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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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BjHall Kálffl 8I

Alison Finlay (ed.) 2012, ‘Bjarni gullbrárskáld Hallbjarnarson, Kálfsflokkr 8’ 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. 889.

Bjarni gullbrárskáld HallbjarnarsonKálfsflokkr
78

Frôgum ‘We [I] have heard’

(not checked:)
1. fregna (verb): hear of

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Finns ‘of Finnr’

(not checked:)
2. Finnr (noun m.): Finnr, Fiðr

kennings

mági Finns
‘the son-in-law of Finnr ’
   = Þorfinnr Sigurðarson

the son-in-law of Finnr → Þorfinnr Sigurðarson

notes

[1] mági Finns ‘the son-in-law of Finnr [= Þorfinnr Sigurðarson]’: Þorfinnr jarl Sigurðarson of Orkney is said in Orkn (ÍF 34, 63) to have married Ingibjǫrg, daughter of Kálfr’s brother Finnr.

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hvé ‘how’

(not checked:)
hvé (conj.): how

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mági ‘the son-in-law’

(not checked:)
mágr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i/-; -ar): brother-, father-, or son-in-law

kennings

mági Finns
‘the son-in-law of Finnr ’
   = Þorfinnr Sigurðarson

the son-in-law of Finnr → Þorfinnr Sigurðarson

notes

[1] mági Finns ‘the son-in-law of Finnr [= Þorfinnr Sigurðarson]’: Þorfinnr jarl Sigurðarson of Orkney is said in Orkn (ÍF 34, 63) to have married Ingibjǫrg, daughter of Kálfr’s brother Finnr.

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fylgðuð ‘you followed’

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2. fylgja (verb): follow, accompany

[2] fylgðuð: fylgði R702ˣ

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Kalfr ‘Kálfr’

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2. Kalfr (noun m.): Kálfr

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of ‘into’

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3. of (prep.): around, from; too

notes

[2] of dylgjur (f. acc. pl.) ‘into battle’: Here, as in Skj B and ÍF 27, dylgjur is taken in the general sense of ‘battle, enmity, hostility’ (see LP: dylgja, and cf. dolg ‘battle’). The ModIcel. sense of dylgjur is ‘insinuation, innuendo’, and ÍF 34 translates er hann hafði ögrað þér með svívirðingum ‘when he urged you shamefully’, taking this to refer to Þorfinnr’s persuasion of Kálfr to reject Magnús’s offer of reconciliation (see Context above).

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dylgjur ‘battle’

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dylgja (noun f.; °; -ur): hostility

notes

[2] of dylgjur (f. acc. pl.) ‘into battle’: Here, as in Skj B and ÍF 27, dylgjur is taken in the general sense of ‘battle, enmity, hostility’ (see LP: dylgja, and cf. dolg ‘battle’). The ModIcel. sense of dylgjur is ‘insinuation, innuendo’, and ÍF 34 translates er hann hafði ögrað þér með svívirðingum ‘when he urged you shamefully’, taking this to refer to Þorfinnr’s persuasion of Kálfr to reject Magnús’s offer of reconciliation (see Context above).

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ok ‘and’

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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also

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lézt ‘had’

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láta (verb): let, have sth done

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á ‘at’

(not checked:)
3. á (prep.): on, at

[3] á sæ: ‘as aa’ 61, yðrum R702ˣ

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‘sea’

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sjór (noun m.): sea

[3] á sæ: ‘as aa’ 61, yðrum R702ˣ

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snekkjur ‘warships’

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snekkja (noun f.; °-u; -ur): warship

[3] snekkjur: ‘sneckr’ 61, snekkjum R702ˣ

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snarla ‘quickly’

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1. snarla (adv.): quickly

[4] snarla: ‘s(ar)narlla’(?) 61, árla R702ˣ

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lagt ‘steered’

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leggja (verb): put, lay

[4] lagt at: sett með Tóm

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at ‘against’

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3. at (prep.): at, to

[4] lagt at: sett með Tóm

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jarli ‘the jarl’

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jarl (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i; -ar): poet, earl

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Áræði ‘the attack’

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áræði (noun n.; °-s): courage

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vannt ‘You succeeded’

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2. vinna (verb): perform, work

[5] vannt (‘uant þu’): so 61, Bb, Tóm, váttu Holm2, nátu R702ˣ, vartu Flat(133ra), Flat(135rb)

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eyða ‘in destroying’

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2. eyða (verb; °-dd-): destroy

[5] eyða: ‘ejdi’ Tóm

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óð ‘of the ragingly’

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2. óðr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): raging, furious < óðfúss (adj.): [desperately]

[6] óð‑: all‑ 61, odd‑ Bb, ó‑ Flat(133ra), Flat(135rb)

kennings

óðfúss sonar Brúsa,
‘of the ragingly eager son of Brúsi ’
   = Rǫgnvaldr

the ragingly eager son of Brúsi → Rǫgnvaldr
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fúss ‘eager’

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fúss (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): eager, willing < óðfúss (adj.): [desperately]

kennings

óðfúss sonar Brúsa,
‘of the ragingly eager son of Brúsi ’
   = Rǫgnvaldr

the ragingly eager son of Brúsi → Rǫgnvaldr
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sonar ‘son’

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sonr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. syni; synir, acc. sonu, syni): son

[6] sonar: syni 61, R702ˣ, Flat(133ra), Flat(135rb)

kennings

óðfúss sonar Brúsa,
‘of the ragingly eager son of Brúsi ’
   = Rǫgnvaldr

the ragingly eager son of Brúsi → Rǫgnvaldr
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Brúsa ‘of Brúsi’

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Brúsi (noun m.; °-a): Brúsi

kennings

óðfúss sonar Brúsa,
‘of the ragingly eager son of Brúsi ’
   = Rǫgnvaldr

the ragingly eager son of Brúsi → Rǫgnvaldr
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hléði ‘protected’

(not checked:)
hlýja (verb): protect

[7] hléði: hlœði 61, Tóm, Flat(133ra), Flat(135rb), ‘hlędut’ Bb

notes

[7] hléði ‘protected’: 3rd pers. sg. pret. indic. of hlýja ‘to cover, protect, warm’. ‘Protect’ seems the most suitable translation here, though ÍF 27 and ÍF 34 prefer the sense ‘to warm’, referring to Kálfr’s mind or courage growing hot.

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hugr ‘your courage’

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hugr (noun m.): mind, thought, courage

[7] hugr: ruðr 61, Flat(133ra), Flat(135rb)

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en ‘and’

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2. en (conj.): but, and

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téðuð ‘you supported’

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tjá (verb): to put in order, prepare

[7] téðuð: tœðit Tóm, tœðuð R702ˣ, ‘h(ly)dut’(?) Flat(133ra), réðut Flat(135rb)

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heipt ‘intent on’

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heift (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): hatred, enmity < heiftminnigr (adj.)

[8] heipt‑: hept Bb

notes

[8] heiptminnigr ‘intent on hostility’: ÍF 27 and ÍF 34 translate this with the more specific minnugur (forns) fjandskapar ‘mindful of former enmity’; there is no evidence of personal hostility between Kálfr and Rǫgnvaldr, but they had fought on opposite sides at Stiklastaðir (Stiklestad).

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minnigr ‘hostility’

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minnigr (adj.; °compar. minngari, superl. -astr/minngastr): mindful < heiftminnigr (adj.)

[8] ‑minnigr: ‑minnigum 61

notes

[8] heiptminnigr ‘intent on hostility’: ÍF 27 and ÍF 34 translate this with the more specific minnugur (forns) fjandskapar ‘mindful of former enmity’; there is no evidence of personal hostility between Kálfr and Rǫgnvaldr, but they had fought on opposite sides at Stiklastaðir (Stiklestad).

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Þór ‘Þor’

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(non-lexical) < Þórfinnr (noun m.): Þorfinnr

[8] Þórfinni: Þórfinn 61

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finni ‘finnr’

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(non-lexical) < Þórfinnr (noun m.): Þorfinnr

[8] Þórfinni: Þórfinn 61

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Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses

In Orkn ch. 26, the context is the sea-battle of Rauðabjǫrg (probably Roberry) between the joint jarls of Orkney, Þorfinnr Sigurðarson and his nephew Rǫgnvaldr Brúsason. Kálfr is present with six large ships but at first holds back because of divided loyalties: King Magnús has offered to restore his estates in Norway if he supports Rǫgnvaldr, but Þorfinnr is related to Kálfr by marriage, and makes a persuasive speech after which Kálfr orders his men to join battle on Þorfinnr’s side. The stanza is repeated in Flat, along with Arn Þorfdr 19II, 20II and 24II, in a strangely inappropriate context at the end of Orkn ch. 56, which deals with Þorfinnr’s son Páll. The context in ÓH is a compressed account of the events of Orkn, and refers implicitly to a version of Orkn as a source: oc er fra þvi laung saga ‘and there is a long saga about that’.

The battle of Rauðabjǫrg, fought in the Pentland Firth c. 1044, is also commemorated in Arn Lv 1II and Arn Þorfdr 19-22II. On the identification of the site, see Note to Arn Þorfdr 20/8II. — [6] óðfúss sonar Brúsa ‘of the ragingly eager son of Brúsi [= Rǫgnvaldr]’: On Rǫgnvaldr jarl Brúsason, see Arn RǫgndrII and SkP II, xciv-xcv. The reading of Flat, ófúss syni Brúsa, is likely to be influenced by the identical line Arn Lv 1/4II; that stanza immediately precedes Bjarni’s in Orkn.

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