Bryggen Runic inscription 145

60°23′53″N 5°19′12″E / 60.398°N 5.32°E / 60.398; 5.32

Bryggen inscription 145
WritingYounger Futhark
Createdca. 1250
Discovered20th century
Søndre Engelgården, Bryggen, Bergen
CultureNorse
Rundata IDN 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]

§A

fe=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

§B

no=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

§C

ka=lt=rs

galdrs

falkha

fastliga

·

 

haldet

haldit.

⁓

 

omnia

Omnia

:

 

uinsciþ

vincit

·

 

amo=r

Amor,

·

 

æþ

et

nos

nos

c=(c)itam(m)--

cedam[us]

·

 

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[us] {} Amori. {}

§D

ga=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[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

  1. ^ Marold, Edith. 1998, p. 688.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ a b Clunies Ross, Margaret. 2005, p. 43.

Literature