SnSt Ht 50III
Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2017, ‘Snorri Sturluson, Háttatal 50’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 1159.
Yggs ‘of Yggr’s’
(not checked:)
1. Yggr (noun m.): Yggr
kennings
Eisa drósar Yggs‘The fire of Yggr’s woman ’
= SWORD
Yggr’s woman → VALKYRIE
The fire of the VALKYRIE → SWORD
Yggs ‘of Yggr’s’
(not checked:)
1. Yggr (noun m.): Yggr
kennings
Eisa drósar Yggs‘The fire of Yggr’s woman ’
= SWORD
Yggr’s woman → VALKYRIE
The fire of the VALKYRIE → SWORD
drósar ‘woman’
(not checked:)
drós (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): lady
kennings
Eisa drósar Yggs‘The fire of Yggr’s woman ’
= SWORD
Yggr’s woman → VALKYRIE
The fire of the VALKYRIE → SWORD
drósar ‘woman’
(not checked:)
drós (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): lady
kennings
Eisa drósar Yggs‘The fire of Yggr’s woman ’
= SWORD
Yggr’s woman → VALKYRIE
The fire of the VALKYRIE → SWORD
rýfr ‘rips’
(not checked:)
rjúfa (verb): break
eisa ‘The fire’
(not checked:)
1. eisa (noun f.; °; -ur): flame, ember
kennings
Eisa drósar Yggs‘The fire of Yggr’s woman ’
= SWORD
Yggr’s woman → VALKYRIE
The fire of the VALKYRIE → SWORD
móðsefa ‘of the mind’
(not checked:)
móðsefi (noun m.): [mind]
[2] móðsefa: so all others, ‘með seva’ R
kennings
tjǫld móðsefa‘the tents of the mind ’
= CHESTS
the tents of the mind → CHESTS
notes
[2] móðsefa ‘of the mind’: In R, ‘með seva’ ‘with mind’ has been corrected to ‘moð seva’ (R*). The cpd móðsefi is otherwise unattested in Old Norse, but cf. OE mōdsefa ‘mind, spirit, heart, character’ (Beowulf 2008, 414).
tjǫld ‘the tents’
(not checked:)
tjald (noun n.; °-s; *-): tent, awning
kennings
tjǫld móðsefa‘the tents of the mind ’
= CHESTS
the tents of the mind → CHESTS
glóð ‘ember’
(not checked:)
glóð (noun f.): ember
kennings
brún glóð Hlakkar‘the burnished ember of Hlǫkk ’
= SWORD
the burnished ember of Hlǫkk → SWORD
støkkr ‘leaps’
(not checked:)
1. støkkva (verb): (str.) leap, spring; scatter
í ‘into’
(not checked:)
í (prep.): in, into
kennings
hof hugtúns‘the temples of the mind-meadow ’
= HEADS
the mind-meadow → BREAST
the temples of the BREAST → HEADS
notes
[3, 4] hof hugtúns ‘the temples of the mind-meadow [BREAST > HEADS]’: This kenning has been taken by earlier eds to mean ‘chests’ (see LP: hugtún). However, hugtún in itself means ‘breast’ (see LP: hugtún and GSúrs Lv 9/4V (Gísl 12)), and its hof ‘temple’ must be the building that is erected on top of it, i.e. ‘head’ or ‘heads’ (hof is n. acc. sg./pl.). The W, U variant haf would yield a kenning haf hugtúns ‘ocean of the breast’, which is not immediately clear, but might possibly be a kenning for ‘blood’.
Hlakkar ‘of Hlǫkk’
(not checked:)
2. Hlǫkk (noun f.): Hlǫkk
kennings
brún glóð Hlakkar‘the burnished ember of Hlǫkk ’
= SWORD
the burnished ember of Hlǫkk → SWORD
hug ‘of the mind’
(not checked:)
hugr (noun m.): mind, thought, courage < hugtún (noun n.): [mind-meadow]
kennings
hof hugtúns‘the temples of the mind-meadow ’
= HEADS
the mind-meadow → BREAST
the temples of the BREAST → HEADS
notes
[3, 4] hof hugtúns ‘the temples of the mind-meadow [BREAST > HEADS]’: This kenning has been taken by earlier eds to mean ‘chests’ (see LP: hugtún). However, hugtún in itself means ‘breast’ (see LP: hugtún and GSúrs Lv 9/4V (Gísl 12)), and its hof ‘temple’ must be the building that is erected on top of it, i.e. ‘head’ or ‘heads’ (hof is n. acc. sg./pl.). The W, U variant haf would yield a kenning haf hugtúns ‘ocean of the breast’, which is not immediately clear, but might possibly be a kenning for ‘blood’.
hug ‘of the mind’
(not checked:)
hugr (noun m.): mind, thought, courage < hugtún (noun n.): [mind-meadow]
kennings
hof hugtúns‘the temples of the mind-meadow ’
= HEADS
the mind-meadow → BREAST
the temples of the BREAST → HEADS
notes
[3, 4] hof hugtúns ‘the temples of the mind-meadow [BREAST > HEADS]’: This kenning has been taken by earlier eds to mean ‘chests’ (see LP: hugtún). However, hugtún in itself means ‘breast’ (see LP: hugtún and GSúrs Lv 9/4V (Gísl 12)), and its hof ‘temple’ must be the building that is erected on top of it, i.e. ‘head’ or ‘heads’ (hof is n. acc. sg./pl.). The W, U variant haf would yield a kenning haf hugtúns ‘ocean of the breast’, which is not immediately clear, but might possibly be a kenning for ‘blood’.
túns ‘meadow’
(not checked:)
tún (noun n.; °-s; -): homefield, enclosure < hugtún (noun n.): [mind-meadow]
kennings
hof hugtúns‘the temples of the mind-meadow ’
= HEADS
the mind-meadow → BREAST
the temples of the BREAST → HEADS
notes
[3, 4] hof hugtúns ‘the temples of the mind-meadow [BREAST > HEADS]’: This kenning has been taken by earlier eds to mean ‘chests’ (see LP: hugtún). However, hugtún in itself means ‘breast’ (see LP: hugtún and GSúrs Lv 9/4V (Gísl 12)), and its hof ‘temple’ must be the building that is erected on top of it, i.e. ‘head’ or ‘heads’ (hof is n. acc. sg./pl.). The W, U variant haf would yield a kenning haf hugtúns ‘ocean of the breast’, which is not immediately clear, but might possibly be a kenning for ‘blood’.
túns ‘meadow’
(not checked:)
tún (noun n.; °-s; -): homefield, enclosure < hugtún (noun n.): [mind-meadow]
kennings
hof hugtúns‘the temples of the mind-meadow ’
= HEADS
the mind-meadow → BREAST
the temples of the BREAST → HEADS
notes
[3, 4] hof hugtúns ‘the temples of the mind-meadow [BREAST > HEADS]’: This kenning has been taken by earlier eds to mean ‘chests’ (see LP: hugtún). However, hugtún in itself means ‘breast’ (see LP: hugtún and GSúrs Lv 9/4V (Gísl 12)), and its hof ‘temple’ must be the building that is erected on top of it, i.e. ‘head’ or ‘heads’ (hof is n. acc. sg./pl.). The W, U variant haf would yield a kenning haf hugtúns ‘ocean of the breast’, which is not immediately clear, but might possibly be a kenning for ‘blood’.
firum ‘of men’
(not checked:)
firar (noun m.): men
brún ‘the burnished’
(not checked:)
3. brúnn (adj.): burnished
kennings
brún glóð Hlakkar‘the burnished ember of Hlǫkk ’
= SWORD
the burnished ember of Hlǫkk → SWORD
Geð ‘mind’
(not checked:)
geð (noun n.): mind < geðveggr (noun m.)
kennings
glugga glæs geðveggjar;‘the windows of the clear mind-wall; ’
= WOUNDS
the clear mind-wall; → BREAST
the windows of the BREAST → WOUNDS
Geð ‘mind’
(not checked:)
geð (noun n.): mind < geðveggr (noun m.)
kennings
glugga glæs geðveggjar;‘the windows of the clear mind-wall; ’
= WOUNDS
the clear mind-wall; → BREAST
the windows of the BREAST → WOUNDS
veggjar ‘wall’
(not checked:)
1. veggr (noun m.; °-jar/-s(Páll²A 257³³), dat. -/-i(kun defin.); -ir): wall < geðveggr (noun m.)
[5] ‑veggjar svífr: veggr synir U
kennings
glugga glæs geðveggjar;‘the windows of the clear mind-wall; ’
= WOUNDS
the clear mind-wall; → BREAST
the windows of the BREAST → WOUNDS
veggjar ‘wall’
(not checked:)
1. veggr (noun m.; °-jar/-s(Páll²A 257³³), dat. -/-i(kun defin.); -ir): wall < geðveggr (noun m.)
[5] ‑veggjar svífr: veggr synir U
kennings
glugga glæs geðveggjar;‘the windows of the clear mind-wall; ’
= WOUNDS
the clear mind-wall; → BREAST
the windows of the BREAST → WOUNDS
notes
[5] svífr ‘flashes’: The verb is used impersonally with dynbrími hræs ‘crashing flame of carrion [SWORD]’ (l. 6) as the dat. object.
glugga ‘the windows’
(not checked:)
gluggi (noun m.): [windows]
kennings
glugga glæs geðveggjar;‘the windows of the clear mind-wall; ’
= WOUNDS
the clear mind-wall; → BREAST
the windows of the BREAST → WOUNDS
glæs ‘of the clear’
(not checked:)
2. glær (adj.): splendid
[6] glæs (‘gles’): so Tˣ, U, ‘gless’ R, ‘glæss’ W
kennings
glugga glæs geðveggjar;‘the windows of the clear mind-wall; ’
= WOUNDS
the clear mind-wall; → BREAST
the windows of the BREAST → WOUNDS
notes
[6] glæs (m. or n. gen. sg.) ‘clear’: In the present edn this is an adj. qualifying geðveggjar ‘of the mind-wall’ (l. 5) (so also Skj B and SnE 2007). If taken as the noun glæs (m. gen. sg. of glær ‘ocean’) it could be construed as a part of a kenning dynbrími glæs hræs ‘the crashing flame of the ocean of carrion [BLOOD > SWORD]’ (l. 6) (so Konráð Gíslason 1895-7 and NN §2823). — [6] hræs; glæs ‘of carrion; of the clear’: In R ‘hress’ and ‘gless’ have been altered to ‘hrę́ss’ and ‘glę́ss’ (R*).
glæs ‘of the clear’
(not checked:)
2. glær (adj.): splendid
[6] glæs (‘gles’): so Tˣ, U, ‘gless’ R, ‘glæss’ W
kennings
glugga glæs geðveggjar;‘the windows of the clear mind-wall; ’
= WOUNDS
the clear mind-wall; → BREAST
the windows of the BREAST → WOUNDS
notes
[6] glæs (m. or n. gen. sg.) ‘clear’: In the present edn this is an adj. qualifying geðveggjar ‘of the mind-wall’ (l. 5) (so also Skj B and SnE 2007). If taken as the noun glæs (m. gen. sg. of glær ‘ocean’) it could be construed as a part of a kenning dynbrími glæs hræs ‘the crashing flame of the ocean of carrion [BLOOD > SWORD]’ (l. 6) (so Konráð Gíslason 1895-7 and NN §2823). — [6] hræs; glæs ‘of carrion; of the clear’: In R ‘hress’ and ‘gless’ have been altered to ‘hrę́ss’ and ‘glę́ss’ (R*).
glæs ‘of the clear’
(not checked:)
2. glær (adj.): splendid
[6] glæs (‘gles’): so Tˣ, U, ‘gless’ R, ‘glæss’ W
kennings
glugga glæs geðveggjar;‘the windows of the clear mind-wall; ’
= WOUNDS
the clear mind-wall; → BREAST
the windows of the BREAST → WOUNDS
notes
[6] glæs (m. or n. gen. sg.) ‘clear’: In the present edn this is an adj. qualifying geðveggjar ‘of the mind-wall’ (l. 5) (so also Skj B and SnE 2007). If taken as the noun glæs (m. gen. sg. of glær ‘ocean’) it could be construed as a part of a kenning dynbrími glæs hræs ‘the crashing flame of the ocean of carrion [BLOOD > SWORD]’ (l. 6) (so Konráð Gíslason 1895-7 and NN §2823). — [6] hræs; glæs ‘of carrion; of the clear’: In R ‘hress’ and ‘gless’ have been altered to ‘hrę́ss’ and ‘glę́ss’ (R*).
glæs ‘of the clear’
(not checked:)
2. glær (adj.): splendid
[6] glæs (‘gles’): so Tˣ, U, ‘gless’ R, ‘glæss’ W
kennings
glugga glæs geðveggjar;‘the windows of the clear mind-wall; ’
= WOUNDS
the clear mind-wall; → BREAST
the windows of the BREAST → WOUNDS
notes
[6] glæs (m. or n. gen. sg.) ‘clear’: In the present edn this is an adj. qualifying geðveggjar ‘of the mind-wall’ (l. 5) (so also Skj B and SnE 2007). If taken as the noun glæs (m. gen. sg. of glær ‘ocean’) it could be construed as a part of a kenning dynbrími glæs hræs ‘the crashing flame of the ocean of carrion [BLOOD > SWORD]’ (l. 6) (so Konráð Gíslason 1895-7 and NN §2823). — [6] hræs; glæs ‘of carrion; of the clear’: In R ‘hress’ and ‘gless’ have been altered to ‘hrę́ss’ and ‘glę́ss’ (R*).
dyn ‘The crashing’
(not checked:)
dynr (noun m.; °dat. -; -ir): din < dynbrími (noun m.)
[6] dyn‑: dun‑ W
kennings
dynbrími hræs‘The crashing flame of carrion ’
= SWORD
The crashing flame of carrion → SWORD
brími ‘flame’
(not checked:)
brími (noun m.): fire < dynbrími (noun m.)
kennings
dynbrími hræs‘The crashing flame of carrion ’
= SWORD
The crashing flame of carrion → SWORD
hræs ‘of carrion’
(not checked:)
hræ (noun n.; °; -): corpse, carrion
[6] hræs (‘hres’): so U, hress R, Tˣ, ‘hræss’ W
kennings
dynbrími hræs‘The crashing flame of carrion ’
= SWORD
The crashing flame of carrion → SWORD
notes
[6] hræs; glæs ‘of carrion; of the clear’: In R ‘hress’ and ‘gless’ have been altered to ‘hrę́ss’ and ‘glę́ss’ (R*).
es ‘is’
(not checked:)
2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
notes
[7] es ‘is’: Altered to kann ‘can’ in R (R*).
hyrr ‘the fire’
(not checked:)
hyrr (noun m.): fire
kennings
hyrr hjaldrs‘the fire of battle ’
= SWORD
the fire of battle → SWORD
at ‘to’
(not checked:)
5. at (nota): to (with infinitive)
slétta ‘level’
(not checked:)
2. slétta (verb): [level, I smooth]
hjaldrs ‘of battle’
(not checked:)
1. hjaldr (noun m.): battle
kennings
hyrr hjaldrs‘the fire of battle ’
= SWORD
the fire of battle → SWORD
gnapturna ‘jutting towers’
(not checked:)
gnapturn (noun m.): [jutting towers]
kennings
gnapturna aldrs.‘jutting towers of life. ’
= HEADS
jutting towers of life. → HEADS
notes
[8] gnapturna aldrs ‘jutting towers of life [HEADS]’: For the word turn ‘tower’, see RvHbreiðm Hl 40/3.
aldrs ‘of life’
(not checked:)
aldr (noun m.; °aldrs, dat. aldri; aldrar): life, age
[8] aldrs: aldr W
kennings
gnapturna aldrs.‘jutting towers of life. ’
= HEADS
jutting towers of life. → HEADS
notes
[8] gnapturna aldrs ‘jutting towers of life [HEADS]’: For the word turn ‘tower’, see RvHbreiðm Hl 40/3.
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
|
Yggs drósar rýfr eisa |
The fire of Yggr’s <= Óðinn’s> woman [VALKYRIE > SWORD] rips the tents of the mind [CHESTS] of people; the burnished ember of Hlǫkk <valkyrie> [SWORD] leaps into the temples of the mind-meadow [BREAST > HEADS] of men. The crashing flame of carrion [SWORD] flashes through the windows of the clear mind-wall [BREAST > WOUNDS]; the fire of battle [SWORD] is whetted to level jutting towers of life [HEADS].
The variant is called inn meiri stúfr ‘the greater apocopated’, and in all the even lines the final syllable (in regular dróttkvætt) has been left off, making the lines pentasyllabic and catalectic (see st. 49 above).
It is noteworthy that all the base-words in the four kennings for ‘sword’ are terms for ‘fire’ (eisa ‘fire’, l. 1; glóð ‘ember’, l. 3; dynbrimi ‘crashing flame’, l. 6; hyrr ‘fire’, l. 7) and that the base-words in all the kennings for body parts are terms for man-made structures (tjǫld ‘tents’, l. 2; hof ‘temples’, l. 3; ‑veggjar ‘-wall’, l. 5; ‑turna ‘towers’, l. 8). If all these kennings are taken without their determinants, the stanza consists of four sentences depicting fire attacking buildings (or tents), i.e. a town being sacked (cf. the double layering of imagery in the previous stanza). — For this variant, see also Þórsnep LvIV and RvHbreiðm Hl 61-2 (alstýft ‘completely apocopated’). — The heading in Tˣ is inn meiri stúfr. 42 ‘the greater apocopated. 42’.
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