Cookies on our website

We use cookies on this website, mainly to provide a secure browsing experience but also to collect statistics on how the website is used. You can find out more about the cookies we set, the information we store and how we use it on the cookies page.

Continue

skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

Menu Search

Sigv Nesv 14I

Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Sigvatr Þórðarson, Nesjavísur 14’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 575.

Sigvatr ÞórðarsonNesjavísur
131415

Afli ‘strength’

(not checked:)
2. afl (noun n.; °-s; *-): strength

Close

vóx ‘’

(not checked:)
vaxa (verb): grow, increase

Close

vætt ‘’

(not checked:)
2. væta (verb): [moisten]

Close

vex ‘increases’

(not checked:)
vaxa (verb): grow, increase

[1] vex: vætt Holm2, 972ˣ, vætr R686ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, vóx Holm4

Close

er ‘’

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

Close

þá ‘’

(not checked:)
2. þá (adv.): then

Close

er ‘’

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

Close

er ‘’

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

Close

þar ‘’

(not checked:)
þar (adv.): there

Close

þvít ‘because’

(not checked:)
þvít (conj.): because, since

[1] þvít (‘þvi at’): þá er 325VI, 75a, þat er 68, þar er 61

Close

efla ‘support’

(not checked:)
efla (verb; °-fld-/-að-(RómvUpph¹ 382²⁴)): strengthen

[1] efla: afla 68

notes

[1, 2, 3, 4] efla þenna sendi … konung ‘support this launcher … as king’: Bjarni Aðalbjarnarson (ÍF 27, followed by Jón Skaptason 1983, 235) notes this unusual construction, in place of more usual efla til konungs ‘support as king’; see further Note to l. 4 konung.

Close

Upp ‘the Upp’

(not checked:)
upp (adv.): up < upplendingr (noun m.): one of the Upplendingarupp (adv.): up < upplendingr (noun m.): one of the Upplendingarupp (adv.): up < upplendingr (noun m.): one of the Upplendingarupp (adv.): up < upplendingr (noun m.): one of the Upplendingar

notes

[2] Upplendingar: The people of Upplǫnd (Opplandene, Norway), which comprised present-day Hedmark (home of the Heinir, l. 5), Hadeland, Romerike, Gudbrandsdalen and Østerdalen.

Close

ledinga ‘’

Close

lendingar ‘lendingar’

(not checked:)
lendingr (noun m.): landsman < upplendingr (noun m.): one of the Upplendingar

[2] ‑lendingar: ‑lendinga Holm2, 325VI, Holm4, ‑lendingum R686ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, ‘‑ledinga’ 75a

notes

[2] Upplendingar: The people of Upplǫnd (Opplandene, Norway), which comprised present-day Hedmark (home of the Heinir, l. 5), Hadeland, Romerike, Gudbrandsdalen and Østerdalen.

Close

sendu ‘’

(not checked:)
senda (verb): send

Close

sendis ‘’

(not checked:)
sendir (noun m.): sender, distributor

Close

sendi ‘launcher’

(not checked:)
sendir (noun m.): sender, distributor

[2] sendi: sendu 972ˣ, 68, sendis Holm4

kennings

þenna sendi þilblakks
‘this launcher of the plank-horse ’
   = SEAFARER = Óláfr

the plank-horse → SHIP
this launcher of the SHIP → SEAFARER = Óláfr

notes

[1, 2, 3, 4] efla þenna sendi … konung ‘support this launcher … as king’: Bjarni Aðalbjarnarson (ÍF 27, followed by Jón Skaptason 1983, 235) notes this unusual construction, in place of more usual efla til konungs ‘support as king’; see further Note to l. 4 konung.

Close

svinn ‘’

(not checked:)
2. svinnr (adj.): wise

Close

Sveins ‘’

(not checked:)
2. Sveinn (noun m.): Sveinn

Close

Svein ‘’

(not checked:)
2. Sveinn (noun m.): Sveinn

Close

Sveinn ‘Sveinn’

(not checked:)
2. Sveinn (noun m.): Sveinn

[3] Sveinn: Sveins Holm2, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, ‘su[…]’ R686ˣ, svinn 61, Svein 325VII, Flat, Tóm

notes

[3] Sveinn: A remarkable use of apostrophe to the certainly absent Sveinn.

Close

finnit ‘’

Close

finnum ‘’

(not checked:)
2. finna (verb): find, meet

Close

fundu ‘’

(not checked:)
2. finna (verb): find, meet

Close

funduð ‘you discovered’

(not checked:)
2. finna (verb): find, meet

[3] funduð: finnum 61, finnit Bb, fundu Flat

Close

þar ‘’

(not checked:)
þar (adv.): there

Close

þat ‘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

[3] þat: þar Holm2, R686ˣ, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 325VII, þér Holm4, Flat, Tóm

Close

þenna ‘this’

(not checked:)
1. sjá (pron.; °gen. þessa dat. þessum/þeima, acc. þenna; f. sjá/þessi; n. þetta, dat. þessu/þvísa; pl. þessir): this

[3] þenna: þinna 972ˣ

kennings

þenna sendi þilblakks
‘this launcher of the plank-horse ’
   = SEAFARER = Óláfr

the plank-horse → SHIP
this launcher of the SHIP → SEAFARER = Óláfr

notes

[1, 2, 3, 4] efla þenna sendi … konung ‘support this launcher … as king’: Bjarni Aðalbjarnarson (ÍF 27, followed by Jón Skaptason 1983, 235) notes this unusual construction, in place of more usual efla til konungs ‘support as king’; see further Note to l. 4 konung.

Close

þriðja ‘’

(not checked:)
þriði (num. ordinal): third

Close

þil ‘of the plank’

(not checked:)
þil (noun n.; °-s): [plank] < þilblakkr (noun m.)þil (noun n.; °-s): [plank] < þilklakkr (noun m.)

[4] þilblakks: ‘þilklaks’ R686ˣ, ‘þic blakks’ 75a, þriðja til 61, þvílíks Tóm

kennings

þenna sendi þilblakks
‘this launcher of the plank-horse ’
   = SEAFARER = Óláfr

the plank-horse → SHIP
this launcher of the SHIP → SEAFARER = Óláfr

notes

[4] þilblakks ‘of the plank-horse [SHIP]’: The first element in this kenning is þil n., a collective noun meaning ‘decking’ and cognate with the more familiar þilja ‘deck-plank’ (Jesch 2001a, 151).

Close

þil ‘of the plank’

(not checked:)
þil (noun n.; °-s): [plank] < þilblakkr (noun m.)þil (noun n.; °-s): [plank] < þilklakkr (noun m.)

[4] þilblakks: ‘þilklaks’ R686ˣ, ‘þic blakks’ 75a, þriðja til 61, þvílíks Tóm

kennings

þenna sendi þilblakks
‘this launcher of the plank-horse ’
   = SEAFARER = Óláfr

the plank-horse → SHIP
this launcher of the SHIP → SEAFARER = Óláfr

notes

[4] þilblakks ‘of the plank-horse [SHIP]’: The first element in this kenning is þil n., a collective noun meaning ‘decking’ and cognate with the more familiar þilja ‘deck-plank’ (Jesch 2001a, 151).

Close

til ‘’

(not checked:)
til (prep.): to

Close

blakks ‘horse’

(not checked:)
1. blakkr (noun m.): horse < þilblakkr (noun m.)

[4] þilblakks: ‘þilklaks’ R686ˣ, ‘þic blakks’ 75a, þriðja til 61, þvílíks Tóm

kennings

þenna sendi þilblakks
‘this launcher of the plank-horse ’
   = SEAFARER = Óláfr

the plank-horse → SHIP
this launcher of the SHIP → SEAFARER = Óláfr

notes

[4] þilblakks ‘of the plank-horse [SHIP]’: The first element in this kenning is þil n., a collective noun meaning ‘decking’ and cognate with the more familiar þilja ‘deck-plank’ (Jesch 2001a, 151).

Close

blakks ‘horse’

(not checked:)
1. blakkr (noun m.): horse < þilblakkr (noun m.)

[4] þilblakks: ‘þilklaks’ R686ˣ, ‘þic blakks’ 75a, þriðja til 61, þvílíks Tóm

kennings

þenna sendi þilblakks
‘this launcher of the plank-horse ’
   = SEAFARER = Óláfr

the plank-horse → SHIP
this launcher of the SHIP → SEAFARER = Óláfr

notes

[4] þilblakks ‘of the plank-horse [SHIP]’: The first element in this kenning is þil n., a collective noun meaning ‘decking’ and cognate with the more familiar þilja ‘deck-plank’ (Jesch 2001a, 151).

Close

konung ‘as king’

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

[4] konung: konungs papp18ˣ, 75a, 68, 61, 325V, Flat, Tóm, konungr 325VI, Holm4, 325VII

notes

[1, 2, 3, 4] efla þenna sendi … konung ‘support this launcher … as king’: Bjarni Aðalbjarnarson (ÍF 27, followed by Jón Skaptason 1983, 235) notes this unusual construction, in place of more usual efla til konungs ‘support as king’; see further Note to l. 4 konung. — [4] konung ‘king’: It is difficult to establish the original reading here. (a) The weight of ms. support is for the acc. (selected in ÍF 27, and see first Note above). (b) Finnur Jónsson selects konungs, governing afli ‘strength’ (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B). (c) Kock (NN §623) defends nom. konungr, construing it as an apostrophe, a counterpart to Sveinn in l. 3.

Close

konung ‘as king’

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

[4] konung: konungs papp18ˣ, 75a, 68, 61, 325V, Flat, Tóm, konungr 325VI, Holm4, 325VII

notes

[1, 2, 3, 4] efla þenna sendi … konung ‘support this launcher … as king’: Bjarni Aðalbjarnarson (ÍF 27, followed by Jón Skaptason 1983, 235) notes this unusual construction, in place of more usual efla til konungs ‘support as king’; see further Note to l. 4 konung. — [4] konung ‘king’: It is difficult to establish the original reading here. (a) The weight of ms. support is for the acc. (selected in ÍF 27, and see first Note above). (b) Finnur Jónsson selects konungs, governing afli ‘strength’ (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B). (c) Kock (NN §623) defends nom. konungr, construing it as an apostrophe, a counterpart to Sveinn in l. 3.

Close

vilja ‘want to’

(not checked:)
vilja (verb): want, intend

Close

Raun ‘proof’

(not checked:)
raun (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): ordeal, proof, experience

[5] Raun: rán J1ˣ, J2ˣ, ‘[…]n’ 325V

Close

es ‘There is’

(not checked:)
2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am

Close

hins ‘of this’

(not checked:)
2. inn (art.): the

[5] hins: ‘herins’ with ‘hins’ in margin Holm2, ‘hin[…]’ R686ˣ

Close

at ‘that’

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

Close

heinar ‘’

(not checked:)
hein (noun f.; °-ar): whetstone

Close

heynir ‘’

Close

Heinir ‘the Heinir’

(not checked:)
heinir (noun m.): inhabitant of Hedemarken

[5] Heinir: heinar R686ˣ, 972ˣ, ‘heynir’ 61

Close

hræ ‘of the corpse’

(not checked:)
hræ (noun n.; °; -): corpse, carrion < hrælinnr (noun m.): corpse-snakehræ (noun n.; °; -): corpse, carrion < hrælinnr (noun m.): corpse-snake

kennings

frør hrælinns.
‘the frost of the corpse-snake.’
   = BATTLE

the corpse-snake. → SWORD
the frost of the SWORD → BATTLE

notes

[6, 7] þeir œxla frør hrælinns ‘they augment the frost of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’: Lines 6-7 exhibit a wide variance in readings, and the main solutions adopted by previous eds present difficulties. (a) K (represented by and papp18ˣ) gives hrælinns … vér gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’ (cf. ÍF 27). However, fǫr is unique to K, and although K stands high in the stemma and is normally a reliable guide, it is not free from scribal emendations. Gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey’ looks like a simplification designed to supply hrælinns ‘corpse-snake [SWORD]’ with a base-word fǫr ‘journey’, the whole yielding a kenning for ‘battle’. (b) Mss J1ˣ, J2ˣ, Holm2, 325VI, Bb read hrælinns … þeir ôttu flug fleina ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD] they had the flight of barbs [BATTLE]’. Here flug can form a battle-kenning with either fleina ‘of barbs’ or possibly with hrælinns ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD]’ (so Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), but the other is then superfluous. It therefore appears that fleina is a modification of original fleira ‘more’, which is needed in association with an ‘than’ in l. 8 (and is adopted in Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B). Flug fleina may well have been been prompted in transmission by the identical phrase in st. 5/5. (c) Flug is also a doubtful reading since flug(r) ‘flight’ is unlikely to be combined with the sword-kenning hrælinns and since, as an obvious piece of vocabulary, flugr could scarcely have given rise to the array of alternative readings ‘fals’, ‘faus’, ‘foss’ and ‘fros’. Flug and fǫr are most probably substitutions for a less familiar word that would have combined with hrælinns to form a kenning for ‘shield’, ‘blood’, or ‘battle’. The only suitable candidate is frør ‘frost’, which yields a kenning for ‘battle’ parallel to frost in st. 3/3. The similarly wide variation in readings of the verb (ôttu, reyndu, ætla, ‘æskia’, axla and œxla) can be accounted for as originating in œxla ‘augment’, a relatively uncommon word. Preceded as it is by the cognate word vex ‘increases’ in l. 1, it could be seen as selected by Sigvatr in a further instance of etymological word-play (see Notes to sts 2/1 and 3/1).

Close

hræ ‘of the corpse’

(not checked:)
hræ (noun n.; °; -): corpse, carrion < hrælinnr (noun m.): corpse-snakehræ (noun n.; °; -): corpse, carrion < hrælinnr (noun m.): corpse-snake

kennings

frør hrælinns.
‘the frost of the corpse-snake.’
   = BATTLE

the corpse-snake. → SWORD
the frost of the SWORD → BATTLE

notes

[6, 7] þeir œxla frør hrælinns ‘they augment the frost of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’: Lines 6-7 exhibit a wide variance in readings, and the main solutions adopted by previous eds present difficulties. (a) K (represented by and papp18ˣ) gives hrælinns … vér gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’ (cf. ÍF 27). However, fǫr is unique to K, and although K stands high in the stemma and is normally a reliable guide, it is not free from scribal emendations. Gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey’ looks like a simplification designed to supply hrælinns ‘corpse-snake [SWORD]’ with a base-word fǫr ‘journey’, the whole yielding a kenning for ‘battle’. (b) Mss J1ˣ, J2ˣ, Holm2, 325VI, Bb read hrælinns … þeir ôttu flug fleina ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD] they had the flight of barbs [BATTLE]’. Here flug can form a battle-kenning with either fleina ‘of barbs’ or possibly with hrælinns ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD]’ (so Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), but the other is then superfluous. It therefore appears that fleina is a modification of original fleira ‘more’, which is needed in association with an ‘than’ in l. 8 (and is adopted in Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B). Flug fleina may well have been been prompted in transmission by the identical phrase in st. 5/5. (c) Flug is also a doubtful reading since flug(r) ‘flight’ is unlikely to be combined with the sword-kenning hrælinns and since, as an obvious piece of vocabulary, flugr could scarcely have given rise to the array of alternative readings ‘fals’, ‘faus’, ‘foss’ and ‘fros’. Flug and fǫr are most probably substitutions for a less familiar word that would have combined with hrælinns to form a kenning for ‘shield’, ‘blood’, or ‘battle’. The only suitable candidate is frør ‘frost’, which yields a kenning for ‘battle’ parallel to frost in st. 3/3. The similarly wide variation in readings of the verb (ôttu, reyndu, ætla, ‘æskia’, axla and œxla) can be accounted for as originating in œxla ‘augment’, a relatively uncommon word. Preceded as it is by the cognate word vex ‘increases’ in l. 1, it could be seen as selected by Sigvatr in a further instance of etymological word-play (see Notes to sts 2/1 and 3/1).

Close

linns ‘snake’

(not checked:)
linnr (noun m.): snake < hrælinnr (noun m.): corpse-snake

[6] ‑linns: ‑linn 75a, 68, 61, Flat, Tóm

kennings

frør hrælinns.
‘the frost of the corpse-snake.’
   = BATTLE

the corpse-snake. → SWORD
the frost of the SWORD → BATTLE

notes

[6, 7] þeir œxla frør hrælinns ‘they augment the frost of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’: Lines 6-7 exhibit a wide variance in readings, and the main solutions adopted by previous eds present difficulties. (a) K (represented by and papp18ˣ) gives hrælinns … vér gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’ (cf. ÍF 27). However, fǫr is unique to K, and although K stands high in the stemma and is normally a reliable guide, it is not free from scribal emendations. Gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey’ looks like a simplification designed to supply hrælinns ‘corpse-snake [SWORD]’ with a base-word fǫr ‘journey’, the whole yielding a kenning for ‘battle’. (b) Mss J1ˣ, J2ˣ, Holm2, 325VI, Bb read hrælinns … þeir ôttu flug fleina ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD] they had the flight of barbs [BATTLE]’. Here flug can form a battle-kenning with either fleina ‘of barbs’ or possibly with hrælinns ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD]’ (so Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), but the other is then superfluous. It therefore appears that fleina is a modification of original fleira ‘more’, which is needed in association with an ‘than’ in l. 8 (and is adopted in Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B). Flug fleina may well have been been prompted in transmission by the identical phrase in st. 5/5. (c) Flug is also a doubtful reading since flug(r) ‘flight’ is unlikely to be combined with the sword-kenning hrælinns and since, as an obvious piece of vocabulary, flugr could scarcely have given rise to the array of alternative readings ‘fals’, ‘faus’, ‘foss’ and ‘fros’. Flug and fǫr are most probably substitutions for a less familiar word that would have combined with hrælinns to form a kenning for ‘shield’, ‘blood’, or ‘battle’. The only suitable candidate is frør ‘frost’, which yields a kenning for ‘battle’ parallel to frost in st. 3/3. The similarly wide variation in readings of the verb (ôttu, reyndu, ætla, ‘æskia’, axla and œxla) can be accounted for as originating in œxla ‘augment’, a relatively uncommon word. Preceded as it is by the cognate word vex ‘increases’ in l. 1, it could be seen as selected by Sigvatr in a further instance of etymological word-play (see Notes to sts 2/1 and 3/1).

Close

linns ‘snake’

(not checked:)
linnr (noun m.): snake < hrælinnr (noun m.): corpse-snake

[6] ‑linns: ‑linn 75a, 68, 61, Flat, Tóm

kennings

frør hrælinns.
‘the frost of the corpse-snake.’
   = BATTLE

the corpse-snake. → SWORD
the frost of the SWORD → BATTLE

notes

[6, 7] þeir œxla frør hrælinns ‘they augment the frost of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’: Lines 6-7 exhibit a wide variance in readings, and the main solutions adopted by previous eds present difficulties. (a) K (represented by and papp18ˣ) gives hrælinns … vér gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’ (cf. ÍF 27). However, fǫr is unique to K, and although K stands high in the stemma and is normally a reliable guide, it is not free from scribal emendations. Gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey’ looks like a simplification designed to supply hrælinns ‘corpse-snake [SWORD]’ with a base-word fǫr ‘journey’, the whole yielding a kenning for ‘battle’. (b) Mss J1ˣ, J2ˣ, Holm2, 325VI, Bb read hrælinns … þeir ôttu flug fleina ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD] they had the flight of barbs [BATTLE]’. Here flug can form a battle-kenning with either fleina ‘of barbs’ or possibly with hrælinns ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD]’ (so Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), but the other is then superfluous. It therefore appears that fleina is a modification of original fleira ‘more’, which is needed in association with an ‘than’ in l. 8 (and is adopted in Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B). Flug fleina may well have been been prompted in transmission by the identical phrase in st. 5/5. (c) Flug is also a doubtful reading since flug(r) ‘flight’ is unlikely to be combined with the sword-kenning hrælinns and since, as an obvious piece of vocabulary, flugr could scarcely have given rise to the array of alternative readings ‘fals’, ‘faus’, ‘foss’ and ‘fros’. Flug and fǫr are most probably substitutions for a less familiar word that would have combined with hrælinns to form a kenning for ‘shield’, ‘blood’, or ‘battle’. The only suitable candidate is frør ‘frost’, which yields a kenning for ‘battle’ parallel to frost in st. 3/3. The similarly wide variation in readings of the verb (ôttu, reyndu, ætla, ‘æskia’, axla and œxla) can be accounted for as originating in œxla ‘augment’, a relatively uncommon word. Preceded as it is by the cognate word vex ‘increases’ in l. 1, it could be seen as selected by Sigvatr in a further instance of etymological word-play (see Notes to sts 2/1 and 3/1).

Close

megir ‘’

(not checked:)
mega (verb): may, might

Close

megi ‘’

(not checked:)
mega (verb): may, might

Close

megut ‘’

(not checked:)
mega (verb): may, might

Close

megu ‘can’

(not checked:)
mega (verb): may, might

[6] megu: so Holm2, R686ˣ, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 68, 61, Holm4, 325V, 325VII, Bb, Flat, megut Kˣ, papp18ˣ, megi 325VI, 75a, megir Tóm

Close

vinna ‘do’

(not checked:)
2. vinna (verb): perform, work

Close

þar ‘’

(not checked:)
þar (adv.): there

Close

þeir ‘they’

(not checked:)
hann (pron.; °gen. hans, dat. honum; f. hon, gen. hennar, acc. hana): he, she, it, they, them...

[7] þeir: so Holm2, R686ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 68, 61, Holm4, 325V, 325VII, Bb, Flat, vér Kˣ, papp18ˣ, þar 972ˣ, þeim 75a, om. Tóm

notes

[6, 7] þeir œxla frør hrælinns ‘they augment the frost of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’: Lines 6-7 exhibit a wide variance in readings, and the main solutions adopted by previous eds present difficulties. (a) K (represented by and papp18ˣ) gives hrælinns … vér gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’ (cf. ÍF 27). However, fǫr is unique to K, and although K stands high in the stemma and is normally a reliable guide, it is not free from scribal emendations. Gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey’ looks like a simplification designed to supply hrælinns ‘corpse-snake [SWORD]’ with a base-word fǫr ‘journey’, the whole yielding a kenning for ‘battle’. (b) Mss J1ˣ, J2ˣ, Holm2, 325VI, Bb read hrælinns … þeir ôttu flug fleina ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD] they had the flight of barbs [BATTLE]’. Here flug can form a battle-kenning with either fleina ‘of barbs’ or possibly with hrælinns ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD]’ (so Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), but the other is then superfluous. It therefore appears that fleina is a modification of original fleira ‘more’, which is needed in association with an ‘than’ in l. 8 (and is adopted in Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B). Flug fleina may well have been been prompted in transmission by the identical phrase in st. 5/5. (c) Flug is also a doubtful reading since flug(r) ‘flight’ is unlikely to be combined with the sword-kenning hrælinns and since, as an obvious piece of vocabulary, flugr could scarcely have given rise to the array of alternative readings ‘fals’, ‘faus’, ‘foss’ and ‘fros’. Flug and fǫr are most probably substitutions for a less familiar word that would have combined with hrælinns to form a kenning for ‘shield’, ‘blood’, or ‘battle’. The only suitable candidate is frør ‘frost’, which yields a kenning for ‘battle’ parallel to frost in st. 3/3. The similarly wide variation in readings of the verb (ôttu, reyndu, ætla, ‘æskia’, axla and œxla) can be accounted for as originating in œxla ‘augment’, a relatively uncommon word. Preceded as it is by the cognate word vex ‘increases’ in l. 1, it could be seen as selected by Sigvatr in a further instance of etymological word-play (see Notes to sts 2/1 and 3/1).

Close

reyndu ‘’

(not checked:)
reyna (verb): test, try, experience

Close

æskia ‘’

(not checked:)
œskja (verb): [wish for]

Close

ætla ‘’

(not checked:)
ætla (verb): intend, mean, think

Close

gerðum ‘’

(not checked:)
1. gera (verb): do, make

Close

œxla ‘augment’

(not checked:)
2. œxla (verb): augment

[7] œxla: so 325VII, Flat, gerðum Kˣ, papp18ˣ, ôttu Holm2, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 68, 61, Bb, reyndu R686ˣ, ætla Holm4, ‘æskia’ 325V, axla Tóm

notes

[6, 7] þeir œxla frør hrælinns ‘they augment the frost of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’: Lines 6-7 exhibit a wide variance in readings, and the main solutions adopted by previous eds present difficulties. (a) K (represented by and papp18ˣ) gives hrælinns … vér gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’ (cf. ÍF 27). However, fǫr is unique to K, and although K stands high in the stemma and is normally a reliable guide, it is not free from scribal emendations. Gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey’ looks like a simplification designed to supply hrælinns ‘corpse-snake [SWORD]’ with a base-word fǫr ‘journey’, the whole yielding a kenning for ‘battle’. (b) Mss J1ˣ, J2ˣ, Holm2, 325VI, Bb read hrælinns … þeir ôttu flug fleina ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD] they had the flight of barbs [BATTLE]’. Here flug can form a battle-kenning with either fleina ‘of barbs’ or possibly with hrælinns ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD]’ (so Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), but the other is then superfluous. It therefore appears that fleina is a modification of original fleira ‘more’, which is needed in association with an ‘than’ in l. 8 (and is adopted in Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B). Flug fleina may well have been been prompted in transmission by the identical phrase in st. 5/5. (c) Flug is also a doubtful reading since flug(r) ‘flight’ is unlikely to be combined with the sword-kenning hrælinns and since, as an obvious piece of vocabulary, flugr could scarcely have given rise to the array of alternative readings ‘fals’, ‘faus’, ‘foss’ and ‘fros’. Flug and fǫr are most probably substitutions for a less familiar word that would have combined with hrælinns to form a kenning for ‘shield’, ‘blood’, or ‘battle’. The only suitable candidate is frør ‘frost’, which yields a kenning for ‘battle’ parallel to frost in st. 3/3. The similarly wide variation in readings of the verb (ôttu, reyndu, ætla, ‘æskia’, axla and œxla) can be accounted for as originating in œxla ‘augment’, a relatively uncommon word. Preceded as it is by the cognate word vex ‘increases’ in l. 1, it could be seen as selected by Sigvatr in a further instance of etymological word-play (see Notes to sts 2/1 and 3/1).

Close

fros ‘’

Close

faus ‘’

Close

fals ‘’

(not checked:)
1. fals (noun n.; °-): [Deceit]

Close

foss ‘’

(not checked:)
fors (noun m.): torrent

Close

frør ‘the frost’

(not checked:)
frør (noun n.): [frozen, frost]

[7] frør: fǫr Kˣ, papp18ˣ, flug Holm2, R686ˣ, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 68, 61, Holm4, Bb, fals 325V, ‘faus’ 325VII, foss Flat, ‘fros’ Tóm

kennings

frør hrælinns.
‘the frost of the corpse-snake.’
   = BATTLE

the corpse-snake. → SWORD
the frost of the SWORD → BATTLE

notes

[6, 7] þeir œxla frør hrælinns ‘they augment the frost of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’: Lines 6-7 exhibit a wide variance in readings, and the main solutions adopted by previous eds present difficulties. (a) K (represented by and papp18ˣ) gives hrælinns … vér gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey of the corpse-snake [SWORD > BATTLE]’ (cf. ÍF 27). However, fǫr is unique to K, and although K stands high in the stemma and is normally a reliable guide, it is not free from scribal emendations. Gerðum fǫr ‘we made a journey’ looks like a simplification designed to supply hrælinns ‘corpse-snake [SWORD]’ with a base-word fǫr ‘journey’, the whole yielding a kenning for ‘battle’. (b) Mss J1ˣ, J2ˣ, Holm2, 325VI, Bb read hrælinns … þeir ôttu flug fleina ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD] they had the flight of barbs [BATTLE]’. Here flug can form a battle-kenning with either fleina ‘of barbs’ or possibly with hrælinns ‘of the corpse-snake [SWORD]’ (so Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), but the other is then superfluous. It therefore appears that fleina is a modification of original fleira ‘more’, which is needed in association with an ‘than’ in l. 8 (and is adopted in Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B). Flug fleina may well have been been prompted in transmission by the identical phrase in st. 5/5. (c) Flug is also a doubtful reading since flug(r) ‘flight’ is unlikely to be combined with the sword-kenning hrælinns and since, as an obvious piece of vocabulary, flugr could scarcely have given rise to the array of alternative readings ‘fals’, ‘faus’, ‘foss’ and ‘fros’. Flug and fǫr are most probably substitutions for a less familiar word that would have combined with hrælinns to form a kenning for ‘shield’, ‘blood’, or ‘battle’. The only suitable candidate is frør ‘frost’, which yields a kenning for ‘battle’ parallel to frost in st. 3/3. The similarly wide variation in readings of the verb (ôttu, reyndu, ætla, ‘æskia’, axla and œxla) can be accounted for as originating in œxla ‘augment’, a relatively uncommon word. Preceded as it is by the cognate word vex ‘increases’ in l. 1, it could be seen as selected by Sigvatr in a further instance of etymological word-play (see Notes to sts 2/1 and 3/1).

Close

fleira ‘more’

(not checked:)
fleiri (adj. comp.; °superl. flestr): more, most

[7] fleira: fleina Holm2, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 68, 61, Bb, Tóm, ‘flei[…]’ R686ˣ, fleiri 325VII

Close

fol ‘’

Close

fjǫl ‘of the man’

[8] fjǫlrekks (‘fiolrecs’): so R686ˣ, J2ˣ, 68, Holm4, 325V, 325VII, Flat, ‘folcreks’ Kˣ, papp18ˣ, ‘folrecs’ Holm2, ‘fiolkræs’ J1ˣ, ‘fiallrecks’ 325VI, 75a, ‘folk hrekks’ 61, ‘fiolrek’ Bb, ‘fiolreck(a)’(?) Tóm

notes

[8] fjǫlrekks ‘of the man with many warriors’: Amongst the variant readings, this can be identified as the most likely original (cf. CPB), a cpd of fjǫl- ‘many’ and rekkr ‘man, warrior’. Although a hap. leg., it represents a natural extension from the familiar cpd fjǫlmennr ‘with many men, with a large following’, also fjǫlgestr ‘with many guests’. Its use here as a substantival adj. may have led to confusion in transmission. Fjǫlrekks is further supported by the fact that ÓHLeg (1982, 72) seems to draw upon st. 14 (though without citing it) in a version that contained this word when it mentions that Óláfr gained fiolmenne ‘a numerous following’ by distributing largesse to the Upplendingar. The first element folk in the reading of K (and 61) and adopted by Finnur Jónsson (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B; LP: folkrekr ‘people’s ruler’) appears to be a secondary development from fjǫl (Poole 2005d, 180-1 and cf. the comments on K in the Note to ll. 6-7 above).

Close

recka ‘’

Close

rek ‘’

Close

kræs ‘’

Close

recs ‘’

Close

eigi ‘’

(not checked:)
3. eigi (adv.): not

Close

er ‘’

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

Close

rekks ‘with many warriors’

[8] fjǫlrekks (‘fiolrecs’): so R686ˣ, J2ˣ, 68, Holm4, 325V, 325VII, Flat, ‘folcreks’ Kˣ, papp18ˣ, ‘folrecs’ Holm2, ‘fiolkræs’ J1ˣ, ‘fiallrecks’ 325VI, 75a, ‘folk hrekks’ 61, ‘fiolrek’ Bb, ‘fiolreck(a)’(?) Tóm

notes

[8] fjǫlrekks ‘of the man with many warriors’: Amongst the variant readings, this can be identified as the most likely original (cf. CPB), a cpd of fjǫl- ‘many’ and rekkr ‘man, warrior’. Although a hap. leg., it represents a natural extension from the familiar cpd fjǫlmennr ‘with many men, with a large following’, also fjǫlgestr ‘with many guests’. Its use here as a substantival adj. may have led to confusion in transmission. Fjǫlrekks is further supported by the fact that ÓHLeg (1982, 72) seems to draw upon st. 14 (though without citing it) in a version that contained this word when it mentions that Óláfr gained fiolmenne ‘a numerous following’ by distributing largesse to the Upplendingar. The first element folk in the reading of K (and 61) and adopted by Finnur Jónsson (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B; LP: folkrekr ‘people’s ruler’) appears to be a secondary development from fjǫl (Poole 2005d, 180-1 and cf. the comments on K in the Note to ll. 6-7 above).

Close

eigi ‘’

(not checked:)
3. eigi (adv.): not

Close

er ‘’

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

Close

ǫll ‘’

(not checked:)
allr (adj.): all

Close

an ‘than’

(not checked:)
2. an (conj.): than

[8] an: er J1ˣ, eigi J2ˣ

Close

ǫll ‘’

(not checked:)
allr (adj.): all

Close

ǫl ‘the ale’

(not checked:)
ǫl (noun n.; °-s; -): ale

[8] ǫl: ǫll J1ˣ

notes

[8] drekka ǫl ‘drink the ale’: It was the custom to make pledges of allegiance and support during the drinking of ale or mead.

Close

drekka ‘drink’

(not checked:)
2. drekka (verb; °drekkr; drakk, drukku; drukkinn/drykkinn): drink

[8] drekka: dreka R686ˣ

notes

[8] drekka ǫl ‘drink the ale’: It was the custom to make pledges of allegiance and support during the drinking of ale or mead.

Close

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

ÓH-Hkr places st. 14 immediately after sts 11 and 12.

Close

Log in

This service is only available to members of the relevant projects, and to purchasers of the skaldic volumes published by Brepols.
This service uses cookies. By logging in you agree to the use of cookies on your browser.

Close

Stanza/chapter/text segment

Use the buttons at the top of the page to navigate between stanzas in a poem.

Information tab

Interactive tab

The text and translation are given here, with buttons to toggle whether the text is shown in the verse order or prose word order. Clicking on indiviudal words gives dictionary links, variant readings, kennings and notes, where relevant.

Full text tab

This is the text of the edition in a similar format to how the edition appears in the printed volumes.

Chapter/text segment

This view is also used for chapters and other text segments. Not all the headings shown are relevant to such sections.