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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Lausavísur from Magnúss saga berfœtts — Anon (Mberf)II

Anonymous Lausavísur

Kari Ellen Gade 2009, ‘ Anonymous, Lausavísur from Magnúss saga berfœtts’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 828-35. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=3090> (accessed 20 April 2024)

 

1.
Ungr kom Hôkon hingat;
hanns beztr alinn manna
frægðarmildr á foldu;
fór með Steigar-Þóri.
Syni Óláfs bauð síðan
sjalfr um Nóreg halfan
mildr, en Magnús vildi
málsnjallr hafa allan.
 
‘Young Hákon came here; he, generous with glory, is born the best of men on earth; he came with Steigar-Þórir. Then the generous one himself gave Óláfr’s son [= Magnús] power over half of Norway, but eloquent Magnús wished to have it all.’
2.
Breðr í Bjarkey miðri
ból, þats ek veit gólast;
téra þarft af Þóri
— þýtr vandar bǫl — standa.
Jóan mun eigi frýja
elds né ráns, es kveldar;
svíðr bjartr logi breiðan
bý; leggr reyk til skýja.
 
‘The farm, which I find the best, burns in the middle of Bjarkøy; nothing good will be gained from Þórir; the destruction of the stick [FIRE] roars. Jón will not have to complain about a lack of fire or plunder when evening comes; the bright flame scorches the broad farmstead; smoke swirls toward the clouds.’
3.
Spurði Ullstrengr orði,
— at renndusk skip hvatla —
— sverð bitu snarpra fyrða
slætt — hvé Þórir mætti.
Lundr kvazk heill at hǫndum
hjǫrs — frôgum þat gǫrva —
— gerðisk glamm á borði
grjóts — en hrumr at fótum.
 
‘Ullstrengr (‘Wool-band’) asked how Þórir was faring; the ships closed quickly; the swords of keen warriors bit bluntly. The tree of the sword [WARRIOR = Þórir] said he was hale of hand but halt of foot; we [I] heard that clearly; there was a crash of rocks against the planking.’
4.
Allengi dvelr Ingi
ofanreið inn þjóbreiði.
 
‘The broad-arsed Ingi delays his descent overly long.’
5.
Spurði gramr, hvat gerði
Giffarðr, þars lið barðisk;
vér ruðum vôpn í dreyra;
vasat hann kominn þannig.
Framreiðar vas fnauði
fulltrauðr á jó rauðum;
villat * flokk várn fylla;
falsk riddari inn valski.
 
‘The lord asked what Giffarðr was doing where the troop fought; we reddened weapons in blood; he had not come there. The coward was extremely reluctant to advance on his chestnut steed; he does not wish to complete our company; the Norman knight was hiding.’
6.
Vegg blæss veðr of tyggja;
viðr þolir nauð í lauðri;
læ tekr klungrs at knýja
keip en gelr í reipum.
Mjór* skelfr — Magnús stýrir —
— móð skerr eik at flóði —
(beit verða sæ slíta)
sjautøgr vǫndr (und rǫndu).
 
‘The storm-wind fills the sail above the sovereign; the timber suffers distress in the foam; the destroyer of bramble [WIND] begins to beat against the rowlock and roars in the ropes. The slender seventy-measure mast trembles; Magnús steers; the weary oak-ship cleaves the water; boats must lacerate the sea beneath the shields.’
7.
Eggjendr baðat ugga
óhlífinn gramr lífi,
hvégis lét inn ljóti
landgarðr fyrir barði.
Satt vas, at allvaldr átti
ógnsnart borit hjarta;
súð varð í gný grœðis
geyst farsælu treystask.
 
‘The unsparing lord did not tell the warriors to fear for their life, no matter how the hideous land-enclosure [SEA] howled before the bow. It was true that the mighty ruler was born with a battle-keen heart; the swift-moving ship had to trust its luck in the din of the sea.’
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