Atgǫngu vannt, yngvi,
ætt siklinga mikla;
blíðr hilmir, rautt breiða
borg Kantara of morgin.
Lék við rǫnn af ríki
— rétt, bragna konr, gagni —
(aldar, frák, at aldri)
eldr ok reykr (of beldir).
Yngvi, vannt ætt siklinga mikla atgǫngu; blíðr hilmir, rautt breiða Kantaraborg of morgin. Eldr ok reykr lék við rǫnn af ríki; konr bragna, rétt gagni; frák, at of beldir aldri aldar.
King, you made a great attack on the race of princes; gracious ruler, you reddened broad Canterbury in the morning. Fire and smoke played against the houses mightily; kinsman of chieftains [RULER], you gained victory; I heard that you harmed the life of people.
[4] Kantara‑: ‘kantera’ 75c, Flat, ‘cantera’ 325VII
[4] borg Kantara ‘Canterbury’: The ASC (s. a. 1011) records the capture of Canterbury by Þorkell’s army, including the martyrdom of Archbishop Ælfheah there, about which Óttarr and Sigvatr are silent, to judge from the extant poetry. The p. n. (OE Cantwaraburh ‘the stronghold of the Cantware, people of Kent’) has been slightly remodelled by Norse speakers, poetry and prose having alternative forms, and, here and in Sigv Víkv 8/6, the metre has encouraged mild tmesis for metrical reasons. See further Townend (1998, 46-9).