A large part of any combat-oriented display is showing some semblance of military order. We have no evidence of drilling techniques in Northern Europe pre-14thC, but crowds often expect them. Drills in some native language certainly helps keep an event organised. Any corrections or additions are welcome.
Irish Marching Commands
Gaelic
| Phonetic English
| Manouvre |
Aire | Ah-ra | Stand to attention
|
Seasaigh
ar ais | Sha-sig err ash | Stand at ease
|
Máirseáil de réir clé
| Mar-shawl, de rare clay
| Prepare to march, left foot first
|
Ar aghaidh
| Air eye-geh
| Forward March
|
Clé iompaí | Clay um-pee
| Sharp left turn
|
Deas iompaí
| Djass um-pee
| Sharp right turn
|
Iompaigh thart
| Um-pig heart
| Sharp about turn
|
Clé tiontaigh | Clay tontig
| Wheel left
|
Deas tiontaigh
| Djass tontig
| Wheel right
|
Coiscéim ar aghidh
| Cuss-came air eye-geh
| Forward one step
|
Coiscéim ar ais
| Cuss-came air ash | Back one step
|
Siar | Shear
| Move back
|
Lean ar aghaidh
| lan air eye-geh
| Advance |
Lean ar ais
| lan air ash
| Retreat |
Iompraigh airm
| Um-per-egg arem
| Raise weapon (prepare to march)
|
Suigí airm
| Sea-gy arem
| Rest weapons
|
Stad | Stod | Halt
|
| | |
Shield and Spear line
commands in Icelandic
As far as we can tell, this is the closest we have to old Norse.
NB:
These Commands were taken from a web site for reenactors use some years
ago, but we have no idea now where from.
spjót,
n. spear, lance, both for throwing and thrusting (skjóta,
leggja spjóti).
spjótaðr, pp.
furnished with spears.
spjóta-lög, n. pl.
spear-thrusts.
spjót-krókr, m. a
hook on a spear;
-lag, n. spear-thrust;
-lauss,
a. without a spear;
-leggr, m.
spear-shaft.
spjòts-brot, n. a broken
spear;
-falr, m. the socket of a spear-head;
-hali,
m. the end of a spear-shaft.
spjót-skapt,
-skepti, n. shaft of a spear (þriggja spjótskapta
hár).
spjóts-oddr, m. a spear's point or
head (stanga e-m -oddinum).
spjót-sprika, f.
spear-head (?).
spjóts-skot, n. a shot made
with a spear (eigi tók konung -skotit).
skjöldr
(gen. skjaldar, dat. skildi pl. skildir, acc.
skjöldu), m. shield; hafa e-n at skildi fyrir sér,
to have another as a shield before one; bera efra (hærra)
skjöld, to have the best of it, to gain the day; þjóna
undir þann skjöld, to serve under that standard;
leika tveim skjöldum, to play a double game; koma í
opna skjöldu, to attack in flank (from the left); skjóta
skildi yfir e-n, to protect one.
skor-bildr,
m. scoring-axe.
skjóta
(skýt; skaut, skutum; skotinn), v. (1) to shoot with a
weapon, with dat. (s. öru, spjóti, kólfi);
vera skotinn spjóti í gegnum, to be shot through
with a spear; s. af boga, to shoot with a bow,; with the
object shot at in acc. (s. dýr, mann, sel, fugl); s. at e-m,
til e-s, to shoot at one; s. til hœfis, to shoot at a
mark; (2) to shoot push or shove quickly; s. brú
af, to draw the bridge off or away; s. skildi fyrir sik, to
put a shield before one; s. loku fyrir, to shoot the bolt,
lock the door; s. frá lokum, to unlock; s.
e-u fyrir borð, to 'shoot' overboard; s. skipum á
vatn, to launch ships; s. báti, to launch a boat
from the shore. s. útan báti, to shove out a
boat; s. hesti uridir e-n, to put a horse under one, to mount
him; var mér hér skotit á land, I was put
ashore here; s. e-u niðr, to thrust it down (hann
skaut svá fast niðr skildinum, at); s. e-m brott or
undan, to let one escape; s. undan peningum, to abstract,
embezzle money; s. e-u í hug e-m to suggest to one
(þá skaut guð því ráði
í hug þeim); s. upp hvítum skildi, to hoist a
white shield; s. upp vita, s. eldi í vita, to light up
a beacon; s. land-tjaldi, to pitch a tent; s. á
fylking, to draw up in battle array; s. á husþingi,
to call a meeting together; s. á eyrendi, to make a
speech; s. fótum undir sik, to take to one's heels, to
run; barnit skaut öndu upp, the child began to breathe;
s. e-u of öxl, to throw off one's shoulder; (3) to
transfer a case to another; vér tólf dómendr,
er málum þessum er t il skotit, to whom these suits
are handed over; skýt ek þvi til gúðs ok
góðra manna, at, I call God and all good men to
witness, that; (4) to pay (hann skaut eirm fyrir sveitunga
sína alla); (5) impers., e-u skýtr upp, it shoots
up, emerges, comes forth; upp skýtr jörðunni
þá ór sænum, then the earth rises from
the sea; skaut upp jörðu dag frá degi, the
earth appeared day by day (as the snow melted); þó
at þér skyti því í hug, though it
shot into thy mind, occurred to thee; þeim skaut skelk í
bringu, they were panic-stricken; sem kólfi skyti,
swift as a dart; (6) refl., skjótast, to shoot,
start, move quickly; hann skauzt á fœtr, he
started to his feet; Björn skauzt aptr at baki Kára,
B. sprang back again behind K.; at menn hans skytist eigi frá
honum, lest his men should slip away, desert; hann vildi
ljósta Gretti, en hann skauzt undan, he avoided the
blow; s. e-m, to fail; margir skutust honum, many
forsook him; skutust þá margir við þórð
í trúnaðinum, many proved false to
Thord;
hann var nökkut við aldr, ok skauzt 'a fótum, and
tottered on his legs, e-m skýzt yfir um e-t, one
over-looks, fails to notice a thing, (þeim hafði yfir
skotizt um þetta) recipr., skótast á. to
exchange shots.
skot,
n. (1) shooting, shot, (þóttist,Þ. eigi
hafa skotit betra s.); (2) the thing shot missile, =
skeyti (ef fleiri s. eru í hwalnum); (3) appeal; er til
hans niiklu minna s. en margir láta yfir,