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berserker
Berserkers (or berserks) were Norse warriors who are primarily reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word ''berserk''. Berserkers are attested to in numerous Old Norse sources.
The ''Úlfhéðnar'' (singular Úlfheðinn), another term associated with berserkers, mentioned in the ''Vatnsdæla saga'', ''Haraldskvæði'' and the ''Völsunga saga'', were said to wear the pelt of a wolf when they entered battle.〔Simek (1995:435).〕 Úlfhéðnar are sometimes described as Odin's special warriors: "() men went without their mailcoats and were mad as hounds or wolves, bit their shields...they slew men, but neither fire nor iron had effect upon them. This is called 'going berserk'." In addition, the helm-plate press from Torslunda depicts (below) a scene of Odin with a berserker—"a wolf skinned warrior with the apparently one-eyed dancer in the bird-horned helm, which is generally interpreted as showing a scene indicative of a relationship between berserkgang... and the god Odin"—with a wolf pelt and a spear as distinguishing features.〔Simek (1995:48).〕
==Etymology==
The name ''berserker'' derives from the Old Norse ''berserkr'' (plural ''berserkir''). This expression most likely arose from their reputed habit of wearing a kind of shirt or coat (''serkr'') made from the pelt of a bear (''ber-'') during battle. The bear was one of the animals representing Odin, and by wearing such a pelt the warriors sought to gain the strength of a bear and the favor of Odin.
The element ''ber-'' was sometimes interpreted as ''berr-'', meaning "bare", which Snorri Sturluson understood to mean that the warriors went into battle bare-chested, or "without armor" as men of Odin. This view has since been largely abandoned.〔Simek (1995:47).〕
抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』
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