R. D. Fulk (ed.) 2012, ‘Sigvatr Þórðarson, Lausavísur 15’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 717.
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1. gera (verb): do, make
[1] Gerðisk: gerðusk Holm4, gerði 61, 75c, Bb, Flat, Tóm, gerðu 325V
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hilmir (noun m.): prince, protector
[1] hilmis: hilmir 61, 75c, 325V, Bb, Flat, Tóm
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Hǫrðar (noun m.): the Hǫrðar
[1] Hǫrða: om. 61, 325V, harða 75c, Bb, harðan Flat
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hús (noun n.; °-s; -): house < húskarl (noun m.): retainer
[2] húskarlar ‘the housecarls’: On this term, see Note to Sigv Austv 18/4.
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karl (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): (old) man < húskarl (noun m.): retainer
[2] ‑karlar: ‑karla 61, Flat
[2] húskarlar ‘the housecarls’: On this term, see Note to Sigv Austv 18/4.
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jarl (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): poet, earl
[2] jarli: jarla Flat
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2. við (prep.): with, against
[2, 4] ofvægir jarli ‘too compliant towards the jarl [Hákon]’: (a) Ofvægr is in this instance assumed to be etymologically related to vægja ‘to yield’ and væginn ‘yielding’ (so Skj B; LP: ofvægr 2). (b) Normally, ofvægr is a laudatory epithet applied to rulers (see LP: ofvægr 1) and meaning ‘invincible’, lit. ‘outweighing, over-powerful’ (cf. vega ‘to weigh, move’, vægi n. ‘weight’, vægr adj. ‘balancing’). This sense could be reconciled with the context by assuming a transferred sense ‘(morally) too heavy, bearing a weight of blame’ and taking jarli as a dat. of comparison, hence ‘more culpable than the jarl, more than the jarl's equal in treachery’ (so ÍF 27), but these assumptions are somewhat strained.
[2, 4] ofvægir jarli ‘too compliant towards the jarl [Hákon]’: (a) Ofvægr is in this instance assumed to be etymologically related to vægja ‘to yield’ and væginn ‘yielding’ (so Skj B; LP: ofvægr 2). (b) Normally, ofvægr is a laudatory epithet applied to rulers (see LP: ofvægr 1) and meaning ‘invincible’, lit. ‘outweighing, over-powerful’ (cf. vega ‘to weigh, move’, vægi n. ‘weight’, vægr adj. ‘balancing’). This sense could be reconciled with the context by assuming a transferred sense ‘(morally) too heavy, bearing a weight of blame’ and taking jarli as a dat. of comparison, hence ‘more culpable than the jarl, more than the jarl's equal in treachery’ (so ÍF 27), but these assumptions are somewhat strained.
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ofvægr (adj.): invincible, overwhelming
[4] ofvægir: so 321ˣ, 73aˣ, Holm4, 325V, J2ˣ, ‘of vegir’ Holm2, óvægir 972ˣ, 68, 75c, Bb, Flat, ‘u uæygir’ 61, óvæginn Tóm, ofvægs Kˣ
[3] er ‘who’: The younger form er rather than es is required for the hending with fjǫrvi, as pointed out by Gering (1912, 136), who also surmised that Noreen (ANG §473) had this in mind when he stated that er rather than es in OWN is first attested in the works of Sigvatr. The rel. particle could alternatively be translated ‘when, if’ (so Skj B; ÍF 27; Hkr 1991).
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fé (noun n.; °fjár/féar; -): cattle, money
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hirð (noun f.; °-ar; -ir/-ar(FskB 53)): retinue
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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
[5] esa (‘era’): nam 61, 75c, Bb, Flat, er 325V, Tóm, Kˣ, J2ˣ
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hann (pron.; °gen. hans, dat. honum; f. hon, gen. hennar, acc. hana): he, she, it, they, them...
[5] hans: hann Holm4, 325V
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5. at (nota): to (with infinitive)
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3. hár (adj.; °-van; compar. hǽrri, superl. hǽstr): high < háligr (adj.): noble
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-ligr (adj.): -ly < háligr (adj.): noble
[6] ‑ligt: ‑leitt 73aˣ, 68, ‘‑leggs’ 61, ‑leit 75c, 325V, Bb, Flat, Tóm
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1. mál (noun n.; °-s; -): speech, matter
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dæll (adj.; °dǽlan; compar. dǽlli/dǽllri(FriðB 48¹), superl. dǽlstr): easy
[7] dælla: ‘della’ Bb
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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
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vér (pron.; °gen. vár, dat./acc. oss): we, us, our
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allr (adj.): all
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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
[8] erum vír (‘ero ver’): erum vit 972ˣ, Noregs 61
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vér (pron.; °gen. vár, dat./acc. oss): we, us, our
[8] erum vír (‘ero ver’): erum vit 972ˣ, Noregs 61
[8] vír ‘we’: Although this is the spelling of no ms. (all have ‘ver’ or ‘vær’, except for 972ˣva and 61), the aðalhending demands this older form of vér, and no other reading will suffice (Nj 1875-8, II, 200-1).
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1. svik (noun n.; °-s; -): deceit, treachery; poison
[8] svik: om. Kˣ, J2ˣ
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2. skírr (adj.): pure, bright
[8] skírir: skærir 321ˣ, 73aˣ, Tóm, slíkir 61, kyrir Bb
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
Immediately after the two preceding vísur it is said that people discuss how ill it became Hákon jarl Eiríksson to be leading an army against King Óláfr, since the king had spared his life when the jarl had come into his power (see ÓH 1941, I, 64-5; ÍF 27, 37-8). But Sigvatr has been on close terms with the jarl, and when he hears such things said, he speaks this stanza.
[2]: The line recalls Sigv Austv 18/4 (and Hharð Lv 6/8II).
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