Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Nefari, Lausavísa 1’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 645-6.
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birkibeinn (noun m.; °·beins, dat. ·bein; ·beinar): [Birkibeinar]
[1] Birkibeinum ‘the Birkibeinar’: The Birkibeinar ‘Birch-legs’ were the followers of Sverrir Sigurðarson. They were the former supporters of Eysteinn meyla ‘Little Girl’ Eysteinsson (d. 1177), and they received their name because they were initially so poor that they wrapped their feet in bark for want of shoes (see ÍF 28, 411).
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3. bera (verb; °berr; bar, báru; borinn): bear, carry
[2] beri Sverrir verra hlut ‘may Sverrir suffer defeat’: Lit. ‘may Sverrir bear the worst lot’.
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Sverrir (noun m.): Sverrir
[2] beri Sverrir verra hlut ‘may Sverrir suffer defeat’: Lit. ‘may Sverrir bear the worst lot’.
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hlutr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. -i/-; -ir, acc. -i/-u): part, thing
[2] beri Sverrir verra hlut ‘may Sverrir suffer defeat’: Lit. ‘may Sverrir bear the worst lot’.
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verri (adj. comp.): worse, worst
[2] beri Sverrir verra hlut ‘may Sverrir suffer defeat’: Lit. ‘may Sverrir bear the worst lot’.
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láta (verb): let, have sth done
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rǫnd (noun f.; °dat. -/-u; rendr/randir): shield, shield-rim < randhœingr (noun m.): [shield-rim salmon]
[3] randhœing: ‘ranghæíng’ Flat, randir 8, ‘randheing’ E, randhring 81a
[3] randhœing ‘shield-rim salmon [SWORD]’: Hœingr is a male salmon (see Anon Nkt 4/7).
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hœingr (noun m.; °-s): [salmon] < randhœingr (noun m.): [shield-rim salmon]
[3] randhœing: ‘ranghæíng’ Flat, randir 8, ‘randheing’ E, randhring 81a
[3] randhœing ‘shield-rim salmon [SWORD]’: Hœingr is a male salmon (see Anon Nkt 4/7).
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1. ríða (verb): ride
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harðr (adj.; °comp. -ari; superl. -astr): hard, harsh
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
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1. tíð (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): time
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hœla (verb): boast
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í (prep.): in, into
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2. meta (verb): measure, value, assess
[6] Metumk: ‘mektumz’ Flat
[6] metumk ‘let’s measure ourselves’: This implies that they should put off quarrelling about who is better until after the attack.
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heldr (adv.): rather
[6] at felldan val ‘when the slaughtered ones have fallen’: Lit. ‘after the slain have been felled’. The prep. at ‘after’ is used with the acc. in a temporal sense. The variant with the dat., at felldum val (so 8, 81a) would translate as ‘in accordance with the slaughtered ones who have fallen’.
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1. valr (noun m.; °dat. -i; -ir): corpse, the slain
[6] at felldan val ‘when the slaughtered ones have fallen’: Lit. ‘after the slain have been felled’. The prep. at ‘after’ is used with the acc. in a temporal sense. The variant with the dat., at felldum val (so 8, 81a) would translate as ‘in accordance with the slaughtered ones who have fallen’.
[6] at felldan val ‘when the slaughtered ones have fallen’: Lit. ‘after the slain have been felled’. The prep. at ‘after’ is used with the acc. in a temporal sense. The variant with the dat., at felldum val (so 8, 81a) would translate as ‘in accordance with the slaughtered ones who have fallen’.
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láta (verb): let, have sth done
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skipta (verb): share, divide, exchange
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1. gifta (noun f.): grace, fortune
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1. gera (verb): do, make
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hríð (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): time, storm
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hann (pron.; °gen. hans, dat. honum; f. hon, gen. hennar, acc. hana): he, she, it, they, them...
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1. svíða (verb): cause pain, burn
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Týnum Birkibeinum! |
Let’s destroy the Birkibeinar! May Sverrir suffer defeat! Let’s make the tested shield-rim salmon [SWORD] swing hard and frequently! Let’s boast the least in our speech! Rather, let’s measure ourselves when the slaughtered ones have fallen! Let’s allow God to decide the outcome! Let’s make a storm that will smart for them!
The Kuflungar are sailing in strong winds north to Agdenes in Trøndelag (1186). Nefari incites his companions to act rather than to boast when they face Sverrir and the Birkibeinar in Trondheim.
For a similar incitement from one of the Birkibeinar a year later, see Blakkr Lv 1-2 below.
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