[8] margspakr ‘very wise’: Ms. ‘margspaín’, read as margspáinn (Gullberg 1875), would mean ‘much-prophesying’, qualifying mildingr ‘prince’, i.e. Óláfr. However, since prophecy was regarded with suspicion by most Christian writers, this seems unlikely, as does (with slight emendation) margspám vargi ‘to the very foresightful wolf’ (Sveinbjörn Egilsson 1832, 10, 20). The better solution therefore seems emendation to margspakr ‘very wise’ (so Skj B; Skald). The reading ‘spaín’ could have been influenced by the (also corrupt) ‘graín’.
References
- Bibliography
- Skj B = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1912-15b. Den norsk-islandske skjaldedigtning. B: Rettet tekst. 2 vols. Copenhagen: Villadsen & Christensen. Rpt. 1973. Copenhagen: Rosenkilde & Bagger.
- Skald = Kock, Ernst Albin, ed. 1946-50. Den norsk-isländska skaldediktningen. 2 vols. Lund: Gleerup.
- Gullberg, H., ed. 1875. Óláfs drápa Tryggvasonar: fragment ur “Bergsboken”. Lund: Berling.
- Sveinbjörn Egilsson, ed. 1832. Skóla-hátíd í minníngu Fædíngar-dags vors allranádugasta Konúngs Fridriks Sjøtta: Ólafs drápa Tryggvasonar er Hallfredr orti Vandrædaskáld. Videyjarklaustri: Á kostnad Bessastada Skóla.