Snæk Lv 1^II

Skalk aldrigi,         þótt ek ey lifa,
sýslu beiðask         á Sunnmœri,
þvít fluttu mik         fjandmenn þaðan
Bjǫrgynjar til         at boði hilmis.

Skalk aldrigi, þótt ek lifa ey, beiðask sýslu á Sunnmœri, þvít fjandmenn fluttu mik þaðan til Bjǫrgynjar at boði hilmis.

I shall never, though I may live forever, ask for a governorship in Sunnmøre, because my enemies brought me from there to Bergen at the bidding of the lord.

Mss: E(171v), F(108ra), 42ˣ(153r), 81a(103vb), 8(50v), Flat(177ra) (Hák)

Readings: [1] aldrigi: so 42ˣ, Flat, aldri E, F, 81a, 8    [2] ey: æ F, Flat, einn 81a    [3] beiðask: biðja F    [4] Sunn‑: sund‑ 81a, Flat    [7] ‑ynjar: ‑vinar 81a

Editions: Skj AII, 87, Skj BII, 98, Skald II, 52; E 1916, 585, F 1871, 501, Hák 1910-86, 523, Hák 1977-82, 110, Flat 1860-8, III, 133.

Context: In 1239, Hákon sends his men north to round up Skúli’s followers, and in Borgund in Sunnmøre they encounter three of his district chieftains, among them Snækollr. The Birkibeinar capture their ships, but the chieftains get quarter to meet with the king. Then Snækollr recites this st.

Notes: [3] sýslu ‘a governorship’: Skúli Bárðarson had given Snækollr the office of governor of an administrative district (sýsla) in Sunnmøre, and repercussions from Hákon may be in store for him now after Skúli’s rebellion. — [4] á Sunnmœri ‘in Sunnmøre’: District on the western coast of Norway. — [7] til Bjǫrgynjar ‘to Bergen’: City in Hordaland, on the western coast of Norway. Bergen was Hákon’s permanent residence for most of his rule.

References

1. Bibliography
2. Skald = Kock, Ernst Albin, ed. 1946-50. Den norsk-isländska skaldediktningen. 2 vols. Lund: Gleerup.
3. Flat 1860-8 = Gudbrand Vigfusson [Guðbrandur Vigfússon] and C. R. Unger, eds. 1860-8. Flateyjarbók. En samling af norske konge-sagaer med indskudte mindre fortællinger om begivenheder i og udenfor Norge samt annaler. 3 vols. Christiania (Oslo): Malling.
4. F 1871 = Unger, C. R., ed. 1871. Fríssbók: Codex Frisianus. En samling af norske konge-sagaer. Christiania (Oslo): Malling.
5. E 1916 = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1916. Eirspennill: AM 47 fol. Nóregs konunga sǫgur: Magnús góði – Hákon gamli. Kristiania (Oslo): Den norske historiske kildeskriftskommission.
6. Hák 1977-82 = Mundt, Marina, ed. 1977. Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar etter Sth. 8 fol., AM 325VIII, 4° og AM 304, 4°. Oslo: Forlagsentralen. Suppl. by James E. Knirk, Rettelser til Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar etter Sth. 8 fol., AM 325VIII, 4° og AM 304, 4°. Norrøne tekster 2. Oslo: Norsk historisk kjeldeskrift-institutt, 1982.
7. Hák 1910-86 = Kjær, Albert and Ludvig Holm-Olsen, eds. 1910-86. Det Arnamagnæanske haandskrift 81a fol. (Skálholtsbók yngsta) indeholdende Sverris saga, Bǫglungasǫgur, Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar. Oslo: Den norske historiske kildeskriftkommission and Kjeldeskriftfondet.