Bersi Skáld-Torfuson (Bersi)
11th century; volume 1; ed. Diana Whaley;
1. Flokkr about Óláfr helgi (Ólfl) - 3
2. Lausavísa (Lv) - 1
Bersi Skáld-Torfuson (or simply Torfuson; Bersi) is named from his mother, an otherwise unknown female skald Torfa, from Miðfjörður, Húnavatnsþing, northern Iceland. He is introduced as skáld gótt ‘a fine poet’ in Grettis saga (ÍF 7, 42); his birth would be placed c. 985-90 (LH I, 564). Bersi travelled abroad with Grettir Ásmundarson, gained the favour of Sveinn jarl Hákonarson (ÍF 7, 86) and seemingly fought with Sveinn at the battle of Nesjar (1016; see ‘Ruler biographies’ in Introduction to this volume for rulers and battles of the period). He is listed in Skáldatal (SnE 1848-87, III, 257, 258, 281, 282) as a skald to Sveinn and to Knútr inn ríki (Cnut the Great), but no court poetry for them by him survives (though see Bersi Ólfl 2). Some time after Nesjar he was taken captive by Óláfr Haraldsson, composed his flokkr (below) and found favour with the king. He is then named in the excerpts (articuli) from Styrmir Kárason’s Lífssaga among Óláfr’s Icelandic hirðmenn ‘retainers’ (see his Lv below). He went on a pilgrimage to Rome with Sigvatr Þórðarson (Sigv) and, learning of the king’s death (1030) as he left Rome, returned to S. Peter’s church in extreme anguish, died and was buried there (ÓH 1941, II, 830, in an interpolation).
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Flokkr about Óláfr helgi —
Bersi ÓlflI
Diana Whaley 2012, ‘(Introduction to) Bersi Skáld-Torfuson, Flokkr about Óláfr helgi’ 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. 790.
stanzas: 1
2
3
Skj: Bersi Skáldtorfuson: 1. En flok om kong Olaf, o. 1020 (AI, 275-6, BI, 255)
SkP info: I, 792 |
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| 2 — Bersi Ólfl 2I
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Cite as: Diana Whaley (ed.) 2012, ‘Bersi Skáld-Torfuson, Flokkr about Óláfr helgi 2’ 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. 792. Sveins raunir hefk sénar,
snart rekninga bjartar
þars svaltungur sungu,
— saman fórum vér — stórar.
Elgs munk eigi fylgja
út riðboða síðan
hæsts at hverjum kosti
hranna dýrra manni. | Hefk sénar stórar raunir Sveins, þars {bjartar svaltungur rekninga} sungu snart; vér fórum saman. Munk eigi síðan fylgja út dýrra manni, {riðboða {hæsts elgs hranna}}, at hverjum kosti. I have seen the great trials of Sveinn, where {bright, cool tongues of swords} [SWORD BLADES] sang keenly; we advanced together. I will not afterwards follow on expeditions a more excellent man, {a riding offerer {of the tallest elk of the waves}} [SHIP > SEAFARER], in any case.
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texts: ‹Flat 460›,
‹ÓH 52 (50)›,
‹ÓHHkr 47 (II 47)›,
‹Hkr 248 (II 47)› editions: Skj Bersi Skáldtorfuson: 1. En flok om kong Olaf 2 (AI, 276; BI, 255); Skald I, 131, NN §§685, 686, 2008F; Hkr 1893-1901, II, 74, IV, 123-4, ÍF 27, 66, Hkr 1991, I, 295 (ÓHHkr ch. 50); Fms 4, 102, Fms 12, 80, ÓH 1941, I, 95-6 (ch. 40), Flat 1860-8, II, 45.
sources
AM 36 folx (Kx) |
253r, 15 - 253r, 22 |
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Holm perg 2 4° (Holm2) |
13r, 8 - 13r, 10 |
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UppsUB R 686x (R686x) |
26r, 7 - 26r, 11 |
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AM 37 folx (J1x) |
159v, 18 - 159v, 21 |
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AM 38 folx (J2x) |
135v, 26 - 136r, 2 |
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Thott 972 folx (972x) |
88va, 13 - 88va, 20 |
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AM 325 VI 4° (325VI) |
11rb, 26 - 11rb, 29 |
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AM 75 a fol (75a) |
1vb, 2 - 1vb, 7 |
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AM 321 4°x (321x) |
54, 24 - 54, 26 |
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AM 68 fol (68) |
12r, 17 - 12r, 17 |
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AM 61 fol (61) |
84vb, 33 - 84vb, 36 |
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Holm perg 4 4° (Holm4) |
5ra, 18 - 5ra, 21 |
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AM 325 V 4° (325V) |
16va, 22 - 16va, 27 |
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AM 325 VII 4° (325VII) |
5r, 37 - 5r, 39 |
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Holm perg 1 fol (Bb) |
135va, 3 - 135va, 3 |
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GKS 1005 fol (Flat) |
83vb, 20 - 83vb, 23 |
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GKS 1008 fol (Tóm) |
102v, 9 - 102v, 9 [1-2, 6-8] |
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