Martin Chase (ed.) 2007, ‘Einarr Skúlason, Geisli 38’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 39.
Frétt hefk, at sá sótti
síðan malma stríðir
heim, þanns hjǫlp gefr aumum
harmskerðanda, ferðum.
Hér fekk hann — en byrja
hôtt kvæði skalk — bæði
snáka vangs of sløngvi
slungins mál ok tungu.
Frétt hefk, at {sá stríðir malma} síðan sótti heim {harmskerðanda}, þanns gefr hjǫlp aumum ferðum. Hér fekk hann bæði mál ok tungu; en skalk byrja hôtt kvæði of {sløngvi {vangs slungins snáka}}.
I have heard, that {that enemy of weapons} [WARRIOR = Kolbeinn] then sought the home {of the harm-diminisher} [SAINT = Óláfr], the one who gives help to wretched men. Here he received both speech and tongue; and I shall deliver an elevated poem about {the distributor {of the field of the coiled snake}} [GOLD > GENEROUS MAN].
Mss: Flat(2rb), Bb(117vb)
Readings: [4] harmskerðanda: so Bb, ‘hardskerdand[...]’ Flat [7] of: ok Bb; sløngvi: ‘slavnge’ Bb [8] slungins: so Bb, slungin Flat
Editions: Skj AI, 466, Skj BI, 436, Skald I, 215, NN §940; Flat 1860-8, I, 4, Cederschiöld 1873, 6, Chase 2005, 88, 151.
Notes: [4] harmskerðanda (gen. sg.) ‘of the harm-diminisher’: The Bb version of this hap. leg. must be the correct reading. Flat reads ‘harskerdand[…]’ (the final letter in doubt, probably either ‘a’ or ‘i’), which is nonsense in context. ‘Harm-diminisher’ emphasises the image of Óláfr expressed by the stef, and is analogous to fárskerðandi ‘misfortune-diminisher’ in 63/7.
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