Útsteinn Gunnlaðarson, Útsteinskviða

Hubert Seelow

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Útsteinskviða — Útsteinn Útkv^VIII (Hálf)

Útsteinn Gunnlaðarson, Útsteinskviða — Vol. 8 — Hubert Seelow

Hubert Seelow (forthcoming), ‘ Útsteinn Gunnlaðarson, Útsteinskviða’ 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=3293> (accessed 26 April 2024)

Upp skulum rísa,         út skulum ganga
ok ramligar         randir knýja.
Hygg við hjálmum         hingat komnar
til Danmarkar         dísir várar.

‘Let us arise, let us go out and bash our strong shields. I believe that our dísir have come here to Denmark with helmets. ’

Sigrs vænti ek mér         sýnu betra,
en Úlfr vili         æskja Steini.
Yðr mun snimma         at sverðtogi
hauss um högginn         en háls roðinn.

‘I expect for myself a much better victory than Úlfr may wish for Steinn. Your head will soon be struck off and your neck reddened at the sword-drawing [BATTLE]. ’

Mundi ekki Steini         með Stara þykkja
ógn at etja         við Úlfs sonu,
þvíat ekki var         órum bróður
við dritmenni þitt         dramb at setja.

‘It would not seem a menace to Steinn together with Stari to fight against Úlfr’s sons, for it was not characteristic of our [my] brother to subdue the arrogance of a shit like you. ’

Þótti ekki Hrókum         né Hálfdani
raun at berjaz         við ragmenni,
þá er vér fjórir         falla létum
átta jarla         fyrir Ann*snesi.

‘It did not seem a trial to either the Hrókar or Hálfdan to fight against cowardly wretches, when we four slew eight jarls off Annsnes. ’

Fari Úlfs synir         út at berjaz,
átta drengir         við eitt höfuð.
Mun ekki stökkva,         þóat Steinn hafi
færa nokkut         í flokki lið.

‘Let Úlfr’s sons go outside to fight, eight men against one head. He [Steinn] will not flee, although Steinn has somewhat fewer people in his host. ’

Hálfr, dreymði mik,         hvatti, at ek berðumz,
ok kvez mér frækn konungr         fylgja skyldu,
— hefir mér gramr verit         góðr í draumi —
hvar sem vér orrostu         eiga skyldum.

‘I dreamed Hálfr urged that I should fight, and the valiant king said that he would follow me, wherever we [I] should have a battle; the prince has been good to me in my dream. ’

Nú em ek inn kominn         Úlfi at segja,
at hans synir         höggnir liggja.
Nú fari, Eysteinn,         ef ér vilið,
fleiri at freista         við fleina við.

‘Now I have come in to tell Úlfr that his sons lie slain. Now let more [men] go to try [their strength] against the tree of spears [WARRIOR = Útsteinn], Eysteinn, if you wish. ’

Alla mundak         Eysteins liða
sverði beita         at sömu hófi,
ef ek mér þarfir         þess verks sæi,
eða ilt með oss         áðr um væri.

‘I would strike all the followers of Eysteinn with a sword in the same way, if I saw need for such an action or there had been hostility between us before. ’

Magni fýsir engi         við mik at deila,
þvíat mér var ungum         aldr skapaðr.
Ek hefi hjarta         hart í brjósti,
sízt mér í æsku         Óðinn framði.

‘Nobody is eager to pit his strength against me, for a long life was fated to me as a young man. I have a firm heart in my breast, since Óðinn furthered it for me in my youth. ’

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