Eldjárn — EldjII
skaldsVol. 2, 406-8 — — ed. Kari Ellen Gade
Poetry
Biography
Kari Ellen Gade 2009, ‘(Biography of) Eldjárn’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 406-8.
Nothing is known about Eldjárn (Eldj) aside from the information provided in Giffarðs þáttr (Mork 1928-32, 323-6; Fms 7, 56-61). He is not listed in Skáldatal, and the two lvv. below are all that remains of his poetic oeuvre. According to Giffarðs þáttr, Eldjárn was a young Icelander from Húsavík who met a Norman knight, Giffarðr (a former follower of King Magnús berfœttr Óláfsson), when Eldjárn was on his way from Constantinople to England (c. 1102). He composed a derogatory st. about Giffarðr and was subsequently sued by the knight for slander. Eldjárn redeemed himself by reciting another st., but in that st. he praised Giffarðr for valour he had not displayed, thus ridiculing him anew.
References
- Bibliography
- Fms = Sveinbjörn Egilsson et al., eds. 1825-37. Fornmanna sögur eptir gömlum handritum útgefnar að tilhlutun hins norræna fornfræða fèlags. 12 vols. Copenhagen: Popp.
- Mork 1928-32 = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1928-32. Morkinskinna. SUGNL 53. Copenhagen: Jørgensen.
- Internal references
- Kari Ellen Gade 2009, ‘(Biography of) Magnús berfœttr Óláfsson’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 385-90.
- Not published: do not cite ()
other information
Eldjárn (Eldj)
12th century
Skj AI, 437; BI, 407
volume 2
main editor: Kari Ellen Gade