Stanzas from the Third Grammatical Treatise — Anon (TGT)III
Anonymous LausavísurTarrin Wills 2017, ‘ Anonymous, Stanzas from the Third Grammatical Treatise’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 536. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=2932> (accessed 24 April 2024)
Reið Brynhildar bróðir
bort, sás hug né skorti.
bort, sás hug né skorti.
‘Brynhildr’s brother [= Atli], who did not lack courage, rode away.’
Svanr þyrr beint til benja
blóðs vindára róðri.
blóðs vindára róðri.
‘The swan of blood [RAVEN/EAGLE] rushes with the rowing of wind-oars [WINGS > FLIGHT] straight to the wounds.’
Lofðungr gekk at Lakkar
— laut herr í gras — snerru.
— laut herr í gras — snerru.
‘The prince went to the onslaught of Hlǫkk <valkyrie> [BATTLE]; the army fell in the grass.’
Geima mærum heima.
‘We praise the sea at home.’
Þorði Iðja orða.
‘Of the words of Iði <giant> [GOLD] … dared.’
Hér liggja brot beggja,
brúðr, strykvinna súða.
brúðr, strykvinna súða.
‘Here lie pieces of both the painted ship’s sides, woman.’
Hér fregna nú hyggnir
hjǫrflaug brimis draugar.
hjǫrflaug brimis draugar.
‘The thoughtful trees of the sword [WARRIORS] now hear of weapon-flight [BATTLE] here.’
Hringlestir gekk hraustan
herjum kunnr at gunni.
herjum kunnr at gunni.
‘The ring-breaker [GENEROUS MAN], known to people, went bravely to battle.’
Rann hræddari hranna
hyrbrjótr frá styr ljótum.
hyrbrjótr frá styr ljótum.
‘The more fearful breaker of the fire of the waves [(lit. ‘fire-breaker of the waves’) GOLD > GENEROUS MAN] ran from the grim battle.’
Því hefk heitit mey mætri,
mest nema hamlan bresti.
mest nema hamlan bresti.
‘I have promised the excellent girl that, unless the greatest obstacle fails.’
Skíð gekk framm at flœði
flóðs í hreggi óðu.
flóðs í hreggi óðu.
‘The ski of the sea [SHIP] went forward at high tide in a violent storm.’
Hringtælir gaf hálu
hlýrsólar mér dýra;
oss kom Hrund til handa
hræpolls drifin golli,
sút þás Herjans hattar …
hlýrsólar mér dýra;
oss kom Hrund til handa
hræpolls drifin golli,
sút þás Herjans hattar …
‘The ring-trickster [GENEROUS MAN] gave me a precious troll-woman of the prow-sun [SHIELD > AXE]; the Hrund <valkyrie> of the carrion-pool [BLOOD > AXE], decorated with gold, came into our [my] hands, when the sorrow of Herjann’s <= Óðinn’s> hat [HELMET > WEAPON] … ’
Fór hvatráðr
hilmi at finna,
áðr siklingr
til sættar gekk.
hilmi at finna,
áðr siklingr
til sættar gekk.
‘The resourceful one went to meet the king, before the ruler accepted reconciliation.’
Sás af Íslandi
arði barði.
arði barði.
‘The one who ploughed [the sea] with the prow away from Iceland.’
Þats orðslœgjum eigi
aldrbót konungs skaldi.
aldrbót konungs skaldi.
‘That is not fame for the king’s word-cunning skald.’
Út réð Ingólfr leita
ógnreifr með Hjǫrleifi.
ógnreifr með Hjǫrleifi.
‘The battle-glad Ingólfr travelled to Iceland with Hjǫrleifr.’
Krossfestum sé Kristi
kunnr vegr ok lof unnit
megn ok máttr sem tígnar
mest vald, þats fersk aldri.
kunnr vegr ok lof unnit
megn ok máttr sem tígnar
mest vald, þats fersk aldri.
‘May famous honour and praise, power and might, as well as the greatest strength of honour that will never perish, be granted to the crucified Christ.’
Jarls hefir hann ágæti, en ǫðlings kosti,
konungs kappgirni, kynni landreka.
konungs kappgirni, kynni landreka.
‘He has a jarl’s fame and a prince’s good qualities, a king’s competitiveness, a lord’s disposition.’
Haldi hringtǫpuð hefi ok varðveiti
styrki ok staðfesti stýrir himinríkis.
styrki ok staðfesti stýrir himinríkis.
‘May the controller of the kingdom of heaven [= God] support, raise and preserve, strengthen and confirm the ring-destroyer [GENEROUS MAN].’
Konungr kappgjarn
kostum betri
allri þjóð
alframr konungr.
kostum betri
allri þjóð
alframr konungr.
‘The energetic king, better in [good] qualities for the whole people, the excellent king.’
Hlýð, hlýð, konungr, hróðri þessum.
‘Listen, listen, king, to this praise-poem.’
Heldr vill hilmir
herja en erja.
herja en erja.
‘The ruler would rather raid than plough.’
Sterkum stilli styrjar væni.
‘For the strong ruler … an expectation of battle.’
Hlíf gnast við hlíf, hjǫrr við mæki,
egg lék við egg, þars jǫfurr barðisk.
egg lék við egg, þars jǫfurr barðisk.
‘Shield cracked against shield, sword against sword, edge played against edge where the prince fought.’
Band gaf oss með endum
Ilmr lýskála bála.
Ilmr lýskála bála.
‘The Ilmr <goddess> of the fires of the pollack-hall [SEA > GOLD > WOMAN] gave us [me] a band with ends.’
Áðr djúphugaðr dræpi
dólga ramr með hamri
gegn á grœðis vagna
gagnsæll faðir Magna.
dólga ramr með hamri
gegn á grœðis vagna
gagnsæll faðir Magna.
‘Before the deep-minded, mighty, reliable, victory-blessed father of Magni <god> [= Þórr] struck at the enemies of the sea of wagons [LAND > GIANTS] with his hammer. ’
En skinnbjarta skortir
— skap kannask mér svanna —
— dýrs hon hætt at hváru —
hálmmein Njǫrun steina.
— skap kannask mér svanna —
— dýrs hon hætt at hváru —
hálmmein Njǫrun steina.
‘But the bright-skinned Njǫrun <goddess> of stones [WOMAN] lacks straw-harm [BLADE]; the temperament of the woman is known to me; she is in any case a dangerous animal.’
Einstigi mér heinar.
‘The narrow path of the hone [SWORD] … to me.’
Braut stǫkk bauga neytir
bleikr frá sverða leiki.
bleikr frá sverða leiki.
‘The enjoyer of rings [MAN] fled, pale, away from the play of swords [BATTLE].’
Hár rauð hvassa geira
— hneig þjóð í gras — blóði.
— hneig þjóð í gras — blóði.
‘The high one reddened sharp spears in blood; people sank into the grass.’
Né dýrs of far fleiri
flein-Móða segik óðar
— mælum slíkt við sælan:
‘sit heill konungr!’ — deili.
flein-Móða segik óðar
— mælum slíkt við sælan:
‘sit heill konungr!’ — deili.
‘I will not recount more details of the poem about the conduct of the excellent spear-Móði <god> [WARRIOR]; we [I] say this to the fortunate one: ‘be well, king!’’
Ok stórhǫggr
stillir Þrœnda.
stillir Þrœnda.
‘And the hard-hitting leader of the Þrœndir [NORWEGIAN RULER].’
Í herská
hilmis ríki.
hilmis ríki.
‘In the ruler’s war-torn realm.’
Framm þraukuðu fákar
fjórir senn und henni;
þó gat þeim in háva
þrymgǫll hlaðit ǫllum.
fjórir senn und henni;
þó gat þeim in háva
þrymgǫll hlaðit ǫllum.
‘Four horses lumbered forward at the same time under it; however, the tall noise-shriek [bell] managed to fell them all.’
Oss fremi, hinn es himna,
heimstýrir, skóp dýra.
heimstýrir, skóp dýra.
‘May the world-controller [= God], who created the precious heavens, help us.’
Ekl vasa ógn á Stiklar-
óblíð -stǫðum síðan.
óblíð -stǫðum síðan.
‘Unpleasant fighting was not lacking later at Stiklestad.’
At kom gangandi, þar es jǫfrar bǫrðusk;
helt hann upp hǫfði: ‘hér es þér skattr, sultan.’
helt hann upp hǫfði: ‘hér es þér skattr, sultan.’
‘Walking, he arrived where the princes were fighting; he held up a head: ‘here’s treasure for you, sultan.’’
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