GunnLeif Merl I 36VIII
Russell Poole (ed.) 2017, ‘Breta saga 104 (Gunnlaugr Leifsson, Merlínusspá I 36)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry in fornaldarsögur. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 8. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 73.
text and translation
‘Kemr bardagi buðlungs himins
ákafr of her, ári steypir.
Kvelr inn harði helverkr fira;
megut dauðan her dróttir hylja.
Líðr sultr ok sótt at sigrviðum
— missir manna — mǫrg stríð hǫfug.
‘Ákafr bardagi {buðlungs himins} kemr of her, steypir ári. Inn harði helverkr kvelr fira; dróttir megut hylja dauðan her. Sultr ok sótt líðr at {sigrviðum}, mǫrg hǫfug stríð; missir manna.
‘‘The violent scourge of the king of heaven [= God] will come over the people, will ruin the harvest. The harsh torment of Hell will afflict men; men will not be able to bury the dead people. Hunger and sickness will advance on victory-trees [WARRIORS], [and] many grievous hardships; there is loss of men. ’
notes and context
Cf. DGB 112 (Reeve and Wright 2007, 147.58-9; cf. Wright 1988, 103, prophecy 5): Superueniet itaque ultio Tonantis, quia omnis ager colonos decipiet. Arripiet mortalitas populum cunctasque nationes euacuabit ‘Upon it will come the retribution of the Thunderer, for every field will disappoint its cultivators. Pestilence will smite the people and empty every region’ (Reeve and Wright 2007, 146). — [9-12]: A composite subject, with sg. verb governed by the first component of the subject, as happens sporadically elsewhere in Merl (cf. NS §66). Kock (FF §63) notes the parallel construction in ll. 9 and 12.
readings
sources
Text is based on reconstruction from the base text and variant apparatus and may contain alternative spellings and other normalisations not visible in the manuscript text. Transcriptions may not have been checked and should not be cited.
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AM 544 4° (Hb) — 51v/11 - 51v/12
images‘Kemr bardagi
buðlung himins
ákafr of her,
ári steypir.
Kvelr inn harði
helverkr fira;
megut dauðan her
dróttir hylja.
Líðr sultr ok sótt
at sigrviðum
— missir manna —
mǫrg stríð hǫfug.Kemr bardagi bvðlvng hímíns akafr vm her ari steypir kvelr en harði helverkr fira meg | vð davdan her drottir hylia liðr svlltr ok sott at sigr viðvm missir manna morg strið hofvg |
(VEÞ)
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