Þorbjǫrn hornklofi, Glymdrápa 8

[4] í bý sandmens ‘into the settlement by the shore-ring [SEA]’: (a) Sandmen ‘shore-ring’ corresponds to the numerous sea-kennings based on the pattern ‘ring of the earth’ (Meissner 94-5); sandr is taken to mean sandy shore here (as it appears to in l. 3); see LP: sandr 3. The settlement is not identified in the stanza and its location remains uncertain. Several scholars accept the Hkr identification with the Isle of Man, while others write of a non-localisable settlement on the sea. (b) Finnur Jónsson (1884, 76-8) was at first doubtful about sandmens because sandr usually denotes the sandy sea-floor, so he considers preferring the reading landmens ‘of the land-ring’ (J1ˣ, 54, Bb); but see Nj 1875-8, II, 966.

Close

mengs ‘’

Close

mens ‘ring’

(not checked:)
2. men (noun n.; °; dat. menjum): neck-ring < sandmen (noun n.)2. men (noun n.; °; dat. menjum): neck-ring < landmen (noun n.)

[4] sandmens: landmens J1ˣ, 54, Bb, land mengs J2ˣ

kennings

sandmens;
‘the shore-ring; ’
= SEA
the shore-ring; → SEA

notes

[4] í bý sandmens ‘into the settlement by the shore-ring [SEA]’: (a) Sandmen ‘shore-ring’ corresponds to the numerous sea-kennings based on the pattern ‘ring of the earth’ (Meissner 94-5); sandr is taken to mean sandy shore here (as it appears to in l. 3); see LP: sandr 3. The settlement is not identified in the stanza and its location remains uncertain. Several scholars accept the Hkr identification with the Isle of Man, while others write of a non-localisable settlement on the sea. (b) Finnur Jónsson (1884, 76-8) was at first doubtful about sandmens because sandr usually denotes the sandy sea-floor, so he considers preferring the reading landmens ‘of the land-ring’ (J1ˣ, 54, Bb); but see Nj 1875-8, II, 966.

Close

í ‘into’

(not checked:)
í (prep.): in, into

notes

[4] í bý sandmens ‘into the settlement by the shore-ring [SEA]’: (a) Sandmen ‘shore-ring’ corresponds to the numerous sea-kennings based on the pattern ‘ring of the earth’ (Meissner 94-5); sandr is taken to mean sandy shore here (as it appears to in l. 3); see LP: sandr 3. The settlement is not identified in the stanza and its location remains uncertain. Several scholars accept the Hkr identification with the Isle of Man, while others write of a non-localisable settlement on the sea. (b) Finnur Jónsson (1884, 76-8) was at first doubtful about sandmens because sandr usually denotes the sandy sea-floor, so he considers preferring the reading landmens ‘of the land-ring’ (J1ˣ, 54, Bb); but see Nj 1875-8, II, 966.

Close

gný ‘’

(not checked:)
gnýr (noun m.): din, tumult

Close

bý ‘the settlement’

(not checked:)
býr (noun m.; °býjar/bjár/bjór/bjárs, dat. -; gen. býa/bjá, dat. bjóm/bjám, acc. býi/býa/bjá): dwelling, down

[4] bý: gný 54, Bb

notes

[4] í bý sandmens ‘into the settlement by the shore-ring [SEA]’: (a) Sandmen ‘shore-ring’ corresponds to the numerous sea-kennings based on the pattern ‘ring of the earth’ (Meissner 94-5); sandr is taken to mean sandy shore here (as it appears to in l. 3); see LP: sandr 3. The settlement is not identified in the stanza and its location remains uncertain. Several scholars accept the Hkr identification with the Isle of Man, while others write of a non-localisable settlement on the sea. (b) Finnur Jónsson (1884, 76-8) was at first doubtful about sandmens because sandr usually denotes the sandy sea-floor, so he considers preferring the reading landmens ‘of the land-ring’ (J1ˣ, 54, Bb); but see Nj 1875-8, II, 966.

Close

randir ‘shields’

(not checked:)
rǫnd (noun f.; °dat. -/-u; rendr/randir): shield, shield-rim

Close

áðr ‘before’

(not checked:)
áðr (adv.; °//): before

notes

[5] áðr ‘before’: Whereas earlier commentators (Nj 1875-8, II, 384; Hkr 1893-1901, IV; Skj B) prefer a translation as adv. ‘earlier’ (see Note to [All] above), a consensus later develops that the word must be a conj. ‘before’ (LP: áðr; ÍF 26; NN §234 Anm.; von See 1977b, 68), particularly following Holtsmark’s study (1927, 51) of áðr-clauses. Moreover Hofmann (1978-9, 69) notes the importance of the position of the verb. When áðr appears as an adv., the verb follows it immediately, but as a conj. áðr calls for a verb-final construction.

Close

fyr ‘before’

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

Close

eljum ‘’

Close

æljan ‘’

Close

eljun ‘the mettle’

(not checked:)
eljun (noun f.; °eljunar): energy < eljunfróðr (adj.)eljun (noun f.; °eljunar): energy < eljun (noun f.): energy

[5] eljun‑: so F, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 761aˣ, ‘ælian‑’ Kˣ, ‘eljum‑’ 54, Bb

kennings

eljunfróðum þverri Skota.
‘the mettle-wise destroyer of Scots. ’
= Haraldr
the mettle-wise destroyer of Scots. → Haraldr

notes

[5] eljunfróðum ‘mettle-wise’: The adj. should be viewed as a copulative cpd, i.e. ‘mettlesome and wise’ rather than ‘wise in mettle’, as its semantic content results from the sum of its individual parts (Krahe and Meid 1969, 25). This is the reading of the main ms. Kˣ, and it is supported by margspakr ‘very wise’ in l. 2 (ÓT 1892, 350). The mss also offer a variant eljunprúðum which might be secondary (cf. Note to st. 6/8).

Close

prúðum ‘pround’

(not checked:)
prúðr (adj.; °superl. -astr): magnificent, proud < eljun (noun f.): energyprúðr (adj.; °superl. -astr): magnificent, proud

Close

fróðum ‘wise’

(not checked:)
fróðr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): wise < eljunfróðr (adj.)fróðr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): wisefróðr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): wise

[5] ‑fróðum: ‑prúðum J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 54, Bb, 761aˣ

kennings

eljunfróðum þverri Skota.
‘the mettle-wise destroyer of Scots. ’
= Haraldr
the mettle-wise destroyer of Scots. → Haraldr

notes

[5] eljunfróðum ‘mettle-wise’: The adj. should be viewed as a copulative cpd, i.e. ‘mettlesome and wise’ rather than ‘wise in mettle’, as its semantic content results from the sum of its individual parts (Krahe and Meid 1969, 25). This is the reading of the main ms. Kˣ, and it is supported by margspakr ‘very wise’ in l. 2 (ÓT 1892, 350). The mss also offer a variant eljunprúðum which might be secondary (cf. Note to st. 6/8).

Close

allr ‘all’

(not checked:)
allr (adj.): all

Close

herr ‘the host’

(not checked:)
herr (noun m.; °-s/-jar, dat. -; -jar, gen. -ja/herra): army, host

Close

Skota ‘of Scots’

(not checked:)
Skotr (noun m.): Scot

kennings

eljunfróðum þverri Skota.
‘the mettle-wise destroyer of Scots. ’
= Haraldr
the mettle-wise destroyer of Scots. → Haraldr

notes

[6] þverri Skota ‘the destroyer of Scots [= Haraldr]’: (a) Contrary to nearly all other eds, the present edn follows a suggestion of Hofmann (1978-9, 69-70) and assumes that the contiguous words Skota þverri form a kenning for Haraldr. This interpretation has the advantage of being compatible with herr varð flœja seið lǫgðis ‘the host had to flee from the incantation of the sword [BATTLE]’ in ms. Kˣ. (b) Other eds have chosen the reading eiðs ‘of the isthmus’ (761aˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ) instead of seið ‘incantation’ and combine it with lǫgðis ‘of the sword’ to form a shield-kenning ‘land of the sword’, which they further combine with þverri ‘destroyer’ to form a warrior-kenning (Nj 1875-8, II, 386, 388; ÓT 1892, 350; ÍF 26; von See 1977b, 68). However, a majority of mss have a form of seið (seið, seiðs, seiði), and it would be more likely for an original s- to be dropped here, where two s’s are in contact, than for one to have been inserted (Holtsmark 1927, 9).

Close

þverri ‘destroyer’

(not checked:)
þverrir (noun m.): diminisher

kennings

eljunfróðum þverri Skota.
‘the mettle-wise destroyer of Scots. ’
= Haraldr
the mettle-wise destroyer of Scots. → Haraldr

notes

[6] þverri Skota ‘the destroyer of Scots [= Haraldr]’: (a) Contrary to nearly all other eds, the present edn follows a suggestion of Hofmann (1978-9, 69-70) and assumes that the contiguous words Skota þverri form a kenning for Haraldr. This interpretation has the advantage of being compatible with herr varð flœja seið lǫgðis ‘the host had to flee from the incantation of the sword [BATTLE]’ in ms. Kˣ. (b) Other eds have chosen the reading eiðs ‘of the isthmus’ (761aˣ, J1ˣ, J2ˣ) instead of seið ‘incantation’ and combine it with lǫgðis ‘of the sword’ to form a shield-kenning ‘land of the sword’, which they further combine with þverri ‘destroyer’ to form a warrior-kenning (Nj 1875-8, II, 386, 388; ÓT 1892, 350; ÍF 26; von See 1977b, 68). However, a majority of mss have a form of seið (seið, seiðs, seiði), and it would be more likely for an original s- to be dropped here, where two s’s are in contact, than for one to have been inserted (Holtsmark 1927, 9).

Close

lǫgðis ‘of the sword’

(not checked:)
lǫgðir (noun m.): sword

kennings

seið lǫgðis
‘from the incantation of the sword ’
= BATTLE
from the incantation of the sword → BATTLE

Close

seiði ‘’

(not checked:)
1. seiðr (noun m.; °-s/-ar, dat. -i/-): spell, magic

Close

seiðs ‘’

(not checked:)
1. seiðr (noun m.; °-s/-ar, dat. -i/-): spell, magic

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eiðs ‘’

(not checked:)
eiðr (noun m.; °-s/-ar, dat. -i/-: -ar): oath

Close

seið ‘from the incantation’

(not checked:)
1. seiðr (noun m.; °-s/-ar, dat. -i/-): spell, magic

[7] seið: eiðs J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 761aˣ, seiðs 54, seiði Bb

kennings

seið lǫgðis
‘from the incantation of the sword ’
= BATTLE
from the incantation of the sword → BATTLE

Close

af ‘out of’

(not checked:)
af (prep.): from

Close

láði ‘the land’

(not checked:)
2. láð (noun n.): earth, land

kennings

láði lœbrautar
‘the land of the pollack-path ’
= ISLAND
the pollack-path → SEA
the land of the SEA → ISLAND

Close

lað ‘’

(not checked:)
2. láð (noun n.): earth, land < láðbraut (noun f.)

Close

lœ ‘of the pollack’

(not checked:)
lýr (noun m.): pollack, fish < lœbraut (noun f.)

[8] lœ‑: lað‑ 54, Bb

kennings

láði lœbrautar
‘the land of the pollack-path ’
= ISLAND
the pollack-path → SEA
the land of the SEA → ISLAND

notes

[8] lœbrautar ‘of the pollack-path [SEA]’: The first element of the cpd has been subject to various interpretations: (a) Lœ- as from lœr, lýr ‘pollack’; lœbraut ‘pollack-path’ is then a sea-kenning which combines with láð ‘land’ to form an island-kenning (Nj 1875-8, II, 386-7; ÓT 1892, 350; ÍF 26; von See 1977b, 68; Hofmann 1978-9, 70; Hkr 1991 and this edn). The word form lœ- seems to be unique. Elsewhere the word appears as lýr, often as a determinant in sea-kennings, as in lýbraut ‘pollack-path’ in Þuríðr Lv 1/5^V (Heið 4), an exact parallel to the present kenning; see also LP: lýr. The form lœ- cannot be explained easily. It could be regarded as poetic licence and an attempt to adapt the word to the inf. flœja ‘flee’. Alternatively, lýbraut and flýja might originally have formed the aðalhending, then, since both flýja and flœja existed as derivatives of Gmc fliuhan (ANG §§98.2, 230.2, 488 Anm. 2, 513 Anm. 3) flœja could have replaced flýja, which in turn would have caused the change from lý- to lœ- in order to preserve the aðalhending. (b) Læ ‘harm, deceit, woe’. As læbraut ‘path of harm’, this cpd has been arranged into various kennings with lǫgðis (s)eiðs (see Meissner 74; Holtsmark 1927, 9-11; Fidjestøl 1982, 79-80). The complexity of these kennings makes each of them doubtful, however, and more importantly læ- could not form an exact aðalhending with flœja in the C10th.

Close

lœ ‘of the pollack’

(not checked:)
lýr (noun m.): pollack, fish < lœbraut (noun f.)

[8] lœ‑: lað‑ 54, Bb

kennings

láði lœbrautar
‘the land of the pollack-path ’
= ISLAND
the pollack-path → SEA
the land of the SEA → ISLAND

notes

[8] lœbrautar ‘of the pollack-path [SEA]’: The first element of the cpd has been subject to various interpretations: (a) Lœ- as from lœr, lýr ‘pollack’; lœbraut ‘pollack-path’ is then a sea-kenning which combines with láð ‘land’ to form an island-kenning (Nj 1875-8, II, 386-7; ÓT 1892, 350; ÍF 26; von See 1977b, 68; Hofmann 1978-9, 70; Hkr 1991 and this edn). The word form lœ- seems to be unique. Elsewhere the word appears as lýr, often as a determinant in sea-kennings, as in lýbraut ‘pollack-path’ in Þuríðr Lv 1/5^V (Heið 4), an exact parallel to the present kenning; see also LP: lýr. The form lœ- cannot be explained easily. It could be regarded as poetic licence and an attempt to adapt the word to the inf. flœja ‘flee’. Alternatively, lýbraut and flýja might originally have formed the aðalhending, then, since both flýja and flœja existed as derivatives of Gmc fliuhan (ANG §§98.2, 230.2, 488 Anm. 2, 513 Anm. 3) flœja could have replaced flýja, which in turn would have caused the change from lý- to lœ- in order to preserve the aðalhending. (b) Læ ‘harm, deceit, woe’. As læbraut ‘path of harm’, this cpd has been arranged into various kennings with lǫgðis (s)eiðs (see Meissner 74; Holtsmark 1927, 9-11; Fidjestøl 1982, 79-80). The complexity of these kennings makes each of them doubtful, however, and more importantly læ- could not form an exact aðalhending with flœja in the C10th.

Close

brautar ‘path’

(not checked:)
1. braut (noun f.; °dat. -/-u; -ir): path, way; away < lœbraut (noun f.)1. braut (noun f.; °dat. -/-u; -ir): path, way; away < láðbraut (noun f.)

kennings

láði lœbrautar
‘the land of the pollack-path ’
= ISLAND
the pollack-path → SEA
the land of the SEA → ISLAND

notes

[8] lœbrautar ‘of the pollack-path [SEA]’: The first element of the cpd has been subject to various interpretations: (a) Lœ- as from lœr, lýr ‘pollack’; lœbraut ‘pollack-path’ is then a sea-kenning which combines with láð ‘land’ to form an island-kenning (Nj 1875-8, II, 386-7; ÓT 1892, 350; ÍF 26; von See 1977b, 68; Hofmann 1978-9, 70; Hkr 1991 and this edn). The word form lœ- seems to be unique. Elsewhere the word appears as lýr, often as a determinant in sea-kennings, as in lýbraut ‘pollack-path’ in Þuríðr Lv 1/5^V (Heið 4), an exact parallel to the present kenning; see also LP: lýr. The form lœ- cannot be explained easily. It could be regarded as poetic licence and an attempt to adapt the word to the inf. flœja ‘flee’. Alternatively, lýbraut and flýja might originally have formed the aðalhending, then, since both flýja and flœja existed as derivatives of Gmc fliuhan (ANG §§98.2, 230.2, 488 Anm. 2, 513 Anm. 3) flœja could have replaced flýja, which in turn would have caused the change from lý- to lœ- in order to preserve the aðalhending. (b) Læ ‘harm, deceit, woe’. As læbraut ‘path of harm’, this cpd has been arranged into various kennings with lǫgðis (s)eiðs (see Meissner 74; Holtsmark 1927, 9-11; Fidjestøl 1982, 79-80). The complexity of these kennings makes each of them doubtful, however, and more importantly læ- could not form an exact aðalhending with flœja in the C10th.

Close

brautar ‘path’

(not checked:)
1. braut (noun f.; °dat. -/-u; -ir): path, way; away < lœbraut (noun f.)1. braut (noun f.; °dat. -/-u; -ir): path, way; away < láðbraut (noun f.)

kennings

láði lœbrautar
‘the land of the pollack-path ’
= ISLAND
the pollack-path → SEA
the land of the SEA → ISLAND

notes

[8] lœbrautar ‘of the pollack-path [SEA]’: The first element of the cpd has been subject to various interpretations: (a) Lœ- as from lœr, lýr ‘pollack’; lœbraut ‘pollack-path’ is then a sea-kenning which combines with láð ‘land’ to form an island-kenning (Nj 1875-8, II, 386-7; ÓT 1892, 350; ÍF 26; von See 1977b, 68; Hofmann 1978-9, 70; Hkr 1991 and this edn). The word form lœ- seems to be unique. Elsewhere the word appears as lýr, often as a determinant in sea-kennings, as in lýbraut ‘pollack-path’ in Þuríðr Lv 1/5^V (Heið 4), an exact parallel to the present kenning; see also LP: lýr. The form lœ- cannot be explained easily. It could be regarded as poetic licence and an attempt to adapt the word to the inf. flœja ‘flee’. Alternatively, lýbraut and flýja might originally have formed the aðalhending, then, since both flýja and flœja existed as derivatives of Gmc fliuhan (ANG §§98.2, 230.2, 488 Anm. 2, 513 Anm. 3) flœja could have replaced flýja, which in turn would have caused the change from lý- to lœ- in order to preserve the aðalhending. (b) Læ ‘harm, deceit, woe’. As læbraut ‘path of harm’, this cpd has been arranged into various kennings with lǫgðis (s)eiðs (see Meissner 74; Holtsmark 1927, 9-11; Fidjestøl 1982, 79-80). The complexity of these kennings makes each of them doubtful, however, and more importantly læ- could not form an exact aðalhending with flœja in the C10th.

Close

var ‘’

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

Close

varð ‘had’

(not checked:)
1. verða (verb): become, be

[8] varð: var Bb

Close

flegja ‘’

Close

flœja ‘to flee’

(not checked:)
flœja (verb): flee

[8] flœja: ‘flegia’ J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 761aˣ

Close

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Þhorn Gldr 8I

Men ‘ring’

kennings

fergir ‘destroyer’

kennings

bar ‘bore’

margar ‘many’

marg ‘The very’

kennings

spakar ‘’

spakr ‘wise’

kennings

viðar ‘’

Niðar ‘of Nidelven’

kennings

Niðar ‘of Nidelven’

kennings

varga ‘of the wolves’

kennings

varga ‘of the wolves’

kennings

lund ‘’

lunds ‘’

lundr ‘the tree’

kennings

vann ‘made’

sókn ‘an attack’

á ‘upon’

landi ‘’

sandi ‘the shore’

land ‘’

land ‘’

sand ‘the shore’

kennings

notes

mengs ‘’

mens ‘ring’

kennings

notes

í ‘into’

notes

gný ‘’

bý ‘the settlement’

notes

randir ‘shields’

áðr ‘before’

notes

fyr ‘before’

eljum ‘’

æljan ‘’

eljun ‘the mettle’

kennings

notes

prúðum ‘pround’

fróðum ‘wise’

kennings

notes

allr ‘all’

herr ‘the host’

Skota ‘of Scots’

kennings

notes

þverri ‘destroyer’

kennings

notes

lǫgðis ‘of the sword’

kennings

seiði ‘’

seiðs ‘’

eiðs ‘’

seið ‘from the incantation’

kennings

af ‘out of’

láði ‘the land’

kennings

lað ‘’

lœ ‘of the pollack’

kennings

notes

Þhorn Gldr 8^I