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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Heilagra manna drápa — Anon HeilVII

Anonymous Poems

Kirsten Wolf 2007, ‘ Anonymous, Heilagra manna drápa’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 872-90. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1016> (accessed 29 March 2024)

 

…-
... mildings - f…-
... um - dyrnar - þustu -
... særa.
Rígarð - hiet -
†ran…† …iljálm - annarr-
Reinald -
klerk*a - blóms - og Hugi hinn sterki.-
 
‘… of the king ... rushed through the door ... of wounds. Richard was the name ... another ... [W]illiam Reginald ... of the adornment of clerics and Hugh the strong.
H… fyr höggum þeira
hátt, og síðast skilja mátti,
á hendi fal hann sig helgum anda
hreinn og góðr og drottins móður.
Dæmi þau kvað hinn dýri Tómas
dauða vild og allar nauðir;
svá skýfðu þeir honum af höfði
hallandi sier krúnu alla.
 
‘H... loudly under their blows, and at last it was understood [that] he, pure and good, commended himself to the Holy Spirit and the mother of the Lord [= Mary]. The glorious Thomas declared those models of death and all torments [to be] desirable; so they cut his entire tonsure off his head as he bowed himself.
Hræra niðr í heilasárið
hodda vers með sverða oddum
hræðiliga og hreyttu síðan
hrygð vinnandi um musterið innan,
megandi sjá, hvar mátti laugaz
móðir skær í sonarins blóði;
tíguligr með tvieföldum sigri
Tómas skínn í drottins blóma.
 
‘Horribly [they] twist with swords’ points down into the brain-wound of the man of treasures [TREASURE GUARDIAN] and then threw [the cerebral substance] away, causing grief within the cathedral, being able to see where the bright mother could be bathed in the blood of the son; the magnificent Thomas shines with a two-fold victory in the glory of the Lord.
Tómas, þá er vier týnum heimi,
treysti eg því, sá oss hefir leysta
þínar að fyr þýðar bænir
þiggi oss, er dauðir liggjum.
Dýrri prýðir
 
‘Thomas, when we lose the world [i.e. our lives], I trust in it, that the one who has redeemed us will receive us because of your kind prayers when we lie dead. More glorious adorns ...
Eina skulu vier Einglands krúnu
upp rísandi heiðra og prísa,
Játmund kóng, er unni drottni
einarðliga með lífi hreinu.
Líkama sinn, er lostann rækir,
leggr í sinn meðal kvenna tveggja;
völdug fljóð í vatnið kalda
vendu honum, þegar freistni kendi.
 
‘We shall honour and praise the one rising crown of England, King Edmund, who sincerely loved the Lord with a pure life. He lays his body, which desires the lust of the flesh, between two women at the same time; the powerful women placed him in cold water when he experienced temptation.
Mörg ár þoldi miklar sorgir
meinað líf í slíkum greinum;
hárklæði frá eg huldur væri
holdi næst, en brek eru goldin.
Pelli nam hann og prúðu gulli
að prýða sig fyr augum lýða;
heimi liet á hverjum tíma
hafnað alls í drottins nafni.
 
‘For many years his [self]-tormented life endured great afflictions in such ways; I heard [that] he wore [lit. he was covered with] a hair-shirt closest to his body; but transgressions are paid for. Before the eyes of the people he adorned himself with velvet and beautiful gold; every time he completely rejected the world in the name of the Lord.
Ingvar nefna enskir saungvar
illan kóng, er lögunum spillir;
ræna vildi ríki sínu
ræsi þann og forsið æsir.
Þeingill varð í þessu fanginn
... gramr †að ... b…gir†
þeim fyr skotspón
 
‘English poems mention a wicked king, Ingvarr, who destroys the laws; he wanted to rob that king of his kingdom and moves forward with rage. The king was captured during this ... angry ... as a target for them ...
Heilagt skutu þeir hold -
hild…-
saklaust blóð - var - síðar - miklu
…ði slegið af
Jésús Kristur - lofðung - ljósan
laðar til - sín - úr - þessi pínu;
Játmundi tiez Einglands kindar
elska sönn með guði og mönnum.
 
‘They shot the holy body ... innocent blood was much later ... beaten by ... Jesus Christ invites to him the shining king from this torment; true love of the offspring of England is shown to Edmund with God and men.
Frjóvaz láttu, frumtígn vífa,
fríðust orð til stefjasmíðis,
móðir sæt og miskunn þýðust
mín, ástvinum guðs og þínum.
Skírir menn hjá skapara várum
skína fagrt, er þoldu pínur;
Kristur hefir þá krafti dýstum
kórónað fyr þrautir stórar.
 
‘Highest dignity among women [= Mary], sweet mother and my kindest mercy, let the most beautiful words ripen into the composition of refrains in honour of God’s dear friends and yours. Pure men, who suffered torments, shine beautifully with our Creator; Christ has crowned them with the most glorious power for their great struggles.
Dýrðar læt* eg dásemd verðan
Díonísíum guðs vin prísað;
heilagan gerði hinn hæsti Paulus
hann af einum villumanni.
Clémens páfi guðspjalls geymi
Gallíam bauð að kristna alla;
fekk hann það með frægð og lukku,
að Frakkar sneruz til drottins þakka.
 
‘I praise Dionysius, God’s friend, to be [who is] a marvel of glory; the highest Paul turned him into a holy man from a heretic. Pope Clement asked the guardian of the Gospel [HOLY MAN] to convert all of Gaul to Christianity; with fame and luck he brought it about that the Franks turned to thanks to [lit. of] the Lord.
Dýrðarmann kvað dauða verðan
Dómiciánus kóngr af Róma;
Rustícum fyr Jésú ástir
Elutéríum bauð að kvelja.
Lifnaðar smiðr í loganda ofni
leingi stóð og sakaði eingu;
næri hafði níu tigi ára
náðar valdr, er þrautir háði.
 
‘Domicianus, king of Rome, declared the glorious man deserving of death; he commanded Rusticus [and] Elutherius to be tormented for their love of Jesus. The smith of the [good] life [HOLY MAN = Dionysius] stood for a long time in a burning oven and suffered no harm; the possessor of mercy [HOLY MAN = Dionysius] was almost ninety years old, when he engaged in his struggles.
Sætur guð nam sínum vitraz
sessunaut, er hann flutti messu,
græðari várr og gaf honum síðan
guðs líkama sjálfr hinn ríki.
Párísborgar píndr var stýrir
prestr og djákn við grimleik mestan;
tálguöxum hálsar helgir
höggnir váru af greifans brögnum.
 
‘Sweet God revealed himself to his bench-mate, as he was celebrating mass, and later our mighty Saviour himself gave him the Eucharist [lit. God’s body]. The ruler of Paris [BISHOP = Dionysius] was tormented, the priest and the deacon [were tormented] with the greatest cruelty; their holy necks were cut with adzes by the count’s men.
Dásemd er, það er drottinn lýsir;
Díónísíus tók að rísa
lofaður upp og hielt á höfði
hratt rennandi mílur tvennar.
… hvíla var miskunn
... þar er hann liggja vildi
... †allg†
... drottins hallar.
 
‘Marvellous is that which the Lord shows; the praised Dionysius began to rise up and held his head running fast two miles. … to rest was mercy ... where he wanted to lie ... of the Lord’s hall.
S…
draga oss mest frá guði
hönd dauðans að várri öndu.
Skírir menn hjá skapara várum
skína fagrt, er þoldu pínur;
Kristur hefir þá krafti dýstum
kórónað fyr þrautir stórar.
 
‘S... draw us most from God ... the hand of death to our soul. Pure men, who suffered torments, shine beautifully with our Creator; Christ has crowned them with the most glorious power for their great struggles.
†A… …aust
…mus† píndi beima;
… byskup ljósan
beiða skjótt, að fyr hann leiðiz.
Illir fundu í einum helli;
úti lágu dýr fyr skúta;
brúðar leysti hann bur frá dauða;
bein var honum að kverkameini.
 
‘…tormented the men …; request that the radiant bishop be quickly brought before him. Wicked men found [him] in a cave; animals lay outside the cavern; he released the son of a woman from death; a bone caused him pain in his throat.
Blásíus stóð fyr blektum ræsi;
blótum talar hann snart á móti;
leingi bauð að lemja staungum;
lostigr tók hann písl, og brosti.
Hógligt náðu hold í stagli
Heljarmenn með sárleik kvelja;
burðugt líf um brjóst og herðar
blindir rifu með kambatindum.
 
‘Blaise stood before the deluded ruler; he speaks zealously against sacrifices; [the ruler] ordered him to be beaten with rods for a long time; he accepted the torments willingly, and smiled. The men of Hel <ruler of the underworld> [WICKED MEN] painfully tortured his lithe body on the rack; blind [they] tore the noble body along his chest and shoulders with the prongs of combs.
Myrkrastofu fekk meistari klerka;
minntiz þessa nökkur kvinna;
Blásíum fann með björtu ljósi
brúðr og færði vistir prúðar.
Ýtum bað hann þeim alt gott veita
eining guðs, er minning neina
gerðu honum til gleði og dýrðar;
guð játar það framm að láta.
 
‘The teacher of clerics [BISHOP] was imprisoned; a certain woman remembered him; the woman found Blaise with a bright light and brought fine food. He asked the unity of God [TRINITY] to grant those men, who gave him any commemoration with happiness and glory, everything good; God promises to effect that.
Byskup* eftir bænir feskar
beiðir jarl til dráps að leiða;
höggið náði hann að þiggja
og hæstum sig gaf drottni kæstum.
Jartegnir, sem jafnan birtaz,
andi guðs á váru landi
unnið hefir fyr ástvin þenna
ótal manns til heilsubótar.
 
‘The earl demands that the bishop be led to death after his beautiful prayers; he accepted the blow and gave himself to the highest dearest Lord. God’s spirit has worked miracles, which still are revealed in our country by means of this dear friend for the healing of a countless number of people.
Blásíus, þá er vier bjargarlausir
biðjum þig, en dauðans viðjar
vindaz fast að várri öndu,
veit oss það, sem guð hefir heitið.
Skírir menn hjá skapara várum
skína fagrt, er þoldu pínur;
Kristur hefir þá krafti dýstum
kórónað fyr þrautir stórar.
 
‘Blaise, when helpless we ask you, and the ropes of death twist tightly around our soul, grant us that which God has promised. Pure men, who suffered torments, shine brightly with our Creator; Christ has crowned them with the most glorious power for their great struggles.
Börðuz menn, þar Benedict varði
bróður sinn af drengskap góðum;
Knútr var staddr í musteri mætu
mildr og eigi stríða vildi.
Oframmliga Eyvind bifra
innar giekk að kóngi svinnum;
góðan dag rieð gram bjóða
 
‘Men fought, where Benedikt defended his brother with great manliness; gentle Knútr was situated in the magnificent church and did not want to fight. Eyvind bifra forcefully went inside to the wise king; he bade the king a good day...
Kóngrinn rieð með sætleik syngja,
svikarinn ..... …
síðan ... lagði hann sjóla prúðum
sverði í brjóst … herðar.
Knútur má nú kristni veita
kallaz hann … Danmörk …
… og hjálpin feska;.....
herrans dýrð mun aldri þverra.
 
‘The king sang sweetly, the traitor … later he he thrust the sword through the chest of the magnificent king … shoulders. Knútr can now grant Christianity … he is called Denmark … and good help; the glory of the Lord will never end.
Hallvarð píndu ýtar illir
austr í Vík á litlu flaustri;
fljóði vildi forða dauða
frægðarmaðr, er vándir rægðu.
Lýðir ofan af landi síðan
ljótir þegar af boganum skjóta;
þilju brá hann við þeiri pílu;
þegninn flýgur örin í gegnum.
 
‘Wicked men tormented Hallvarðr east in Viken on a little ship; the famous man wanted to save a woman, whom evil people maligned, from death. Then wicked people immediately shoot with a bow down from the land; he held the thwart against that arrow; the arrow flies through the man.
Særðan vildu svíkarar myrða,
sökkva í vatn, og grjótstein nökkurn
remma þessir rekkar grimmir
ríkuliga við háls á líki.
Fullr af miskunn flaut með hellu;
fundinn var hann á djúpu sundi;
háleit dýrð með heiðr og sælu
Hallvarðs skínn um Nóreg allan.
 
‘The traitors wanted to conceal the wounded [man], sink [him] into water, and these cruel men forcefully tie a stone around the neck of the corpse. Full of mercy he floated with the stone slab; he was found on the deep fjord; the sublime glory of Hallvarðr shines with honour and bliss through all Norway.
Guðs einkason, gietinn af móður,
gættu vár, þá er líkams mættir
þverra fast, og þeir eru næri,
er þínar skepnur vilja pína.
Skírir menn hjá skapara várum
skína fagrt, er þoldu pínur;
Kristur hefir þá krafti dýstum
kórónað fyr þrautir stórar.
 
‘God’s only son [= Christ], born of a mother, watch over us, when the strengths of the body strongly fade and those who want to torment your creatures are close by. Pure men, who suffered torments, shine beautifully with our Creator; Christ has crowned them with the most glorious power for their great struggles.
Maurícíus mikilli stýrir
manna fjöld, er Rómam kannar,
sex þúsundir, sætri huxan,
sex hundruð sem fylgja mundi.
Þanninn frá eg, að þrír tigir tvennir,
þeir eru sex, er kallaz meiri,
Sýrlands nú með sætum jarli
sunnan kvámu og drottni unnu.
 
‘Maurice rules over a large crowd of men, who contemplate Rome with sweet thought, six thousand, whom six hundred would accompany. Thus I heard that two sets of thirty, [and] they are six, who are counted in addition, now came from the south with the sweet earl of Syria [= Maurice] and loved the Lord.
Völdugir norðr í Valland hieldu;
vilja þeir með keisarann skilja;
Díocleciánus dauða nýjan
dæmir þeim, er trúna sæma.
Maurícíus og menn hans færa
meingið hjó, sem skipi þeingill.
 
‘The powerful ones headed north into Gaul; they want to part company with the emperor; Diocletian condemns those who honour the faith to a new death. The crowd slew Maurice and his able men, as the ruler commanded.
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