Possible translation of Lacnunga P10.10

Lacnunga P10.10 

(from Leechdoms, Wortcunning, and Starcraft of Early England Vol 3)

In case a man or a beast drink an insect

Let me begin by saying that I am not an expert but merely trying where others seem to have given up. I bring with me only a knowledge of Anglo-Saxon charms and some enthusiasm. If anyone wishes to feed in to this or finds fault then please message me.

Here is the entry:

Wið ðon þe mon oððe nyten wyrm gedrince gyf

hyt sy waepned cynnes sing ðis leoð in þaet swiðre

eare þe her aefter awriten ls gif hit sy wifcynnes

sing in þæt wynstre eare.

Gonomil orgomil marbumil

marbsai marbsai tofethtengo docuillo biran cuithaer

caefmiil fcuiht cuillo scuiht cuib duill marbsiramum

sing nygon siðan in þæt eare þis galdor ond pater nr

æne. þrs ylce galdor mæg mon singan wið smeogan

pyrme sing gelome on ða dolh ond mið ðinan spatle

wmyre ond genim grene curmeallan cnuca lege on þæt

dolh • ond beðe mid hattre cumicgan. wið ðon ðe mon

attor gedrince nim marubian sæd • mængc wið wine

syle drincan.

The first paragraph has already been translated:

In case a man or a beast drink an insect, if it be of male kind sing this lay in the right ear, which lay is hereinafter written; if it be of female kind, sing it in the left ear.

The third paragraph has also been translated:

This same charm a man may sing against a penetrating worm, sing it frequently upon the wound and smear with thy spittle, and take green Centaury, pound and lay it on the wound and bathe with hot cow urine. In case a man drinks venom, take seed of Marrubium, mingle it with wine, administer to be drunk.

The second paragraph is the charm or galdor.

The first line is already translated from Old Irish:

Gonomil = I wound the animal (gono mil)

Orgomil = I strike the animal (orgo mil)

Marbumil = I kill the animal (marbu mil)

Refer to: Multilingualism in the Graeco-Roman Worlds, edited by Alex Mullen, Patrick James, P137, Reconstructing Languages and Cultures,  edited by Edgar C. Polomé, Werner Winte P406, And also Dictionary of Ancient Magic Words and Spells by Claude  Lecouteux

At this point others seem to have decided that the rest of the charm is gibberish and given up, however let’s take the second line and split the words up thus:

The second line

marb sai marb sai to feth tengo do cuillo biran cuith aer

Using Old Irish:

Marb = dead/stagnant/pertaining to the dead

Sal = brine/sea/heal

To (first-person singular present progressive conjunct of at-ta) = to swell

Feth = wind

Tengae = tongue (closest match)

Do = two

Cuillo biran = I destroy the thorn

Cuit = portion/property/love (closest match)

Aer = sky

Trying out these meanings in combination we can eventually arrive at:

Death brine, death brine swell wind tongue two I destroy the thorn property sky

Let’s now rework the line into sense while also thinking of stinging insects such as bees and wasps:

Brine of death, brine of death (with) wind (and) tongue I destroy the thorn property of the sky.

And working a little more on the end:

Brine of death, brine of death (with) wind (and) tongue I destroy the thorn from the sky.

Brine still used to treat wounds and also can be used to remove a leech, perhaps seen as a kind of worm. The ‘thorn from the sky’ clearly being a metaphor for bees and wasps.

Moving on to the third line and again splitting the words:

The third line

caef miil f cuiht cuillo    scuiht cuib duill    marb sir amum

Cael = narrow/slender/thin/fine (closest match)

Mil = honey best meaning

Cuit = portion/property/love (closest match)

Scoilt = split (closest match)

Cuig = five (closest match)

Cuin = when (closest match)

Duil = suck (closest match)

Duille = leaf (closest match)

Marb = dead/stagnant/pertaining to the dead

Sir = long

Amran = song/singing (closest match)

So this line is becoming difficult but perhaps we can arrive at:

Belonging to fine lovely honey, split five/parts/love/property suck/leaves, sing to kill the long (worm?).

Again thinking of stinging insects ‘Belonging to fine lovely honey’ seems to fit and suck/sucking pertains to swallowing or sucking the wound. ‘Sing to kill the long (worm) is just what the medic (Leech in Anglo-Saxon) is doing.

Expanding the possible translation of the middle three words into combinations:

Split five suck = suck the split (or wound) five (times).   

Split five leaves = (take and) divide five leaves (worts or herbs).

Split parts suck = suck the split part (wound).

Split parts leaves = split the leaves (into) parts.

Split love suck  = split (or wound) (like) a love bite (resembles a reaction to an insect sting).

Split love leaves = divide the leaves of love.

Split property suck = ?   

Split property leaves = the split (or wound) belonging to the leaves.

Split when suck = suck when (if) split.

Rewriting lines 1, 3, 5 and 9 which seem to have the most potential:

Suck the wound five (times)/suck the wound/ wound (like) a love bite/ suck when (if) split.

All of which have some relevant meaning, however the number five in a healing charm would be unusual (three and nine being the norm) so perhaps we should reject this as a likely translation. The remaining possibilities are therefor, either an instruction to suck the wound or merely a description of the appearance of a bad reaction to an insect bite. Perhaps three or more are valid here and we have an example of layered meaning as in a palimpsest.

So the third line can be written as follows:

Belonging to fine lovely honey, suck the wound/ wound (like) a love bite/suck if (it be) split, sing to kill the long (worm?).

So the entire charm could read:

In case a man or a beast drink an insect, if it be of male kind sing this lay in the right ear, which lay is hereinafter written; if it be of female kind, sing it in the left ear.

I wound the animal, I strike the animal, I kill the animal.

Brine of death, brine of death (with) wind (and) tongue I destroy the thorn from the sky, belonging to fine lovely honey, suck the wound/ wound (like) a love bite/suck if (it be) split, sing to kill the long (worm).

This same charm a man may sing against a penetrating worm, sing it frequently upon the wound and smear with thy spittle, and take green Centaury, pound and lay it on the wound and bathe with hot cow urine. In case a man drinks venom, take seed of Marrubium, mingle it with wine, administer to be drunk.

Of course one could also arrive at alternative variations in the translation and perhaps this ambiguity is exactly what the charm intended to achieve, after all it is unlikely the Anglo-Saxons would have had any understanding of Old Irish. What would have been important was the distinct incantatory sound patterning resulting from the alliteration, rhyming and repetition.

Copyright Andrew Rea Dec 2015