Flokkr about Sveinn Úlfsson — Þfagr SveinnII
Þorleikr fagriKari Ellen Gade 2009, ‘ Þorleikr fagri, Flokkr about Sveinn Úlfsson’ 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. 313-22. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1430> (accessed 25 April 2024)
Fúrsendir vann fjǫndum
fjǫrspell í gný hjǫrva
(brôð fekk hrafn fyr Heiða-)
haukstorða (-bœ norðan).
Rôkusk Vinðr, en vákar
vals ginu þar und halsa,
— dauðr lá herr á heiði
hundmargr — fáir undan.
fjǫrspell í gný hjǫrva
(brôð fekk hrafn fyr Heiða-)
haukstorða (-bœ norðan).
Rôkusk Vinðr, en vákar
vals ginu þar und halsa,
— dauðr lá herr á heiði
hundmargr — fáir undan.
‘The distributor of the fire of hawk-lands [(lit. ‘the fire-distributor of hawk-lands’) ARMS > GOLD > GENEROUS MAN] inflicted death on enemies in the din of swords [BATTLE]; the raven got meat north of Hedeby. Few Wends got away, and the buzzard-hawks of the slain [RAVENS/EAGLES] gaped beneath necks there; a tremendously large host lay dead on the heath.’
Vôn erumk vísa kœnum
vígs á Rakna stígu,
ǫrr í odda snerru
Innþrœnda lið finni.
Þó má enn, hvárr annan
ǫndu nemr eða lǫndum,
— lítt hyggr Sveinn á sáttir
sjaldfestar — goð valda.
vígs á Rakna stígu,
ǫrr í odda snerru
Innþrœnda lið finni.
Þó má enn, hvárr annan
ǫndu nemr eða lǫndum,
— lítt hyggr Sveinn á sáttir
sjaldfestar — goð valda.
‘I believe there is an expectation of battle for the wise ruler on Rakni’s <sea-king’s> paths [SEA], [and that] the brave one will meet the host of Innþrœndir in the onslaught of spear-points [BATTLE]. Yet God can decide again which one will deprive the other of life or lands; Sveinn cares little for shaky agreements.’
Fœrir reiðr, sás rauða
rǫnd hefr opt fyr lǫndum,
breið á Buðla slóðir
borðraukn Haraldr norðan.
En lauks of sæ sœkja
Sveins fagrdrifin steini
glæsidýr, þess’s geira,
gullmunnuð, rýðr, sunnan.
rǫnd hefr opt fyr lǫndum,
breið á Buðla slóðir
borðraukn Haraldr norðan.
En lauks of sæ sœkja
Sveins fagrdrifin steini
glæsidýr, þess’s geira,
gullmunnuð, rýðr, sunnan.
‘The enraged Haraldr, who frequently raises the red shield-rim off the shores, steers the broad draught-animals of the ship-board [SHIPS] from the north onto Buðli’s <sea-king’s> trails [SEA]. And the gold-mouthed splendid beasts of the mast [SHIPS] of Sveinn, who reddens spears, advance from the south across the sea, beautifully covered with colour. ’
Fjǫrs man flestum hersi
fengsæll Dana þengill
— reiðr hefr hann fyr hauðri
hábrynjuð skip — synja,
ef húnferils hreina
hlunntamðra rekr sunnan
við Hǫrða gram harðan
hundruð sex til fundar.
fengsæll Dana þengill
— reiðr hefr hann fyr hauðri
hábrynjuð skip — synja,
ef húnferils hreina
hlunntamðra rekr sunnan
við Hǫrða gram harðan
hundruð sex til fundar.
‘The booty-blessed lord of the Danes [DANISH KING = Sveinn] may deny life to most hersar—enraged, he has armoured ships before the land—, if he steers six hundred roller-tamed reindeer of the mast-top track [SEA > SHIPS] from the south to the encounter with the harsh ruler of the Hǫrðar [NORWEGIAN KING = Haraldr].’
Stýrir Ulfs til Elfar
óskmǫgr skipum fǫgrum,
sás hrækǫstu hæsta
hleðr í Gunnar veðri.
Skolla vé, þars vǫllu
vápnlauðri drífr rauðu,
(regn drepr Gauts í gǫgnum)
gullmerk*ð (Hôolfs serki).
óskmǫgr skipum fǫgrum,
sás hrækǫstu hæsta
hleðr í Gunnar veðri.
Skolla vé, þars vǫllu
vápnlauðri drífr rauðu,
(regn drepr Gauts í gǫgnum)
gullmerk*ð (Hôolfs serki).
‘Úlfr’s beloved son [= Sveinn], who stacks the highest corpse-piles in the storm of Gunnr <valkyrie> [BATTLE], steers fair ships to the Götaälv. Gold-embroidered banners flutter where red weapon-foam [BLOOD] covers the fields; the rain of Gautr <= Óðinn> [ARROWS] hammers through Hálfr’s <legendary king’s> shirts [BYRNIES]. ’
Hvé hefr til Heiðabœjar
heiptgjarn konungr arnat,
folk-Rǫgnir getr fregna
fylkis sveit, hinns veitat,
þás til þengils bœjar
þarflaust Haraldr austan
ár, þats ôn of væri,
endr byrskíðum renndi.
heiptgjarn konungr arnat,
folk-Rǫgnir getr fregna
fylkis sveit, hinns veitat,
þás til þengils bœjar
þarflaust Haraldr austan
ár, þats ôn of væri,
endr byrskíðum renndi.
‘That battle-Rǫgnir <= Óðinn> [WARRIOR] who does not know can ask the ruler’s troop how the war-eager king travelled to Hedeby, when Haraldr once sent the skis of fair wind [SHIPS] without due cause from the east to the lord’s town that year, which never should have been.’
Bauð, sás beztrar tíðar
borinn varð und miðgarði,
ríkri þjóð at rjóða
randir Sveinn á landi.
Þó lézk heldr, ef heldi
hvatráðr konungr láði,
á byrjar Val berjask
bilstyggr Haraldr vilja.
borinn varð und miðgarði,
ríkri þjóð at rjóða
randir Sveinn á landi.
Þó lézk heldr, ef heldi
hvatráðr konungr láði,
á byrjar Val berjask
bilstyggr Haraldr vilja.
‘Sveinn, who was born at the luckiest time on earth, told the powerful people to redden shield-rims ashore. Yet hesitation-shy Haraldr said he preferred to fight on the Valr <horse> of fair wind [SHIP], if the quick-witted king withheld land [from him]. ’
Allt of frák, hvé elti
austmenn á veg flausta
Sveinn, þás siklingr annarr,
snarlundaðr, helt undan.
Fengr varð Þrœnda þengils
— þeir léttu skip fleiri —
allr á éli sollnu
Jótlandshafi fljóta.
austmenn á veg flausta
Sveinn, þás siklingr annarr,
snarlundaðr, helt undan.
Fengr varð Þrœnda þengils
— þeir léttu skip fleiri —
allr á éli sollnu
Jótlandshafi fljóta.
‘I heard it all, how quick-tempered Sveinn pursued the Norwegians on the path of ships [SEA], when the other prince steered away. All the loot of the lord of the Þrœndir [NORWEGIAN KING = Haraldr] had to float on the hail-swollen Kattegat; they emptied more ships [of their cargo]. ’
Sætt buðu seggja dróttni
siklings vinir mikla;
svǫfðu hjaldr, þeirs hǫfðu,
hugstinnir, lið minna.
Ok snarráðir síðan
sókn, es orðum tókusk,
— ǫnd vas ýta kindum
ófǫl — búendr dvǫlðu.
siklings vinir mikla;
svǫfðu hjaldr, þeirs hǫfðu,
hugstinnir, lið minna.
Ok snarráðir síðan
sókn, es orðum tókusk,
— ǫnd vas ýta kindum
ófǫl — búendr dvǫlðu.
‘The leader’s friends offered the lord of men [KING = Sveinn] a mighty settlement; the fierce-hearted ones, who had a lesser force, checked the fight. And the quick-witted farmers then prevented the attack when they began to exchange words; life was precious to the progeny of men.’
Hætt hafa sér, þeirs sóttu
Sveins fundar til, stundum;
lítt hefr þeim at þreyta
þrimr bragningum hagnat.
Þó hefr hauldvinr haldit
— hanns snjallr konungr — allri
Jóta grund með endum
ógnstarkr ok Danmǫrku.
Sveins fundar til, stundum;
lítt hefr þeim at þreyta
þrimr bragningum hagnat.
Þó hefr hauldvinr haldit
— hanns snjallr konungr — allri
Jóta grund með endum
ógnstarkr ok Danmǫrku.
‘They have frequently put themselves at risk, those who sought an encounter with Sveinn; for those three lords little has been gained by their striving. Yet the friend of freeholders [KING] has held, battle-strong, all the land of the Jótar from border to border and Denmark, too; he is a clever king.’
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