Úlfr Uggason (ÚlfrU)
10th century; volume 3; ed. Edith Marold;
Húsdrápa (Húsdr) - 12
V. Lausavísa (Lv) - 1
Skj info: Ulfr Uggason, Islandsk digter, o. 1000. (AI, 136-9, BI, 128-30). Skj poems:
1. Húsdrápa
2. Lausavísa The skald Úlfr Uggason (ÚlfrU) lived around the year 1000 in Western Iceland. Little is known about his life. According to Ldn (S 76, H 64, ÍF 1, 111) he was married to Járngerðr, the daughter of Þórarinn Grímkelsson. Njáls saga (ch. 60, ÍF 12, 152) mentions his losing a lawsuit against Ásgrímr Elliða-Grímsson. The episode told in Njáls saga (ch. 102, ÍF 12, 261-4) about Úlfr refusing a request by Þorvaldr veili ‘the Miserable’ to use force against the missionary Þangbrandr, portrays him as a cautious man. That request and Úlfr’s dismissal of it are recounted there in two lausavísur (Þveil LvV, ÚlfrU LvV; see also Kristni saga ch. 9, ÍF 15, 2, 20-1). According to Laxdœla saga (ch. 29, ÍF 5, 79-80), he must have been on good terms with Óláfr pái ‘Peacock’ and his family, for whom he composed Húsdrápa ‘House-drápa’ (c. 980), a poem celebrating the myths depicted in images within their hall at Hjarðarholt.
notes
my abbr
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Húsdrápa —
ÚlfrU HúsdrIII
Edith Marold with the assistance of Vivian Busch, Jana Krüger, Ann-Dörte Kyas and Katharina Seidel, translated from German by John Foulks 2017, ‘ Úlfr Uggason, Húsdrápa’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 402. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1492> (accessed 28 June 2022)
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Skj: Ulfr Uggason: 1. Húsdrápa, 983 (AI, 136-8, BI, 128-30); stanzas (if different): 3 |
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in texts: LaufE, LaufE, Skm, SnE, SnEW
SkP info: III, 402
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| 1 |
Hjaldrgegnis telk Hildar
hugreifum Ôleifi
(hann vilk at gjǫf Grímnis)
geðfjarðar lô (kveðja). | I recite the water of the mind-fjord [BREAST] of the promoter of the noise of Hildr <valkyrie> [(lit. ‘noise-promoter of Hildr’) BATTLE > = Óðinn > POEM] for the glad-hearted Óláfr; I want to summon him to the gift of Grímnir <= Óðinn> [POEM]. |
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| 2 |
Ráðgegninn bregðr ragna
rein at Singasteini
frægr við firna slœgjan
Fárbauta mǫg vári.
Móðǫflugr ræðr mœðra
mǫgr hafnýra fǫgru
(kyndik áðr) ok einnar
átta (mærðar þôttum). | The counsel-wise, renowned defender of the gods [= Heimdallr] takes away land from the amazingly cunning son of Fárbauti <giant> [= Loki] at Singasteinn. The courage-strong son of eight mothers and one [= Heimdallr] rules the beautiful sea-kidney [STONE]; I revealed [that] earlier in the strands of the praise-poem. |
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| 3 |
Innmáni skein ennis
ǫndótts vinar banda;
ôss skaut œgigeislum
orðsæll á men storðar. | The interior-moon of the forehead [EYE] of the hostile friend of the gods [= Þórr] shone; the praise-blessed god shot terror-beams at the necklace of the earth [= Miðgarðsormr]. |
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| 4 |
En stirðþinull starði
storðar leggs fyr borði
fróns á folka reyni
fránleitr ok blés eitri. | And the flashing-eyed stiff cord of the earth [= Miðgarðsormr] stared at the tester of the peoples of the bone of the earth [ROCK > GIANTS > = Þórr] below the ship’s side and blew poison. |
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| 5 |
Þjokkvǫxnum kvað þykkja
þikling firin*mikla
hafra njótr at hǫfgum
hætting megindrætti. | The user of goats [= Þórr] said that it seemed a very great danger to the heavy-set fat one from the weighty powerful pull. |
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| 6 |
Fullǫflugr lét fellir
fjall-Gauts hnefa skjalla
— ramt mein vas þat — reyni
reyrar leggs við eyra.
Víðgymnir laust Vimrar
vaðs af frônum naðri
hlusta grunn við hrǫnnum.
Hlaut innan svá minnum. | The most powerful killer of the mountain-Gautr <man of the Gautar> [GIANT > = Þórr] let his fist slam against the ear of the tester of the bone of the reed [STONE > GIANT]; that was a mighty injury. The Víðgymnir <giant> of the ford of Vimur <river> [= Þórr] struck the ground of the ears [HEAD] off the gleaming serpent near the waves. Thus [the hall] received [decoration] inside with memorable pictures. |
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| 7 |
Ríðr á bǫrg til borgar
bǫðfróðr sonar Óðins
Freyr ok folkum stýrir
fyrst inum golli byrsta. | Battle-skilled Freyr <god> rides first to the funeral pyre of the son of Óðinn <god> [= Baldr] on the boar bristled with gold and leads the troops. |
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| 8 |
Kostigr ríðr at kesti,
kynfróðs þeims goð hlóðu
hrafnfreistaðar, hesti
Heimdallr, at mǫg fallinn. | Splendid Heimdallr rides a horse to the pyre which the gods erected for the fallen son of the kin-wise raven-tester [= Óðinn > = Baldr]. |
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| 9 |
Ríðr at vilgi víðu
víðfrægr, en mér líða,
Hroptatýr, of hvápta
hróðrmôl, sonar báli. | The widely renowned Hroptatýr <= Óðinn> rides to the immensely large pyre of his son, and praise-speeches flow through my mouth. |
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| 10 |
Þar hykk sigrunni svinnum
sylgs valkyrjur fylgja
heilags tafns ok hrafna.
Hlaut innan svá minnum. | There I believe valkyries and ravens follow the wise victory-tree [WARRIOR = Óðinn] to the drink of the holy sacrifice. Thus [the hall] received [decoration] inside with memorable pictures. |
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| 11 |
Fullǫflug lét fjalla
framm haf-Sleipni þramma
Hildr, en Hropts of gildar
hjalmeldum mar felldu. | The exceedingly strong Hildr <valkyrie> of the mountains [GIANTESS] made the sea-Sleipnir <horse> [SHIP] lumber forward, and the companions of Hroptr <= Óðinn> killed the steed with helmet-fires [SWORDS]. |
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| 12 |
Þar kømr ô, en æri
endr bark mærð af hendi,
(ofrak svá) til sævar,
sverðregns (lofi þegna). | There the river comes to the sea, and once more I handed over a praise poem to the messenger of sword-rain [BATTLE > WARRIOR]; thus I raise up the praise of men. |
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