Rolf Stavnem (ed.) 2012, ‘Hallar-Steinn, Rekstefja 20’ 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. 920.
Myrkt hregg mækis eggja
meinilla gekk Sveini;
drótt hné dreyra þrútin;
Danir skunduðu undan.
Tandr beit — tiggi renndi
tveim dǫglingum — Skǫglar;
hans vǫrn hœfðisk firnum.
Hollr ok fremstr at ǫllu.
{Myrkt hregg eggja mækis} gekk meinilla Sveini; drótt hné þrútin dreyra; Danir skunduðu undan. {Tandr Skǫglar} beit; tiggi renndi tveim dǫglingum; vǫrn hans hœfðisk firnum. Hollr ok fremstr at ǫllu …
‘The dark storm of blades of swords [BATTLE] went very badly for Sveinn; the troop fell, swollen with blood; the Danes hurried away. The flame of Skǫgul <valkyrie> [SWORD] bit; the ruler [Óláfr] made two princes flee; his defence was exceptionally fitting. Faithful and foremost in all things … ’
As the Norwegians clear Danish ships, Sveinn and the surviving Danes retreat onto other vessels, proving a previous claim by King Óláfr that the Danes could never defeat the Norwegians. The first helmingr is then quoted. The second follows a summary statement that Óláfr made the Danes and Swedes flee.
[3] drótt hné þrútin dreya ‘the troop fell, swollen with blood’: The alternative line in ÓT, sôr frák drengjum dreyra ‘I have heard [there were] wounds with blood on the men’ is somewhat strained, and diverges from the normal metrical pattern in Rst as the first alliteration does not fall in position 1 or 2. — [8]: For this line of the refrain, see Note to st. 9/8. Hollr ‘faithful’ is an emendation here, but it is the reading of Bb(111vb) in st. 11/8.
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.
Myrkt hregg mækis eggja
meinilla gekk Sveini;
drótt hné dreyra þrútin;
Danir skunduðu undan.
†tavdr† beit — tiggi renndi
tveim dǫgling — Skǫglar;
hans vǫrn hefðisk firnum.
hǫll ok fremstr at ǫllu.
Myrkt hręgg mękis eggia . meínn illa geck sveí | ní . drot hne dreyra þrvtínn . danir skvndvdv | vndan . tavdr beit tiggi rendi tvem doglíng | skoglar . hans vornn hefdizst fírnvm . holl ok frem ⸝⸝ str at ollv |
(VEÞ)
Myrkt hregg mækis eggjar
meinilla gekk Sveini;
drótt hné dreyra þrútin;
Danir skunduðu undan.
Tandr beit — tiggi renndi
tveim dǫglingum — Skǫglar;
hans vǫrn hœfðisk firnum.
hǫll ok fremstr at ǫllu.
Myrkt hregg mækis eggiar | meín illa geck sveíni sꜳr fra ek drengivm dreyra danir | skvndaþv vndan
(VEÞ)
Myrkt hregg mækis eggja
meinilla gekk Sveini;
drótt hné dreyra þrútin;
Danir skunduðu undan.
Tandr beit — tiggi renndi
tveim dǫglingum — Skǫglar;
hans vǫrn hófsk firnum.
hǫll ok fremstr at hollu.
Tandr flavg tiggi ren | di tveim dyglingum skoglar hans vegr hofz med sigri holl | ok fremstr at hollv.
(VEÞ)
Myrkt hregg mækiss eggia meínilla geck | sueíne · sa?r fra ek dreíngum dreyra · danir skund | uþv vndan ·
(VEÞ)
Myrkt hregg mækis eggja
meinilla gekk Sveini;
drótt hné dreyra þrútin;
Danir skunduðu undan.
Tandr beit — tiggi renndi
tveim dǫglingum — Skǫgla;
hans vǫrn hófsk firnum.
hǫll ok fremstr at ǫllu.
Tandr flaug tiggi rendí · tueím doglingum skaug | la · hans uegr hofz med sigri · haull ok fremzstr at | aullv ·
(VEÞ)
Myʀkt hregg mękiss eggia . meín illa | geck sveíní . sar fra ek dreíngivm dreyra . daner | skvndvdv vndan.
(VEÞ)
Myrkt hregg mækis eggja
meinilla gekk Sveini;
drótt hné dreyra þrútin;
Danir skunduðu undan.
gandr beit — tiggi renndi
†teim† dǫglingum — Skǫgla;
hans vǫrn hófsk firnum.
hǫll ok fremstr at ǫllu.
Gandr flꜹg tiggi | rendi . teím dꜹglíngvm skꜹglar hans vegr . hofz | með sigri . hꜹll ok fremstr at ollv.
(VEÞ)
Myrkt hregg mækis eggjar
meinilla gekk Sveini;
drótt hné dreyra þrútin;
Danir skunduðu undan.
Tandr beit — tiggi renndi
tveim dǫglingum — Skǫglar;
hans vǫrn hœfðisk firnum.
hǫll ok fremstr at ǫllu.
Myrkt hregg mækís eggiar meín | illa gek sueíní sár fra ek dreíngínn dreyra danir skundadv undan |
(VEÞ)
Skj: Hallar-Steinn, 1. Rekstefja 20: AI, 548, BI, 530, Skald I, 258, NN §1181; ÓT 1958-2000, II, 268, 271 (ch. 250), Flat 1860-8, I, 483, 485; SHI 3, 256-9, CPB II, 298, Wisén 1886-9, I, 48, Finnur Jónsson 1893b, 164, Konráð Gíslason 1895-7, I, 253-6.
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