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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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ÚlfrU Húsdr 3III

Edith Marold (ed.) 2017, ‘Úlfr Uggason, Húsdrápa 3’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 412.

Úlfr UggasonHúsdrápa
234

Inn ‘The interior’

(not checked:)
1. inn (adv.): in, inside < innmáni (noun m.)

kennings

Innmáni ennis
‘The interior-moon of the forehead ’
   = EYE

The interior-moon of the forehead → EYE

notes

[1] innmáni ennis ‘the interior-moon of the forehead [EYE]’: This is the only attestation of the word innmáni. It is an ad hoc coinage using máni ‘moon’ as the metaphorical base-word of the eye-kenning, combining it with the determinant enni ‘forehead’. The use of heavenly bodies (sun, moon, stars) as base-words in eye-kennings is well attested (Meissner 130). The first element of the cpd innmáni may serve to emphasise the metaphorical use of máni. In contrast to the real moon, this (metaphorical) moon lies within the forehead.

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máni ‘moon’

(not checked:)
máni (noun m.; °-a): moon < innmáni (noun m.)

kennings

Innmáni ennis
‘The interior-moon of the forehead ’
   = EYE

The interior-moon of the forehead → EYE

notes

[1] innmáni ennis ‘the interior-moon of the forehead [EYE]’: This is the only attestation of the word innmáni. It is an ad hoc coinage using máni ‘moon’ as the metaphorical base-word of the eye-kenning, combining it with the determinant enni ‘forehead’. The use of heavenly bodies (sun, moon, stars) as base-words in eye-kennings is well attested (Meissner 130). The first element of the cpd innmáni may serve to emphasise the metaphorical use of máni. In contrast to the real moon, this (metaphorical) moon lies within the forehead.

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skein ‘shone’

(not checked:)
skína (verb): shine

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ennis ‘of the forehead’

(not checked:)
enni (noun n.; °-s; -): forehead, brow

kennings

Innmáni ennis
‘The interior-moon of the forehead ’
   = EYE

The interior-moon of the forehead → EYE

notes

[1] innmáni ennis ‘the interior-moon of the forehead [EYE]’: This is the only attestation of the word innmáni. It is an ad hoc coinage using máni ‘moon’ as the metaphorical base-word of the eye-kenning, combining it with the determinant enni ‘forehead’. The use of heavenly bodies (sun, moon, stars) as base-words in eye-kennings is well attested (Meissner 130). The first element of the cpd innmáni may serve to emphasise the metaphorical use of máni. In contrast to the real moon, this (metaphorical) moon lies within the forehead.

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ǫnd ‘’

(not checked:)
2. ǫnd (noun f.; °andar, dat. ǫnd/ǫndu; andir): soul, breath < ǫndóttr (adj.)

kennings

ǫndótts vinar banda
‘of the hostile friend of the gods ’
   = Þórr

the hostile friend of the gods → Þórr

notes

[2] ǫndótts ‘of the hostile’: This adj. otherwise appears only in Þry 27/5, where it qualifies the noun augu ‘eyes’. In Þul Jǫtna I 4/6, Ǫndóttr is the name of a giant (variant in ms. C only). The word is related to ǫndverðr ‘lying opposite’, ‘firmly facing that which lies opposite’ (Fritzner: ǫndóttr). Thus it could be rendered more exactly as ‘hostilely glaring’, which is an apt description of Þórr as he stares at the World Serpent or, disguised as Freyja in Þry, as he lifts the bridal veil to glare at his enemy, the giant Þrymr.

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ótts ‘of the hostile’

(not checked:)
-óttr (adj.): [frightening] < ǫndóttr (adj.)

kennings

ǫndótts vinar banda
‘of the hostile friend of the gods ’
   = Þórr

the hostile friend of the gods → Þórr

notes

[2] ǫndótts ‘of the hostile’: This adj. otherwise appears only in Þry 27/5, where it qualifies the noun augu ‘eyes’. In Þul Jǫtna I 4/6, Ǫndóttr is the name of a giant (variant in ms. C only). The word is related to ǫndverðr ‘lying opposite’, ‘firmly facing that which lies opposite’ (Fritzner: ǫndóttr). Thus it could be rendered more exactly as ‘hostilely glaring’, which is an apt description of Þórr as he stares at the World Serpent or, disguised as Freyja in Þry, as he lifts the bridal veil to glare at his enemy, the giant Þrymr.

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vinar ‘friend’

(not checked:)
vinr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. -/(-i OsvReyk 92.17); -ir): friend

kennings

ǫndótts vinar banda
‘of the hostile friend of the gods ’
   = Þórr

the hostile friend of the gods → Þórr

notes

[2] vinar banda ‘friend of the gods [= Þórr]’: Bǫnd are undifferentiated deities who appear especially in connection with controlling and protecting land. They seem to be associated with Þórr in particular (cf. Eskál Vell 8/2I, 14/1-4I; see Marold 1992, 705-7).

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banda ‘of the gods’

(not checked:)
band (noun n.; °-s; *-): band, bond

kennings

ǫndótts vinar banda
‘of the hostile friend of the gods ’
   = Þórr

the hostile friend of the gods → Þórr

notes

[2] vinar banda ‘friend of the gods [= Þórr]’: Bǫnd are undifferentiated deities who appear especially in connection with controlling and protecting land. They seem to be associated with Þórr in particular (cf. Eskál Vell 8/2I, 14/1-4I; see Marold 1992, 705-7).

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skaut ‘shot’

(not checked:)
skjóta (verb): shoot

notes

[3] skaut œgigeislum ‘shot terror-beams’: This is a metaphorical expression that compares the threatening glare to arrow shots.

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œgi ‘terror’

(not checked:)
œgir (noun m.): terrifier < œgigeisli (noun m.)

notes

[3] skaut œgigeislum ‘shot terror-beams’: This is a metaphorical expression that compares the threatening glare to arrow shots.

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geislum ‘beams’

(not checked:)
geisli (noun m.): beam of light < œgigeisli (noun m.)

notes

[3] skaut œgigeislum ‘shot terror-beams’: This is a metaphorical expression that compares the threatening glare to arrow shots.

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á ‘at’

(not checked:)
3. á (prep.): on, at

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men ‘the necklace’

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

kennings

men storðar.
‘the necklace of the earth. ’
   = Miðgarðsormr

the necklace of the earth. → Miðgarðsormr

notes

[4] men storðar ‘the necklace of the earth [= Miðgarðsormr]’: Numerous kennings for Miðgarðsormr, the World Serpent, reflect the mythological notion of this serpent lying coiled around the earth like a ring (see Meissner 114-16).

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storðar ‘of the earth’

(not checked:)
2. storð (noun f.): young wood, earth

kennings

men storðar.
‘the necklace of the earth. ’
   = Miðgarðsormr

the necklace of the earth. → Miðgarðsormr

notes

[4] men storðar ‘the necklace of the earth [= Miðgarðsormr]’: Numerous kennings for Miðgarðsormr, the World Serpent, reflect the mythological notion of this serpent lying coiled around the earth like a ring (see Meissner 114-16).

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Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses

The helmingr is cited in Skm (SnE) exemplifying a kenning for ‘eye’, and l. 1 is also cited in LaufE for the same purpose, although there it is attributed to Óláfr Leggsson (probably erroneously so; see Introduction to the poem above).

This helmingr strongly resembles Egill Arkv 5/5-8V (Eg 101) þás ormfránn ennimáni allvalds skein œgigeislum ‘as the snake-gleaming forehead-moon [EYE] of the mighty ruler shone with terror-beams’, where the menacing look with which King Eiríkr blóðøx ‘Blood-axe’ regards his prisoner Egill Skallagrímsson is represented as a powerful threat.

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