Lausavísur — Rloð LvVIII (Ragn)
Ragnarr loðbrókRagnarr loðbrók, Lausavísur — Vol. 8 — Rory McTurk
Rory McTurk (forthcoming), ‘ Ragnarr loðbrók, Lausavísur’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry in fornaldarsögur. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 8. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=3173> (accessed 25 April 2024)
Hætt hefi ek leyfðu lífi,
litfögr kona, — vetra
vá ek at foldar fiski
fimtán gamall — mínu.
Hafa skal ek böl, nema bíði
bráðráðinn mér dauði
heiðar lax til hjarta
hringlegnum vel smjúga.
litfögr kona, — vetra
vá ek at foldar fiski
fimtán gamall — mínu.
Hafa skal ek böl, nema bíði
bráðráðinn mér dauði
heiðar lax til hjarta
hringlegnum vel smjúga.
‘I have risked the life allotted to me, fair-complexioned woman; at the age of fifteen I attacked the fish of the earth [SNAKE]. I shall encounter disaster, unless the death imminently destined for me succeeds in creeping to the heart of the ring-coiled salmon of the heath [SNAKE]. ’
Sú mundi víst, ef væri
vörðr föðurjarðar
mætr á mildri snótu,
á mér taka höndum.
vörðr föðurjarðar
mætr á mildri snótu,
á mér taka höndum.
‘She would surely put her arms around me, if the noble guardian of the fatherland [KING = Ragnarr] were on top of the gentle maiden. ’
Viltu þenna þiggja,
er Þóra hjörtr átti,
serk við silfr um merktan?
Sama allvel þér klæði.
Fóru hendr hvítar
hennar um þessar görvar;
sú var buðlungi bragna
blíðum þekk til dauða.
er Þóra hjörtr átti,
serk við silfr um merktan?
Sama allvel þér klæði.
Fóru hendr hvítar
hennar um þessar görvar;
sú var buðlungi bragna
blíðum þekk til dauða.
‘Are you willing to accept this shift, decked out with silver, which Þóra hjǫrtr (‘Hart’) possessed? [Such] garments suit you very well. Her white hands stroked these trappings; she was dear to the joyful prince of men [KING = Ragnarr] right up to her death. ’
Sigurðr mun sveinn of heitinn;
sá mun orrostur heyja,
mjök líkr vera móður
ok mögr föður kallaðr.
Sá mun Óðins ættar
yfirþáttr vera heitinn;
þeim er ormr í auga,
er annan lét svelta.
sá mun orrostur heyja,
mjök líkr vera móður
ok mögr föður kallaðr.
Sá mun Óðins ættar
yfirþáttr vera heitinn;
þeim er ormr í auga,
er annan lét svelta.
‘The boy will be called Sigurðr; he will engage in battles, will be very like his mother and called his father’s son. He will come to be known as the chief scion of Óðinn’s dynasty; there is a snake in the eye of him [Sigurðr Fáfnisbani] who caused another [snake, Fáfnir] to die. ’
Brynhildar líz brögnum
brúnstein hafa fránan
d*óttur mögr inn dýri
ok dyggligast hjarta.
Sjá berr alla ýta
undleygs boði magni,
Buðla niðr, er baugi
bráðgörr, hatar rauðum.
brúnstein hafa fránan
d*óttur mögr inn dýri
ok dyggligast hjarta.
Sjá berr alla ýta
undleygs boði magni,
Buðla niðr, er baugi
bráðgörr, hatar rauðum.
‘The noble son of the daughter of Brynhildr [= Kráka/Áslaug > = Sigurðr ormr-í-auga] seems to men to have a glittering brow-stone [EYE] and a most steadfast heart. This descendant of Buðli [= Sigurðr ormr-í-auga], a precocious profferer of the wound-flame [SWORD > WARRIOR], who hates a red ring, surpasses all men in strength. ’
Sá ek engum sveini
nema Sigurði einum
í brúnsteinum brúna
bráðhalls tau*ma lagða.
Sjá hefir dagrýfir dýra
— dælt er hann at því kenna —
hvass í hvarmatúni
hrings myrkviðar fengit.
nema Sigurði einum
í brúnsteinum brúna
bráðhalls tau*ma lagða.
Sjá hefir dagrýfir dýra
— dælt er hann at því kenna —
hvass í hvarmatúni
hrings myrkviðar fengit.
‘I have seen bright reins of a rockface [SNAKES] placed in the brow-stones [EYES] of no boy save Sigurðr alone. This breaker of the light of hands [(lit. ‘light-breaker of hands’) GOLD > GENEROUS MAN], keen as he is, has received a ring of the murky forest [SNAKE] in the enclosure of the eyelids [EYE]; it is easy to recognise him by that. ’
Spari manngi röf Rínar,
ef röskr vili hermenn;
verr samir hoskum hilmi
hringa fjölð en drengja.
Ilt er í borghlið baugum
brandrauðum fram standa;
allmarga veit ek jöfra,
þá er auðr lifir, dauða.
ef röskr vili hermenn;
verr samir hoskum hilmi
hringa fjölð en drengja.
Ilt er í borghlið baugum
brandrauðum fram standa;
allmarga veit ek jöfra,
þá er auðr lifir, dauða.
‘Let no person be sparing of the amber of the Rhine [GOLD], if a brave man should want soldiers; a multitude of rings befits a wise ruler worse than one of men. It is no good entering the gate of a stronghold with fire-red rings; I know of very many kings who are dead, while their wealth lives on. ’
Hvat er, þat er baugs ór björgum
brjótr heyri ek nú þjóta,
at myni Mundils máli
mars †svandr† ófni* hafna?
Þó skal ek þeira ráða,
þorn-Bil, ef goð vilja,
æ*gir* alnar leygjar
ókvíðandi bíða.
brjótr heyri ek nú þjóta,
at myni Mundils máli
mars †svandr† ófni* hafna?
Þó skal ek þeira ráða,
þorn-Bil, ef goð vilja,
æ*gir* alnar leygjar
ókvíðandi bíða.
‘What is that which I, the breaker of a ring [GENEROUS MAN], now hear howl from the cliffs, that the close companion of Mundill <sea-king> [SEAFARER] is likely to reject … a snake of the sea [SHIP]? Nevertheless, I, the terrifier of the fire of the forearm [GOLD > GENEROUS MAN], shall without fear bring those plans to fruition if the gods wish it, clasp-Bil <goddess> [WOMAN = Áslaug-Randalín]. ’
Orrostur hefi ek áttar,
þær er ágætar þóttu
— görða ek mörgum mönnum
mein — fimm tigu ok eina.
Eigi hugðumz orma
at aldrlagi mínu;
* mjök verðr mörgu sinni,
þat er minst varir sjálfan.
þær er ágætar þóttu
— görða ek mörgum mönnum
mein — fimm tigu ok eina.
Eigi hugðumz orma
at aldrlagi mínu;
* mjök verðr mörgu sinni,
þat er minst varir sjálfan.
‘I have engaged in fifty-one battles, which were reckoned magnificent; I did many people harm. I did not think that snakes would cause my death; very often that which oneself least expects comes to pass. ’
Gnyðja mundu grísir,
ef galtar hag vissi,
— mér er gnótt at grandi —
grafa inn rönum sínum
ok harðliga hrína;
hafa mik sogit ormar;
nú man ek nár af bragði
ok nær dýrum deyja.
ef galtar hag vissi,
— mér er gnótt at grandi —
grafa inn rönum sínum
ok harðliga hrína;
hafa mik sogit ormar;
nú man ek nár af bragði
ok nær dýrum deyja.
‘The porkers would grunt if they knew the boar’s predicament, would dig in with their snouts and squeal mightily; for me there is harm in plenty; snakes have sucked me; I’ll soon be a corpse and die in the proximity of beasts. ’
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