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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Fragments — ESk FragIII

Einarr Skúlason

Kari Ellen Gade 2017, ‘ Einarr Skúlason, Fragments’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 151. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1155> (accessed 19 March 2024)

 

Hvargis Beita borgar
bálgrimmustum skála
hôr of hnossvin órum
heims vafrlogi sveimar.
 
‘Wherever the high flickering flame of the world’s hall [SKY > SUN] hovers above our treasure-friend, most hostile to the fire of Beiti’s <sea-king’s> stronghold [(lit. ‘most fire-hostile of Beiti’s stronghold’) SEA > GOLD > GENEROUS MAN].
Snáks berr fald of frœknu
folkvǫrðr — konungs Hǫrða
frama telr greppr fyr gumnum —
geðsnjallr skarar fjalli.
 
‘The quick-witted guardian of the people [RULER] wears the headdress of the serpent [HELMET] on his heroic mountain of hair [HEAD]; the poet recounts the prowess of the king of the Hǫrðar [NORWEGIAN KING] before men.
Næst sék orm á jastar
ítrserki vel merkðan
(nemi bjóðr, hvé ferk) flœðar
(fjarðbáls, of þat máli).
 
‘Next I see a serpent, well engraved, on the splendid shirt of the yeast’s flood [BEER > DRINKING HORN]; may the donor of fjord-fire [GOLD > GENEROUS MAN] learn how I treat that in speech.
Glymvindi lætr Gǫndlar
— gnestr hjǫrr — taka mestum
Hildar segl, þars hagli,
hraustr þengill, drífr strengjar.
 
‘The brave ruler makes Hildr’s <valkyrie’s> sail [SHIELD] catch the strongest roaring wind of Gǫndul <valkyrie> [BATTLE] where hail of the bow-string [ARROWS] is driven; the sword crashes.
Leyg rýðr ætt á ægi
Óláfs skipa sólar
(ylgr brunar hvatt) ins helga
(hrægjǫrn í spor ǫrnum).
 
‘The kinsman of the holy Óláfr [NORWEGIAN KING] reddens the flame of the ships’ sun [SHIELD > SWORD] at sea; the corpse-eager she-wolf rushes fast in the track of eagles.
Dolgskára kná dýrum
dýrr magnandi stýra
— Hugins fermu bregðr harmi
harmr — bliksólar Garmi.
 
‘The splendid strengthener of the battle-gull [RAVEN/EAGLE > WARRIOR] controls the splendid Garmr <dog> of the gleam-sun [SHIELD > WEAPON]; the grief of Huginn’s <raven’s> food [CORPSES > RAVEN/EAGLE] puts an end to its grief.
En við hjaldr, þars hauldar,
hugþrútit svellr, lúta,
— Muninn drekkr blóð ór benjum
blásvartr — konungs hjarta.
 
‘And the courage-enlarged heart of the king swells at the battle where freeholders sink down; blue-black Muninn <raven> drinks blood from wounds.
Sámleitum rauð sveita
— sleit ǫrn Gera beitu —
— fekksk arnar matr jǫrnum —
Jarnsǫxu grǫn faxa.
 
‘He reddened the whiskers of Jarnsaxa’s <troll-woman’s> swarthy steed [WOLF] with blood; an eagle tore Geri’s <wolf’s> bait [CORPSES]; food of the eagle [CORPSES] was provided by weapons.
Harðr hefr ǫrt frá jǫrðu
élvindr — svana strindar
blakkr lætr í sog søkkva
snægrund — skipi hrundit.
 
‘The strong storm-wind has pushed the ship quickly away from the shore; the steed of the land of swans [SEA > SHIP] makes the snow-ground [= Iceland] sink into the sea.
Margr ríss, en drífr dorgar
dynstrǫnd í svig lǫndum,
(spend verða stǫg stundum)
stirðr keipr (fira greipum).
 
‘Many a firm rowlock lifts, and the roaring beach of the trolling-line [SEA] surges into the bays of the lands; the stays are at times strained in men’s grips.
Gráns (bera gollna spônu)
— gǫfug ferð es sú jǫfri —
skýtr holmfjǫturr Heita
hrafni (snekkju stafnar).
 
‘The island-fetter [SEA] pushes the horse of the hostile Heiti <sea-king> [SHIP]; the prows of the warship bear golden plates; that journey is glorious for the prince.
Haustkǫld skotar héldum
holmrǫnd varar ǫndri.
 
‘The autumn-cold island-rim [SEA] shoves the rime-covered ski of the wake [SHIP].
Sundr springr svalra landa
sverrigjǫrð fyr bǫrðum.
 
‘The swirling girdle of cool lands [SEA] splits asunder before the bows.
Viknar ramr í Rakna
reksaumr flugastraumi;
dúks hrindr bǫl, þars bleikir
bifgrund, á stag rifjum.
 
‘The strong seam of driven nails flexes in the cascade of Rakni <sea-king> [SEA]; the harm of the sail [WIND] forces the reefs against the stay, where the trembling ground [SEA] goes white.
Lǫgr þvær flaust, en fagrir,
— flóðs vaskar brim glóðum —
þars sær á hlið hvára
hlymr, veðrvitar glymja.
 
‘The ocean washes the ships, and fair weather-vanes resound where the sea roars on each side; the surf cleanses embers of the flood [GOLD].
Kaldr þvær marr und mildum
mart dægr viðu svarta
(grefr élsnúinn) jǫfri
(almsorg Manar þjalma).
 
‘Many a day the cold sea cleanses the black timbers beneath the generous prince; the grief of the elm-tree [WIND] carves the storm-twisted enclosure of Man <island> [SEA].
Œsir hvasst at hraustum
Himinglæva þyt sævar
— glymr Unnar vex — grenni
Gǫndlar skúfs ok Dúfa.
Brædd strýkr Blóðughadda
— brimsolgin fellr Kolga —
hlýr, þars Hefring stœrir
haflauðr of við rauðan.
 
‘Himinglæva and Dúfa violently stir up the howling of the sea against the valiant feeder of Gǫndul’s <valkyrie’s> skua [RAVEN/EAGLE > WARRIOR]; the roar of Unnr increases. Blóðughadda strokes the tarred bows where Hefring increases the sea-foam around the red wood; Kólga falls sea-swollen.
Né framlyndir fundu
fyrr, (hykkat lô kyrrðu)
þars sær á við varra
(vini óra) fell stórum.
 
‘The confident ones did not discover it earlier, where the sea fell violently on the wood of the wake [SHIP]; I do not believe the wave calmed our friends.
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