Mark Eirdr 23II
Jayne Carroll (ed.) 2009, ‘Markús Skeggjason, Eiríksdrápa 23’ 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. 452-3.
Víða ‘far and wide’
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1. víða (adv.): widely
setti ‘established’
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setja (verb): place, set, establish
vís ‘of wis’
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1. víss (adj.): wise, certain(ly) < vísdómr (noun m.): wisdom
kennings
Grœðir vísdóms‘The nourisher of wisdom ’
= JUST RULER
The nourisher of wisdom → JUST RULER
notes
[1] grœðir vísdóms ‘the nourisher of wisdom [JUST RULER]’: This is an unexpected kenning in a relatively early secular panegyric, because such kennings usually occur in later ecclesiastical poetry denoting men of the church (see Meissner 389-90). Vísdóm ‘wisdom’ could, as in Sjórs Lv 2/2 (see Note), refer specifically to clerical knowledge here, meaning that Eiríkr made possible the circumstances in which Christian observance could flourish.
dóms ‘dom’
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dómr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): judgement; court; -dom, -ness (suffix) < vísdómr (noun m.): wisdom
[1] ‑dóms: ‘‑dams’ 20b I, ‑dóm 180b
kennings
Grœðir vísdóms‘The nourisher of wisdom ’
= JUST RULER
The nourisher of wisdom → JUST RULER
notes
[1] grœðir vísdóms ‘the nourisher of wisdom [JUST RULER]’: This is an unexpected kenning in a relatively early secular panegyric, because such kennings usually occur in later ecclesiastical poetry denoting men of the church (see Meissner 389-90). Vísdóm ‘wisdom’ could, as in Sjórs Lv 2/2 (see Note), refer specifically to clerical knowledge here, meaning that Eiríkr made possible the circumstances in which Christian observance could flourish.
grœðir ‘The nourisher’
(not checked:)
grœðir (noun m.): ?healer, ?ocean
kennings
Grœðir vísdóms‘The nourisher of wisdom ’
= JUST RULER
The nourisher of wisdom → JUST RULER
notes
[1] grœðir vísdóms ‘the nourisher of wisdom [JUST RULER]’: This is an unexpected kenning in a relatively early secular panegyric, because such kennings usually occur in later ecclesiastical poetry denoting men of the church (see Meissner 389-90). Vísdóm ‘wisdom’ could, as in Sjórs Lv 2/2 (see Note), refer specifically to clerical knowledge here, meaning that Eiríkr made possible the circumstances in which Christian observance could flourish.
virki ‘with artwork’
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virki (noun n.; °-s; -): stronghold
notes
[2] skrýddar virki ‘adorned with artwork’: The translation of virki ‘with artwork’ is conjectural. Skj B gives med “virke” (kunstige prydelser?) ‘with “virke” (artful decorations?)’, and ÍF 35 explains skrýddar smíði, fagurlega skreyttar ‘adorned with craft, beautifully decorated’. LP: virki has ‘kunstnerisk udførte genstande’, som helgenbilleder og lign. ‘“artfully executed objects,” such as saints’ images and the like’. Virki otherwise means ‘stronghold, rampart’ or ‘work, deed’. The word could be used here with a double meaning: the saints’ images (virki) serving as a fortress of security (virki). See Note to l. 5 below.
notes
[2] skrýddar virki ‘adorned with artwork’: The translation of virki ‘with artwork’ is conjectural. Skj B gives med “virke” (kunstige prydelser?) ‘with “virke” (artful decorations?)’, and ÍF 35 explains skrýddar smíði, fagurlega skreyttar ‘adorned with craft, beautifully decorated’. LP: virki has ‘kunstnerisk udførte genstande’, som helgenbilleder og lign. ‘“artfully executed objects,” such as saints’ images and the like’. Virki otherwise means ‘stronghold, rampart’ or ‘work, deed’. The word could be used here with a double meaning: the saints’ images (virki) serving as a fortress of security (virki). See Note to l. 5 below.
hǫfuðkirkjur ‘principal churches’
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hǫfuðkirkja (noun f.): cathedral
þar ‘there’
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þar (adv.): there
holl ‘the loyal’
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hollr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): loyal < hollvinr (noun m.): loyal friend
[3] holl‑: hollr 180b
kennings
hollvinr herjar‘the loyal friend of the people ’
= JUST RULER
the loyal friend of the people → JUST RULER
vinr ‘ friend’
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vinr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. -/(-i OsvReyk 92.17); -ir): friend < hollvinr (noun m.): loyal friend
kennings
hollvinr herjar‘the loyal friend of the people ’
= JUST RULER
the loyal friend of the people → JUST RULER
herjar ‘of the people’
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herr (noun m.; °-s/-jar, dat. -; -jar, gen. -ja/herra): army, host
[3] herjar: ‘hierud’ 180b
kennings
hollvinr herjar‘the loyal friend of the people ’
= JUST RULER
the loyal friend of the people → JUST RULER
hrein ‘shining’
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2. hreinn (adj.; °compar. hreinari/hreinni, superl. hreinastr/hreinstr): pure
[4] hrein musteri fimm af steini: ok musteri af steini hreinum 180b
musteri ‘minsters’
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musteri (noun n.; °-s; -): church, temple
[4] hrein musteri fimm af steini: ok musteri af steini hreinum 180b
fimm ‘five’
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fimm (num. cardinal): five
[4] hrein musteri fimm af steini: ok musteri af steini hreinum 180b
af ‘from’
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af (prep.): from
[4] hrein musteri fimm af steini: ok musteri af steini hreinum 180b; af: ór 20b I
steini ‘stone’
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steinn (noun m.; °steins; steinar): stone, colour
[4] hrein musteri fimm af steini: ok musteri af steini hreinum 180b
Vôru ‘were’
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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
þau ‘Those’
kennings
Þau flaust tíða,‘Those ships of services, ’
= CHURCHES
Those ships of services, → CHURCHES
með ‘with’
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með (prep.): with
notes
[5] með tíri tryggðar ‘with the fame of security’: This could refer to the solidity of the buildings themselves or, perhaps more likely, to the churches as hallowed sanctuaries. LP: tírr translates the phrase as med soliditetens ry ‘with the fame of solidity’ and Skj B provides med holdbarhetens berömmelighed ‘with the fame of durability’. Both translations then take tryggð to refer to the churches’ structural durability. However, the most common meaning of tryggð is ‘safety, security, fidelity’ usually obtained through promises of safety and safe-conduct. See also Note to st. 26/8.
tryggðar ‘of security’
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tryggð (noun f.; °-ar; -ir/-ar): security, oath
[5] tryggðar: ‘treygdar’ 180b
notes
[5] með tíri tryggðar ‘with the fame of security’: This could refer to the solidity of the buildings themselves or, perhaps more likely, to the churches as hallowed sanctuaries. LP: tírr translates the phrase as med soliditetens ry ‘with the fame of solidity’ and Skj B provides med holdbarhetens berömmelighed ‘with the fame of durability’. Both translations then take tryggð to refer to the churches’ structural durability. However, the most common meaning of tryggð is ‘safety, security, fidelity’ usually obtained through promises of safety and safe-conduct. See also Note to st. 26/8.
tíri ‘the fame’
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tírr (noun m.; °-s): glory, honour
notes
[5] með tíri tryggðar ‘with the fame of security’: This could refer to the solidity of the buildings themselves or, perhaps more likely, to the churches as hallowed sanctuaries. LP: tírr translates the phrase as med soliditetens ry ‘with the fame of solidity’ and Skj B provides med holdbarhetens berömmelighed ‘with the fame of durability’. Both translations then take tryggð to refer to the churches’ structural durability. However, the most common meaning of tryggð is ‘safety, security, fidelity’ usually obtained through promises of safety and safe-conduct. See also Note to st. 26/8.
tíða ‘of services’
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1. tíð (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): time
kennings
Þau flaust tíða,‘Those ships of services, ’
= CHURCHES
Those ships of services, → CHURCHES
kennings
Þau flaust tíða,‘Those ships of services, ’
= CHURCHES
Those ships of services, → CHURCHES
es ‘which’
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2. er (conj.): who, which, when
gramr ‘the king’
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1. gramr (noun m.): ruler
bǫðvar ‘in warfare’
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bǫð (noun f.; °-s; -): battle
snjallr ‘skilled’
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snjallr (adj.): quick, resourceful, bold
ok ‘and’
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
beztr ‘best’
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betr (adv.; °superl. bezt/bazt; pos. vel adv.): better
ǫllu ‘everything’
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allr (adj.): all
borði ‘with wood’
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borð (noun n.; °-s; -): side, plank, board; table
notes
[8] merkð borði ‘adorned with wood’: Lit. ‘marked with wood’. LP: merkja 1 translates this as mærkede ved tømmer, opførte af tømmer ‘marked by timber, constructed from timber’, which makes little sense because the churches were made of stone. The wood (or timber) could refer to the materials from which the holy images were carved (see Notes to ll. 2 and 5 above). But if the churches referred to in the second helmingr were different from the five of the first helmingr, ‘constructed from timber’ could be possible.
notes
[8] merkð borði ‘adorned with wood’: Lit. ‘marked with wood’. LP: merkja 1 translates this as mærkede ved tømmer, opførte af tømmer ‘marked by timber, constructed from timber’, which makes little sense because the churches were made of stone. The wood (or timber) could refer to the materials from which the holy images were carved (see Notes to ll. 2 and 5 above). But if the churches referred to in the second helmingr were different from the five of the first helmingr, ‘constructed from timber’ could be possible.
fyr ‘’
(not checked:)
fyr (prep.): for, over, because of, etc.
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
The nourisher of wisdom [JUST RULER] established far and wide principal churches adorned with artwork; the loyal friend of the people [JUST RULER] had five shining minsters built from stone there. Those ships of services [CHURCHES], which the king, skilled in warfare and best in everything, caused to be crafted with the fame of security north of Saxony, were adorned with wood.
Eiríkr built five churches at his own expense.
Nothing else is known about these churches, but Saxo (2005, II, 12, 7, 4, pp. 80-1) mentions that Eiríkr founded a church in Slangerup, Sjælland (his place of birth).
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