Anon Nikdr 3III
Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.) 2017, ‘Anonymous Poems, Nikulásdrápa 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. 568.
Jón ‘John’
(not checked:)
Jón (noun m.): John, Jón
notes
[All]: The helmingr requires an understanding of the narrative recounted in the gospel of Luke (I.41), in which John the Baptist, still in his mother Elizabeth’s womb, leaps in recognition of the infant Jesus in the womb of his mother Mary, who is visiting Elizabeth. According to Luke I.36, the two women were cousins. Exactly how the poet of Nikdr used this incident as a dæmi in his poem about S. Nicholas is uncertain, but the evidence of the priest Hallur’s later poem (sts 14 and 16 are cited for comparison in SnE 1848-87, II, 210-11 n. 1) suggests that the circumstances surrounding the birth of both saints was the point of comparison. If so, this helmingr must have come not very long after the stanza numbered 1.
laut ‘bowed’
(not checked:)
1. lúta (verb): (strong)
í ‘in’
(not checked:)
í (prep.): in, into
notes
[1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
höll ‘the hall’
(not checked:)
1. hǫll (noun f.; °hallar, dat. -u/-; hallir): hall
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[1] höll ‘the hall’: Another example of a trimoraic nomen in metrical position 4 in a line of Type XE4 (see Note to st. 1/1 above). — [1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
höll ‘the hall’
(not checked:)
1. hǫll (noun f.; °hallar, dat. -u/-; hallir): hall
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[1] höll ‘the hall’: Another example of a trimoraic nomen in metrical position 4 in a line of Type XE4 (see Note to st. 1/1 above). — [1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
hreinum ‘to the pure’
(not checked:)
2. hreinn (adj.; °compar. hreinari/hreinni, superl. hreinastr/hreinstr): pure
kennings
hreinum mildingi bragninga‘to the pure ruler of princes ’
= God
to the pure ruler of princes → God
hjarta ‘of the heart’
(not checked:)
hjarta (noun n.; °-; *-u): heart
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
hjarta ‘of the heart’
(not checked:)
hjarta (noun n.; °-; *-u): heart
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
sals ‘chamber’
(not checked:)
1. salr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; dat. sǫlum): hall
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
sals ‘chamber’
(not checked:)
1. salr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -; dat. sǫlum): hall
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
hins ‘of the’
(not checked:)
2. inn (art.): the
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[All]: Two interpretations of this helmingr are possible. The first as given here (so also Skj B) understands John the Baptist to bow to Christ while in his own mother, Elizabeth’s, womb. However, it is also possible to understand the phrase mannvitsfrægrar meyjar ‘of the maiden famous of understanding’ (l. 3) to refer to the Virgin Mary rather than Elizabeth, in which case the kenning í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’ (ll. 1, 2) refers to the Virgin’s womb and to Christ within it. — [1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
hins ‘of the’
(not checked:)
2. inn (art.): the
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[All]: Two interpretations of this helmingr are possible. The first as given here (so also Skj B) understands John the Baptist to bow to Christ while in his own mother, Elizabeth’s, womb. However, it is also possible to understand the phrase mannvitsfrægrar meyjar ‘of the maiden famous of understanding’ (l. 3) to refer to the Virgin Mary rather than Elizabeth, in which case the kenning í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’ (ll. 1, 2) refers to the Virgin’s womb and to Christ within it. — [1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
hins ‘of the’
(not checked:)
2. inn (art.): the
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[All]: Two interpretations of this helmingr are possible. The first as given here (so also Skj B) understands John the Baptist to bow to Christ while in his own mother, Elizabeth’s, womb. However, it is also possible to understand the phrase mannvitsfrægrar meyjar ‘of the maiden famous of understanding’ (l. 3) to refer to the Virgin Mary rather than Elizabeth, in which case the kenning í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’ (ll. 1, 2) refers to the Virgin’s womb and to Christ within it. — [1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
hins ‘of the’
(not checked:)
2. inn (art.): the
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[All]: Two interpretations of this helmingr are possible. The first as given here (so also Skj B) understands John the Baptist to bow to Christ while in his own mother, Elizabeth’s, womb. However, it is also possible to understand the phrase mannvitsfrægrar meyjar ‘of the maiden famous of understanding’ (l. 3) to refer to the Virgin Mary rather than Elizabeth, in which case the kenning í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’ (ll. 1, 2) refers to the Virgin’s womb and to Christ within it. — [1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
bjarta ‘bright’
(not checked:)
bjartr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): bright
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
bjarta ‘bright’
(not checked:)
bjartr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): bright
kennings
höll hins bjarta sals hjarta‘the hall of the bright chamber of the heart ’
= WOMB
the bright chamber of the heart → BREAST
the hall of the BREAST → WOMB
notes
[1, 2] í höll hins bjarta sals hjarta ‘in the hall of the bright chamber of the heart [BREAST > WOMB]’: Following the suggestion of Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 157) and Björn Magnússon Ólsen (FoGT 1884, 260 n. 3), this kenning has been interpreted as having two elements, although it is possible to understand it as having only one, with the sole referent being ‘womb’.
meyjar ‘of the maiden’
(not checked:)
mær (noun f.; °meyjar, dat. meyju; meyjar): maiden
notes
[3] mannvitsfrægrar meyjar ‘of the maiden famous of understanding’: This is either a reference to John the Baptist’s mother Elizabeth, who conceived him late in life by her husband, Zacharias, following a visit from the angel Gabriel (Luke I.5-25), or to the Virgin Mary (see Note to [All] above).
mannvitsfrægrar ‘famous of understanding’
notes
[3] mannvitsfrægrar meyjar ‘of the maiden famous of understanding’: This is either a reference to John the Baptist’s mother Elizabeth, who conceived him late in life by her husband, Zacharias, following a visit from the angel Gabriel (Luke I.5-25), or to the Virgin Mary (see Note to [All] above).
mildingi ‘ruler’
(not checked:)
mildingr (noun m.; °-s): ruler, generous one
kennings
hreinum mildingi bragninga‘to the pure ruler of princes ’
= God
to the pure ruler of princes → God
bragninga ‘of princes’
(not checked:)
bragningr (noun m.; °; -ar): prince, ruler
kennings
hreinum mildingi bragninga‘to the pure ruler of princes ’
= God
to the pure ruler of princes → God
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
This helmingr provides the author of FoGT with another example of ekbasis or digression. He explains: Stundvm verðr ebasis af þí at skalldit tekr dæmi þeim lutum, sem hann vill frægja eðr vfrægja, af ǫðrum frásǫgnvm, svá er ok í sama kvæði nicholao dæmi tekin af hinum sæla iohanne baptista at auka hans virðing, sem í þessi visv ‘Sometimes e(k)basis occurs because the poet takes incidents from other narratives to compare to the things he wants to praise or blame. Thus it also happens in the same poem to Nicholas that examples are taken from [the life of] the blessed John the Baptist, in order to increase the former’s reputation, as in this stanza’. Stanza 3 then follows.
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