Þul Valkyrja 2^III

Ráðgnið, Gǫndul,         Svipul, Geirskǫgul,
Hildr ok Skeggǫld,         Hrund, Geirdriful,
Randgríðr ok Þrúðr,         Reginleif ok Sveið,
Þǫgn, Hjalmþrimul,         Þrima ok Skalmǫld.

Ráðgnið, Gǫndul, Svipul, Geirskǫgul, Hildr ok Skeggǫld, Hrund, Geirdriful, Randgríðr ok Þrúðr, Reginleif ok Sveið, Þǫgn, Hjalmþrimul, Þrima ok Skalmǫld.

Ráðgnið, Gǫndul, Svipul, Geirskǫgul, Hildr and Skeggǫld, Hrund, Geirdriful, Randgríðr and Þrúðr, Reginleif and Sveið, Þǫgn, Hjálmþrimul, Þrima and Skálmǫld.

Mss: A(21r) (SnE)

Readings: [5] Randgríðr: ‘tanngniðr’ A

Editions: Skj AI, 689, Skj BI, 678, Skald I, 343; SnE 1848-87, II, 490.

Notes: [1] Ráðgnið: A hap. leg. The reading Ráðgnið in ms. A may be the result of confusion with the preceding heiti, Randgnið (see st. 1/8). Most earlier scholars adopt the form Ráðgríðr, lit. ‘counsel-Gríðr’, the variant given in ms. U(10v) of SnE (Gylf) (so Skj B; Skald I; LP: Ráðgríðr), or else Ráðgríð, lit. ‘counsel-eagerness’, the form given in Grí 36/7 (NK 64) and ms. Tˣ(9v) of Gylf (SnE). See Note to Þul Orrostu 1/6. On personal names with Ráð- as the first element, see Janzén (1947a, 132); cf. also Randgríðr (l. 5 below). — [1] Gǫndul: For a possible interpretation of this name, see Note to Gǫndlir, Þul Óðins 3/3. It is also listed in Þul Ásynja 4/3 and used in poetry both as a valkyrie-name and as a term for ‘battle’. The valkyrie Gǫndul appears in Eyv Hák^I (see Notes to st. 1/8 above and l. 2 below). Gǫndul also appears in Sǫrla þáttr (Flat 1860-8, I, 275-83), either as the goddess Freyja in disguise or as Freyja’s messenger. Her sorcery provokes the eternal Hjaðningavíg (the battle of Heðinn and his men). — [2] Svipul: Lit. ‘swift one’ (cf. the weak verb svipa ‘move swiftly’; see AEW: svipa 2). This is one of the valkyries mentioned in Anon Darr 3/3^V (Nj 55), and the name is also recorded as a battle-heiti (see Note to Þul Orrostu 1/7). — [2] Geirskǫgul: Lit. ‘spear-Skǫgul’. The name is also mentioned in Vsp 30/8 and in Eyv Hák 12/2^I. Judging from the latter poem, the names Geirskǫgul and Skǫgul (see st. 1/8 above) refer to the same valkyrie. While Skǫgul occurs frequently in kennings, Geirskǫgul is not found elsewhere. — [3] Hildr: This valkyrie is another personification of battle (see Note to st. 1/6). Hildr is one of the most widely used poetic terms for ‘battle’, but it is not included among heiti for ‘battle’ in Þul Orrostu. See also Note to Þul Ásynja 4/3 as well as SnSt Ht 49. — [3] Skeggǫld: Lit. ‘axe-age’. The name is clearly a term for ‘battle’, from skeggja f. ‘bearded battle-axe’ and ǫld f. ‘time, age’ (for this type of weapon, see Falk 1914b, 108-10). In Vsp 45/7 (NK 10), sceggǫld is mentioned along with several other names for the period of violence right before Ragnarǫk, when the world and the heathen gods will perish (cf. Skalmǫld, l. 8 below). As the name of a valkyrie it is given as Sceggiǫld in Grí 36/3 (NK 64) and also in Gylf (SnE 2005, 30), but it does not occur elsewhere. — [4] Hrund: This name is most likely derived from the strong verb hrinda ‘push, thrust, drive’ (AEW: Hrund). It is also listed in Þul Ásynja 4/5 and used in kennings. — [4] Geirdriful: A hap. leg. This name translates as ‘one throwing or strewing spears’. The second element is derived from the strong verb drífa ‘drive, drift’ (so AEW: ‑driful), but cf. the battle-heiti geirþriful (see Note to Þul Orrostu 1/4). — [5] Randgríðr: The reading in ms. A ‘tanngniðr’ (lit. ‘teeth-din’(?)) is probably not correct, and an intial r- is needed for alliteration. The form may be a corruption of Ranngríð(r) ‘house-Gríðr’ or Randgríð(r) ‘shield-Gríðr’, and the latter has been adopted in Skj B and Skald and in the present edn. Cf. the battle-heiti Randgríðr in Þul Orrostu 1/6 (see SnE 1998, II, 373). This valkyrie-name is known from Grí 36/7 and Gylf (SnE 2005, 30). See also Randgnið (st. 1/8), Ráðgnið (l. 1 above) and the valkyrie-name Sanngríðr ‘true-Gríðr’ in Anon Darr 3/3^V (Nj 55). — [5] Þrúðr: This name means ‘strength’. Otherwise it is known as the name of Þórr’s daughter (see Þul Ásynja 2/7 and Skm, SnE 1998, I, 14). As the name of one of the valkyries, Þrúðr is also found in Grí 36/4 (Þrúði) and in Gylf (SnE 2005, 30). — [6] Reginleif: Lit. ‘daughter of a mighty one, mighty daughter’. Both elements of this cpd appear in personal names. The first element is regin n. pl. ‘divine powers, gods’, and the second, ‑leif f. originally meant ‘remains, inheritance’, by transfer of meaning ‘daughter’ (see AEW: Leifr). Reginleif is also mentioned in Grí 36/8. It does not occur in poetry, but in Ldn (ÍF 1, 229), Reginleif is the name of the daughter of one of the first settlers of Iceland, Sæmundr inn suðreyski ‘from the Hebrides’. — [6] Sveið: A hap. leg. Cf. the name of the sea-king Sveiði (see Note to Þul Sækonunga 1/8). It is possibly the same word as sveið f. ‘violent motion’ (cf. such battle-heiti as snerra f. ‘fight’, jara f. ‘attack’, and íð f. ‘deed’ Þul Orrostu 1/7, 1/8, 2/1, all expressing the notion of swift movement) or connected with the weak verb sveiða ‘burn, smart (of a wound)’; if so, the name may perhaps be interpreted as ‘one wounding, causing pain’. — [7, 8] Þǫgn, Hjalmþrimul, Þrima: Cf. the almost identical sequence of battle-names (Herþǫgn, þrima ‘sound’) in Þul Orrostu 2/8 (see Note there). — [7] Þǫgn: Most likely ‘one who welcomes (the slain)’ from the strong verb þiggja ‘receive, accept’. Cf. the valkyrie-heiti Valþǫgn (Gsind Hákdr 6/1^I) as well as the Óðinn-heiti Valþǫgnir (VGl Lv 8/5^V (Glúm 8)). — [7] Hjalmþrimul: Lit. ‘helmet-din’. This name is not attested elsewhere, but see the battle-kenning hjalmþrima f. ‘helmet-din’ (e.g. Arn Hardr 11/3^II), whose second element is the same as the next valkyrie-name. — [8] Þrima: The name means ‘din, sound’ and it is a heiti for ‘battle’. — [8] Skalmǫld: Lit. ‘sword-age’. See Vsp 45/7 (NK 10) sceggǫld, scálmǫld ‘axe-age, sword-age’ and Note to the heiti Skeggǫld in l. 3 above. In skaldic poetry the heiti occurs several times as a term for ‘battle’.

References

1. Bibliography
2. Skj B = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1912-15b. Den norsk-islandske skjaldedigtning. B: Rettet tekst. 2 vols. Copenhagen: Villadsen & Christensen. Rpt. 1973. Copenhagen: Rosenkilde & Bagger.
3. SnE 1848-87 = Snorri Sturluson. 1848-87. Edda Snorra Sturlusonar: Edda Snorronis Sturlaei. Ed. Jón Sigurðsson et al. 3 vols. Copenhagen: Legatum Arnamagnaeanum. Rpt. Osnabrück: Zeller, 1966.
4. Skald = Kock, Ernst Albin, ed. 1946-50. Den norsk-isländska skaldediktningen. 2 vols. Lund: Gleerup.
5. AEW = Vries, Jan de. 1962. Altnordisches etymologisches Wörterbuch. 2nd rev. edn. Rpt. 1977. Leiden: Brill.
6. LP = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1931. Lexicon poeticum antiquæ linguæ septentrionalis: Ordbog over det norsk-islandske skjaldesprog oprindelig forfattet af Sveinbjörn Egilsson. 2nd edn. Copenhagen: Møller.
7. Flat 1860-8 = Gudbrand Vigfusson [Guðbrandur Vigfússon] and C. R. Unger, eds. 1860-8. Flateyjarbók. En samling af norske konge-sagaer med indskudte mindre fortællinger om begivenheder i og udenfor Norge samt annaler. 3 vols. Christiania (Oslo): Malling.
8. NK = Neckel, Gustav and Hans Kuhn (1899), eds. 1983. Edda: Die Lieder des Codex Regius nebst verwandten Denkmälern. 2 vols. I: Text. 5th edn. Heidelberg: Winter.
9. ÍF 1 (parts 1 and 2) = Íslendingabók; Landnámabók. Ed. Jakob Benediktsson. 1968. Rpt. as one volume 1986.
10. Falk, Hjalmar. 1914b. Altnordische Waffenkunde. Videnskapsselskapets skrifter, II. Hist.-filos. kl. 1914, 6. Kristiania (Oslo): Dybwad.
11. SnE 1998 = Snorri Sturluson. 1998. Edda: Skáldskaparmál. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2 vols. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
12. SnE 2005 = Snorri Sturluson. 2005. Edda: Prologue and Gylfaginning. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2nd edn. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
13. Janzén, A. 1947a. ‘De fornvästnordiska personnamnen’. Nordisk kultur 7, 22-186.
14. Internal references
15. Edith Marold 2017, ‘Snorra Edda (Prologue, Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál)’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols [check printed volume for citation].
16. (forthcoming), ‘ Anonymous, Landnámabók’ in Guðrún Nordal (ed.), Poetry on Icelandic History. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 4. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=25> (accessed 24 April 2024)
17. R. D. Fulk (ed.) 2022, ‘Njáls saga 55 (Anonymous Poems, Darraðarljóð 3)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross, Kari Ellen Gade and Tarrin Wills (eds), Poetry in Sagas of Icelanders. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 5. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 1303.
18. 2017, ‘ Anonymous, Sǫrla þáttr’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry in fornaldarsögur. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 8. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 785. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=41> (accessed 24 April 2024)
19. (forthcoming), ‘ Snorri Sturluson, Skáldskaparmál’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=112> (accessed 24 April 2024)
20. (forthcoming), ‘ Snorri Sturluson, Gylfaginning’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=113> (accessed 24 April 2024)
21. Elena Gurevich (ed.) 2017, ‘Anonymous Þulur, Sækonunga heiti 1’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 678.
22. Elena Gurevich (ed.) 2017, ‘Anonymous Þulur, Ásynja heiti 2’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 765.
23. Elena Gurevich (ed.) 2017, ‘Anonymous Þulur, Ásynja heiti 4’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 770.
24. Elena Gurevich (ed.) 2017, ‘Anonymous Þulur, Óðins nǫfn 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. 739.
25. Elena Gurevich (ed.) 2017, ‘Anonymous Þulur, Orrostu heiti 1’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 786.
26. Elena Gurevich (ed.) 2017, ‘Anonymous Þulur, Orrostu heiti 2’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 788.
27. R. D. Fulk 2012, ‘ Eyvindr skáldaspillir Finnsson, Hákonarmál’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 171. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1187> (accessed 24 April 2024)
28. Diana Whaley (ed.) 2009, ‘Arnórr jarlaskáld Þórðarson, Haraldsdrápa 11’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 272-3.
29. Not published: do not cite ()
30. R. D. Fulk (ed.) 2012, ‘Eyvindr skáldaspillir Finnsson, Hákonarmál 12’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 186.
31. Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Guthormr sindri, Hákonardrápa 6’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 164.
32. Not published: do not cite ()
33. Elena Gurevich 2017, ‘ Anonymous, Orrostu heiti’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 786. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=3193> (accessed 24 April 2024)
34. Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2017, ‘Snorri Sturluson, Háttatal 49’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 1158.
35. John McKinnell (ed.) 2022, ‘Víga-Glúms saga 8 (Víga-Glúmr Eyjólfsson, Lausavísur 8)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross, Kari Ellen Gade and Tarrin Wills (eds), Poetry in Sagas of Icelanders. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 5. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 1387.