Snorri's systematic survey of weapon- and armor-kennings: the helm = hood/cap, mail-coat = shirt, shield = tent/Ullr's ship/ship-sun and the rim-ring (baugr); the sword = Óðinn's fire, the axe = troll-woman of shields, the spear = serpent, the arrow = the bow's hail. Twenty-four verse examples.
Vápn ok herklæði skal kenna til orrostu ok til Óðins ok valmeyja ok herkonunga, kalla hjálm hött eða fald, en brynju serk eða skyrtu, en skjöld tjald, ok skjaldborgin er kölluð höll ok ræfr, veggr ok gólf. Skildir eru kallaðir ok kenndir við herskip, sól eða tungl eða lauf eða blik eða garðr skipsins. Skjöldr er ok kallaðr skip Ullar eða kennt til fóta Hrungnis, er hann stóð á skildi. Á fornum skjöldum var títt at skrifa rönd þá, er baugr var kallaðr, ok eru við þann baug skildir kenndir. Höggvápn, öxar eða sverð, er kallat eldar blóðs eða benja. Sverð heita Óðins eldar, en öxar kalla menn trollkvinna heitum ok kenna við blóð eða benjar eða skóg eða við. Lagvápn eru vel kennd til orma eða fiska. Skotvápn eru mjök kennd til hagls eða drífu eða rotu. Öllum þessum kenningum er marga lund breytt, því at þat er flest ort í lofkvæðum, er þessar kenningar þarf við. Svá kvað Víga-Glúmr:
Weapons and armor are to be periphrased by battle and by Óðinn and the slain-maidens [valkyries] and war-kings: to call a helm a hood or cap; a mail-coat a shirt or tunic; a shield a tent; and the shield-wall is called hall and roof, wall and floor. Shields are also called and periphrased by warships — the ship's sun or moon or leaf or gleam or fence. A shield is also called the ship of Ullr, or periphrased by the feet of Hrungnir, who stood on a shield. On ancient shields it was customary to paint the rim called a baugr [ring], and shields are periphrased by that ring. A cutting-weapon, axe or sword, is called the fire of blood or of wounds. Swords are called Óðinn's fires; and axes men call by the names of troll-women and periphrase by blood or wounds or forest or wood. Thrusting-weapons are well periphrased by serpents or fish. Missiles are much periphrased by hail or drift or sleet. All these kennings are varied in many ways, because they are mostly composed in praise-poems, where these kennings are needed. Thus spoke Víga-Glúmr:
Svá kvað Einarr skálaglamm:
Thus spoke Einarr skálaglamm:
Róða serkr, sem Tindr kvað:
Róði's shirt [mail-coat], as Tindr spoke:
Hamðis skyrta, sem Hallfreðr kvað:
Hamðir's shirt [mail-coat], as Hallfreðr spoke:
Sörla föt, enn sem hann kvað:
Sörli's garments [mail-coat], again as he spoke:
[Hlakkar tjöld], sem Grettir kvað:
Hlökk's tents [shields], as Grettir spoke:
Róða ræfr, sem Einarr kvað:
Róði's roof [shield], as Einarr spoke:
Hildar veggr, sem kvað Grettir ok áðr er ritat. Skipsól, sem Einarr kvað:
Hildr's wall [shield], as Grettir spoke and is written before. Ship-sun [shield], as Einarr spoke:
Hlýrtungl, sem Refr kvað:
Cheek-moon [shield], as Refr spoke:
Garðr skips, sem hér er:
Fence of the ship [shield], as here:
Askr Ullar, sem Þjóðólfr kvað:
Ullr's ash [shield], as Þjóðólfr spoke:
Ilja blað Hrungnis, sem Bragi kvað:
The sole-leaf of Hrungnir [shield], as Bragi spoke:
Bragi skáld kvað þetta um bauginn á skildinum:
The skald Bragi spoke this about the ring on the shield:
Hann kallaði skjöldinn Hildar hjól, en bauginn nöf hjólsins. Baugjörð, sem Hallvarðr kvað:
He called the shield Hildr's wheel, and the ring the nave of the wheel. Ring-land [shield], as Hallvarðr spoke:
Svá er enn kveðit:
Thus it is also composed:
Sverð er Óðins eldr, sem Kormákr kvað:
A sword is Óðinn's fire, as Kormákr spoke:
Hjálms eldr, sem kvað Úlfr Uggason:
Helm's fire [sword], as Úlfr Uggason spoke:
Brynju eldr, sem kvað Glúmr Geirason:
Mail-coat's fire [sword], as Glúmr Geirason spoke:
Randar íss ok grand hlífar, sem Einarr kvað:
The ice of the shield-rim, and harm of the shield [sword], as Einarr spoke:
Öx heitir trollkona hlífa, sem Einarr kvað:
An axe is called a troll-woman of shields, as Einarr spoke:
Spjót er ormr kallat, sem Refr kvað:
A spear is called a serpent, as Refr spoke:
Örvar eru kallaðar hagl boga eða strengjar eða hlífa eða orrostu, sem Einarr kvað skálaglamm:
Arrows are called the hail of the bow or string or shields or battle, as Einarr skálaglamm spoke:
Ok Hallfreðr:
And Hallfreðr:
Ok Eyvindr skáldaspillir:
And Eyvindr skáldaspillir:
Skaldic quotations
Víga-Glúmr (hjälm = Hangatýs höttr, Óðins hätta)
Lattisk herr með höttu Hangatýs at ganga, þóttit þeim at hætta þekkiligt, fyr brekku.
The host held back, with the Hanged-Týr's [Óðinn's] hoods [helmets], from going forward; it seemed to them not inviting to risk it before the slope.
Einarr skálaglamm (hjälmfaldinn, hjälmhöljd)
Hjalmfaldinn bauð hildi hjaldrörr ok Sigvaldi, hinn er fór í gný Gunnar, gunndjarfr Búi, sunnan.
Helmet-hooded, battle-bold Búi and Sigvaldi offered battle, he who came from the south into the din of Gunnr [battle].
Tindr Hallkelsson (brynja = Róða serkr, Róðis särk)
Þá er hringfáum Hanga hrynserk, viðum brynju hruðusk riðmarar Róða rastar, varð at kasta.
When the riding-steeds of Róði's road [ships] ... the ring-adorned resounding shirt of Hangi [Óðinn — mail-coat] had to be cast off, [stripped] by the trees of the mail-coat [warriors].
Hallfreðr (brynja = Hamðis skyrta, Hamðirs skjorta)
Ólítinn brestr úti unndýrs frömum runnum hart á Hamðis skyrtum hryngráp Egils vápna.
No small resounding hail of Egill's weapons [arrows] bursts hard out on the shirts of Hamðir [mail-coats] of the bold trees [warriors] of the wave-beast [ship].
Hallfreðr (brynja = Sörla föt, Sörlis plagg)
Þaðan verða föt fyrða, fregn ek görla þat, Sörla rjóðask björt í blóði benfúr méil-skúrum.
Thence the garments of Sörli [mail-coats] of men become reddened bright in blood — I learn it clearly — in the wound-fire's [sword's] hilt-showers [battle].
Grettir (sköld = Hlakkar tjöld, Hlökks tält)
Heldu Hlakkar tjalda hefjendr saman nefjum Hildar veggs ok hjuggusk hregg-Nirðir til skeggjum.
The raisers of Hlökk's tents [shields], the storm-Nirðir of Hildr's wall [warriors], held their beaks together and hewed at [each other's] beards.
Einarr Skúlason (sköld = Róða ræfr, Róðis tak)
Eigi þverr fyrir augna Óðs beðvinu Róða ræfrs, eignisk sá, regni ramsvell, konungr elli.
The strong ice [gold] of the rain from the eyes of Óðr's bedfellow [Freyja's tears — gold] does not dwindle before Róði's roof [the shield]; may that king gain [wealth against] old age.
Einarr Skúlason (sköld = skipsól, skeppssol)
Leyg rýðr ætt á ægi Óláfs skipa sólar.
The kin of Óláfr reddens the flame of the ships' sun [the shield] upon the sea.
Refr (sköld = hlýrtungl, kindmåne)
Dagr var fríðr, sá er fögru fleygjendr alinleygjar í hangferil hringa hlýrtungli mér þrungu.
Fair was the day when the flingers of the forearm-fire [gold — generous men] pressed on me the cheek-moon [shield] of rings, into the hawk-path [the hand].
Anonym (sköld = garðr skips, skeppets gärdsgård)
Svá skaut gegn í gögnum garð steinfarinn barða, sá var, gnýstærir geira, gunnar æfr, sem næfrar.
So the fierce increaser of the spear-din [warrior] shot straight through the stone-adorned fence of the ship [shield], which was thin as birch-bark.
Þjóðólfr (sköld = Ullar askr, Ullrs ask)
Ganga él of yngva Ullar skips með fullu, þar er samnagla siglur slíðrdúkaðar ríða.
Storms [battles] pass fully over the prince, where Ullr's ships [shields] with joined rivets ride sword-covered.
Bragi inn gamli (sköld = ilja blað Hrungnis, Hrungnirs fotsulors blad)
Vilið, Hrafnketill, heyra, hvé hreingróit steini Þrúðar skal ek ok þengil þjófs ilja blað leyfa?
Will you, Hrafnketill, hear how I shall praise the prince and the sole-leaf [shield] of Þrúðr's thief [Hrungnir], clean-grown with colour [painted]?
Bragi inn gamli (sköld = Hildar hjól, ring = nöf)
Nema svá at góð ins gjalla gjöld baugnafaðs vildi meyjar hjóls inn mæri mögr Siguðar Högna.
... unless the famous son of Sigurðr [Högni] wished such good repayment of the ringed nave of the resounding wheel of the maiden [Hildr's wheel — the shield].
Hallvarðr (sköld = baugjörð, ringland)
Rauðljósa sér ræsir, rít brestr sundr in hvíta, baugjörð brodda ferðar, bjúgrennd, í tvau fljúga.
The prince sees the red-gleaming ring-land [shield] of the point-host, curve-rimmed, fly in two; the white shield bursts asunder.
Anonym (ringen på skölden)
Baugr er á beru sæmstr, en á boga örvar.
A ring [baugr] is most fitting on a shield, and arrows on a bow.
Kormákr (svärd = Gauts eldr, Óðins eld)
Svall, þá er gekk með gjallan Gauts eld, hinn er styr belldi, glaðfæðandi Gríðar, gunnr. Komsk Urðr ór brunni
Battle swelled when the glad-feeder of Gríðr [warrior], who waged strife, went forth with the resounding fire of Gautr [Óðinn — the sword]. Urðr came out of the well ...
Úlfr Uggason (svärd = hjalmeldr, hjälmens eld)
Fullöflug lét fjalla fram haf-Sleipni þramma Hildr, en Hrofts of gildar hjalmelda mar felldu.
Full-mighty Hildr [battle] made the sea-Sleipnir of the mountains tramp forward, and the ample men of Hroftr [Óðinn] felled the steed of the helm-fires [the sword].
Glúmr Geirason (svärd = brynju hryneldr, brynjans dåneld)
Heinþynntan lét hvína hryneld at þat brynju foldar vörðr, sá er fyrðum fjörn-harðan sik varði.
The guardian of the land [prince] let the hone-thinned resounding fire of the mail-coat [the sword] whistle, he who defended himself life-hardily against men.
Einarr Skúlason (svärd = randar íss, sköldrandens is)
Ráðvöndum þá ek rauðra randa ís at vísa, grand berum hjalms í hendi, hvarmþey drifinn Freyju.
I offered the upright prince the ice of the red shields [the sword]; I bear the harm of the helm [the sword], sprinkled with Freyja's eyelid-thaw [gold], in my hand.
Einarr Skúlason (yxa = fjörnis Gríðr, hjälmens trollkvinna)
Sjá megu rétt, hvé, Ræfils ríðendr, við brá Gríðar fjörnis fagrt of skornir, foldviggs, drekar liggja.
You riders of Ræfill's steed [seafarers] may see rightly how the fairly-carved dragons [ships] lie by the eyelash [edge] of the helm-Gríðr [the axe].
Refr (spjut = myrkdreki, mörkdrake)
Kná myrkdreki marka minn, þar er ýtar finnask, æfr á aldar lófum eikinn borðs at leika.
My fierce dark dragon of the shield-board [the spear] can play wildly on the palms of men, where men meet.
Einarr skálaglamm (pil = hagl bogna, bågarnas hagel)
Brak-Rögnir skók bogna, barg óþyrmir varga, hagl ór Hlakkar seglum, hjörs, rakkliga fjörvi.
The crash-Rögnir of the sword [warrior] shook the hail of the bows [arrows] out of Hlökk's sails [shields]; the un-sparer of wolves boldly saved his life.
Hallfreðr (pil = strengjar hagl, strängens hagel)
Ok geir-Rótu götvar gagls við strengjar hagli hungreyðöndum hanga hléðut járni séðar.
And the gear of the spear-Rót [mail-coats], seen with iron [rings], did not shelter the hunger-quenchers of the hanged goose [the ravens — warriors] against the hail of the bowstring [arrows].
Eyvindr skáldaspillir (pil = brynju hagl, brynjans hagel)
Lítt kváðu þik láta, landvörðr, er brast, Hörða, brynju hagl í benjum, bugusk almar, geð falma.
They said you little let your spirit falter, land-warden of the Hörðar, when the hail of the mail-coat [arrows] crashed in the wounds; the elm-bows bent.