GunnLeif Merl I 81VIII
Russell Poole (ed.) 2017, ‘Breta saga 149 (Gunnlaugr Leifsson, Merlínusspá I 81)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry in fornaldarsögur. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 8. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 118.
text and translation
‘Mun hans brjóst vesa brǫgnum fœzla,
þeims fátt hafa fjár með hǫndum.
Ok in tállausa tunga hilmis
sløkkvir þorsta þjóðans liði.
‘Brjóst hans mun vesa fœzla brǫgnum, þeims hafa fátt fjár með hǫndum. Ok in tállausa tunga hilmis sløkkvir þorsta liði þjóðans.
‘‘His breast will be sustenance for men who have little property at their disposal. And the ruler’s tongue, free of deception, will slake thirst for the following of the lord. ’
notes and context
Cf. DGB 115 (Reeve and Wright 2007, 151.130; cf. Wright 1988, 106, prophecy 26): Pectus eius cibus erit egentibus, et lingua eius sedabit sicientes ‘His breast shall be food for the needy and his tongue drink for the thirsty’ (Reeve and Wright 2007, 150). Geoffrey continues his prophecies regarding the ‘boar of commerce’. Gunnlaugr adds the idea of the ruler’s tongue being free from deceit; for other additions relating to deceit and treachery cf. I 48 Note to [All] and II 25 Note to [All].
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) — 52v/8 - 52v/9
images‘Mun hans brjóst vesa
brǫgnum fœzla,
þeims fátt hafa
fjár með hǫndum.
Ok in tállausa
tunga hilmis
sløkkvir †þịosta†
þjóðans liði.Mvn hans briost vera brognvm fꝍzla þeim er fatt hafa fiar | með høndvm ok en tallavsa tvnga hilmis slockvir þịosta þioðans liði
(VEÞ)
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