Lausavísur — Árm LvII
Ármóðr
Judith Jesch 2009, ‘ Ármóðr, Lausavísur’ 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. 620-3. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1098> (accessed 29 March 2024)
Eigi metr inn ítri
allvaldr gjafar skaldi
Yggs við aðra seggi
élstœrir mér fœra.
Snjallr bar glæst með gulli
grundar vǫrðr at mundum
buðlungr nýztr it bezta
blóðkerti Ármóði.
‘The illustrious mighty ruler, the enlarger of the storm of Yggr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘storm-enlarger of Yggr’) BATTLE > WARRIOR] does not charge other men with bringing gifts to me, the poet. The keen guardian of the land [RULER = Rǫgnvaldr], the most useful prince, brought the best blood-candle [SPEAR], made bright with gold, to Ármóðr’s hands.’
Hrǫnns fyr Humru mynni
háleit, þars vér beitum;
sveigir lauk, en lægjask
lǫnd fyr Veslu sǫndum.
Eigi drífr í augu
alda lauðri faldin
— drengr ríðr þurr af þingi —
þeim, es nú sitr heima.
‘The swell is lofty before Humber’s mouth, where we are tacking; the mast sways, and lands become lower off Vesla’s sands. The wave, capped with foam, is not driving into the eyes of the one who is sitting at home now; the fellow rides dry from the assembly.’
Ek mun Ermingerði,
nema ǫnnur skǫp verði,
— margr elr sorg of svinna —
síðan aldri finna.
Værak sæll, ef ek svæfa
— sýn væri þat gæfa —
— brúðr hefr allfagrt enni —
eina nótt hjá henni.
‘I shall never again meet Ermingerðr, unless another fate comes about; many a man nurtures grief for the wise lady. I would be blessed if I could sleep one night beside her; that would be obvious luck; the lady has a very attractive forehead.’
Eigum vér, þars vági
verpr inn of þrǫm stinnan,
— þann hǫfum vér at vinna —
varðhald á skæ barða,
meðan í nótt hjá nýtri
námdúks hǫrundmjúkri
lókr sefr lind inn veiki;
lítk of ǫxl til Krítar.
‘We keep watch on the steed of the prow [SHIP], where the billow is thrown in over the sturdy gunwale—we have that to do—, while the feeble weakling sleeps tonight beside the excellent, soft-skinned lime-tree of the kerchief [WOMAN]; I look over my shoulder towards Crete.’
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