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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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SnSt Ht 41III

Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2017, ‘Snorri Sturluson, Háttatal 41’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 1150.

Snorri SturlusonHáttatal
404142

text and translation

Velr ítrhugaðr ýtum
otrgjǫld jǫfurr snotrum;
opt hefr þings fyr þrøngvi
þungfarmr Grana sprungit.
Hjǫrs vill rjóðr, at ríði
reiðmálmr Gnitaheiðar;
vígs es hreytt at hættis
hvatt Niflunga skatti.

Ítrhugaðr jǫfurr velr snotrum ýtum {otrgjǫld}; {þungfarmr Grana} hefr opt sprungit fyr {þrøngvi þings}. {Rjóðr hjǫrs} vill, at {reiðmálmr Gnitaheiðar} ríði; {skatti Niflunga} es hreytt hvatt at {hættis vígs}.
 
‘The splendid-minded prince selects otter-payments [GOLD] for wise people; the heavy burden of Grani <horse> [GOLD] has often burst before the oppressor of the assembly [STERN RULER]. The reddener of the sword [WARRIOR] wants the riding-metal of Gnitaheiðr [GOLD] to be scattered; the treasure of the Niflungar <legendary family> [GOLD] is distributed vigorously at [the dwelling] of the darer of battle [WARRIOR].

notes and context

The dróttkvætt variant is liðhent ‘helping-rhymed’ (see also sts 53, 58 below). The internal rhymes in the odd lines and the first rhyme in the even lines fall on the alliterating syllables and the hendingar in each couplet have the same postvocalic environment.

This rhyme scheme is not uncommon in dróttkvætt poetry (see also SnE 2007, 80-1). — The heading in is 33. — The kennings for ‘gold’ are all derived from stories about Sigurðr the Dragon-slayer and the Niflungar.

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.

editions and texts

Skj: Snorri Sturluson, 2. Háttatal 41: AII, 63, BII, 72, Skald II, 41, NN §2182; SnE 1848-87, I, 652-3, II, 390, III, 121, SnE 1879-81, I, 7, 79, II, 18, SnE 1931, 233, SnE 2007, 20; Konráð Gíslason 1895-7, I, 25.

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