The Prose Edda 2.48

"Weapons and armor should be periphrased in figures of battle, and with reference to Odin and the Valkyrs and host-kings: one should call a helmet Cowl, or Hood; a birnie, Sark, or Kirtle; a shield, Tent; and a shield-wall is termed Hall and Roof, Wall and Floor. Shields, periphrased in figures of warships, are called Sun, or Moon, or Leaf, or Sheen, or Garth, of the Ship; the shield is also called Ship of Ullr, or periphrased in terms of Hrungnir's feet, since he stood upon his shield. On ancient shields it was customary to paint a circle, which was called the 'ring,' and shields are called in metaphors of that ring. Hewing weapons, axes or swords, are called Fires of Blood, or of Wounds; swords are called Odin's Fires; but men call axes by the names of troll-women, and periphrase them in terms of blood or wounds or a forest or wood. Thrusting weapons are properly periphrased by calling them by names of serpents or fishes. Missile weapons are often metaphorically termed hail or sleet or storm. Variants of all these figures have been made in many ways, for they are used chiefly in poems of praise, where there is need of such metaphors.

So sang Víga-Glúmr:

With the Hanged-God's helmet The hosts have ceased from going By the brink; not pleasant The bravest held the venture.

Thus sang Einarr Tinkling-Scale:

Helm-folded strife-bold Búi,— Who from the south went forth Into Gunn's Crash,—and din-swift Sigvaldi offered battle.

Sark of Ródi, as Tindr sang:

When came the birnied Hákon To cast away the ring-rent Streaming Sark of Odin, Ródi's rocking sea-steeds were cleared.

Hamdir's Kirtle, as Hallfredr sang:

The war-sleet hard and streaming Of Egill's weapons breaketh Fiercely on Hamdir's Kirtles Of the foremost wave-deer's warriors.

Sörli's Garments, as he sang further:

Thence the bright Weeds of Sörli In men's blood must be reddened; I hear it clearly: Wound-Fire In cutting showers of iron.

Shields are called Tents of Hlökk, as Grettír sang:

Hlökk's Tent-Raisers held their noses Together, and the heroes Of the Rain-Storm of Hildr's Shield-Wall Hewed at each other's beards.

Ródi's Roof, as Einarr sang:

Ródi's Roof's great Ice-Lump For the Rain of Freyja's Eyelids Grows not less, my fair axe-head; His age my lord so useth.

Wall of Hildr, as Grettír sang, and as we have written before.

Ship-Sun, as Einarr sang:

In the sea Ólafr's Kinsman Reddens the flame of the Ship-Sun.

Moon of the Ship's Cheek, as Refr sang:

Fair was the day, when Scatterers Of Arm-Fire thrust the clear Moon Of the Cheek into my hand-clasp, The coiling track of red rings.

Ship's Garth, as here:

The swift Sweller of the Spear-Crash Shot through the stain-dyed Prow-Garth As it were birch-bark; truly He was a bitter battler.

Ash of Ullr, as here:

The Snow-Gusts of Ullr's Ash-Ship Grimly o'er our Prince shoot With fullness, where are tossing The fearsome covered spike-spars.

Blade of Hrungnir's Foot-Soles, as Bragi sang:

Wilt hear, O Hrafnketill, How I shall praise the Sole-Blade Of Thrúdr's thief, stain-covered With skill, and praise my king.

Bragi the Skald sang this concerning the ring on the shield:

Unless it be, that Sigurdr's Renowned Son would have payment In good kind for the ring-nave Of the Ringing Wheel of Hildr.

He called the shield Wheel of Hildr, and the ring the Nave of the Wheel.

Ring-Earth, as Hallvardr sang:

The Chief of ranks of Combat Sees the red-gleaming Ring-Earth Fly in two parts; the white disk, The pictured, bursts in sunder.

It is also sung:

A ring befits the shield best; Arrows befit the bow.

A sword is Odin's Fire, as Kormákr sang:

The fight swelled, when the Warrior, The Wolf's blithe Feeder, in tumult Fared with Odin's ringing Fire-Flame; Urdr came forth from the Well.

Fire of the Helm, as Úlfr Uggason sang:

The very mighty Maiden Of the Mountain made the Sea-Horse Roll forward, but the Champions Of Odin's Helm-Fire felled her Wolf-Steed.

Fire of the Birnie, as Glúmr Geirason sang:

At that the Land-Protector Let the Birnie's Streaming Fire whine, Hone-whetted, he who warded Him strongly 'gainst the warriors.

Ice of the Rim, and Hurt of Sheltering Weapons, as Einarr sang:

I received the Ice of Wed Rims, With Freyja's golden Eye-Thaw, From the upright prince high-hearted; We bear in hand the Helm's Hurt.

An axe is called Troll-Woman of Sheltering Weapons, as Einarr sang:

Ræfill's Sea-Steed's Riders May see how, richly carven, The dragons close are brooding 'Gainst the brow of the Helm-Ogress.

A spear is called Serpent, as Refr sang:

My angry Murky Serpent Of the markings of the Shield-Board Savagely doth sport, in My palms, where men in strife meet.

Arrows are called Hail of the Bow or Bowstring, or of the Shelters, or of Battle, as Einarr Tinkling-Scale sang:

The hammering King of Swords shook From the Sails of Hlökk the Bow-Hail: Bravely the Wolf's Supporter Warded his life in battle.

And Hallfredr:

And the armor of the Spear-Sleet, Knitted with iron, saved not The saters of hungry ravens From the Shaft-Hail of the Bowstring.

And Eyvindr Skald-Despoiler:

They said, O Hörds' Land-Warder, Thy spirit little faltered, When the Birnie's Hail in the wound burst; Bent were the stringèd elm-bows.