Óttarr svarti (Ótt)
11th century; volume 1; ed. Matthew Townend;
1. Hǫfuðlausn (Hfl) - 20
2. Knútsdrápa (Knútdr) - 11
3. Lausavísur (Lv) - 3
III. Óláfsdrápa sœnska (Óldr) - 6
The Icelandic poet Óttarr svarti ‘the Black’ (Ótt) was remembered in the twelfth century (ESk Geisl 12) as one of the hǫfuðskǫld ‘chief skalds’ of the late Viking Age. His nickname would seem to locate him within the tradition of poets being ‘dark’ in either appearance or temperament (see Clunies Ross 1978b; Finlay 2000). According to Styrmir Kárason (ÓH 1941, II, 688), the poet Sigvatr Þórðarson (Sigv) was a mikill vinr ‘great friend’ of Óttarr, and indeed Óttarr’s Hǫfuðlausn (Ótt Hfl) is greatly indebted to Sigvatr’s Víkingarvísur (Sigv Víkv, see Introduction to Hfl). Snorri Sturluson (ÍF 27, 144; ÓH 1941, I, 203) further describes Óttarr as Sigvatr’s maternal nephew, and if this is correct he would have been the grandson of Þórðr Sigvaldaskáld ‘Poet of Sigvaldi’ (see Biography of Sigvatr Þórðarson). Óttarr features in the various sagas of Óláfr Haraldsson, but the only major anecdote about him is the story surrounding his Hfl (see Introduction).
Skáldatal, in one or both of its recensions (SnE 1848-87, III, 252, 253, 258, 260, 261, 267, 269), lists Óttarr as having composed for six patrons: the Danes Sveinn tjúguskegg ‘Fork-beard’ Haraldsson and his son Knútr inn ríki Sveinsson (Cnut the Great); Óláfr sœnski ‘the Swede’ Eiríksson and his son Ǫnundr Óláfsson; and the Norwegian King Óláfr inn helgi Haraldsson (S. Óláfr), and the Norwegian magnate Dala-Guðbrandr (‘Guðbrandr of the Dales’, on whom, see ÍF 27, 183-90; ÓH 1941, I, 271-82). For Sveinn and Dala-Guðbrandr, Óttarr is the only poet listed in Skáldatal. Panegyric poetry by Óttarr is certainly extant for three of these patrons: Óláfsdrápa (ÓldrIII) for Óláfr Eiríksson (preserved only in SnE and therefore edited in SkP III), Hfl for Óláfr Haraldsson, and Knútsdrápa (Knútdr) and Lv 2 for Knútr. It has, moreover, been suggested that one stanza in Knútdr may have been misplaced from an earlier poem for Sveinn (see Note to st. 9 [All]). No poetry survives for Ǫnundr or Dala-Guðbrandr. From all the evidence, it is likely that Óttarr visited, and composed, for, his patrons in this order: Sveinn until his death in 1014; Óláfr Eiríksson until his death c. 1021 (though ÓHLeg 1982, 130-1, has Óttarr, a young man fresh from Iceland, approaching him as his first patron), then his son Ǫnundr; Óláfr Haraldsson in the early 1020s, and Dala-Guðbrandr in the same period; Knútr by c. 1027 for an unknown period (Knútr died in 1035). For previous discussions of Óttarr’s career, see SnE 1848-87, III, 326-33, LH I, 574-7 and Poole (1993b).
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Knútsdrápa (‘Drápa about Knútr’)
—
Ótt KnútdrI
Matthew Townend 2012, ‘(Introduction to) Óttarr svarti, Knútsdrápa’ 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. 767.
stanzas: 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa, 1026 (AI, 296-8, BI, 272-5); stanzas (if different): 8 |
10
in texts: Flat, Fsk, Hkr, Knýtl, LaufE, ÓH, ÓHHkr, ÓHLeg, Skm, SnE
SkP info: I, 767
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| 1 |
Vol. 1. 38. Óttarr svarti, 2. Knútsdrápa, 1 [Vol. 1, 769] — Ótt Knútdr 1I |
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The following text is from a superseded edition and is not the work of the editor(s) named on this page. It is included for reference only. Do not refer to this site when using this text but rather consult the original edition (Skj where relevant).
Hratt lítt gamall, lýtir
lǫgreiðar, framm skeiðum;
fórat fylkir œri
folksveimuðr þér heiman;
hilmir bjótt ok hættir
harðbrynjuð skip kynjum;
reiðr hafðir þú rauðar
randir Knútr fyr landi. |
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa 1 (AI, 296; BI, 272-3); dróttkvætt; ed. MT; group: A2; mss: 20dx, 41x, 873x, JÓ; texts: Knýtl 2 |
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| 2 |
Vol. 1. 38. Óttarr svarti, 2. Knútsdrápa, 2 [Vol. 1, 770] — Ótt Knútdr 2I |
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The following text is from a superseded edition and is not the work of the editor(s) named on this page. It is included for reference only. Do not refer to this site when using this text but rather consult the original edition (Skj where relevant).
Út fylgðu þér Jótar,
auðmildr, flugar trauðir,
skauthreina bjótt skreytir
Skônunga lið Vánar;
vôð blés of þér vísi,
vestr settir þú flesta
(kunt gerðir þú þannig
þitt nafn) í haf stafna. |
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa 2 (AI, 296; BI, 273); dróttkvætt; ed. MT; group: A2; mss: 20dx, 41x, 873x, JÓ; texts: Knýtl 3 |
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| 3 |
Vol. 1. 38. Óttarr svarti, 2. Knútsdrápa, 3 [Vol. 1, 771] — Ótt Knútdr 3I |
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The following text is from a superseded edition and is not the work of the editor(s) named on this page. It is included for reference only. Do not refer to this site when using this text but rather consult the original edition (Skj where relevant).
Herskjǫld bart ok helduð
hilmir ríkr af slíku;
hykkat þengill þekðusk
þik kyrrsetu mikla;
ætt drapt, Jóta dróttinn,
Játgeirs í fǫr þeiri;
þveit rakt (þrár est heitinn)
þeim stillis konr illan. |
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa 3 (AI, 297; BI, 273); dróttkvætt; ed. MT; group: A2; mss: 20dx, 41x, 873x, JÓ; texts: Knýtl 5 |
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| 4 |
Vol. 1. 38. Óttarr svarti, 2. Knútsdrápa, 4 [Vol. 1, 772] — Ótt Knútdr 4I |
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The following text is from a superseded edition and is not the work of the editor(s) named on this page. It is included for reference only. Do not refer to this site when using this text but rather consult the original edition (Skj where relevant).
Brunnu byggðir manna
buðlungr fyr þér ungum,
opt lézt, hús ok, heiptar
herkall búendr gerva. |
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa 4 (AI, 297; BI, 273); dróttkvætt; ed. MT; group: A2; mss: 20dx, 41x, 873x, JÓ; texts: Knýtl 6 |
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| 5 |
Vol. 1. 38. Óttarr svarti, 2. Knútsdrápa, 5 [Vol. 1, 772] — Ótt Knútdr 5I |
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The following text is from a superseded edition and is not the work of the editor(s) named on this page. It is included for reference only. Do not refer to this site when using this text but rather consult the original edition (Skj where relevant).
Gunni lézt í grœnni
gramr Lindisey framða,
beldu viðr þeir's vildu
víkingar því ríki;
bíða lézt í breiðri
borg Helminga sorgir
œstr fyr Úsu vestan
engst folk, Svía þrengvir. |
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa 5 (AI, 297; BI, 273); dróttkvætt; ed. MT; group: A2; mss: 20dx, 41x, 873x, JÓ; texts: Knýtl 8 |
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| 6 |
Vol. 1. 38. Óttarr svarti, 2. Knútsdrápa, 6 [Vol. 1, 774] — Ótt Knútdr 6I |
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The following text is from a superseded edition and is not the work of the editor(s) named on this page. It is included for reference only. Do not refer to this site when using this text but rather consult the original edition (Skj where relevant).
Ungr fylkir lézt Engla
allnær Tesu falla,
flóði djúpt of, dauða,
dík Norðimbra líkum;
svefn brauzt svǫrtum hrafni
sunnarr, hvǫtuðr Gunnar,
ollir sókn enn snjalli
Sveins mǫgr at Skorsteini. |
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa 6 (AI, 297; BI, 273-274); dróttkvætt; ed. MT; group: A2; mss: 20dx, 41x, 873x, JÓ; texts: Knýtl 9 |
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| 7 |
Vol. 1. 38. Óttarr svarti, 2. Knútsdrápa, 7 [Vol. 1, 775] — Ótt Knútdr 7I |
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The following text is from a superseded edition and is not the work of the editor(s) named on this page. It is included for reference only. Do not refer to this site when using this text but rather consult the original edition (Skj where relevant).
Fjǫrlausa hykk Frísi
friðskerðir þar gerðu,
brauzt með byggðu setri
Brandfurðu, þik randa;
Játmundar hlaut undir
ættniðr gǫfugr hættar,
danskr herr skaut þá dǫrrum
drótt, en þú rakt flótta. |
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa 7 (AI, 297; BI, 274); dróttkvætt; ed. MT; group: A2; mss: 20dx, 41x, 873x, JÓ; texts: Knýtl 10 |
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| 8 |
Vol. 1. 38. Óttarr svarti, 2. Knútsdrápa, 8 [Vol. 1, 777] — Ótt Knútdr 8I |
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The following text is from a superseded edition and is not the work of the editor(s) named on this page. It is included for reference only. Do not refer to this site when using this text but rather consult the original edition (Skj where relevant).
Framm gekt enn þars unnuð
(almr gall hátt) við malma,
[knôttut] slæ [þars sóttuð]
sverð [kastala verja];
unnuð eigi minni
(ulfs gómr veit þat) rómu,
hnekkir hleypiblakka
hlunns, á Tempsar grunni. |
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa 10 (AI, 298; BI, 274-5); dróttkvætt; ed. MT; group: A2; mss: 20dx, 41x, 873x, JÓ; texts: Knýtl 11 |
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| 9 |
Vol. 1. 38. Óttarr svarti, 2. Knútsdrápa, 9 [Vol. 1, 778] — Ótt Knútdr 9I |
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The following text is from a superseded edition and is not the work of the editor(s) named on this page. It is included for reference only. Do not refer to this site when using this text but rather consult the original edition (Skj where relevant).
Bjóðr, vant brynjur rauðar,
blíðr stórgjafa, síðan
(lætr ǫnd áðr þrek þrjóti
þinn) fyr Norðvík innan. |
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa 9 (AI, 298; BI, 274); dróttkvætt; ed. MT; group: A2; mss: 20dx, 41x, 873x, JÓ; texts: Knýtl 12 |
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| 10 |
Vol. 1. 38. Óttarr svarti, 2. Knútsdrápa, 10 [Vol. 1, 779] — Ótt Knútdr 10I |
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The following text is from a superseded edition and is not the work of the editor(s) named on this page. It is included for reference only. Do not refer to this site when using this text but rather consult the original edition (Skj where relevant).
Skjǫldungr, vant und skildi
skœru verk, enn sterki,
(fekk blóðtrani bráðir
brúnar) Assatúnum;
vátt, en valfall þótti
verðung, jǫfurr sverði
nær fyr norðan stóru
nafn gnógt Danaskóga. |
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa 8 (AI, 297-8; BI, 274); dróttkvætt; ed. MT; group: A2; mss: 20dx, 41x, 873x, JÓ; texts: Knýtl 15 |
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| 11 |
Vol. 1. 38. Óttarr svarti, 2. Knútsdrápa, 11 [Vol. 1, 781] — Ótt Knútdr 11I |
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The following text is from a superseded edition and is not the work of the editor(s) named on this page. It is included for reference only. Do not refer to this site when using this text but rather consult the original edition (Skj where relevant).
Svíum hnekðir þú, sóknar
siklingr ǫrr, en mikla
ylgr, þars ô en helga,
ulfs beitu fekk, heitir;
helt, þars hrafn né svaltat,
(hvatráðr est þú) láði,
ógnar stafr, fyr jǫfrum,
ýgr, tveimr (við kyn beima). |
Skj: Óttarr svarti: 3. Knútsdrápa 11 (AI, 298; BI, 275); dróttkvætt; ed. MT; group: A2; mss: 301x, 321x, 325IX 2, 325V, 325VII, 325XI 1, 61, 68, 73ax, 75c, 761bx, 972x, A, Bb, C, DG8, Flat, FskAx, Holm2, Holm4, J2x, K, Kx, R, Tx, Tóm, U, W; texts: Flat 544, Fsk 146, LaufE 113(374), ÓH 106(103), ÓHHkr 100, ÓHLeg 37, Skm 219, Skm 317 |
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