Meter
Panel 2 has been suggested to contain a stanza in the Galdralag meter, i.e.:
- Huæa of kam hæráss á
- hi á land gotna.
- Fisk ó f(ir)na uim suim(m)ande,
- fogl á f??????? galande.
- Whom as came harrier-god
- here to goð 's land?
- Fishlike, out of river-fear swimming,
- as fowl, out of f(?) crowing
The inscription loosely follows the pattern of the Merseburg Incantations, divided into two complementary parts, but where the Merseburger invokes a mythic event and calls for an exorcistic repetition, the Eggja composer seems to twice invoke a ritual, the first time listing two desired outcomes, in the second instance asking a question and answering it. Both inscriptions may represent some of the few remaining examples of pre-Christian ljoð or galdr, ritual verse chanted by the cult leaders, shamans or oracles of Norse Scandinavia.
Read more about this topic: Eggja Stone
Famous quotes containing the word meter:
“His meter was bitter, and ironic and spectacular and inviting: so was life. There wasn’t much other life during those times than to what his pen paid the tribute of poetic tragic glamour and offered the reconciliation of the familiarities of tragedy.”
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