Ævikviða — Ásb ÆvkvVIII (OStór)
ÁsbjǫrnÁsbjǫrn, Ævikviða — Vol. 8 — Peter Jorgensen
Peter Jorgensen (forthcoming), ‘ Ásbjǫrn, Ævikviða’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry in fornaldarsögur. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 8. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=3166> (accessed 2 May 2024)
Segiz þat minni móður;
mun hon ei syni kemba
svarðar láð í sumri
svanhvít í Danmörku.
Hafði ek henni heitit,
at ek heim koma munda;
nú mun segg á síðu
sverðs egg dregin verða.
‘Let it be told to my mother; she, swan-white, will not comb the land of the scalp [HEAD] of her son this summer in Denmark. I had promised her that I would come home; now the sword’s edge will be drawn against the warrior’s [my] side. ’
Annat var, þá er inni.
Ölkátirvér sátum
ok á fleyskipi fórum
fjörð af Hörðalandi.
Drukkum mjöð ok mæltum
mart orð saman forðum;
nú emk einn í öngvar
jötna þröngvar genginn.
‘It used to be different, when inside. We would sit merry with ale and sail the fjord on a fast ship away from Hordaland. We drank mead in days gone by and spoke many a word together; now I have come alone into the confining straits of giants.’
Annat var, þá er inni.
Allstórir saman fórum;
stóð þar upp í stafni
Stórólfs burr inn frækni,
þá er langskipum lagði
lundr at Eyrasundi;
nú mun ek tældr í tryggðum
trolla byggðir kanna.
‘It used to be different, when inside. We mighty ones travelled together; the brave son of Stórólfr [= Ormr] stood up there at the prow when the tree <warrior> sailed the warships towards the Øresund; I, betrayed under truce, will now explore the dwellings of trolls.’
Annat var, þá er inni.
Ormr at Hildar stormi
gekk enn gráðgum blakki
Geitis sylg at veita.
Rekk at rómu dökkri
raunmargan gaf vargi
seggr ok sárt nam höggva
svinnr at Ífu minni.
‘It used to be different, when inside. Ormr went again to the storm of Hildr <valkyrie> [BATTLE] to give a drink to the greedy horse of Geitir <giant> [WOLF]. The swift warrior gave very many a man to the wolf in dark battle and dealt hard blows at the mouth of the Ífa.’
Annat var, þá er inni.
Ek veitta ferð sveittri
högg með hvassri tuggu
Herjans suðr í skerjum
Elfar. Opt nam kólfi
Ormr hagliga at forma
mest, þá er Miðjungs traustir
mágar eptir lágu.
‘It used to be different, when inside. I dealt blows with the sharp mouthful of Herjan <= Fenrir(?)> [SWORD] to the bloody host down south among the skerries of the Götaälv. Ormr often aimed with the arrow skilfully mostly when the trusted kinsmen of Miðjungr <giant> [GIANTS] were left lying. ’
Annat var, þá er inni. Allir saman várum,
Gautr ok Geiri, Glúmr ok Starri,
Sámr ok Sæmingr, synir Oddvarar,
Haukr ok Háma, Hrókr ok Tóki.
‘It used to be different, when inside. We were all together, Gautr and Geiri, Glúmr and Starri, Sámr and Sæmingr, the sons of Oddvǫr, Haukr and Háma, Hrókr and Tóki. ’
Annat var, þá er inni. Opt á sæ fórum,
Hrani ok Högni, Hjálmr ok Stefnir,
Grani ok Gunnarr, Grímr ok Sörkvir,
Tumi ok Torfi, Teitir ok Geitir.
‘It used to be different, when inside. We often sailed out to sea, Hrani and Hǫgni, Hjálmr and Stefnir, Grani and Gunnarr, Grímr and Sǫrkvir, Tumi and Torfi, Teitir and Geitir. ’
Annat var, þá er inni.
Alllítt vér spörðumz
at samtogi sverða;
sjaldan ek latta,
at brynpálmar brýndir
biti hvassliga seggi;
þó var Ormr at ímun
æ oddviti þeira.
‘It used to be different, when inside. We held back very little at the drawing together of swords [BATTLE]; seldom did I hinder that the sharpened mailcoat-palms [SWORDS] should sharply bite warriors; even so, Ormr was always their leader in battle. ’
Mundi Ormr ófrýnn vera,
ef hann á kvöl þessa kynni at líta
ok grimmliga gjalda þursi
várar viðfarar víst, ef hann næði.
‘Ormr would be displeased if he could look upon this torment and certainly pay back the giant terribly for our [my] treatment, if he could. ’
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