Cite as: Richard L. Harris (ed.) 2017, ‘Hjálmþés saga ok Ǫlvis 31 (Hundingi konungr, Lausavísur 2)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry in fornaldarsögur. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 8. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 523.

Hverr er sá hoski,         er hjálm ok gerð stýrir, sterkr ok stórmannligr         stendr þér á hlið aðra?

Glöggra máttu greina         frá görpum þínum; þá veit ek görr,         hvar gestum skal skipa.

Hverr er sá hoski, er stýrir hjálm ok gerð, stendr sterkr ok stórmannligr á aðra hlið þér? Máttu greina glöggra frá görpum þínum; þá veit ek görr, hvar skal skipa gestum.

Who is that wise one, who possesses helmet and armour, stands strong and magnificent by your side? You must describe your men more clearly; then I will know better where the guests should be seated.

Mss: 109a IIIˣ(273v), papp6ˣ(53v), ÍBR5ˣ(95) (HjǪ)

Readings: [1] sá: sá inn ÍBR5ˣ    [2] hjálm: hjálmi ÍBR5ˣ    [5] greina: so ÍBR5ˣ, greina mér 109a IIIˣ, papp6ˣ    [6] görpum: gestum with first four letters overwritten papp6ˣ

Editions: Skj: Anonyme digte og vers [XIII], E. 16. Vers af Fornaldarsagaer: Af Hjálmþérs saga ok Ǫlvis IV 10: AII, 338, BII, 360, Skald II, 194; HjǪ 1720, 49, FSN 3, 493, FSGJ 4, 218, HjǪ 1970, 40, 96, 156-7.

Context: Hundingi asks Hjálmþér to identify Ǫlvir using the formulaic excuse of determining appropriate seating arrangements.

Notes: [All]: There are considerable similarities between the following four stanzas of HjǪ (31-4) and Hjálmþérsrímur V, 26-30 (Finnur Jónsson 1905-22, II, 37). — [4] á aðra hlið þér ‘by your side’: Lit. ‘on one side of you’, thinking of the two sides of Hjálmþér’s body. — [5] greina ‘describe’: Ms. ÍBR5ˣ omits the mér ‘to me’ in the other mss, which is extrametrical. Skj B also omits mér, although Finnur Jónsson did not use ÍBR5ˣ. — [7]: The line is unmetrical and needs another, final syllable, which could be supplied by emending görr ‘better’ to gerla ‘completely, clearly’ (cf. HjǪ 39/10).