Gamlkan Has 13VII
Katrina Attwood (ed.) 2007, ‘Gamli kanóki, Harmsól 13’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 85-6.
Létk ‘I allowed’
(not checked:)
láta (verb): let, have sth done
í ‘to’
(not checked:)
í (prep.): in, into
ljós ‘light’
(not checked:)
ljóss (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): bright
fyr ‘before’
(not checked:)
fyr (prep.): for, over, because of, etc.
gautum ‘the men’
(not checked:)
gauti (noun m.): man, Geat
kennings
gautum fróns laxa láðs,‘the men of the land of the salmon, ’
= MEN
the land of the salmon, → SEA
the land of the SEA → GOLD
the men of the GOLD → MEN
notes
[1] Gautum (dat. pl.) ‘Óðinns’: Gautr is given as a heiti for Óðinn in Grí 54/6 and in Þul Óðins 1/6III. It occurs regularly in kennings for men and battle.
láðs ‘of the land’
(not checked:)
2. láð (noun n.): earth, land
kennings
gautum fróns laxa láðs,‘the men of the land of the salmon, ’
= MEN
the land of the salmon, → SEA
the land of the SEA → GOLD
the men of the GOLD → MEN
láðs ‘of the land’
(not checked:)
2. láð (noun n.): earth, land
kennings
gautum fróns laxa láðs,‘the men of the land of the salmon, ’
= MEN
the land of the salmon, → SEA
the land of the SEA → GOLD
the men of the GOLD → MEN
láðs ‘of the land’
(not checked:)
2. láð (noun n.): earth, land
kennings
gautum fróns laxa láðs,‘the men of the land of the salmon, ’
= MEN
the land of the salmon, → SEA
the land of the SEA → GOLD
the men of the GOLD → MEN
nǫkkurar ‘certain’
(not checked:)
nøkkurr (pron.): some, a certain
dáðir ‘deeds’
(not checked:)
dáð (noun f.; °; -ir): feat, deed
laxa ‘of the salmon’
(not checked:)
lax (noun m.; °; -ar): salmon
kennings
gautum fróns laxa láðs,‘the men of the land of the salmon, ’
= MEN
the land of the salmon, → SEA
the land of the SEA → GOLD
the men of the GOLD → MEN
notes
[3] laxa fróns en leyndak: B’s reading produces an irregular skothending fróns : leynda. That fróns may be an interpolation is suggested by the context, since the gold-kenning frón laxa láðs ‘land of the salmon of the land’, is somewhat clumsy and repetitious. Jón Helgason (1935-6, 255) suggested emendation of fróns to brands gen. sg. of brandr ‘fire, flame’. This emendation gives a -nd : -nd rhyme and makes for a more conventional gold-kenning, gautar brands láðs laxa ‘men of the fire of the land of the salmon’.
laxa ‘of the salmon’
(not checked:)
lax (noun m.; °; -ar): salmon
kennings
gautum fróns laxa láðs,‘the men of the land of the salmon, ’
= MEN
the land of the salmon, → SEA
the land of the SEA → GOLD
the men of the GOLD → MEN
notes
[3] laxa fróns en leyndak: B’s reading produces an irregular skothending fróns : leynda. That fróns may be an interpolation is suggested by the context, since the gold-kenning frón laxa láðs ‘land of the salmon of the land’, is somewhat clumsy and repetitious. Jón Helgason (1935-6, 255) suggested emendation of fróns to brands gen. sg. of brandr ‘fire, flame’. This emendation gives a -nd : -nd rhyme and makes for a more conventional gold-kenning, gautar brands láðs laxa ‘men of the fire of the land of the salmon’.
laxa ‘of the salmon’
(not checked:)
lax (noun m.; °; -ar): salmon
kennings
gautum fróns laxa láðs,‘the men of the land of the salmon, ’
= MEN
the land of the salmon, → SEA
the land of the SEA → GOLD
the men of the GOLD → MEN
notes
[3] laxa fróns en leyndak: B’s reading produces an irregular skothending fróns : leynda. That fróns may be an interpolation is suggested by the context, since the gold-kenning frón laxa láðs ‘land of the salmon of the land’, is somewhat clumsy and repetitious. Jón Helgason (1935-6, 255) suggested emendation of fróns to brands gen. sg. of brandr ‘fire, flame’. This emendation gives a -nd : -nd rhyme and makes for a more conventional gold-kenning, gautar brands láðs laxa ‘men of the fire of the land of the salmon’.
fróns ‘of the land’
(not checked:)
2. frón (noun n.): earth, land
kennings
gautum fróns laxa láðs,‘the men of the land of the salmon, ’
= MEN
the land of the salmon, → SEA
the land of the SEA → GOLD
the men of the GOLD → MEN
notes
[3] laxa fróns en leyndak: B’s reading produces an irregular skothending fróns : leynda. That fróns may be an interpolation is suggested by the context, since the gold-kenning frón laxa láðs ‘land of the salmon of the land’, is somewhat clumsy and repetitious. Jón Helgason (1935-6, 255) suggested emendation of fróns to brands gen. sg. of brandr ‘fire, flame’. This emendation gives a -nd : -nd rhyme and makes for a more conventional gold-kenning, gautar brands láðs laxa ‘men of the fire of the land of the salmon’.
fróns ‘of the land’
(not checked:)
2. frón (noun n.): earth, land
kennings
gautum fróns laxa láðs,‘the men of the land of the salmon, ’
= MEN
the land of the salmon, → SEA
the land of the SEA → GOLD
the men of the GOLD → MEN
notes
[3] laxa fróns en leyndak: B’s reading produces an irregular skothending fróns : leynda. That fróns may be an interpolation is suggested by the context, since the gold-kenning frón laxa láðs ‘land of the salmon of the land’, is somewhat clumsy and repetitious. Jón Helgason (1935-6, 255) suggested emendation of fróns to brands gen. sg. of brandr ‘fire, flame’. This emendation gives a -nd : -nd rhyme and makes for a more conventional gold-kenning, gautar brands láðs laxa ‘men of the fire of the land of the salmon’.
en ‘but’
(not checked:)
2. en (conj.): but, and
notes
[3] laxa fróns en leyndak: B’s reading produces an irregular skothending fróns : leynda. That fróns may be an interpolation is suggested by the context, since the gold-kenning frón laxa láðs ‘land of the salmon of the land’, is somewhat clumsy and repetitious. Jón Helgason (1935-6, 255) suggested emendation of fróns to brands gen. sg. of brandr ‘fire, flame’. This emendation gives a -nd : -nd rhyme and makes for a more conventional gold-kenning, gautar brands láðs laxa ‘men of the fire of the land of the salmon’.
leyndak ‘I concealed’
(not checked:)
1. leyna (verb): hide, conceal
[3] leyndak (‘ek leynda’): so 399a‑bˣ, ‘[...]k ley[...]da’ B
notes
[3] laxa fróns en leyndak: B’s reading produces an irregular skothending fróns : leynda. That fróns may be an interpolation is suggested by the context, since the gold-kenning frón laxa láðs ‘land of the salmon of the land’, is somewhat clumsy and repetitious. Jón Helgason (1935-6, 255) suggested emendation of fróns to brands gen. sg. of brandr ‘fire, flame’. This emendation gives a -nd : -nd rhyme and makes for a more conventional gold-kenning, gautar brands láðs laxa ‘men of the fire of the land of the salmon’.
lǫskum ‘weaknesses’
(not checked:)
laskr (noun m.; °dat. -): [weaknesses]
þôtt ‘as best’
(not checked:)
þáttr (noun m.; °dat. þǽtti; þǽttir, acc. þáttu): strand, tale
sem ‘’
(not checked:)
sem (conj.): as, which
máttak ‘I could’
(not checked:)
mega (verb): may, might
seggja ‘of men’
(not checked:)
seggr (noun m.; °; -ir): man
kennings
seggja kind‘to the race of men ’
= MANKIND
to the race of men → MANKIND
kind ‘to the race’
(not checked:)
kind (noun f.; °-ar; -r): offspring, race
kennings
seggja kind‘to the race of men ’
= MANKIND
to the race of men → MANKIND
at ‘so that’
(not checked:)
4. at (conj.): that
sýndisk ‘I should appear’
(not checked:)
sýna (verb): show, seem
setrs ‘of the seat’
(not checked:)
setr (noun n.; °-s; -): seat, abode
kennings
hár vísi setrs sunnu.‘high king of the seat of the sun.’
= God
the seat of the sun. → SKY/HEAVEN
high king of the SKY/HEAVEN → God
notes
[6-8] hár vísi setrs sunnu ‘high king of the seat of the sun [SKY/HEAVEN > = God]’: Cf. the God-kennings harri setrs sunnu ‘ruler of the seat of the sun’ in 49/5-8 and siklingr setrs sunnu ‘prince of the seat of the sun’ in Leið 13/7-8.
setrs ‘of the seat’
(not checked:)
setr (noun n.; °-s; -): seat, abode
kennings
hár vísi setrs sunnu.‘high king of the seat of the sun.’
= God
the seat of the sun. → SKY/HEAVEN
high king of the SKY/HEAVEN → God
notes
[6-8] hár vísi setrs sunnu ‘high king of the seat of the sun [SKY/HEAVEN > = God]’: Cf. the God-kennings harri setrs sunnu ‘ruler of the seat of the sun’ in 49/5-8 and siklingr setrs sunnu ‘prince of the seat of the sun’ in Leið 13/7-8.
þokka ‘a great’
(not checked:)
2. þykkr (adj.): thick
mun ‘deal’
(not checked:)
munu (verb): will, must
betri ‘better’
(not checked:)
betri (adj. comp.; °superl. beztr/baztr; pos. góðr adj.): better, best
kennings
hár vísi setrs sunnu.‘high king of the seat of the sun.’
= God
the seat of the sun. → SKY/HEAVEN
high king of the SKY/HEAVEN → God
notes
[6-8] hár vísi setrs sunnu ‘high king of the seat of the sun [SKY/HEAVEN > = God]’: Cf. the God-kennings harri setrs sunnu ‘ruler of the seat of the sun’ in 49/5-8 and siklingr setrs sunnu ‘prince of the seat of the sun’ in Leið 13/7-8.
hár ‘high’
(not checked:)
3. hár (adj.; °-van; compar. hǽrri, superl. hǽstr): high
kennings
hár vísi setrs sunnu.‘high king of the seat of the sun.’
= God
the seat of the sun. → SKY/HEAVEN
high king of the SKY/HEAVEN → God
notes
[6-8] hár vísi setrs sunnu ‘high king of the seat of the sun [SKY/HEAVEN > = God]’: Cf. the God-kennings harri setrs sunnu ‘ruler of the seat of the sun’ in 49/5-8 and siklingr setrs sunnu ‘prince of the seat of the sun’ in Leið 13/7-8.
an ‘than’
(not checked:)
2. an (conj.): than
vel ‘well’
(not checked:)
vel (adv.): well, very
kunnum ‘pleased’
(not checked:)
kunna (verb): know, can, be able
sunnu ‘of the sun’
(not checked:)
sunna (noun f.): sun
kennings
hár vísi setrs sunnu.‘high king of the seat of the sun.’
= God
the seat of the sun. → SKY/HEAVEN
high king of the SKY/HEAVEN → God
notes
[6-8] hár vísi setrs sunnu ‘high king of the seat of the sun [SKY/HEAVEN > = God]’: Cf. the God-kennings harri setrs sunnu ‘ruler of the seat of the sun’ in 49/5-8 and siklingr setrs sunnu ‘prince of the seat of the sun’ in Leið 13/7-8.
sunnu ‘of the sun’
(not checked:)
sunna (noun f.): sun
kennings
hár vísi setrs sunnu.‘high king of the seat of the sun.’
= God
the seat of the sun. → SKY/HEAVEN
high king of the SKY/HEAVEN → God
notes
[6-8] hár vísi setrs sunnu ‘high king of the seat of the sun [SKY/HEAVEN > = God]’: Cf. the God-kennings harri setrs sunnu ‘ruler of the seat of the sun’ in 49/5-8 and siklingr setrs sunnu ‘prince of the seat of the sun’ in Leið 13/7-8.
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
|
Létk í ljós fyr gautum |
I allowed certain deeds to come to light before the men of the land of the land of the salmon [SEA > GOLD > MEN], but I concealed my weaknesses as best I could, so that I should appear to the race of men [MANKIND] a great deal better than I was; we were [I was] well pleased with that, high king of the seat of the sun [SKY/HEAVEN > = God].
[5-8]: There have been several attempts to interpret the second helmingr. This edn follows Finnur Jónsson in Skj B. Finnur emended væri (l. 7) to værak, and construed at sýndisk seggja kind þokka mun betri an værak, which he translated (jeg skulte min efterladenhed, sem jeg kunde,) for at jeg skulde syndes betydelig bedre end jeg var ‘[I covered my negligence as well as I could,] so that I might appear considerably better than I was’. Jón Helgason (1935-6, 255) retained væri (l. 7), taking seggja kind as the subject, translating jeg var fornøyet med at menneskene vilde synes betydelig bedre end de var, himlens høje kong ‘I was pleased that men wanted to appear considerably better than they were, high king of heaven’. Kock (NN §2930), perhaps following Kempff and Sveinbjörn Egilsson, objects to seggja kind as the subject, and interprets the helmingr in much the same way as Finnur does.
Stanza/chapter/text segment
Use the buttons at the top of the page to navigate between stanzas in a poem.
Information tab
- text: if the stanza has been published, the edited text of the stanza and translation are here; if it hasn't been published an old edition (usually Skj) is given for reference
- sources: a list of the manuscripts or inscriptions containing this stanza, with page and line references and links (eye button) to images where available, and transcription where available
- readings: a list of variant manuscript readings of words in the main text
- editions and texts: a list of editions of the stanza with links to the bibliography; and a list of prose works in which the stanza occurs, allowing you to navigate within the prose context
- notes and context: notes not linked to individual words are given here, along with the account of the prose context for the stanza, where relevant
Interactive tab
The text and translation are given here, with buttons to toggle whether the text is shown in the verse order or prose word order. Clicking on indiviudal words gives dictionary links, variant readings, kennings and notes, where relevant.
Full text tab
This is the text of the edition in a similar format to how the edition appears in the printed volumes.
Chapter/text segment
This view is also used for chapters and other text segments. Not all the headings shown are relevant to such sections.