Dodge, Daniel Kilham. On a Verse in the Old Norse "Höfuðlausn"

• Author: Dodge, Daniel Kilham
• Title: On a verse in the Old Norse "Höfuðlausn"
• Published in: Modern Language Notes 3, No. 1
• Year: 1888
• Pages: 8-9
• E-text: jstor.org
• Reference: Dodge, D. K. "On a verse in the Old Norse "Höfuðlausn"." Modern Language Notes 3, No. 1 (1888): 8-9.

---

• Key words: poetry (kveðskapur)

Annotation

A commentary on the first half of the sixth verse of Höfuðlausn. Dodge supports Jón Þorkelsson’s interpretation of firða fit as signifying ‘battle array’, arguing that this reading is more artistically appropriate than Per Sörensson’s ‘men’s feet/knees’. He also proposes ‘spear din’ as a better interpretation of fleina hnit than ‘spear thursts’.

Lýsing

Athugaemd við fyrri hluta sjöttu vísu Höfuðlausnar. Dodge er sammála Jóni Þorkelssyni um að firða fit merki bardagaflokkur og telur að þessi túlkun sé frá listrænu sjónarmiði skárri en sú túlkun Pers Sörensson að það eigi við um fætur eða hné manna. Hann telur að spjótahríð sé betri túlkun á fleina hnit en spjótalag.

References

Chapter 62: Hné folk á fit / við fleina hnit: hníga may be applied equally to the sinking or bending of almost any object, from the sun to a dying warrior or a tree (see Vigfusson's Dic., page 276)... Hnit is rendered (...) by 'thrust.' Concerning this word, too, there is some difference in opinion. In Vigfusson we find hnit rendered as "forging; poet., the clash of battle," with a reference to our poem. In this connection it would be more properly rendered simply by 'clash', or perhaps better by 'din.'" (p. 9)

Links

• Written by: Katelin Parson
• Icelandic translation: Jón Karl Helgason