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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Játg Lv 1^II

Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Játgeirr Torfason, Lausavísa 1’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 652-3.

Játgeirr Torfason Lausavísa 1

Rjóðr ‘Reddener’

(not checked:)
1. rjóðr (noun m.): reddener

[1] Rjóðr: Hljóðr 304ˣ, ‘Hnodít’ Flat

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

sák ‘I saw’

(not checked:)
2. sjá (verb): see

[1] sák (‘sa ek’): sá 304ˣ

hlœkinn ‘cuddly’

(not checked:)
hlœkinn (adj.): [cuddly]

[1] hlœkinn heðna: ‘hleckium hardna’ Flat

heðna ‘heðinn (‘Woolly-shirt’)’

(not checked:)
1. heðinn (noun m.; °dat. heðni): fur, skin

[1] hlœkinn heðna: ‘hleckium hardna’ Flat

notes

[1] heðna ‘heðinn (“Woolly-shirt”)’: A play on Þórir’s nickname flík ‘flap, corner of garment’.

hjaldr ‘of the battle’

(not checked:)
2. hjaldr (noun n.): battle < hjaldrdrif (noun n.)

[2] hjaldr‑: hjaldrs Flat

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

hjaldr ‘of the battle’

(not checked:)
2. hjaldr (noun n.): battle < hjaldrdrif (noun n.)

[2] hjaldr‑: hjaldrs Flat

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

hjaldr ‘of the battle’

(not checked:)
2. hjaldr (noun n.): battle < hjaldrdrif (noun n.)

[2] hjaldr‑: hjaldrs Flat

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

hjaldr ‘of the battle’

(not checked:)
2. hjaldr (noun n.): battle < hjaldrdrif (noun n.)

[2] hjaldr‑: hjaldrs Flat

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

drifs ‘blizzard’

(not checked:)
drif (noun n.): blizzard, driven snow < hjaldrdrif (noun n.)

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

drifs ‘blizzard’

(not checked:)
drif (noun n.): blizzard, driven snow < hjaldrdrif (noun n.)

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

drifs ‘blizzard’

(not checked:)
drif (noun n.): blizzard, driven snow < hjaldrdrif (noun n.)

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

drifs ‘blizzard’

(not checked:)
drif (noun n.): blizzard, driven snow < hjaldrdrif (noun n.)

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

á ‘on’

(not checked:)
3. á (prep.): on, at

Kýr ‘Kýr’

(not checked:)
kýr (noun f.; °kýr, dat. kú; kýr): cow < Kýrfjall (noun n.)

[2] Kýr‑: kúr F

fjalli ‘fjall’

(not checked:)
1. fjall (noun n.): mountain < Kýrfjall (noun n.)

stirð ‘of the stiff’

(not checked:)
stirðr (adj.): stiff < stirðaurriði (noun m.)

[3] stirð‑: stríð Flat

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

stirð ‘of the stiff’

(not checked:)
stirðr (adj.): stiff < stirðaurriði (noun m.)

[3] stirð‑: stríð Flat

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

aurriða ‘trout’

(not checked:)
aurriði (noun m.): [trout] < stirðaurriði (noun m.)

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

aurriða ‘trout’

(not checked:)
aurriði (noun m.): [trout] < stirðaurriði (noun m.)

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

storðar ‘of the land’

(not checked:)
2. storð (noun f.): young wood, earth

[3] storðar: storða F

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

storðar ‘of the land’

(not checked:)
2. storð (noun f.): young wood, earth

[3] storðar: storða F

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

storðar ‘of the land’

(not checked:)
2. storð (noun f.): young wood, earth

[3] storðar: storða F

kennings

Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR

stór ‘very’

(not checked:)
Stór- ((prefix)): [very] < stórfjarri (adv.)

[4] stór‑: stóð 304ˣ

fjarri ‘ far’

(not checked:)
fjarri (adv.): far, far from it, unlikely < stórfjarri (adv.)

mér ‘from me’

(not checked:)
ek (pron.; °mín, dat. mér, acc. mik): I, me

Þóri ‘Þórir’

(not checked:)
Þórir (noun m.): Þórir

[4] Þóri: Þórir 42ˣ, 81a, 304ˣ

Þat ‘this’

(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

[5] Þat: þar 42ˣ, þeir Flat

frák ‘I heard’

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

[5] frák (‘fra ek’): so 81a, frá E, F, 304ˣ, Flat, fekk 42ˣ

líkn ‘the comfort’

(not checked:)
líkn (noun f.; °-ar; gen. -a): grace, mercy

notes

[5, 6] líkn lungtorgs ‘the comfort of his lung’s market-place [HEART]’: Lit. ‘of the lung-market-place’. So F. The [u] in lung- ‘lung-’ is secured by internal rhyme. This is a regular kenning for ‘breast’, used here as residence of the heart (and hence as a kenning for ‘heart’; see Meissner 138). Skj B translates this as hans hjærtes fryd ‘his heart’s delight’. Lyngtorgs lit. ‘heather-market-place’ (i.e. ‘heath’; so E, 81a, 304ˣ, Flat) makes no sense in the context.

þás ‘when’

(not checked:)
þás (conj.): when

[5] þás (‘þá er’): so all others, þá er vér E

notes

[5] þás ‘when’: Both Skj B and Skald silently emend to es ‘when’ against all ms. witnesses. — [5] þás lékum ‘when we played’: Játgeirr must have used the verb leika ‘play’ deliberately, thus creating a double entendre contrasting the play of the bed with the play of battle.

þás ‘when’

(not checked:)
þás (conj.): when

[5] þás (‘þá er’): so all others, þá er vér E

notes

[5] þás ‘when’: Both Skj B and Skald silently emend to es ‘when’ against all ms. witnesses. — [5] þás lékum ‘when we played’: Játgeirr must have used the verb leika ‘play’ deliberately, thus creating a double entendre contrasting the play of the bed with the play of battle.

lékum ‘we played’

(not checked:)
3. leika (verb): play

notes

[5] þás lékum ‘when we played’: Játgeirr must have used the verb leika ‘play’ deliberately, thus creating a double entendre contrasting the play of the bed with the play of battle.

lung ‘of his lung’s’

(not checked:)
lung (noun n.): longship < lungtorg (noun n.)

[6] lung‑: so F, lyng‑ E, 81a, 304ˣ, Flat, ‘lin’ 42ˣ

kennings

lungtorgs,
‘of his lung’s market-place ’
= HEART
his lung’s market-place → HEART

notes

[5, 6] líkn lungtorgs ‘the comfort of his lung’s market-place [HEART]’: Lit. ‘of the lung-market-place’. So F. The [u] in lung- ‘lung-’ is secured by internal rhyme. This is a regular kenning for ‘breast’, used here as residence of the heart (and hence as a kenning for ‘heart’; see Meissner 138). Skj B translates this as hans hjærtes fryd ‘his heart’s delight’. Lyngtorgs lit. ‘heather-market-place’ (i.e. ‘heath’; so E, 81a, 304ˣ, Flat) makes no sense in the context.

torgs ‘ market-place’

(not checked:)
2. torg (noun n.; °-s): market-place < lungtorg (noun n.)

kennings

lungtorgs,
‘of his lung’s market-place ’
= HEART
his lung’s market-place → HEART

notes

[5, 6] líkn lungtorgs ‘the comfort of his lung’s market-place [HEART]’: Lit. ‘of the lung-market-place’. So F. The [u] in lung- ‘lung-’ is secured by internal rhyme. This is a regular kenning for ‘breast’, used here as residence of the heart (and hence as a kenning for ‘heart’; see Meissner 138). Skj B translates this as hans hjærtes fryd ‘his heart’s delight’. Lyngtorgs lit. ‘heather-market-place’ (i.e. ‘heath’; so E, 81a, 304ˣ, Flat) makes no sense in the context.

við ‘with’

(not checked:)
2. við (prep.): with, against

Ribbunga ‘the Ribbungar’

(not checked:)
ribbungr (noun m.; °; -ar): one of the Ribbungar

notes

[6] Ribbunga ‘the Ribbungar’: See Note to Sturl Hákkv 6/8.

dásinn ‘the sluggard’

(not checked:)
dási (noun m.): [sluggard]

lá ‘lay’

(not checked:)
liggja (verb): lie

[7] lá: so F, 42ˣ, lá at E, 81a, 304ˣ, Flat

notes

[7] lá ‘lay’: So F, 42ˣ. Lá at lit. ‘lay at, lay that’ or negated lá-at ‘did not lie’ (so E, 81a, 304ˣ, Flat) is either unmetrical (lá at) or makes little sense (lá-at). Skj B takes at as the conj. at ‘that’ introducing the last cl. Such a construction does not otherwise occur, because the finite verb cannot occur in preposition to the conj. (see Kuhn 1983, 118).

við ‘with’

(not checked:)
2. við (prep.): with, against

dísi ‘dís’

(not checked:)
dís (noun f.; °; -ir): dís, woman

kennings

dísi dvergranns
‘the dís of the dwarf-house ’
= WOMAN
the dwarf-house → STONE
the dís of the STONE → WOMAN

notes

[7-8] dísi dvergranns ‘the dís <minor female deity> of the dwarf-house [STONE > WOMAN]’: Woman-kennings often have determinants from the semantic field ‘stone’, referring to strings of precious stones and pearls that women wore as adornment (see Meissner 400, 414-15).

dverg ‘of the dwarf’

(not checked:)
dvergr (noun m.; °-s; -ar): dwarf < dvergrann (noun n.): [dwarf-house]

kennings

dísi dvergranns
‘the dís of the dwarf-house ’
= WOMAN
the dwarf-house → STONE
the dís of the STONE → WOMAN

notes

[7-8] dísi dvergranns ‘the dís <minor female deity> of the dwarf-house [STONE > WOMAN]’: Woman-kennings often have determinants from the semantic field ‘stone’, referring to strings of precious stones and pearls that women wore as adornment (see Meissner 400, 414-15).

dverg ‘of the dwarf’

(not checked:)
dvergr (noun m.; °-s; -ar): dwarf < dvergrann (noun n.): [dwarf-house]

kennings

dísi dvergranns
‘the dís of the dwarf-house ’
= WOMAN
the dwarf-house → STONE
the dís of the STONE → WOMAN

notes

[7-8] dísi dvergranns ‘the dís <minor female deity> of the dwarf-house [STONE > WOMAN]’: Woman-kennings often have determinants from the semantic field ‘stone’, referring to strings of precious stones and pearls that women wore as adornment (see Meissner 400, 414-15).

ranns ‘house’

(not checked:)
rann (noun n.): house, hall < dvergrann (noun n.): [dwarf-house]

kennings

dísi dvergranns
‘the dís of the dwarf-house ’
= WOMAN
the dwarf-house → STONE
the dís of the STONE → WOMAN

notes

[7-8] dísi dvergranns ‘the dís <minor female deity> of the dwarf-house [STONE > WOMAN]’: Woman-kennings often have determinants from the semantic field ‘stone’, referring to strings of precious stones and pearls that women wore as adornment (see Meissner 400, 414-15).

ranns ‘house’

(not checked:)
rann (noun n.): house, hall < dvergrann (noun n.): [dwarf-house]

kennings

dísi dvergranns
‘the dís of the dwarf-house ’
= WOMAN
the dwarf-house → STONE
the dís of the STONE → WOMAN

notes

[7-8] dísi dvergranns ‘the dís <minor female deity> of the dwarf-house [STONE > WOMAN]’: Woman-kennings often have determinants from the semantic field ‘stone’, referring to strings of precious stones and pearls that women wore as adornment (see Meissner 400, 414-15).

í ‘in’

(not checked:)
í (prep.): in, into

Túns ‘Tøns’

(not checked:)
tún (noun n.; °-s; -): homefield, enclosure < Túnsberg (noun n.): [Tønsberg]

[8] Túns‑: tungs‑ 81a

bergi ‘berg’

(not checked:)
berg (noun n.; °-s; -): rock, cliff < Túnsberg (noun n.): [Tønsberg]

Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses

verse
prose

In 1222, Skúli Bárðarson stays in Tønsberg when he hears that some of the Ribbungar are nearby. He says that, when two men share the same bed, they are to cast lots about which one of them will go after the Ribbungar. Játgeirr, who is the bedmate of Þórir flík ‘Flap of Garment’, loses, and he and the others go off to fight. When he returns, Þórir asks him how it had gone, and Játgeirr responds with this st.

In 304ˣ, Játgeirr is mistakenly referred to as ‘Oddgeirr Skáldtorfuson’. — [1, 2, 3] rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs ‘reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard [ARROWS > SHIELD > SWORD > WARRIOR]’: Kock (NN §2748F) unravels this kenning as follows: rjóðr storðar stirðaurriða hjaldrdrifs ‘reddener of the land of the stiff trout of the battle-blizzard [ARROWS > SWORD > SHIELD > WARRIOR]’. That interpretation is also possible, but less preferable, since a warrior is more likely to redden a sword than a shield in blood. — [2] Kýrfjalli ‘Kýrfjall’: Lit. ‘Cows’ Mountain’ is an unidentified p. n. in Vestfold, Norway. Note the imperfect rhyme (-ald- : -all-). — [8] í Túnsbergi ‘in Tønsberg’: Town in Vestfold on the western side of Oslofjorden.

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