Bragi Rdr 9III/4 — benja ‘wounds’
Bauða sú til bleyði
bœti-Þrúðr at móti
malma mætum hilmi
men dreyrugra benja.
Svá lét ey, þótt etti,
sem orrostu letti,
jǫfrum ulfs at sinna
með algífris lifru.
Sú bœti-Þrúðr dreyrugra benja bauða mætum hilmi men til bleyði at móti malma. Svá lét ey, sem letti orrostu, þótt etti jǫfrum at sinna með lifru algífris ulfs.
That curing-Þrúðr <goddess> of bloody wounds [VALKYRIE = Hildr] did not offer the splendid ruler the neck-ring for the sake of cowardice at the assembly of weapons [BATTLE]. Thus she continually behaved as if she was hindering the battle, although she was inciting the princes to accompany the sister of the complete monster of a wolf [Fenrir] [= Hel].
notes
[1, 2, 4] sú bœti-Þrúðr dreyrugra benja ‘that curing-Þrúðr <goddess> of bloody wounds [VALKYRIE = Hildr]’: A kenning with a specific reference to Hildr, formed similarly to ósk-Rôn ofþerris æða ‘the desiring-Rán <goddess> of the excessive drying of veins [VALKYRIE = Hildr]’ (st. 8/1, 2) and hristi-Sif hringa ‘shaking-Sif <goddess> of rings [VALKYRIE = Hildr]’ (st. 8/5), where the base-word is a cpd of an adj. formed from a verb (or, in the case of ósk-Rôn, a noun) plus goddess name (in this case Þórr’s daughter Þrúðr) and the determinant alludes to Hildr’s life-threatening, battle-promoting intentions. This kenning must be ironic; Hildr cured wounds in order to revive the warriors to fight again.
kennings
- Sú bœti-Þrúðr dreyrugra benja — That curing-Þrúðr <goddess> of bloody wounds [VALKYRIE = Hildr]