BjHall Kálffl 3I
Alison Finlay (ed.) 2012, ‘Bjarni gullbrárskáld Hallbjarnarson, Kálfsflokkr 3’ 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. 882.
Austr ‘eastwards’
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3. austr (adv.; °compar. -ar, superl. -ast): east, in the east
notes
[1] austr ‘eastwards’: The adv. is used elsewhere for Garðar or Garðaríki (Russia), e.g. Hfr Óldr 4/4, Anon Krm 3/6VIII.
réð ‘set about’
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ráða (verb): advise, rule, interpret, decide
all ‘The mighty’
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all- ((prefix)): very < allvaldr (noun m.): mighty ruler
valdr ‘ruler’
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valdr (noun m.): ruler < allvaldr (noun m.): mighty ruler
[1] ‑valdr: ‑vald 325V
ótála ‘undoubtedly’
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ótála (adv.): undoubtedly
notes
[2] ótála ‘undoubtedy’: This word occurs in the skaldic corpus only here and in st. 4/4. LP: ótála relates it to tá ‘pair’, a word occurring only in a þula of terms for numbers of people in SnE (1998, I, 106), and interprets it as ‘certainly, without doubt’; cf. adv. tálaust (n. of adj. tálauss), with the same sense.
haf ‘the ocean’
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haf (noun n.; °-s; *-): sea
[2] haf: ‘har’ 321ˣ, hug‑ 68, ‘háf‑’ 325VII
stáli ‘with the prow’
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1. stál (noun n.; °-s; -): steel, weapon, prow
notes
[2] stáli ‘the prow’: More precisely, the stem-post, part of the ship’s prow (Jesch 2001a, 150).
varð ‘had to make’
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1. verða (verb): become, be
at ‘to’
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5. at (nota): to (with infinitive)
vitja ‘his way’
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vitja (verb): visit
Garða ‘Russia’
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Garðar (noun m.): Russia
víg ‘the battle’
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víg (noun n.; °-s; -): battle < vígmóðr (adj.): [battle-furious]
[4] víg‑: haug‑ 68
kennings
vígmóðr bróðir Haralds‘the battle-weary brother of Haraldr ’
= Óláfr
the battle-weary brother of Haraldr → Óláfr
notes
[4] vígmóðr ‘battle-weary’: This interpretation fits Óláfr’s situation as he flees Norway; -móðr n. in cpd adjectives can alternatively mean ‘courageous’ (see LP: 1. móðr, 2. móðr).
móðr ‘weary’
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móðr (adj.): weary < vígmóðr (adj.): [battle-furious]
kennings
vígmóðr bróðir Haralds‘the battle-weary brother of Haraldr ’
= Óláfr
the battle-weary brother of Haraldr → Óláfr
notes
[4] vígmóðr ‘battle-weary’: This interpretation fits Óláfr’s situation as he flees Norway; -móðr n. in cpd adjectives can alternatively mean ‘courageous’ (see LP: 1. móðr, 2. móðr).
Haralds ‘of Haraldr’
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Haraldr (noun m.): Haraldr
kennings
vígmóðr bróðir Haralds‘the battle-weary brother of Haraldr ’
= Óláfr
the battle-weary brother of Haraldr → Óláfr
notes
[4] bróðir Haralds ‘brother of Haraldr [= Óláfr]’: Óláfr Haraldsson, whose half-brother became Haraldr harðráði ‘Hard-ruler’ Sigurðarson. The kenning may suggest a time of composition for the poem during the reign of Haraldr (1046-66). Cf. also st. 7/4 and Note.
bróðir ‘brother’
[4] bróðir: bróður 325VII
kennings
vígmóðr bróðir Haralds‘the battle-weary brother of Haraldr ’
= Óláfr
the battle-weary brother of Haraldr → Óláfr
notes
[4] bróðir Haralds ‘brother of Haraldr [= Óláfr]’: Óláfr Haraldsson, whose half-brother became Haraldr harðráði ‘Hard-ruler’ Sigurðarson. The kenning may suggest a time of composition for the poem during the reign of Haraldr (1046-66). Cf. also st. 7/4 and Note.
Enn ‘But’
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2. en (conj.): but, and
notes
[5-7] enn emkak tamr at samna skrǫkvi of íðnir manna ‘but I am not ready to gather false stories about people’s actions’: The unusually emphatic assertion of the reliability of the poet’s account may simply focus attention on the telling moment of Kálfr’s abandonment of his allegiance to Óláfr, or it may perhaps indicate some controversy about Kálfr’s actions, particularly in light of the poem’s composition some years after the events recorded. Indeed, the narrative in ÓH-Hkr does not entirely follow the stanza’s assertion that Kálfr went immediately to Knútr, instead indicating that he first visited his estates, and pledged allegiance to Hákon jarl Eiríksson.
notes
[5-7] enn emkak tamr at samna skrǫkvi of íðnir manna ‘but I am not ready to gather false stories about people’s actions’: The unusually emphatic assertion of the reliability of the poet’s account may simply focus attention on the telling moment of Kálfr’s abandonment of his allegiance to Óláfr, or it may perhaps indicate some controversy about Kálfr’s actions, particularly in light of the poem’s composition some years after the events recorded. Indeed, the narrative in ÓH-Hkr does not entirely follow the stanza’s assertion that Kálfr went immediately to Knútr, instead indicating that he first visited his estates, and pledged allegiance to Hákon jarl Eiríksson.
íðnir ‘actions’
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iðn (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): task
notes
[5-7] enn emkak tamr at samna skrǫkvi of íðnir manna ‘but I am not ready to gather false stories about people’s actions’: The unusually emphatic assertion of the reliability of the poet’s account may simply focus attention on the telling moment of Kálfr’s abandonment of his allegiance to Óláfr, or it may perhaps indicate some controversy about Kálfr’s actions, particularly in light of the poem’s composition some years after the events recorded. Indeed, the narrative in ÓH-Hkr does not entirely follow the stanza’s assertion that Kálfr went immediately to Knútr, instead indicating that he first visited his estates, and pledged allegiance to Hákon jarl Eiríksson.
manna ‘people’s’
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maðr (noun m.): man, person
notes
[5-7] enn emkak tamr at samna skrǫkvi of íðnir manna ‘but I am not ready to gather false stories about people’s actions’: The unusually emphatic assertion of the reliability of the poet’s account may simply focus attention on the telling moment of Kálfr’s abandonment of his allegiance to Óláfr, or it may perhaps indicate some controversy about Kálfr’s actions, particularly in light of the poem’s composition some years after the events recorded. Indeed, the narrative in ÓH-Hkr does not entirely follow the stanza’s assertion that Kálfr went immediately to Knútr, instead indicating that he first visited his estates, and pledged allegiance to Hákon jarl Eiríksson.
emkak ‘I am not’
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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
[6] emkak (‘emca ec’): emka ok 321ˣ, einka ek Bb, Flat, Tóm, einka er FskAˣ, 301ˣ
notes
[5-7] enn emkak tamr at samna skrǫkvi of íðnir manna ‘but I am not ready to gather false stories about people’s actions’: The unusually emphatic assertion of the reliability of the poet’s account may simply focus attention on the telling moment of Kálfr’s abandonment of his allegiance to Óláfr, or it may perhaps indicate some controversy about Kálfr’s actions, particularly in light of the poem’s composition some years after the events recorded. Indeed, the narrative in ÓH-Hkr does not entirely follow the stanza’s assertion that Kálfr went immediately to Knútr, instead indicating that he first visited his estates, and pledged allegiance to Hákon jarl Eiríksson.
tamr ‘ready’
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tamr (adj.; °superl. -astr): experienced, ready, tame
[6] tamr: samr 68, Bb, þarfr 61
notes
[5-7] enn emkak tamr at samna skrǫkvi of íðnir manna ‘but I am not ready to gather false stories about people’s actions’: The unusually emphatic assertion of the reliability of the poet’s account may simply focus attention on the telling moment of Kálfr’s abandonment of his allegiance to Óláfr, or it may perhaps indicate some controversy about Kálfr’s actions, particularly in light of the poem’s composition some years after the events recorded. Indeed, the narrative in ÓH-Hkr does not entirely follow the stanza’s assertion that Kálfr went immediately to Knútr, instead indicating that he first visited his estates, and pledged allegiance to Hákon jarl Eiríksson.
notes
[5-7] enn emkak tamr at samna skrǫkvi of íðnir manna ‘but I am not ready to gather false stories about people’s actions’: The unusually emphatic assertion of the reliability of the poet’s account may simply focus attention on the telling moment of Kálfr’s abandonment of his allegiance to Óláfr, or it may perhaps indicate some controversy about Kálfr’s actions, particularly in light of the poem’s composition some years after the events recorded. Indeed, the narrative in ÓH-Hkr does not entirely follow the stanza’s assertion that Kálfr went immediately to Knútr, instead indicating that he first visited his estates, and pledged allegiance to Hákon jarl Eiríksson.
notes
[5-7] enn emkak tamr at samna skrǫkvi of íðnir manna ‘but I am not ready to gather false stories about people’s actions’: The unusually emphatic assertion of the reliability of the poet’s account may simply focus attention on the telling moment of Kálfr’s abandonment of his allegiance to Óláfr, or it may perhaps indicate some controversy about Kálfr’s actions, particularly in light of the poem’s composition some years after the events recorded. Indeed, the narrative in ÓH-Hkr does not entirely follow the stanza’s assertion that Kálfr went immediately to Knútr, instead indicating that he first visited his estates, and pledged allegiance to Hákon jarl Eiríksson.
skrǫkvi ‘false stories’
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skrǫk (noun n.; °dat. -i/-vi; -): [false stories]
[7] skrǫkvi: so J2ˣ, 68, 61, 325V, ‘screyci’ Holm2, skrauti 321ˣ, ‘skinki’ 73aˣ, ‘skrævki’ 325VII, ‘skryki’ Bb, ‘skroki’ Flat, ‘skaurka’ Tóm, ‘scrꜹki’ Kˣ, skræki FskAˣ, 301ˣ
notes
[5-7] enn emkak tamr at samna skrǫkvi of íðnir manna ‘but I am not ready to gather false stories about people’s actions’: The unusually emphatic assertion of the reliability of the poet’s account may simply focus attention on the telling moment of Kálfr’s abandonment of his allegiance to Óláfr, or it may perhaps indicate some controversy about Kálfr’s actions, particularly in light of the poem’s composition some years after the events recorded. Indeed, the narrative in ÓH-Hkr does not entirely follow the stanza’s assertion that Kálfr went immediately to Knútr, instead indicating that he first visited his estates, and pledged allegiance to Hákon jarl Eiríksson.
skilnað ‘parting’
[7] skilnað: skilnuð 68, Bb
ykkarn ‘your’
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it (pron.; °gen. ykkar, dat./acc. ykkr): you (two)
[7] ykkarn: okkarn 68, ‘yckannar’ 325V, ykkvan Tóm
skjótt ‘you quickly’
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2. skjótr (adj.): quick(ly)
Knút ‘Knútr’
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knútr (noun m.; °-s; dat. -i/-; -ar): knot, Cnut; ?scorpion
[8] Knút of sóttan: Knútr af sátum 73aˣ
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
In ÓH-Hkr, King Óláfr has gone into exile in Russia, and Kálfr has sworn allegiance to King Óláfr’s opponent Hákon jarl (ÓH 1941, I, 500, 505; ÍF 27, 328, 332). The following spring, Kálfr sails to England to join King Knútr, who has just arrived there from Denmark. The more concise Fsk narrative reaches a slightly later point, where Knútr promises Kálfr authority in Norway, before the stanza is cited (and see Note to [All] below).
Stanzas 3/5-8 and 4/5-8 form a unitary stanza in Fsk. — [7] skrǫkvi; at skilnað ykkarn: It is necessary to assume elision of skrǫkvi at here, to produce a regular line of six syllables, but elision does not normally cross syntactic boundaries in skaldic poetry before the thirteenth century, and it is possible that the original reading was acc. skrǫk rather than dat. skrǫkvi, though no ms. has this form.
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