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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Anon Líkn 42VII/6 — brjótr ‘breaker’

Sett hefr sína dróttar
sigrstoð konungr roðna
blikmeiðundum blóði
bauga láðs fyr augu.
Sjá má hverr í heimi
hnossa brjótr, á krossi
dyggr hvé sinn faðm seggjum
sólstéttar gramr réttir.

Konungr dróttar hefr sett sína sigrstoð roðna blóði fyr augu láðs bauga blik meiðundum. Hverr brjótr hnossa í heimi má sjá, hvé dyggr gramr sólstéttar á krossi réttir seggjum faðm sinn.

The king of the host [RULER = Christ] has set his victory-post [CROSS], reddened with blood, before the eyes of harmers of the radiance of the land of rings [(lit. ‘radiance-harmers of the land of rings’) ARM > GOLD > GENEROUS MEN]. Each breaker of treasures [GENEROUS MAN] in the world may see how the faithful king of the sun’s path [SKY/HEAVEN > = God (= Christ)] on the Cross extends his embrace to men.

notes

[6] brjótr hnossa ‘breaker of hammered ornaments’: Cf. hodda brjótr ‘breaker of treasure’ Geisl 37/7. Hnoss ‘hammered ornament’ (CVC probably from OE hnossian ‘to hammer’) recalls the theme of hammering introduced with viðum hnossa ‘trees of hammered ornament [MEN]’ in the stef (13/6, 17/6, 21/6, 25/6 and 29/6) and made central at the Crucifixion in st. 16. The two ‘generous man’-kennings, though built upon ideal princely conduct, are ironic in their insufficiency when set against the boundless munificence of Christ’s mercy. Through his embrace he offers, not hammered gold, but himself hammered to the Cross.

kennings

grammar

case: nom.

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