HSt Rst 1I/2 — kveðk ‘I ask’
Hǫrs gnótt hrunda sléttum
hljóðs kveðk mér at óði
randhvéls rennu Þundi;
Rekstefju tekk hefja.
Skýrunn* skjaldar linna
skalk fríðum lof smíða
þing-Baldr Þróttar mildum,
þeims fremstr varð beima.
Kveðk mér hljóðs gnótt hrunda hǫrs at sléttum óði Þundi rennu randhvéls; tekk hefja Rekstefju. Skalk smíða lof fríðum skjaldar linna skýrunn*, mildum Þróttar þing-Baldr, þeims varð fremstr beima.
I ask silence for myself from the great number of valkyries of linen [WOMEN] for the smooth poem about the Þundr <= Óðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]; I commence Rekstefja (‘Split-refrain’ (?)). I will forge a praise-poem for the handsome tree of the cloud of the snakes of the shield [(lit. ‘cloud-tree of the snakes of the shield’) SWORDS > SHIELD > WARRIOR = Óláfr], for the generous Baldr <god> of the assembly of Þróttr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘assembly-Baldr of Þróttr’) BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr], who was the best of men.
notes
[1, 2] kveðk mér hljóðs gnótt hrunda hǫrs ‘I ask silence for myself from the great number of valkyries of linen [WOMEN]’: The skald’s request for silence is surprisingly directed towards women, who are addressed again at the close of the poem, st. 35/7-8, though a male audience seems to be indicated by st. 24/1, 3. There is no obvious explanation for this.
grammar
Weak verbs: Type 1
| berja ‘fight’ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indicative | Subjunctive | Imp. | ||||
| Present | Past | Present | Past | Pres. | ||
| Active voice | ||||||
| sing. pl. | 1 2 3 1 2 3 | ber berr berr berjum berjið berja | barða barðir barði bǫrðum bǫrðuð bǫrðu | berja berir beri berim berið beri | berða berðir berði berðim berðið berði | ber berjum berið |
| infinitive pres. part. past part. | berja berjandi bar(i)t | |||||
| Middle voice | ||||||
| sing. pl. | 1 2 3 1 2 3 | berjumk bersk bersk berjumk berizk berjask | bǫrðumk barðisk barðisk bǫrðumk bǫðuzk bǫrðusk | berjumk berisk berisk berimk berizk berisk | berðumk berðisk berðisk berðimk berðizk berðisk | bersk berjumk berizk |
| infinitive pres. part. past part. | berjask berjandisk bar(i)zk | |||||
| heyra ‘hear’ | ||||||
| Indicative | Subjunctive | Imp. | ||||
| Present | Past | Present | Past | Pres. | ||
| Active voice | ||||||
| sing. pl. | 1 2 3 1 2 3 | heyri heyrir heyrir heyrum heryið heyra | heyrða heyrðir heyrði heyrðum heyrðuð heyrðu | heyra heyrir heyri heyrim heyrið heyri | heyrða heyrðir heyrði heyrðim heyrðið heyrði | heyr heyrum heyrið |
| infinitive pres. part. past part. | heyra heyrandi heyr(i)t | |||||
| Middle voice | ||||||
| sing. pl. | 1 2 3 1 2 3 | heyrumk heyrisk heyrisk heyrumk heyrizk heyrask | heyrðumk heyrðisk heyrðisk heyrðumk heyrðuzk heyrðusk | heyrumk heyrisk heyrisk heyrimk heyrizk heyrisk | heyrðumk heyrðisk heyrðisk heyrðimk heyrðizk heyrðisk | heyrsk heyrumk heyrizk |
| infinitive pres. part. past part. | heyrask heyrandisk heyrzk | |||||