Battle is periphrased as the 'storm', 'din' or 'tempest' of weapons, shields, Óðinn or the valkyries (Skögul, Hlökk, Göndul, Hildr). Seven verse examples (Hornklofi, Eyvindr, Einarr and others).
Hvernig skal kenna orrostu? Svá, at kalla veðr vápna eða hlífa eða Óðins eða valkyrju eða herkonunga eða gný eða glym. Svá kvað Hornklofi:
How shall battle be periphrased? Thus: by calling it the storm (veðr) of weapons or shields or of Óðinn or of the valkyrie or of war-kings, or din or clash. Thus spoke Hornklofi:
Svá kvað Eyvindr:
Thus spoke Eyvindr:
Svá kvað Bersi:
Thus spoke Bersi:
Svá kvað Einarr:
Thus spoke Einarr:
Sem kvað Einarr skálaglamm:
As Einarr skálaglamm spoke:
Svá sem hér:
As here:
Ok enn þetta:
And this too:
Skaldic quotations
Þorbjörn Hornklofi (strid = geira hregg, spjutstormen)
Háði gramr, þar er gnúðu, geira hregg við seggi, rauð fnýstu ben blóði, bengögl at dyn Sköglar.
The prince waged the storm of spears against men, where they roared; red wounds spewed blood, the wound-goslings [arrows] at the din of Skögul [battle].
Eyvindr (strid = Háars veðr, Óðins storm)
Ok sá halr at Háars veðri hösvan serk hrísgrímnis bar.
And that man bore a grey shirt [mail-coat] in the storm of Hár [Óðinn — battle].
Bersi (strid = Hlakkar drífa, Hlökks driva)
Þótta ek, þá er æri, ár, sagt er þat, várum, hæfr at Hlakkar drífu hyrrunnum vel gunnar.
I seemed, when I was young — it is said so — well fitted in Hlökk's drift [battle] to the fire-bushes [warriors] of battle.
Einarr (strid = glymvindr Göndlar, Gönduls dånvind)
Glymvindi lætr Göndlar, gnestr hörr, taka mestum Hildar segl, Þar er hagli, hraustr þengill, drífr strengjar.
The valiant prince lets Hildr's sail [the shield] take the greatest din-wind of Göndul [battle], where the hail of the bowstring [arrows] drives.
Einarr skálaglamm (strid = Hárs Högna skúrir, Óðins Högni-skurar)
Né sigbjarka serkir sómmiðjungum rómu Hárs við Högna skúrir hléðut fast of séðir.
Nor did the shirts of the battle-birch [mail-coats] shield the honour-men well against the showers of Högni of Hár [Óðinn — battle], as was seen.
Anonym (strid = odda gnýr, uddarnas dån)
Odda gnýs við æsi oddnets þinul setja.
They set the head-rope of the point-net [the shield-wall] against the increaser of the point-din [the warrior].
Anonym (strid = glym Göndlar, Gönduls larm)
Hnigu fjandr at glym Göndlar grams und arnar hramma.
The foes sank at the clash of Göndul [battle] under the prince's eagle-claws.