Note to Mark Eirdr 5II
[8] stóls Fróða ‘of Fróði’s seat [= Denmark]’: There are several legendary kings named Fróði (see SnE 1998, II, 460). Here two are most likely alluded to: the Fróði I (inn friðgóði ‘the peaceful’) of the Dan. Skjǫldungr dynasty (ÍF 35, liv-lv, 14) and the legendary figure associated with Fróði’s mill, who sets the two giantesses Fenja and Menja to grind gold for him, as told in Grottasǫngr (Grott, see SnE 1998, I, 51-7). Thus stóls Fróða not only refers to Eiríkr’s Dan. realm, but also to the wealth which is his to disperse. It is possible, although less satisfactory, to take this phrase as qualifying fyrða kyn: kyn fyrða stóls Fróða ‘the kin of men of Fróði’s seat’ i.e. ‘Danes’.