Grim at 20:35, 10 June 2011

Grim — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 20:35:42 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 20:35, 10 June 2011
Line 90:		Line 90:
	\|We have finished \|\| our weaving here		\|We have finished \|\| our weaving here
	\|-		\|-
-	\|Still is the loom \|\| all stained and scarred	+	\|Still is the loom \|\| all stained and scarred <ref>These two lines are added for clarity, and I moved the one beneath it from an earlier verse.</ref>
	\|-		\|-
	\|The skein garish \|\| with gore of men		\|The skein garish \|\| with gore of men
Line 100:		Line 100:
	\|As blood-red clouds \|\| cover the sky		\|As blood-red clouds \|\| cover the sky
	\|-		\|-
-	\|Clamor wardens \|\| keen their war-songs	+	\|Clamor wardens <ref>A kenning for valkyries. Clamor is a heiti for battle.</ref> \|\| keen their war-songs <ref>This is a very troublesome line, apparently it is quite corrupt. I decided to go with Hollander’s translation, taking a few hints from a transcription of the Old Norse.</ref>
	\|-		\|-
	\|Far lands will hear \|\| of fall of men		\|Far lands will hear \|\| of fall of men

Grim: New page: This is a tale of an Irish High King who met the Danish King of Dublin in battle. The Valkyries observing this battle chanted this song: {| style="width: 250pt" border=0 cellspacing=0 ce...

Grim — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 20:30:34 GMT

New page: This is a tale of an Irish High King who met the Danish King of Dublin in battle. The Valkyries observing this battle chanted this song: {| style="width: 250pt" border=0 cellspacing=0 ce...

New page

This is a tale of an Irish High King who met the Danish King of Dublin in battle. The Valkyries observing this battle chanted this song:

{| style="width: 250pt" border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0
|1. Far and wide || with fall of the dead
|-
|The warp <ref>This poem is likening the battle to a loom. Woof, warp, weft, web, rods, etc, are all parts of a loom and are used as metaphors.</ref> is stretched || and streams down blood
|-
|A spear-grey fabric || forms on the loom
|-
|Woof of warriors || we valkyries <ref>I simplified this line quite a bit. The original translated to “The women friends of Randver’s slayer.” Randver was killed indirectly by Odin, and his “women friends” are Valkyries.</ref> fill
|-
|Binding and crossing || with blood-red weft
|-
| 
|-
|2. The web is woven || with warrior’s guts
|-
|Heads of the slain || serve as its weights
|-
|Heddle-rods are spears, || spattered with blood
|-
|The shed-rod is iron, || arrows its pegs;
|-
|With swords we beat || our battle web.
|-
| 
|-
|3. Hild <ref>All the proper names in this poem are the valkyries. </ref> goes to weave, || and Hjorðrimul
|-
|Sanngrid and Svipul, || with swords brandished
|-
|Shields will shatter || and shafts will break
|-
|Biter of helmets <ref>A kenning for “axe.” There seems to be some disagreement on how this line should be translated, a few of my translations had “hound of helmets,” while others just indicated a weapon. </ref> || harms the breastplates.
|-
| 
|-
|4. We wind, we wind || the web of spears <ref>The latter part of this line 'vefr darraðar' is apparently difficult to translate. I went with one common to Hollander and Cook, as it fits my version best. Poole, who is the most rigorous translator, indicates “spear” as a possibility, but he favors “pennant” as the most likely.</ref>
|-
|As young war-king || has waged before
|-
|Forth shall we fare || where fray lies thick
|-
|And friend and foe || fix sword ’gainst sword
|-
| 
|-
|5. We wind, we wind || the web of spears,
|-
|Follow our king || to fierce battle
|-
|Men will see shields || shattered and bloody
|-
|Where Gondul and Gunn || guarded the thane
|-
| 
|-
|6. We wind, we wind || the web of spears,
|-
|Where the banners fly || of boldest men;
|-
|Our liege shall not lose || his life in this place
|-
|Valkyries decide || those slain on the field
|-
| 
|-
|7. Danes who were driven || from Dublin’s lands
|-
|Have now returned || to take their halls,
|-
|To claim this field, || a kingdom make:
|-
|Seafarers will hold || sway o’er the land
|-
| 
|-
|8. Brave Irish will see || an evil time
|-
|As fate decrees || they fall to strife
|-
|Doomed to die is || their doughty king
|-
|Folk leader will fall || in face of spears
|-
| 
|-
|9. Woven is the web, || war-place reddened
|-
|We have finished || our weaving here
|-
|Still is the loom || all stained and scarred
|-
|The skein garish || with gore of men
|-
| 
|-
|10. Now it is gruesome || to gaze around
|-
|As blood-red clouds || cover the sky
|-
|Clamor wardens || keen their war-songs
|-
|Far lands will hear || of fall of men
|-
| 
|-
|11. Chanted we well || the weird of the king
|-
|Anon we will sing || songs of victory
|-
|They who listen || may learn our words:
|-
|Speak this song to || spear-men after
|
|}

© Dan Marsh

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Poems and Songs]]

The Song of Spears - Revision history

Grim at 20:35, 10 June 2011

Grim: New page: This is a tale of an Irish High King who met the Danish King of Dublin in battle. The Valkyries observing this battle chanted this song: {| style="width: 250pt" border=0 cellspacing=0 ce...