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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Stanzas from the Fourth Grammatical Treatise — Anon (FoGT)III

Anonymous Lausavísur

Margaret Clunies Ross 2017, ‘ Anonymous, Stanzas from the Fourth Grammatical Treatise’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 570. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=2933> (accessed 19 March 2024)

 

Sprungu eigi aungir
út ór — … sútir —
bæum, þvíað hyrr á hávar
heitr giekk fira sveitir.
 
‘Not none [= all] ran out from the farmsteads, because hot fire spread towards the distinguished groups of men; … sorrows.
Fingr vann eigi eingan
eins með vatni hreinu
guðs á virðum víða
vinning að því sinni.
 
‘The finger of the one God gained widely at that time not no [= great] advantage for men with pure water.
Eg veit, að ní neitar
Nytju logs, því er flytja
meiðar geirþings …,
Gunnr fjarðloga runni.
 
‘I know that the Gunnr <valkyrie> of the flame of Nytja <river> [GOLD > WOMAN] does not deny to the bush of the fjord-flame [GOLD > MAN] that for which the … trees of the spear-assembly [BATTLE > WARRIORS] plead.
Leygs svelgr, en etr eigi,
íugtanni lið manna;
ganga menn ór munni
margreftum fletvargi.
 
‘The bear of the flame [HOUSE] swallows, but does not eat, the band of men; men issue from the mouth of the many-raftered bench-wolf [HOUSE].
Allr lýtr heimr und hylli
heilags friðar deilis.
 
‘The whole world bows before the grace of the holy distributor of salvation [= God].
Sjálfráði dó síðan
sólar fróns að nóni,
sá er hiekk, en dag dökkti,
döglingr, á jarnnöglum.
 
‘The king of the land of the sun [SKY/HEAVEN > = God (= Christ)], who hung on iron nails, then died of his own volition at nones, and the day grew dark.
Hákon rieð fyr hauðri
handsterkr, þar er guð merkti
refsiþátt hinn rietta
rangri þjóð að angri.
Laust með elding æstri
alvirkr höfuðkirkju
himnagarðs hjörðum
hirðir glæpsku firðum.
 
‘Strong-handed Hákon ruled over the land where God showed the just law of punishment to the distress of the sinful people. The shepherd of the heavens’ stronghold [SKY/HEAVEN > = God], most careful for the flocks freed from sin, struck the cathedral with raging lightning.
Framan unnu gram gunnar
†grafins seiðs† framir meiðar;
biðu Jótar lið ljótan
lagagangs daga strangra.
Lofag sjaldan hóf haldið;
hataz dygð; *rataz lygðir;
tregs halda vegs valdar
veginn arf megindjarfir.
 
‘The trees … [GOLD? > MEN], outstanding in battle, overcame the prominent prince; the Jótar experienced an ugly situation of legal proceedings during harsh times. I seldom praise moderation preserved; virtue is destroyed; lies are abroad; the very bold possessors of slow honour [CONTEMPTIBLE MEN] keep hold of the slain [man’s] inheritance.
Mari sendu vers vinda
veitendr Góins leita.
 
‘The givers of the mounds of Góinn <serpent> [GOLD > GENEROUS MEN] sent winds to the horse of the sea [SHIP].
Blies um hváfta hása
höfuðskrípamanns pípa.
 
‘The lead minstrel’s flute blew across his hoarse cheeks.
Grund, taktu, bölvi blandin,
bót fyr glæpsku ljóta!
Þier mun óhlyðni ærin,
Ísland, búa píslir!
Þú mátt ófrið óttaz,
óþýð*, nema vel hlýðið,
fold, þeim er sverðum sjaldan
— siðir breytiz hier — neyta.
 
‘Country, imbued with evil, do penance for your ugly sin! Iceland, great disobedience will lay punishments in store for you! You can fear hostility, rough land, unless you obey well those who seldom use swords; may morals here change.
Vatn kalla mig
— vil eg efla þig,
hoddveitir — frams
hauðrfjörnis grams:
eg hreinsa alt;
eg vermi kalt;
eg birti sjón;
eg bæti tjón.
 
‘I call myself water of the outstanding king of the earth-helmet [SKY/HEAVEN > = God (= Christ)]; I want to strengthen you, gold-giver [GENEROUS MAN]: I cleanse everything; I warm what is cold; I brighten vision; I repair loss.
Grænn kvað viðr á víði
— varð skrjúpr í því — djúpan:
‘út man eg rýma …
ríkis míns af þínu.
Betr samir bolr með skrauti
blóms en unnir tómar;
skóg man eg upp yfir ægi
angrlestan rótfesta.’
 
‘The green wood said to the deep sea – in that it was weak –: ‘I want to expand the … of my kingdom from yours. A tree-trunk with ornament of blossom looks better than empty waves; I will fasten a forest by its roots up over the sorrow-damaged ocean.’
Vátr kvað marr á móti:
‘man eg vald yfir þier halda;
skal hrís um lög ljósan
— lamið rót er þá — fljóta.’
Sandr luktaði sundum;
sjór fekk af stað ekki,
en sterkr um bol bjarkar
bani hvess viðar gandi.
 
‘The wet sea spoke in reply: ‘I will keep power over you; brushwood will float upon the shining sea; the root will then be smashed.’ Sand blocked channels; the sea got nothing of the land, but the strong killer of every tree [FIRE] gaped around the birch-tree’s trunk.
Skálm vann og hjalt hilmi
hoddbeiðöndum reiðan.
 
‘Point and hilt made the ruler angry with the gold-requesters [MEN].
Þýddiz karl inn klædda
kona mín og þörf sína;
eg sá karl og klæði
koma inn í því sinni.
 
‘My wife gave in to the clothed man and his desire; I saw man and clothes come in at the [same] time.
Píndr er stuldr, þar er standa
stafnreiðar hímleiðir
víða, vingameiði,
viðir hjá torgi miðju.
Morð eru hjólum hörðum
hegnd, þau er illa gegndu,
þar er riett vísar ræsir
rómsæll skipun dóma.
 
‘Theft is punished by the windswept tree [gallows] where universally loathed trees of the prow-chariot [SHIP > SEAFARERS] stand in many places near the middle of the market-place. Murders, which were bad, are chastised by hard wheels, where the praised ruler carries out correctly the order of the courts.
Því veldr ár, að ærir
akr búmanna spakra;
æra verðr með árum
undan dólga fundi.
Ræða gengr af ráða
runa systir ólystug;
órar dregr að ærum
ýtum skemða flýtir.
 
‘Year’s abundance is the reason that the field of wise farmers gives a good crop; one has to row with oars away from a meeting with enemies. The sister of the boar, on heat [SOW], goes unwilling from the hog; the breeder of shameful deeds [DEVIL] causes fits of madness to crazy men.
Æli telz, það er ólu
ósnotran mann gotnar;
ælir vatn, þar er álar
allstrangir fram hallaz.
Heitir †lær† á †læru†,
læringar kienningar;
kallaz mærr á Mæri,
mæring, ef gjöf tæriz.
 
‘He is considered a wretch, whom men brought up as an unwise man; water causes dredging, where very strong channels incline forwards. … is named from … , lessons [are called] instructions; [land] is called mærr in Møre, a prestation if a gift is given.
Hætta verðr á hættu,
hæting ef böl rætir;
ást er nær að næra;
nú er vær konan færi.
Skeind tekr æðrin æðaz;
æðr deyr, þá er br …
 
‘To take risks leads to danger, if threatening plants misfortune; it is better to nourish love; now placid women are fewer. The scratched vein begins to become angry; the eider duck dies when …
‘Þá, er eg leyfi, mey mjóva,
— mær er þín — fyr vild sína’:
Hörn mælti það horna
hjörþings við bör kringinn.
 
‘‘That slim girl whom I praise for her goodwill; the girl is yours’: the Hörn <= Freyja> of drinking horns [WOMAN] said that to the smart tree of the sword-assembly [BATTLE > WARRIOR].
Sveit fylla ein alla
alls framm jóa Glamma.
 
‘One detachment fills all the steeds of Glammi <sea-king> [SHIPS] all [the way] forwards.
Ólafr kunni blóthús brenna,
Bráðan hitti Magnús váða,
Harald frágum vier hjörleiks mildan,
Hans arfi tók nú við starfa,
dróttar vinr fekk helverk hættan.
hníga riett á enskri sliettu.
sóttum píndr, þá er örlög enduz.
ágætt fall sá er hlaut til vallar.
 
‘Óláfr, who got a famous fall to the ground [death], burnt sacrificial buildings. Magnús encountered sudden danger, tormented by illness, when his fortunes came to an end. We [I] have heard that Haraldr, generous with sword-play [BATTLE], certainly fell on an English field. His heir now took on the business [of government]; the friend of the people [RULER = Magnús or Óláfr Haraldsson] contracted a dangerous mortal illness.
Haki Kraki
hoddum broddum
særði mærði
seggi leggi.
Veitir neitir
vella pella
báli stáli
beittiz heittiz.
 
‘Haki wounded legs with pikes; Kraki (‘Pole-ladder’) honoured men with treasures. The giver of costly materials [GENEROUS MAN = Haki] was burnt on a pyre; the squanderer of gold [GENEROUS MAN = Kraki] was killed by a steel weapon.
Mætr Hákon vann
en Magnús fann
hjörr Eiríks hiekk
hans bróðir giekk
langfeðra láð,
lögvizku ráð;
á rítar slóð;
að refsa þjóð.
 
‘Excellent Hákon won his paternal ancestors’ land, but Magnús gained counsel of legal learning; Eiríkr’s sword hung upon the shield’s track [ARM]; his brother was busied with punishing people.
Mætr Hákon vann
en Magnús fann
hjörr Eiríks hiekk
hans bróðir giekk
að refsa þjóð;
á rítar slóð;
lögvizku lund;
langfeðra grund.
 
‘Excellent Hákon won his paternal ancestors’ land, but Magnús gained a disposition of legal learning; Eiríkr’s sword hung upon the shield’s track [ARM]; his brother was busied with punishing people.
Haki Kraki
hamdi framdi
geirum eirum
gotna flotna.
Hreytir neytir
hodda brodda
brendiz endiz
báli stáli.
 
‘Haki killed men with spears; Kraki (‘Pole-ladder’) promoted men with mercy. The scatterer of hoards [GENEROUS MAN = Haki] was burnt on a pyre; the user of pikes [WARRIOR = Kraki] was killed by a steel weapon.
Þier giet eg, kall, ef kærir,
kraunk orð búin, — forðum
fat eg várkunnar vinnur —
— verðu kyrr og sit! — fyrri.
Sakir átt á mier miklar;
munu nær vera hæri
þær, sem þína aura
— það er hættiligt! — fætta.
 
‘Fellow, if you bring a charge first, I think hurtful words will be ready for you; formerly I followed the practices of compassion; be quiet and stay sitting! You have great offences to charge me with; those, which will diminish your fortune, will become still greater; that’s risky!
Mætum stend eg að móti
mensveigjanda eigi;
rís eg við Ránar eisu
runni flærðarkunnum.
Því heit eg víst að veita
vígs dreingiligt geingi;
þier heit eg mest að móti
meginstrangliga að ganga.
 
‘I do not stand opposed to the excellent necklace-distributor [GENEROUS MAN]; I oppose the notoriously deceitful tree of the fire of Rán <goddess> [GOLD > MAN]. I certainly promise to give valiant support in a fight; I promise most to oppose you very strongly.
Sveit lifir ill til átu
annlaust þokumanna,
en klaustrs búi kristinn
kalds, að lífið haldiz.
 
‘The evil company of ‘fog-men’ lives trouble-free for eating, but the Christian inhabitant of the cold cloister [eats] to stay alive.
Eigi er ván, að vága
viljag hyrjar þilju
eiga orðagnóga
— em eg reiðr — konu leiðaz,
þá er mier, en frá færumz,
forðum, bænarorðum;
sitja verðr og sýta
sig brúðr in óprúða.
 
‘It is not to be expected that I will want to marry the loquacious plank of the fire of the waves [GOLD > WOMAN] – I am angry – [I want to] avoid that woman, who formerly [rejected] me, and get out of the courtship; let the inelegant woman sit and commiserate with herself.
Það saung og í gröf geinginn
grundu huldr til stundar
enn með iðran sannri
öðlingr til refsingar:
‘hugþekka mun hlakka
hróðrslungin loftunga,
mána valdr hinn mildi,
mín riettvísi þína.’
 
‘The king, covered with earth for a time as punishment and gone into the grave, yet sang that with true repentance: ‘my eulogy-encircled tongue of praise will exult your beloved righteousness, merciful ruler of the moon [= God].’
Víngarðr hafði öl-Gefn orðið
(unda vargs), sú er nú eru margar,
(neytir skili þann krók) með k*æti,
kvensku heft og látið eftir.
Fyrðum dugir, að ósiðr orða
— oss vægðu, guð, jafnan — lægðiz;
vára þó hann í vatni skíru
verka sekt og píslarmerki.
 
‘The ale-Gefn <= Freyja> [WOMAN], she who now are many, had become a vineyard with cheerfulness and abandoned her preserved chastity; let the user of the wolf of wounds [AXE > WARRIOR] understand that obscurity. It helps men that a bad habit of words should be diminished; God, spare us always; he washed the guilt of our sins in pure water and in the sign of his passion.
Beraz liet frá mey mætri
mætr foldsala gætir;
umsniðning tók auðnu
einn veitandi hreinnar,
áðr skatna vann vatni
vatnskírn jöfurs batnað;
fastandi bar freistni
friðar kiennari þrenna.
 
‘The excellent keeper of the earth-halls [SKY/HEAVEN > = God (= Christ)] allowed himself to be born from an excellent maiden; the one granter of pure destiny [= God (= Christ)] underwent circumcision, before the baptism of the prince of men [= God (= Christ)] improved the water; the teacher of peace [= God (= Christ)] fasting bore a threefold temptation.
Píndr reis upp með anda
angrleystu herfangi;
hlýrna gramr til himna
heim sótti guð dróttin*.
Sendi ástaranda
alls hirðandi virðum;
sá kemr drótt að dæma
dauða lífs á hauðri.
 
‘Tortured, he rose up with the sorrow-liberated booty of souls; the prince of heavenly bodies [= God (= Christ)] came home to the Lord God in the heavens. The carer of everything [= God] sent the spirit of love to men; he will come to judge the host of the dead on the land of life.
Hugsan flýtir lysting ljóta,
lysting fæðir samþykt skæða,
samþykt fæðir synd og nauðir,
synd spenr á sig illa venju,
ill venja dregr nauðsyn nóga,
nauðsyn leiðir sál í dauða,
dauði spillir æði öllu
andar lífs með beisku grandi.
 
‘Thought hastens ugly desire, desire feeds noxious consent, consent feeds sin and sufferings, sin attracts to itself a bad habit, a bad habit brings with it compulsion aplenty, compulsion leads the soul to death, death destroys the whole nature of the life of the soul with bitter injury.
Sæll er sienn í milli
siðvendis kvikvenda
mána ranns af mönnum
mildingr, þá er barz hingað,
eða þá er djúp að djúpi
dorgtúns niða borgar
um hljóðraufar hávar
hátt samþykkið vátta.
 
‘The blessed prince of the house of the moon [SKY/HEAVEN > = God (= Christ)] was seen by men between animals of uprightness, when he was born into this world, or when the deep of the fishing-line-field [SEA] loudly bore witness of concord to the deep across the high sound-crevices of the stronghold of the phases of the moon [SKY/HEAVEN].
Eg em synda bót
og sæmdar hót;
eg birti sál;
eg bæti mál.
 
‘I am the remedy of sins and the mark of honour; I illuminate the soul; I improve speech.
Þar er ekki ilt
og ekki vilt;
fæz ekki aungt
og ekki þraungt.
 
‘There nothing is evil and nothing false; there will be nothing cramped and nothing constricted.
Þar er ómælt vald
og ágætt vald;
þar er algört vald
og eilíft vald.
 
‘There is unmeasured power and excellent power; there is complete power and eternal power.
Eg blessa þig;
eg bið fyr þig;
eg fæ fyr þig;
eg frelsa þig.
 
‘I bless you; I pray for you; I obtain for you; I save you.
Ádám sá, þann alt í heimi
orði skóp í gaungu forðum;
þenna kiendi Stephánus standa
stórum vitr og spámenn sitja.
Reiði tala hans bækr sem blíðu
brögnum jafnt sem hryggð og fögnuð
ástargnótt með öðrum háttum
ýta kyns, þeim er guðdóm lýta.
 
‘Adam once saw walking along that one who created everything in the world by means of a word; greatly wise Stephen recognised him standing and prophets [saw him] sit. Books speak to men of his anger as well as his kindness, an abundance of love equally with sorrow and joy along with other characteristics of the race of men that demean the Godhead.
Ábiels lofar ævi
ómeinsemi hreina;
öld lofar Ienóch mildan
einkiend siðavendni.
Nóe lofaz öflugs ævi
ágætu hreinlæti;
Siem lofar fært til fremdar
fórnarhald um aldir.
 
‘Innocence praises the pure life of Abel; integrity of morals, specific to mankind, praises gentle Enoch. The life of powerful Noah is praised on account of extraordinary purity; the observance of sacrifice, performed in honour [of God], will praise Shem forever.
Trúa lofar Ábráms ævi;
Ísách lofar vísan
ván; lofar Jácób* einum
ástsemd hugarfremdum.
Skýrr lofar Jóséphs ævi
órskurðr fyrirburða;
guðs lofar ætt og ævi
Áróns göfug þjónan.
 
‘Faith praises Abraham’s life; hope praises wise Isaac; love praises Jacob for singular excellences of mind. A clear interpretation of omens praises the life of Joseph; the worthy service of God praises the kin and the life of Aaron.
Moysen lofar ljósan
lagamál hið brennfagra;
þig lofar alt með öllu
alls heims, jöfurr beima.
 
‘Burning fair law-giving praises bright Moses; everything of all the world praises you absolutely, lord of men [= God].
Hverr deyr? Hjarðar stýrir.
Hví? Fyr sauða lífi.
Hvessu? Hiekk á krossi.
Hvar? Þar er Lassarus jarðaz.
Hvienær? Helzt að nóni.
Hverir knúðu að? Júðar.
Hverr nýtr? Heiðni bötnuð.
Hvað gieldr? Djöfuls veldi.
 
‘Who dies? The leader of the flock. Why? For the life of the sheep. How? He hung on a cross. Where? Where Lazarus is buried. When? About the ninth hour. Who instigated it? The Jews. Who gets the benefit? Heathendom is reformed. What suffers? The devil’s power.
Hverr fell? Hörða stillir.
Hvar? Þar er karlfólk barðiz.
Hvienær? Hneig að nóni.
Hver* var sök? Öfund vöknuð.
Hverr vá? Kálfr hielt darri.
Hverir bændu slíks? Þrændir.
Hvað nýtr? Heilsa bötnuð.
Hvað sýtir? Fira lýti.
 
‘Who fell? The ruler of the Hǫrðar [NORWEGIAN KING = Óláfr Haraldsson]. Where? Where men were fighting. When? He fell at the ninth hour. What was the cause? Awakened ill-will. Who struck? Kálfr held the spear. Who requested such a thing? The Þrœndir. What benefit is there? Health restored. What laments? Men’s sin.
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