Scild-burh
Bosworth & Toller Anglo-Saxon Old English Dictionary - scild-burh
According to the Old English Dictionary:
- scild-burh
- f. I. a battle-array in which men stood shield to shield [cf. the account of the battle of Stamford-bridge: 'Siðan fylkti Haraldr Konungr liði sínu, lét fylkingina langa ok ekki þykka ; þá teygði hann armana aptr á bak, svá at saman tóku, var þat þá víðr hringr, ok þykkr ok jafn öllum megin útan, skjöldr við skjöld.' Saga Haralds Harðráða, c. 92. When this arrangement is abandoned, they are said 'bregða skjaldborginni,' c. 95] :-- Wearð scyldburh tóbrocen, Byrht. Th. 138, 56 : By. 242. Hæleþ higerófe scildburh scǽron, Judth. Thw. 26, 2 ; Jud. 305. II. a city which affords protection, a city of refuge. II :-- Sóðfæste men in heora fæder ríce scínaþ in sceldbyrig (heaven), Cd. Th. 283, 23; Sat. 309. Grimm would translate the word here by 'aula clypeis tecta,' and compares it with the description of Valhalla in the Edda, 'skjöldum þökt, lagt gyltum skjöldum, svá sem spánþak,' D. M. 662. [O. H. Ger. scilt-burg testudo.] scild-burh