Sigv Lv 25I
R. D. Fulk (ed.) 2012, ‘Sigvatr Þórðarson, Lausavísur 25’ 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. 730.
text and translation
Enn lystir mik (austan
erut of spǫrð ór Gǫrðum)
frá ǫðlingi ungum
(opt byrjuð lof) spyrja.
Fréttik smás, þótt smæstir
smoglir ástar foglar
(þinig ljúgumk fǫr) fljúgi
(fylkis niðs) á miðli.
Enn lystir mik spyrja frá ungum ǫðlingi; lof opt byrjuð austan ór Gǫrðum erut of spǫrð. Fréttik smás, þótt smæstir, smoglir foglar ástar fljúgi á miðli; ljúgumk fǫr þinig {niðs fylkis}.
‘Still it pleases me to ask about the young prince; the praises often conveyed from the east out of Russia are not too sparing. I enquire about little, though the smallest, smuggling birds of affection fly between; I am cheated of the journey hither of the leader’s offspring [RULER = Magnús].’
notes and context
Sigvatr travels to Sweden and stays with Queen Ástríðr (who had gone there with King Óláfr when he first lost control of Norway, and had remained there after his return). Whenever he meets merchants coming from Hólmgarðr (Novgorod), he asks what they can tell him about Óláfr’s son Magnús. He says this.
[1-4]: There are alternative ways to analyse the syntax of this helmingr. (a) Finnur Jónsson (Skj B; so Hkr 1991) would have frá ǫðlingi ungum ‘about the young prince’ in l. 3 modify lof ‘praises’ in l. 4 and austan … ór Gǫrðum ‘from the east out of Russia’ in ll. 1, 2 modify spyrja ‘to ask’ in l. 4. (b) Kock (NN §1876; so ÍF 28 and Jón Skaptason 1983, 209) would have both of these phrases modify spyrja ‘ask’ on the ground that lof frá einhverjum ‘praise about someone’ seems unidiomatic to him.
readings
- [1] Enn: ey J2ˣ, E, 761bˣ
- [2] of (‘um’): af J2ˣ, E, 761bˣ
- [2] spǫrð: svǫrð F
- [5] smás: spans J2ˣ, 761bˣ
- [5] smæstir: ‘smættir’ J2ˣ, 761bˣ
- [6] smoglir: ‘smugul er’ Kˣ, F, ‘smogul er’ 39, ‘smagulir’ J2ˣ, ‘smabuler’ E, ‘sma gulir’ 761bˣ
- [7] þinig: so J2ˣ, E, 761bˣ, þing Kˣ, 39, F
- [7] ljúgumk: ‘hægiomz’ F
- [7] fǫr: ‘for’ 39, F
- [8] fylkis niðs: ‘fyl kisliðs’ 39, fylkis liðs F
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 63 folx (Kx) — 500r/7 - 500r/14
imagesEnn lystir mik (austan
erut of spǫrð ór Gǫrðum)
frá ǫðlingi ungum
(opt byrjuð lof) spyrja.
Fréttik smás, þótt smæstir
†smugul er† ástar foglar
(þing ljúgumk fǫr) fljúgi
(fylkis niðs) á miðli.Eɴ lystir mic ꜹstan | erot um spꜹrð or gǫrðum | fra øðlingi ungum | opt byrioð lof spyria | fretti ec smás þo at smæstir | smugul er astar fuglar | þing liugumz fǫr fliugi | fylkis niðs a miðli . |
(RDF)
-
AM 39 fol (39) — 13va/16 - 13va/20
imagesEnn lystir mik (austan
erut of spǫrð ór Gǫrðum)
frá ǫðlingi ungum
(opt byrjuð lof) spyrja.
Fréttik smás, þótt smæstir
†smogul er† ástar foglar
(þing ljúgumk †for†) fljúgi
(†fyl kisliðs† ) á miðli.Eɴ lystir mic austan | eroð of spaurð ór gorðom fra avðlingi vngom | opt byrioð lof spyria . frætti ec smás þo at | smæstir smogvl er astar fvglar þing livgo | mz for fliugi fyl kisliðs amiðli .
(RDF)
-
AM 45 fol (F) — 38ra/36 - 38ra/40
imagesEnn lystir mik (austan
erut of svǫrð ór Gǫrðum)
frá ǫðlingi ungum
(opt byrjuð lof) spyrja.
Fréttik smás, þótt smæstir
†smugul er† ástar foglar
(þing †hægiomz for†) fljúgi
(fylkis liðs ) á miðli.Eɴ | lystir míg ꜹstan ervt of svꜹrð or gorðom fra ꜹðlingi | vngom opt byrioð lof spyría . fretti ek smás þo at smæs | tír smugul er astar fvglar þing hǽgiomz for flívgi fýlkis | liðz a miðli .
(RDF)
-
AM 38 folx (J2x) — 242v/8 - 242v/15
imagesey lystir mik (austan
erut af spǫrð ór Gǫrðum)
frá ǫðlingi ungum
(opt byrjuð lof) spyrja.
Fréttik spans, þótt †smættir†
†smagulir† ástar foglar
(þinig ljúgumk fǫr) fljúgi
(fylkis niðs) á miðli.Ey lystir mic ꜹstann | eruð afspo᷎rð or Gꜹrðum | fra ꜹðlinge ungom | oft byrioð lof spyria | fretti ec spans þo at smættir | smagulir astar foglar | þinig liugumk fǫr fliuge | fylkis niðs a miðle |
(RDF)
-
AM 47 fol (E) — 4v/10 - 4v/12
imagesey lystir mik (austan
erut af spǫrð ór Gǫrðum)
frá ǫðlingi ungum
(opt byrjuð lof) spyrja.
Fréttik smás, þótt smæstir
†smabuler† ástar foglar
(þinig ljúgumk fǫr) fljúgi
(fylkis niðs) á miðli.Ey lystir | mik austan eruð af spǫrð or gǫrðom fra oðlingi ungum oft byrioð lof spyria fretti ek smás þo | at smæstir smabuler astar foglar þinig liugumc fo᷎r fliugi fylkis niðz a miðli .
(RDF)
-
AM 761 b 4°x (761bx) — 311r/20 - 311v/2
imagesey lystir mik (austan
erut af spǫrð ór Gǫrðum)
frá ǫðlingi ungum
(opt byrjuð lof) spyrja.
Fréttik spans, þótt †smættir†
†sma gulir† ástar foglar
(þinig ljúgumk fǫr) fljúgi
(fylkis niðs) á miðli.Ey lystir mik austan | eruþ af spo᷎rþ or gaurþum | fra auþlingi ungum | opt byrioþ lof spyria | fretti ek spans þoat smættir | sma gulir astar foglar || þinnig liugumk for fliugi | fylkis niþs a miþli . |
(RDF)
editions and texts
Skj: Sigvatr Þórðarson, 13. Lausavísur 27: AI, 273, BI, 252-3, Skald I, 130, NN §§1876, 2205D (cf. 2225); Hkr 1777-1826, III, 13, VI, 126, Hkr 1868, 522 (MGóð ch. 9), Hkr 1893-1901, III, 20, IV, 184-5, ÍF 28, 18, Hkr 1991, II, 567 (MGóð ch. 8), F 1871, 173, E 1916, 13; Konráð Gíslason 1892, 41, 191, 232, Jón Skaptason 1983, 209, 326-7.
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