fl ying from weapons and horns sounding, and several
rare and unique words. Fleeting allusions to the gods
Óðinn, Nj rðr, or Baldr, to valkyries, or to pagan creation
myths, belong, like those to such legendary heroes as
the Burgundian Gjúki, purely to the level of diction. The
numerous Christian references, including one to God
and St. Michael judging mankind, seem by contrast sub-
stantial and sincere. The poetry is by skaldic standards
moderately ornate in diction and word order, rather than
extremely artifi cial. There are verbal resemblances to
lines by the 1lth-century skalds Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld
(“the troublesome skald”), Sighvatr Þórðarson, and
Þjóðólfr Arnórsson. The hrynhent poems by Markús
Skeggjason (ca. 1104) and Sturla Þórðarson (ca. 1262)
echo Arnórr.
Four main poems can be reconstructed from the frag-
ments, all panegyrics on contemporary Norse rulers and
all in the dróttkvætt meter except Hrynhenda, which is
the fi rst surviving panegyric in hrynhent. Hrynhenda
(ca. 1045) begins with fl eeting references to Arnórr’s
own trading voyages, but mainly concerns Magnús
Óláfsson: his boyhood journey out of exile in Russia,
conquest of Norway, triumphant voyage to Denmark,
suppression of Wends at Jóm (Jomne) and Hlýrskóg-
sheiðr (Lyrskovsheden), and ousting of Sven Estridsen
from Denmark, especially at Helganes (Helgenæs). The
only major poem by Arnórr to address directly a living
hero, Hrynhenda is distinguished by extravagant praise
(in apostrophes and second-person verbs) and seafaring
descriptions both precise and imaginative. Named for its
novel meter, Hrynhenda has a strongly trochaic pulse
and relatively straightforward word order.
Magnússdrápa (ca. 1046/7) covers much the same
events, but offers more factual detail and close-up battle
description, including macabre images of the wolf scav-
enging on the battlefi eld.
Þorfi nnsdrápa (ca. 1065) commemorates Þorfi nnr
Sigurðarson’s victories against the Scots at Dýrnes
(Deerness) and Torfnes (Tarbatness), defeat of his
nephew R gnvaldr off Rauðabj rg (Roberry), and raiding
at Vatnsfj rðr (Loch Vatten) in the Hebrides and in Eng-
land. It has an unusually personal tone of lament, and
Arnórr recalls winter drinking scenes and his own pres-
ence at Vatnsfj rðr and (reluctantly) at Rauðabj rg. Battle
descriptions are enlivened by short clauses focusing on
graphic details and sharpened by specifi cation of place,
time, and numbers of ships. The general praise includes
the impossibilia topos, “the sun will turn black, the earth
sink in the sea, and the sky be rent before a ruler fi ner
than Þorfi nnr will be born in the isles,” which echoes
V luspá or a common source.
Haraldsdrápa (ca. 1066, called simply an erfi drápa
‘memorial poem’ for Haraldr in the MSS) covers
Haraldr Sigurðarson’s later career: his struggle for
Denmark against Sven Estridsen (especially a raid on
Fjón [Funen] and victory at the Niz [Nis/Nissan] estu-
ary), home policy (suppression of an Upland rebellion),
and attempted conquest of England (victory near York,
defeat and death in the unnamed battle of Stamfórd
Bridge). There is one personal prayer for Haraldr, but
otherwise the treatment is distant and vague, padded out
by generalized praise and heroic clichés. Here, Arnórr
uses interesting compound adjectives, but fewer and
plainer kennings than elsewhere.
See also Sighvatr ÞorðarsonFurther ReadingEditions
Finnur Jónsson, ed. Dennorsk-islandske skjaldedigtning. Vols.
1A–2A (tekst efter håndskrifterne) and 1B–2B (rettet tekst).
Copenhagen and Christiania [Oslo]: Gyldendal, 1912–15; rpt.
Rosenkilde & Bagger, 1967 (A) and 1973 (B), vol. 1A, pp.
332–54 [diplomatic text]; vol. 1B, pp. 305–27 [edited text]
Turville-Perre, E. O. G. Scaldic Poetry. Oxford: Clarendon,
1976, pp. 93–7
Edwards, Diana. “The Poetry of Arnórr jarlaskáld: An Edition
and Study.” Diss. Oxford University, 1980 [published version
forthcoming].
Bibliographies
Hollander, Lee M. A Bibliography of Skaldic Studies. Copenha-
gen: Munksgaard, 1958, pp. 65–6 [supplement forthcoming
by Paul Bibire et al.].
Literature
Hollander, Lee M. “Anórr Thórdarson jarlaskáld and His Poem
Hrynhent.” Scandinavian Studies 17 (1942), 99–109
Edwards, Diana. “Christian and Pagan References in Eleventh-
century Norse Poetry: The Case of Arnórr jarlaskáld.” Saga-
Book of the Viking Society21.1–2 (1982–83), 34–53
Edwards, Diana C. “Clause Arrangement in Skaldic Poetry.” Arkiv
för nordisk fi lologi 98 (1983), 123–75, esp. 149–75
Fidjestøl Bjarne. “Arnórr Þórðarson: Skald of the Orkney Jarls.”
In The Northern and Western Isles in the Viking World:
Survival, Continuity and Change. Ed. Alexander Fenton and
Hermann Pálsson. Edinburgh: Donald, 1984, pp.239–57.
Diana Edwards WhaleyASHER B. YE HIEL (1250–1327).
Rabbi Asher b. Ye.hiel, known by the Hebrew acronym
“Rosh” (not only the initial letters of Rabbi Asher, but not
coincidentally also meaning “head; chief in importance”
in Hebrew) was born ca. 1250 in Germany and died in
1327 in Spain. He was born into an elite rabbinic family,
fourth generation in direct descent from Rabbi Eli‘ezer
b. Natan (the famous Ra’avan). His father Ye.hiel was
descended also from the renowned Rabbenu Gershom
b. Judah, as well as from Natan of Rome, author of the
famous dictionary ‘Arukh. Asher studied in France when
he was very young, and continued his studies in Ger-
many, where he ultimately became second in importance
only to his principal teacher, Rabbi Meir b. Barukh ofASHER B.YE HIEL.