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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Lausavísa —
Bersi LvI
Diana Whaley 2012, ‘ Bersi Skáld-Torfuson, Lausavísa’ 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. 795. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1117> (accessed 20 May 2022)
stanzas: 1
Skj: Bersi Skáldtorfuson: 2. Lausavísa, o. 1025 (AI, 277, BI, 256); stanzas (if different): [v]
SkP info: I, 796 |
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Cite as: Diana Whaley (ed.) 2012, ‘Bersi Skáld-Torfuson, Lausavísa 1’ 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. 796. Sverð standa þar — sunda
sárs leyfum vér árar —
— herstillis verðr hylli
hollust — búin golli.
Við tœka ek, — víka,
vask endr með þér, sendir
elds — ef eitthvert vildir,
allvaldr, gefa skaldi. | Sverð standa þar búin golli; vér leyfum {árar {sunda sárs}}; hylli {herstillis} verðr hollust. Ek tœka við, ef vildir, allvaldr, gefa skaldi eitthvert; vask endr með þér, {sendir {elds víka}}. Swords stand there decorated with gold; we [I] praise {the oars {of the bays of the wound}} [BLOOD > SWORDS]; the favour {of the army-commander} [RULER] becomes most gracious. I would accept, if you wished, mighty ruler, to give the skald [Bersi] something; I was with you formerly, {distributor {of the fire of inlets}} [GOLD > GENEROUS MAN].
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texts: ‹Flat 553›,
‹Flat 966›,
‹ÓH 116 (112)›,
‹ÓHHkr 109 (II 109)›,
‹ÓHLeg 22›,
‹ÓHÆ 7›,
‹Hkr 310 (II 109)› editions: Skj Bersi Skáldtorfuson: 2. Lausavísa (AI, 277; BI, 256); Skald I, 132, NN §3070; Hkr 1893-1901, II, 383-4, IV, 150, ÍF 27, 296-7, Hkr 1991, II, 469 (ÓHHkr ch. 162); Fms 4, 378, Fms 12, 92, ÓH 1941, I, 459 (ch. 154), Flat 1860-8, II, 291; Fms 5, 233-4, Fms 12, 114, Flat 1860-8, III, 244, ÓH 1941, II, 690; ÓHLeg 1922, 57, ÓHLeg 1982, 132-3; ÓHÆ 1893, 7.
sources
AM 36 folx (Kx) |
420v, 1 - 420v, 8 |
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AM 38 folx (J2x) |
202v, 20 - 202v, 27 |
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Holm perg 2 4° (Holm2) |
54v, 39 - 55r, 1 |
(ÓH) |
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Thott 972 folx (972x) |
403va, 5 - 403va, 12 |
(ÓH) |
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AM 321 4°x (321x) |
193, 14 - 193, 16 |
(ÓH) |
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AM 73 a folx (73ax) |
166v - 166v |
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AM 68 fol (68) |
52r, 31 - 52r, 33 |
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Holm perg 4 4° (Holm4) |
49rb, 20 - 49rb, 24 |
(ÓH) |
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AM 61 fol (61) |
114ra, 29 - 114ra, 32 |
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AM 75 c fol (75c) |
35v, 14 - 35v, 16 |
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AM 325 V 4° (325V) |
62rb, 11 - 62rb, 16 |
(ÓH) |
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GKS 1005 fol (Flat*) |
116va, 55 - 116va, 57 |
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GKS 1008 fol (Tóm) |
142r, 19 - 142r, 21 |
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GKS 1005 fol (Flat*) |
187rb, 60 - 187rb, 62 |
(Flat) |
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DG 8 (DG8) |
91r, 24 - 91r, 26 |
(ÓHLeg) |
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NRA 52 (NRA52) |
3r, 10 - 3r, 12 |
(ÓHÆ) |
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AM 761 b 4°x (761bx) |
308v, 15 - 308v, 22 |
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