Anon Líkn 25VII/1 — Geypnir ‘holds in his hand’
Geypnir skjöldungr skepnu
skríns styrkliga sína
(ern er hilmir) hlýrna
(heiðtjalds) saman alla.
Krists vinnr krapt ins hæsta
krossmark viðum hnossa
alls bezt; lofar æztan
öll dýrð konung fyrða.
Skjöldungr skríns hlýrna geypnir styrkliga sína skepnu alla saman; hilmir heiðtjalds er ern. Krossmark ins hæsta Krists vinnr krapt alls bezt viðum hnossa; öll dýrð lofar æztan konung fyrða.
The ruler of the shrine of heavenly bodies [SKY/HEAVEN > = God] holds in his hand mightily his creation all at once; the prince of the heath’s tent [SKY/HEAVEN > = God] is valiant. The cross-sign of the most high Christ gains power best of all for trees of treasures [MEN]; all glory exalts the highest king of men [RULER = Christ].
notes
[1] geypnir ‘holds, gathers in his hand’: The verb (from gaupn, f. ‘hollow of the hand’) occurs only in Christian skaldic poetry, primarily in kennings depicting God or Christ as pantocrator ‘ruler of the universe’. See, e.g., Has 29/7-8, Geisl 16/7-8, Kálf Kátr 36/3 and Mgr 2/5. On the iconography of Christ as pantocrator, see Kirschbaum et al. 1968-76, I, 392-4. A good example from the period is from the early C13th painted ceiling of S. Michael’s, Hildesheim; in the final roundel of the tree of Jesse, Christ appears enthroned against a blue field, surrounded by sun, moon, and stars.