Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

There can be no doubt that "the ásmegir required in war" refer to the men in the
territory ruled by Hakon, and that "the mighty promoter of the red disk of the meeting of
the goddess of war" refers to the warlike Hakon himself, and thus the meaning of the
passage in its plain prose form is simply this: "Hakon's men again devote themselves to
the divine sacrifices. This is both an honor and an advantage to Hakon, and the earth
again yields bountiful harvests."
To these thoughts the skald has given a garb common in poetry of art, by adapting
them to a mythological background. The persons in this background are the ásmegir and
a mythical being called "the promoter of the red disk," rauðbríkar rækir. The persons in
the foreground are the men in Hakon's realm and Hakon himself. The persons in the
foreground are permitted to borrow the names of the corresponding persons in the
background, but on the condition that the borrowed names are furnished with adjectives
which emphasize the specific difference between the original mythic lenders and the real
borrowers. Thus Hakon's subjects are allowed to borrow the appellation ásmegir, but this
is then furnished with the adjective herþarfir (required in war), whereby they are
specifically distinguished from the ásmegir of the mythical background, and Hakon on
his part is allowed to borrow the appellation rauðbríkar rækir (the promoter of the red
disk), but this appellation is then furnished with the adjective phrase Hlakkar móts (of the
meeting of the goddess of war), whereby Hakon is specifically distinguished from the
rauðbríkar rækir of the mythical background.
The rule also requires that, at least on that point of which the skald happens to be
treating, the persons in the mythological background should hold a relation to each other
which resembles, and can be compared with, the relation between the persons in the
foreground. Hakon's men stand in a subordinate relation to Hakon himself; and so must
the ásmegir stand in a subordinate relation to that being which is called rauðbríkar rækir,
providing the skald in this strophe as in the others has produced a tenable parallel. Hakon
is, for his subjects, one who exhorts them to piety and fear of the gods. Rauðbríkar rækir,
his counterpart in the mythological background, must have been the same for his
ásmegir. Hakon's subjects offer sacrifices, and this is an advantage and an honor to
Hakon, and the earth grows green again. In the mythology, the ásmegir must have held
some sacrificial feast, and must have had advantage and honor, and the earth must have
regained its fertility. Only on these conditions is the figure of comparison to the point,
and of such a character that it could be presented unchallenged to heathen ears familiar
with the myths. It should be added that Einar's greatness as a skald is not least shown by
his ability to carry out logically such figures of comparison. We shall give other
examples of this later on.
Who then is this rauðbríkar rækir, "the promoter of the red disk"?
In the mythological language, rauðbrík (red disk) can mean no other object than
the sun. Compare röðull, which is frequently used to designate the sun. If this needed
misleading. It can also be translated as "tender" or "attendant." Rydberg translated rækir with the Swedish
word främjare, which means "promoter, supporter." While he is not a sun-god, there is no question that
Baldur has solar associations.
11 Anderson translates this word as "target," however Rydberg used the word "skifvas," which means flat
piece, disk, slab, or square, which corresponds closely with the ON brík." Since the word refers both to a
shield and to the sun, I have chosen the word "disk" for the sake of clarity. Rauðbrík, red disk, undoubtedly
means "shield" and rauðbríkar rækir, the attendant of the shield, is understood as a kenning for "warrior."
Rydberg postulates a secondary meaning of rauðbrík, as the sun.