Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2017, ‘Einarr Skúlason, Øxarflokkr 6’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 146.
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1. fregna (verb): hear of
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Fróði (noun m.): Fróði
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mær (noun f.; °meyjar, dat. meyju; meyjar): maiden
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2. fullr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): full, complete < fullgóliga (adv.)
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góligr (adj.): splendid < fullgóliga (adv.)
[2] ‑góliga: ‑góligar Tˣ, 2368ˣ, 743ˣ
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mala (verb): grind
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láta (verb): let, have sth done
[3, 4] lætr grið slitna golli ‘lets the truce for the gold be broken’: This means ‘wage war on gold’, i.e. ‘be generous’.
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stillir (noun m.): ruler
[3] stillir ‘the ruler’: The ruler is the person who gave the weapon to Einarr.
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grið (noun n.): truce
[3, 4] lætr grið slitna golli ‘lets the truce for the gold be broken’: This means ‘wage war on gold’, i.e. ‘be generous’.
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gull (noun n.): gold
[3, 4] lætr grið slitna golli ‘lets the truce for the gold be broken’: This means ‘wage war on gold’, i.e. ‘be generous’.
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Grafvitnir (noun m.): Grafvitnir
[4] Grafvitnis ‘Grafvitnir’s <serpent’s>’: For this serpent, see Note to Þul Orma 2/1.
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beðr (noun m.; °dat. -/-i; -ir, dat. -jum): bed
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slitna (verb): tear, break
[3, 4] lætr grið slitna golli ‘lets the truce for the gold be broken’: This means ‘wage war on gold’, i.e. ‘be generous’.
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mjúkr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): gentle, humble
[5] mjúks (m. gen. sg.) ‘of the kind’: The adj. mjúks ‘kind, gentle, smooth’ could also be construed with bragar (m. gen. sg.) ‘of praise’ (l. 8): stýri mjúks bragar ‘the controller of smooth praise’ (so Skj B).
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3. bera (verb; °berr; bar, báru; borinn): bear, carry
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øx (noun f.; °øxar/exar, dat. øxi/exi, acc. øxi/øx; -ar): axe
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2. við (prep.): with, against
[6] feldrar við hlyn ‘attached to the shaft’: Lit. ‘attached to the maple’, i.e. a shaft made from maple.
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hlynr (noun m.; °-s): maple
[6] feldrar við hlyn ‘attached to the shaft’: Lit. ‘attached to the maple’, i.e. a shaft made from maple.
[6] feldrar: so Tˣ, 743ˣ, feldrat R, feldra 2368ˣ
[6] feldrar við hlyn ‘attached to the shaft’: Lit. ‘attached to the maple’, i.e. a shaft made from maple.
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konungr (noun m.; °dat. -i, -s; -ar): king
[7] konungs: hann 2368ˣ, 743ˣ
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dýrka (verb; °-að-): glorify, worship
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fé (noun n.; °fjár/féar; -): cattle, money
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Fenja (noun f.): bristly one, Fenja
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fagr (adj.; °fagran; compar. fegri, superl. fegrstr): fair, beautiful
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2. hlýr (noun n.; °-s; -): cheek, bow
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bragr (noun m.; °-ar): poem, poetry
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stýrir (noun m.): ruler, controller
[8] stýri: stýrir 2368ˣ, 743ˣ
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
Frák, at Fróða meyjar |
I heard that Fróði’s <legendary king’s> girls [= Fenja and Menja] very splendidly ground Grafvitnir’s <serpent’s> bed [GOLD]; the ruler lets the truce for the gold be broken. The wealth of the kind king celebrates the controller of praise [POET]; the fair cheeks of my axe, attached to the shaft, bear that flour of Fenja <giantess> [GOLD].
The stanza is recorded immediately after Grott in Skm, and the imagery and kennings are used to illustrate the story told in that poem. In LaufE, beð Grafvitnis ‘Grafvitnir’s <serpent’s> bed’ is given as one of several examples of kennings for ‘gold’.
For the story of the giantesses Fenja and Menja grinding gold for King Fróði of Denmark see Note to st. 3/5, 6, 7 above. — The poet is identified as Einarr Skúlason in all mss of Skm. In 2368ˣ (LaufE) the stanza is given as two helmingar with a brief insert of prose in between, and the poet is Einarr and same ‘the same’; in 743ˣ (LaufE) the stanza is given as one and the poet’s name is added in the margin (Einarr, with Skúlason in another hand).
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