Þhorn Gldr 7I
Edith Marold (ed.) 2012, ‘Þorbjǫrn hornklofi, Glymdrápa 7’ 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. 87.
Ríks ‘of the mighty’
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ríkr (adj.): mighty, powerful, rich
notes
[1] ríks ‘mighty’: The adj. qualifies þjóðkonungs ‘mighty king’ in l. 4. This creates a tension that spans the entire helmingr and especially emphasizes the power of the king (cf. Engster 1983, 180; Kuhn 1983, 283).
þreifsk ‘swelled’
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þreifa (verb): feel with hand
reiddra ‘of the swung’
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2. reiða (verb): carry
øxa ‘axes’
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øx (noun f.; °øxar/exar, dat. øxi/exi, acc. øxi/øx; -ar): axe
rymr ‘The roar’
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rymr (noun m.): roar
knôttu ‘’
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knega (verb): to know, understand, be able to
spjǫr ‘spears’
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spjǫr (noun n.): spear
glymja ‘resounded’
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glymja (verb): resound
svart ‘black’
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svartr (adj.): black < svartskyggðr (adj./verb p.p.)
notes
[3, 4] svartskyggð sverð ‘black-polished swords’: As Holtsmark (1927, 42-3) assumes, svartskyggð may refer to the special technique of pattern welding, by which sword blades were forged out of two metals, one harder and one softer, which upon polishing yielded varied patterns and gave the sword additional strength and flexibility (see Ypey 1984; Pedersen 2004, 593). Such swords were extremely valuable and were sometimes acquired from abroad.
skyggð ‘polished’
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skyggðr (adj./verb p.p.): [polished, shining] < svartskyggðr (adj./verb p.p.)
notes
[3, 4] svartskyggð sverð ‘black-polished swords’: As Holtsmark (1927, 42-3) assumes, svartskyggð may refer to the special technique of pattern welding, by which sword blades were forged out of two metals, one harder and one softer, which upon polishing yielded varied patterns and gave the sword additional strength and flexibility (see Ypey 1984; Pedersen 2004, 593). Such swords were extremely valuable and were sometimes acquired from abroad.
bitu ‘bit’
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bíta (verb; °bítr; beit, bitu; bitinn): bite
seggi ‘men’
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seggr (noun m.; °; -ir): man
sverð ‘swords’
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sverð (noun n.; °-s; -): sword
notes
[3, 4] svartskyggð sverð ‘black-polished swords’: As Holtsmark (1927, 42-3) assumes, svartskyggð may refer to the special technique of pattern welding, by which sword blades were forged out of two metals, one harder and one softer, which upon polishing yielded varied patterns and gave the sword additional strength and flexibility (see Ypey 1984; Pedersen 2004, 593). Such swords were extremely valuable and were sometimes acquired from abroad.
þjóð ‘’
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þjóð (noun f.; °-ar, dat. -/-u; -ir): people < þjóðkonungr (noun m.): mighty king
konungs ‘king’s’
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konungr (noun m.; °dat. -i, -s; -ar): king < þjóðkonungr (noun m.): mighty king
ferðir ‘’
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ferð (noun f.; °-ar; -ir/-arMork 196¹²)): host, journey
ferðar ‘army’
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ferð (noun f.; °-ar; -ir/-arMork 196¹²)): host, journey
[4] ferðar: ferðir 761aˣ
þás ‘when’
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þás (conj.): when
hugfyldra ‘of courageous’
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hugfyldr (adj.): courageous
hǫlða ‘men’
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hǫlðr (noun m.; °-s; -ar): man
hlaut ‘gained’
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hljóta (verb): alot, gain
andskoti ‘the adversary’
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andskoti (noun m.; °-a; -ar): enemy, devil
kennings
andskoti Gauta‘the adversary of the Gautar ’
= Haraldr
the adversary of the Gautar → Haraldr
notes
[6] andskoti Gauta ‘the adversary of the Gautar [= Haraldr]’: As Modéer (1944a, 209) notes, this need not refer to the battle depicted here, and so does not constitute proof that Haraldr attacked Gautland; cf. Note to st. 6/2.
ár ‘’
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4. ár (adv.): of yore, previously, early
Gauta ‘of the Gautar’
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Gautar (noun m.): Gautar, Geats
kennings
andskoti Gauta‘the adversary of the Gautar ’
= Haraldr
the adversary of the Gautar → Haraldr
notes
[6] andskoti Gauta ‘the adversary of the Gautar [= Haraldr]’: As Modéer (1944a, 209) notes, this need not refer to the battle depicted here, and so does not constitute proof that Haraldr attacked Gautland; cf. Note to st. 6/2.
hôr ‘loud’
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3. hár (adj.; °-van; compar. hǽrri, superl. hǽstr): high
[7] hôr: so F, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 761aˣ, ár Kˣ
sǫng ‘’
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sǫngr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -vi/-; -var): song
vas ‘was’
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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
sǫngr ‘the song’
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sǫngr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -vi/-; -var): song
[7] sǫngr: sǫng J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 761aˣ
notes
[7, 8] sǫngr flugbeiddra vigra ‘the song of flight-driven spears’: This could be regarded as a kenning, because it fits the pattern ‘song, noise of weapons’ (Meissner 186-9, 196-7). However, the predicative adj. hôr ‘loud’ here favours a literal understanding of the phrase. Flugbeiddr ‘flight-driven, shot’ is lit. ‘flight-demanded’.
of ‘over’
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3. of (prep.): around, from; too
svírum ‘the necks’
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svíri (noun m.; °-a; -ar): neck
flaug ‘’
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flaug (noun f.): flight < flaugbeiddr (adj.)
sigr ‘victory’
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sigr (noun m.; °sigrs/sigrar, dat. sigri; sigrar): victory
flug ‘of flight’
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2. flug (noun n.): flight, ?precipice < flugbeiddr (adj.)
[8] flug‑: ‘flꜹg‑’ J2ˣ
notes
[7, 8] sǫngr flugbeiddra vigra ‘the song of flight-driven spears’: This could be regarded as a kenning, because it fits the pattern ‘song, noise of weapons’ (Meissner 186-9, 196-7). However, the predicative adj. hôr ‘loud’ here favours a literal understanding of the phrase. Flugbeiddr ‘flight-driven, shot’ is lit. ‘flight-demanded’.
beiddra ‘driven’
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-beiddr (adj.): [driven] < flugbeiddr (adj.)-beiddr (adj.): [driven] < flaugbeiddr (adj.)
notes
[7, 8] sǫngr flugbeiddra vigra ‘the song of flight-driven spears’: This could be regarded as a kenning, because it fits the pattern ‘song, noise of weapons’ (Meissner 186-9, 196-7). However, the predicative adj. hôr ‘loud’ here favours a literal understanding of the phrase. Flugbeiddr ‘flight-driven, shot’ is lit. ‘flight-demanded’.
vigra ‘spears’
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3. vigr (noun f.): spear
notes
[7, 8] sǫngr flugbeiddra vigra ‘the song of flight-driven spears’: This could be regarded as a kenning, because it fits the pattern ‘song, noise of weapons’ (Meissner 186-9, 196-7). However, the predicative adj. hôr ‘loud’ here favours a literal understanding of the phrase. Flugbeiddr ‘flight-driven, shot’ is lit. ‘flight-demanded’.
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
The Gautar resist Haraldr with a large force, but finally succumb to him.
[1-4]: The arrangement of the sentences in this helmingr is guided by Kuhn (1969b, 68), who points out that the verb in the main clause of a helmingr usually occupies the second position. — [5-8]: Kock proposes to simplify the syntax by conjoining hugfyldra hǫlða (l. 5) and sigr (l. 8), hence either an objective gen. ‘victory over the courageous men’ (so NN §234) or a gen. of the subject ‘victory of the courageous men’ (so NN §816 Anm. 2). Reichardt (1928, 105 n. 69) is correct to oppose either simplification for stylistic reasons.
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