Húsdrápa — ÚlfrU HúsdrIII
Úlfr Uggason
Edith Marold with the assistance of Vivian Busch, Jana Krüger, Ann-Dörte Kyas and Katharina Seidel, translated from German by John Foulks 2017, ‘ Úlfr Uggason, Húsdrápa’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 402. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1492> (accessed 23 April 2024)
Hjaldrgegnis telk Hildar
hugreifum Ôleifi
(hann vilk at gjǫf Grímnis)
geðfjarðar lô (kveðja).
‘I recite the water of the mind-fjord [BREAST] of the promoter of the noise of Hildr <valkyrie> [(lit. ‘noise-promoter of Hildr’) BATTLE > = Óðinn > POEM] for the glad-hearted Óláfr; I want to summon him to the gift of Grímnir <= Óðinn> [POEM]. ’
Ráðgegninn bregðr ragna
rein at Singasteini
frægr við firna slœgjan
Fárbauta mǫg vári.
Móðǫflugr ræðr mœðra
mǫgr hafnýra fǫgru
(kyndik áðr) ok einnar
átta (mærðar þôttum).
‘The counsel-wise, renowned defender of the gods [= Heimdallr] takes away land from the amazingly cunning son of Fárbauti <giant> [= Loki] at Singasteinn. The courage-strong son of eight mothers and one [= Heimdallr] rules the beautiful sea-kidney [STONE]; I revealed [that] earlier in the strands of the praise-poem. ’
Innmáni skein ennis
ǫndótts vinar banda;
ôss skaut œgigeislum
orðsæll á men storðar.
‘The interior-moon of the forehead [EYE] of the hostile friend of the gods [= Þórr] shone; the praise-blessed god shot terror-beams at the necklace of the earth [= Miðgarðsormr]. ’
En stirðþinull starði
storðar leggs fyr borði
fróns á folka reyni
fránleitr ok blés eitri.
‘And the flashing-eyed stiff cord of the earth [= Miðgarðsormr] stared at the tester of the peoples of the bone of the earth [ROCK > GIANTS > = Þórr] below the ship’s side and blew poison. ’
Þjokkvǫxnum kvað þykkja
þikling firin*mikla
hafra njótr at hǫfgum
hætting megindrætti.
‘The user of goats [= Þórr] said that it seemed a very great danger to the heavy-set fat one from the weighty powerful pull. ’
Fullǫflugr lét fellir
fjall-Gauts hnefa skjalla
— ramt mein vas þat — reyni
reyrar leggs við eyra.
Víðgymnir laust Vimrar
vaðs af frônum naðri
hlusta grunn við hrǫnnum.
Hlaut innan svá minnum.
‘The most powerful killer of the mountain-Gautr <man of the Gautar> [GIANT > = Þórr] let his fist slam against the ear of the tester of the bone of the reed [STONE > GIANT]; that was a mighty injury. The Víðgymnir <giant> of the ford of Vimur <river> [= Þórr] struck the ground of the ears [HEAD] off the gleaming serpent near the waves. Thus [the hall] received [decoration] inside with memorable pictures. ’
Ríðr á bǫrg til borgar
bǫðfróðr sonar Óðins
Freyr ok folkum stýrir
fyrst inum golli byrsta.
‘Battle-skilled Freyr <god> rides first to the funeral pyre of the son of Óðinn <god> [= Baldr] on the boar bristled with gold and leads the troops. ’
Kostigr ríðr at kesti,
kynfróðs þeims goð hlóðu
hrafnfreistaðar, hesti
Heimdallr, at mǫg fallinn.
‘Splendid Heimdallr rides a horse to the pyre which the gods erected for the fallen son of the kin-wise raven-tester [= Óðinn > = Baldr]. ’
Ríðr at vilgi víðu
víðfrægr, en mér líða,
Hroptatýr, of hvápta
hróðrmôl, sonar báli.
‘The widely renowned Hroptatýr <= Óðinn> rides to the immensely large pyre of his son, and praise-speeches flow through my mouth. ’
Þar hykk sigrunni svinnum
sylgs valkyrjur fylgja
heilags tafns ok hrafna.
Hlaut innan svá minnum.
‘There I believe valkyries and ravens follow the wise victory-tree [WARRIOR = Óðinn] to the drink of the holy sacrifice. Thus [the hall] received [decoration] inside with memorable pictures. ’
Fullǫflug lét fjalla
framm haf-Sleipni þramma
Hildr, en Hropts of gildar
hjalmeldum mar felldu.
‘The exceedingly strong Hildr <valkyrie> of the mountains [GIANTESS] made the sea-Sleipnir <horse> [SHIP] lumber forward, and the companions of Hroptr <= Óðinn> killed the steed with helmet-fires [SWORDS]. ’
Þar kømr ô, en æri
endr bark mærð af hendi,
(ofrak svá) til sævar,
sverðregns (lofi þegna).
‘There the river comes to the sea, and once more I handed over a praise poem to the messenger of sword-rain [BATTLE > WARRIOR]; thus I raise up the praise of men. ’
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