Þjóðólfr ór Hvini (Þjóð)
9th century; volume 1; ed. Edith Marold;
1. Ynglingatal (Yt) - 37
2. Poem about Haraldr hárfagri (Har) - 5
3. Lausavísur (Lv) - 2
III. 1. Haustlǫng (Haustl) - 20
Þjóðólfr ór Hvini, or inn hvinverski, ‘from Hvinir’ (Þjóð) was a Norwegian skald of the late ninth or early tenth century. As his nickname indicates, he was from Hvinir (Kvinesdal, Vest-Agder). His biography is largely unknown. Skáldatal names him as poet to several rulers and powerful men: Haraldr hárfagri ‘Fair-hair’ and Rǫgnvaldr heiðumhár or heiðumhæri ‘High with Honours’ (SnE 1848-87, III, 253, 261, 273), Hákon jarl Grjótgarðsson (ibid., 256, 265, 280), Þorleifr inn spaki ‘the Wise’ (ibid., 259, 268, 285), Strút-Haraldr jarl (ibid., 259, 284) and an unknown Sveinn jarl (ibid., 268). However, the associations with Hákon, Strút-Haraldr and Þorleifr are uncertain since they may have lived later in the tenth century; see Bugge (1894, 145, 175); Åkerlund (1939, 7). In Hkr, both within the Prologue (ÍF 26, 4) and in HHárf (ÍF 26, 127-8, 139), Þjóðólfr is represented as skald and friend to Haraldr hárfagri and as a dedicated foster-father to Haraldr’s son Guðrøðr ljómi ‘Beam of Light’. It is in this context that he speaks the two lausavísur associated with him (Þjóð Lv 1-2). Þjóðólfr ór Hvini is the composer of the poems Ynglingatal (Þjóð Yt) and Haustlǫng (Þjóð HaustlIII, edited in SkP III). Five stanzas of a poem dedicated to Haraldr hárfagri (Þjóð Har) are also attributed to him. Several stanzas of Haraldskvæði (Þhorn Harkv) are falsely attributed to Þjóðólfr; see Introduction to Harkv. Finally, a fragment (Þjóðólfr FragIII) edited in SkP III is likely to be the work of a different Þjóðólfr, though it is tentatively associated with Þjóð Yt in Skj; see Introduction to Yt.
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Haustlǫng —
Þjóð HaustlIII
Margaret Clunies Ross 2017, ‘ Þjóðólfr ór Hvini, Haustlǫng’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 431. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1438> (accessed 3 July 2022)
stanzas: 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Skj: Þjóðólfr ór Hvini, enn hvinverski: 2. Haustlǫng (AI, 16-20, BI, 14-18)
in texts: LaufE, LaufE, Skm, SnE
SkP info: III, 431 notes:
in SnE
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| 1 |
Hvé skalk gótt at gjǫldum
gunnveggjar brú leggja
…
raddkleif at Þórleifi.
Týframra sék tíva
trygglaust of far þriggja
á hreingǫru hlýri
Hildar fats ok Þjaza. | How can I provide … good ... as recompense for the bridge of the battle-wall [SHIELD-WALL > SHIELD] ... voice-cliff [SHIELD] from Þorleifr. I see the insecure situation of three god-bold deities and Þjazi on the brightly made surface of the clothing of Hildr <valkyrie> [ARMOUR > SHIELD-FACE]. |
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| 2 |
Segjǫndum fló sagna
snótar ulfr at móti
í gemlis ham gǫmlum
glamma ófyrskǫmmu.
Settisk ǫrn, þars æsir
ár-Gefnar mar bôru
— vasa byrgitýr bjarga
bleyði vændr — á seyði. | The wolf of the woman [= Þjazi] flew noisily no short time ago for a meeting with the commanders of the troops [= Æsir] in the old shape of an eagle. The eagle alighted where the Æsir were putting the horse of fruitfulness-Gefn <= Freyja> [= Gefjun <goddess> > OX] in an earth-oven; the god of the refuge of crags [(lit. ‘refuge-god of crags’) CAVE > GIANT = Þjazi] was not to be accused of cowardice. |
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| 3 |
Tormiðlaðr vas tívum
talhreinn meðal beina;
hvat kvað * hapta snytrir
hjalmfaldinn því valda.
Margspakr of nam mæla
môr valkastar bôru
— vasat Hœnis vinr hônum
hollr — af fornum þolli. | The dung-reindeer [OX] was difficult for the gods to pierce between the shanks; the helmet-capped instructor of the divine powers [= Óðinn] said something was causing this. The deeply wise seagull of the wave of the corpse-heap [BLOOD > RAVEN/EAGLE = Þjazi] began to speak from an ancient tree; the friend of Hœnir <god> [= Loki] was not well-disposed to him. |
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| 4 |
Fjallgylðir bað fyllar
fet-Meila sér deila
(hlaut) af helgum skutli
(hrafnásar vin blása).
Ving-Rǫgnir lét vagna
vígfrekr ofan sígask,
þars vélsparir vôru
varnendr goða farnir. | The mountain-wolf [GIANT = Þjazi] bade step-Meili <god> [= Hœnir] share out to him his fill from the holy trencher; the friend of the raven-god [= Óðinn > = Loki] had to blow [the fire]. The killing-greedy swinging Rǫgnir <= Óðinn> of killer whales [GIANT = Þjazi] let himself sink down where the stratagem-sparing defenders of the gods [= Óðinn, Hœnir and Loki] were situated. |
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| 5 |
Fljótt bað foldar dróttinn
Fárbauta mǫg Várar
þekkiligr með þegnum
þrymseilar hval deila.
Enn af breiðu bjóði
bragðvíss at þat lagði
ósvífrandi ása
upp þjórhluti fjóra. | The gracious lord of the earth [= Óðinn] bade the son of Fárbauti <giant> [= Loki] share out quickly the whale of the Vár <goddess> of the bowstring [= Skaði > OX] among the fellows. But the cunning unyielding opponent of the gods [= Þjazi] thereupon snatched four ox-parts up from the broad food-board. |
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| 6 |
Ok slíðrliga síðan
svangr — vas þat fyr lǫngu —
át af eikirótum
okbjǫrn faðir Mǫrnar,
áðr djúphugaðr dræpi
dolg ballastan vallar
hirðitýr meðal herða
herfangs ofan stǫngu. | And the hungry father of Mǫrn <giantess> [= Þjazi] then ate horribly the yoke-bear [OX] from the oak-roots – that was long ago –, before the deep-minded retaining god of plunder [= Loki] could strike the very bold enemy of the earth [GIANT = Þjazi] with a pole from above between the shoulders. |
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| 7 |
Þá varð fastr við fóstra
farmr Sigvinjar arma,
sás ǫll regin eygja,
ǫndurgoðs, í bǫndum.
Loddi rô við ramman
reimuð Jǫtunheima,
en holls vinar Hœnis
hendr við stangar enda. | Then the cargo of the arms [LOVER] of Sigyn <goddess> [= Loki], the one whom all the divine powers eye in bonds, was [stuck] fast to the fosterer of the ski-deity [= Skaði > = Þjazi]. The staff stuck to the mighty haunter of Jǫtunheimar [= Þjazi], and the hands of the loyal friend of Hœnir [= Loki] [stuck] to the end of the pole. |
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| 8 |
Fló með fróðgum tívi
fangsæll of veg langan
sveita nagr, svát slitna
sundr ulfs faðir mundi.
Þá varð Þórs of rúni
— þungr* vas Loptr of sprunginn —
môlunaut*, hvats mátti,
Miðjungs friðar biðja. | The bird of blood [RAVEN/EAGLE = Þjazi] flew happy in its catch over a long distance with the wise god, so that the father of the wolf [= Loki] was about to be torn apart. Then the confidant of Þórr [= Loki] had to beg the speech-companion of Miðjungr <giant> [GIANT = Þjazi] for quarter, as hard as he could; heavy Loptr <= Loki> was shattered. |
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| 9 |
Sér bað sagna hrœri
sorgœran mey fœra,
þás ellilyf ása,
áttrunnr Hymis, kunni.
Brunnakrs of kom bekkjar
Brísings goða dísi
girðiþjófr í garða
grjót-Níðaðar síðan. | The kinsman of Hymir <giant> [GIANT = Þjazi] ordered the leader of the troops [= Loki], pain-crazed, to bring him the girl who knew the old-age medicine of the gods. The girdle-thief of Brísingr [= Loki] afterwards caused the lady of the gods [= Iðunn] to go into the courts of the rock-Níðuðr <legendary tyrant> [GIANT = Þjazi] to the bench of Brunnakr (‘Spring-field’). |
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| 10 |
Urðut bjartra borða
byggvendr at þat hryggvir:
þá vas Ið- með jǫtnum
-unnr nýkomin sunnan.
Gerðusk allar áttir
Ingvi-Freys at þingi
(váru heldr) ok hárar
(hamljót regin) gamlar, | The inhabitants of the bright hillsides [GIANTS] were not sad after that: then Iðunn was among the giants, newly arrived from the south. All the kin of Ingvi-Freyr [GODS] became old and grey at the assembly – the divine powers were quite ugly of form –, |
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| 11 |
unz hrynsævar hræva
hund ǫl-Gefnar fundu
leiðiþír ok læva
lund ǫl-Gefnar bundu.
‘Þú skalt véltr, nema vélum,’
— vreiðr mælir svá — ‘leiðir
munstœrandi mæra
mey aptr, Loki, hapta.’ | until they found the hound of the roaring sea of corpses [BLOOD > WOLF] of the ale-Gefn <= Freyja> [WOMAN = Iðunn > = Loki] and bound the leading slave of ale-Gefn <= Freyja> [WOMAN = Iðunn > = Loki], the tree of deceits [MAN = Loki]. ‘You shall be harshly dealt with, Loki,’ – the angry one speaks thus – ‘unless you bring back by strategems the glorious girl, joy-increaser of the divine powers [= Iðunn].’ |
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| 12 |
Heyrðak svá, þat síðan
sveik apt ása leiku
hugreynandi Hœnis
hauks flugbjalfa aukinn.
Ok lómhugaðr lagði
leikblaðs Reginn fjaðrar
ern at ǫglis barni
arnsúg faðir Mǫrnar. | I have heard thus, that the thought-trier of Hœnir [= Loki], strengthened with a hawk’s flight-skin [WINGS], afterwards recovered the playmate of the gods [= Iðunn] by trickery. And the deceit-minded father of Mǫrn <= Skaði> [= Þjazi], the Reginn <legendary smith> of the play-blade of the feather [WING > GIANT = Þjazi], directed a swift eagle-sucking at the hawk’s child [HAWK = Loki]. |
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| 13 |
Hófu skjótt, en skófu,
skǫpt, ginnregin, brinna
en sunr biðils sviðnar
— sveipr varð í fǫr — Greipar.
Þats of fátt á fjalla
Finns iljabrú minni.
Baugs þák bifum fáða
bifkleif at Þórleifi. | Shafts quickly began to burn, which the mighty powers had shaved, and the son of the wooer of Greip <giantess> [GIANT > = Þjazi] is scorched; there was a swerve in his course. That’s depicted on my footsole-bridge of the Finnr <Saami> of the mountains [GIANT = Hrungnir > SHIELD]. I received the quivering cliff of the shield-boss [SHIELD], decorated with moving stories, from Þorleifr. |
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| 14 |
Eðr of sér, es jǫtna
ótti lét of sóttan
hellis b*ǫr, á hyrjar,
haugs Grjótúna, baugi.
Ók at ísarnleiki
Jarðar sunr, en dunði
— móðr svall Meila blóða —
mána vegr und hônum. | Furthermore one can see on the shield-ring of fire, where the terror of giants [= Þórr] made a visit to the tree of the cave of the mound of Grjótún [= Grjótúnagarðar > GIANT = Hrungnir]. The son of Jǫrð <goddess> [= Þórr] drove to the iron-play [BATTLE], and the path of the moon [SKY/HEAVEN] resounded beneath him; the anger of the brother of Meili [= Þórr] swelled. |
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| 15 |
Knôttu ǫll, en Ullar,
endilôg, fyr mági
grund vas grápi hrundin,
ginnunga vé brinna,
þás hofregin hafrar
hógreiðar framm drógu
— seðr gekk Svǫlnis ekkja
sundr — at Hrungnis fundi. | All sanctuaries of hawks, low from end to end [SKIES/HEAVENS] were burning, and the ground was battered with hail in front of the kinsman of Ullr <god> [= Þórr], when the goats drew forward the temple-deity of the comfortable chariot [= Þórr] to a meeting with Hrungnir; the widow of Svǫlnir <= Óðinn> [= Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)] split asunder at once. |
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| 16 |
Þyrmðit Baldrs of barmi
(berg) solgnum þar dolgi
(hristusk bjǫrg ok brustu)
— brann upphiminn — manna.
Mjǫk frák móti hrøkkva
myrkbeins Haka reinar,
þás vígligan, vagna
vátt, sinn bana þátti. | The brother of Baldr [= Þórr] did not spare there the greedy enemy of men [GIANT = Hrungnir]; rocks were shaken and crags burst apart; the heaven above burnt. I have heard that the knower of killer whales of the dark bone of the land of Haki <sea-king> [SEA > ROCK > GIANTS > GIANT = Hrungnir] moved very violently in opposition, when he recognised his warlike slayer. |
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| 17 |
Brátt fló bjarga gæti
— bǫnd ollu því — randa
ímunfǫlr und iljar
íss; vildu svá dísir.
Varðat hǫggs frá hǫrðum
hraundrengr þaðan lengi
trjónu trolls of rúna
tíðr fjǫllama at bíða. | The battle-pale ice of shield-rims [SHIELD] flew swiftly beneath the footsoles of the guardian of the rocks [GIANT = Hrungnir]; the gods caused that; the dísir <minor female deities> wanted [it] so. The rock-gentleman [GIANT = Hrungnir] was not desirous of waiting long after that for a much-battering blow from the hard friend of the troll of the muzzle [= Mjǫllnir > = Þórr]. |
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| 18 |
Fjǫrspillir lét falla
fjalfrs ólágra gjalfra
bǫlverðungar Belja
bolm á randar holmi.
Þar hné grundar gilja
gramr fyr skǫrpum hamri,
en berg-Dana bagði
brjótr við jǫrmunþrjóti. | The life-destroyer of the evil-causing troop of Beli <giant> [GIANTS > = Þórr] made the bear of the hiding-place of not low roaring waters [CAVE > GIANT = Hrungnir] fall on the island of the shield-rim [SHIELD]. There the ruler of the land of ravines [MOUNTAINS > GIANT = Hrungnir] sank down on account of the tough hammer, and the breaker of rock-Danes [GIANTS > = Þórr] caused injury to the mighty obstinate one. |
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| 19 |
Ok harðbrotin herju
heimþingaðar Vingnis
hvein í hjarna mœni
hein at Grundar sveini,
þar svát eðr í Óðins
ólaus burar hausi
stála vikr of stokkin*
stóð Eindriða blóði, | And the hard-broken whetstone of the home-visitor of the female follower of Vingnir <giant> [GIANTESS > GIANT = Hrungnir] flew whining towards the boy of Grund <= Jǫrð> [= Þórr] into the roof-ridge of his brain [SKULL], so that the pumice of steel weapons [WHETSTONE], still stuck in the skull of the son of Óðinn [= Þórr], stood there, spattered with the blood of Eindriði <= Þórr>, |
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| 20 |
áðr ór hneigihliðum
hárs ǫl-Gefjun sára
reiði-Týs it rauða
ryðs hœlibǫl gœli.
Gǫrla lítk á Geitis
garði þær of farðir.
Baugs þák bifum fáða
bifkleif at Þórleifi. | until the ale-Gefjun <goddess> [WOMAN = Gróa] could enchant the red boasting destruction of rust [WHETSTONE] from the inclined slopes of the hair [HEAD] of the bearing-Týr <god> of wounds [= Þórr]. I see clearly these happenings [depicted] on the fence of Geitir <sea-king> [SHIELD]. I received the quivering cliff of the shield-boss [SHIELD], decorated with moving stories, from Þorleifr. |
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