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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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ESk Geisl 38VII

Martin Chase (ed.) 2007, ‘Einarr Skúlason, Geisli 38’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 39.

Einarr SkúlasonGeisli
373839

Frétt ‘heard’

(not checked:)
1. fregna (verb): hear of

Close

hefk ‘I have’

(not checked:)
hafa (verb): have

Close

at ‘that’

(not checked:)
4. at (conj.): that

Close

‘that’

(not checked:)
1. sá (pron.; °gen. þess, dat. þeim, acc. þann; f. sú, gen. þeirrar, acc. þá; n. þat, dat. því; pl. m. þeir, f. þǽ---): that (one), those

kennings

sá stríðir malma
‘that enemy of weapons ’
   = WARRIOR = Kolbeinn

that enemy of weapons → WARRIOR = Kolbeinn
Close

sótti ‘sought’

(not checked:)
sœkja (verb): seek, attack

Close

síðan ‘then’

(not checked:)
síðan (adv.): later, then

Close

malma ‘of weapons’

(not checked:)
malmr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): metal

kennings

sá stríðir malma
‘that enemy of weapons ’
   = WARRIOR = Kolbeinn

that enemy of weapons → WARRIOR = Kolbeinn

notes

[2] stríðir malma ‘enemy of weapons’: The kenning formula ‘enemy of weapons’ was used in Viking Age poetry to designate warriors (who break weapons in battle). It seems out of place here, and Einarr may be playing on the meaning of the words: stríðir malma can be interpreted literally to signify an enemy of strife, a peaceful Christian man.

Close

stríðir ‘enemy’

(not checked:)
stríðir (noun m.): opponent, fighter

kennings

sá stríðir malma
‘that enemy of weapons ’
   = WARRIOR = Kolbeinn

that enemy of weapons → WARRIOR = Kolbeinn

notes

[2] stríðir malma ‘enemy of weapons’: The kenning formula ‘enemy of weapons’ was used in Viking Age poetry to designate warriors (who break weapons in battle). It seems out of place here, and Einarr may be playing on the meaning of the words: stríðir malma can be interpreted literally to signify an enemy of strife, a peaceful Christian man.

Close

s ‘who’

(not checked:)
2. er (conj.): who, which, when

Close

gefr ‘gives’

(not checked:)
gefa (verb): give

Close

harm ‘of the harm’

(not checked:)
1. harmr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): sorrow, grief < harmskerðandi (noun m.)

[4] harmskerðanda: so Bb, ‘hardskerdand[...]’ Flat

kennings

harmskerðanda,
‘of the harm-diminisher, ’
   = SAINT = Óláfr

the harm-diminisher, → SAINT = Óláfr

notes

[4] harmskerðanda (gen. sg.) ‘of the harm-diminisher’: The Bb version of this hap. leg. must be the correct reading. Flat reads ‘harskerdand[…]’ (the final letter in doubt, probably either ‘a’ or ‘i’), which is nonsense in context. ‘Harm-diminisher’ emphasises the image of Óláfr expressed by the stef, and is analogous to fárskerðandi ‘misfortune-diminisher’ in 63/7.

Close

skerðanda ‘diminisher’

(not checked:)
skerðandi (noun m.): diminisher < harmskerðandi (noun m.)

[4] harmskerðanda: so Bb, ‘hardskerdand[...]’ Flat

kennings

harmskerðanda,
‘of the harm-diminisher, ’
   = SAINT = Óláfr

the harm-diminisher, → SAINT = Óláfr

notes

[4] harmskerðanda (gen. sg.) ‘of the harm-diminisher’: The Bb version of this hap. leg. must be the correct reading. Flat reads ‘harskerdand[…]’ (the final letter in doubt, probably either ‘a’ or ‘i’), which is nonsense in context. ‘Harm-diminisher’ emphasises the image of Óláfr expressed by the stef, and is analogous to fárskerðandi ‘misfortune-diminisher’ in 63/7.

Close

Hér ‘Here’

(not checked:)
hér (adv.): here

Close

en ‘and’

(not checked:)
2. en (conj.): but, and

Close

byrja ‘deliver’

(not checked:)
2. byrja (verb; °-að-): begin, begat, please

Close

kvæði ‘poem’

(not checked:)
kvæði (noun n.; °-s; -): poem

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skalk ‘I shall’

(not checked:)
skulu (verb): shall, should, must

Close

snáka ‘snake’

(not checked:)
snákr (noun m.): snake

kennings

sløngvi vangs slungins snáka.
‘the distributor of the field of the coiled snake.’
   = GENEROUS MAN

the field of the coiled snake. → GOLD
the distributor of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
Close

snáka ‘snake’

(not checked:)
snákr (noun m.): snake

kennings

sløngvi vangs slungins snáka.
‘the distributor of the field of the coiled snake.’
   = GENEROUS MAN

the field of the coiled snake. → GOLD
the distributor of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
Close

vangs ‘of the field’

(not checked:)
1. vangr (noun m.): field, plain

kennings

sløngvi vangs slungins snáka.
‘the distributor of the field of the coiled snake.’
   = GENEROUS MAN

the field of the coiled snake. → GOLD
the distributor of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
Close

vangs ‘of the field’

(not checked:)
1. vangr (noun m.): field, plain

kennings

sløngvi vangs slungins snáka.
‘the distributor of the field of the coiled snake.’
   = GENEROUS MAN

the field of the coiled snake. → GOLD
the distributor of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
Close

ok ‘’

(not checked:)
3. ok (conj.): and, but; also

Close

of ‘about’

(not checked:)
3. of (prep.): around, from; too

[7] of: ok Bb

Close

sløngvi ‘the distributor’

(not checked:)
sløngvir (noun m.): slinger

[7] sløngvi: ‘slavnge’ Bb

kennings

sløngvi vangs slungins snáka.
‘the distributor of the field of the coiled snake.’
   = GENEROUS MAN

the field of the coiled snake. → GOLD
the distributor of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
Close

slungins ‘of the coiled’

(not checked:)
slunginn (adj./verb p.p.): encircled, coiled

[8] slungins: so Bb, slungin Flat

kennings

sløngvi vangs slungins snáka.
‘the distributor of the field of the coiled snake.’
   = GENEROUS MAN

the field of the coiled snake. → GOLD
the distributor of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
Close

slungins ‘of the coiled’

(not checked:)
slunginn (adj./verb p.p.): encircled, coiled

[8] slungins: so Bb, slungin Flat

kennings

sløngvi vangs slungins snáka.
‘the distributor of the field of the coiled snake.’
   = GENEROUS MAN

the field of the coiled snake. → GOLD
the distributor of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
Close

mál ‘speech’

(not checked:)
1. mál (noun n.; °-s; -): speech, matter

Close

ok ‘and’

(not checked:)
3. ok (conj.): and, but; also

Close

tungu ‘tongue’

(not checked:)
tunga (noun f.; °-u; -ur): tongue, language

Close

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