From: llama_nom
Message: 7421
Date: 2006-10-23
--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "llama_nom" <600cell@...> wrote:
>
> --- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, Victor Hansen <victor_akl_nz@>
> wrote:
> >
> > I have been hunting around for Old Norse battle-cries and wondered
> to ask here.
>
>
> "War-cries were certainly used ... Slogans were doubtless used as
> well. Sverri's men at the end of the 12th c. chanted something like
> 'Onward Chist's men, cross-men, holy King Olaf's men', while one
> source that we cannot verify, says that King Olaf's followers at
> Stiklastad in 1030 gave tongue with 'Knýjum, knýjum, konungs liðar,
> harðla, harðla bóanda menn!' - 'Press on, press on, prince's fighters,
> hard and hard on farming men', which sounds good though it was the
> farmers who actually won" (Foot & Wilson: "The Viking Achievement", p.
> 283).
>
> According to Óláfs saga helga, an ancient heroic poem (Bjarkamál in
> fornu) was recited to inspire the king's men at this same battle. The
> account in Fagrskinna of the Battle of Stamford Bridge (1066) also
> mentions poetry being recited before the battle, in this case
> supposedly composed ex tempore by the Norse leader, Haraldr Harðráði.
>
>
>
> > Apparently from what I have read the nautical Ahoy, or, as it
> appears in old MSS., "aoi," was the battle-cry of the Norse and Danish
> vikings when they rushed their galleys upon the enemy. Can someone
> tell me the meaning of this word (and a close idea of its
pronounciation)?
>
>
> The Oxford English dictionary just says that it's nautical in origin,
> but makes no mention of Old Norse precursors. So I don't know.
>
>
> >
> > The use of these words were for appropriate use to yell out during
> re-enactment Norse battles. Perhaps something to evoke courage,
> strength or prowess etc. or invoke powers/qualities of Norse dieties
> etc. I'd be very intetested to know of any mention of various
> battle-cries that might have been used in the Sagas also that anyone
> knows of.
> >
> > I've so far heard of Valhalla hal (unsure what this means) and
> Eulalia, pronounced yoo-lah-lee-ah, meaning victory in ancient Norse.
> Are these correct?
>
>
> 'Eulalia' means "good speech" in Greek; the internet tells me it was
> the name of two Spanish saints who were martyred in the persecutions
> of Diocletian. The claim about it being and Old Norse battle cry
> meaning "victory" is attributed by the Wikipedia page "Battle cry" to
> the fantasy writer Brian Jacques. The typical ON word for victory is
> 'sigr'. I haven't been able to find anything about 'Valhalla hal'.
> Where did you hear of it?
>