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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Note to Þstf Lv 3II

[3, 4] leiri ara ins gamla ‘the dung of the ancient eagle [BAD POETRY]’: This refers to the amusing myth about Óðinn who, in the shape of an eagle, brought the mead of poetry from the giants back to the gods in Ásgarðr. When he came over that stronghold and was spitting the mead into containers, Suttungr, the giant who pursued him (also in the shape of an eagle), was so close that Óðinn inadvertedly excreted some of the mead from his rear end, and that became the bad poets’ share of the mead (see SnE 1998, I, 3-5). According to Skáldatal (SnE 1848-87, III, 254, 263, 276, 633), Árni composed a praise poem about Sigurðr jórsalafari, and Þórarinn is thus delivering a scathing insult to Árni’s poetic prowess.

References

  1. Bibliography
  2. SnE 1848-87 = Snorri Sturluson. 1848-87. Edda Snorra Sturlusonar: Edda Snorronis Sturlaei. Ed. Jón Sigurðsson et al. 3 vols. Copenhagen: Legatum Arnamagnaeanum. Rpt. Osnabrück: Zeller, 1966.
  3. SnE 1998 = Snorri Sturluson. 1998. Edda: Skáldskaparmál. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2 vols. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
  4. Internal references
  5. Not published: do not cite ()

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