The sword’s edge
*mēkijas agjō
by C Ryan Moniz
original research· spring 2013 - harvest 2021
updated & published· spring 2022
Mjǫðr Óðins· Reconstructing Germanic verse formulae
This formula means ‘the sword’s edge,’ most widely with a reflex of the word *mēkijaz ‘double-edged sword,’ though there is a West Germanic variant using a reflex of Proto-West-Germanic *swerd and a related formula which pairs the word ‘edge’ (functioning metonymically for a sword) and a reflex of Proto-West-Germanic *oʀd ‘sharp point’ (standing in for a spear).
*mēkijas agjō
Old English
mǽces ecg
• Béowulf 1812a, 2614a, 2939b; The Fortunes of Men 48a
méces ecge | méces ecgum | méces ecg
Old Norse
mækis egg
• Hlǫðskviða 20; Hamðismál 15; Vǫlundarkviða 33
mækis eggjum | mækis eggjar | mækis egg
Old Saxon
mâkeas eggia
• Hêliand 2806b, 4875b
mâkeas eggiun
PWG *swerdas aggju
Old English
sweordes ecg
• Béowulf 1106a
sweordes ecg
Old Saxon
swerdes eggia
• Hêliand 4898b
swerdes eggiun
PWG *oʀd andi aggju
Old English
ecg… ord
• Maxims I 202
ecg on sweorde ⁊ ord spere
Old Saxon
ord ⁊ eggia
• Hêliand 3697a
ordos ⁊ eggia
Mjǫðr Óðins· Reconstructing Germanic verse formulae