From Iceland — Just Sayings: Helm of terror

Just Sayings: Helm of terror

Published October 14, 2021

Just Sayings: Helm of terror
Valur Grettisson
Photo by
Galdrabók/Wikipedia
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In Icelandic, it goes like this: Að bera ægishjálm yfir [einhvern]. This literally means, to wear the helm of terror [over someone]. I know, the English translation is grammatically wrong, but then again, English is often too simple to capture the intricacies of the Icelandic language.

Now, the first question is obvious; what the f#$ is ‘ægishjálmur’? The short answer is a magical rune. Ægishjálmur is the helm of awe or helm of terror, and Sigurður Fáfnisbani from the saga of Niflungar wore one on his forehead when he slayed the dragon. It is powerful protection for warriors that can be used for good or evil. This saying, “Að bera ægishjálm yfir [einhvern]” means that you dominate someone or are by far better than your opponent. So, the next time you crush someone in Fortnite you are wearing your helm of terror over them.

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