Anon Líkn 16VII
George S. Tate (ed.) 2007, ‘Anonymous Poems, Líknarbraut 16’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 247-8.
Nisti ‘nailed’
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2. nista (verb): pierce, nail
notes
[1] nisti ‘nailed, pinned’: The verb is often used in the sense of ‘to pin, transfix’ with a spear or arrow, which is consonant with the warrior imagery of the st. Except in 32/4 nista does not appear to be used of the Crucifixion elsewhere in ON until late medieval poetry: see Píslargrátur 37/4, Krossvísur I, 9/3 and 40/4 and Krossvísur II, 8/3-4 (ÍM I.2, 204, 254, 260, 263).
ferð ‘host’
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ferð (noun f.; °-ar; -ir/-arMork 196¹²)): host, journey
í ‘in’
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í (prep.): in, into
notes
[1] í frosti ‘in the frost’: LP translates as ved vintertid ‘in winter-time’, but winter does not square well with the season of Holy Week. Coldness is often glossed in a moral sense as infidelity or as malice or absence of charity (see Hill 1968, 522-32); cf. the prayer in the OIcel. ember-days homily that God might drive grimléics frost ‘the frost of cruelty’ from our hearts (HómÍsl 1993, 17r; HómÍsl 1872, 36). Later poetry extends the moral sense, e.g. frost glæpa ‘frost of sins’ Lil 81/8; related is C15th jockul synda ‘glacier of sins’ Máríublóm 3/8 (ÍM I.2, 173). Closest to Líkn, in the context of Passion narrative, is the late medieval Niðrstv 19/5, which refers to Christ’s being beaten bædi j grimd ok frosti ‘both in fierceness and frost’ (ibid. 228).
frosti ‘the frost’
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frost (noun n.): frost
notes
[1] í frosti ‘in the frost’: LP translates as ved vintertid ‘in winter-time’, but winter does not square well with the season of Holy Week. Coldness is often glossed in a moral sense as infidelity or as malice or absence of charity (see Hill 1968, 522-32); cf. the prayer in the OIcel. ember-days homily that God might drive grimléics frost ‘the frost of cruelty’ from our hearts (HómÍsl 1993, 17r; HómÍsl 1872, 36). Later poetry extends the moral sense, e.g. frost glæpa ‘frost of sins’ Lil 81/8; related is C15th jockul synda ‘glacier of sins’ Máríublóm 3/8 (ÍM I.2, 173). Closest to Líkn, in the context of Passion narrative, is the late medieval Niðrstv 19/5, which refers to Christ’s being beaten bædi j grimd ok frosti ‘both in fierceness and frost’ (ibid. 228).
fár ‘A harm’
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2. fár (noun n.; °-s): harm, danger < fárlundaðr (adj./verb p.p.)
lunduð ‘minded’
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lundaðr (adj./verb p.p.): minded < fárlundaðr (adj./verb p.p.)
við ‘to’
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2. við (prep.): with, against
tré ‘the tree’
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tré (noun n.; °-s; tré/trjó, gen. trjá, dat. trjóm/trjám): tree
sáran ‘wounded’
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sárr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): sore, painful; wounded
vasa ‘was not’
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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
notes
[3] vasa ‘was not’: Both B and 399a-bˣ read ‘vara’; the older form vasa is required by skothending with písla, but contrast the ertu : hjarta rhyme at 40/5.
hann ‘he’
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hann (pron.; °gen. hans, dat. honum; f. hon, gen. hennar, acc. hana): he, she, it, they, them...
verðugr ‘deserving’
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verðugr (adj.): deserving, worthy
písla ‘of torment’
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písl (noun f.; °-ar; -ir/-ar(Maurit 650²²)): torture
várn ‘our’
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várr (pron.; °f. ór/vár; pl. órir/várir): our
græðara ‘Saviour’
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grœðari (noun m.): saviour, healer
járnum ‘with irons’
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járn (noun n.; °-s; -): iron, weapon
Glymr ‘clanging’
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glymr (noun m.): noise
varð ‘was’
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1. verða (verb): become, be
hár ‘High’
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3. hár (adj.; °-van; compar. hǽrri, superl. hǽstr): high
af ‘from’
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af (prep.): from
hömrum ‘hammers’
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1. hamarr (noun m.; °-s, dat. hamri; hamrar): hammer, cliff
notes
[4] hömrum ‘hammers’: Lindow 1994, 493 notes as rare this use of hamarr in a context that does not involve Þórr, where it is typically a weapon rather than hammer per se.
heyrðr ‘heard’
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2. heyra (verb): hear
þá ‘’
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2. þá (adv.): then
er ‘when’
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2. er (conj.): who, which, when
nagla ‘nails’
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nagl (noun m.; °dat. -i; negl): nail
keyrðu ‘drove’
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keyra (verb): drive, whip, fling
[6] keyrðu: ‘keyr[...]’ B, ‘keyṛð̣ụ’ 399a‑bˣ
hjálms ‘of the helmet’
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1. hjalmr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): helmet
kennings
hjálms gnýviðir‘din-trees of the helmet’
= WARRIORS
the din of the helmet → BATTLE
the trees of of the BATTLE → WARRIORS
notes
[7] hjálms gnýviðir ‘trees of the din of the helmet [lit. din-trees of the helmet] [BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: The kenning draws together each dominant image of the st.: the glymr ‘clanging’ of the hammers, the tree (tré) of the Cross, and the hilmir ‘prince [lit. helmet-granter]’ who is Christ. The relationship of hjálms ‘helmet’s’ and hilmi ‘prince, helmeter’ at either end of the l. is underscored not only by alliteration but also through polyptoton, the close repetition of a word or stem but in different form. Cf. Glúmr Gráf 4/1I.
hjálms ‘of the helmet’
(not checked:)
1. hjalmr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): helmet
kennings
hjálms gnýviðir‘din-trees of the helmet’
= WARRIORS
the din of the helmet → BATTLE
the trees of of the BATTLE → WARRIORS
notes
[7] hjálms gnýviðir ‘trees of the din of the helmet [lit. din-trees of the helmet] [BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: The kenning draws together each dominant image of the st.: the glymr ‘clanging’ of the hammers, the tree (tré) of the Cross, and the hilmir ‘prince [lit. helmet-granter]’ who is Christ. The relationship of hjálms ‘helmet’s’ and hilmi ‘prince, helmeter’ at either end of the l. is underscored not only by alliteration but also through polyptoton, the close repetition of a word or stem but in different form. Cf. Glúmr Gráf 4/1I.
gný ‘the din’
(not checked:)
gnýr (noun m.): din, tumult < gnýviðr (noun m.)
kennings
hjálms gnýviðir‘din-trees of the helmet’
= WARRIORS
the din of the helmet → BATTLE
the trees of of the BATTLE → WARRIORS
notes
[7] hjálms gnýviðir ‘trees of the din of the helmet [lit. din-trees of the helmet] [BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: The kenning draws together each dominant image of the st.: the glymr ‘clanging’ of the hammers, the tree (tré) of the Cross, and the hilmir ‘prince [lit. helmet-granter]’ who is Christ. The relationship of hjálms ‘helmet’s’ and hilmi ‘prince, helmeter’ at either end of the l. is underscored not only by alliteration but also through polyptoton, the close repetition of a word or stem but in different form. Cf. Glúmr Gráf 4/1I.
gný ‘the din’
(not checked:)
gnýr (noun m.): din, tumult < gnýviðr (noun m.)
kennings
hjálms gnýviðir‘din-trees of the helmet’
= WARRIORS
the din of the helmet → BATTLE
the trees of of the BATTLE → WARRIORS
notes
[7] hjálms gnýviðir ‘trees of the din of the helmet [lit. din-trees of the helmet] [BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: The kenning draws together each dominant image of the st.: the glymr ‘clanging’ of the hammers, the tree (tré) of the Cross, and the hilmir ‘prince [lit. helmet-granter]’ who is Christ. The relationship of hjálms ‘helmet’s’ and hilmi ‘prince, helmeter’ at either end of the l. is underscored not only by alliteration but also through polyptoton, the close repetition of a word or stem but in different form. Cf. Glúmr Gráf 4/1I.
viðir ‘the trees of’
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1. viðr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. -i/-; -ir, acc. -u/-i): wood, tree < gnýviðr (noun m.)
kennings
hjálms gnýviðir‘din-trees of the helmet’
= WARRIORS
the din of the helmet → BATTLE
the trees of of the BATTLE → WARRIORS
notes
[7] hjálms gnýviðir ‘trees of the din of the helmet [lit. din-trees of the helmet] [BATTLE > WARRIORS]’: The kenning draws together each dominant image of the st.: the glymr ‘clanging’ of the hammers, the tree (tré) of the Cross, and the hilmir ‘prince [lit. helmet-granter]’ who is Christ. The relationship of hjálms ‘helmet’s’ and hilmi ‘prince, helmeter’ at either end of the l. is underscored not only by alliteration but also through polyptoton, the close repetition of a word or stem but in different form. Cf. Glúmr Gráf 4/1I.
hilmi ‘of the prince’
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hilmir (noun m.): prince, protector
kennings
hilmi hófs.‘of the prince of moderation.’
= VIRTUOUS RULER = Christ
the prince of moderation. → VIRTUOUS RULER = Christ
notes
[7, 8] hilmi hófs ‘of the prince of moderation [VIRTUOUS RULER = Christ]’: Etymologically hilmir ‘prince’ means ‘helmeter’; with reference to Christ this may also have a religious sense, for Eph. VI.17 exhorts men to put on the galea salutis ‘helmet of salvation’. Christ’s ‘moderation’ (hóf) contrasts with the extremes of frost and loud ringing.
hófs ‘of moderation’
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2. hóf (noun n.; °-s; gen. -a): moderation, reason
kennings
hilmi hófs.‘of the prince of moderation.’
= VIRTUOUS RULER = Christ
the prince of moderation. → VIRTUOUS RULER = Christ
notes
[7, 8] hilmi hófs ‘of the prince of moderation [VIRTUOUS RULER = Christ]’: Etymologically hilmir ‘prince’ means ‘helmeter’; with reference to Christ this may also have a religious sense, for Eph. VI.17 exhorts men to put on the galea salutis ‘helmet of salvation’. Christ’s ‘moderation’ (hóf) contrasts with the extremes of frost and loud ringing.
í ‘into’
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í (prep.): in, into
ristr ‘the insteps’
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2. rist (noun f.; °; ristr): [insteps]
ok ‘and’
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
lófa ‘palms’
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lófi (noun m.; °-a; -ar): palm of hand
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
|
Nisti ferð í frosti |
A harm-minded host nailed our wounded Saviour with irons to the tree in the frost; he was not deserving of torment. High clanging was heard from hammers, when the trees of the din of the helmet [(lit. ‘din-trees of the helmet’) BATTLE > WARRIORS] drove nails into the insteps and palms of the prince of moderation [VIRTUOUS RULER = Christ].
[7-8]: cf. Anon Mgr 15 1/2: ... hilmi sólar | hófu, enn keyrðu í ristr ok lófa.
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