Bragi Troll 1III
Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.) 2017, ‘Bragi inn gamli Boddason, An exchange of verses between Bragi and a troll-woman 1’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 64.
Skald ‘poet’
(not checked:)
skáld (noun n.; °-s; -): poet
notes
[1] kalla mik skald ‘they call me poet’: The verbal and conceptual structure of Bragi’s stanza mirrors the troll-woman’s. As with l. 1 of her stanza, the interpretation of Bragi’s l. 1 could be kalla mik skald ‘they call me poet’, as here, with the following list of kennings as complement of the object, or skǫld kalla mik ‘poets call me …’. The latter sense requires emendation of all mss’ skald to skǫld, as in Skj B.
kalla ‘They call’
(not checked:)
kalla (verb): call
notes
[1] kalla mik skald ‘they call me poet’: The verbal and conceptual structure of Bragi’s stanza mirrors the troll-woman’s. As with l. 1 of her stanza, the interpretation of Bragi’s l. 1 could be kalla mik skald ‘they call me poet’, as here, with the following list of kennings as complement of the object, or skǫld kalla mik ‘poets call me …’. The latter sense requires emendation of all mss’ skald to skǫld, as in Skj B.
mik ‘me’
(not checked:)
ek (pron.; °mín, dat. mér, acc. mik): I, me
notes
[1] kalla mik skald ‘they call me poet’: The verbal and conceptual structure of Bragi’s stanza mirrors the troll-woman’s. As with l. 1 of her stanza, the interpretation of Bragi’s l. 1 could be kalla mik skald ‘they call me poet’, as here, with the following list of kennings as complement of the object, or skǫld kalla mik ‘poets call me …’. The latter sense requires emendation of all mss’ skald to skǫld, as in Skj B.
skip ‘’
(not checked:)
skip (noun n.; °-s; -): ship < skipsmíð (noun f.)
skap ‘mind’
(not checked:)
1. skap (noun n.; °-s; *-): mind, fate < skapsmiðr (noun m.)1. skap (noun n.; °-s; *-): mind, fate < skapskíð (noun n.): mind-ski
[2] skapsmið: so Tˣ, U, A, skapskíð R, skipsmið C
kennings
Viðurs skapsmið,‘Viðurr’s mind-smith’
= POET
Viðurr’s mind, → POETRY
smith of the POETRY → POET
notes
[2] skapsmið ‘mind-smith’: The base-word of an inverted tvíkent kenning for ‘poet’, with one of Óðinn’s names as determinant, the allusion being to the myth of how Óðinn obtained the mead of poetry from the giant Suttungr and then made it available in regurgitated form for the gods and talented human poets (cf. SnE 1998, I, 3-5). ‘Óðinn’s mind’ (or thought) is thus the mead of poetry itself. This myth is also the basis of the inverted kennings for ‘poet’, as Óðinn’s gift-getter and his ale-server, in ll. 3 and 5, Óðinn’s gift and his ale referring to the mead of poetry. Bragi’s references to the mead myth, with its creative alimentary associations, nicely counter the destructive alimentary references in the troll-woman’s kennings (Anon (SnE) 9/3, 7). Skap- (< skapa ‘create’) may possibly have the sense ‘creating, creative’ here (as it probably does in skap-Móði, l. 6) rather than ‘thought, mind’, in which case the kenning would not be inverted, and Viðurs would have the sense ‘belonging to, associated with Viðurr’, as god of poetry. Ms. R reads skapskíð ‘mind (or ‘creating’)-ski’ against the majority mss’ skapsmið. Skíð would then have to be a base-word of a man-kenning, but most uses of this word in skaldic verse refer to objects (e.g. ships, swords) rather than humans. Ms. C reads skipsmið ‘ship-smith’, a lectio facilior, possibly influenced by poetry-kennings of the type skip dverga ‘dwarfs’ ship’ (SnE 1998, I, 11).
skap ‘mind’
(not checked:)
1. skap (noun n.; °-s; *-): mind, fate < skapsmiðr (noun m.)1. skap (noun n.; °-s; *-): mind, fate < skapskíð (noun n.): mind-ski
[2] skapsmið: so Tˣ, U, A, skapskíð R, skipsmið C
kennings
Viðurs skapsmið,‘Viðurr’s mind-smith’
= POET
Viðurr’s mind, → POETRY
smith of the POETRY → POET
notes
[2] skapsmið ‘mind-smith’: The base-word of an inverted tvíkent kenning for ‘poet’, with one of Óðinn’s names as determinant, the allusion being to the myth of how Óðinn obtained the mead of poetry from the giant Suttungr and then made it available in regurgitated form for the gods and talented human poets (cf. SnE 1998, I, 3-5). ‘Óðinn’s mind’ (or thought) is thus the mead of poetry itself. This myth is also the basis of the inverted kennings for ‘poet’, as Óðinn’s gift-getter and his ale-server, in ll. 3 and 5, Óðinn’s gift and his ale referring to the mead of poetry. Bragi’s references to the mead myth, with its creative alimentary associations, nicely counter the destructive alimentary references in the troll-woman’s kennings (Anon (SnE) 9/3, 7). Skap- (< skapa ‘create’) may possibly have the sense ‘creating, creative’ here (as it probably does in skap-Móði, l. 6) rather than ‘thought, mind’, in which case the kenning would not be inverted, and Viðurs would have the sense ‘belonging to, associated with Viðurr’, as god of poetry. Ms. R reads skapskíð ‘mind (or ‘creating’)-ski’ against the majority mss’ skapsmið. Skíð would then have to be a base-word of a man-kenning, but most uses of this word in skaldic verse refer to objects (e.g. ships, swords) rather than humans. Ms. C reads skipsmið ‘ship-smith’, a lectio facilior, possibly influenced by poetry-kennings of the type skip dverga ‘dwarfs’ ship’ (SnE 1998, I, 11).
skíð ‘ski’
(not checked:)
skíð (noun n.; °; -): ski < skapskíð (noun n.): mind-ski
smið ‘smith’
[2] skapsmið: so Tˣ, U, A, skapskíð R, skipsmið C
kennings
Viðurs skapsmið,‘Viðurr’s mind-smith’
= POET
Viðurr’s mind, → POETRY
smith of the POETRY → POET
notes
[2] skapsmið ‘mind-smith’: The base-word of an inverted tvíkent kenning for ‘poet’, with one of Óðinn’s names as determinant, the allusion being to the myth of how Óðinn obtained the mead of poetry from the giant Suttungr and then made it available in regurgitated form for the gods and talented human poets (cf. SnE 1998, I, 3-5). ‘Óðinn’s mind’ (or thought) is thus the mead of poetry itself. This myth is also the basis of the inverted kennings for ‘poet’, as Óðinn’s gift-getter and his ale-server, in ll. 3 and 5, Óðinn’s gift and his ale referring to the mead of poetry. Bragi’s references to the mead myth, with its creative alimentary associations, nicely counter the destructive alimentary references in the troll-woman’s kennings (Anon (SnE) 9/3, 7). Skap- (< skapa ‘create’) may possibly have the sense ‘creating, creative’ here (as it probably does in skap-Móði, l. 6) rather than ‘thought, mind’, in which case the kenning would not be inverted, and Viðurs would have the sense ‘belonging to, associated with Viðurr’, as god of poetry. Ms. R reads skapskíð ‘mind (or ‘creating’)-ski’ against the majority mss’ skapsmið. Skíð would then have to be a base-word of a man-kenning, but most uses of this word in skaldic verse refer to objects (e.g. ships, swords) rather than humans. Ms. C reads skipsmið ‘ship-smith’, a lectio facilior, possibly influenced by poetry-kennings of the type skip dverga ‘dwarfs’ ship’ (SnE 1998, I, 11).
Viðurs ‘of Viðurr’s’
(not checked:)
Viðurr (noun m.): Viðurr
kennings
Viðurs skapsmið,‘Viðurr’s mind-smith’
= POET
Viðurr’s mind, → POETRY
smith of the POETRY → POET
Viðurs ‘of Viðurr’s’
(not checked:)
Viðurr (noun m.): Viðurr
kennings
Viðurs skapsmið,‘Viðurr’s mind-smith’
= POET
Viðurr’s mind, → POETRY
smith of the POETRY → POET
gauks ‘of the cuckoo’
(not checked:)
gaukr (noun m.; °dat. -): cuckoo
kennings
Gauts gjafrǫtuð,‘Gautr’s gift-getter’
= POET
Gautr’s gift, → POETRY
getter of the POETRY → POET
kennings
Gauts gjafrǫtuð,‘Gautr’s gift-getter’
= POET
Gautr’s gift, → POETRY
getter of the POETRY → POET
gjaf ‘gift’
(not checked:)
gjǫf (noun f.): gift < gjafrǫtuðr (noun m.)
kennings
Gauts gjafrǫtuð,‘Gautr’s gift-getter’
= POET
Gautr’s gift, → POETRY
getter of the POETRY → POET
gjaf ‘gift’
(not checked:)
gjǫf (noun f.): gift < gjafrǫtuðr (noun m.)
kennings
Gauts gjafrǫtuð,‘Gautr’s gift-getter’
= POET
Gautr’s gift, → POETRY
getter of the POETRY → POET
rǫtuð ‘getter’
(not checked:)
rǫtuðr (noun m.): [getter] < gjafrǫtuðr (noun m.)
kennings
Gauts gjafrǫtuð,‘Gautr’s gift-getter’
= POET
Gautr’s gift, → POETRY
getter of the POETRY → POET
grepp ‘poet’
(not checked:)
greppr (noun m.; °; -ar): poet, man
óhneppin ‘’
(not checked:)
óhneppr (adj.): not meagre, unscanty
Yggs ‘of Yggr’s’
(not checked:)
1. Yggr (noun m.): Yggr
kennings
Yggs ǫlbera,‘Yggr’s ale-server’
= POET
Yggr’s ale, → POETRY
server of the POETRY → POET
notes
[5] Yggs ‘of Yggr’s <= Óðinn’s>’: Ms. R has ‘vggs’ (Yggs all other mss), which is not a variant reading but another example (cf. Bragi Frag 5/4) of the scribe’s occasional alternation of <u/v> and <y> spellings (see SnE 1998, I, liv).
Yggs ‘of Yggr’s’
(not checked:)
1. Yggr (noun m.): Yggr
kennings
Yggs ǫlbera,‘Yggr’s ale-server’
= POET
Yggr’s ale, → POETRY
server of the POETRY → POET
notes
[5] Yggs ‘of Yggr’s <= Óðinn’s>’: Ms. R has ‘vggs’ (Yggs all other mss), which is not a variant reading but another example (cf. Bragi Frag 5/4) of the scribe’s occasional alternation of <u/v> and <y> spellings (see SnE 1998, I, liv).
ull ‘wool’
(not checked:)
ull (noun f.; °-ar, dat. -u): [wool] < ullberi (noun m.): wool-bearer
kennings
Yggs ǫlbera,‘Yggr’s ale-server’
= POET
Yggr’s ale, → POETRY
server of the POETRY → POET
kennings
Yggs ǫlbera,‘Yggr’s ale-server’
= POET
Yggr’s ale, → POETRY
server of the POETRY → POET
bera ‘server’
[5] ǫlbera: ullbera C
kennings
Yggs ǫlbera,‘Yggr’s ale-server’
= POET
Yggr’s ale, → POETRY
server of the POETRY → POET
óðs ‘of poetry’
(not checked:)
1. óðr (noun m.): poem
kennings
skap-Móða óðs,‘creating-Móði of poetry, ’
= POET
creating-Móði of poetry, → POET
notes
[6] skap-Móða óðs ‘creating-Móði <god> of poetry’: This is clearly a kenning for poetry (óðr covering the semantic range ‘mind, fury, frenzy, poetry, poem’) and thus suggestive of poetic inspiration. The element skap- probably reinforces this idea (see Note to l. 2 above), but Móði is a little unexpected as a mythological base-word, if the name denotes Þórr’s son of that name, as he is nowhere associated with poetry. However, the name’s etymological sense (cf. móðr ‘mood, anger, rage’) fits the context well. Móði is recorded as the base-word of man-kennings in skaldic verse and once (Þmáhl Máv 2/2V (Eb 4)) as the base-word of a kenning for ‘poet’, Móði bragar ‘the Móði of poetry’.
spar ‘sparing (or sparrow?)’
(not checked:)
3. sparr (adj.): [bereft]
skap ‘creating’
(not checked:)
2. skapa (verb): form < skapmóði (noun m.)2. skapa (verb): form
[6] skap‑Móða: ‘sparmoða’ U, ‘skapmoðin’ A
kennings
skap-Móða óðs,‘creating-Móði of poetry, ’
= POET
creating-Móði of poetry, → POET
notes
[6] skap-Móða óðs ‘creating-Móði <god> of poetry’: This is clearly a kenning for poetry (óðr covering the semantic range ‘mind, fury, frenzy, poetry, poem’) and thus suggestive of poetic inspiration. The element skap- probably reinforces this idea (see Note to l. 2 above), but Móði is a little unexpected as a mythological base-word, if the name denotes Þórr’s son of that name, as he is nowhere associated with poetry. However, the name’s etymological sense (cf. móðr ‘mood, anger, rage’) fits the context well. Móði is recorded as the base-word of man-kennings in skaldic verse and once (Þmáhl Máv 2/2V (Eb 4)) as the base-word of a kenning for ‘poet’, Móði bragar ‘the Móði of poetry’.
moðin ‘’
Móða ‘Móði’
(not checked:)
Móði (noun m.): Móði < skapmóði (noun m.)
[6] skap‑Móða: ‘sparmoða’ U, ‘skapmoðin’ A
kennings
skap-Móða óðs,‘creating-Móði of poetry, ’
= POET
creating-Móði of poetry, → POET
notes
[6] skap-Móða óðs ‘creating-Móði <god> of poetry’: This is clearly a kenning for poetry (óðr covering the semantic range ‘mind, fury, frenzy, poetry, poem’) and thus suggestive of poetic inspiration. The element skap- probably reinforces this idea (see Note to l. 2 above), but Móði is a little unexpected as a mythological base-word, if the name denotes Þórr’s son of that name, as he is nowhere associated with poetry. However, the name’s etymological sense (cf. móðr ‘mood, anger, rage’) fits the context well. Móði is recorded as the base-word of man-kennings in skaldic verse and once (Þmáhl Máv 2/2V (Eb 4)) as the base-word of a kenning for ‘poet’, Móði bragar ‘the Móði of poetry’.
hag ‘skilled’
kennings
hagsmið bragar.‘skilled smith of poetry. ’
= POET
skilled smith of poetry. → POET
notes
[7] hagsmið bragar ‘skilled smith of poetry’: This is the reading of all mss except R, which has hagskíð, lit. ‘skilled ski’. The R scribe also wrote -skíð in l. 2, against all other mss’ ‑smið. The concept of the poet as a skilled craftsman was fundamental to skaldic self-image (cf. Clunies Ross 2005a, 84-91), just as that of the poet as recipient of Óðinn’s mead was, and, in this stanza, Bragi begins with the one and ends with the other, a powerful riposte to the troll-woman’s threat of death and cosmic destruction.
skíð ‘ski’
(not checked:)
skíð (noun n.; °; -): ski < hagskíð (noun n.): ?skilled ski
smið ‘smith’
(not checked:)
smiðr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i/-; -ar/-ir, acc. -a/-i/-u): smithy, something crafted < hagsmiðr (noun m.)
[7] ‑smið: so all others, ‑skíð R
kennings
hagsmið bragar.‘skilled smith of poetry. ’
= POET
skilled smith of poetry. → POET
notes
[7] hagsmið bragar ‘skilled smith of poetry’: This is the reading of all mss except R, which has hagskíð, lit. ‘skilled ski’. The R scribe also wrote -skíð in l. 2, against all other mss’ ‑smið. The concept of the poet as a skilled craftsman was fundamental to skaldic self-image (cf. Clunies Ross 2005a, 84-91), just as that of the poet as recipient of Óðinn’s mead was, and, in this stanza, Bragi begins with the one and ends with the other, a powerful riposte to the troll-woman’s threat of death and cosmic destruction.
bragar ‘of poetry’
(not checked:)
bragr (noun m.; °-ar): poem, poetry
kennings
hagsmið bragar.‘skilled smith of poetry. ’
= POET
skilled smith of poetry. → POET
notes
[7] hagsmið bragar ‘skilled smith of poetry’: This is the reading of all mss except R, which has hagskíð, lit. ‘skilled ski’. The R scribe also wrote -skíð in l. 2, against all other mss’ ‑smið. The concept of the poet as a skilled craftsman was fundamental to skaldic self-image (cf. Clunies Ross 2005a, 84-91), just as that of the poet as recipient of Óðinn’s mead was, and, in this stanza, Bragi begins with the one and ends with the other, a powerful riposte to the troll-woman’s threat of death and cosmic destruction.
Hvats ‘What’s’
(not checked:)
2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
skald ‘a poet’
(not checked:)
skáld (noun n.; °-s; -): poet
nema ‘if not’
(not checked:)
2. nema (conj.): unless
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
|
Skald kalla mik, |
They call me poet, smith of Viðurr’s <= Óðinn’s> mind [(lit. ‘Viðurr’s mind-smith’) POETRY > POET], getter of Gautr’s <= Óðinn’s> gift [(lit. ‘Gautr’s gift-getter’) POETRY > POET], unscanty poet, server of Yggr’s <= Óðinn’s> ale [(lit. ‘Yggr’s ale-server’) POETRY > POET], creating-Móði <god> of poetry [POET], skilled smith of poetry [POET]. What’s a poet if not that?
See Introduction above and Context to Anon (SnE) 9, to which this stanza is the riposte. In R and C (which have the troll-woman’s stanza in whole or in part), this one follows immediately upon hers, with the introductory prose, Hann svarar svá ‘He answers thus’. All mss that record this stanza preface it with some version of the prose account of Bragi’s encounter with the troll-woman, as he drove through a forest late one evening (for full prose text, see Context to Anon (SnE) 9).
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