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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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ÞKolb Eirdr 3I/3 — hrefnis ‘of the strake’

Setti jarl, sás atti,
ógnfróðr, á lǫg stóði
hrefnis, hôva stafna
hót Sigvalda at móti.
Margr skalf hlumr, en hvergi
huggendr bana uggðu,
þeirs gôtu sæ slíta,
sárgamms, blǫðum ára.

Ógnfróðr jarl, sás atti stóði hrefnis á lǫg, setti hôva stafna hót at móti Sigvalda. Margr hlumr skalf, en huggendr sárgamms, þeirs gôtu slíta sæ blǫðum ára, uggðu hvergi bana.

The battle-wise jarl, who urged the stud-horses of the strake [SHIPS] onto the sea, directed high stems somewhat against Sigvaldi. Many an oar-handle trembled, but the comforters of the wound-vulture [RAVEN/EAGLE > WARRIORS], who tore the sea with the blades of oars, feared death not at all.

readings

[3] hrefnis: ‘hremfnis’ FskAˣ, ‘her fínz’ 510

notes

[2-3] stóði hrefnis ‘the stud-horses of the strake [SHIPS]’: Stóð n. ‘stud’ is usually collective, but is also used of individual horses (CVC, LP: stóð; cf. Eyv Hál 11/11), hence the kenning may signify the entire fleet, as assumed here, or an individual ship. — [3] hrefnis ‘of the strake’: This is the only skaldic occurrence of hrefni n. Finnur Jónsson (Hkr 1893-1901, IV) specifies the fifth strake in the ship (and cf. Falk 1912, 52-4, who cites ModIcel. hrefna), though there is no evidence of this in ON (Jesch 2001a, 141).

kennings

grammar

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