# I need a good viking motto **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 5, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718 "2003-01-05T03:48:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![caffeine\_overdose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85e7bf/32.png) [@caffeine\_overdose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caffeine_overdose)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/1 "2003-01-05T03:48:14Z")
My school mascot is the viking which I always found kind of amusing seeing as how vikings are not the nicest people in the history of the world. Now the robotics team that I am on is going to have legitimate shirts but we also want something that is funny. So we need a slogon to put on the shirts. So far we have only come up with. Eastern Vikings: Raping and Pillaging since 1923 and Eastern Vikings: Our Honor students can decapitate your honor students any suggestions ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/2 "2003-01-05T03:56:11Z")
Eastern Vikings: WE’VE never lost the Super Bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/3 "2003-01-05T04:05:10Z")
Eastern Vikings: We got a lot less fearsome after being Christianized. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/4 "2003-01-05T04:21:20Z")
[Viking kittens!!!](http://www.rathergood.com/vikings/) And you can even get your own Viking kitten [T-shirts!!!](http://www.cafeshops.com/cp/store.aspx?s=vikingkittens,vikingkittens2) **Valhalla, I am coming!!!** **We are your overlords!!!** What more could you need? ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/5 "2003-01-05T08:02:20Z")
Eastern Vikings: No more bloodthirsty than the rest of medieval Europe, except European history was written mostly by Christians! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/6 "2003-01-05T11:53:11Z")
“Get your heads reading for piking, 'cause here come the Vikings!” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/7 "2003-01-05T14:38:56Z")
oops, get your heads **ready** for piking ---
**Author:** ![martin\_ibn\_martin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@martin\_ibn\_martin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/martin_ibn_martin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/8 "2003-01-05T15:14:34Z")
“Pawnay Sepooya!” I am told that this means something like, “Go sleep a lemming” in Finnish. Some SCA friends of mine were looking for a good viking battle cry. They asked the Finnish exchange student, and she said that they don’t say anything really brutal or nasty in her language, but she gave them this. Not sure if I am spelling or remembering this correctly. I welcome any Fnnush Doper input. Martin ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/9 "2003-01-05T19:01:53Z")
Motto suggestion: “Vikings never wore horns on their elements. Do you think they were idiots? Ever fought with axes and swords with stuff sticking out of a helmet. Sheesh.” Or words to that effect. Note that Vikings were “bad people” merely because they were non-Christian. Once Christianized, they merely became conquerors and settlers (which they were before). They weren’t barbarians. They had the highest literary rate in N. Europe. One English “gentlemen” complained that all the local gals were being swept off their feet by the new Nordic settlers since they did horrible things like bathe and use combs. “Hagar the Horrible” is one big ethnic slur. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/10 "2003-01-05T20:20:41Z")
“Pillage and destruction are our _other_ hobbies.” “Berserk is good.”…or… “Berserk works.” “We burn our dead in dragon ships. The crows get yours.” “Loki here.” “Henry Fjord learned from us.” Veb ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/11 "2003-01-05T20:20:50Z")
Vikings: Better, cos we can a fjord to be. ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/12 "2003-01-05T21:13:24Z")
A line or two from the Havamal would be appropriate perhaps. Cattle die, kindred die, Every man is mortal: But the good name never dies Of one who has done well or It befits a man to be merry and glad Until the day of his death, or The coward believes he will live forever If he holds back in the battle, But in old age he shall have no peace Though spears have spared his limbs Perhaps a bit long for a catchy motto, but historically accurate and very inspiring. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/13 "2003-01-05T22:59:17Z")
Stealing from **ftg** ’s post, how about “Vikings: We had the highest literacy rate in Northern Europe”? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/14 "2003-01-05T23:00:55Z")
Not very humorous, but I am reminded of Charles Kingsley’s [“Ode to the Northeast Wind”](http://www.bartleby.com/42/656.html) > [@](#): > > Conquering from the eastward, > Lords by land and sea. > Come; and strong, within us > Stir the Vikings’ blood ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/15 "2003-01-05T23:08:33Z")
Hows My Pillaging? Call 555-3210 ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/16 "2003-01-05T23:12:01Z")
The Horny Vikings - Fighting virginity since 1973, it’s taking longer than we thought. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/17 "2003-01-05T23:34:36Z")
uff da! ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/18 "2003-01-06T03:13:55Z")
My ex-wife, fluent in Old Norse and currently teaching it at Oxford, would have some good ones. The best one I can remember is “_Troll eigi thina vini!_” (“May the trolls get your friends!”) Also strangely appropriate for the SDMB, I may add. Pronounced “TRUH-tla AYTH-ee THEE-na VEE-nee,” if you should ask. Some other words of viking wisdom: “A rope must be pulled against a strong man.” “There are wolves about, yet they shall destroy each other.” “Thungu Knifr!” (“Heavy knife!” From a very bad Icelandic film.) ---
**Author:** ![Goofus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7feea3/32.png) [@Goofus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goofus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/19 "2003-01-06T05:15:01Z")
Oh boy, robotics! That’s where I’m a Viking! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718/20 "2003-01-06T15:27:49Z")
Blood for Odin! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-good-viking-motto/146718.md?page=2)