Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.) 2017, ‘Bragi inn gamli Boddason, Ragnarsdrápa 2’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 30.
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2. nema (conj.): unless
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svát (conj.): so that, so as
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gœðingr (noun m.): chieftain
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góðr (adj.): good
[1] góð ins: ‘goð hins’ with g changed from h in scribal hand W, ‘gædings’ C
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2. inn (art.): the
[1] góð ins: ‘goð hins’ with g changed from h in scribal hand W, ‘gædings’ C
[1, 2, 3, 4] ins gjalla baugnafaðs hjóls meyjar Hǫgna ‘the resounding boss-hubbed wheel of the maid of Hǫgni <legendary king> [= Hildr > SHIELD]’: This extended kenning, like that in st. 1, includes an adjectival element formed from a p. p., baugnafaðr ‘boss-hubbed’ (from baugr ‘boss, circle’ and nǫf ‘nave, hub’), that both continues and draws attention to the analogy between a shield and a wheel that forms the basis of the kenning. This adj. is a hap. leg. and caused the scribes difficulty. A second adj., gjallr ‘ringing, resounding’, has a similar effect, as it can apply both to the noise of a cart-wheel turning and the striking of weapons on the metal boss of a wooden shield. Hǫgni was the father of Hildr, a valkyrie-like figure central to the story of the Everlasting Battle (Hjaðningavíg) that forms the subject of Rdr 9-12 (q. v.). In skaldic poetry Hildr may be a proper name (and thus the basis of a woman- or valkyrie-kenning), but carries with it some semantic resonance from its meaning as the common noun hildr ‘battle’.
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1. gjalda (verb): pay, repay
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gegna (verb): encounter, mean
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gjalla (verb): to scream, shriek; to repay, return, pay for
[1] gjalla: gegna U, gjalda A, C
[1, 2, 3, 4] ins gjalla baugnafaðs hjóls meyjar Hǫgna ‘the resounding boss-hubbed wheel of the maid of Hǫgni <legendary king> [= Hildr > SHIELD]’: This extended kenning, like that in st. 1, includes an adjectival element formed from a p. p., baugnafaðr ‘boss-hubbed’ (from baugr ‘boss, circle’ and nǫf ‘nave, hub’), that both continues and draws attention to the analogy between a shield and a wheel that forms the basis of the kenning. This adj. is a hap. leg. and caused the scribes difficulty. A second adj., gjallr ‘ringing, resounding’, has a similar effect, as it can apply both to the noise of a cart-wheel turning and the striking of weapons on the metal boss of a wooden shield. Hǫgni was the father of Hildr, a valkyrie-like figure central to the story of the Everlasting Battle (Hjaðningavíg) that forms the subject of Rdr 9-12 (q. v.). In skaldic poetry Hildr may be a proper name (and thus the basis of a woman- or valkyrie-kenning), but carries with it some semantic resonance from its meaning as the common noun hildr ‘battle’.
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gjald (noun n.): payment, reward, return
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1. gagn (noun n.): victory
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baugr (noun m.; °dat. -i/-; -ar): ring < baugnafaðr (adj.)
[2] baug‑: ‘b[…]vg‑’ U, ‘gaugn’ C
[1, 2, 3, 4] ins gjalla baugnafaðs hjóls meyjar Hǫgna ‘the resounding boss-hubbed wheel of the maid of Hǫgni <legendary king> [= Hildr > SHIELD]’: This extended kenning, like that in st. 1, includes an adjectival element formed from a p. p., baugnafaðr ‘boss-hubbed’ (from baugr ‘boss, circle’ and nǫf ‘nave, hub’), that both continues and draws attention to the analogy between a shield and a wheel that forms the basis of the kenning. This adj. is a hap. leg. and caused the scribes difficulty. A second adj., gjallr ‘ringing, resounding’, has a similar effect, as it can apply both to the noise of a cart-wheel turning and the striking of weapons on the metal boss of a wooden shield. Hǫgni was the father of Hildr, a valkyrie-like figure central to the story of the Everlasting Battle (Hjaðningavíg) that forms the subject of Rdr 9-12 (q. v.). In skaldic poetry Hildr may be a proper name (and thus the basis of a woman- or valkyrie-kenning), but carries with it some semantic resonance from its meaning as the common noun hildr ‘battle’.
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nafarr (noun m.; °-s, dat. nafri; nafrar): auger
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1. nafaðr (adj.): [hubbed] < baugnafaðr (adj.)
[2] ‑nafaðs: so Tˣ, A, C, ‘nafagdrs’ R, nafar W, nafrs corrected from ‑naðrs in scribal hand U
[1, 2, 3, 4] ins gjalla baugnafaðs hjóls meyjar Hǫgna ‘the resounding boss-hubbed wheel of the maid of Hǫgni <legendary king> [= Hildr > SHIELD]’: This extended kenning, like that in st. 1, includes an adjectival element formed from a p. p., baugnafaðr ‘boss-hubbed’ (from baugr ‘boss, circle’ and nǫf ‘nave, hub’), that both continues and draws attention to the analogy between a shield and a wheel that forms the basis of the kenning. This adj. is a hap. leg. and caused the scribes difficulty. A second adj., gjallr ‘ringing, resounding’, has a similar effect, as it can apply both to the noise of a cart-wheel turning and the striking of weapons on the metal boss of a wooden shield. Hǫgni was the father of Hildr, a valkyrie-like figure central to the story of the Everlasting Battle (Hjaðningavíg) that forms the subject of Rdr 9-12 (q. v.). In skaldic poetry Hildr may be a proper name (and thus the basis of a woman- or valkyrie-kenning), but carries with it some semantic resonance from its meaning as the common noun hildr ‘battle’.
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vilja (verb): want, intend
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mær (noun f.; °meyjar, dat. meyju; meyjar): maiden
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mær (noun f.; °meyjar, dat. meyju; meyjar): maiden
[3] meyjar: ‘mæyia’ W, ‘meygi[…]’ U
[1, 2, 3, 4] ins gjalla baugnafaðs hjóls meyjar Hǫgna ‘the resounding boss-hubbed wheel of the maid of Hǫgni <legendary king> [= Hildr > SHIELD]’: This extended kenning, like that in st. 1, includes an adjectival element formed from a p. p., baugnafaðr ‘boss-hubbed’ (from baugr ‘boss, circle’ and nǫf ‘nave, hub’), that both continues and draws attention to the analogy between a shield and a wheel that forms the basis of the kenning. This adj. is a hap. leg. and caused the scribes difficulty. A second adj., gjallr ‘ringing, resounding’, has a similar effect, as it can apply both to the noise of a cart-wheel turning and the striking of weapons on the metal boss of a wooden shield. Hǫgni was the father of Hildr, a valkyrie-like figure central to the story of the Everlasting Battle (Hjaðningavíg) that forms the subject of Rdr 9-12 (q. v.). In skaldic poetry Hildr may be a proper name (and thus the basis of a woman- or valkyrie-kenning), but carries with it some semantic resonance from its meaning as the common noun hildr ‘battle’.
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mær (noun f.; °meyjar, dat. meyju; meyjar): maiden
[3] meyjar: ‘mæyia’ W, ‘meygi[…]’ U
[1, 2, 3, 4] ins gjalla baugnafaðs hjóls meyjar Hǫgna ‘the resounding boss-hubbed wheel of the maid of Hǫgni <legendary king> [= Hildr > SHIELD]’: This extended kenning, like that in st. 1, includes an adjectival element formed from a p. p., baugnafaðr ‘boss-hubbed’ (from baugr ‘boss, circle’ and nǫf ‘nave, hub’), that both continues and draws attention to the analogy between a shield and a wheel that forms the basis of the kenning. This adj. is a hap. leg. and caused the scribes difficulty. A second adj., gjallr ‘ringing, resounding’, has a similar effect, as it can apply both to the noise of a cart-wheel turning and the striking of weapons on the metal boss of a wooden shield. Hǫgni was the father of Hildr, a valkyrie-like figure central to the story of the Everlasting Battle (Hjaðningavíg) that forms the subject of Rdr 9-12 (q. v.). In skaldic poetry Hildr may be a proper name (and thus the basis of a woman- or valkyrie-kenning), but carries with it some semantic resonance from its meaning as the common noun hildr ‘battle’.
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hljóð (noun n.; °-s; -): sound, silence, a hearing
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hollr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): loyal
[1, 2, 3, 4] ins gjalla baugnafaðs hjóls meyjar Hǫgna ‘the resounding boss-hubbed wheel of the maid of Hǫgni <legendary king> [= Hildr > SHIELD]’: This extended kenning, like that in st. 1, includes an adjectival element formed from a p. p., baugnafaðr ‘boss-hubbed’ (from baugr ‘boss, circle’ and nǫf ‘nave, hub’), that both continues and draws attention to the analogy between a shield and a wheel that forms the basis of the kenning. This adj. is a hap. leg. and caused the scribes difficulty. A second adj., gjallr ‘ringing, resounding’, has a similar effect, as it can apply both to the noise of a cart-wheel turning and the striking of weapons on the metal boss of a wooden shield. Hǫgni was the father of Hildr, a valkyrie-like figure central to the story of the Everlasting Battle (Hjaðningavíg) that forms the subject of Rdr 9-12 (q. v.). In skaldic poetry Hildr may be a proper name (and thus the basis of a woman- or valkyrie-kenning), but carries with it some semantic resonance from its meaning as the common noun hildr ‘battle’.
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2. en (conj.): but, and
[3-4] inn mæri mǫgr Sigvarðar ‘the famous son of Sigurðr [= Ragnarr loðbrók]’: Some medieval authorities, apparently including Bragi Boddason, regarded Ragnarr loðbrók ‘Shaggy-breeches’ as the son of the legendary Sigurðr hringr ‘Ring’, king of Sweden, who fought against the Danish king Haraldr hilditǫnn ‘War-tooth’ at the battle of Brávellir (see ÍF 35, 59-71; ÍF 26, 109; Flat 1860-8, I, 27; Saxo 2005, I, 9, 3, 2, p. 584). On the other hand, Snorri Sturluson probably associated Ragnarr with the Niflungar through his wife Áslaug (cf. SnE 1998, I, 50). The R, W, A, C reading Sigurðar has been normalised to the more archaic form Sigvarðar, because positions 2-3 in D-lines could not be occupied by two short syllables until the C13th (see Kuhn 1937, 59-60; Kuhn 1983, 48; Gade 1995a, 31).
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merkja (verb): mark, signify
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ek (pron.; °mín, dat. mér, acc. mik): I, me
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meiri (adj. comp.; °meiran; superl. mestr): more, most
[3-4] inn mæri mǫgr Sigvarðar ‘the famous son of Sigurðr [= Ragnarr loðbrók]’: Some medieval authorities, apparently including Bragi Boddason, regarded Ragnarr loðbrók ‘Shaggy-breeches’ as the son of the legendary Sigurðr hringr ‘Ring’, king of Sweden, who fought against the Danish king Haraldr hilditǫnn ‘War-tooth’ at the battle of Brávellir (see ÍF 35, 59-71; ÍF 26, 109; Flat 1860-8, I, 27; Saxo 2005, I, 9, 3, 2, p. 584). On the other hand, Snorri Sturluson probably associated Ragnarr with the Niflungar through his wife Áslaug (cf. SnE 1998, I, 50). The R, W, A, C reading Sigurðar has been normalised to the more archaic form Sigvarðar, because positions 2-3 in D-lines could not be occupied by two short syllables until the C13th (see Kuhn 1937, 59-60; Kuhn 1983, 48; Gade 1995a, 31).
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mǫgr (noun m.; °; megir, acc. mǫgu): son, boy
[3-4] inn mæri mǫgr Sigvarðar ‘the famous son of Sigurðr [= Ragnarr loðbrók]’: Some medieval authorities, apparently including Bragi Boddason, regarded Ragnarr loðbrók ‘Shaggy-breeches’ as the son of the legendary Sigurðr hringr ‘Ring’, king of Sweden, who fought against the Danish king Haraldr hilditǫnn ‘War-tooth’ at the battle of Brávellir (see ÍF 35, 59-71; ÍF 26, 109; Flat 1860-8, I, 27; Saxo 2005, I, 9, 3, 2, p. 584). On the other hand, Snorri Sturluson probably associated Ragnarr with the Niflungar through his wife Áslaug (cf. SnE 1998, I, 50). The R, W, A, C reading Sigurðar has been normalised to the more archaic form Sigvarðar, because positions 2-3 in D-lines could not be occupied by two short syllables until the C13th (see Kuhn 1937, 59-60; Kuhn 1983, 48; Gade 1995a, 31).
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sigrún (noun f.)
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Sigurðr (noun m.): Sigurðr
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Sigurðr (noun m.): Sigurðr
[4] Sigvarðar: sigurðar R, W, A, C, ‘sigrdar’ Tˣ, sigrúnar U
[3-4] inn mæri mǫgr Sigvarðar ‘the famous son of Sigurðr [= Ragnarr loðbrók]’: Some medieval authorities, apparently including Bragi Boddason, regarded Ragnarr loðbrók ‘Shaggy-breeches’ as the son of the legendary Sigurðr hringr ‘Ring’, king of Sweden, who fought against the Danish king Haraldr hilditǫnn ‘War-tooth’ at the battle of Brávellir (see ÍF 35, 59-71; ÍF 26, 109; Flat 1860-8, I, 27; Saxo 2005, I, 9, 3, 2, p. 584). On the other hand, Snorri Sturluson probably associated Ragnarr with the Niflungar through his wife Áslaug (cf. SnE 1998, I, 50). The R, W, A, C reading Sigurðar has been normalised to the more archaic form Sigvarðar, because positions 2-3 in D-lines could not be occupied by two short syllables until the C13th (see Kuhn 1937, 59-60; Kuhn 1983, 48; Gade 1995a, 31).
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Hǫgni (noun m.): [Hǫgni, Högni]
[1, 2, 3, 4] ins gjalla baugnafaðs hjóls meyjar Hǫgna ‘the resounding boss-hubbed wheel of the maid of Hǫgni <legendary king> [= Hildr > SHIELD]’: This extended kenning, like that in st. 1, includes an adjectival element formed from a p. p., baugnafaðr ‘boss-hubbed’ (from baugr ‘boss, circle’ and nǫf ‘nave, hub’), that both continues and draws attention to the analogy between a shield and a wheel that forms the basis of the kenning. This adj. is a hap. leg. and caused the scribes difficulty. A second adj., gjallr ‘ringing, resounding’, has a similar effect, as it can apply both to the noise of a cart-wheel turning and the striking of weapons on the metal boss of a wooden shield. Hǫgni was the father of Hildr, a valkyrie-like figure central to the story of the Everlasting Battle (Hjaðningavíg) that forms the subject of Rdr 9-12 (q. v.). In skaldic poetry Hildr may be a proper name (and thus the basis of a woman- or valkyrie-kenning), but carries with it some semantic resonance from its meaning as the common noun hildr ‘battle’.
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Hǫgni (noun m.): [Hǫgni, Högni]
[1, 2, 3, 4] ins gjalla baugnafaðs hjóls meyjar Hǫgna ‘the resounding boss-hubbed wheel of the maid of Hǫgni <legendary king> [= Hildr > SHIELD]’: This extended kenning, like that in st. 1, includes an adjectival element formed from a p. p., baugnafaðr ‘boss-hubbed’ (from baugr ‘boss, circle’ and nǫf ‘nave, hub’), that both continues and draws attention to the analogy between a shield and a wheel that forms the basis of the kenning. This adj. is a hap. leg. and caused the scribes difficulty. A second adj., gjallr ‘ringing, resounding’, has a similar effect, as it can apply both to the noise of a cart-wheel turning and the striking of weapons on the metal boss of a wooden shield. Hǫgni was the father of Hildr, a valkyrie-like figure central to the story of the Everlasting Battle (Hjaðningavíg) that forms the subject of Rdr 9-12 (q. v.). In skaldic poetry Hildr may be a proper name (and thus the basis of a woman- or valkyrie-kenning), but carries with it some semantic resonance from its meaning as the common noun hildr ‘battle’.
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
As for Rdr 1; however, the main kenning of this helmingr is cited because it contains a reference to the shield boss or its surround (baugr) as well as the whole shield. The helmingr is introduced with the words Bragi skáld kvað þetta um bauginn á skildinum ‘The poet Bragi said this about the ring on the shield’. After the quotation, Skm explains the kenning thus: Hann kallaði skjǫldinn Hildar hjól, en bauginn nǫf hjólsins ‘He called the shield Hildr’s wheel, and the boss the hub of the wheel’.
This helmingr is clearly incomplete grammatically, consisting only of a subordinate clause, introduced by nema ‘unless’.
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