Dragons

Question 1

Wyrm

Answer 1

creatures which slither and crawl on/beneath soil (dragons, maggots, snakes, spiders, fleas, lice, scorpions)

Question 2

in death body is threatened by

Answer 2

wyrm, attack body and soul before and after judgement

Question 3

du wyrma gecow, wulfa geslit, fugle geter

Answer 3

you thing chewed by wyrmas and bitten by wolves and torn by birds

Question 4

Nidhogg

Answer 4

serpent who gnaws at roots of Yggdrasil

Question 5

where do serpents and corpses live

Answer 5

hel/the underworld

Question 6

eorpan fylnes

Answer 6

foulness of earth

Question 7

wyrma gifl

Answer 7

food for wyrmas

Question 8

wyrmum to wiste

Answer 8

feast for wyrmas

Question 9

gifer

Answer 9

personification of greed, a wyrm with teeth sharper than needles (first to enter body, tears tongue and batters teeth to make room for other wyrmas)

Question 10

wyrm are metaphor for…

Answer 10

life’s transience
reminded anglo saxon audiences of body’s impermanence and susceptibility to sin

Question 11

memento mori / Vanitas

Answer 11

remembering and reflecting that you have to die, death is inevitable, live knowing that

Question 12

example of wrym in volsunga saga

Answer 12

Fafnir -> greed was so extensive that he turned into a dragon

Question 13

wyrm in crosses

Answer 13

10th C, secular activities on one side (read by family, friends to learn about life), wyrm on other side (read by monks, priests)

Question 14

middle ages dragons connoted 3 things

Answer 14

wyrm, sin, devil/satan

Question 15

christianity adopted by concensus

Answer 15

via althing in sweden around 999-1000

Question 16

divine comedy

Answer 16

written by Dante alighieri, conceives of 7 deadly sins

Question 17

christian dragon is archetypal symbol of

Answer 17

sin, especially greed and gluttony

Question 18

beowulf

Answer 18

transcribed in 975-1025, derived from oral pagan tradition

Question 19

grendel

Answer 19

monster that terrorizes the danes, beoulf defeats him.

Question 20

why does dragon attack Beowulf territory

Answer 20

a thane has stolen a golden cup from its treasure-hoard, enraging it (it wants revenge, consumed by greed and wrath)

Question 21

describe Archangel michael’s battle

Answer 21

battled devil in the guise of a dragon, cast it out of heaven where it became devil/satan

Question 22

super aspidem et basiliscum calcabis conculabis leonem et draconem

Answer 22

The asp and the basilisk you will trample under foot. you will tread on the lion and the dragon

Question 23

St george

Answer 23

(275-303) was a roman soldier who adopted christianity. martyred in 4th C for failing to recant faith