SnSt Ht 3III
Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2017, ‘Snorri Sturluson, Háttatal 3’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 1107.
Úlfs ‘of the wolf’s’
(not checked:)
1. ulfr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): wolf
kennings
málu bága úlfs;‘the wife of the wolf’s enemy; ’
= Jǫrð
the wolf’s enemy; → Óðinn
the wife of ÓÐINN → Jǫrð
notes
[1] bága úlfs ‘of the wolf’s enemy [= Óðinn]’: This wolf is Fenrir, Loki’s son, which will break away from its fetters at ragnarǫk ‘the doom of the gods’, fight with Óðinn and kill him (see Vsp 44/3-4, 49/3-4, 53; SnE 2005, 50, 52). The kenning is also given in Egill St 24/2V (Eg 95), which is cited by Snorri in Skm (SnE 1998, I, 9) along with Egill St 23V (Eg 94). The latter stanza contains another kenning used in the present stanza. See Note to l. 4 below.
Úlfs ‘of the wolf’s’
(not checked:)
1. ulfr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): wolf
kennings
málu bága úlfs;‘the wife of the wolf’s enemy; ’
= Jǫrð
the wolf’s enemy; → Óðinn
the wife of ÓÐINN → Jǫrð
notes
[1] bága úlfs ‘of the wolf’s enemy [= Óðinn]’: This wolf is Fenrir, Loki’s son, which will break away from its fetters at ragnarǫk ‘the doom of the gods’, fight with Óðinn and kill him (see Vsp 44/3-4, 49/3-4, 53; SnE 2005, 50, 52). The kenning is also given in Egill St 24/2V (Eg 95), which is cited by Snorri in Skm (SnE 1998, I, 9) along with Egill St 23V (Eg 94). The latter stanza contains another kenning used in the present stanza. See Note to l. 4 below.
kennings
málu bága úlfs;‘the wife of the wolf’s enemy; ’
= Jǫrð
the wolf’s enemy; → Óðinn
the wife of ÓÐINN → Jǫrð
notes
[1] bága úlfs ‘of the wolf’s enemy [= Óðinn]’: This wolf is Fenrir, Loki’s son, which will break away from its fetters at ragnarǫk ‘the doom of the gods’, fight with Óðinn and kill him (see Vsp 44/3-4, 49/3-4, 53; SnE 2005, 50, 52). The kenning is also given in Egill St 24/2V (Eg 95), which is cited by Snorri in Skm (SnE 1998, I, 9) along with Egill St 23V (Eg 94). The latter stanza contains another kenning used in the present stanza. See Note to l. 4 below.
kennings
málu bága úlfs;‘the wife of the wolf’s enemy; ’
= Jǫrð
the wolf’s enemy; → Óðinn
the wife of ÓÐINN → Jǫrð
notes
[1] bága úlfs ‘of the wolf’s enemy [= Óðinn]’: This wolf is Fenrir, Loki’s son, which will break away from its fetters at ragnarǫk ‘the doom of the gods’, fight with Óðinn and kill him (see Vsp 44/3-4, 49/3-4, 53; SnE 2005, 50, 52). The kenning is also given in Egill St 24/2V (Eg 95), which is cited by Snorri in Skm (SnE 1998, I, 9) along with Egill St 23V (Eg 94). The latter stanza contains another kenning used in the present stanza. See Note to l. 4 below.
verr ‘defends’
(not checked:)
3. verja (verb): defend
ægis ‘of the sea’
(not checked:)
Ægir (noun m.): Ægir, sea
kennings
Hati ítrbáls ægis‘The hater of the precious pyre of the sea ’
= GENEROUS MAN
the precious pyre of the sea → GOLD
The hater of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
ægis ‘of the sea’
(not checked:)
Ægir (noun m.): Ægir, sea
kennings
Hati ítrbáls ægis‘The hater of the precious pyre of the sea ’
= GENEROUS MAN
the precious pyre of the sea → GOLD
The hater of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
ítr ‘of the precious’
(not checked:)
ítr (adj.): glorious < ítrbál (noun n.)
kennings
Hati ítrbáls ægis‘The hater of the precious pyre of the sea ’
= GENEROUS MAN
the precious pyre of the sea → GOLD
The hater of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
notes
[2] ítrbáls (n. gen. sg.) ‘of the precious pyre’: Skj B takes ítrbáls ‘of the precious pyre’ as two separate words and construes ítr hati báls ægis ‘the precious hater of the pyre of the sea’ (so also SnE 1848-87, SnE 1879-81 and Konráð Gíslason 1895-7), which is unsatisfactory from the point of view of word order (see NN §3260A).
ítr ‘of the precious’
(not checked:)
ítr (adj.): glorious < ítrbál (noun n.)
kennings
Hati ítrbáls ægis‘The hater of the precious pyre of the sea ’
= GENEROUS MAN
the precious pyre of the sea → GOLD
The hater of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
notes
[2] ítrbáls (n. gen. sg.) ‘of the precious pyre’: Skj B takes ítrbáls ‘of the precious pyre’ as two separate words and construes ítr hati báls ægis ‘the precious hater of the pyre of the sea’ (so also SnE 1848-87, SnE 1879-81 and Konráð Gíslason 1895-7), which is unsatisfactory from the point of view of word order (see NN §3260A).
báls ‘pyre’
(not checked:)
bál (noun n.; °-s; -): fire < ítrbál (noun n.)
kennings
Hati ítrbáls ægis‘The hater of the precious pyre of the sea ’
= GENEROUS MAN
the precious pyre of the sea → GOLD
The hater of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
notes
[2] ítrbáls (n. gen. sg.) ‘of the precious pyre’: Skj B takes ítrbáls ‘of the precious pyre’ as two separate words and construes ítr hati báls ægis ‘the precious hater of the pyre of the sea’ (so also SnE 1848-87, SnE 1879-81 and Konráð Gíslason 1895-7), which is unsatisfactory from the point of view of word order (see NN §3260A).
báls ‘pyre’
(not checked:)
bál (noun n.; °-s; -): fire < ítrbál (noun n.)
kennings
Hati ítrbáls ægis‘The hater of the precious pyre of the sea ’
= GENEROUS MAN
the precious pyre of the sea → GOLD
The hater of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
notes
[2] ítrbáls (n. gen. sg.) ‘of the precious pyre’: Skj B takes ítrbáls ‘of the precious pyre’ as two separate words and construes ítr hati báls ægis ‘the precious hater of the pyre of the sea’ (so also SnE 1848-87, SnE 1879-81 and Konráð Gíslason 1895-7), which is unsatisfactory from the point of view of word order (see NN §3260A).
kennings
Hati ítrbáls ægis‘The hater of the precious pyre of the sea ’
= GENEROUS MAN
the precious pyre of the sea → GOLD
The hater of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
kennings
málu bága úlfs;‘the wife of the wolf’s enemy; ’
= Jǫrð
the wolf’s enemy; → Óðinn
the wife of ÓÐINN → Jǫrð
sett ‘placed’
(not checked:)
setja (verb): place, set, establish
eru ‘are’
(not checked:)
2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
bratta ‘the steep’
(not checked:)
brattr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): steep
Míms ‘of Mímir’s’
(not checked:)
Mímir (noun m.): [mímir, Mímr]
kennings
rúnu vinar Míms.‘of the confidante of Mímir’s friend. ’
= Jǫrð
Mímir’s friend. → Óðinn
the confidante of ÓÐINN → Jǫrð
notes
[4] vinar Míms ‘of Mímir’s <mythical being’s> friend [= Óðinn]’: Mímir was a wise mythical being whose head was preserved by the gods in a well in Ásgarðr. The gen. of the name is given variously as Mímis and Míms (see ANG §371 anm. 2 and LP: Mímir). The kenning vinr Míms is also given in Egill St 23/5V (Eg 94). See Note to l. 1 above. There can be no coincidence that two of the kennings from the two stanzas of St appear in the present stanza, and Snorri appears to have mined Egill’s poem for kennings containing ofljóst.
Míms ‘of Mímir’s’
(not checked:)
Mímir (noun m.): [mímir, Mímr]
kennings
rúnu vinar Míms.‘of the confidante of Mímir’s friend. ’
= Jǫrð
Mímir’s friend. → Óðinn
the confidante of ÓÐINN → Jǫrð
notes
[4] vinar Míms ‘of Mímir’s <mythical being’s> friend [= Óðinn]’: Mímir was a wise mythical being whose head was preserved by the gods in a well in Ásgarðr. The gen. of the name is given variously as Mímis and Míms (see ANG §371 anm. 2 and LP: Mímir). The kenning vinr Míms is also given in Egill St 23/5V (Eg 94). See Note to l. 1 above. There can be no coincidence that two of the kennings from the two stanzas of St appear in the present stanza, and Snorri appears to have mined Egill’s poem for kennings containing ofljóst.
vinar ‘friend’
(not checked:)
vinr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. -/(-i OsvReyk 92.17); -ir): friend
kennings
rúnu vinar Míms.‘of the confidante of Mímir’s friend. ’
= Jǫrð
Mímir’s friend. → Óðinn
the confidante of ÓÐINN → Jǫrð
notes
[4] vinar Míms ‘of Mímir’s <mythical being’s> friend [= Óðinn]’: Mímir was a wise mythical being whose head was preserved by the gods in a well in Ásgarðr. The gen. of the name is given variously as Mímis and Míms (see ANG §371 anm. 2 and LP: Mímir). The kenning vinr Míms is also given in Egill St 23/5V (Eg 94). See Note to l. 1 above. There can be no coincidence that two of the kennings from the two stanzas of St appear in the present stanza, and Snorri appears to have mined Egill’s poem for kennings containing ofljóst.
vinar ‘friend’
(not checked:)
vinr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. -/(-i OsvReyk 92.17); -ir): friend
kennings
rúnu vinar Míms.‘of the confidante of Mímir’s friend. ’
= Jǫrð
Mímir’s friend. → Óðinn
the confidante of ÓÐINN → Jǫrð
notes
[4] vinar Míms ‘of Mímir’s <mythical being’s> friend [= Óðinn]’: Mímir was a wise mythical being whose head was preserved by the gods in a well in Ásgarðr. The gen. of the name is given variously as Mímis and Míms (see ANG §371 anm. 2 and LP: Mímir). The kenning vinr Míms is also given in Egill St 23/5V (Eg 94). See Note to l. 1 above. There can be no coincidence that two of the kennings from the two stanzas of St appear in the present stanza, and Snorri appears to have mined Egill’s poem for kennings containing ofljóst.
kennings
rúnu vinar Míms.‘of the confidante of Mímir’s friend. ’
= Jǫrð
Mímir’s friend. → Óðinn
the confidante of ÓÐINN → Jǫrð
Orms ‘of the serpent’s’
(not checked:)
ormr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): serpent
kennings
eiðu váða orms;‘the mother of the serpent’s harmer; ’
= Jǫrð
the serpent’s harmer; → Þórr
the mother of ÞÓRR → Jǫrð
Orms ‘of the serpent’s’
(not checked:)
ormr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): serpent
kennings
eiðu váða orms;‘the mother of the serpent’s harmer; ’
= Jǫrð
the serpent’s harmer; → Þórr
the mother of ÞÓRR → Jǫrð
váða ‘harmer’
(not checked:)
váði (noun m.; °-a): danger
kennings
eiðu váða orms;‘the mother of the serpent’s harmer; ’
= Jǫrð
the serpent’s harmer; → Þórr
the mother of ÞÓRR → Jǫrð
váða ‘harmer’
(not checked:)
váði (noun m.; °-a): danger
kennings
eiðu váða orms;‘the mother of the serpent’s harmer; ’
= Jǫrð
the serpent’s harmer; → Þórr
the mother of ÞÓRR → Jǫrð
kann ‘can’
(not checked:)
kunna (verb): know, can, be able
eiðu ‘the mother’
(not checked:)
1. eiða (noun f.): mother
kennings
eiðu váða orms;‘the mother of the serpent’s harmer; ’
= Jǫrð
the serpent’s harmer; → Þórr
the mother of ÞÓRR → Jǫrð
allvaldr ‘mighty ruler’
(not checked:)
allvaldr (noun m.; °-s; -ar): mighty ruler
gǫfugr ‘The glorious’
(not checked:)
gǫfugr (adj.; °gǫfgan/gǫfugan; compar. gǫfgari/gǫfugri, superl. gǫfgastr/gǫfugstr/gǫfugastr): noble, glorious
halda ‘hold’
(not checked:)
halda (verb): hold, keep
men ‘necklace’
(not checked:)
2. men (noun n.; °; dat. menjum): neck-ring < menstríðir (noun m.)
kennings
menstríðir,‘necklace-destroyer, ’
= GENEROUS MAN
necklace-destroyer, → GENEROUS MAN
stríðir ‘destroyer’
(not checked:)
stríðir (noun m.): opponent, fighter < menstríðir (noun m.)
[7] ‑stríðir: ‑stilli U
kennings
menstríðir,‘necklace-destroyer, ’
= GENEROUS MAN
necklace-destroyer, → GENEROUS MAN
móður ‘the mother’
(not checked:)
móðir (noun f.): mother
kennings
móður dólgs mellu‘the mother of the giantess’s enemy ’
= Jǫrð
the giantess’s enemy → Þórr
the mother of ÞÓRR → Jǫrð
notes
[7-8] móður dólgs mellu ‘the mother of the giantess’s enemy [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’: This kenning appears to be a conscious imitation of Eyv Lv 8/7-8I holdi móður dolgs mellu ‘the flesh of the mother of the enemy of the giantess [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’.
kennings
móður dólgs mellu‘the mother of the giantess’s enemy ’
= Jǫrð
the giantess’s enemy → Þórr
the mother of ÞÓRR → Jǫrð
notes
[7-8] móður dólgs mellu ‘the mother of the giantess’s enemy [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’: This kenning appears to be a conscious imitation of Eyv Lv 8/7-8I holdi móður dolgs mellu ‘the flesh of the mother of the enemy of the giantess [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’.
kennings
móður dólgs mellu‘the mother of the giantess’s enemy ’
= Jǫrð
the giantess’s enemy → Þórr
the mother of ÞÓRR → Jǫrð
notes
[7-8] móður dólgs mellu ‘the mother of the giantess’s enemy [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’: This kenning appears to be a conscious imitation of Eyv Lv 8/7-8I holdi móður dolgs mellu ‘the flesh of the mother of the enemy of the giantess [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’.
dólgs ‘enemy’
(not checked:)
dolgr (noun m.; °dat. -; -ar): enemy, battle
kennings
móður dólgs mellu‘the mother of the giantess’s enemy ’
= Jǫrð
the giantess’s enemy → Þórr
the mother of ÞÓRR → Jǫrð
notes
[7-8] móður dólgs mellu ‘the mother of the giantess’s enemy [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’: This kenning appears to be a conscious imitation of Eyv Lv 8/7-8I holdi móður dolgs mellu ‘the flesh of the mother of the enemy of the giantess [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’.
dólgs ‘enemy’
(not checked:)
dolgr (noun m.; °dat. -; -ar): enemy, battle
kennings
móður dólgs mellu‘the mother of the giantess’s enemy ’
= Jǫrð
the giantess’s enemy → Þórr
the mother of ÞÓRR → Jǫrð
notes
[7-8] móður dólgs mellu ‘the mother of the giantess’s enemy [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’: This kenning appears to be a conscious imitation of Eyv Lv 8/7-8I holdi móður dolgs mellu ‘the flesh of the mother of the enemy of the giantess [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’.
til ‘until’
(not checked:)
til (prep.): to
elli ‘old age’
(not checked:)
elli (noun f.; °-): old age
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
|
Úlfs bága verr ægis |
The hater of the precious pyre of the sea [GOLD > GENEROUS MAN] defends the wife of the wolf’s enemy [= Óðinn > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]; prows are placed before the steep edge of the confidante of Mímir’s <mythical being’s> friend [= Óðinn > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]. The glorious mighty ruler can hold the mother of the serpent’s harmer [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]; necklace-destroyer [GENEROUS MAN], enjoy the mother of the giantess’s enemy [= Þórr > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)] until old age.
According to the prose commentary, the stanza illustrates rekit ‘extended’ constructions (e.g. kennings with more than two determinants). At first sight, none of the kennings in the stanza appears to be an extended kenning; rather, most of them are tvíkent with two determinants (see SnE 2007, 48). However, it appears from the commentary in Skm (SnE 1998, I, 109) that Snorri indeed regarded ofljóst ‘too transparent’ constructions involving two single homonyms as tvíkent, and hence all the ofljóst constructions with an additional element would fit his definition of rekit (see also Note to [All] below).
The mss give the following headings: iij. rekit ‘three, extended’ (Tˣ) and rekit (U(47r)). — Throughout the stanza, Snorri employs a series of ofljóst constructions (see Context above), playing on the homonyms Jǫrð (the name of Óðinn’s consort and mother of the god Þórr) and jǫrð ‘earth’. For a similar imagery of a ruler taking possession of or governing the land conceived of as a woman, see Note to Anon Nkt 8/1, 2II, Hfr Hákdr and Frank (1978, 57-60).
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