[4] níða ‘deride’: In the present context and juxtaposed to brag ‘praise poem’ (l. 2), this verb most likely refers to poetic verbal derision (see, e.g., Þjsk JarlI). The sense of this helmingr seems to be that, although Markús feels the urge to belittle his prattling opponent, he refrains from doing so because poetry, according to him, ought to be used for praise and not for punishment (see also the discussion in SnE 1998, I, 217).
References
- Bibliography
- SnE 1998 = Snorri Sturluson. 1998. Edda: Skáldskaparmál. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2 vols. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
- Internal references
- Kate Heslop 2012, ‘ Þorleifr jarlsskáld Rauðfeldarson, Jarlsníð’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 372. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1448> (accessed 20 April 2024)