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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Ólhv Hryn 10II/2 — hildar ‘of battle’

Hallgeislat rauð hvatt í Ósló
hildar tungl með skata mildum
(ræstir þrungu jǫfrar œstum)
járnfaldit lið (saman hjaldri).
Brǫndum skýfðusk blóðgar randir;
bleikir fellu menn at velli;
hlífarlauss vá gramr með gæfu;
gyltar sungu hjalta tungur.

Járnfaldit lið rauð hvatt hallgeislat tungl hildar í Ósló með mildum skata; ræstir jǫfrar þrungu saman œstum hjaldri. Blóðgar randir skýfðusk brǫndum; bleikir menn fellu at velli; gramr vá hlífarlauss með gæfu; gyltar tungur hjalta sungu.

The iron-helmed retinue bravely reddened brilliant-coloured moons of battle [SHIELDS] in Oslo with the generous lord; the princes, incited, caused a fierce battle. Bloody shields were cut in two with swords; pale men fell to the field; the king fought successfully without a shield; gilded tongues of hilts [SWORDS] sang.

notes

[1, 2] hallgeislat tungl hildar ‘brilliant-coloured moons of battle [SHIELDS]’: The cpd hallgeislat is a hap. leg. consisting of hallr ‘stone, jewel, colour’ and geislat (adj., n. acc. sg., p. p. of geisla ‘beam, illuminate’) ‘illuminated’ (see LP: hallgeislaðr). Hallgeislat modifies tungl (n. acc. sg.), which is used here with a pl. meaning. For the custom of painting and ornamenting shields, see Falk 1914, 143-8.

kennings

grammar

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