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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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ESk Frag 4III

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.

Einarr SkúlasonFragments
345

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.), , 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.

References

  1. Bibliography
  2. Skj B = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1912-15b. Den norsk-islandske skjaldedigtning. B: Rettet tekst. 2 vols. Copenhagen: Villadsen & Christensen. Rpt. 1973. Copenhagen: Rosenkilde & Bagger.
  3. 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.
  4. Skald = Kock, Ernst Albin, ed. 1946-50. Den norsk-isländska skaldediktningen. 2 vols. Lund: Gleerup.
  5. 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.
  6. Meissner = Meissner, Rudolf. 1921. Die Kenningar der Skalden: Ein Beitrag zur skaldischen Poetik. Rheinische Beiträge und Hülfsbücher zur germanischen Philologie und Volkskunde 1. Bonn and Leipzig: Schroeder. Rpt. 1984. Hildesheim etc.: Olms.
  7. 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.
  8. SnE 1931 = Snorri Sturluson. 1931. Edda Snorra Sturlusonar. Ed. Finnur Jónsson. Copenhagen: Gyldendal.
  9. SnE 1998 = Snorri Sturluson. 1998. Edda: Skáldskaparmál. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2 vols. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
  10. Internal references
  11. 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].
  12. (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 28 March 2024)
  13. Kari Ellen Gade 2009, ‘ Einarr Skúlason, Haraldsdrápa I’ 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. 542-4. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1145> (accessed 28 March 2024)
  14. 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.
  15. Edith Marold (ed.) 2012, ‘Einarr skálaglamm Helgason, Vellekla 34’ 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. 326.
  16. Edith Marold (ed.) 2022, ‘Kormáks saga 40 (Hólmgǫngu-Bersi Véleifsson, Lausavísur 6)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross, Kari Ellen Gade and Tarrin Wills (eds), Poetry in Sagas of Icelanders. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 5. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 1096.
  17. Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Sturla Þórðarson, Hrafnsmál 1’ 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, p. 728.
  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 28 March 2024)
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