Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2017, ‘Einarr Skúlason, Fragments 4’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 155.
Jón Sigurðsson (SnE 1848-87, III, 356) assigned this half-stanza (ESk Frag 4) to Einarr’s panegyric about Haraldr gillikristr ‘Servant of Christ’ Magnússon (r. 1130-6) (ESk Hardr III). Although the helmingr appears to have been part of a royal encomium, there is no evidence to support such an attribution. The stanza is preserved in mss R (main ms.), Tˣ, W, U, A and C of Skm (SnE) and also in LaufE (mss 2368ˣ, 743ˣ). The poet’s name is given as Einarr (without patronymic) in all mss of SnE and in ms. 2368ˣ of LaufE. In 743ˣ the stanza is preceded by so sem q Bersi [open space] og Einar skalagl ‘as Bersi said … and Einarr skálagl[amm]’. This must have resulted from scribal confusion: in SnE the stanza is preceded by HólmgB Lv 6/1-4V (Korm 40) and followed by Eskál Vell 34I. The half-stanza is also preserved in RE 1665(Ii3), which has no independent value.
Glymvindi lætr Gǫndlar
— gnestr hjǫrr — taka mestum
Hildar segl, þars hagli,
hraustr þengill, drífr strengjar.
Hraustr þengill lætr {segl Hildar} taka {mestum glymvindi Gǫndlar}, þars drífr {hagli strengjar}; hjǫrr gnestr.
The brave ruler makes {Hildr’s <valkyrie’s> sail} [SHIELD] catch {the strongest roaring wind of Gǫndul <valkyrie>} [BATTLE] where {hail of the bow-string} [ARROWS] is driven; the sword crashes.
Mss: R(33v), Tˣ(35r), W(77), U(32v), A(11r), C(5r) (SnE); 2368ˣ(121), 743ˣ(92r) (LaufE)
Readings: [1] Glymvindi: glymjandi A; lætr: setr U; Gǫndlar: so Tˣ, U, A, gǫndla R, W, 2368ˣ, 743ˣ, ‘gaunlar’ C [2] gnestr: so Tˣ, W, U, A, 2368ˣ, 743ˣ, gnest R, gnast C; taka: ‘tak[…]’ U; mestum: mestan A, 2368ˣ [4] strengjar: so all others, ‘stengiar’ R
Editions: Skj AI, 480, Skj BI, 452, Skald I, 222; SnE 1848-87, I, 418-19, II, 327, 438, 587, III, 77-8, SnE 1931, 149, SnE 1998, I, 67; LaufE 1979, 383.
Context: Glymvindr Gǫndlar ‘the roaring wind of Gǫndul’ is listed as one of several examples of battle-kennings in Skm. In LaufE, vindr Gǫndlar ‘the wind of Gǫndul’ is a kenning for ‘battle’.
Notes: [1] glymvindi Gǫndlar ‘the roaring wind of Gǫndul <valkyrie> [BATTLE]’: Both glymr Gǫndlar ‘the roar of Gǫndul’ and vindr Gǫndlar ‘the wind of Gǫndul’ are kennings for ‘battle’, but the prefix glym- ‘roar(ing)’ probably has an adjectival force here. For kennings of a similar structure, see Note to Sturl Hrafn 1/3-4II. In LP: glymvindr Finnur Jónsson translates glymvindr Gǫndlar as kamp ‘battle’, but in Skj B he gives skudbyge ‘shower of missiles’. Faulkes (SnE 1998, II, 291) has ‘noisy wind, in kenning for storm of battle … i.e. missiles flying like rain’. See also Meissner 182-3. — [3] Hildar ‘Hildr’s <valkyrie’s>’: As a common noun hildr means ‘battle’, but the word is taken here as a pers. n. to retain the valkyrie-imagery. — [4] drífr ‘is driven’: Lit. ‘drifts’ (3rd pers. sg. pres. indic.). The verb is used impersonally with hagli strengjar ‘hail of the bow-string’ (ll. 3, 4) as the dat. object.
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