, possibly aided by Óðinn, sending a group of warriors to their deaths.
sal ‘of the hall’
(not checked:)
1. salr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; dat. sǫlum): hall < salpenningr (noun m.)
kennings
Svǫlnis salpenningi.‘hall-penny of Svǫlnir’
= SHIELD
the hall of Svǫlnir. → Valhǫll
the penny of VALHǪLL → SHIELD
notes
[1-2] á Svǫlnis salpenningi ‘on the penny of the hall of Svǫlnir <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘hall-penny of Svǫlnir’) = Valhǫll > SHIELD]’: The understanding of this inverted kenning depends on one’s knowledge of an Old Norse mythological ‘fact’, that Valhǫll, Óðinn’s hall, was roofed with shields, as is recorded in Gylf (SnE 2005, 7), where it is stated that the shields were gilded. Cf. the similar shield-kenning Sváfnis salnæfrar ‘the hall-shingles of Sváfnir <= Óðinn>’ in Þhorn Harkv 11/3I. Viking-Age shields were round, and often painted in bright colours, hence the appropriateness of the coin analogy. The reference to Valhǫll may also be intentionally pointed in this narrative of a valkyrie-like woman, possibly aided by Óðinn, sending a group of warriors to their deaths.
sal ‘of the hall’
(not checked:)
1. salr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; dat. sǫlum): hall < salpenningr (noun m.)
kennings
Svǫlnis salpenningi.‘hall-penny of Svǫlnir’
= SHIELD
the hall of Svǫlnir. → Valhǫll
the penny of VALHǪLL → SHIELD
notes
[1-2] á Svǫlnis salpenningi ‘on the penny of the hall of Svǫlnir <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘hall-penny of Svǫlnir’) = Valhǫll > SHIELD]’: The understanding of this inverted kenning depends on one’s knowledge of an Old Norse mythological ‘fact’, that Valhǫll, Óðinn’s hall, was roofed with shields, as is recorded in Gylf (SnE 2005, 7), where it is stated that the shields were gilded. Cf. the similar shield-kenning Sváfnis salnæfrar ‘the hall-shingles of Sváfnir <= Óðinn>’ in Þhorn Harkv 11/3I. Viking-Age shields were round, and often painted in bright colours, hence the appropriateness of the coin analogy. The reference to Valhǫll may also be intentionally pointed in this narrative of a valkyrie-like woman, possibly aided by Óðinn, sending a group of warriors to their deaths.
penningi ‘the penny’
(not checked:)
penningr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): [penny, coin] < salpenningr (noun m.)
kennings
Svǫlnis salpenningi.‘hall-penny of Svǫlnir’
= SHIELD
the hall of Svǫlnir. → Valhǫll
the penny of VALHǪLL → SHIELD
notes
[1-2] á Svǫlnis salpenningi ‘on the penny of the hall of Svǫlnir <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘hall-penny of Svǫlnir’) = Valhǫll > SHIELD]’: The understanding of this inverted kenning depends on one’s knowledge of an Old Norse mythological ‘fact’, that Valhǫll, Óðinn’s hall, was roofed with shields, as is recorded in Gylf (SnE 2005, 7), where it is stated that the shields were gilded. Cf. the similar shield-kenning Sváfnis salnæfrar ‘the hall-shingles of Sváfnir <= Óðinn>’ in Þhorn Harkv 11/3I. Viking-Age shields were round, and often painted in bright colours, hence the appropriateness of the coin analogy. The reference to Valhǫll may also be intentionally pointed in this narrative of a valkyrie-like woman, possibly aided by Óðinn, sending a group of warriors to their deaths.
kenna ‘be recognised’
(not checked:)
kenna (verb): know, teach
Ræs ‘of Rær’
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Rær (noun m.): Rær
[3-4] abbrev. as ‘ręs gafvmk reiþar. m. e.’ R, ‘res ga fomc reidarm.’ Tˣ, ‘Ræs gafvmk reiðar. m.’ W
kennings
mána reiðar Ræs‘a moon of the chariot of Rær ’
= SHIELD
the chariot of Rær → SHIP
a moon of the SHIP → SHIELD
Ræs ‘of Rær’
(not checked:)
Rær (noun m.): Rær
[3-4] abbrev. as ‘ręs gafvmk reiþar. m. e.’ R, ‘res ga fomc reidarm.’ Tˣ, ‘Ræs gafvmk reiðar. m.’ W
kennings
mána reiðar Ræs‘a moon of the chariot of Rær ’
= SHIELD
the chariot of Rær → SHIP
a moon of the SHIP → SHIELD
gǫfumk ‘gave me’
(not checked:)
gefa (verb): give
[3-4] abbrev. as ‘ręs gafvmk reiþar. m. e.’ R, ‘res ga fomc reidarm.’ Tˣ, ‘Ræs gafvmk reiðar. m.’ W
reiðar ‘of the chariot’
(not checked:)
1. reið (noun f.; °-ar; -ir/-ar): riding; chariot
[3-4] abbrev. as ‘ręs gafvmk reiþar. m. e.’ R, ‘res ga fomc reidarm.’ Tˣ, ‘Ræs gafvmk reiðar. m.’ W
kennings
mána reiðar Ræs‘a moon of the chariot of Rær ’
= SHIELD
the chariot of Rær → SHIP
a moon of the SHIP → SHIELD
reiðar ‘of the chariot’
(not checked:)
1. reið (noun f.; °-ar; -ir/-ar): riding; chariot
[3-4] abbrev. as ‘ręs gafvmk reiþar. m. e.’ R, ‘res ga fomc reidarm.’ Tˣ, ‘Ræs gafvmk reiðar. m.’ W
kennings
mána reiðar Ræs‘a moon of the chariot of Rær ’
= SHIELD
the chariot of Rær → SHIP
a moon of the SHIP → SHIELD
mána ‘a moon’
(not checked:)
máni (noun m.; °-a): moon
kennings
mána reiðar Ræs‘a moon of the chariot of Rær ’
= SHIELD
the chariot of Rær → SHIP
a moon of the SHIP → SHIELD
Ragnarr ‘Ragnarr’
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Ragnarr (noun m.): Ragnarr
ok ‘and’
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
fjǫl ‘a multitude’
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fjǫlð (noun f.): multitude
sagna ‘of stories’
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1. saga (noun f.; °*-u; *-ur): story, saga
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
See Context of st. 11.
It is clear that ll. 3-4 form a refrain (stef), as they are exactly the same, to judge by the scribes’ abbreviations of the stef, as ll. 3-4 of st. 7, which come at the end of the stanzas of Rdr dealing with the legend of Jǫrmunrekkr. Lines 1-2 of each stanza are also similar, in that the narrating voice draws attention to the fact that images of these two legends can be seen on a shield, and employs an elaborate kenning for it.
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