Bryggen Runic inscription 145
| 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.[1]
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.[2]
Runic transliteration
- §A 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
- §B no=r=na · þæim (u)ihdi · he=uir þunda=r · þo=rnluþrs · (e)o=lun·buþa=r · g=lo=uma=r · gyghia=rto=uma
- §C ka=lt=rs falkha · haldet ⁓ omnia : uinsciþ · amo=r · æþ nos c=(c)itam(m)-- · amori ·
- §D ga=ld=rs fasl(e)=gha · haldet ⁓ omnia · uinciþ · amo=r · æþ · nos · c(e)damus · 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[us] Amori.
English translation
The first helmingr (half-verse) is relatively straight forward. It translates (with kennings in brackets):[3]
- The ancient breeze of the cliff-goddesses [GIANTESSES > DESIRE] fell to me early with respect to the beautiful, dangerous young pine-tree of the fastened fire of the fish expanse [SEA > GOLD > (beautiful, dangerous, young) WOMAN].
Simplified, this means:[3]
- 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) [2005]. A History of Old Norse Poetry and Poetics. Cambridge: Brewer. ISBN 9781843842798.