ESk Lv 7^III

This stanza (ESk Lv 7) is transmitted in mss R (main ms.), Tˣ, W, U and A of Skm (SnE), as well as in mss 2368ˣ and 743ˣ of LaufE and in RE 1665(Kk3) (copied from a ms. close to 743ˣ and of no independent value). The poet is identified as Einarr (no patronymic) in all mss. For the attribution of this helmingr to Einarr Skúlason, see Fidjestøl (1982, 100). It is tempting to connect the stanza with the occasion (described in ESk Lv 3^II) on which Einarr travelled to Denmark (c. 1053) to present a poem to the Danish king Sveinn svíðandi ‘the Singeing’ Eiríksson (r. 1147-57) and received no reward for his efforts (see ÍF 35, 275). See also Finnur Jónsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 697-8).

Baugs, getr með þér þeygi,
þýðr, drengr vesa lengi,
(elg búum flóðs, nema fylgi)
friðstøkkvir (því nøkkvat).

Drengr getr þeygi vesa lengi með þér, {þýðr friðstøkkvir baugs}; búum {elg flóðs}, nema nøkkvat fylgi því.

The man certainly cannot remain long with you, {kind truce-banisher of the ring} [GENEROUS MAN]; we’ll ready {the elk of the flood} [SHIP] unless something follows [in return] for that.

Mss: R(35r), Tˣ(36v), W(80), U(34r), A(12r) (SnE); 2368ˣ(130), 743ˣ(97v) (LaufE)

Readings: [2] þýðr: þrúðr Tˣ;    vesa (‘vera’): una A    [3] elg búum: ‘eglbuinn’ 2368ˣ, ‘Elgbunn’ 743ˣ    [4] ‑støkkvir (‘‑stavkqvir’): ‘‑stocuir’ Tˣ, ‘‑stokkvir’ W, 743ˣ, ‘‑stockvir’ U, ‘‑stǫckvi’ A, ‘stóckuir’ 2368ˣ;    því: þér U, ‘þi’ A;    nøkkvat (‘nakqva’): ‘noccua’ Tˣ, ‘nakkva’ W, ‘nockvt’ U, ‘nokc ᷎’ A, ‘nóckua’ 2368ˣ, ‘nockva’ 743ˣ

Editions: Skj AI, 483, Skj BI, 455, Skald I, 224; SnE 1848-87, I, 444-5, II, 332, 443, III, 87-8, SnE 1931, 157, SnE 1998, I, 75; LaufE 1979, 394.

Context: Elgr flóðs ‘elk of the flood’ is given as an illustration of a ship-kenning in both Skm and LaufE.

Notes: [1, 4] friðstøkkvir baugs ‘truce-banisher of the ring [GENEROUS MAN]’: A man who banishes the truce of rings is a person who violates their peace by distributing them as gifts. Alternatively, baugr ‘ring’ could be taken as pars pro toto for ‘shield’ (see LP: baugr 4), in which case friðstøkkvir baugs ‘truce-banisher of the shield’ would be a kenning for ‘warrior’. — [3] elg ‘the elk’: This is the Eurasian elk (Alces alces). — [3] búum (1st pers. pl. pres. indic.) ‘we’ll ready’: Taken here as Einarr referring either to himself in the 1st pers. pl. or to himself and his men. It could also be construed as 1st pers. pl. imp. ‘let us ready’, but that is less likely because Einarr appears to be addressing a ruler. — [4] -støkkvir; nøkkvat ‘-banisher; something’: The vowel in this internal rhyme is ensured by -støkkvir (w-umlaut of [e], see AEW: 2. støkkva). For the many possible variant spellings of nøkkvat ‘something’, which caused scribal confusion in the various mss containing this stanza, see ANG §475.3. See also Lv 8/8 below and Note there. — [4] því ‘[in return] for that’: I.e. in return for the poem (see Introduction above).

References

1. Bibliography
2. SnE 1848-87 = Snorri Sturluson. 1848-87. Edda Snorra Sturlusonar: Edda Snorronis Sturlaei. Ed. Jón Sigurðsson et al. 3 vols. Copenhagen: Legatum Arnamagnaeanum. Rpt. Osnabrück: Zeller, 1966.
3. Skald = Kock, Ernst Albin, ed. 1946-50. Den norsk-isländska skaldediktningen. 2 vols. Lund: Gleerup.
4. LaufE 1979 = Faulkes, Anthony, ed. 1979. Edda Magnúsar Ólafssonar (Laufás Edda). RSÁM 13. Vol. I of Two Versions of Snorra Edda from the 17th Century. Reykjavík: Stofnun Árna Magnússonar, 1977-9.
5. AEW = Vries, Jan de. 1962. Altnordisches etymologisches Wörterbuch. 2nd rev. edn. Rpt. 1977. Leiden: Brill.
6. LP = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1931. Lexicon poeticum antiquæ linguæ septentrionalis: Ordbog over det norsk-islandske skjaldesprog oprindelig forfattet af Sveinbjörn Egilsson. 2nd edn. Copenhagen: Møller.
7. Fidjestøl, Bjarne. 1982. Det norrøne fyrstediktet. Universitet i Bergen Nordisk institutts skriftserie 11. Øvre Ervik: Alvheim & Eide.
8. ANG = Noreen, Adolf. 1923. Altnordische Grammatik I: Altisländische und altnorwegische Grammatik (Laut- und Flexionslehre) unter Berücksichtigung des Urnordischen. 4th edn. Halle: Niemeyer. 1st edn. 1884. 5th unrev. edn. 1970. Tübingen: Niemeyer.
9. ÍF 35 = Danakonunga sǫgur. Ed. Bjarni Guðnason. 1982.
10. SnE 1931 = Snorri Sturluson. 1931. Edda Snorra Sturlusonar. Ed. Finnur Jónsson. Copenhagen: Gyldendal.
11. SnE 1998 = Snorri Sturluson. 1998. Edda: Skáldskaparmál. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2 vols. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
12. Internal references
13. Edith Marold 2017, ‘Snorra Edda (Prologue, Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál)’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols [check printed volume for citation].
14. Kari Ellen Gade 2017, ‘(Biography of) Einarr Skúlason’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 140.
15. (forthcoming), ‘ Snorri Sturluson, Skáldskaparmál’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=112> (accessed 7 May 2024)
16. Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Einarr Skúlason, Lausavísur 3’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 570-1.
17. Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2017, ‘Einarr Skúlason, Lausavísur 7’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 169.
18. (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Laufás Edda’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=10928> (accessed 7 May 2024)