fortress. A sword is hanging on the gate to bar entry. Sosruquo throws a
horse-hair at it, but even that is cut (Colarusso (2002), 206).
The individuality of Sigurd’s sword is underlined by the fact that it has its
own name. This is a frequent feature of swords, and to some extent of other
weapons and armour, in Germanic and Celtic tradition, and it can be found
also in Avdo Meedovic ́’s epic The Wedding of Smailagic ́ M e h o (SCHS iii.
90).^44
The weapon is often introduced with some account of its history, its
previous owners, and so forth.^45 In many cases it was made by a special
craftsman. Ajax’s shield was made by Tychios (Il. 7. 220), Achilles’ armour by
Hephaestus. Waldere’s sword Mimming was made by Weland (Waldere A 2),
as was Beowulf ’s corslet (Beowulf 455). Several notable swords wielded by
Norse heroes were made by dwarfs: Angantyr’s sword Tyrfing (Waking of
Angantyr 7, 18 =Edd. min. 15, 18), Hogni’s sword Dáinsleif (Skáldsk. 50),
and a pair bequeathed by Budli to his grandsons (Hildibrand’s Death-song
2 =Edd. min. 53). Arthur’s coat of mail was made by Wygar, an elvish smith
(aluisc smið: Laamon, Brut 21131).
Weapons share their owners’ blood-lust and are eager to do their work.^46
Pandaros’ arrow leaps from the bow, καθ, Jμιλον $πιπτσθαι μενεανων,
‘furious to fly among the throng’ (Il. 4. 126). In the Indian epic arrows
gantum us ́anti, ‘desire to go’ (MBh. 5. 47. 96), and they drink blood (6. 49. 21,
- 9, 78. 21, 80. 4; 7. 109. 25, 112. 28, al.). Spears ‘yearn to get their fill of
flesh’ (Il. 11. 574, cf. 15. 542 f., 21. 70, 168). Diomedes’ spear ‘rages’ in his
hands (μανεται, 8. 111); Achilles’ is ‘angry’ (ζα ́ κοτο, Pind. Nem. 6. 53).
Beowulf ’s sword sings out a greedy war-song as he brings it down on
Grendel’s mother’s head (1521 f.). Another Anglo-Saxon poet speaks of the
ash spears as wælgı ̄fr u, ‘greedy for carnage’ (Wanderer 100). Freyr’s sword
would fight by itself (Skírnismál 8. 4 f.; Gylf. 37). Thor’s hammer Mio ̨ llnir is
morðgiarn, ‘eager to kill’ (Hymiskviða 36).
(^44) Swords: Beowulf 1457, 2680; Saxo 2. 6. 11 p. 51; 2. 7. 19 p. 58; 4. 4. 7 p. 99; 7. 9. 11 p. 203;
- 10 p. 212; Cath Maige Tuired 777 Gray; Acallam na Senórach pp. 67, 193 Dooley–Roe.
Spears: Gylf. 51, Skáldsk. 35 (Odin’s spear Gungnir); Acallam na Senórach pp. 55, 95, 98, 170, 193
D.–R. A number of Germanic spear-blades from about the third century have names such as
‘Attacker’ inscribed on them in runes (de Vries (1956), i. 293; D. H. Green (1998), 186). Shield:
Táin (I) 4046; Acallam na Senórach p. 170 D.–R. Helm and corslet: Skáldsk. 44. Arthur’s named
sword, spear, shield, and knife: Culhwch and Olwen 159–61. Cf. Miller (2000), 207–11.
- 10 p. 212; Cath Maige Tuired 777 Gray; Acallam na Senórach pp. 67, 193 Dooley–Roe.
(^45) So with Meriones’ boar’s-tusk helmet, Il. 10. 266–71; Arjuna’s bow, MBh. 4. 38. 39–41;
Karn
̇
a’s, 8. 22. 36ff.; Duryodhana’s armour, 7. 78. 19; Yudhis
̇
t
̇
hira’s sword, 12. 160. 33–87;
Wiglaf ’s sword, Beowulf 2610–25.
(^46) Cf. de Vries (1956), i. 292 f.; Durante (1976), 144 f.; M. W. Edwards in the Cambridge
Iliad Commentary, v. 51; Stith Thompson, Motif-Index D 1601. 4–5. 2. ‘Furious’ weapons in
Akkadian: West (1997), 371.
462 12. Arms and the Man