Steinn Nizv 4II
Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Steinn Herdísarson, Nizarvísur 4’ 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. 362-3.
text and translation
Nýtr bað skjǫldungr skjóta
— skammt vas liðs á miðli —
hlífar styggr ok hǫggva
hvárrtveggi lið seggja.
Bæði fló, þás blóði
brandr hrauð af sér rauðu,
— þat brá feigra flotna
fjǫrvi — grjót ok ǫrvar.
Hvárrtveggi nýtr skjǫldungr, styggr hlífar, bað lið seggja skjóta ok hǫggva; vas skammt á miðli liðs. Bæði grjót ok ǫrvar fló, þás brandr hrauð af sér rauðu blóði; þat brá fjǫrvi feigra flotna.
‘Each bountiful prince, shunning protection, told the troop of warriors to shoot and strike; there was a short distance between the troops. Both rocks and arrows flew when the blade shed red blood; that put an end to the life of doomed sailors.’
notes and context
The battle began, and both rulers urged their men on.
[5-8]: The H-Hr variant of this helmingr, which is clearly secondary, can be construed as follows:
Benja flóð í blóði
brandr hrauð af sér rauðu;
fljótt brá feigra/frægra gotna
fjǫrvi grjót ok ǫrvar.
Prose order: Brandr hrauð af sér flóð benja í rauðu blóði; grjót ok ǫrvar brá fljótt fjǫrvi feigra/frægra gotna. Translation: The blade shed a flood of wounds [BLOOD] in the red blood; rocks and arrows quickly put an end to the life of doomed/famous men.
readings
- [1] skjǫldungr: skjǫldu E
- [2] vas (‘var’): varð E
- [2] miðli: milli H
- [5] Bæði fló þás: benja flóð í H, Hr
- [5] þás (‘þa er’): þá E
- [6] sér: om. Hr
- [7] þat: þar E, fljótt H, Hr
- [7] feigra: frægra H
- [7] flotna: gotna H, Hr
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.
-
AM 63 folx (Kx) — 561r/6 - 561r/13
images -
AM 39 fol (39) — 27ra/23 - 27ra/23
images -
AM 45 fol (F) — 48vb/37 - 48vb/40
images -
AM 38 folx (J2x) — 283r/24 - 283r/31
images -
AM 47 fol (E) — 21r/24 - 21r/26
Nýtr bað skjǫldu skjóta
images
— skammt varð liðs á miðli —
hlífar styggr ok hǫggva
hvárrtveggi lið seggja.
Bæði fló, þá blóði
brandr hrauð af sér rauðu,
— þar brá feigra flotna
fjǫrvi — grjót ok ǫrvar. -
AM 66 fol (H) — 56r/21 - 56r/21
Nýtr bað skjǫldungr skjóta
images
— skammt vas liðs á milli —
hlífar styggr ok hǫggva
hvárrtveggi lið seggja.
benja flóð í , blóði
brandr hrauð af sér rauðu,
— fljótt brá frægra gotna
fjǫrvi — grjót ok ǫrvar. -
GKS 1010 fol (Hr) — 41ra/17 - 41ra/17
Nýtr bað skjǫldungr skjóta
images
— skammt vas liðs á miðli —
hlífar styggr ok hǫggva
hvárrtveggi lið seggja.
benja flóð í , blóði
brandr hrauð af rauðu,
— fljótt brá feigra gotna
fjǫrvi — grjót ok ǫrvar. -
AM 761 b 4°x (761bx) — 366v/5 - 366v/12
images
editions and texts
Stanza/chapter/text segment
Use the buttons at the top of the page to navigate between stanzas in a poem.
Information tab
- text: if the stanza has been published, the edited text of the stanza and translation are here; if it hasn't been published an old edition (usually Skj) is given for reference
- sources: a list of the manuscripts or inscriptions containing this stanza, with page and line references and links (eye button) to images where available, and transcription where available
- readings: a list of variant manuscript readings of words in the main text
- editions and texts: a list of editions of the stanza with links to the bibliography; and a list of prose works in which the stanza occurs, allowing you to navigate within the prose context
- notes and context: notes not linked to individual words are given here, along with the account of the prose context for the stanza, where relevant
Interactive tab
The text and translation are given here, with buttons to toggle whether the text is shown in the verse order or prose word order. Clicking on indiviudal words gives dictionary links, variant readings, kennings and notes, where relevant.
Full text tab
This is the text of the edition in a similar format to how the edition appears in the printed volumes.
Chapter/text segment
This view is also used for chapters and other text segments. Not all the headings shown are relevant to such sections.