The Nine Herbs Charm, Nigon Wyrta Galdor, Lay of the Nine Healing Herbs, or Nine Wort Spell (among other names) is an Old English charm recorded in the tenth-century CE[1] Anglo-Saxon medical compilation known as Lacnunga, which survives on the manuscript, Harley MS 585, in the British Library, in London.[2] The charm involves the preparation of nine plants.
The poem contains one of two clear Old English mentions of the god Woden in Old English poetry; the other is Maxims I of the Exeter Book. Robert K. Gordon's translation of the section reads as follows:
A snake came crawling, it bit a man. Then Woden took nine glory-twigs, Smote the serpent so that it flew into nine parts. There apple brought this pass against poison, That she nevermore would enter her house.[1]
Scholars have proposed that this passage describes Woden coming to the assistance of the herbs through his use of nine twigs, each twig inscribed with the runic first-letter initial of a plant.[3]
According to Gordon, the poem is "clearly an old heathen thing which has been subjected to Christian censorship."[1] Malcolm Laurence Cameron states that chanting the poem aloud results in a "marvellously incantatory effect".[4]
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Nigon Wyrta Galdor
Foys, Martin et al.Old English Poetry in Facsimile Project (Center for the History of Print and Digital Culture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2019-); digital facsimile edition and Modern English translation. Accessed February 2023.
Hopkins, Joseph S. 2020. "Nigon Wyrta Galdor: Popularly Known as the Nine Herbs Charm". Mimisbrunnr.info. Accessed February 2023.
Hostetter, Aaron K. 2023. "The Metrical Charms". Old English Poetry Project. Rutgers University-Camden. Accessed February 2023.
Jolly, Karen Louise. 1996. "Lay of the Nine Herbs and Lay of the Nine Twigs of Woden". Popular Religion in Late Saxon England: Elf Charms in Context (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1996), pp. 125-127.
Thomas, Val. 2022. "The Nine Herbs Charm: Plants Poisons and Poetry". Herbal History Research Network. Accessed February 2023.
April 28, 2023
nine, herbs, charm, nigon, wyrta, galdor, nine, healing, herbs, nine, wort, spell, among, other, names, english, charm, recorded, tenth, century, anglo, saxon, medical, compilation, known, lacnunga, which, survives, manuscript, harley, british, library, london. The Nine Herbs Charm Nigon Wyrta Galdor Lay of the Nine Healing Herbs or Nine Wort Spell among other names is an Old English charm recorded in the tenth century CE 1 Anglo Saxon medical compilation known as Lacnunga which survives on the manuscript Harley MS 585 in the British Library in London 2 The charm involves the preparation of nine plants The poem contains one of two clear Old English mentions of the god Woden in Old English poetry the other is Maxims I of the Exeter Book Robert K Gordon s translation of the section reads as follows A snake came crawling it bit a man Then Woden took nine glory twigs Smote the serpent so that it flew into nine parts There apple brought this pass against poison That she nevermore would enter her house 1 The numbers nine and three significant in Germanic paganism and later Germanic folklore are mentioned frequently throughout the charm 2 Scholars have proposed that this passage describes Woden coming to the assistance of the herbs through his use of nine twigs each twig inscribed with the runic first letter initial of a plant 3 According to Gordon the poem is clearly an old heathen thing which has been subjected to Christian censorship 1 Malcolm Laurence Cameron states that chanting the poem aloud results in a marvellously incantatory effect 4 Contents 1 See also 2 Notes 3 References 4 External linksSee also EditGaldr Havamal Mimir Merseburg IncantationsNotes Edit a b c Gordon 1962 92 93 a b Macleod 2006 127 Mayr Harting 1991 27 Cameron 1993 144 References EditCameron Malcolm Laurence 1993 Anglo Saxon Medicine Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 40521 1 Gordon R K 1962 Anglo Saxon Poetry Everyman s Library 794 M Dent amp Sons LTD Macleod Mindy Mees Bernard 2006 Runic Amulets and Magic Objects Boydell Press ISBN 1 84383 205 4 Mayr Harting Henry 1991 The Coming of Christianity to Anglo Saxon England Penn State Press ISBN 0 271 00769 9External links Edit Wikisource has original text related to this article Nigon Wyrta Galdor Foys Martin et al Old English Poetry in Facsimile Project Center for the History of Print and Digital Culture University of Wisconsin Madison 2019 digital facsimile edition and Modern English translation Accessed February 2023 Hopkins Joseph S 2020 Nigon Wyrta Galdor Popularly Known as the Nine Herbs Charm Mimisbrunnr info Accessed February 2023 Hostetter Aaron K 2023 The Metrical Charms Old English Poetry Project Rutgers University Camden Accessed February 2023 Jolly Karen Louise 1996 Lay of the Nine Herbs and Lay of the Nine Twigs of Woden Popular Religion in Late Saxon England Elf Charms in Context Chapel Hill University of North Carolina Press 1996 pp 125 127 Thomas Val 2022 The Nine Herbs Charm Plants Poisons and Poetry Herbal History Research Network Accessed February 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nine Herbs Charm amp oldid 1150201161, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
