Herdsman of the people

*[XGEN] hirdijaz

by C Ryan Moniz

original research· spring 2013 - harvest 2021
updated & published· spring 2022

philology

Mjǫðr Óðins· Reconstructing Germanic verse formulae

This formula is a kenning for ‘guardian’ or ‘ruler’ taking the form *[XGEN] hirdijaz ‘herdsman of X.’ Most of the examples are present in Old English and Old Saxon poetry, though there is a formulaic parallel example in the Old Norse Vǫluspá and in many of the later skaldic poems.

Old English

[XGEN] hyrde

• Béowulf 610a, 1732a, 1849a, 2644b, 2981a; Finnesburh fragment 46b

folces hyrde

• Béowulf 2027a, 3080a; Exodus 256b; Andreas 807b

ríces hyrde

• other Béowulf examples:

– hordes hyrde [887a]
– beorges hyrde [2307b]
– cumbles hyrde [2505b]
– wuldres hyrde [931b]

• Genesis A examples:

– dugoða hyrde [164b]
– yrfes hyrde [1067b, 1545b, 2199b]
– sinces hyrde [2101b]

• Azarias examples:

– ðéoda hyrde [150b]
– léohtes hyrde [121b, 129b]

• Daniel 199a

gásta hyrde

• Old English Rune Poem 36b

hyrde fýres

 

Old Saxon

[XGEN] hirdi

• Hêliand examples:

– burgo hirdi [625b]
– landes hirdi [1286b, 2743b, 3365a]
– werodes hirdi [5549b]

 

Old Norse

[XGEN] hirðir

• Vǫluspá 41

gýgjar hirðir

• skaldic poetry:

– hirðir fróns [Heilags anda drápa 18]
– hirðir himna [Stanzas from the Fourth Grammatical Treatise 7]
– hirðir dýrðar himna [Kátrínardrápa 36]
– hirðir bryggju mána [Drápa af Máríugrát 46]
– hirðir hringa Brúðkaupsvísur 26; Vitnisvísur af Máríu 14

 

Mjǫðr Óðins· Reconstructing Germanic verse formulae

philology