60°23′53″N 5°19′12″E / 60.398°N 5.32°E / 60.398; 5.32
| Bryggen inscription 145 | |
|---|---|
| Writing | Younger Futhark |
| Created | ca. 1250 |
| Discovered | 20th century Søndre Engelgården, Bryggen, Bergen |
| Culture | Norse |
| Rundata ID | N B145 |
| Text – Native | |
| Old Norse: See article. | |
| Translation | |
| See article. | |
Bryggen inscription 145 (N B145 in Rundata) is a runic inscription on a wooden stick found among the medieval rune-staves of Bergen. It has four sides, and dates to around the year 1200. It is notable not only for containing a rare Skaldic love poem in the form of a complete dróttkvætt stanza, but also a quote from the classical Latin poet Virgil, illustrating the coexistence of native Norse and Classical education in medieval Norway.
Inscription
The lines §A, §B and §D have all been carved by the same hand, while §C appears to have been executed by another, less experienced rune-carver.
Transliteration from Scandinavian Runic-text Database (Rundata), with minor changes.
§Afe=ll
Fell
·
til
til
·
friþra=r
fríðrar
·
þ(e)=llu
þellu
·
fa=rl(e)=gh=ra=r
fárligrar
·
m(e)=r
mér
·
a=rla
árla
·
fiska=ll
fiskáls
·
festiba=la
festibála
·
fo=rn
forn
·
byr
byrr
hama=r
hamar
fe=ll · til · friþra=r · þ(e)=llu · fa=rl(e)=gh=ra=r · m(e)=r · a=rla · fiska=ll · festiba=la · fo=rn · byr hama=r
Fell {} til {} fríðrar {} þellu {} fárligrar {} mér {} árla {} fiskáls {} festibála {} forn {} byrr hamar
§Bno=r=na
norna;
·
þæim
þeim
(u)ihdi
lundi
·
he=uir
hefir
þunda=r
Þundar
·
þo=rnluþrs
þornlúðrs
·
(e)o=lun·buþa=r
jǫlunbúðar
·
g=lo=uma=r
glauma
·
gyghia=rto=uma
gýgjartauma
no=r=na · þæim (u)ihdi · he=uir þunda=r · þo=rnluþrs · (e)o=lun·buþa=r · g=lo=uma=r · gyghia=rto=uma
norna; {} þeim lundi {} hefir Þundar {} þornlúðrs {} jǫlunbúðar {} glauma {} gýgjartauma
§Cka=lt=rs
galdrs
falkha
fastliga
·
haldet
haldit.
⁓
omnia
Omnia
:
uinsciþ
vincit
·
amo=r
Amor,
·
æþ
et
nos
nos
c=(c)itam(m)--
cedam
·
amori
Amori.
·
ka=lt=rs falkha · haldet ⁓ omnia : uinsciþ · amo=r · æþ nos c=(c)itam(m)-- · amori ·
galdrs fastliga {} haldit. {} Omnia {} vincit {} Amor, {} et nos cedam {} Amori. {}
§Dga=ld=rs
galdrs
fasl(e)=gha
fastliga
·
haldet
haldit.
⁓
omnia
Omnia
·
uinciþ
vincit
·
amo=r
Amor,
·
æþ
et
·
nos
nos
·
c(e)damus
cedamus
·
amori
Amori.
·
ga=ld=rs fasl(e)=gha · haldet ⁓ omnia · uinciþ · amo=r · æþ · nos · c(e)damus · amori ·
galdrs fastliga {} haldit. {} Omnia {} vincit {} Amor, {} et {} nos {} cedamus {} Amori. {}
Interpretation
Old West Norse and Latin normalization
Note that lundi is emendated from the nonsensical and metrically faulty uihdi of the inscription.
- Fell til fríðrar þellu
- fárligrar mér árla
- fiskáls festibála
- forn byrr hamarnorna.
- Þeim lundi hefir Þundar
- þornlúðrs jǫlunbúðar
- glauma gýgjartauma
- galdrs fastliga haldit.
- Omnia vincit Amor, et nos cedam Amori.
English translation
The first helmingr (half-verse) is relatively straight forward. It translates (with kennings in brackets):
- The ancient breeze of the cliff-goddesses fell to me early with respect to the beautiful, dangerous young pine-tree of the fastened fire of the fish expanse .
Simplified, this means:
- Desire for the beautiful, dangerous young woman overcame me a long time ago.
Finally, the Latin quote at the end is from Eclogue X by Virgil, and means "Love conquers all; let us, too, yield to love!".
References
- Marold, Edith. 1998, p. 688.
- "Runic inscription N B145", Scandinavian Runic-text Database, Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University, 2020, retrieved December 15, 2021. The word no=rna has been moved to line §B, in accordance with the original inscription.
- ^ Clunies Ross, Margaret. 2005, p. 43.
Literature
- Marold, Edith. 1998d. Runeninschriften als Quelle zur Geschichte der Skaldendichtung. In Düwel et al. 1998, 667-93.
- Margaret Clunies Ross (2011) . A History of Old Norse Poetry and Poetics. Cambridge: Brewer. ISBN 9781843842798.