KormǪ Sigdr 6^III

Hafit ‘will not have’

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hafa (verb): have

[1] Hafit: Hafi J1ˣ, J2ˣ

maðr ‘A man’

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maðr (noun m.): man, person

ask ‘a bowl’

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askr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i/-; -ar): ash, ash-tree, ash-ship

[1] ask né: er J1ˣ, né J2ˣ

notes

[1] ask ‘a bowl’: Askr is lit. ‘ash’, the species of tree or the wood thereof, and thus also ‘container made of ash’ (Fritzner: askr 4).

né ‘or’

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né (conj.): nor

[1] ask né: er J1ˣ, né J2ˣ

eskis ‘of the ash’

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eski (noun n.; °-s; -): ash-wood, spear

[1] eskis: so F, eski Kˣ, ‘eskils’ J1ˣ, J2ˣ

kennings

notes

[1-2, 4] afspring fats eskis ‘the offspring of the ash vat [BOWL]’: Although eski, like askr alone can mean ‘container made of ash’, here, in combination with fats ‘of the vat’, it is better interpreted as ‘made of ash’. The expression as a whole is a kenning in accordance with the kenning pattern ‘descendant of …’ which normally is only used for persons; cf. e.g. burr bragnings ‘son of the ruler [RULER]’; for this pattern see General Introduction in SkP I, lxxix. Meissner 433 recognized this and interpreted the kenning as ‘small eating vessel’. This interpretation is preferable to the interpretation of Finnur Jónsson (LP: afspringr 1) who translates afspringr here as hvad der kommer af (og gemmes i) et fad ‘what comes out of (and is contained in) a vat’, and regards the whole expression as a kenning for ‘food or drink’. However, his interpretation of afspringr is not in accordance with the other evidence of afspringr/afspringi (LP: afspringr 2, afspringi) which means ‘offspring, descendant’. Kock (NN §1064, followed by Düwel 1985, 16) attempts to combine fats with fésæranda in the sense ‘plunderer of the contents of a chest’, but this would be a very uncommon expression.

afspring ‘the offspring’

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afspringr (noun m.; °-s): offspring

kennings

notes

[1-2, 4] afspring fats eskis ‘the offspring of the ash vat [BOWL]’: Although eski, like askr alone can mean ‘container made of ash’, here, in combination with fats ‘of the vat’, it is better interpreted as ‘made of ash’. The expression as a whole is a kenning in accordance with the kenning pattern ‘descendant of …’ which normally is only used for persons; cf. e.g. burr bragnings ‘son of the ruler [RULER]’; for this pattern see General Introduction in SkP I, lxxix. Meissner 433 recognized this and interpreted the kenning as ‘small eating vessel’. This interpretation is preferable to the interpretation of Finnur Jónsson (LP: afspringr 1) who translates afspringr here as hvad der kommer af (og gemmes i) et fad ‘what comes out of (and is contained in) a vat’, and regards the whole expression as a kenning for ‘food or drink’. However, his interpretation of afspringr is not in accordance with the other evidence of afspringr/afspringi (LP: afspringr 2, afspringi) which means ‘offspring, descendant’. Kock (NN §1064, followed by Düwel 1985, 16) attempts to combine fats with fésæranda in the sense ‘plunderer of the contents of a chest’, but this would be a very uncommon expression.

með ‘with’

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með (prep.): with

sér ‘him’

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sik (pron.; °gen. sín, dat. sér): (refl. pron.)

þingat ‘to a meeting with’

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þing (noun n.; °-s; -): meeting, assembly

[2] þingat: þangat J1ˣ, J2ˣ

notes

[2] þingat ‘to a meeting with’: Lit. ‘thither’ (adv.).

fé ‘the wealth’

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fé (noun n.; °fjár/féar; -): cattle, money < fésærandi (noun m.)

kennings

særanda ‘wounder’

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særandi (noun m.): [wounder, wounders] < fésærandi (noun m.)

[3] ‑særanda: ‑særandi F

kennings

at ‘to’

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3. at (prep.): at, to

fœra ‘bring’

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2. fœra (verb): bring

fats ‘vat’

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fat (noun n.; °; *-): garments

[4] fats: ‘fetz’ Kˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, ‘fø̨z’ F

kennings

notes

[1-2, 4] afspring fats eskis ‘the offspring of the ash vat [BOWL]’: Although eski, like askr alone can mean ‘container made of ash’, here, in combination with fats ‘of the vat’, it is better interpreted as ‘made of ash’. The expression as a whole is a kenning in accordance with the kenning pattern ‘descendant of …’ which normally is only used for persons; cf. e.g. burr bragnings ‘son of the ruler [RULER]’; for this pattern see General Introduction in SkP I, lxxix. Meissner 433 recognized this and interpreted the kenning as ‘small eating vessel’. This interpretation is preferable to the interpretation of Finnur Jónsson (LP: afspringr 1) who translates afspringr here as hvad der kommer af (og gemmes i) et fad ‘what comes out of (and is contained in) a vat’, and regards the whole expression as a kenning for ‘food or drink’. However, his interpretation of afspringr is not in accordance with the other evidence of afspringr/afspringi (LP: afspringr 2, afspringi) which means ‘offspring, descendant’. Kock (NN §1064, followed by Düwel 1985, 16) attempts to combine fats with fésæranda in the sense ‘plunderer of the contents of a chest’, but this would be a very uncommon expression. — [4] fats ‘of the vat’: The emendation of ‘fetz/fø̨z’ to fats is secured by the aðalhending in this line (emendation by Konráð Gíslason 1876, 329 n. 13 and adopted by all subsequent eds). The aðalhending is obscured by the traditional spelling of Þjazi (<z> = [ts]).

fats ‘vat’

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fat (noun n.; °; *-): garments

[4] fats: ‘fetz’ Kˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, ‘fø̨z’ F

kennings

notes

[1-2, 4] afspring fats eskis ‘the offspring of the ash vat [BOWL]’: Although eski, like askr alone can mean ‘container made of ash’, here, in combination with fats ‘of the vat’, it is better interpreted as ‘made of ash’. The expression as a whole is a kenning in accordance with the kenning pattern ‘descendant of …’ which normally is only used for persons; cf. e.g. burr bragnings ‘son of the ruler [RULER]’; for this pattern see General Introduction in SkP I, lxxix. Meissner 433 recognized this and interpreted the kenning as ‘small eating vessel’. This interpretation is preferable to the interpretation of Finnur Jónsson (LP: afspringr 1) who translates afspringr here as hvad der kommer af (og gemmes i) et fad ‘what comes out of (and is contained in) a vat’, and regards the whole expression as a kenning for ‘food or drink’. However, his interpretation of afspringr is not in accordance with the other evidence of afspringr/afspringi (LP: afspringr 2, afspringi) which means ‘offspring, descendant’. Kock (NN §1064, followed by Düwel 1985, 16) attempts to combine fats with fésæranda in the sense ‘plunderer of the contents of a chest’, but this would be a very uncommon expression. — [4] fats ‘of the vat’: The emendation of ‘fetz/fø̨z’ to fats is secured by the aðalhending in this line (emendation by Konráð Gíslason 1876, 329 n. 13 and adopted by all subsequent eds). The aðalhending is obscured by the traditional spelling of Þjazi (<z> = [ts]).

véltu ‘deceived’

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véla (verb): betray, trick

[4] véltu: veizlu J1ˣ, J2ˣ

notes

[4] goð véltu Þjaza ‘the gods betrayed Þjazi’: The stál alludes to a myth about Þjazi preserved in Þjóð Haustl (see sts 2-13 and Notes there). If there is a connection between the myth and this stanza, it can only be established for the very beginning of the myth, when the gods initially refuse to share their meal and thus display a behaviour that is the antithesis of a generous ruler who provides food for everyone (Marold 1990a, 116). Furthermore, Þjazi has a special relationship to the house of the jarls of Lade, because he is the father of Skaði, the giantess progenitor of this dynasty (cf. Fidjestøl 1982, 94).

goð ‘the gods’

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goð (noun n.): (pagan) god

notes

[4] goð véltu Þjaza ‘the gods betrayed Þjazi’: The stál alludes to a myth about Þjazi preserved in Þjóð Haustl (see sts 2-13 and Notes there). If there is a connection between the myth and this stanza, it can only be established for the very beginning of the myth, when the gods initially refuse to share their meal and thus display a behaviour that is the antithesis of a generous ruler who provides food for everyone (Marold 1990a, 116). Furthermore, Þjazi has a special relationship to the house of the jarls of Lade, because he is the father of Skaði, the giantess progenitor of this dynasty (cf. Fidjestøl 1982, 94).

Þjaza ‘Þjazi’

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Þjazi (noun m.): Þjazi

notes

[4] goð véltu Þjaza ‘the gods betrayed Þjazi’: The stál alludes to a myth about Þjazi preserved in Þjóð Haustl (see sts 2-13 and Notes there). If there is a connection between the myth and this stanza, it can only be established for the very beginning of the myth, when the gods initially refuse to share their meal and thus display a behaviour that is the antithesis of a generous ruler who provides food for everyone (Marold 1990a, 116). Furthermore, Þjazi has a special relationship to the house of the jarls of Lade, because he is the father of Skaði, the giantess progenitor of this dynasty (cf. Fidjestøl 1982, 94).

Hverr ‘Who’

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2. hverr (pron.): who, whom, each, every

[5] Hverr: hver all others

myni ‘would’

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munu (verb): will, must

vés ‘of the sanctuary’

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1. vé (noun n.): house, sanctuary

kennings

notes

[5] valdi vés ‘the owner of the sanctuary [RULER]’: For a comparable kenning for ‘ruler’, see Þjóð Yt 11/3^I vǫrðr véstalls ‘guardian of the altar of the sanctuary’. The present kenning is particularly appropriate in light of the role of the jarls of Lade as protectors of sanctuaries (cf. especially Eskál Vell 14^I).

við ‘against’

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2. við (prep.): with, against

valdi ‘the owner’

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valdr (noun m.): ruler

[5] valdi: valda J1ˣ, J2ˣ

kennings

notes

[5] valdi vés ‘the owner of the sanctuary [RULER]’: For a comparable kenning for ‘ruler’, see Þjóð Yt 11/3^I vǫrðr véstalls ‘guardian of the altar of the sanctuary’. The present kenning is particularly appropriate in light of the role of the jarls of Lade as protectors of sanctuaries (cf. especially Eskál Vell 14^I).

vægja ‘of swords’

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1. vægir (noun m.): sword

kennings

notes

[6] kind vægja ‘the descendant of swords [SWORD]’: This interpretation follows Reichardt (1928, 34-5), whose suggested solution has the advantage of producing a clear, simple word order. Kind ‘descendant’ here has the same pleonastic function as in a number of other kennings (LP: kind). Usually, however, the word appears in combination with terms for humans or human groupings, not objects. Though unusual, this sword-kenning does have at least one parallel (Þmáhl Máv 13/7^V (Eb 15) kindir lǫgðis ‘descendants of the sword’). The repeated use of the kenning pattern ‘descendant of x’, in which the referent is not a person but an object (cf. afspringr fats eskis ‘offspring of the ash vat’, ll. 1-2), is striking. Finnur Jónsson’s (1931, 114-15) emendation of vægja to vægi-, which he then combines with valdi vés into vés vægi-valdi ‘the sparing owner of the sanctuary’, is justly criticised by Kock (NN §263) not only for its tmesis, but also for its improbable content. Kock (loc. cit.) suggests instead that vægja be combined with vés to form a shield-kenning: vé vægja ‘sanctuary of the swords’, for which he offers the parallels Mark Eirdr 30/1^II borg hjǫrva ‘stronghold of swords’ and Þmáhl Máv 13/8^V (Eb 15) vé Hǫgna ‘sanctuary of Hǫgni’ (cf. Meissner 171). Kock’s suggestion is not persuasive, however, because shield-kennings with a base-word denoting a building are combined primarily with names of heroes or for Óðinn, or with battle terms. Kennings of the type ‘fortress of the sword’ are not attested until the C12th. Moreover, the word order resulting from the combination of vés valdi and vægja is problematic. For other, unconvincing interpretations, see Düwel (1985, 16) and Grønvik (1989, 83-4). For the sword-heiti vægir, see Note to Þul Sverða 4/1.

kind ‘in the descendant’

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kind (noun f.; °-ar; -r): offspring, race

kennings

notes

[6] kind vægja ‘the descendant of swords [SWORD]’: This interpretation follows Reichardt (1928, 34-5), whose suggested solution has the advantage of producing a clear, simple word order. Kind ‘descendant’ here has the same pleonastic function as in a number of other kennings (LP: kind). Usually, however, the word appears in combination with terms for humans or human groupings, not objects. Though unusual, this sword-kenning does have at least one parallel (Þmáhl Máv 13/7^V (Eb 15) kindir lǫgðis ‘descendants of the sword’). The repeated use of the kenning pattern ‘descendant of x’, in which the referent is not a person but an object (cf. afspringr fats eskis ‘offspring of the ash vat’, ll. 1-2), is striking. Finnur Jónsson’s (1931, 114-15) emendation of vægja to vægi-, which he then combines with valdi vés into vés vægi-valdi ‘the sparing owner of the sanctuary’, is justly criticised by Kock (NN §263) not only for its tmesis, but also for its improbable content. Kock (loc. cit.) suggests instead that vægja be combined with vés to form a shield-kenning: vé vægja ‘sanctuary of the swords’, for which he offers the parallels Mark Eirdr 30/1^II borg hjǫrva ‘stronghold of swords’ and Þmáhl Máv 13/8^V (Eb 15) vé Hǫgna ‘sanctuary of Hǫgni’ (cf. Meissner 171). Kock’s suggestion is not persuasive, however, because shield-kennings with a base-word denoting a building are combined primarily with names of heroes or for Óðinn, or with battle terms. Kennings of the type ‘fortress of the sword’ are not attested until the C12th. Moreover, the word order resulting from the combination of vés valdi and vægja is problematic. For other, unconvincing interpretations, see Düwel (1985, 16) and Grønvik (1989, 83-4). For the sword-heiti vægir, see Note to Þul Sverða 4/1.

of ‘’

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4. of (particle): (before verb)

[6] of: at J1ˣ, J2ˣ

bægjask ‘fight’

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2. bægja (verb; °-gð-): contend

þvít ‘since’

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þvít (conj.): because, since

notes

[7] þvít ‘since’: Finnur Jónsson (Skj B) and all other eds have emended the mss’ þvíat to the n. dat. dem. pron. því. The reason was that the verb fagnar ‘rejoices’ requires a dat. object. Yet, owing to metrical problems (the pron. is too heavy for this metrical position (anacrusis) this edn does not emend to því, but takes kind vægja as the required dat. object of fagnar ‘rejoices’.

fúr ‘of the fire’

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fúrr (noun m.): fire < fúrrǫgnir (noun m.)

[7] fúr‑: ‘fun‑’ J1ˣ, J2ˣ

kennings

fúr ‘of the fire’

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fúrr (noun m.): fire < fúrrǫgnir (noun m.)

[7] fúr‑: ‘fun‑’ J1ˣ, J2ˣ

kennings

Rǫgnir ‘the Rǫgnir’

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Rǫgnir (noun m.): the Rǫgnir < fúrrǫgnir (noun m.)

[7] Rǫgnir: rǫgni all others

kennings

fagnar ‘rejoices’

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fagna (verb; °-að-): welcome, rejoice

fens ‘of the fen’

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fen (noun n.; °-s; -): fen

kennings

fens ‘of the fen’

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fen (noun n.; °-s; -): fen

kennings

vá ‘fought’

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1. vega (verb): strike, slay

notes

[8] Gramr vá til menja ‘Gramr <legendary sword> fought for rings’: Gramr has been subject to three different interpretations. It could be the sword of Sigurðr Fáfnisbani ‘Slayer of Fáfnir’ (Finnur Jónsson 1931, 116), Gramr Hálfdanarson, a king mentioned in Skm (SnE) (SnE 1998, I, 101; Bugge 1889a, 5), of whom nothing else is known, or the noun gramr ‘ruler’ (SnE 1998, II, 293). Because all of the other hjástælt stanzas contain a mythical name in the abutted clause, the sword Gramr seems a more likely candidate than the noun gramr ‘ruler’ or the otherwise unknown King Gramr, whose name was most likely created in a learned attempt to explain the origin of the noun gramr. Although the other stál concern named persons, swords, in various traditions, are characterised almost as living beings with unique identities (cf. Falk 1914b, 43). If Gramr is in fact the sword of the legendary hero Sigurðr Fáfnisbani, with which he killed the dragon Fáfnir and obtained his treasures, links to the rest of the helmingr emerge: the legendary sword Gramr corresponds with the special sword (kind vægja ‘offspring of swords’) which makes the ruler invincible (see Note to ll. 6, 7-8); the theme of seized treasure corresponds with the depiction of the ruler being praised by the kenning fens fúr-Rǫgnir ‘Rǫgnir <= Óðinn> of the fire of the fen [(lit. ‘fire-Rǫgnir of the fen’) GOLD > RULER]’. If the ruler honoured in this stanza is Sigurðr jarl, Sigurðr’s sword represents a further allusion to him (Finnur Jónsson 1931, 116).

Gramr ‘Gramr’

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1. gramr (noun m.): ruler

notes

[8] Gramr vá til menja ‘Gramr <legendary sword> fought for rings’: Gramr has been subject to three different interpretations. It could be the sword of Sigurðr Fáfnisbani ‘Slayer of Fáfnir’ (Finnur Jónsson 1931, 116), Gramr Hálfdanarson, a king mentioned in Skm (SnE) (SnE 1998, I, 101; Bugge 1889a, 5), of whom nothing else is known, or the noun gramr ‘ruler’ (SnE 1998, II, 293). Because all of the other hjástælt stanzas contain a mythical name in the abutted clause, the sword Gramr seems a more likely candidate than the noun gramr ‘ruler’ or the otherwise unknown King Gramr, whose name was most likely created in a learned attempt to explain the origin of the noun gramr. Although the other stál concern named persons, swords, in various traditions, are characterised almost as living beings with unique identities (cf. Falk 1914b, 43). If Gramr is in fact the sword of the legendary hero Sigurðr Fáfnisbani, with which he killed the dragon Fáfnir and obtained his treasures, links to the rest of the helmingr emerge: the legendary sword Gramr corresponds with the special sword (kind vægja ‘offspring of swords’) which makes the ruler invincible (see Note to ll. 6, 7-8); the theme of seized treasure corresponds with the depiction of the ruler being praised by the kenning fens fúr-Rǫgnir ‘Rǫgnir <= Óðinn> of the fire of the fen [(lit. ‘fire-Rǫgnir of the fen’) GOLD > RULER]’. If the ruler honoured in this stanza is Sigurðr jarl, Sigurðr’s sword represents a further allusion to him (Finnur Jónsson 1931, 116).

til ‘for’

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til (prep.): to

notes

[8] Gramr vá til menja ‘Gramr <legendary sword> fought for rings’: Gramr has been subject to three different interpretations. It could be the sword of Sigurðr Fáfnisbani ‘Slayer of Fáfnir’ (Finnur Jónsson 1931, 116), Gramr Hálfdanarson, a king mentioned in Skm (SnE) (SnE 1998, I, 101; Bugge 1889a, 5), of whom nothing else is known, or the noun gramr ‘ruler’ (SnE 1998, II, 293). Because all of the other hjástælt stanzas contain a mythical name in the abutted clause, the sword Gramr seems a more likely candidate than the noun gramr ‘ruler’ or the otherwise unknown King Gramr, whose name was most likely created in a learned attempt to explain the origin of the noun gramr. Although the other stál concern named persons, swords, in various traditions, are characterised almost as living beings with unique identities (cf. Falk 1914b, 43). If Gramr is in fact the sword of the legendary hero Sigurðr Fáfnisbani, with which he killed the dragon Fáfnir and obtained his treasures, links to the rest of the helmingr emerge: the legendary sword Gramr corresponds with the special sword (kind vægja ‘offspring of swords’) which makes the ruler invincible (see Note to ll. 6, 7-8); the theme of seized treasure corresponds with the depiction of the ruler being praised by the kenning fens fúr-Rǫgnir ‘Rǫgnir <= Óðinn> of the fire of the fen [(lit. ‘fire-Rǫgnir of the fen’) GOLD > RULER]’. If the ruler honoured in this stanza is Sigurðr jarl, Sigurðr’s sword represents a further allusion to him (Finnur Jónsson 1931, 116).

menja ‘neck-rings’

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2. men (noun n.; °; dat. menjum): neck-ring

notes

[8] Gramr vá til menja ‘Gramr <legendary sword> fought for rings’: Gramr has been subject to three different interpretations. It could be the sword of Sigurðr Fáfnisbani ‘Slayer of Fáfnir’ (Finnur Jónsson 1931, 116), Gramr Hálfdanarson, a king mentioned in Skm (SnE) (SnE 1998, I, 101; Bugge 1889a, 5), of whom nothing else is known, or the noun gramr ‘ruler’ (SnE 1998, II, 293). Because all of the other hjástælt stanzas contain a mythical name in the abutted clause, the sword Gramr seems a more likely candidate than the noun gramr ‘ruler’ or the otherwise unknown King Gramr, whose name was most likely created in a learned attempt to explain the origin of the noun gramr. Although the other stál concern named persons, swords, in various traditions, are characterised almost as living beings with unique identities (cf. Falk 1914b, 43). If Gramr is in fact the sword of the legendary hero Sigurðr Fáfnisbani, with which he killed the dragon Fáfnir and obtained his treasures, links to the rest of the helmingr emerge: the legendary sword Gramr corresponds with the special sword (kind vægja ‘offspring of swords’) which makes the ruler invincible (see Note to ll. 6, 7-8); the theme of seized treasure corresponds with the depiction of the ruler being praised by the kenning fens fúr-Rǫgnir ‘Rǫgnir <= Óðinn> of the fire of the fen [(lit. ‘fire-Rǫgnir of the fen’) GOLD > RULER]’. If the ruler honoured in this stanza is Sigurðr jarl, Sigurðr’s sword represents a further allusion to him (Finnur Jónsson 1931, 116).