Gísl Lv 1II
Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Gísl Illugason, Lausavísa 1’ 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. 430-1.
text and translation
Kátr skalk enn, þótt ætli
aldrán viðir skaldi
(jǫrn taka oss at orna)
unda teins (at beinum).
Hverr deyr seggr, en, svarri,
snarts dreng skapat hjarta,
(prúðr skalk enn í óði)
eitt sinn (á þrek minnask).
Kátr skalk enn, þótt {viðir {teins unda}} ætli skaldi aldrán; jǫrn taka at orna oss at beinum. Hverr seggr deyr eitt sinn, en, svarri, snart hjarta [e]s skapat dreng; prúðr skalk enn minnask á þrek í óði.
‘I’ll still be cheerful, although the trees of the wounds’ rod [SWORD > WARRIORS] intend to rob the poet of his life; the irons begin to warm us [me] to the bones. Every man dies some time, but, lady, a valiant heart has been given to the young warrior; brave, I shall yet again commemorate deeds of courage in poetry.’
notes and context
Gísl has been imprisoned by King Magnús berfœttr Óláfsson for the slaying of Magnús’s retainer, Gjafvaldr. He is awaiting execution and recites this st. to his Icel. compatriots (c. 1096).
Gísl is able to escape from the execution through the intervention of Jón Ǫgmundarson, later bishop of Hólar. — [2] viðir ‘the trees’: Gera ‘do, inflict’ (so 219, papp4ˣ, 392ˣ) is a lectio facilior which leaves the kenning viðir teins unda ‘the trees of the wounds’ rod’ (ll. 2, 4) without a base-word. — [7] prúðr ‘brave’: Fróðr ‘wise’ (so papp4ˣ, 392ˣ) is metrically possible, but secondary and makes little sense in the context.
readings
- [1] skalk (‘skal ek’): skal 219
- [1] þótt: þó papp4ˣ, 392ˣ
- [2] aldrán: aldrtjón 5, aldr rán 219, papp4ˣ, 392ˣ
- [2] viðir: ‘gora’ 219, ‘giora’ papp4ˣ, 392ˣ
- [2] skaldi: skjaldar 5
- [4] at: á 219
- [4] beinum: beini Hr, papp4ˣ, 392ˣ
- [5] en: so Hr, 5, hinn H, papp4ˣ, enn 219, 392ˣ
- [6] dreng: drengs 5, papp4ˣ, 392ˣ
- [7] prúðr: brúðr Hr, fróðr papp4ˣ, 392ˣ
- [7] skalk (‘skal ek’): vil ek 219
- [8] þrek: þat 5, 219
sources
Text is based on reconstruction from the base text and variant apparatus and may contain alternative spellings and other normalisations not visible in the manuscript text. Transcriptions may not have been checked and should not be cited.
-
AM 66 fol (H) — 87r/26 - 87r/26
Kátr skalk enn, þótt ætli
images
aldrán viðir skaldi
(jǫrn taka oss at orna)
unda teins (at beinum).
Hverr deyr seggr, hinn, svarri,
snarts dreng skapat hjarta,
(prúðr skalk enn í óði)
eitt sinn (á þrek minnask). -
GKS 1010 fol (Hr) — 60va/22 - 60va/22
Kátr skalk enn, þótt ætli
images
aldrán viðir skaldi
(jǫrn taka oss at orna)
unda teins (at beini).
Hverr deyr seggr, en, svarri,
snarts dreng skapat hjarta,
(brúðr skalk enn í óði)
eitt sinn (á þrek minnask). -
Holm perg 5 fol (5) — 49va - 49va
Kátr skalk enn, þótt ætli
images
aldrtjón viðir skjaldar
(jǫrn taka oss at orna)
unda teins (at beinum).
Hverr deyr seggr, en, svarri,
snarts drengs skapat hjarta,
(prúðr skalk enn í óði)
eitt sinn (á þat minnask). -
AM 219 fol (219) — 1va/3 - 1va/6
Kátr skal,skal ek enn, þótt ætli
aldr rán †gora† skaldi
(jǫrn taka oss at orna)
unda teins (á beinum).
Hverr deyr seggr, enn, svarri,
snarts dreng skapat hjarta,
(prúðr skal ek,vil ek enn í óði)
eitt sinn (á þat minnask). -
Holm papp 4 4°x (papp4x)
Kátr skalk enn, þó ætli
aldr rán †giora† skaldi
(jǫrn taka oss at orna)
unda teins (at beini).
Hverr deyr seggr, hinn, svarri,
snarts drengs skapat hjarta,
(fróðr skalk enn í óði)
eitt sinn (á þrek minnask). -
AM 392 4°x (392x) — 147v - 147v
Kátr skalk enn, þó ætli
aldr rán †giora† skaldi
(jǫrn taka oss at orna)
unda teins (at beini).
Hverr deyr seggr, enn, svarri,
snarts drengs skapat hjarta,
(fróðr skalk enn í óði)
eitt sinn (á þrek minnask). -
AM 761 b 4°x (761bx) — 542v/14 - 542v/21
images
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