[7-8] of eignaðr Gauti ‘dedicated to Gautr [Óðinn]’: Ms. eignað is not a known form so it is necessary to emend, and eignaðr (m. nom. sg.) ‘dedicated, assigned’ agrees with herr m. ‘army’. The present phrase is equivalent to the more common gefa/senda Óðni ‘to give/send to Óðinn’, a common skaldic expression for death in battle (see Note to Þjsk Hák 1/5, 8). The idea that those slain in battle belong to Óðinn is traditional (Grí 8-10; SnE 2005, 21; Hkr, ÍF 26, 22). It is striking here, in the work of a skald grounded in Christian tradition, but it fits with the (presumably inaccurate) presentation of the Scots as heathen in l. 5.
References
- Bibliography
- ÍF 26-8 = Heimskringla. Ed. Bjarni Aðalbjarnarson. 1941-51.
- SnE 2005 = Snorri Sturluson. 2005. Edda: Prologue and Gylfaginning. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2nd edn. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
- Internal references
- (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Heimskringla’ 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, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=4> (accessed 24 April 2024)
- Not published: do not cite ()
- Kate Heslop (ed.) 2012, ‘Þorleifr jarlsskáld Rauðfeldarson, Poem about Hákon 1’ 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. 369.