Bjarni Frag 4^III

Enn ‘Still’

(not checked:)
2. enn (adv.): still, yet, again

lægi ‘would be’

(not checked:)
liggja (verb): lie

[1] lægi (‘lęgi’): lagi 1496ˣ

notes

[1, 4] lægi mér á hraðbergi ‘I would be prepared’: According to Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) the expression e-m liggr orð á hraðbergi for eloquence, though unattested in Old Icelandic, is common in the language later on. He translates it in this stanza as es würde mir leicht fallen ‘it would be easy for me’ (cf. also Sigfús Blöndal 1920-4: hraðberg 2: liggja á hraðbergi: være rede, ved Haanden, være i Beredskab ‘be ready, at hand, be prepared’).

mér ‘I’

(not checked:)
ek (pron.; °mín, dat. mér, acc. mik): I, me

notes

[1, 4] lægi mér á hraðbergi ‘I would be prepared’: According to Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) the expression e-m liggr orð á hraðbergi for eloquence, though unattested in Old Icelandic, is common in the language later on. He translates it in this stanza as es würde mir leicht fallen ‘it would be easy for me’ (cf. also Sigfús Blöndal 1920-4: hraðberg 2: liggja á hraðbergi: være rede, ved Haanden, være i Beredskab ‘be ready, at hand, be prepared’).

œgir ‘frightener’

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

kennings

notes

[1, 3, 4] œgir mœtihjóls mergheims ‘frightener of the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE > TORTURE-WHEEL > EXECUTIONER]’: Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) interpreted mœtihjól mergheims ‘the wheel meeting/opposing the bone’ as a kenning for ‘shield’ and the frightener who made use of the shield as ‘man’. This interpretation of the kenning is unconvincing; Meissner 166-76 does not list any examples of shield-kennings with bones or other body parts as determinants. The interpretation of the kenning in the present edn is based on the medieval practice of breaking people on a wheel, where the criminal’s bones were broken by striking a wheel or a hammer against his limbs (see also Anon (FoGT) 17, Note to [All]). Mœtihjól mergheims ‘the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE]’, then, is an entirely suitable kenning for ‘wheel of torture’, which, combined with the base-word œgir ‘frightener’, forms an equally fitting expression for ‘executioner’. The present interpretation is supported by Frag 5 below, in which a woman releases a tormented man ‘from above’.

eir ‘as a peace’

(not checked:)
eir (noun f.): mercy < eirsamr (adj.): merciful

[2] eir‑: eyr‑ 1496ˣ

sa*m*r ‘ful man’

(not checked:)
samr (adj.; °compar. -ari): same < eirsamr (adj.): merciful

[2] ‑sa*m*r: ‘sarmir’ all

við ‘with’

(not checked:)
2. við (prep.): with, against

þik ‘you’

(not checked:)
þú (pron.; °gen. þín, dat. þér, acc. þik): you

fleira ‘more’

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fleiri (adj. comp.; °superl. flestr): more, most

mœti ‘of the meeting’

(not checked:)
mœta (verb): meet < mœtihjól (noun n.): meeting-wheel

kennings

notes

[1, 3, 4] œgir mœtihjóls mergheims ‘frightener of the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE > TORTURE-WHEEL > EXECUTIONER]’: Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) interpreted mœtihjól mergheims ‘the wheel meeting/opposing the bone’ as a kenning for ‘shield’ and the frightener who made use of the shield as ‘man’. This interpretation of the kenning is unconvincing; Meissner 166-76 does not list any examples of shield-kennings with bones or other body parts as determinants. The interpretation of the kenning in the present edn is based on the medieval practice of breaking people on a wheel, where the criminal’s bones were broken by striking a wheel or a hammer against his limbs (see also Anon (FoGT) 17, Note to [All]). Mœtihjól mergheims ‘the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE]’, then, is an entirely suitable kenning for ‘wheel of torture’, which, combined with the base-word œgir ‘frightener’, forms an equally fitting expression for ‘executioner’. The present interpretation is supported by Frag 5 below, in which a woman releases a tormented man ‘from above’.

mœti ‘of the meeting’

(not checked:)
mœta (verb): meet < mœtihjól (noun n.): meeting-wheel

kennings

notes

[1, 3, 4] œgir mœtihjóls mergheims ‘frightener of the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE > TORTURE-WHEEL > EXECUTIONER]’: Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) interpreted mœtihjól mergheims ‘the wheel meeting/opposing the bone’ as a kenning for ‘shield’ and the frightener who made use of the shield as ‘man’. This interpretation of the kenning is unconvincing; Meissner 166-76 does not list any examples of shield-kennings with bones or other body parts as determinants. The interpretation of the kenning in the present edn is based on the medieval practice of breaking people on a wheel, where the criminal’s bones were broken by striking a wheel or a hammer against his limbs (see also Anon (FoGT) 17, Note to [All]). Mœtihjól mergheims ‘the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE]’, then, is an entirely suitable kenning for ‘wheel of torture’, which, combined with the base-word œgir ‘frightener’, forms an equally fitting expression for ‘executioner’. The present interpretation is supported by Frag 5 below, in which a woman releases a tormented man ‘from above’.

hjóls ‘wheel’

(not checked:)
hjól (noun n.; °-s; -): wheel < mœtihjól (noun n.): meeting-wheel

kennings

notes

[1, 3, 4] œgir mœtihjóls mergheims ‘frightener of the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE > TORTURE-WHEEL > EXECUTIONER]’: Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) interpreted mœtihjól mergheims ‘the wheel meeting/opposing the bone’ as a kenning for ‘shield’ and the frightener who made use of the shield as ‘man’. This interpretation of the kenning is unconvincing; Meissner 166-76 does not list any examples of shield-kennings with bones or other body parts as determinants. The interpretation of the kenning in the present edn is based on the medieval practice of breaking people on a wheel, where the criminal’s bones were broken by striking a wheel or a hammer against his limbs (see also Anon (FoGT) 17, Note to [All]). Mœtihjól mergheims ‘the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE]’, then, is an entirely suitable kenning for ‘wheel of torture’, which, combined with the base-word œgir ‘frightener’, forms an equally fitting expression for ‘executioner’. The present interpretation is supported by Frag 5 below, in which a woman releases a tormented man ‘from above’.

hjóls ‘wheel’

(not checked:)
hjól (noun n.; °-s; -): wheel < mœtihjól (noun n.): meeting-wheel

kennings

notes

[1, 3, 4] œgir mœtihjóls mergheims ‘frightener of the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE > TORTURE-WHEEL > EXECUTIONER]’: Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) interpreted mœtihjól mergheims ‘the wheel meeting/opposing the bone’ as a kenning for ‘shield’ and the frightener who made use of the shield as ‘man’. This interpretation of the kenning is unconvincing; Meissner 166-76 does not list any examples of shield-kennings with bones or other body parts as determinants. The interpretation of the kenning in the present edn is based on the medieval practice of breaking people on a wheel, where the criminal’s bones were broken by striking a wheel or a hammer against his limbs (see also Anon (FoGT) 17, Note to [All]). Mœtihjól mergheims ‘the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE]’, then, is an entirely suitable kenning for ‘wheel of torture’, which, combined with the base-word œgir ‘frightener’, forms an equally fitting expression for ‘executioner’. The present interpretation is supported by Frag 5 below, in which a woman releases a tormented man ‘from above’.

at ‘to’

(not checked:)
3. at (prep.): at, to

mæla ‘speak’

(not checked:)
1. mæla (verb): speak, say

merg ‘of the marrow’

(not checked:)
mergr (noun m.; °-jar; dat. -jum): marrow < mergheimr (noun m.): marrow-world

kennings

notes

[1, 3, 4] œgir mœtihjóls mergheims ‘frightener of the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE > TORTURE-WHEEL > EXECUTIONER]’: Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) interpreted mœtihjól mergheims ‘the wheel meeting/opposing the bone’ as a kenning for ‘shield’ and the frightener who made use of the shield as ‘man’. This interpretation of the kenning is unconvincing; Meissner 166-76 does not list any examples of shield-kennings with bones or other body parts as determinants. The interpretation of the kenning in the present edn is based on the medieval practice of breaking people on a wheel, where the criminal’s bones were broken by striking a wheel or a hammer against his limbs (see also Anon (FoGT) 17, Note to [All]). Mœtihjól mergheims ‘the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE]’, then, is an entirely suitable kenning for ‘wheel of torture’, which, combined with the base-word œgir ‘frightener’, forms an equally fitting expression for ‘executioner’. The present interpretation is supported by Frag 5 below, in which a woman releases a tormented man ‘from above’.

merg ‘of the marrow’

(not checked:)
mergr (noun m.; °-jar; dat. -jum): marrow < mergheimr (noun m.): marrow-world

kennings

notes

[1, 3, 4] œgir mœtihjóls mergheims ‘frightener of the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE > TORTURE-WHEEL > EXECUTIONER]’: Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) interpreted mœtihjól mergheims ‘the wheel meeting/opposing the bone’ as a kenning for ‘shield’ and the frightener who made use of the shield as ‘man’. This interpretation of the kenning is unconvincing; Meissner 166-76 does not list any examples of shield-kennings with bones or other body parts as determinants. The interpretation of the kenning in the present edn is based on the medieval practice of breaking people on a wheel, where the criminal’s bones were broken by striking a wheel or a hammer against his limbs (see also Anon (FoGT) 17, Note to [All]). Mœtihjól mergheims ‘the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE]’, then, is an entirely suitable kenning for ‘wheel of torture’, which, combined with the base-word œgir ‘frightener’, forms an equally fitting expression for ‘executioner’. The present interpretation is supported by Frag 5 below, in which a woman releases a tormented man ‘from above’.

merg ‘of the marrow’

(not checked:)
mergr (noun m.; °-jar; dat. -jum): marrow < mergheimr (noun m.): marrow-world

kennings

notes

[1, 3, 4] œgir mœtihjóls mergheims ‘frightener of the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE > TORTURE-WHEEL > EXECUTIONER]’: Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) interpreted mœtihjól mergheims ‘the wheel meeting/opposing the bone’ as a kenning for ‘shield’ and the frightener who made use of the shield as ‘man’. This interpretation of the kenning is unconvincing; Meissner 166-76 does not list any examples of shield-kennings with bones or other body parts as determinants. The interpretation of the kenning in the present edn is based on the medieval practice of breaking people on a wheel, where the criminal’s bones were broken by striking a wheel or a hammer against his limbs (see also Anon (FoGT) 17, Note to [All]). Mœtihjól mergheims ‘the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE]’, then, is an entirely suitable kenning for ‘wheel of torture’, which, combined with the base-word œgir ‘frightener’, forms an equally fitting expression for ‘executioner’. The present interpretation is supported by Frag 5 below, in which a woman releases a tormented man ‘from above’.

heims ‘world’

(not checked:)
heimr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i/-; -ar): home, abode; world < mergheimr (noun m.): marrow-world

kennings

notes

[1, 3, 4] œgir mœtihjóls mergheims ‘frightener of the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE > TORTURE-WHEEL > EXECUTIONER]’: Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) interpreted mœtihjól mergheims ‘the wheel meeting/opposing the bone’ as a kenning for ‘shield’ and the frightener who made use of the shield as ‘man’. This interpretation of the kenning is unconvincing; Meissner 166-76 does not list any examples of shield-kennings with bones or other body parts as determinants. The interpretation of the kenning in the present edn is based on the medieval practice of breaking people on a wheel, where the criminal’s bones were broken by striking a wheel or a hammer against his limbs (see also Anon (FoGT) 17, Note to [All]). Mœtihjól mergheims ‘the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE]’, then, is an entirely suitable kenning for ‘wheel of torture’, which, combined with the base-word œgir ‘frightener’, forms an equally fitting expression for ‘executioner’. The present interpretation is supported by Frag 5 below, in which a woman releases a tormented man ‘from above’.

heims ‘world’

(not checked:)
heimr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i/-; -ar): home, abode; world < mergheimr (noun m.): marrow-world

kennings

notes

[1, 3, 4] œgir mœtihjóls mergheims ‘frightener of the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE > TORTURE-WHEEL > EXECUTIONER]’: Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) interpreted mœtihjól mergheims ‘the wheel meeting/opposing the bone’ as a kenning for ‘shield’ and the frightener who made use of the shield as ‘man’. This interpretation of the kenning is unconvincing; Meissner 166-76 does not list any examples of shield-kennings with bones or other body parts as determinants. The interpretation of the kenning in the present edn is based on the medieval practice of breaking people on a wheel, where the criminal’s bones were broken by striking a wheel or a hammer against his limbs (see also Anon (FoGT) 17, Note to [All]). Mœtihjól mergheims ‘the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE]’, then, is an entirely suitable kenning for ‘wheel of torture’, which, combined with the base-word œgir ‘frightener’, forms an equally fitting expression for ‘executioner’. The present interpretation is supported by Frag 5 below, in which a woman releases a tormented man ‘from above’.

heims ‘world’

(not checked:)
heimr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i/-; -ar): home, abode; world < mergheimr (noun m.): marrow-world

kennings

notes

[1, 3, 4] œgir mœtihjóls mergheims ‘frightener of the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE > TORTURE-WHEEL > EXECUTIONER]’: Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) interpreted mœtihjól mergheims ‘the wheel meeting/opposing the bone’ as a kenning for ‘shield’ and the frightener who made use of the shield as ‘man’. This interpretation of the kenning is unconvincing; Meissner 166-76 does not list any examples of shield-kennings with bones or other body parts as determinants. The interpretation of the kenning in the present edn is based on the medieval practice of breaking people on a wheel, where the criminal’s bones were broken by striking a wheel or a hammer against his limbs (see also Anon (FoGT) 17, Note to [All]). Mœtihjól mergheims ‘the meeting-wheel of the marrow-world [BONE]’, then, is an entirely suitable kenning for ‘wheel of torture’, which, combined with the base-word œgir ‘frightener’, forms an equally fitting expression for ‘executioner’. The present interpretation is supported by Frag 5 below, in which a woman releases a tormented man ‘from above’.

á ‘’

(not checked:)
3. á (prep.): on, at

notes

[1, 4] lægi mér á hraðbergi ‘I would be prepared’: According to Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) the expression e-m liggr orð á hraðbergi for eloquence, though unattested in Old Icelandic, is common in the language later on. He translates it in this stanza as es würde mir leicht fallen ‘it would be easy for me’ (cf. also Sigfús Blöndal 1920-4: hraðberg 2: liggja á hraðbergi: være rede, ved Haanden, være i Beredskab ‘be ready, at hand, be prepared’).

hraðbergi ‘prepared’

(not checked:)
hraðberg (noun n.): [prepared]

notes

[1, 4] lægi mér á hraðbergi ‘I would be prepared’: According to Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) the expression e-m liggr orð á hraðbergi for eloquence, though unattested in Old Icelandic, is common in the language later on. He translates it in this stanza as es würde mir leicht fallen ‘it would be easy for me’ (cf. also Sigfús Blöndal 1920-4: hraðberg 2: liggja á hraðbergi: være rede, ved Haanden, være i Beredskab ‘be ready, at hand, be prepared’).