Hákonardrápa — Gsind HákdrI
Guthormr sindriRussell Poole 2012, ‘ Guthormr sindri, Hákonardrápa’ 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. 156. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1216> (accessed 24 April 2024)
Bifrauknum trað bekkjar
blárǫst konungr ôrum;
mætr hlóð mildingr Jótum
Mistar vífs í drífu.
Svangœðir rak síðan
sótt Jalfaðar flótta
— hrót Giljaðar hylja —
hrafnvíns at mun sínum.
blárǫst konungr ôrum;
mætr hlóð mildingr Jótum
Mistar vífs í drífu.
Svangœðir rak síðan
sótt Jalfaðar flótta
— hrót Giljaðar hylja —
hrafnvíns at mun sínum.
‘The king trod the blue trail [sea] in shuddering draught animals of the rowing-bench [SHIPS] with oars; the excellent generous one heaped up the Jótar in the snow-storm of the woman of Mist <valkyrie> [VALKYRIE > BATTLE]. The benefactor of the swan of raven-wine [(lit. ‘swan-benefactor of raven-wine’) BLOOD > RAVEN/EAGLE > WARRIOR] then pursued those who fled with the illness of Jǫlfuðr <= Óðinn> [SPEAR] at his pleasure; the roofs of Giljaðr <= Óðinn> [SHIELDS] conceal [them].’
Almdrósar fór eisu
élrunnr mǫrum sunnan
trjónu tingls á grœna
tveim einum selmeina,
þás ellifu allar
allreiðr Dana skeiðar
Valsendir hrauð vandar
víðfrægr at þat síðan.
élrunnr mǫrum sunnan
trjónu tingls á grœna
tveim einum selmeina,
þás ellifu allar
allreiðr Dana skeiðar
Valsendir hrauð vandar
víðfrægr at þat síðan.
‘ The bush of the storm of the fire of the bow-woman [(lit. ‘storm-bush of the fire of the bow-woman’) VALKYRIE > SWORD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Hákon] went from the south with only two steeds of the prow-board [SHIPS] on to the green snout of seal-wounds [Selund] when the utterly enraged sender of the Valr <horse> of the mast [(lit. ‘Valr-sender of the mast’) SHIP > SEAFARER = Hákon] cleared all eleven ships of the Danes, widely famed for that afterwards.’
Selund náði þá síðan
sóknheggr und sik leggja
vals ok Vinða frelsi
víð Skáneyjar síðu.
sóknheggr und sik leggja
vals ok Vinða frelsi
víð Skáneyjar síðu.
‘The attack-cherry-tree [WARRIOR = Hákon] then afterwards succeeded in placing under himself Zealand, the broad sanctuaries against slaughter and the Wends, [and] the coast of Skåne.’
Skattgilda vann skyldir
skautjalfaðar Gauta;
gollskýflir vann gjǫflastr
geirveðr í fǫr þeiri.
skautjalfaðar Gauta;
gollskýflir vann gjǫflastr
geirveðr í fǫr þeiri.
‘ The requisitioner of the sail-bear [SHIP > SEAFARER] made the Gautar tribute-paying; the most generous gold-destroyer [GENEROUS MAN] made spear-storms [BATTLES] on that expedition.’
Ok sóknhattar setti
svellrjóðr at því fljóði
Ónars eiki grónu
austr geðbœti hraustan,
þann, es áðr frá Írum
íðvandr of kom skíðum
salbrigðandi Sveigðis
svanvangs liði þangat.
svellrjóðr at því fljóði
Ónars eiki grónu
austr geðbœti hraustan,
þann, es áðr frá Írum
íðvandr of kom skíðum
salbrigðandi Sveigðis
svanvangs liði þangat.
‘And the reddener of the ice of the attack-hat [(lit. ‘ice-reddener of the attack-hat’) HELMET > SWORD > WARRIOR = Hákon] placed the valiant morale-improver [RULER = Tryggvi] in the east over that woman of Ónarr <giant> [= Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘land’)], grown with oak, that man, a diligent cleaver of the hall of Sveigðir <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘diligent hall-cleaver of Sveigðir’) SHIELD > WARRIOR = Tryggvi], who had previously brought his following there from the Irish on the skis of the swan-plain [SEA > SHIPS].’
Valþagnar lét vegnum
vígnestr saman bresta
handar vafs of hǫfðum
hlymmildingum gildir.
Þar gekk Njǫrðr af Nirði
nadds hámána raddar
valbrands víðra landa
vápnunduðum sunda.
vígnestr saman bresta
handar vafs of hǫfðum
hlymmildingum gildir.
Þar gekk Njǫrðr af Nirði
nadds hámána raddar
valbrands víðra landa
vápnunduðum sunda.
‘ The payer of the coil of the arm [ARM-RING > GENEROUS MAN = Hákon] let war-needles [SPEARS] clash together over the heads of the slain bestowers of the tumult of Valþǫgn <valkyrie> [(lit. ‘tumult-bestowers of Valþǫgn’) BATTLE > WARRIORS]. There the Njǫrðr <god> of the voice of the high moon of the spear [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Hákon] went from the weapon-wounded Njǫrðr <god> of the wide lands of the inlets of the slaughter-fire [SWORD > BLOOD > SHIELDS > WARRIOR = Guthormr Eiríksson].’
Almdrógar varð œgis
opt sinn, en þess minnumk,
barma ǫld fyr Baldri
bensíks vita ríkis.
Bǫðsœkir helt bríkar
brœðr síns ok rak — flœðu
undan — allar kindir
Eireks á haf snekkjum.
opt sinn, en þess minnumk,
barma ǫld fyr Baldri
bensíks vita ríkis.
Bǫðsœkir helt bríkar
brœðr síns ok rak — flœðu
undan — allar kindir
Eireks á haf snekkjum.
‘The progeny of the brother of the intimidator of the bow-string [WARRIOR = Hákon > = Eiríkr blóðøx > = Eiríkssynir] were obliged many a time to realise [his, Hákon’s] power in the face of the Baldr <god> of the wound-fish [SWORD > WARRIOR = Hákon], and I commemorate this. The attacker of the battle-board [(lit. ‘battle-attacker of the board’) SHIELD > WARRIOR = Hákon] steered warships out to sea and chased all the sons of Eiríkr, his brother; they fled away.’
Hræddr fór hjǫrva raddar
herr fyr malma þverri;
rógeisu gekk ræsir
ráðsterkr framar merkjum.
Gerra gramr í snerru
geirvífa sér hlífa,
hinns yfrinn gat, jǫfra,
óls kvánar byr mána.
herr fyr malma þverri;
rógeisu gekk ræsir
ráðsterkr framar merkjum.
Gerra gramr í snerru
geirvífa sér hlífa,
hinns yfrinn gat, jǫfra,
óls kvánar byr mána.
‘The army went in dread of the voice of swords [BATTLE] before the diminisher of metal weapons [WARRIOR = Hákon]; the impeller of the strife-fire [SWORD > WARRIOR = Hákon] advanced, strong in counsel, ahead of the standards. The king of princes [= Hákon] does not protect himself in the onslaught of spear-women [VALKYRIES > BATTLE], he who attained an outstanding fair wind of the wife of the affliction of the moon [GIANT > GIANTESS > MIND].’
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