Lausavísur §

Blóðøxar ‘[Eiríkr] Blóðøx (‘Blood-axe’)’

blóðøx (noun f.; °·øxar/exar/axar, acc. ·øxi/exi/ǫx): blood-axe

[1, 3] ins hvassa Blóðøxar ‘of the keen [Eiríkr] Blóðøx (“Blood-axe”)’: King Eiríkr Haraldsson: see Introduction. The origin of Eiríkr’s nickname, first attested in this stanza, is unclear: it might refer affirmatively to his victories or hostilely to his alleged fratricidal tendencies (Andersen 1977, 92-3). A play upon the nickname evidently determines the choice of adj. hvassa ‘keen’, which however has natural (m.) gender, agreeing with implicit Eiríks, rather than grammatical (f.) gender, agreeing with -øxar ‘axe’ (Hkr 1893-1901, IV; ÍF 26). Kock argues for agreement with the sword-kenning fetilstinga (NN §2215), which would also be possible, as, grammatically, would agreement with -þings ‘assembly’.

ek ‘’

ek (pron.; °mín, dat. mér, acc. mik): I, me

trú ‘’

2. trúa (verb): to believe (in)

má ‘’

mega (verb): may, might

téa ‘are’

tjá (verb): to put in order, prepare

[1] téa beiða ‘are asking’: The verb téa/tjá ‘show’ seems to have become conflated with another verb tœja/týja ‘help’ (cf. Fritzner: tjá, týja, tœja; LP: téa, tjá, týja, tœja) and in skaldic usage could function as a mere auxiliary. It was evidently unfamiliar enough to cause confusion in transmission.

beiða ‘asking for’

beiða (verb; °-dd-): ask, request

[1] téa beiða ‘are asking’: The verb téa/tjá ‘show’ seems to have become conflated with another verb tœja/týja ‘help’ (cf. Fritzner: tjá, týja, tœja; LP: téa, tjá, týja, tœja) and in skaldic usage could function as a mere auxiliary. It was evidently unfamiliar enough to cause confusion in transmission.

bryn ‘a mail-shirt’

1. brynja (noun f.; °-u (dat. brynnoni Gibb 38⁹); -ur): mailcoat < brynþing (noun n.): byrnie-assembly

[2] brynþings fetilstinga ‘a mail-shirt-assembly [BATTLE] with the sword-belt-stabber [SWORD]’: The line as a whole was imitated in various ways by subsequent skalds (see, e.g., ÞjóðA Lv 3/2^II and Note). The cpd fetilstinga is highly problematic in the context of the line. (a) In this edn, following Hkr 1991, fetilstinga is taken as dat. or instr. case, meaning ‘with the sword’. This solution involves positing a weak declension stingi ‘stabber, dagger’ alongside strong stingr, as also in Lv 14/1 (see Note). (b) The cpd fetilstinga had been attached to brynþings by previous eds, to form a single kenning for ‘battle’ (‘assembly of the mail-shirt of the sword-belt stabber(s)’), but to do so results in redundancy, since either ‘mail-shirt’ or ‘sword-belt stabber’ (= ‘sword’) on its own is a sufficient determinant (Eggert Ó. Brím 1895, 27, cf. ÍF 26; ÍF 29). (c) Konráð Gíslason (1892, xxvi), followed by Finnur Jónsson (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), emended brynþings to brakþings ‘tumult-assembly [BATTLE]’. (d) Kock (NN §253) retained the ms. readings but interpreted bryn- as a deverbative from bruna ‘to rush ahead’. 

þings ‘assembly’

gen.

þing (noun n.; °-s; -): meeting, assembly < brynþing (noun n.): byrnie-assembly

[2] brynþings fetilstinga ‘a mail-shirt-assembly [BATTLE] with the sword-belt-stabber [SWORD]’: The line as a whole was imitated in various ways by subsequent skalds (see, e.g., ÞjóðA Lv 3/2^II and Note). The cpd fetilstinga is highly problematic in the context of the line. (a) In this edn, following Hkr 1991, fetilstinga is taken as dat. or instr. case, meaning ‘with the sword’. This solution involves positing a weak declension stingi ‘stabber, dagger’ alongside strong stingr, as also in Lv 14/1 (see Note). (b) The cpd fetilstinga had been attached to brynþings by previous eds, to form a single kenning for ‘battle’ (‘assembly of the mail-shirt of the sword-belt stabber(s)’), but to do so results in redundancy, since either ‘mail-shirt’ or ‘sword-belt stabber’ (= ‘sword’) on its own is a sufficient determinant (Eggert Ó. Brím 1895, 27, cf. ÍF 26; ÍF 29). (c) Konráð Gíslason (1892, xxvi), followed by Finnur Jónsson (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), emended brynþings to brakþings ‘tumult-assembly [BATTLE]’. (d) Kock (NN §253) retained the ms. readings but interpreted bryn- as a deverbative from bruna ‘to rush ahead’. 

fetils ‘’

fetill (noun m.; °dat. fatli/fetli; fetlar): strap, sword-belt < fetilsstingr (noun m.)

fetil ‘with the sword-belt’

fetill (noun m.; °dat. fatli/fetli; fetlar): strap, sword-belt < fetilstingr (noun m.): sword-belt stabbers

[2] brynþings fetilstinga ‘a mail-shirt-assembly [BATTLE] with the sword-belt-stabber [SWORD]’: The line as a whole was imitated in various ways by subsequent skalds (see, e.g., ÞjóðA Lv 3/2^II and Note). The cpd fetilstinga is highly problematic in the context of the line. (a) In this edn, following Hkr 1991, fetilstinga is taken as dat. or instr. case, meaning ‘with the sword’. This solution involves positing a weak declension stingi ‘stabber, dagger’ alongside strong stingr, as also in Lv 14/1 (see Note). (b) The cpd fetilstinga had been attached to brynþings by previous eds, to form a single kenning for ‘battle’ (‘assembly of the mail-shirt of the sword-belt stabber(s)’), but to do so results in redundancy, since either ‘mail-shirt’ or ‘sword-belt stabber’ (= ‘sword’) on its own is a sufficient determinant (Eggert Ó. Brím 1895, 27, cf. ÍF 26; ÍF 29). (c) Konráð Gíslason (1892, xxvi), followed by Finnur Jónsson (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), emended brynþings to brakþings ‘tumult-assembly [BATTLE]’. (d) Kock (NN §253) retained the ms. readings but interpreted bryn- as a deverbative from bruna ‘to rush ahead’. 

stinga ‘stabber’

dat.

stingi (noun m.; °-a): °smerte (i siden el. for brystet), lungesygdom; ? < fetilstingr (noun m.): sword-belt stabbersstingi (noun m.; °-a): °smerte (i siden el. for brystet), lungesygdom; ? < fetilsstingr (noun m.)

[2] brynþings fetilstinga ‘a mail-shirt-assembly [BATTLE] with the sword-belt-stabber [SWORD]’: The line as a whole was imitated in various ways by subsequent skalds (see, e.g., ÞjóðA Lv 3/2^II and Note). The cpd fetilstinga is highly problematic in the context of the line. (a) In this edn, following Hkr 1991, fetilstinga is taken as dat. or instr. case, meaning ‘with the sword’. This solution involves positing a weak declension stingi ‘stabber, dagger’ alongside strong stingr, as also in Lv 14/1 (see Note). (b) The cpd fetilstinga had been attached to brynþings by previous eds, to form a single kenning for ‘battle’ (‘assembly of the mail-shirt of the sword-belt stabber(s)’), but to do so results in redundancy, since either ‘mail-shirt’ or ‘sword-belt stabber’ (= ‘sword’) on its own is a sufficient determinant (Eggert Ó. Brím 1895, 27, cf. ÍF 26; ÍF 29). (c) Konráð Gíslason (1892, xxvi), followed by Finnur Jónsson (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), emended brynþings to brakþings ‘tumult-assembly [BATTLE]’. (d) Kock (NN §253) retained the ms. readings but interpreted bryn- as a deverbative from bruna ‘to rush ahead’. 

oss ‘for us’

vér (pron.; °gen. vár, dat./acc. oss): we, us, our

gera ‘’

1. gera (verb): do, make

gerask ‘are becoming’

1. gera (verb): do, make

hneppt ‘scant’

hneppr (adj.; °compar. -ri, superl. -str): [scant]

hin ‘’

2. inn (art.): the

ins ‘of the’

2. inn (art.): the

[1, 3] ins hvassa Blóðøxar ‘of the keen [Eiríkr] Blóðøx (“Blood-axe”)’: King Eiríkr Haraldsson: see Introduction. The origin of Eiríkr’s nickname, first attested in this stanza, is unclear: it might refer affirmatively to his victories or hostilely to his alleged fratricidal tendencies (Andersen 1977, 92-3). A play upon the nickname evidently determines the choice of adj. hvassa ‘keen’, which however has natural (m.) gender, agreeing with implicit Eiríks, rather than grammatical (f.) gender, agreeing with -øxar ‘axe’ (Hkr 1893-1901, IV; ÍF 26). Kock argues for agreement with the sword-kenning fetilstinga (NN §2215), which would also be possible, as, grammatically, would agreement with -þings ‘assembly’.

hvǫssu ‘’

hvass (adj.; °-an; -ari, -astr): keen, sharp

hvassa ‘keen’

hvass (adj.; °-an; -ari, -astr): keen, sharp

[1, 3] ins hvassa Blóðøxar ‘of the keen [Eiríkr] Blóðøx (“Blood-axe”)’: King Eiríkr Haraldsson: see Introduction. The origin of Eiríkr’s nickname, first attested in this stanza, is unclear: it might refer affirmatively to his victories or hostilely to his alleged fratricidal tendencies (Andersen 1977, 92-3). A play upon the nickname evidently determines the choice of adj. hvassa ‘keen’, which however has natural (m.) gender, agreeing with implicit Eiríks, rather than grammatical (f.) gender, agreeing with -øxar ‘axe’ (Hkr 1893-1901, IV; ÍF 26). Kock argues for agreement with the sword-kenning fetilstinga (NN §2215), which would also be possible, as, grammatically, would agreement with -þings ‘assembly’.

hefnendr ‘The avengers’

hefnandi (noun m.; °-a): [avengers]

se(tu) ‘’

setu ‘of peace’

seta (noun f.; °-u; -ur): [peace]

[4] setuefni ‘the chances of peace’: The cpd is not included in LP, but occurs in prose with the sense ‘peace, stability, possibility of being in peace’, always, as here, in negative contexts (see Fritzner: setuefni). This ironically understated warning of imminent conflict is similar to the remark ascribed to Eyvindr in the preceding prose (see Note to [All]).

efni ‘the chances’

efni (noun n.; °-s; -): material

[4] setuefni ‘the chances of peace’: The cpd is not included in LP, but occurs in prose with the sense ‘peace, stability, possibility of being in peace’, always, as here, in negative contexts (see Fritzner: setuefni). This ironically understated warning of imminent conflict is similar to the remark ascribed to Eyvindr in the preceding prose (see Note to [All]).

Heldr ‘rather’

heldr (adv.): rather

[5, 7, 8] es heldr vant segja dróttni hersǫgu ‘it is rather difficult to tell a lord a tale of war’: Hkr has earlier (ÍF 26, 176-7) mentioned Hákon’s stern reprimands to his coastguards for false alarms about the movements of the Gunnhildarsynir (Eiríkssynir).

es ‘It is’

2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am

[5, 7, 8] es heldr vant segja dróttni hersǫgu ‘it is rather difficult to tell a lord a tale of war’: Hkr has earlier (ÍF 26, 176-7) mentioned Hákon’s stern reprimands to his coastguards for false alarms about the movements of the Gunnhildarsynir (Eiríkssynir).

vant ‘difficult’

vandr (adj.): difficult

[5, 7, 8] es heldr vant segja dróttni hersǫgu ‘it is rather difficult to tell a lord a tale of war’: Hkr has earlier (ÍF 26, 176-7) mentioned Hákon’s stern reprimands to his coastguards for false alarms about the movements of the Gunnhildarsynir (Eiríkssynir).

en ‘but’

2. en (conj.): but, and

vildum ‘’

vilja (verb): want, intend

vilda ‘I’

vilja (verb): want, intend

vissa ‘’

1. vita (verb): know

k ‘wished for’

ek (pron.; °mín, dat. mér, acc. mik): I, me

veg ‘honour’

2. vegr (noun m.; °-s/-ar, dat. -): honour

þinn ‘your’

þinn (pron.; °f. þín, n. þitt): your

konungr ‘king’

konungr (noun m.; °dat. -i, -s; -ar): king

segja ‘to tell’

segja (verb): say, tell

[5, 7, 8] es heldr vant segja dróttni hersǫgu ‘it is rather difficult to tell a lord a tale of war’: Hkr has earlier (ÍF 26, 176-7) mentioned Hákon’s stern reprimands to his coastguards for false alarms about the movements of the Gunnhildarsynir (Eiríkssynir).

fram ‘’

fram (adv.): out, forth, forwards, away

fara ‘’

fara (verb; ferr, fór, fóru, farinn): go, travel

fôum ‘reach’

2. fá (verb; °fǽr; fekk, fengu; fenginn): get, receive

til ‘for’

til (prep.): to

fornra ‘our old’

forn (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): ancient, old

[7] fornra ‘old’: The adj. presumably has the affirmative connotation ‘tried and true’, ‘battle-hardened’ (Hkr 1893-1901, IV; ÍF 26); cf. gamlir geirar ‘old spears’ (Sigv Víkv 14/3, 4).

vápna ‘weapons’

vápn (noun n.; °-s; -): weapon

fljótt ‘quickly’

2. fljótr (adj.): quick

her ‘of war’

herr (noun m.; °-s/-jar, dat. -; -jar, gen. -ja/herra): army, host < hersaga (noun f.): [war-stories]

[5, 7, 8] es heldr vant segja dróttni hersǫgu ‘it is rather difficult to tell a lord a tale of war’: Hkr has earlier (ÍF 26, 176-7) mentioned Hákon’s stern reprimands to his coastguards for false alarms about the movements of the Gunnhildarsynir (Eiríkssynir).

sugu ‘’

sǫgu ‘a tale’

1. saga (noun f.; °*-u; *-ur): story, saga < hersaga (noun f.): [war-stories]

[5, 7, 8] es heldr vant segja dróttni hersǫgu ‘it is rather difficult to tell a lord a tale of war’: Hkr has earlier (ÍF 26, 176-7) mentioned Hákon’s stern reprimands to his coastguards for false alarms about the movements of the Gunnhildarsynir (Eiríkssynir).

dróttni ‘lord’

dróttinn (noun m.; °dróttins, dat. dróttni (drottini [$1049$]); dróttnar): lord, master

[5, 7, 8] es heldr vant segja dróttni hersǫgu ‘it is rather difficult to tell a lord a tale of war’: Hkr has earlier (ÍF 26, 176-7) mentioned Hákon’s stern reprimands to his coastguards for false alarms about the movements of the Gunnhildarsynir (Eiríkssynir).