Lausavísur §
Edited by Russell Poole
bamir ‘’
Closeenn ‘still further’
2. enn (adv.): still, yet, again
[1] enn norðar ‘still further north’: Most mss have en or enn; adverbial enn ‘still’ is assumed here, and this is a possible interpretation of the reading en in some mss. Thus the skald’s words could voice criticism of Hákon for retreating (or contemplating retreat) in the face of the threat from Haraldr. Editors have suggested that enn carries little emphasis here and have cautioned against this reading (ÍF 26, and ÍF 29 implicitly), but the possibility of such criticism cannot be excluded. Alternatively, the situation implied in the stanza, read independently of the prose, might be that at the time that the threat announced itself Hákon had been intending to continue his itinerary of seasonal feasts (veizlur) in a northerly direction.
Closenorðar ‘north’
[1] enn norðar ‘still further north’: Most mss have en or enn; adverbial enn ‘still’ is assumed here, and this is a possible interpretation of the reading en in some mss. Thus the skald’s words could voice criticism of Hákon for retreating (or contemplating retreat) in the face of the threat from Haraldr. Editors have suggested that enn carries little emphasis here and have cautioned against this reading (ÍF 26, and ÍF 29 implicitly), but the possibility of such criticism cannot be excluded. Alternatively, the situation implied in the stanza, read independently of the prose, might be that at the time that the threat announced itself Hákon had been intending to continue his itinerary of seasonal feasts (veizlur) in a northerly direction.
Closenað ‘’
Closerengs ‘’
Closegetum ‘’
2. geta (verb): to beget, give birth to, mention, speak of; to think well of, like, love
[3] getum at bǫlva ‘curse’: Geta ‘to get, be able’ is probably a pleonastic auxiliary here.
Closebils ‘’
Closeborð ‘of the gunwale’
[4] borðmœrar ‘of the gunwale-land [SEA]’: Borð ‘gunwale, strake, plank’ may be used here, as frequently, pars pro toto for ‘ship’ (cf. ÍF 26). The reading blámœrar ‘of the blue land [sea]’ in some Fsk mss represents an adj. plus noun construction that has some parallels (Meissner 3; cf. Note to Gsind Hákdr 1/2). It is poorly supported in the paradosis, but it is just conceivable that it is the original reading and that the majority reading has arisen by anticipation from gunnborð ‘battle-board [SHIELD]’ in l. 8.
Closeborð ‘of the gunwale’
[4] borðmœrar ‘of the gunwale-land [SEA]’: Borð ‘gunwale, strake, plank’ may be used here, as frequently, pars pro toto for ‘ship’ (cf. ÍF 26). The reading blámœrar ‘of the blue land [sea]’ in some Fsk mss represents an adj. plus noun construction that has some parallels (Meissner 3; cf. Note to Gsind Hákdr 1/2). It is poorly supported in the paradosis, but it is just conceivable that it is the original reading and that the majority reading has arisen by anticipation from gunnborð ‘battle-board [SHIELD]’ in l. 8.
Closemeyjar ‘’
Closemœra ‘’
Closemœrar ‘land’
gen.
2. mœrr (noun f.): marsh < borðmœrr (noun f.)2. mœrr (noun f.): marsh < blámœrr (noun f.)
[4] borðmœrar ‘of the gunwale-land [SEA]’: Borð ‘gunwale, strake, plank’ may be used here, as frequently, pars pro toto for ‘ship’ (cf. ÍF 26). The reading blámœrar ‘of the blue land [sea]’ in some Fsk mss represents an adj. plus noun construction that has some parallels (Meissner 3; cf. Note to Gsind Hákdr 1/2). It is poorly supported in the paradosis, but it is just conceivable that it is the original reading and that the majority reading has arisen by anticipation from gunnborð ‘battle-board [SHIELD]’ in l. 8.
Closemœrar ‘land’
gen.
2. mœrr (noun f.): marsh < borðmœrr (noun f.)2. mœrr (noun f.): marsh < blámœrr (noun f.)
[4] borðmœrar ‘of the gunwale-land [SEA]’: Borð ‘gunwale, strake, plank’ may be used here, as frequently, pars pro toto for ‘ship’ (cf. ÍF 26). The reading blámœrar ‘of the blue land [sea]’ in some Fsk mss represents an adj. plus noun construction that has some parallels (Meissner 3; cf. Note to Gsind Hákdr 1/2). It is poorly supported in the paradosis, but it is just conceivable that it is the original reading and that the majority reading has arisen by anticipation from gunnborð ‘battle-board [SHIELD]’ in l. 8.
Closekæ ‘’
Closesko᷎r ‘’
Closerykr ‘’
Closeraukr ‘’
Closerø̨tt ‘’
Closerekr ‘drives’
[5-6, 8] Haraldr rekr breiðan flota sunnan á rymleið Rakna ‘Haraldr drives his broad fleet from the south on the roaring path of Rakni <sea-king> [SEA]’: The Ldn text deviates considerably here, and can be construed in context as follows (ÍF 1): Haraldr konungr rekr rástóð sunnan at slóðar Rakna ‘King Haraldr drives his yard-arm-stud [FLEET] from the south towards the tracks of Rakni [SEA]’. Konráð Gíslason (1892, 68-9) sees this as a case of re-working of the text, with rástóð ‘yard-arm-stud [FLEET]’, which fits well with the verb reka ‘drive’, representing a refinement upon Eyvindr’s original during subsequent transmission. But the possibility cannot be excluded that Ldn here represents a sound early tradition.
Closeá ‘on’
[5-6, 8] Haraldr rekr breiðan flota sunnan á rymleið Rakna ‘Haraldr drives his broad fleet from the south on the roaring path of Rakni <sea-king> [SEA]’: The Ldn text deviates considerably here, and can be construed in context as follows (ÍF 1): Haraldr konungr rekr rástóð sunnan at slóðar Rakna ‘King Haraldr drives his yard-arm-stud [FLEET] from the south towards the tracks of Rakni [SEA]’. Konráð Gíslason (1892, 68-9) sees this as a case of re-working of the text, with rástóð ‘yard-arm-stud [FLEET]’, which fits well with the verb reka ‘drive’, representing a refinement upon Eyvindr’s original during subsequent transmission. But the possibility cannot be excluded that Ldn here represents a sound early tradition.
CloseRakna ‘of Rakni’
[5-6, 8] Haraldr rekr breiðan flota sunnan á rymleið Rakna ‘Haraldr drives his broad fleet from the south on the roaring path of Rakni <sea-king> [SEA]’: The Ldn text deviates considerably here, and can be construed in context as follows (ÍF 1): Haraldr konungr rekr rástóð sunnan at slóðar Rakna ‘King Haraldr drives his yard-arm-stud [FLEET] from the south towards the tracks of Rakni [SEA]’. Konráð Gíslason (1892, 68-9) sees this as a case of re-working of the text, with rástóð ‘yard-arm-stud [FLEET]’, which fits well with the verb reka ‘drive’, representing a refinement upon Eyvindr’s original during subsequent transmission. But the possibility cannot be excluded that Ldn here represents a sound early tradition.
Closerúm ‘’
Closerym ‘the roaring’
rymja (verb) < rymleið (noun f.)rymja (verb)
[5-6, 8] Haraldr rekr breiðan flota sunnan á rymleið Rakna ‘Haraldr drives his broad fleet from the south on the roaring path of Rakni <sea-king> [SEA]’: The Ldn text deviates considerably here, and can be construed in context as follows (ÍF 1): Haraldr konungr rekr rástóð sunnan at slóðar Rakna ‘King Haraldr drives his yard-arm-stud [FLEET] from the south towards the tracks of Rakni [SEA]’. Konráð Gíslason (1892, 68-9) sees this as a case of re-working of the text, with rástóð ‘yard-arm-stud [FLEET]’, which fits well with the verb reka ‘drive’, representing a refinement upon Eyvindr’s original during subsequent transmission. But the possibility cannot be excluded that Ldn here represents a sound early tradition.
Closeleið ‘path’
acc.
leið (noun f.; °-ar, dat. -u/-; -ir/-ar): path, way < rymleið (noun f.)
[5-6, 8] Haraldr rekr breiðan flota sunnan á rymleið Rakna ‘Haraldr drives his broad fleet from the south on the roaring path of Rakni <sea-king> [SEA]’: The Ldn text deviates considerably here, and can be construed in context as follows (ÍF 1): Haraldr konungr rekr rástóð sunnan at slóðar Rakna ‘King Haraldr drives his yard-arm-stud [FLEET] from the south towards the tracks of Rakni [SEA]’. Konráð Gíslason (1892, 68-9) sees this as a case of re-working of the text, with rástóð ‘yard-arm-stud [FLEET]’, which fits well with the verb reka ‘drive’, representing a refinement upon Eyvindr’s original during subsequent transmission. But the possibility cannot be excluded that Ldn here represents a sound early tradition.
Closeflota ‘fleet’
[5-6, 8] Haraldr rekr breiðan flota sunnan á rymleið Rakna ‘Haraldr drives his broad fleet from the south on the roaring path of Rakni <sea-king> [SEA]’: The Ldn text deviates considerably here, and can be construed in context as follows (ÍF 1): Haraldr konungr rekr rástóð sunnan at slóðar Rakna ‘King Haraldr drives his yard-arm-stud [FLEET] from the south towards the tracks of Rakni [SEA]’. Konráð Gíslason (1892, 68-9) sees this as a case of re-working of the text, with rástóð ‘yard-arm-stud [FLEET]’, which fits well with the verb reka ‘drive’, representing a refinement upon Eyvindr’s original during subsequent transmission. But the possibility cannot be excluded that Ldn here represents a sound early tradition.
Closebreiðan ‘his broad’
breiðr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): broad, wide
[5-6, 8] Haraldr rekr breiðan flota sunnan á rymleið Rakna ‘Haraldr drives his broad fleet from the south on the roaring path of Rakni <sea-king> [SEA]’: The Ldn text deviates considerably here, and can be construed in context as follows (ÍF 1): Haraldr konungr rekr rástóð sunnan at slóðar Rakna ‘King Haraldr drives his yard-arm-stud [FLEET] from the south towards the tracks of Rakni [SEA]’. Konráð Gíslason (1892, 68-9) sees this as a case of re-working of the text, with rástóð ‘yard-arm-stud [FLEET]’, which fits well with the verb reka ‘drive’, representing a refinement upon Eyvindr’s original during subsequent transmission. But the possibility cannot be excluded that Ldn here represents a sound early tradition. — [6] breiðan ‘broad’: Haraldr’s fleet, with its superior numbers, is seen as presenting a broad front to its opponent (cf. Hkr 1893-1901, IV).
Closebreiðan ‘his broad’
breiðr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): broad, wide
[5-6, 8] Haraldr rekr breiðan flota sunnan á rymleið Rakna ‘Haraldr drives his broad fleet from the south on the roaring path of Rakni <sea-king> [SEA]’: The Ldn text deviates considerably here, and can be construed in context as follows (ÍF 1): Haraldr konungr rekr rástóð sunnan at slóðar Rakna ‘King Haraldr drives his yard-arm-stud [FLEET] from the south towards the tracks of Rakni [SEA]’. Konráð Gíslason (1892, 68-9) sees this as a case of re-working of the text, with rástóð ‘yard-arm-stud [FLEET]’, which fits well with the verb reka ‘drive’, representing a refinement upon Eyvindr’s original during subsequent transmission. But the possibility cannot be excluded that Ldn here represents a sound early tradition. — [6] breiðan ‘broad’: Haraldr’s fleet, with its superior numbers, is seen as presenting a broad front to its opponent (cf. Hkr 1893-1901, IV).
Closeí ‘in’
[7] í greipar ‘in our hands’: Shields of the standard circular wooden type had a central rounded boss of iron to protect the left hand, which grasped a bar on the back (Graham-Campbell and Batey 1998, 35-6).
Closegreipar ‘our hands’
greip (noun f.; °; -r, -ar): hand, talon
[7] í greipar ‘in our hands’: Shields of the standard circular wooden type had a central rounded boss of iron to protect the left hand, which grasped a bar on the back (Graham-Campbell and Batey 1998, 35-6).
Closegunn ‘the battle’
Closebræðr ‘’
Closebráðr ‘’
bráðr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): quick(ly) < gunnbráðr (adj.): [battle-hasty]
Closeborð ‘board’
acc.
borð (noun n.; °-s; -): side, plank, board; table < gunnborð (noun n.): battle-board
CloseHaraldr ‘Haraldr’
[5-6, 8] Haraldr rekr breiðan flota sunnan á rymleið Rakna ‘Haraldr drives his broad fleet from the south on the roaring path of Rakni <sea-king> [SEA]’: The Ldn text deviates considerably here, and can be construed in context as follows (ÍF 1): Haraldr konungr rekr rástóð sunnan at slóðar Rakna ‘King Haraldr drives his yard-arm-stud [FLEET] from the south towards the tracks of Rakni [SEA]’. Konráð Gíslason (1892, 68-9) sees this as a case of re-working of the text, with rástóð ‘yard-arm-stud [FLEET]’, which fits well with the verb reka ‘drive’, representing a refinement upon Eyvindr’s original during subsequent transmission. But the possibility cannot be excluded that Ldn here represents a sound early tradition.
Closesunnan ‘from the south’
sunnan (adv.): (from the) south
[5-6, 8] Haraldr rekr breiðan flota sunnan á rymleið Rakna ‘Haraldr drives his broad fleet from the south on the roaring path of Rakni <sea-king> [SEA]’: The Ldn text deviates considerably here, and can be construed in context as follows (ÍF 1): Haraldr konungr rekr rástóð sunnan at slóðar Rakna ‘King Haraldr drives his yard-arm-stud [FLEET] from the south towards the tracks of Rakni [SEA]’. Konráð Gíslason (1892, 68-9) sees this as a case of re-working of the text, with rástóð ‘yard-arm-stud [FLEET]’, which fits well with the verb reka ‘drive’, representing a refinement upon Eyvindr’s original during subsequent transmission. But the possibility cannot be excluded that Ldn here represents a sound early tradition.
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