Heilung 樂團介紹〈Othan〉這首曲子

原文

Othan Othan is one of the compositions that, in a Heilung context, might appear as a relaxed song. Nevertheless, it contains ancient combat protection spells and words from Odin, the highest northern god and lord of war and poetry.

The first part of the song is a combination of spells found on bracteates which are sometimes hard to understand or translate. These bracteates, pendants, were produced mostly during the Migration Period up until the 7th century AD in Northwestern Europe. They were mostly made from Roman gold, which the Germanic tribes had received as peace money. Interpretations of some inscriptions are still heavily debated amongst researchers. Some clues hint towards the words leek, ale or a cuckoo and can be loosely interpreted into a spell of some sorts. However, most of the time it seems to be rather difficult to grasp a meaningful sense in the inscriptions.

Although the High One enjoys war, he also indulges in poetry. Othan therefore has a second part where the white mistress of incantations recites the words that the High One gave to man: a spell sung under the shields to bless them and protect the warriors. (Hávámal, stanza 156)

In the third part the mood gets darker and we have now reached the point of an active combat spell. The power to stop an arrow in its flight is invoked. (Hávamál stanza 150)

After that the name of the highest Nordic god is repeated in a wolfish, barking mantra, partly to transport the feeling, that the ancient Nordic warrior groups often perceived themselves as animal packs. This is for example described by Ibrahim Ibn Yaqub al-Tartushi, a 10th century traveller and merchant, who writes that the people of Hedeby sang in a barking manner.

翻譯

Othan 在 Heilung 的風格中算是偏輕鬆的曲子，只不過，它仍包含了來自最高位的北歐神、詩歌與戰爭之主 — — 奧丁的古老戰鬥護咒。這首曲子的第一部分包含的咒文有時來自古幣上難以理解或翻譯的文字。

這些古幣或墜子大多是在歐洲民族大遷徙時旗至西元七世紀的西北歐製造的。

這些古幣或墜子通常以羅馬黃金製成，也就是羅馬帝國為了買和平而繳給日耳曼部落的和平錢。

有關古幣與墜子上的文字意涵在學術上仍在爭論與研究中。有一些線索指出像是 leek、ale 或 cuckoo 等可以被寬鬆地解釋為某種咒文用語。無論如何，多數時候都很難掌握這些銘文的意義。

儘管至高者（編：這裡指的就是奧丁）享受戰爭，它也沉迷於詩歌。Othan 因而有了第二部分中，奧丁給予人們且由白色的咒文女主所唸誦的 — — 於盾牌底下唱出以祝福並守護戰士們的術式 (Hávámal, stanza 156)。第三部分心情轉變得黑暗，而現在我們觸及激戰咒文之精義 — — 召喚來抵擋飛行箭矢的力量 (Hávamál stanza 150)。

For the eleventh I know,
if I have to lead
my ancient friends to battle,
under their shields I sing,
and with power they go
safe to the fight,
safe from the fight;
safe on every side they go.

Þat kann ek it ellipta
ef ek skal til orrostu
leiða langvini
undir randir ek gel
en þeir með ríki fara
heilir hildar til
heilir hildi frá
koma þeir heilir hvaðan

For the fifth I know,
I see a shot from a hostile hand,
a shaft flying amid the host,
so swift it cannot fly
that I cannot arrest it,
if only I get sight of it.

小結