Anon Hsv 133VII
Tarrin Wills and Stefanie Gropper (eds) 2007, ‘Anonymous Poems, Hugsvinnsmál 133’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 439-40.
text and translation
Mikit vatn gerir mörgum skaða,
þótt eigi falli straumar strítt;
svá er seggr slægr ok langþögull;
þarf æ við þeim at sjá.
Mikit vatn gerir skaða mörgum, þótt straumar falli eigi strítt; svá er slægr ok langþögull seggr; þarf æ at sjá við þeim.
‘A large river does harm to many, although the currents do not run strong; so too is a sly and long-silent man; it is always necessary to beware of that one.’
notes and context
Lat. parallel: (Dist. IV, 31) Demissos animo et tacitos vitare memento: / quod flumen placidum est, forsan latet altius unda ‘Remember to avoid those who are depressed and silent in their minds; when a river is peaceful, perhaps deeper water is hidden’. The same idea is expressed in st. 99, albeit in a less metaphorical way.
readings
- [1] vatn: vondt 624
- [2] mörgum: so 624, mögum 1199ˣ
- [3] eigi falli: falli eigi 624
- [3] strítt: ‘firitt’ 624
- [4] seggr: segir 624
- [6] þarf æ: þörf er 624
sources
Text is based on reconstruction from the base text and variant apparatus and may contain alternative spellings and other normalisations not visible in the manuscript text. Transcriptions may not have been checked and should not be cited.
-
Lbs 1199 4°x (1199x) — 75r/32 - 75v/1
imagesMikit vatn
gerir mögum skaða,
þótt eigi falli straumar strítt;
svá er seggr
slægr ok langþögull;
þarf æ við þeim at sjá.Mikid vatn giórir møgum skada, | þo ei falli Straumar strijtt, so er seggur slægur og läng þógull, þarf æ vid || þeim ad sia.
(VEÞ)
-
AM 624 4° (624) — 147/10 - 147/12
imagesMikit vondt
gerir mörgum skaða,
þótt falli eigi straumar †firitt†;
svá er segir
slægr ok langþögull;
þörf er við þeim at sjá.Mikit vondt giorer morgvm ska | da þ[o]tt falli eigi stravmar firitt suo er seiger slægur ok langþavgvll þavrf er | uid þeim at sia ·
(VEÞ)
-
AM 148 8vox (148x) — 75r/22 - 75v/1
miked vont giorer mórgum | skada, þö falle ei straumar strijtt, so er
seger(seggur) slægur og ⸝längþógull,⸜ || läng þógull, þórf er vid þeim ad siä.(VEÞ)
editions and texts
Skj: Anonyme digte og vers [XIII], [C. E/5]. Hugsvinnsmál 133: AII, 194, BII, 208, Skald II, 109; Hallgrímur Scheving 1831, 31, Gering 1907, 36, Tuvestrand 1977, 144, Hermann Pálsson 1985, 121.
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