Katrina Attwood (ed.) 2007, ‘Anonymous Poems, Gyðingsvísur 8’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 524-5.
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2. fljótr (adj.): quick
[1] Fljótr: so 399a‑bˣ, Fliót B, BFJ, ‘Fliot(s)’(?) BRydberg
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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
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flagð (noun n.): troll-woman
[1] flagðs: ‘fl[...]gs’ B, ‘fl[...]s’ 399a‑bˣ, BFJ, ‘fl(eyg)s’(?) BRydberg
[1, 2] kristnum fáknistanda flagðs ‘to the Christian feeder of the horse of the trollwoman [WOLF > WARRIOR]’: The horse of the trollwoman is a kenning for a wolf, probably a mythic reference to the giantess Hyrrokkin, who attended Baldr’s funeral riding a wolf, with snakes for reins (SnE 1982, 46; cf. DRI, no. 284). This kenning may be a specific reference to the Hyrrokkin example or a more general association between giantesses and wolves; cf. Meissner, 124-5.
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flagð (noun n.): troll-woman
[1] flagðs: ‘fl[...]gs’ B, ‘fl[...]s’ 399a‑bˣ, BFJ, ‘fl(eyg)s’(?) BRydberg
[1, 2] kristnum fáknistanda flagðs ‘to the Christian feeder of the horse of the trollwoman [WOLF > WARRIOR]’: The horse of the trollwoman is a kenning for a wolf, probably a mythic reference to the giantess Hyrrokkin, who attended Baldr’s funeral riding a wolf, with snakes for reins (SnE 1982, 46; cf. DRI, no. 284). This kenning may be a specific reference to the Hyrrokkin example or a more general association between giantesses and wolves; cf. Meissner, 124-5.
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5. at (nota): to (with infinitive)
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2. veita (verb): grant, give
[1] veita: ‘vei[...]’ B, ‘ve[...]’ 399a‑bˣ, ‘v[...]’ BRydberg, BFJ
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fákr (noun m.; °; -ar): horse < fáknistandi (noun m.)
[2] fáknistanda: ‘f[...]k[...]stand([...])’(?) B, ‘f(ri)kn(i)standa’(?) 399a‑bˣ, ‘[...]uid[...]istandi’ BRydberg, BFJ
[1, 2] kristnum fáknistanda flagðs ‘to the Christian feeder of the horse of the trollwoman [WOLF > WARRIOR]’: The horse of the trollwoman is a kenning for a wolf, probably a mythic reference to the giantess Hyrrokkin, who attended Baldr’s funeral riding a wolf, with snakes for reins (SnE 1982, 46; cf. DRI, no. 284). This kenning may be a specific reference to the Hyrrokkin example or a more general association between giantesses and wolves; cf. Meissner, 124-5.
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fákr (noun m.; °; -ar): horse < fáknistandi (noun m.)
[2] fáknistanda: ‘f[...]k[...]stand([...])’(?) B, ‘f(ri)kn(i)standa’(?) 399a‑bˣ, ‘[...]uid[...]istandi’ BRydberg, BFJ
[1, 2] kristnum fáknistanda flagðs ‘to the Christian feeder of the horse of the trollwoman [WOLF > WARRIOR]’: The horse of the trollwoman is a kenning for a wolf, probably a mythic reference to the giantess Hyrrokkin, who attended Baldr’s funeral riding a wolf, with snakes for reins (SnE 1982, 46; cf. DRI, no. 284). This kenning may be a specific reference to the Hyrrokkin example or a more general association between giantesses and wolves; cf. Meissner, 124-5.
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nistandi (noun m.): feeder < fáknistandi (noun m.)
[2] fáknistanda: ‘f[...]k[...]stand([...])’(?) B, ‘f(ri)kn(i)standa’(?) 399a‑bˣ, ‘[...]uid[...]istandi’ BRydberg, BFJ
[1, 2] kristnum fáknistanda flagðs ‘to the Christian feeder of the horse of the trollwoman [WOLF > WARRIOR]’: The horse of the trollwoman is a kenning for a wolf, probably a mythic reference to the giantess Hyrrokkin, who attended Baldr’s funeral riding a wolf, with snakes for reins (SnE 1982, 46; cf. DRI, no. 284). This kenning may be a specific reference to the Hyrrokkin example or a more general association between giantesses and wolves; cf. Meissner, 124-5.
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kristinn (adj.; °superl. kristnastr): Christian
[1, 2] kristnum fáknistanda flagðs ‘to the Christian feeder of the horse of the trollwoman [WOLF > WARRIOR]’: The horse of the trollwoman is a kenning for a wolf, probably a mythic reference to the giantess Hyrrokkin, who attended Baldr’s funeral riding a wolf, with snakes for reins (SnE 1982, 46; cf. DRI, no. 284). This kenning may be a specific reference to the Hyrrokkin example or a more general association between giantesses and wolves; cf. Meissner, 124-5.
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1. auðr (noun m.; °-s/-ar, dat. -i/-): wealth
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þó (adv.): though
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all- ((prefix)): very < allmjǫk (adv.): very much
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mjǫk (adv.): very, much < allmjǫk (adv.): very much
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biðja (verb; °biðr; bað, báðu; beðinn (beiþ- Martin¹ 573, bỏþ- HákEirsp 661, cf. ed. intr. xl)): ask for, order, pray
[3] bæði: ‘[...]ed[...]’ B, ‘[...]e᷎di[...]’ 399a‑bˣ, (be)ði(?) BRydberg, ‘[...]’ BFJ
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ættingi (noun m.; °; -jar): [kinsman]
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gyðingr (noun m.): Jew
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svar (noun n.; °; -*): answer
[5] Svör veitti: so 399a‑bˣ, BRydberg, BFJ, ‘suo᷎[...]eiti’ B
[5] þau svör ‘those answers’: These are not attempts to stall the Jew’s deal with the Christian, but a proper statement of his terms. The first condition – that the Christian lay down a pledge – is explained in 9/1-4.
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2. veita (verb): grant, give
[5] Svör veitti: so 399a‑bˣ, BRydberg, BFJ, ‘suo᷎[...]eiti’ B
[5] þau svör ‘those answers’: These are not attempts to stall the Jew’s deal with the Christian, but a proper statement of his terms. The first condition – that the Christian lay down a pledge – is explained in 9/1-4.
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sléttr (adj.): level, smooth
[5] sliettrar: so 399a‑bˣ, BRydberg, BFJ, ‘sle[...]’ B
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sléttr (adj.): level, smooth
[5] sliettrar: so 399a‑bˣ, BRydberg, BFJ, ‘sle[...]’ B
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sléttr (adj.): level, smooth
[5] sliettrar: so 399a‑bˣ, BRydberg, BFJ, ‘sle[...]’ B
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sól (noun f.; °-ar, dat. -u/-; -ir): sun < sólmeiðr (noun m.)
[6] sólmeiðr: so 399a‑bˣ, ‘sol m[...]dr’ B, ‘solm(eidr)’(?) BRydberg, ‘solme[...]dr’ BFJ
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sól (noun f.; °-ar, dat. -u/-; -ir): sun < sólmeiðr (noun m.)
[6] sólmeiðr: so 399a‑bˣ, ‘sol m[...]dr’ B, ‘solm(eidr)’(?) BRydberg, ‘solme[...]dr’ BFJ
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meiðr (noun m.): beam, tree < sólmeiðr (noun m.)
[6] sólmeiðr: so 399a‑bˣ, ‘sol m[...]dr’ B, ‘solm(eidr)’(?) BRydberg, ‘solme[...]dr’ BFJ
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skip (noun n.; °-s; -): ship
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skip (noun n.; °-s; -): ship
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skip (noun n.; °-s; -): ship
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leið (noun f.; °-ar, dat. -u/-; -ir/-ar): path, way
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leið (noun f.; °-ar, dat. -u/-; -ir/-ar): path, way
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leið (noun f.; °-ar, dat. -u/-; -ir/-ar): path, way
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órlausn (noun f.): solution, answer
[7] órlausn … ára: ‘ór(laus)[...]a[...]ara’(?) B, ‘órlausn [...](sv)anna’(?) 399a‑bˣ, ‘o᷎r (l)aus(n v)ar s(u) ara’(?) BRydberg, ‘or lausn var [...] ora’ BFJ
[7] órlausn ‘solution [to a problem], reply, help, way out’: In tales that turn on money-lending contracts between Jews and Christians, a common motif is that a loophole allows the Christian to renege on the deal (cf. the Shylock narrative in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice), and it is possible that there was a hint of this here.
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[7] órlausn … ára: ‘ór(laus)[...]a[...]ara’(?) B, ‘órlausn [...](sv)anna’(?) 399a‑bˣ, ‘o᷎r (l)aus(n v)ar s(u) ara’(?) BRydberg, ‘or lausn var [...] ora’ BFJ
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1. ár (noun f.; °-ar, dat. u/-; -ar/-ir(LandslBorg 151b²¹)): oar
[7] órlausn … ára: ‘ór(laus)[...]a[...]ara’(?) B, ‘órlausn [...](sv)anna’(?) 399a‑bˣ, ‘o᷎r (l)aus(n v)ar s(u) ara’(?) BRydberg, ‘or lausn var [...] ora’ BFJ
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1. ár (noun f.; °-ar, dat. u/-; -ar/-ir(LandslBorg 151b²¹)): oar
[7] órlausn … ára: ‘ór(laus)[...]a[...]ara’(?) B, ‘órlausn [...](sv)anna’(?) 399a‑bˣ, ‘o᷎r (l)aus(n v)ar s(u) ara’(?) BRydberg, ‘or lausn var [...] ora’ BFJ
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jór (noun m.): stallion, steed < jóríðandi (noun m.)
[8] jóríðanda of …: ‘íor[...]da of[...]’ B, ‘iomridanda of s[...]’ 399a‑bˣ, ‘io rid(an)da ofsi[...]’(?) BRydberg, ‘iǫ[...]da of [...]’ BFJ
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jór (noun m.): stallion, steed < jóríðandi (noun m.)
[8] jóríðanda of …: ‘íor[...]da of[...]’ B, ‘iomridanda of s[...]’ 399a‑bˣ, ‘io rid(an)da ofsi[...]’(?) BRydberg, ‘iǫ[...]da of [...]’ BFJ
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ríðandi (noun m.; °; ríðendr): rider < jóríðandi (noun m.)
[8] jóríðanda of …: ‘íor[...]da of[...]’ B, ‘iomridanda of s[...]’ 399a‑bˣ, ‘io rid(an)da ofsi[...]’(?) BRydberg, ‘iǫ[...]da of [...]’ BFJ
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3. of (prep.): around, from; too
[8] jóríðanda of …: ‘íor[...]da of[...]’ B, ‘iomridanda of s[...]’ 399a‑bˣ, ‘io rid(an)da ofsi[...]’(?) BRydberg, ‘iǫ[...]da of [...]’ BFJ
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[8] jóríðanda of …: ‘íor[...]da of[...]’ B, ‘iomridanda of s[...]’ 399a‑bˣ, ‘io rid(an)da ofsi[...]’(?) BRydberg, ‘iǫ[...]da of [...]’ BFJ
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
Fljótr erað flagðs að veita |
The kinsman of the Jews [JEW] is not quick to grant money to the Christian feeder of the horse of the trollwoman [(lit. ‘horse-feeder of the trollwoman’) WOLF > WARRIOR] though he had asked most earnestly. The tree of the sun of the smooth path of ships [(lit. ‘sun-tree of the smooth path of ships’) SEA > GOLD > MAN] gave those answers; … solution for the rider of the horse of oars [(lit. ‘horse-rider of oars’) SHIP > SEAFARER].
B is very badly damaged. In general, the readings of the 399a-bˣ transcript have been adopted, where it is indicated that these are reasonably certain, and Sveinbjörn Egilsson’s reconstructions (made in marginal notes to the copy of the 399a-bˣ transcript in 444ˣ) have also been adopted where these amount to occasional letters. However, this edn has not followed Rydberg in adopting Sveinbjörn’s reconstructions to ítrum sǫrla in l. 7 or síðir in l. 8, since these cannot be substantiated from the remaining text indicated in the 399a-bˣ transcript. — [7-8]: Finnur Jónsson does not translate ll. 7 and 8, paraphrasing the second helmingr sådant svar gav manden … men lån gav han manden tilsidst ‘the man gave such an answer … but in the end he granted the man a loan’ (Skj B).
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