Hfr ErfÓl 20I
Kate Heslop (ed.) 2012, ‘Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld Óttarsson, Erfidrápa Óláfs Tryggvasonar 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. 429.
†Samr† ‘…’
(not checked:)
(non-lexical)
varrar ‘’
(not checked:)
2. vǫrr (noun f.): lip
vas ‘was’
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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
[1] vas ôrr (‘var arr’): so Kˣ, 22ˣmarg, F, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 61, 53, 54, 325VIII 2 g, Bb, varrar FskAˣ
ôrr ‘The envoy’
(not checked:)
1. árr (noun m.; °dat. ár; ǽrir/árar, acc. áru): messenger
[1] vas ôrr (‘var arr’): so Kˣ, 22ˣmarg, F, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 61, 53, 54, 325VIII 2 g, Bb, varrar FskAˣ
kennings
Ôrr oddbragðs,‘The envoy of the point-thrust, ’
= WARRIOR
the point-thrust, → BATTLE
The envoy of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
notes
[1-2] ôrr oddbragðs ‘the envoy of the point-thrust [BATTLE > WARRIOR]’: The base-word ôrr is particularly appropriate here because of its associations with verbal communication, in what is clearly a warrior-kenning with a kenning for ‘battle’ or a weapon as a determinant. No ms. has oddbragðs, but its constituent elements are represented in the paradosis, and HSt Rst 18/1 has the very similar kenning ærir ǫrbragðs ‘envoys of arrow-thrust’ alongside other echoes from ErfÓl, suggesting that Hallar-Steinn knew a version of this stanza which contained oddbragðs. It is the only acceptable kenning which gives aðalhending (ÓT’s ôrr oddflagðs ‘envoy of the point-trollwife [AXE > WARRIOR]’ lacks close parallels), and bragðs (attested in J1ˣ, J2ˣ) is a plausible starting-point for the readings brags, -flagðs and -braks.
of ‘about’
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3. of (prep.): around, from; too
ævi ‘the life’
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ævi (noun f.; °-/-ar): life
óð ‘’
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2. óðr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): raging, furious
odd ‘of the point’
[2] odd‑: ‘oð‑’ J1ˣ, J2ˣ
kennings
Ôrr oddbragðs,‘The envoy of the point-thrust, ’
= WARRIOR
the point-thrust, → BATTLE
The envoy of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
notes
[1-2] ôrr oddbragðs ‘the envoy of the point-thrust [BATTLE > WARRIOR]’: The base-word ôrr is particularly appropriate here because of its associations with verbal communication, in what is clearly a warrior-kenning with a kenning for ‘battle’ or a weapon as a determinant. No ms. has oddbragðs, but its constituent elements are represented in the paradosis, and HSt Rst 18/1 has the very similar kenning ærir ǫrbragðs ‘envoys of arrow-thrust’ alongside other echoes from ErfÓl, suggesting that Hallar-Steinn knew a version of this stanza which contained oddbragðs. It is the only acceptable kenning which gives aðalhending (ÓT’s ôrr oddflagðs ‘envoy of the point-trollwife [AXE > WARRIOR]’ lacks close parallels), and bragðs (attested in J1ˣ, J2ˣ) is a plausible starting-point for the readings brags, -flagðs and -braks.
odd ‘of the point’
[2] odd‑: ‘oð‑’ J1ˣ, J2ˣ
kennings
Ôrr oddbragðs,‘The envoy of the point-thrust, ’
= WARRIOR
the point-thrust, → BATTLE
The envoy of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
notes
[1-2] ôrr oddbragðs ‘the envoy of the point-thrust [BATTLE > WARRIOR]’: The base-word ôrr is particularly appropriate here because of its associations with verbal communication, in what is clearly a warrior-kenning with a kenning for ‘battle’ or a weapon as a determinant. No ms. has oddbragðs, but its constituent elements are represented in the paradosis, and HSt Rst 18/1 has the very similar kenning ærir ǫrbragðs ‘envoys of arrow-thrust’ alongside other echoes from ErfÓl, suggesting that Hallar-Steinn knew a version of this stanza which contained oddbragðs. It is the only acceptable kenning which gives aðalhending (ÓT’s ôrr oddflagðs ‘envoy of the point-trollwife [AXE > WARRIOR]’ lacks close parallels), and bragðs (attested in J1ˣ, J2ˣ) is a plausible starting-point for the readings brags, -flagðs and -braks.
flagðs ‘’
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flagð (noun n.): troll-woman < oddflagð (noun n.)
flagðs ‘’
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flagð (noun n.): troll-woman < oddflagð (noun n.)
brags ‘’
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bragð (noun n.; °-s; *-): action, movement, trick < oddbragð (noun n.)
braks ‘’
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brak (noun n.): clash, noise < oddbrak (noun n.): [point-crash]
bragðs ‘thrust’
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bragð (noun n.; °-s; *-): action, movement, trick < oddbragð (noun n.)bragð (noun n.; °-s; *-): action, movement, trick
[2] ‑bragðs: so J1ˣ, J2ˣ, ‘‑flaghs’ FskAˣ, ‑brags Kˣ, 22ˣmarg, ‑braks F, ‑flagðs 61, 53, 54, 325VIII 2 g, Bb
kennings
Ôrr oddbragðs,‘The envoy of the point-thrust, ’
= WARRIOR
the point-thrust, → BATTLE
The envoy of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
notes
[1-2] ôrr oddbragðs ‘the envoy of the point-thrust [BATTLE > WARRIOR]’: The base-word ôrr is particularly appropriate here because of its associations with verbal communication, in what is clearly a warrior-kenning with a kenning for ‘battle’ or a weapon as a determinant. No ms. has oddbragðs, but its constituent elements are represented in the paradosis, and HSt Rst 18/1 has the very similar kenning ærir ǫrbragðs ‘envoys of arrow-thrust’ alongside other echoes from ErfÓl, suggesting that Hallar-Steinn knew a version of this stanza which contained oddbragðs. It is the only acceptable kenning which gives aðalhending (ÓT’s ôrr oddflagðs ‘envoy of the point-trollwife [AXE > WARRIOR]’ lacks close parallels), and bragðs (attested in J1ˣ, J2ˣ) is a plausible starting-point for the readings brags, -flagðs and -braks.
bragðs ‘thrust’
(not checked:)
bragð (noun n.; °-s; *-): action, movement, trick < oddbragð (noun n.)bragð (noun n.; °-s; *-): action, movement, trick
[2] ‑bragðs: so J1ˣ, J2ˣ, ‘‑flaghs’ FskAˣ, ‑brags Kˣ, 22ˣmarg, ‑braks F, ‑flagðs 61, 53, 54, 325VIII 2 g, Bb
kennings
Ôrr oddbragðs,‘The envoy of the point-thrust, ’
= WARRIOR
the point-thrust, → BATTLE
The envoy of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
notes
[1-2] ôrr oddbragðs ‘the envoy of the point-thrust [BATTLE > WARRIOR]’: The base-word ôrr is particularly appropriate here because of its associations with verbal communication, in what is clearly a warrior-kenning with a kenning for ‘battle’ or a weapon as a determinant. No ms. has oddbragðs, but its constituent elements are represented in the paradosis, and HSt Rst 18/1 has the very similar kenning ærir ǫrbragðs ‘envoys of arrow-thrust’ alongside other echoes from ErfÓl, suggesting that Hallar-Steinn knew a version of this stanza which contained oddbragðs. It is the only acceptable kenning which gives aðalhending (ÓT’s ôrr oddflagðs ‘envoy of the point-trollwife [AXE > WARRIOR]’ lacks close parallels), and bragðs (attested in J1ˣ, J2ˣ) is a plausible starting-point for the readings brags, -flagðs and -braks.
sagði ‘said’
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segja (verb): say, tell
at ‘’
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4. at (conj.): that
lofða ‘of warriors’
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lofði (noun m.; °; -ar): man
kennings
gramr lofða‘the ruler of warriors ’
= Óláfr
the ruler of warriors → Óláfr
gramr ‘the ruler’
(not checked:)
1. gramr (noun m.): ruler
kennings
gramr lofða‘the ruler of warriors ’
= Óláfr
the ruler of warriors → Óláfr
liði ‘’
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lið (noun n.; °-s; -): retinue, troop
læstyggs ‘of the deceit-shunning’
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læstyggr (adj.): [deceit-shunning]
kennings
læstyggs burar Tryggva.‘of the deceit-shunning son of Tryggvi. ’
= Óláfr
the deceit-shunning son of Tryggvi. → Óláfr
notes
[4] læstyggs burar Tryggva ‘of the deceit-shunning son of Tryggvi [= Óláfr]’: Cf. st. 13/2 hugdyggvan son Tryggva ‘steadfast son of Tryggvi’; sts 23/8, 28/4 flugstyggs sonar Tryggva ‘of the flight-shunning son of Tryggvi’. Hkr and ÓT’s sonar ‘son’ gives equally good sense here.
sonar ‘’
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sonr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. syni; synir, acc. sonu, syni): son
sonr ‘’
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sonr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. syni; synir, acc. sonu, syni): son
burar ‘son’
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burr (noun m.; °; -ir): son
[4] burar: sonr or sonar Kˣ, sonar J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 61, 53, 54, 325VIII 2 g, Bb
kennings
læstyggs burar Tryggva.‘of the deceit-shunning son of Tryggvi. ’
= Óláfr
the deceit-shunning son of Tryggvi. → Óláfr
notes
[4] læstyggs burar Tryggva ‘of the deceit-shunning son of Tryggvi [= Óláfr]’: Cf. st. 13/2 hugdyggvan son Tryggva ‘steadfast son of Tryggvi’; sts 23/8, 28/4 flugstyggs sonar Tryggva ‘of the flight-shunning son of Tryggvi’. Hkr and ÓT’s sonar ‘son’ gives equally good sense here.
Tryggva ‘of Tryggvi’
(not checked:)
Tryggvi (noun m.): Tryggvi
kennings
læstyggs burar Tryggva.‘of the deceit-shunning son of Tryggvi. ’
= Óláfr
the deceit-shunning son of Tryggvi. → Óláfr
notes
[4] læstyggs burar Tryggva ‘of the deceit-shunning son of Tryggvi [= Óláfr]’: Cf. st. 13/2 hugdyggvan son Tryggva ‘steadfast son of Tryggvi’; sts 23/8, 28/4 flugstyggs sonar Tryggva ‘of the flight-shunning son of Tryggvi’. Hkr and ÓT’s sonar ‘son’ gives equally good sense here.
Vesa ‘’
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2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
kveða ‘’
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kveða (verb; kveð, kvað, kveðinn): (str.) say, recite, sing
kveðr ‘say’
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2. kveðja (verb; kvaddi): (dd) request, address, greet
[5] kveðr: kveða 22ˣmarg, F, J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 61, 53
hǫlð ‘’
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hǫlðr (noun m.; °-s; -ar): man
áls ‘’
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1. áll (noun m.; °dat. ál; álar): eel
ór ‘’
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3. ór (prep.): out of
éli ‘the blizzard’
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él (noun n.; °; dat. -um): storm
kennings
éli stála;‘the blizzard of steel weapons; ’
= BATTLE
the blizzard of steel weapons; → BATTLE
Ôleif ‘Óláfr’
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Óláfr (noun m.): Óláfr
kominn ‘escaped’
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koma (verb; kem, kom/kvam, kominn): come
stála ‘of steel weapons’
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1. stál (noun n.; °-s; -): steel, weapon, prow
kennings
éli stála;‘the blizzard of steel weapons; ’
= BATTLE
the blizzard of steel weapons; → BATTLE
menn ‘men’
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maðr (noun m.): man, person
gefa ‘’
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gefa (verb): give
akta ‘’
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akta (verb; °-að-): devise, present
geta ‘guess’
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2. geta (verb): to beget, give birth to, mention, speak of; to think well of, like, love
[7] geta: gefa 22ˣmarg, akta 54, 325VIII 2 g, Bb
milin ‘’
málin ‘’
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1. mál (noun n.; °-s; -): speech, matter
mal̄ ‘’
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1. mál (noun n.; °-s; -): speech, matter
máli ‘story’
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1. mál (noun n.; °-s; -): speech, matter
[7] máli: ‘mal̄’ J1ˣ, J2ˣ, málin 61, 53, 54, Bb, ‘milín’ 325VIII 2 g
notes
[7, 8] ferri sǫnnu máli ‘further from the true story’: Máli (n. dat. sg.) ‘story, speech’ cannot be the object of geta ‘create’, which takes acc. or gen., so this phrase must be governed by the comp. adj. ferri ‘farther from’.
sǫnnu ‘from the true’
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1. sannr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i;): true
notes
[7, 8] ferri sǫnnu máli ‘further from the true story’: Máli (n. dat. sg.) ‘story, speech’ cannot be the object of geta ‘create’, which takes acc. or gen., so this phrase must be governed by the comp. adj. ferri ‘farther from’.
mjǫks ‘much’
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mjǫk (adv.): very, much
notes
[8] mjǫks verr ‘it is much worse’: Konráð Gíslason and Eiríkur Jónsson (Nj 1875-8, II, 243-4) object to mjǫk before a comp. adj. (verr ‘worse’) and suggest attaching mjǫk to the main clause in ll. 7-8 rather than the intercalary. Finnur Jónsson follows them (Hkr 1893-1901, IV, 102; Fsk 1902-3, 132; Skj B), but more recent eds accept mjǫks verr without comment (ÍF 26; ÍF 29; Hkr 1991; see also NS §61 Anm.). The statement mjǫks verr an svá, lit. ‘it is much worse than so’, presumably expresses disbelief at the optimistic rumour, reported in the stanza, about Óláfr having escaped.
verr ‘worse’
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verri (adj. comp.): worse, worst
[8] verr an svá: verr ek var 61, ‘[…] sva’ 325VIII 2 g
notes
[8] mjǫks verr ‘it is much worse’: Konráð Gíslason and Eiríkur Jónsson (Nj 1875-8, II, 243-4) object to mjǫk before a comp. adj. (verr ‘worse’) and suggest attaching mjǫk to the main clause in ll. 7-8 rather than the intercalary. Finnur Jónsson follows them (Hkr 1893-1901, IV, 102; Fsk 1902-3, 132; Skj B), but more recent eds accept mjǫks verr without comment (ÍF 26; ÍF 29; Hkr 1991; see also NS §61 Anm.). The statement mjǫks verr an svá, lit. ‘it is much worse than so’, presumably expresses disbelief at the optimistic rumour, reported in the stanza, about Óláfr having escaped.
ek ‘’
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ek (pron.; °mín, dat. mér, acc. mik): I, me
var ‘’
(not checked:)
2. vera (verb): be, is, was, were, are, am
færi ‘’
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3. fár (adj.; °compar. fǽrri/fárri(Mág² 11), superl. fǽstr): few
ferri ‘further’
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ferri (adv.): far, further
[8] ferri: færi J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 54, 325VIII 2 g, Bb
notes
[7, 8] ferri sǫnnu máli ‘further from the true story’: Máli (n. dat. sg.) ‘story, speech’ cannot be the object of geta ‘create’, which takes acc. or gen., so this phrase must be governed by the comp. adj. ferri ‘farther from’. — [8] ferri ‘further’: On this form, see Note to st. 25/2.
ferri ‘further’
(not checked:)
ferri (adv.): far, further
[8] ferri: færi J1ˣ, J2ˣ, 54, 325VIII 2 g, Bb
notes
[7, 8] ferri sǫnnu máli ‘further from the true story’: Máli (n. dat. sg.) ‘story, speech’ cannot be the object of geta ‘create’, which takes acc. or gen., so this phrase must be governed by the comp. adj. ferri ‘farther from’. — [8] ferri ‘further’: On this form, see Note to st. 25/2.
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
|
†Samr† vas ôrr of ævi |
The envoy of the point-thrust [BATTLE > WARRIOR], who said that the ruler of warriors [= Óláfr] was alive was … about the life of the deceit-shunning son of Tryggvi [= Óláfr]. People say Óláfr escaped the blizzard of steel weapons [BATTLE]; men guess [things] further from the true story; it is much worse than that.
All three prose sources cite this stanza after their description of the battle of Svǫlðr, as part of a group of stanzas attributed to Hallfreðr and concerned with the question of whether or not King Óláfr survived the defeat of his force.
[1-4]: The helmingr is syntactically difficult and the unanimously attested samr resists explanation. As none of the proposed interpretations is satisfactory and no alternative ms. readings for samr exist, it has been obelised in the Text. Most previous eds emend samr: (a) to sumr ‘some (envoy …)’ (Jón Þorkelsson 1884, 63); (b) to sá ‘that (envoy …)’ (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B), though it is unclear to whom this would refer; (c) or most audaciously to the rare adj. svífr ‘unreliable’ (Skald; NN §2757), giving svífr vas ôrr ‘the envoy was unreliable’. Other scholars avoid emendation by ingenious interpretations of samr. (d) ÍF 26 construes samr as an attributive adj., ‘seemly, worthy’ from sama ‘to suit, befit’, qualifying ôrr oddbraks ‘the envoy of the point-clash [BATTLE > WARRIOR]’, and similarly ÍF 29, Hkr 1991, with variants on ‑braks. But such an adj. is not well attested in verse or prose; the single, later skaldic parallel is breks ósamr ‘disinclined to treachery’ GunnLeif Merl I 2/7VIII. (e) Sveinbjörn Egilsson (SHI 3) suggests samr meaning ‘constant’, hence hinn ... var um æfi samr oddflagðs árr ‘that one ... was [his] whole life an envoy of the point-trollwife [AXE > WARRIOR] devoted (to Óláfr)’. (f) Kock, as an alternative to his construal in Skald, also proposes a tmesis, óðbragðssamr vas ôrr ‘the envoy was very deceitful’ (NN §512). — [1] †samr† vas ôrr of ævi ‘the envoy ... was ... about the life’: The line lacks skothending. Finnur Jónsson’s emendation of Samr to Sá ‘that’ gives a so-called empty rhyme, in which vowels rhyme without the participation of following consonants, here sá : ævi (Kuhn 1983, 76; Kristján Árnason 1991, 99-102, 107-10; Gade 1995a, 5-6, 32).
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