Sigv Nesv 7^I

strǫng ‘’

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strangr (adj.): strong

sǫng ‘’

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sǫngr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -vi/-; -var): song

Stǫng ‘standard’

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stǫng (noun f.; °stangar, dat. -u; stangir/stengr): pole

[1] Stǫng: sǫng 325V, strǫng FskBˣ

óð ‘advanced’

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vaða (verb): advance, wade

gyllt ‘’

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gylltr (adj.): gilded

gylld ‘The gilded’

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1. gylla (verb): gild

[1] gylld: so 75a, 78aˣ, Holm4, 325V, gyllt Kˣ, papp18ˣ, Holm2, R686ˣ, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 73aˣ, 68, 61, 325VII, Flat, Tóm, FskBˣ, FskAˣ

þá ‘’

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2. þá (adv.): then

þars ‘where we’

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þars (conj.): where

[1] þars (‘þar er’): þá er 75a

gengu ‘’

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2. ganga (verb; geng, gekk, gengu, genginn): walk, go

gengum ‘went’

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2. ganga (verb; geng, gekk, gengu, genginn): walk, go

[1] gengum: gengu 75a, 68, 61, 325V, 325VII, Flat, Tóm

notes

[1] gengum ‘we ... went’: (a) The 1st pers. pl. gengum is the reading of the main ms. and others, and arguably the lectio difficilior, and hence is adopted here. If the correct reading, it continues the emphasis on the poet’s solidarity with the hirð ‘retinue’, and the warrior-kenning with base-word greiðendr ‘suppliers’ is in apposition to the subject ‘we’. (b) The 3rd pers. form gengu is a well-attested variant and is printed in Skj B and Skald.

gunnlar ‘’

gaunnla ‘’

gunna ‘’

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gunnr (noun f.): battle

gunnar ‘’

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gunnr (noun f.): battle

gonla ‘’

Gǫndlar ‘of Gǫndul’

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2. Gǫndul (noun f.): Gǫndul

[2] Gǫndlar: gunna 325VI, 75a, gunnar 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 325VII, ‘gaunnla’ Tóm, ‘gunnlar’ FskBˣ, ‘gonla’ FskAˣ

kennings

Gǫndlar ‘of Gǫndul’

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2. Gǫndul (noun f.): Gǫndul

[2] Gǫndlar: gunna 325VI, 75a, gunnar 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 325VII, ‘gaunnla’ Tóm, ‘gunnlar’ FskBˣ, ‘gonla’ FskAˣ

kennings

Gǫndlar ‘of Gǫndul’

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2. Gǫndul (noun f.): Gǫndul

[2] Gǫndlar: gunna 325VI, 75a, gunnar 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 325VII, ‘gaunnla’ Tóm, ‘gunnlar’ FskBˣ, ‘gonla’ FskAˣ

kennings

serkjum ‘’

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1. serkr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -/-i; -ir): shirt

serks ‘of the shirt’

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1. serkr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -/-i; -ir): shirt

[2] serks: serkjum R686ˣ

kennings

serks ‘of the shirt’

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1. serkr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -/-i; -ir): shirt

[2] serks: serkjum R686ˣ

kennings

serks ‘of the shirt’

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1. serkr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -/-i; -ir): shirt

[2] serks: serkjum R686ˣ

kennings

und ‘under’

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3. und (prep.): under, underneath

notes

[2] und merkjum ‘under the banners’: Evidently the king enjoyed the services of several merkismenn ‘standard-bearers’, a practice current from the C10th (Andersen 1977, 292).

merkjum ‘the banners’

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1. merki (noun n.; °-s: -): banner, sign

notes

[2] und merkjum ‘under the banners’: Evidently the king enjoyed the services of several merkismenn ‘standard-bearers’, a practice current from the C10th (Andersen 1977, 292).

gnýs ‘of the din’

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gnýr (noun m.): din, tumult

kennings

gnýs ‘of the din’

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gnýr (noun m.): din, tumult

kennings

for ‘’

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fǫr (noun f.): journey, fate; movement

með ‘’

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með (prep.): with

fyr ‘before’

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fyr (prep.): for, over, because of, etc.

[3] fyr: ‘for’ papp18ˣ, með Holm2, R686ˣ, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 68, 61, Holm4, 325V, 325VII, Flat, Tóm

gvfom ‘’

gǫfgum ‘the noble’

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gǫfugr (adj.; °gǫfgan/gǫfugan; compar. gǫfgari/gǫfugri, superl. gǫfgastr/gǫfugstr/gǫfugastr): noble, glorious

[3] gǫfgum: ‘gvfom’ R686ˣ, ‘gǫfg[…]m’ 325VI

ræsi ‘king’

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ræsir (noun m.): ruler

greiðendr ‘suppliers’

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greiðandi (noun m.): [suppliers]

kennings

í ‘’

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í (prep.): in, into

á ‘onto’

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3. á (prep.): on, at

[4] á: í Holm2, R686ˣ, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 68, 61, Holm4, 325V, 325VII, FskBˣ, FskAˣ

bauð ‘’

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bjóða (verb; °býðr; bauð, buðu; boðinn (buð- Thom¹ 5²n.)): offer, order, invite

skip ‘the ships’

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skip (noun n.; °-s; -): ship

[4] skip: bauð 61

riðir ‘’

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1. ríðir (noun m.): rider

reiðar ‘’

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4. reiðr (adj.; °superl. -astr): angry

reiðir ‘enraged’

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4. reiðr (adj.; °superl. -astr): angry

[4] reiðir: reiðar 61, ‘riðir’ FskAˣ

þeygi ‘’

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þeygi (adv.): not at all

Þági ‘not then’

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þági (adv.): [not then]

[5] Þági: þeygi R686ˣ, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 68, 61, Holm4, 325V, 325VII, Flat, Tóm, Tˣ, ‘þey[…]i’ U

val ‘’

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2. val (noun n.): choice

vas ‘It was’

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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am

[5] vas: val 78aˣ

sem ‘as if’

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sem (conj.): as, which

[5] sem: om. Tˣ

notes

[5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6).

þegnum ‘’

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þegn (noun m.; °dat. -/-i; -ar): thane, man, franklin

þessor ‘’

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1. sjá (pron.; °gen. þessa dat. þessum/þeima, acc. þenna; f. sjá/þessi; n. þetta, dat. þessu/þvísa; pl. þessir): this

þessum ‘these’

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1. sjá (pron.; °gen. þessa dat. þessum/þeima, acc. þenna; f. sjá/þessi; n. þetta, dat. þessu/þvísa; pl. þessir): this

[5] þessum: ‘þessor’ 68, þegnum 61

notes

[5] þessum ‘these’: Kock defends the reading þegnum ‘retainers, men’ by positing an apposition with heiðþegum (NN §1859, cf. §1853B), but the reading is poorly supported and can be explained as a scribal anticipation of the postponed indirect object heiðþegum. — [5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6).

þessum ‘these’

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1. sjá (pron.; °gen. þessa dat. þessum/þeima, acc. þenna; f. sjá/þessi; n. þetta, dat. þessu/þvísa; pl. þessir): this

[5] þessum: ‘þessor’ 68, þegnum 61

notes

[5] þessum ‘these’: Kock defends the reading þegnum ‘retainers, men’ by positing an apposition with heiðþegum (NN §1859, cf. §1853B), but the reading is poorly supported and can be explained as a scribal anticipation of the postponed indirect object heiðþegum. — [5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6).

þengill ‘’

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þengill (noun m.): prince, ruler

þengil ‘’

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þengill (noun m.): prince, ruler

þen ‘’

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þegn (noun m.; °dat. -/-i; -ar): thane, man, franklin

þengils ‘of the prince’

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þengill (noun m.): prince, ruler

[6] þengils: so Holm2, R686ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 68, 61, Holm4, 325V, 325VII, Flat, Tóm, R, W, ‘þen’ Kˣ, þengil papp18ˣ, 972ˣ, þengill Tˣ, U

notes

[5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6). — [6] þengils ‘of the prince’: This gen. could qualify jó strengjar ‘horse of the rope [SHIP]’ (l. 6), mjǫð ‘mead’ (l. 7), heiðþegum ‘retainers’ (l. 8, as assumed here), or indeed all three of these (Jesch 2001a, 236).

þengils ‘of the prince’

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þengill (noun m.): prince, ruler

[6] þengils: so Holm2, R686ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 68, 61, Holm4, 325V, 325VII, Flat, Tóm, R, W, ‘þen’ Kˣ, þengil papp18ˣ, 972ˣ, þengill Tˣ, U

notes

[5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6). — [6] þengils ‘of the prince’: This gen. could qualify jó strengjar ‘horse of the rope [SHIP]’ (l. 6), mjǫð ‘mead’ (l. 7), heiðþegum ‘retainers’ (l. 8, as assumed here), or indeed all three of these (Jesch 2001a, 236).

á ‘on’

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3. á (prep.): on, at

jós ‘’

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jór (noun m.): stallion, steed

jór ‘’

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jór (noun m.): stallion, steed

jó ‘the horse’

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jór (noun m.): stallion, steed

[6] jó: jós 325VII, jór Flat

kennings

notes

[6] jó strengjar ‘the horse of the rope [SHIP]’: The sg. number of strengjar might suggest that the anchor- or mooring-rope is specially referred to (Jesch 2001a, 169). With the exception of KormǪ Lv 61/3^V (Korm 82) strengmarr ‘rope-steed [SHIP]’, the word strengr is not attested in ship-kennings (cf. Poole 2005b, 187). Fsk (ÍF 29, 174), Hkr (ÍF 27, 65) and other sources report that Einarr þambarskelfir used an anchor-rope or anchor to rescue Sveinn, and, if true, this may have prompted the use of the word.

strengja ‘’

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strengr (noun m.; °-jar; -ir): string, rope, bow-string

sprengir ‘’

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sprengja (verb): [ruptured]

stengjar ‘’

strengjar ‘of the rope’

(not checked:)
strengr (noun m.; °-jar; -ir): string, rope, bow-string

[6] strengjar: strengja 972ˣ, 73aˣ, Flat, stengjar Tóm, sprengir U

kennings

notes

[6] jó strengjar ‘the horse of the rope [SHIP]’: The sg. number of strengjar might suggest that the anchor- or mooring-rope is specially referred to (Jesch 2001a, 169). With the exception of KormǪ Lv 61/3^V (Korm 82) strengmarr ‘rope-steed [SHIP]’, the word strengr is not attested in ship-kennings (cf. Poole 2005b, 187). Fsk (ÍF 29, 174), Hkr (ÍF 27, 65) and other sources report that Einarr þambarskelfir used an anchor-rope or anchor to rescue Sveinn, and, if true, this may have prompted the use of the word.

mjǫk ‘’

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mjǫk (adv.): very, much

með ‘’

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með (prep.): with

mjǫð ‘mead’

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mjǫðr (noun m.; °dat. miði): mead

[7] mjǫð: corrected from ‘moð’ J2ˣ, með 68, mjǫk U

notes

[5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6).

fyr ‘before’

(not checked:)
fyr (prep.): for, over, because of, etc.

notes

[7] fyr kveðju malma ‘before the greeting of metal weapons [BATTLE]’: If the prep. fyr has this straightforward temporal application, it is suited to the scene, the prelude to the battle. It could also perhaps be translated as ‘on account of’, ‘instead of’ or ‘in return for’ (cf. SnE 1998, I, 204).

mála ‘’

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1. mál (noun n.; °-s; -): speech, matter

malma ‘of metal weapons’

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malmr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): metal

[7] malma: mála U

kennings

notes

[7] fyr kveðju malma ‘before the greeting of metal weapons [BATTLE]’: If the prep. fyr has this straightforward temporal application, it is suited to the scene, the prelude to the battle. It could also perhaps be translated as ‘on account of’, ‘instead of’ or ‘in return for’ (cf. SnE 1998, I, 204).

kveðjur ‘’

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1. kveðja (noun f.; °-u; -ur): greeting

kveðju ‘the greeting’

(not checked:)
1. kveðja (noun f.; °-u; -ur): greeting

[7] kveðju: kveðjur 61, U

kennings

notes

[7] fyr kveðju malma ‘before the greeting of metal weapons [BATTLE]’: If the prep. fyr has this straightforward temporal application, it is suited to the scene, the prelude to the battle. It could also perhaps be translated as ‘on account of’, ‘instead of’ or ‘in return for’ (cf. SnE 1998, I, 204).

mær ‘a maiden’

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mær (noun f.; °meyjar, dat. meyju; meyjar): maiden

notes

[5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6).

hei ‘’

hanum ‘’

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

heit ‘’

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heit (noun n.; °; -): promise < heitþegi (noun m.)

heim ‘’

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heimr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i/-; -ar): home, abode; world < heimdregi (noun m.): [a stay-at-home]heimr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i/-; -ar): home, abode; world < heimdragi (noun m.): [stay-at-homes]

heið ‘re’

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2. heið (noun n.; °; -): clear sky < heiðþegi (noun m.)2. heið (noun n.; °; -): clear sky2. heið (noun n.; °; -): clear sky2. heið (noun n.; °; -): clear sky

[8] heiðþegum: ‘heiþengvm’ U;    heið‑: ‘hanum’ R686ˣ, heim‑ J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, ‘hæít’ 325VII

notes

[5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6). — [8] heiðþegum ‘retainers’: The correct reading is difficult to establish (see Jesch 2001a, 235-7 for full discussion). The word heið is explained by the comment in SnE that heiðfé heitir máli ok gjǫf er hǫfðingjar gefa ‘heið-money is the name of the wages and gift that chieftains give’ (SnE 1998, I, 81; cf. LP: 2. heið f.). The alternative reading heimdregum ‘stay-at-homes’ can be explained as stigmatising those who did not support the king. But possibly some other word has been garbled in all witnesses. Jesch (loc. cit.) proposes heimþegum ‘persons given a home’, a comitatus term that occurs in Danish runic inscriptions; it is not attested in the skaldic corpus or OWN but given Sigvatr’s lexical eclecticism elsewhere he might well have used such a word.

heið ‘re’

(not checked:)
2. heið (noun n.; °; -): clear sky < heiðþegi (noun m.)2. heið (noun n.; °; -): clear sky2. heið (noun n.; °; -): clear sky2. heið (noun n.; °; -): clear sky

[8] heiðþegum: ‘heiþengvm’ U;    heið‑: ‘hanum’ R686ˣ, heim‑ J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, ‘hæít’ 325VII

notes

[5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6). — [8] heiðþegum ‘retainers’: The correct reading is difficult to establish (see Jesch 2001a, 235-7 for full discussion). The word heið is explained by the comment in SnE that heiðfé heitir máli ok gjǫf er hǫfðingjar gefa ‘heið-money is the name of the wages and gift that chieftains give’ (SnE 1998, I, 81; cf. LP: 2. heið f.). The alternative reading heimdregum ‘stay-at-homes’ can be explained as stigmatising those who did not support the king. But possibly some other word has been garbled in all witnesses. Jesch (loc. cit.) proposes heimþegum ‘persons given a home’, a comitatus term that occurs in Danish runic inscriptions; it is not attested in the skaldic corpus or OWN but given Sigvatr’s lexical eclecticism elsewhere he might well have used such a word.

þægjum ‘’

þegnat ‘’

drǫgum ‘’

(not checked:)
dragi (noun m.; °-a): °train of laden horses < heimdragi (noun m.): [stay-at-homes]

sæfum ‘’

þegum ‘’

dregum ‘’

þengum ‘’

þegum ‘tainers’

(not checked:)
-þegi (noun m.): [heir, tainers] < heiðþegi (noun m.)

[8] heiðþegum: ‘heiþengvm’ U;    ‑þegum: ‑dregum R686ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 75a, ‘‑þægvm’ 972ˣ, 68, 325VII, ‑drǫgum 325VI, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, ‘‑sæfum’ 61, ‘‑þe᷎giom’ Holm4, ‘‑þægnat’ 325V

notes

[5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6). — [8] heiðþegum ‘retainers’: The correct reading is difficult to establish (see Jesch 2001a, 235-7 for full discussion). The word heið is explained by the comment in SnE that heiðfé heitir máli ok gjǫf er hǫfðingjar gefa ‘heið-money is the name of the wages and gift that chieftains give’ (SnE 1998, I, 81; cf. LP: 2. heið f.). The alternative reading heimdregum ‘stay-at-homes’ can be explained as stigmatising those who did not support the king. But possibly some other word has been garbled in all witnesses. Jesch (loc. cit.) proposes heimþegum ‘persons given a home’, a comitatus term that occurs in Danish runic inscriptions; it is not attested in the skaldic corpus or OWN but given Sigvatr’s lexical eclecticism elsewhere he might well have used such a word.

þegum ‘tainers’

(not checked:)
-þegi (noun m.): [heir, tainers] < heiðþegi (noun m.)

[8] heiðþegum: ‘heiþengvm’ U;    ‑þegum: ‑dregum R686ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 75a, ‘‑þægvm’ 972ˣ, 68, 325VII, ‑drǫgum 325VI, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, ‘‑sæfum’ 61, ‘‑þe᷎giom’ Holm4, ‘‑þægnat’ 325V

notes

[5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6). — [8] heiðþegum ‘retainers’: The correct reading is difficult to establish (see Jesch 2001a, 235-7 for full discussion). The word heið is explained by the comment in SnE that heiðfé heitir máli ok gjǫf er hǫfðingjar gefa ‘heið-money is the name of the wages and gift that chieftains give’ (SnE 1998, I, 81; cf. LP: 2. heið f.). The alternative reading heimdregum ‘stay-at-homes’ can be explained as stigmatising those who did not support the king. But possibly some other word has been garbled in all witnesses. Jesch (loc. cit.) proposes heimþegum ‘persons given a home’, a comitatus term that occurs in Danish runic inscriptions; it is not attested in the skaldic corpus or OWN but given Sigvatr’s lexical eclecticism elsewhere he might well have used such a word.

beri ‘’

(not checked:)
3. bera (verb; °berr; bar, báru; borinn): bear, carry

bæri ‘were bringing’

(not checked:)
3. bera (verb; °berr; bar, báru; borinn): bear, carry

[8] bæri: beri R686ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 68, Tˣ

notes

[5, 6, 7, 8] sem mær bæri þessum heiðþegum þengils mjǫð ‘as if a maiden were bringing these retainers of the prince mead’: Contrasting the perils of battle with the comforts of the hall (here the woman welcoming victorious warriors) is a favourite skaldic theme. The metaphorical base-words of the battle-kennings in the helmingr may allude to the maiden’s greeting (kveðju, l. 7) to the warrior, who arrives on horseback (jó, l. 6).