Anon Líkn 34VII
George S. Tate (ed.) 2007, ‘Anonymous Poems, Líknarbraut 34’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 266-8.
Stigi ‘a ladder’
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stigi (noun m.; °-a; -ar): [a ladder, ladder]
nefniz ‘are called’
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2. nefna (verb): mention, name, call
þú ‘You’
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þú (pron.; °gen. þín, dat. þér, acc. þik): you
stafna ‘of stems’
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stafn (noun m.; °dat. -i/-; -ar): prow
notes
[2-3] smíði stafna stálfríðundum ‘a smith-work of prows for stem-adorners [SEAFARERS]’: The nautical image looks back to the Cross as ship in the preceding st. Probably because the phrase seems to refer twice to the same thing – according to LP: stafn and stál can both mean prow – Skj B emends to stafna stóðríðǫndum ‘for riders of prow-horses [SHIPS > SEAFARERS]’ (cf. LP: stálfríðandi), a change NN §1395 rejects, arguing that stál is part of, not synonymous with, stafn. This distinction is confirmed by Falk 1912, 36 and 84; stál is the rising keel beam or beak of the prow, stafn the stem, or prow deck. Cf. Jesch 2001a, 145 and 150, who observes that stafn is the generic term for either end of a viking ship and cites skaldic examples supporting Falk’s interpretation of stál as the stem-post of the prow or fore-stem. Sveinbjörn Egilsson 1844, 45, followed by Rydberg 1907, 51, combines stál with smíði by means of tmesis: i.e., ‘a steel/sturdy [firmissima] structure for adorners of prows’ (LP (1860): stál-smiði). The interpretation here accords with a suggestion of Edith Marold, that images of the Cross might have decorated the prows of Scandinavian ships; thus the Cross could be described as smíði stafna ‘a smith-work of prows’ for sailors who used it to decorate their ships, so ‘stem-adorners’ (stálfríðundum).
stál ‘for prow’
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1. stál (noun n.; °-s; -): steel, weapon, prow < stálfríðandi (noun m.)
kennings
stálfríðundum;‘for prow-adorners; ’
= SEAFARERS
for prow-adorners; → SEAFARERS
notes
[2-3] smíði stafna stálfríðundum ‘a smith-work of prows for stem-adorners [SEAFARERS]’: The nautical image looks back to the Cross as ship in the preceding st. Probably because the phrase seems to refer twice to the same thing – according to LP: stafn and stál can both mean prow – Skj B emends to stafna stóðríðǫndum ‘for riders of prow-horses [SHIPS > SEAFARERS]’ (cf. LP: stálfríðandi), a change NN §1395 rejects, arguing that stál is part of, not synonymous with, stafn. This distinction is confirmed by Falk 1912, 36 and 84; stál is the rising keel beam or beak of the prow, stafn the stem, or prow deck. Cf. Jesch 2001a, 145 and 150, who observes that stafn is the generic term for either end of a viking ship and cites skaldic examples supporting Falk’s interpretation of stál as the stem-post of the prow or fore-stem. Sveinbjörn Egilsson 1844, 45, followed by Rydberg 1907, 51, combines stál with smíði by means of tmesis: i.e., ‘a steel/sturdy [firmissima] structure for adorners of prows’ (LP (1860): stál-smiði). The interpretation here accords with a suggestion of Edith Marold, that images of the Cross might have decorated the prows of Scandinavian ships; thus the Cross could be described as smíði stafna ‘a smith-work of prows’ for sailors who used it to decorate their ships, so ‘stem-adorners’ (stálfríðundum).
fríðundum ‘adorners’
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fríðandi (noun m.): adorner < stálfríðandi (noun m.)
kennings
stálfríðundum;‘for prow-adorners; ’
= SEAFARERS
for prow-adorners; → SEAFARERS
notes
[2-3] smíði stafna stálfríðundum ‘a smith-work of prows for stem-adorners [SEAFARERS]’: The nautical image looks back to the Cross as ship in the preceding st. Probably because the phrase seems to refer twice to the same thing – according to LP: stafn and stál can both mean prow – Skj B emends to stafna stóðríðǫndum ‘for riders of prow-horses [SHIPS > SEAFARERS]’ (cf. LP: stálfríðandi), a change NN §1395 rejects, arguing that stál is part of, not synonymous with, stafn. This distinction is confirmed by Falk 1912, 36 and 84; stál is the rising keel beam or beak of the prow, stafn the stem, or prow deck. Cf. Jesch 2001a, 145 and 150, who observes that stafn is the generic term for either end of a viking ship and cites skaldic examples supporting Falk’s interpretation of stál as the stem-post of the prow or fore-stem. Sveinbjörn Egilsson 1844, 45, followed by Rydberg 1907, 51, combines stál with smíði by means of tmesis: i.e., ‘a steel/sturdy [firmissima] structure for adorners of prows’ (LP (1860): stál-smiði). The interpretation here accords with a suggestion of Edith Marold, that images of the Cross might have decorated the prows of Scandinavian ships; thus the Cross could be described as smíði stafna ‘a smith-work of prows’ for sailors who used it to decorate their ships, so ‘stem-adorners’ (stálfríðundum).
smíði ‘a smith-work’
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2. smíði (noun n.; °-s; -): well-made, -crafted
notes
[2-3] smíði stafna stálfríðundum ‘a smith-work of prows for stem-adorners [SEAFARERS]’: The nautical image looks back to the Cross as ship in the preceding st. Probably because the phrase seems to refer twice to the same thing – according to LP: stafn and stál can both mean prow – Skj B emends to stafna stóðríðǫndum ‘for riders of prow-horses [SHIPS > SEAFARERS]’ (cf. LP: stálfríðandi), a change NN §1395 rejects, arguing that stál is part of, not synonymous with, stafn. This distinction is confirmed by Falk 1912, 36 and 84; stál is the rising keel beam or beak of the prow, stafn the stem, or prow deck. Cf. Jesch 2001a, 145 and 150, who observes that stafn is the generic term for either end of a viking ship and cites skaldic examples supporting Falk’s interpretation of stál as the stem-post of the prow or fore-stem. Sveinbjörn Egilsson 1844, 45, followed by Rydberg 1907, 51, combines stál with smíði by means of tmesis: i.e., ‘a steel/sturdy [firmissima] structure for adorners of prows’ (LP (1860): stál-smiði). The interpretation here accords with a suggestion of Edith Marold, that images of the Cross might have decorated the prows of Scandinavian ships; thus the Cross could be described as smíði stafna ‘a smith-work of prows’ for sailors who used it to decorate their ships, so ‘stem-adorners’ (stálfríðundum).
traustr ‘trusty’
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traustr (adj.): trusty
[3] traustr: ‘trau[...]r’ B, traụṣṭṛ 399a‑bˣ
notes
[3] traustr ‘trusty’: Restoration based upon 399a-bˣ, supported by skothending. The m. sg. adj. modifies stigi ‘ladder’. Though Skj A acknowledges the trace of <r> in a note, it is not included in the diplomatic text; hence Skj B and Skald emend unnecessarily to n. traust for agreement with smíði ‘smith-work’, construed here as appositive.
af ‘on account of’
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af (prep.): from
tvennrar ‘of twofold’
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tvennr (adj.): two
ástar ‘love’
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ást (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): love
tek ‘take’
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2. taka (verb): take
ek ‘I’
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ek (pron.; °mín, dat. mér, acc. mik): I, me
minni ‘remembrance’
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1. minni (noun n.; °-s; -): memory
kinnum ‘side-poles’
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kinn (noun f.; °dat. -/-u; kinnr/kiðr): cheek
notes
[4] kinnum (dat. pl.) ‘side-poles’: Lit. ‘cheeks’. This is the only ON occurrence of kinn ‘cheek’ in this sense, though it (and more commonly its derivative kinnungr) is used of a ship’s bow (Fritzner: kinnungr 2). The underlying idea seems to be ‘cheeks’ as parallel (or converging) members, whether side-poles (stiles) of a ladder or forward gunwales of a ship. (Cf. the synonym hlýr ‘cheek’, used metaphorically of sides of axe, blade, or ship’s bow, and, with respect to the last, Jesch 2001a, 147 construes hlýr as ‘imagining the ship as a face seen head-on’.
Framm ‘’
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fram (adv.): out, forth, forwards, away
kemr ‘advances’
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koma (verb; kem, kom/kvam, kominn): come
hverr ‘Each’
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2. hverr (pron.): who, whom, each, every
á ‘to’
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3. á (prep.): on, at
himna ‘the heavens’
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himinn (noun m.; °himins, dat. himni; himnar): heaven, sky
hræ ‘of the corpse’
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hræ (noun n.; °; -): corpse, carrion < hræskóð (noun n.)
kennings
lundr styrjar hræskóðs‘tree of the tumult of the corpse-scathe ’
= WARRIOR
the corpse-scathe → WEAPON
the tumult of the WEAPON → BATTLE
tree of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
hræ ‘of the corpse’
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hræ (noun n.; °; -): corpse, carrion < hræskóð (noun n.)
kennings
lundr styrjar hræskóðs‘tree of the tumult of the corpse-scathe ’
= WARRIOR
the corpse-scathe → WEAPON
the tumult of the WEAPON → BATTLE
tree of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
hræ ‘of the corpse’
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hræ (noun n.; °; -): corpse, carrion < hræskóð (noun n.)
kennings
lundr styrjar hræskóðs‘tree of the tumult of the corpse-scathe ’
= WARRIOR
the corpse-scathe → WEAPON
the tumult of the WEAPON → BATTLE
tree of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
skóðs ‘scathe’
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2. skóð (noun n.): harmer, scathe < hræskóð (noun n.)
kennings
lundr styrjar hræskóðs‘tree of the tumult of the corpse-scathe ’
= WARRIOR
the corpse-scathe → WEAPON
the tumult of the WEAPON → BATTLE
tree of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
skóðs ‘scathe’
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2. skóð (noun n.): harmer, scathe < hræskóð (noun n.)
kennings
lundr styrjar hræskóðs‘tree of the tumult of the corpse-scathe ’
= WARRIOR
the corpse-scathe → WEAPON
the tumult of the WEAPON → BATTLE
tree of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
skóðs ‘scathe’
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2. skóð (noun n.): harmer, scathe < hræskóð (noun n.)
kennings
lundr styrjar hræskóðs‘tree of the tumult of the corpse-scathe ’
= WARRIOR
the corpse-scathe → WEAPON
the tumult of the WEAPON → BATTLE
tree of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
ok ‘and’
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
fær ‘receives’
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2. fá (verb; °fǽr; fekk, fengu; fenginn): get, receive
stétt ‘pathway’
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stétt (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): path
þá ‘when’
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2. þá (adv.): then
er ‘’
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2. er (conj.): who, which, when
stig ‘steps’
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stig (noun n.; °-s; -): [steps]
notes
[7] þín stig ‘your steps’: The only occurrence of stig in poetry; Skald, construing acc. sg. of stigr m. ‘pathway’, emends þín to þinn.
þín ‘your’
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þinn (pron.; °f. þín, n. þitt): your
notes
[7] þín stig ‘your steps’: The only occurrence of stig in poetry; Skald, construing acc. sg. of stigr m. ‘pathway’, emends þín to þinn.
hittir ‘he gains’
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hitta (verb): meet, encounter
styrjar ‘of the tumult’
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styrr (noun m.; °dat. -): battle
kennings
lundr styrjar hræskóðs‘tree of the tumult of the corpse-scathe ’
= WARRIOR
the corpse-scathe → WEAPON
the tumult of the WEAPON → BATTLE
tree of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
styrjar ‘of the tumult’
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styrr (noun m.; °dat. -): battle
kennings
lundr styrjar hræskóðs‘tree of the tumult of the corpse-scathe ’
= WARRIOR
the corpse-scathe → WEAPON
the tumult of the WEAPON → BATTLE
tree of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
lundr ‘tree’
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1. lundr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. -i/-; -ar): grove, tree
kennings
lundr styrjar hræskóðs‘tree of the tumult of the corpse-scathe ’
= WARRIOR
the corpse-scathe → WEAPON
the tumult of the WEAPON → BATTLE
tree of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
af ‘from’
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af (prep.): from
grundu ‘the earth’
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grund (noun f.): earth, land
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
|
Stigi nefniz þú stafna |
You are called a ladder, trusty on account of side-poles of twofold love, a smith-work of stems for prow-adorners [SEAFARERS]; I take remembrance of this. Each tree of the tumult of the corpse-scathe [WEAPON > BATTLE > WARRIOR] advances and receives a good pathway from the earth to the heavens, when he gains your steps.
The dominant image of the st., the Cross as ladder, is an exegetical commonplace deriving from commentary on Jacob’s vision of a ladder extending to heaven (Gen. XXVIII.12-13). E.g., in a sermon that circulated under Augustine’s authority in the Middle Ages, Caesarius of Arles (C6th) writes: Scala ipsa usque ad caelos attingens, crucis figuram habuit ‘The ladder itself extending to the heavens held the figure of the Cross’ (Sermo 87 in Morin 1953, 360; cf. Classis prima, auctor incertus [Augustinus Hipponensis?], col. 1761). The connection of Jacob’s ladder with the Cross also occurs in the late medieval Icel. Gimsteinn 102/5-03/4 (ÍM I.2, 327). Medieval commentators often gloss the parts of the ladder – e.g., the side-poles or stiles (latera) as Christ’s two natures, the two Testaments, etc. The probable source for kinnum tvennrar ástar ‘side-poles of twofold love’ (ll. 3-4), i.e. love of God and neighbour (Matt. XXII.37-9), is Honorius Augustodunensis (C12th), who was known in Iceland mainly through his Eluc and Gemma animae, both of which were translated into ON. In his sermon on Quinquagesima Sunday in Speculum ecclesiae, and again in Scala coeli minor, Honorius allegorises the parts of a ladder of love which is clearly the Cross. Of the side-poles he writes: Hujus scalae vero latera sunt geminae dilectionis, Dei scilicet et proximi dilectio ‘The side-poles of this ladder are indeed twofold love, i.e. love of God and neighbour’ (cols 869 and 1239). An analogue (noted by Paasche 1914a, 130) is in the Icel. homily on the Cross, which allegorises the arms of the Cross as óst viþ goþ oc meɴ ‘love for God and men’ (HómÍsl 1993, 17v; HómÍsl 1872, 38; cf. HómNo, 104). Árni Jónsson later borrows several details from Líkn for his GdIV, including the ‘ladder of twofold love’ elsku tvennrar stigi (72/6-7); see Tate 1978-9.
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