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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Sigv Nesv 9I

Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Sigvatr Þórðarson, Nesjavísur 9’ 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. 569.

Sigvatr ÞórðarsonNesjavísur
8910

Ǫld ‘Men’

(not checked:)
ǫld (noun f.; °; aldir): people, age

Close

vann ‘made’

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

[1] vann: corrected from hef 325VI

Close

a ‘’

(not checked:)
3. á (prep.): on, at

Close

ossa ‘our’

(not checked:)
vér (pron.; °gen. vár, dat./acc. oss): we, us, our

[1] ossa: ‘oss a’ Holm2, 972ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 78aˣ, 68, 325VII, Tóm

Close

skjǫldu ‘shields’

(not checked:)
skjǫldr (noun m.; °skjaldar/skildar, dat. skildi; skildir, acc. skjǫldu): shield

[1] skjǫldu: skjǫldum 325VI, 75a, 78aˣ

Close

aut ‘’

Close

auð ‘’

(not checked:)
3. auðr (adj.): empty, barren < auðsær (adj.): [obvious]

[2] auðsætt: auðsær 325VII, ‘aut sætt’ Flat

notes

[2, 3, 4] þat vas auðsætt hljóms hringmiðlǫndum ‘that was obvious to the sharers of the sword-clamour [(lit. ‘sword-sharers of clamour’) BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: Sigvatr appeals to the shared experience of those who partook in the fight. An inverted kenning is assumed here, following previous eds. The cpd hringmiðlǫndum in itself would make sense as ‘ring-sharers’, with hring understood as ‘arm-ring’ or ‘finger-ring’, but in combination with the gen. hljóms ‘clamour’ it must be construed as a pars pro toto for ‘sword’ (cf. LP: 2. hringr and Note to Þhorn Harkv 1/1). The interweaving of the kenning through the helmingr is typical of Sigvatr’s highly complex handling of word order.

Close

sær ‘’

Close

sætt ‘obvious’

(not checked:)
sættr (adj.): apparent, evident < auðsær (adj.): [obvious]

[2] auðsætt: auðsær 325VII, ‘aut sætt’ Flat

notes

[2, 3, 4] þat vas auðsætt hljóms hringmiðlǫndum ‘that was obvious to the sharers of the sword-clamour [(lit. ‘sword-sharers of clamour’) BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: Sigvatr appeals to the shared experience of those who partook in the fight. An inverted kenning is assumed here, following previous eds. The cpd hringmiðlǫndum in itself would make sense as ‘ring-sharers’, with hring understood as ‘arm-ring’ or ‘finger-ring’, but in combination with the gen. hljóms ‘clamour’ it must be construed as a pars pro toto for ‘sword’ (cf. LP: 2. hringr and Note to Þhorn Harkv 1/1). The interweaving of the kenning through the helmingr is typical of Sigvatr’s highly complex handling of word order.

Close

vas ‘was’

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

[2] vas (‘var’): er 325VII

notes

[2, 3, 4] þat vas auðsætt hljóms hringmiðlǫndum ‘that was obvious to the sharers of the sword-clamour [(lit. ‘sword-sharers of clamour’) BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: Sigvatr appeals to the shared experience of those who partook in the fight. An inverted kenning is assumed here, following previous eds. The cpd hringmiðlǫndum in itself would make sense as ‘ring-sharers’, with hring understood as ‘arm-ring’ or ‘finger-ring’, but in combination with the gen. hljóms ‘clamour’ it must be construed as a pars pro toto for ‘sword’ (cf. LP: 2. hringr and Note to Þhorn Harkv 1/1). The interweaving of the kenning through the helmingr is typical of Sigvatr’s highly complex handling of word order.

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

[2] þat: þar R686ˣ, 325V

notes

[2, 3, 4] þat vas auðsætt hljóms hringmiðlǫndum ‘that was obvious to the sharers of the sword-clamour [(lit. ‘sword-sharers of clamour’) BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: Sigvatr appeals to the shared experience of those who partook in the fight. An inverted kenning is assumed here, following previous eds. The cpd hringmiðlǫndum in itself would make sense as ‘ring-sharers’, with hring understood as ‘arm-ring’ or ‘finger-ring’, but in combination with the gen. hljóms ‘clamour’ it must be construed as a pars pro toto for ‘sword’ (cf. LP: 2. hringr and Note to Þhorn Harkv 1/1). The interweaving of the kenning through the helmingr is typical of Sigvatr’s highly complex handling of word order.

Close

rauðu ‘’

(not checked:)
rauðr (adj.; °compar. -ari): red

Close

rauða ‘red’

(not checked:)
rauðr (adj.; °compar. -ari): red

[2] rauða: rauðu Bb

notes

[2, 3] rauða; hvítir ‘red; white’: Sigvatr contrasts the reddened state of the shields after the battle with their white pristine state on arrival. The ‘white’ might refer either to the natural colour of the wood used for the shield-board or to the colour in which it was painted (Foote and Wilson 1980, 278; Steuer 2004, 83-6; see also Falk 1914b, 128-32). The imagery of the red and white shield is also found in Sjórs Lv 3II.

Close

hlom ‘’

(not checked:)
hlǫm (noun f.)

Close

hljóm ‘’

(not checked:)
hljómr (noun m.; °dat. -i): sound

Close

hljóms ‘clamour’

(not checked:)
hljómr (noun m.; °dat. -i): sound

[3] hljóms: hljóm Holm2, R686ˣ, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 78aˣ, 68, 61, 325VII, Bb, Flat, Tóm, ‘hlom’ 325V

kennings

hljóms hringmiðlǫndum.
‘sword-sharers of clamour’
   = WARRIORS

the sword-clamour. → BATTLE
to the sharers of the BATTLE → WARRIORS

notes

[2, 3, 4] þat vas auðsætt hljóms hringmiðlǫndum ‘that was obvious to the sharers of the sword-clamour [(lit. ‘sword-sharers of clamour’) BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: Sigvatr appeals to the shared experience of those who partook in the fight. An inverted kenning is assumed here, following previous eds. The cpd hringmiðlǫndum in itself would make sense as ‘ring-sharers’, with hring understood as ‘arm-ring’ or ‘finger-ring’, but in combination with the gen. hljóms ‘clamour’ it must be construed as a pars pro toto for ‘sword’ (cf. LP: 2. hringr and Note to Þhorn Harkv 1/1). The interweaving of the kenning through the helmingr is typical of Sigvatr’s highly complex handling of word order.

Close

hljóms ‘clamour’

(not checked:)
hljómr (noun m.; °dat. -i): sound

[3] hljóms: hljóm Holm2, R686ˣ, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 78aˣ, 68, 61, 325VII, Bb, Flat, Tóm, ‘hlom’ 325V

kennings

hljóms hringmiðlǫndum.
‘sword-sharers of clamour’
   = WARRIORS

the sword-clamour. → BATTLE
to the sharers of the BATTLE → WARRIORS

notes

[2, 3, 4] þat vas auðsætt hljóms hringmiðlǫndum ‘that was obvious to the sharers of the sword-clamour [(lit. ‘sword-sharers of clamour’) BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: Sigvatr appeals to the shared experience of those who partook in the fight. An inverted kenning is assumed here, following previous eds. The cpd hringmiðlǫndum in itself would make sense as ‘ring-sharers’, with hring understood as ‘arm-ring’ or ‘finger-ring’, but in combination with the gen. hljóms ‘clamour’ it must be construed as a pars pro toto for ‘sword’ (cf. LP: 2. hringr and Note to Þhorn Harkv 1/1). The interweaving of the kenning through the helmingr is typical of Sigvatr’s highly complex handling of word order.

Close

þar ‘’

(not checked:)
þar (adv.): there

Close

þás ‘that’

(not checked:)
þás (conj.): when

[3] þás (‘þá er’): so papp18ˣ, Holm2, R686ˣ, 972ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 68, Holm4, Bb, þar er Kˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 61, 325V, 325VII, Flat, Tóm

Close

hvítir ‘white’

(not checked:)
hvítr (adj.; °-an; -ari, -astr): white

[3] hvítir: hvítr R686ˣ

notes

[2, 3] rauða; hvítir ‘red; white’: Sigvatr contrasts the reddened state of the shields after the battle with their white pristine state on arrival. The ‘white’ might refer either to the natural colour of the wood used for the shield-board or to the colour in which it was painted (Foote and Wilson 1980, 278; Steuer 2004, 83-6; see also Falk 1914b, 128-32). The imagery of the red and white shield is also found in Sjórs Lv 3II.

Close

kómu ‘came’

(not checked:)
koma (verb; kem, kom/kvam, kominn): come

[3] kómu: komum 61

Close

hring ‘of the sword’

(not checked:)
1. hringr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; -ar): ring; sword < hringmiðlandi (noun m.)1. hringr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; -ar): ring; sword < hringmiðluðr (adj./verb p.p.)1. hringr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; -ar): ring; sword < hringmiðlangr (adj.)1. hringr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; -ar): ring; sword

[4] hring‑: hrings 78aˣ

kennings

hljóms hringmiðlǫndum.
‘sword-sharers of clamour’
   = WARRIORS

the sword-clamour. → BATTLE
to the sharers of the BATTLE → WARRIORS

notes

[2, 3, 4] þat vas auðsætt hljóms hringmiðlǫndum ‘that was obvious to the sharers of the sword-clamour [(lit. ‘sword-sharers of clamour’) BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: Sigvatr appeals to the shared experience of those who partook in the fight. An inverted kenning is assumed here, following previous eds. The cpd hringmiðlǫndum in itself would make sense as ‘ring-sharers’, with hring understood as ‘arm-ring’ or ‘finger-ring’, but in combination with the gen. hljóms ‘clamour’ it must be construed as a pars pro toto for ‘sword’ (cf. LP: 2. hringr and Note to Þhorn Harkv 1/1). The interweaving of the kenning through the helmingr is typical of Sigvatr’s highly complex handling of word order.

Close

hring ‘of the sword’

(not checked:)
1. hringr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; -ar): ring; sword < hringmiðlandi (noun m.)1. hringr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; -ar): ring; sword < hringmiðluðr (adj./verb p.p.)1. hringr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; -ar): ring; sword < hringmiðlangr (adj.)1. hringr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; -ar): ring; sword

[4] hring‑: hrings 78aˣ

kennings

hljóms hringmiðlǫndum.
‘sword-sharers of clamour’
   = WARRIORS

the sword-clamour. → BATTLE
to the sharers of the BATTLE → WARRIORS

notes

[2, 3, 4] þat vas auðsætt hljóms hringmiðlǫndum ‘that was obvious to the sharers of the sword-clamour [(lit. ‘sword-sharers of clamour’) BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: Sigvatr appeals to the shared experience of those who partook in the fight. An inverted kenning is assumed here, following previous eds. The cpd hringmiðlǫndum in itself would make sense as ‘ring-sharers’, with hring understood as ‘arm-ring’ or ‘finger-ring’, but in combination with the gen. hljóms ‘clamour’ it must be construed as a pars pro toto for ‘sword’ (cf. LP: 2. hringr and Note to Þhorn Harkv 1/1). The interweaving of the kenning through the helmingr is typical of Sigvatr’s highly complex handling of word order.

Close

miðlǫmðum ‘’

Close

mid ‘’

Close

miðlǫngum ‘’

(not checked:)
miðlangr (adj.) < hringmiðlangr (adj.)

Close

miðlǫndum ‘to the sharers’

(not checked:)
miðlandi (noun m.): sharer, mediator < hringmiðlandi (noun m.)

[4] ‑miðlǫndum: ‘midlǫmþom’ papp18ˣ, ‘mid lundum’ 972ˣ, 325V, miðlǫngum 325VI, 75a, 78aˣ, ‘miðluðum’ 73aˣ, 61

kennings

hljóms hringmiðlǫndum.
‘sword-sharers of clamour’
   = WARRIORS

the sword-clamour. → BATTLE
to the sharers of the BATTLE → WARRIORS

notes

[2, 3, 4] þat vas auðsætt hljóms hringmiðlǫndum ‘that was obvious to the sharers of the sword-clamour [(lit. ‘sword-sharers of clamour’) BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: Sigvatr appeals to the shared experience of those who partook in the fight. An inverted kenning is assumed here, following previous eds. The cpd hringmiðlǫndum in itself would make sense as ‘ring-sharers’, with hring understood as ‘arm-ring’ or ‘finger-ring’, but in combination with the gen. hljóms ‘clamour’ it must be construed as a pars pro toto for ‘sword’ (cf. LP: 2. hringr and Note to Þhorn Harkv 1/1). The interweaving of the kenning through the helmingr is typical of Sigvatr’s highly complex handling of word order.

Close

hingat ‘’

(not checked:)
hingat (adv.): (to) here

Close

þingat ‘there’

(not checked:)
þangat (adv.): there, thither

[4] þingat: ‘þingit’ 972ˣ, hingat 68

Close

Þar ‘There’

(not checked:)
þar (adv.): there

[5] Þar: om. J1ˣ, J2ˣ

Close

hykk ‘I think’

(not checked:)
2. hyggja (verb): think, consider

Close

ǫngvan ‘’

(not checked:)
2. engi (pron.): no, none

Close

øngan ‘’

(not checked:)
2. engi (pron.): no, none

Close

undan ‘’

(not checked:)
undan (adv.): away, away from

Close

ungan ‘the young’

(not checked:)
ungr (adj.): young

[5] ungan: øngan Holm2, undan J1ˣ, J2ˣ, ǫngvan Tóm

notes

[5] ungan ‘young’: Óláfr’s birth can be placed at 995 (Johnsen 1916, 4), making him around twenty at the time of the battle.

Close

gram ‘king’

(not checked:)
1. gramr (noun m.): ruler

Close

gǫngu ‘his advance’

(not checked:)
1. ganga (noun f.): way

[5] gǫngu: so Holm2, 972ˣ, gengu Kˣ, papp18ˣ, R686ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 68, 61, Holm4, 325V, 325VII, Bb, Flat, Tóm

notes

[5] gǫngu ‘his advance’: The majority reading gengu, past inf. ‘to have gone’, may have arisen in well-intentioned error to supply an inf. following hykk ‘I think’, since the actual inf. gerðu ‘made’ is delayed until l. 8.

Close

gunn ‘a battle’

(not checked:)
gunnr (noun f.): battle < gunnsylgr (noun m.)gunnr (noun f.): battle < gunnsylgr (noun m.)

[6] gunnsylgs en vér fylgðum: gall strengr ein vá þengill R686ˣ

kennings

gunnsylgs.
‘a battle-draught.’
   = BLOOD

a battle-draught. → BLOOD
Close

sylgs ‘draught’

(not checked:)
sylgr (noun m.; °dat. -): drink, draught < gunnsylgr (noun m.)

[6] gunnsylgs en vér fylgðum: gall strengr ein vá þengill R686ˣ;    ‑sylgs: ‑sylg Holm2, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 78aˣ, 68, 325V, 325VII, Bb

kennings

gunnsylgs.
‘a battle-draught.’
   = BLOOD

a battle-draught. → BLOOD
Close

er ‘’

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

Close

en ‘and’

(not checked:)
2. en (conj.): but, and

[6] gunnsylgs en vér fylgðum: gall strengr ein vá þengill R686ˣ;    en: so Holm2, R686ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 61, Holm4, 325V, 325VII, Bb, Flat, Tóm, er Kˣ, papp18ˣ, 972ˣ, 68

notes

[6] en vér fylgðum ‘and we followed’: The minority reading er (normalised es) gives the equally reasonable ‘whom we followed’.

Close

vit ‘’

(not checked:)
2. vit (pron.): we two

Close

‘’

(not checked:)
1. vega (verb): strike, slay

Close

vér ‘we’

(not checked:)
vér (pron.; °gen. vár, dat./acc. oss): we, us, our

[6] gunnsylgs en vér fylgðum: gall strengr ein vá þengill R686ˣ;    vér: vit Flat

notes

[6] en vér fylgðum ‘and we followed’: The minority reading er (normalised es) gives the equally reasonable ‘whom we followed’.

Close

þengill ‘’

(not checked:)
þengill (noun m.): prince, ruler

Close

fylgðum ‘followed’

(not checked:)
2. fylgja (verb): follow, accompany

[6] gunnsylgs en vér fylgðum: gall strengr ein vá þengill R686ˣ

notes

[6] en vér fylgðum ‘and we followed’: The minority reading er (normalised es) gives the equally reasonable ‘whom we followed’.

Close

gjóð ‘’

(not checked:)
gjóðr (noun m.; °-s; -ar): osprey

Close

blóð ‘’

(not checked:)
blóð (noun n.; °-s): blood

Close

blóðs ‘of blood’

(not checked:)
blóð (noun n.; °-s): blood

[7] blóðs: blóð R686ˣ, 972ˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 68, 61, gjóð Holm4, bráð 325V, 325VII, Tóm, brátt Flat

kennings

svǫrr blóðs
‘the bird of blood ’
   = RAVEN/EAGLE

the bird of blood → RAVEN/EAGLE

notes

[7] svǫrr blóðs ‘the bird of blood [RAVEN/EAGLE]’: The species of the svǫrr remains unidentified (cf. NN §451A), and the rarity of this base-word evidently caused confusion in transmission. The variant svanr ‘swan’, although well represented, is probably the result of scribal emendation. Also productive of confusion is Sigvatr’s contrived placement of the two gen.-case nouns gunnsylgs ‘of battle-draught’ and blóðs ‘of blood’ in advance of the base-word svǫrr ‘bird’, so that the listener must decide which connects to svǫrr and which to fekk ‘gained’ (which in this sense takes a gen. object). The solution adopted here follows Kock (NN §485); Finnur Jónsson’s gunnsvǫrr fekk blóðs sylg ‘the battle-bird [RAVEN] got blood to drink’ (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B) unnecessarily assumes tmesis of the cpd; Sigvatr is not otherwise known for his use of this device.

Close

fesk ‘’

Close

fell ‘’

(not checked:)
falla (verb): fall

Close

fekk ‘gained’

(not checked:)
2. fá (verb; °fǽr; fekk, fengu; fenginn): get, receive

[7] fekk: ‘f(e)ll’(?) 61, ‘fesk’ Bb, gekk Tóm

Close

svart ‘’

(not checked:)
svartr (adj.): black

Close

gannr ‘’

Close

sjór ‘’

(not checked:)
sjór (noun m.): sea

Close

síǫr ‘’

Close

tafn ‘’

(not checked:)
tafn (noun n.; °-s; *-): carrion

Close

svanr ‘’

(not checked:)
svanr (noun m.; °-s; -ir): swan

Close

svǫrr ‘the bird’

(not checked:)
svǫrr (noun m.): [bird]

[7] svǫrr: ‘su ǫr’ papp18ˣ, svanr R686ˣ, 972ˣ, 325VI, 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 325V, Flat, saur J1ˣ, J2ˣ, ‘síǫr’ 68, sjór 61, tafn Holm4, ‘gannr’ 325VII, svart Tóm

kennings

svǫrr blóðs
‘the bird of blood ’
   = RAVEN/EAGLE

the bird of blood → RAVEN/EAGLE

notes

[7] svǫrr blóðs ‘the bird of blood [RAVEN/EAGLE]’: The species of the svǫrr remains unidentified (cf. NN §451A), and the rarity of this base-word evidently caused confusion in transmission. The variant svanr ‘swan’, although well represented, is probably the result of scribal emendation. Also productive of confusion is Sigvatr’s contrived placement of the two gen.-case nouns gunnsylgs ‘of battle-draught’ and blóðs ‘of blood’ in advance of the base-word svǫrr ‘bird’, so that the listener must decide which connects to svǫrr and which to fekk ‘gained’ (which in this sense takes a gen. object). The solution adopted here follows Kock (NN §485); Finnur Jónsson’s gunnsvǫrr fekk blóðs sylg ‘the battle-bird [RAVEN] got blood to drink’ (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B) unnecessarily assumes tmesis of the cpd; Sigvatr is not otherwise known for his use of this device.

Close

þar ‘’

(not checked:)
þar (adv.): there

Close

þars ‘where’

(not checked:)
þars (conj.): where

[7] þars (‘þar er’): þar 325VII

Close

slæðast ‘’

(not checked:)
2. slœða (verb): [were blunted]

Close

slædduzt ‘’

Close

slæfðuz ‘’

Close

sæfðusk ‘’

(not checked:)
sœfa (verb): die, kill

Close

slioðuz ‘’

Close

slæðusk ‘were blunted’

(not checked:)
2. slœða (verb): [were blunted]

[7] slæðusk: ‘slædast’ 972ˣ, sæfðusk 325VI, 68, 61, ‘slæfðuz’ 75a, 73aˣ, 78aˣ, 325V, ‘slioðuz’ Holm4, slæður Bb, ‘slædduzt’ Tóm

Close

huerd ‘’

Close

sverðs ‘’

(not checked:)
sverð (noun n.; °-s; -): sword

Close

sverð ‘swords’

(not checked:)
sverð (noun n.; °-s; -): sword

[8] sverð: ‘huerd’ 972ˣ, sverðs Bb

Close

upp ‘up’

(not checked:)
upp (adv.): up

Close

í ‘on to’

(not checked:)
í (prep.): in, into

Close

skip ‘the ship’

(not checked:)
skip (noun n.; °-s; -): ship

Close

gjǫrðisk ‘’

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

Close

gerðri ‘’

(not checked:)
Gerðr (noun f.): Gerðr

Close

gerði ‘’

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

Close

gerðu ‘made’

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

[8] gerðu: ‘gerðri’ 73aˣ, gerði Holm4, 325V, 325VII, Flat, gjǫrðisk Tóm

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