Hfr Óldr 4I
Diana Whaley (ed.) 2012, ‘Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld Óttarsson, Óláfsdrápa 4’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 395.
Hilmir ‘The prince’
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hilmir (noun m.): prince, protector
vann ‘’
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2. vinna (verb): perform, work
notes
[1] lét ‘caused ... to be’: Here, as in st. 3/1, the reading of Fsk and 310, vann ‘made’, is more or less synonymous, and it is equally satisfactory together with p. p. roðinn ‘reddened’.
á ‘’
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3. á (prep.): on, at
Holmi ‘Hólmr’
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holmr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i/-; -ar): island, islet
halm ‘’
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halmr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i/-): straw < halmskóð (noun n.)
hjalm ‘’
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1. hjalmr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): helmet < hjalmskóð (noun n.)
hræ ‘corpse’
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hræ (noun n.; °; -): corpse, carrion < hræskóð (noun n.)
[2] hræ‑: her‑ 53, 54, Bb, Flat, hjalm‑ FskBˣ, 310, halm‑ FskAˣ
kennings
hǫrð hræskóð‘hard corpse-harmers ’
= SWORDS
hard corpse-harmers → SWORDS
notes
[2] hræskóð ‘corpse-harmers [SWORDS]’: Again, the traditions branch, with hjalm- ‘helmet’ in Fsk and 310 and hræ- ‘corpse’ (apparently corrupted to her- ‘army’ in some copies) in Hkr and ÓT. Hjalmskóð ‘helmet-harm(er)’ at first sight appears the better reading, and is adopted in Skj and Skald, but hræskóð is retained here as the lectio difficilior and the reading of the chosen main ms. It seems a rather curious expression for ‘sword’, which in reality turns warriors into corpses rather than harming corpses, but the image is not unlike lét hræ tíðhǫggvit ‘had corpses cut down often’ in st. 3/1, 4. Moreover, sword- or spear-kennings in hræ- ‘corpse’ exist (e.g. Tindr Hákdr 6/6 hræbirtingr ‘corpse-trout [SWORD]’), and it may be that hræskóð is modelled on those in a rather formulaic way. There are also comparable kennings based on skóð (Meissner 155) and cf. Hfr ErfÓl 12/5, 8 láta skóð roðin blóði ‘caused harmers to become reddened with blood’.
skóð ‘harmers’
kennings
hǫrð hræskóð‘hard corpse-harmers ’
= SWORDS
hard corpse-harmers → SWORDS
notes
[2] hræskóð ‘corpse-harmers [SWORDS]’: Again, the traditions branch, with hjalm- ‘helmet’ in Fsk and 310 and hræ- ‘corpse’ (apparently corrupted to her- ‘army’ in some copies) in Hkr and ÓT. Hjalmskóð ‘helmet-harm(er)’ at first sight appears the better reading, and is adopted in Skj and Skald, but hræskóð is retained here as the lectio difficilior and the reading of the chosen main ms. It seems a rather curious expression for ‘sword’, which in reality turns warriors into corpses rather than harming corpses, but the image is not unlike lét hræ tíðhǫggvit ‘had corpses cut down often’ in st. 3/1, 4. Moreover, sword- or spear-kennings in hræ- ‘corpse’ exist (e.g. Tindr Hákdr 6/6 hræbirtingr ‘corpse-trout [SWORD]’), and it may be that hræskóð is modelled on those in a rather formulaic way. There are also comparable kennings based on skóð (Meissner 155) and cf. Hfr ErfÓl 12/5, 8 láta skóð roðin blóði ‘caused harmers to become reddened with blood’.
roðinn ‘’
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rjóða (verb): to redden
roðin ‘to be reddened’
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rjóða (verb): to redden
[2] roðin: so 61, 53, 54, Bb, 62, Flat, roðinn Kˣ, F, J1ˣ, FskBˣ, FskAˣ, 310
blóðu ‘’
hvar ‘’
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hvar (adv.): where
hvatt ‘’
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hvatr (adj.; °-ari, -an; -astr): keen, brave
dylði ‘conceal’
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dylja (verb; °dulði; dulðr/duliðr/dulinn (præs. sg. 3. pers. dyll Hirð 401²³, etc., dyl FrostKrᴵ 152¹⁹, etc.)): conceal
[3] dylði: dulði 62, Flat, dulðu 310
þess ‘that’
[3] þess: om. FskBˣ
hauka ‘’
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1. haukr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i/-; -ar): hawk
hǫlða ‘’
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hǫlðr (noun m.; °-s; -ar): man
hǫlðar ‘men’
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hǫlðr (noun m.; °-s; -ar): man
[3] hǫlðar: hǫlða 61, 53, Flat, hauka 54, Bb, ‘[…]lða’ 62, om. FskBˣ
hǫrðr ‘’
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Hǫrðar (noun m.): the Hǫrðar
harð ‘’
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harðr (adj.; °comp. -ari; superl. -astr): hard, harsh
hǫrð ‘hard’
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harðr (adj.; °comp. -ari; superl. -astr): hard, harsh
[4] hǫrð: harð J1ˣ, hǫrðr Bb
kennings
hǫrð hræskóð‘hard corpse-harmers ’
= SWORDS
hard corpse-harmers → SWORDS
ok ‘and’
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
notes
[1-4]: Hkr and ÓT, citing this helmingr, attribute it explicitly to a drápa composed by Hallfreðr about King Óláfr; cf. Note to st. 2/5-8. The lines are problematic from a historical and geographical point of view, since if at Holmi in l. 1 refers to Bornholm (see Note), Óláfr seems to proceed from there eastwards to north-west Russia (ok austr í Gǫrðum, l. 4). The helmingr is placed in Hkr at the beginning of Óláfr’s career, when he is setting out westwards from Russia (see Introduction for Contexts), but this is counter to its internal ordering (and Finnur Jónsson inserts för ‘before’ into his translation in Skj B, to signal an earlier episode; cf. also Hkr 1893-1901, IV). The positioning of the stanza in the continuous poetic sequence in Fsk and 310, meanwhile, with the raids on Bornholm and Russia following those on the Saxar and Frísar, seems to imply a very large diversion to the east, as well, seemingly, as a return by Óláfr to harry the Russian territory he was raised in. However, the general direction in Fsk and 310 is consistent, and winds, tides and opportunity may well have been stronger imperatives to these highly mobile raiders than the logic of distance.
austr ‘east’
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3. austr (adv.; °compar. -ar, superl. -ast): east, in the east
notes
[1-4]: Hkr and ÓT, citing this helmingr, attribute it explicitly to a drápa composed by Hallfreðr about King Óláfr; cf. Note to st. 2/5-8. The lines are problematic from a historical and geographical point of view, since if at Holmi in l. 1 refers to Bornholm (see Note), Óláfr seems to proceed from there eastwards to north-west Russia (ok austr í Gǫrðum, l. 4). The helmingr is placed in Hkr at the beginning of Óláfr’s career, when he is setting out westwards from Russia (see Introduction for Contexts), but this is counter to its internal ordering (and Finnur Jónsson inserts för ‘before’ into his translation in Skj B, to signal an earlier episode; cf. also Hkr 1893-1901, IV). The positioning of the stanza in the continuous poetic sequence in Fsk and 310, meanwhile, with the raids on Bornholm and Russia following those on the Saxar and Frísar, seems to imply a very large diversion to the east, as well, seemingly, as a return by Óláfr to harry the Russian territory he was raised in. However, the general direction in Fsk and 310 is consistent, and winds, tides and opportunity may well have been stronger imperatives to these highly mobile raiders than the logic of distance.
í ‘in’
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í (prep.): in, into
notes
[1-4]: Hkr and ÓT, citing this helmingr, attribute it explicitly to a drápa composed by Hallfreðr about King Óláfr; cf. Note to st. 2/5-8. The lines are problematic from a historical and geographical point of view, since if at Holmi in l. 1 refers to Bornholm (see Note), Óláfr seems to proceed from there eastwards to north-west Russia (ok austr í Gǫrðum, l. 4). The helmingr is placed in Hkr at the beginning of Óláfr’s career, when he is setting out westwards from Russia (see Introduction for Contexts), but this is counter to its internal ordering (and Finnur Jónsson inserts för ‘before’ into his translation in Skj B, to signal an earlier episode; cf. also Hkr 1893-1901, IV). The positioning of the stanza in the continuous poetic sequence in Fsk and 310, meanwhile, with the raids on Bornholm and Russia following those on the Saxar and Frísar, seems to imply a very large diversion to the east, as well, seemingly, as a return by Óláfr to harry the Russian territory he was raised in. However, the general direction in Fsk and 310 is consistent, and winds, tides and opportunity may well have been stronger imperatives to these highly mobile raiders than the logic of distance.
Gǫrðum ‘Russia’
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Garðar (noun m.): Russia
notes
[1-4]: Hkr and ÓT, citing this helmingr, attribute it explicitly to a drápa composed by Hallfreðr about King Óláfr; cf. Note to st. 2/5-8. The lines are problematic from a historical and geographical point of view, since if at Holmi in l. 1 refers to Bornholm (see Note), Óláfr seems to proceed from there eastwards to north-west Russia (ok austr í Gǫrðum, l. 4). The helmingr is placed in Hkr at the beginning of Óláfr’s career, when he is setting out westwards from Russia (see Introduction for Contexts), but this is counter to its internal ordering (and Finnur Jónsson inserts för ‘before’ into his translation in Skj B, to signal an earlier episode; cf. also Hkr 1893-1901, IV). The positioning of the stanza in the continuous poetic sequence in Fsk and 310, meanwhile, with the raids on Bornholm and Russia following those on the Saxar and Frísar, seems to imply a very large diversion to the east, as well, seemingly, as a return by Óláfr to harry the Russian territory he was raised in. However, the general direction in Fsk and 310 is consistent, and winds, tides and opportunity may well have been stronger imperatives to these highly mobile raiders than the logic of distance.
Rógs ‘of the strife’
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róg (noun n.; °-s): strife, slander
kennings
Ríkr lægir rógs rekka‘The powerful subduer of the strife of men ’
= JUST RULER
The powerful subduer of the strife of men → JUST RULER
brá ‘spoiled’
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bregða (verb; °bregðr/brigðr; brá, brugðu; brugðinn/brogðinn): pull, jerk, break; change
notes
[5] brá ‘spoiled’: The translation is based on the frequent use of bregða with dat. to mean ‘to change or alter sth.’ (especially appearance, Fritzner: bregða 5) or ‘to move sth. quickly, snatch’ (Fritzner: bregða 1). It is not clear whether injury to bodies before or after death is meant, or plundering of corpses.
rekra ‘’
kennings
Ríkr lægir rógs rekka‘The powerful subduer of the strife of men ’
= JUST RULER
The powerful subduer of the strife of men → JUST RULER
lægir ‘subduer’
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lægir (noun m.): oppressor
kennings
Ríkr lægir rógs rekka‘The powerful subduer of the strife of men ’
= JUST RULER
The powerful subduer of the strife of men → JUST RULER
reik ‘’
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2. reik (noun n.): °flakken, vaklen
ríkir ‘’
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ríkr (adj.): mighty, powerful, rich
kennings
Ríkr lægir rógs rekka‘The powerful subduer of the strife of men ’
= JUST RULER
The powerful subduer of the strife of men → JUST RULER
Val ‘of the Val’
notes
[6] Valkera ‘of the Valkerar’: This appears to be a gen. pl. referring to the owners of the líki ‘body/bodies’ spoiled by the victorious Óláfr, and the most promising suggestion is that of Jón Þorkelsson (1884, 53-4), generally accepted by eds, that it is an otherwise unattested ON term for the people of Walcheren, the Netherlands, which would fit well with the Flemings in l. 8. Alternatively, val- might be interpreted as ‘battle, slaughter, the slain’ and ‑kera as gen. pl. of ker ‘(drinking) vessel, chest’, which seems to appear in an unusual sword-kenning in Hfr Lv 5/6V (Hallfr 8); but there is no clear way for this to fit the sense or syntax of the couplet. Valkeri ‘the prober of the slain [SWORD]’, is suggested in LP (1860): valkeri 2.
skera ‘’
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sker (noun n.; °-s; -, gen. -ja): skerry
køra ‘’
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køri (noun m.; °-a): °sonde (til at undersøge sår); tap, tampon
kera ‘kerar’
[6] ‑kera: so 39, F, J1ˣ, 61, 54, FskBˣ, FskAˣ, 310, ‘‑køra’ Kˣ, ‑skera 62, ‑skerjar Flat
notes
[6] Valkera ‘of the Valkerar’: This appears to be a gen. pl. referring to the owners of the líki ‘body/bodies’ spoiled by the victorious Óláfr, and the most promising suggestion is that of Jón Þorkelsson (1884, 53-4), generally accepted by eds, that it is an otherwise unattested ON term for the people of Walcheren, the Netherlands, which would fit well with the Flemings in l. 8. Alternatively, val- might be interpreted as ‘battle, slaughter, the slain’ and ‑kera as gen. pl. of ker ‘(drinking) vessel, chest’, which seems to appear in an unusual sword-kenning in Hfr Lv 5/6V (Hallfr 8); but there is no clear way for this to fit the sense or syntax of the couplet. Valkeri ‘the prober of the slain [SWORD]’, is suggested in LP (1860): valkeri 2.
ríki ‘’
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ríki (noun n.; °-s; -): kingdom, power
her ‘the army’
kennings
herstefnir‘the army-commander ’
= RULER
the army-commander → RULER
stofnir ‘’
stefnir ‘commander’
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stefnir (noun m.): commander < herstefnir (noun m.): army-leader
[7] ‑stefnir: ‑stofnir Bb
kennings
herstefnir‘the army-commander ’
= RULER
the army-commander → RULER
jǫfnum ‘’
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jafn (adj.; °comp. -ari, superl. -astr): even, just
hrǫfnum ‘to ravens’
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hrafn (noun m.; °hrafns; dat. hrafni; hrafnar): raven
[7] hrǫfnum: jǫfnum FskBˣ
hold ‘the flesh’
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hold (noun n.; °-s; -): flesh
Flæmingja ‘of the Flemings’
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flæmingi (noun m.): [Flemings]
goldit ‘to be doled out’
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1. gjalda (verb): pay, repay
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
|
Hilmir lét at Holmi |
The prince caused hard corpse-harmers [SWORDS] to be reddened in blood at Hólmr and east in Russia; why should men conceal that? The powerful subduer of the strife of men [JUST RULER] spoiled the bodies of the Valkerar; the army-commander [RULER] caused the flesh of the Flemings to be doled out to ravens.
See Introduction.
The pairing of helmingar follows Fsk and 310 (see Introduction); in Hkr and ÓT, the two helmingar stand alone and widely separated in the narrative.
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