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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Anon Krm 27VIII

Rory McTurk (ed.) 2017, ‘Anonymous Poems, Krákumál 27’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry in fornaldarsögur. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 8. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 772.

Anonymous PoemsKrákumál
262728

Hjuggu ‘hewed’

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hǫggva (verb): to strike, put to death, cut, hew

[1] Hjuggu vér með hjörvi: abbrev. as ‘H. v. m. h.’ R702ˣ, (?) abbrev. as ‘H(’) v(’) m(’) h(’rv)[...]’ 147, Hjuggum vér með hjörvi 6ˣ, LR, R693ˣ

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vér ‘We’

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vér (pron.; °gen. vár, dat./acc. oss): we, us, our

[1] Hjuggu vér með hjörvi: abbrev. as ‘H. v. m. h.’ R702ˣ, (?) abbrev. as ‘H(’) v(’) m(’) h(’rv)[...]’ 147, Hjuggum vér með hjörvi 6ˣ, LR, R693ˣ

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með ‘with’

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með (prep.): with

[1] Hjuggu vér með hjörvi: abbrev. as ‘H. v. m. h.’ R702ˣ, (?) abbrev. as ‘H(’) v(’) m(’) h(’rv)[...]’ 147, Hjuggum vér með hjörvi 6ˣ, LR, R693ˣ

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hjörvi ‘the sword’

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hjǫrr (noun m.): sword

[1] Hjuggu vér með hjörvi: abbrev. as ‘H. v. m. h.’ R702ˣ, (?) abbrev. as ‘H(’) v(’) m(’) h(’rv)[...]’ 147, Hjuggum vér með hjörvi 6ˣ, LR, R693ˣ

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Harðla ‘very much to to its end’

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harðla (adv.): very, highly, greatly

[2] Harðla: ‘har(d)la’(?) 147

notes

[2] líðr harðla at ævi ‘my life is drawing very much to its end’: Lit. ‘It’s drawing very much to [the end of my] life’; cf. Fritzner: líða (líða at 2). Among previous eds, Rafn (1826), Pfeiffer (1860) and Valdimar Ásmundarson (Krm 1891) retain the mss’ arfi, dat. sg. of arfr ‘inheritance, estate (of one deceased)’, as the final word in the line, evidently taking this as a metonymic expression for ‘death’ (so Rafn 1826, 149), and understanding the accompanying verb and prep. (líðrat) as forming with it an impersonal construction meaning lit. ‘it passes towards death’, i.e. ‘[my] death is approaching’. The emended reading ævi ‘life’ has been adopted by all other eds, including the present, and is based upon a marginal alternative reading to R702ˣ in the hand of Magnús Ólafsson (see Skj AI, 648). Ævi is also in the dat. here and participates in an impersonal construction with the verb líða ‘pass’, this time with the meaning ‘life is failing’. The intensive adv. harðla ‘greatly, very much’ ensures that the line does not convey too great a sense of life drawing peacefully to a close, which would be inappropriate in the present context.

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líðr ‘is drawing’

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1. líða (verb): move, glide

notes

[2] líðr harðla at ævi ‘my life is drawing very much to its end’: Lit. ‘It’s drawing very much to [the end of my] life’; cf. Fritzner: líða (líða at 2). Among previous eds, Rafn (1826), Pfeiffer (1860) and Valdimar Ásmundarson (Krm 1891) retain the mss’ arfi, dat. sg. of arfr ‘inheritance, estate (of one deceased)’, as the final word in the line, evidently taking this as a metonymic expression for ‘death’ (so Rafn 1826, 149), and understanding the accompanying verb and prep. (líðrat) as forming with it an impersonal construction meaning lit. ‘it passes towards death’, i.e. ‘[my] death is approaching’. The emended reading ævi ‘life’ has been adopted by all other eds, including the present, and is based upon a marginal alternative reading to R702ˣ in the hand of Magnús Ólafsson (see Skj AI, 648). Ævi is also in the dat. here and participates in an impersonal construction with the verb líða ‘pass’, this time with the meaning ‘life is failing’. The intensive adv. harðla ‘greatly, very much’ ensures that the line does not convey too great a sense of life drawing peacefully to a close, which would be inappropriate in the present context.

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at ‘My’

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3. at (prep.): at, to

notes

[2] líðr harðla at ævi ‘my life is drawing very much to its end’: Lit. ‘It’s drawing very much to [the end of my] life’; cf. Fritzner: líða (líða at 2). Among previous eds, Rafn (1826), Pfeiffer (1860) and Valdimar Ásmundarson (Krm 1891) retain the mss’ arfi, dat. sg. of arfr ‘inheritance, estate (of one deceased)’, as the final word in the line, evidently taking this as a metonymic expression for ‘death’ (so Rafn 1826, 149), and understanding the accompanying verb and prep. (líðrat) as forming with it an impersonal construction meaning lit. ‘it passes towards death’, i.e. ‘[my] death is approaching’. The emended reading ævi ‘life’ has been adopted by all other eds, including the present, and is based upon a marginal alternative reading to R702ˣ in the hand of Magnús Ólafsson (see Skj AI, 648). Ævi is also in the dat. here and participates in an impersonal construction with the verb líða ‘pass’, this time with the meaning ‘life is failing’. The intensive adv. harðla ‘greatly, very much’ ensures that the line does not convey too great a sense of life drawing peacefully to a close, which would be inappropriate in the present context.

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ævi ‘life’

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ævi (noun f.; °-/-ar): life

[2] ævi: arfi with ‘æfe’ in margin in another hand R702ˣ, ‘(arfi)’(?) 147, ‘arfe’ 6ˣ, ‘arfue’ LR, ‘árfve’ R693ˣ

notes

[2] líðr harðla at ævi ‘my life is drawing very much to its end’: Lit. ‘It’s drawing very much to [the end of my] life’; cf. Fritzner: líða (líða at 2). Among previous eds, Rafn (1826), Pfeiffer (1860) and Valdimar Ásmundarson (Krm 1891) retain the mss’ arfi, dat. sg. of arfr ‘inheritance, estate (of one deceased)’, as the final word in the line, evidently taking this as a metonymic expression for ‘death’ (so Rafn 1826, 149), and understanding the accompanying verb and prep. (líðrat) as forming with it an impersonal construction meaning lit. ‘it passes towards death’, i.e. ‘[my] death is approaching’. The emended reading ævi ‘life’ has been adopted by all other eds, including the present, and is based upon a marginal alternative reading to R702ˣ in the hand of Magnús Ólafsson (see Skj AI, 648). Ævi is also in the dat. here and participates in an impersonal construction with the verb líða ‘pass’, this time with the meaning ‘life is failing’. The intensive adv. harðla ‘greatly, very much’ ensures that the line does not convey too great a sense of life drawing peacefully to a close, which would be inappropriate in the present context.

Close

grimt ‘grim’

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grimmr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): fierce

[3] grimt stendr grand af: ‘grim(t) (stend[…] grand af)’(?) 147

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stendr ‘emanates’

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standa (verb): stand

[3] grimt stendr grand af: ‘grim(t) (stend[…] grand af)’(?) 147

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grand ‘danger’

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grand (noun n.): injury

[3] grimt stendr grand af: ‘grim(t) (stend[…] grand af)’(?) 147

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af ‘from’

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af (prep.): from

[3] grimt stendr grand af: ‘grim(t) (stend[…] grand af)’(?) 147

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naðri ‘the serpent’

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naðr (noun m.): snake

[3] naðri: so 6ˣ, nöðru R702ˣ, LR, R693ˣ, ‘(nad)[...]’(?) 147

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góinn ‘the snake’

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góinn (noun m.): Góinn, snake

[4] góinn: ‘(goinn)’(?) 147, ‘Goin ́(m)’(?) R693ˣ

notes

[4] góinn ‘the snake’: Góinn is given in Grí 34/4-5 (NK 64) as the name of a serpent, one of the sons of Grafvitnir (cf. first Note to st. 1/4 above), and is listed among heiti for serpents in Þul Orma 2/2III (see Note to that line) and among heiti for swords in Þul Sverða 9/7III. It occurs as the determinant in a few skaldic kennings for ‘gold’ (with the meaning ‘serpent’) and in one at least for ‘shield’ (with the meaning ‘sword’), see LP: góinn. It refers to a serpent here. The word is of uncertain origin; cf. AEW, ÍO: góinn.

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byggvir ‘occupies’

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byggvir (noun m.): dweller

[4] byggvir sal hjarta: ‘bygir s[…] hiarta’ 147

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sal ‘the hall’

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1. salr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; dat. sǫlum): hall

[4] byggvir sal hjarta: ‘bygir s[…] hiarta’ 147

kennings

sal hjarta.
‘the hall of my heart. ’
   = BREAST

the hall of my heart. → BREAST
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hjarta ‘of my heart’

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hjarta (noun n.; °-; *-u): heart

[4] byggvir sal hjarta: ‘bygir s[…] hiarta’ 147

kennings

sal hjarta.
‘the hall of my heart. ’
   = BREAST

the hall of my heart. → BREAST
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Væntum ‘We expect’

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2. vænta (verb): hope, expect

[5] Væntum hins at: ‘(v)[…]u(m) híns at’(?) 147

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hins ‘this’

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2. inn (art.): the

[5] Væntum hins at: ‘(v)[…]u(m) híns at’(?) 147

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at ‘that’

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4. at (conj.): that

[5] Væntum hins at: ‘(v)[…]u(m) híns at’(?) 147

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Viðris ‘of Viðrir’

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Viðrir (noun m.): Viðrir

[5] Viðris: so 6ˣ, LR, R693ˣ, ‘vidris’ corrected from ‘vimrar’ in another hand R702ˣ, ‘(vidris)’(?) 147

kennings

vöndr Viðris
‘the staff of Viðrir ’
   = SPEAR

the staff of Viðrir → SPEAR

notes

[5-6] vöndr Viðris ‘the staff of Viðrir <= Óðinn> [SPEAR]’: On Viðrir as a name for Óðinn, see first Note to st. 25/10 above. Óðinn’s spear, elsewhere named Gungnir, is a prominent feature of traditions about him (Simek 1993, 124).

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vöndr ‘the staff’

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vǫndr (noun m.; °vandar, dat. vendi/vǫnd; vendir, acc. vǫndu/vendi): rod, want, mast

[6] vöndr: ‘vaund[...]’ 147

kennings

vöndr Viðris
‘the staff of Viðrir ’
   = SPEAR

the staff of Viðrir → SPEAR

notes

[5-6] vöndr Viðris ‘the staff of Viðrir <= Óðinn> [SPEAR]’: On Viðrir as a name for Óðinn, see first Note to st. 25/10 above. Óðinn’s spear, elsewhere named Gungnir, is a prominent feature of traditions about him (Simek 1993, 124).

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í ‘in’

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í (prep.): in, into

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Ellu ‘Ella <Northumbrian king>’

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Ella (noun m.): Ella, Ælla, Ælle

[6] Ellu: Ella 147

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standi ‘will become lodged’

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standa (verb): stand

[6] standi: so 6ˣ, blóði all others

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sonum ‘sons’’

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sonr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. syni; synir, acc. sonu, syni): son

[7] sonum mínum: ‘sonum m[...]’ 147

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mínum ‘my’

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minn (pron.; °f. mín, n. mitt): my

[7] sonum mínum: ‘sonum m[...]’ 147

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mun ‘cause’

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munu (verb): will, must

[7] mun: man 6ˣ, ‘mune’ LR, R693ˣ

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svella ‘to swell with rage’

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1. svella (verb): swell

[7] svella: ‘(s)v(el)la’(?) 147

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sinn ‘of their’

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3. sinn (pron.; °f. sín, n. sitt): (refl. poss. pron.)

[8] sinn föður ráðinn verða: so 6ˣ, ‘sinn modr rodin verda:’ R702ˣ, ‘(s)in(n) mod[…]’(?) 147, ‘sin modur rodinn verda’ LR, R693ˣ

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föður ‘father’

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faðir (noun m.): father

[8] sinn föður ráðinn verða: so 6ˣ, ‘sinn modr rodin verda:’ R702ˣ, ‘(s)in(n) mod[…]’(?) 147, ‘sin modur rodinn verda’ LR, R693ˣ

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ráðinn ‘the slaying’

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ráða (verb): advise, rule, interpret, decide

[8] sinn föður ráðinn verða: so 6ˣ, ‘sinn modr rodin verda:’ R702ˣ, ‘(s)in(n) mod[…]’(?) 147, ‘sin modur rodinn verda’ LR, R693ˣ

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verða ‘will’

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1. verða (verb): become, be

[8] sinn föður ráðinn verða: so 6ˣ, ‘sinn modr rodin verda:’ R702ˣ, ‘(s)in(n) mod[…]’(?) 147, ‘sin modur rodinn verda’ LR, R693ˣ

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Ei ‘not’

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3. ei (adv.): not

[9] Ei munu snarpir sveinar: ‘(eigi munu sn)ar(p)ir sueinar’(?) 147

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munu ‘will’

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munu (verb): will, must

[9] Ei munu snarpir sveinar: ‘(eigi munu sn)ar(p)ir sueinar’(?) 147

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snarpir ‘Those bold’

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snarpr (adj.): sharp, keen

[9] Ei munu snarpir sveinar: ‘(eigi munu sn)ar(p)ir sueinar’(?) 147

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sveinar ‘boys’

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sveinn (noun m.; °sveins; sveinar): boy, servant, attendant

[9] Ei munu snarpir sveinar: ‘(eigi munu sn)ar(p)ir sueinar’(?) 147

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sitt ‘this concern of theirs’

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3. sinn (pron.; °f. sín, n. sitt): (refl. poss. pron.)

[10] sitt kyrt: so 6ˣ, ‘setkyrt’ R702ˣ, ‘sitt k(yr)t’(?) 147, ‘sett kyrt’ LR, ‘setkÿrt’ R693ˣ

notes

[10] sitt ‘this concern of theirs’: This substantival use of sinn, refl. poss. adj. ‘one’s (own)’ in the n. acc. sg. may be compared with the Modern Icelandic expression að gera sitt ‘do one’s bit, play one’s part’. 

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kyrt ‘rest’

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kyrr (adj.): calm, quiet

[10] sitt kyrt: so 6ˣ, ‘setkyrt’ R702ˣ, ‘sitt k(yr)t’(?) 147, ‘sett kyrt’ LR, ‘setkÿrt’ R693ˣ

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láta ‘let’

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láta (verb): let, have sth done

[10] láta: ‘lat[...]’ 147

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

On the interlocking in 147 of the present stanza with st. 28, see Note to ll. 7-10 below. — [7-8]: These lines are lit. translated: ‘(Rage) will swell for my sons at their father being slain’; cf. LP: svella 1 (2). Line 8 contains an acc. and inf. construction, with sinn föður ‘their father’ as the subject acc., verða as the inf., and the p. p. ráðinn, m. acc. sg. ‘slain’, referring predicatively to the subject acc. (with ráða used here in the sense ‘contrive sby’s death’; see LP: ráða 9). The construction is dependent on the verb svella ‘swell’ in l. 7, used impersonally with dat. pl. sonum mínum ‘my sons’ as its ‘logical subject’ (‘my sons will swell’, i.e. their hearts will swell with anger), to which the refl. poss. adj. sinn ‘their’ in l. 8 refers (cf. Stefán Einarsson 1945, 169-70; NS §333). — [7-10]: In 147, the last three words of l. 10 (‘k(yr)t vera lat[…]’ (?)) occur at the end of l. 20 of fol. 103r, the earlier part of this line being taken up with ll. 1-3 of st. 28. The previous line (19) on fol. 103r is occupied by ll. 7-10 of the present stanza, from and including mun svella down to and including sitt. Line 10 of the present stanza is thus interrupted in 147 between sitt and kyrt by the first three lines of st. 28. — [8]: Only ms. has the reading föður presented here, while the other mss have some form of móðir ‘mother’, which is implausible in context, together with roðinn ‘reddened’ instead of ráðinn ‘slain’. Föður is also recorded by Árni Magnússon in 761bˣ(557r) and has been adopted in virtually all eds.

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