m. a love token. Elska never occurs as a verb or noun in old heathen poets; Arnor is the first poet on record who uses it; old writers prefer using ást; with Christianity, and esp. since the Reformation, it gained ground; ἀγαπαν of the N. T. is usually rendered by elska (to love) and ἀγάπη by elska (love) or kærleiki (chanty); so, mann-elska, humanity, kindness.