Sturl Hákkv 17^II

Flugu hræleiptr
at hjarar leiki
geigurlig
á Gauts himin,
en randálfr
rífandi fór
böðvar ský
blóðs eldingum.

{Geigurlig hræleiptr} flugu á {himin Gauts} at {leiki hjarar}, en {randálfr} fór rífandi {ský böðvar} {eldingum blóðs}.

{The frightful corpse-lightnings} [SPEARS] flew onto {the sky of Gautr <= Óðinn>} [SHIELD] in {the play of the sword} [BATTLE], and {the shield-elf} [WARRIOR] advanced tearing {the cloud of battle} [SHIELD] {with flashes of blood} [SPEARS].

Mss: E(177r), F(111ra), 42ˣ(163v-164r), 81a(109rb), 8(56v), Flat(178vb) (Hák)

Readings: [1] ‑leiptr: ‘‑liptr’ 42ˣ    [2] leiki: leðri 42ˣ    [3] ‑lig: ‑liga Flat    [4] himin: so F, 8, ‘hipni’ E, himni 42ˣ, 81a, himni af Flat    [5] randálfr: ‘ranhalfr’ 42ˣ    [6] ríf‑: ‘rið‑’ F, rífn‑ 81a    [8] blóðs: blóð Flat;    eldingum: eldinginn 81a, eldingu 8, ‘elldunní’ Flat

Editions: Skj AII, 113, Skj BII, 122, Skald II, 65; E 1916, 604, F 1871, 516, Hák 1910-86, 562, Hák 1977-82, 127, Flat 1860-8, III, 153.

Context: Skúli’s men were still defending themselves in the churchyard, throwing rocks and spears and shooting arrows at the Birkibeinar, many of whom were wounded.

Notes: [All]: See also Ólhv Hryn 11. — [1, 8] hræleiptr; eldingum blóðs ‘corpse-lightnings [SPEARS]’; ‘with flashes of blood [SPEARS]’: As in st. 16 above (see Note to [All]), these kennings denote ‘spears’. Skj B gives the referent ‘swords’ in both instances. The prose text mentions specifically the throwing of spears, and there was no direct physical contact between the two factions. Moreover, it is not easy to see how swords could fly onto shields while still attached to hands. — [5] randálfr ‘the shield-elf [WARRIOR]’: Presumably Hákon, although he is not mentioned as engaging physically in the fighting at this point.

References

1. Bibliography
2. Skj B = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1912-15b. Den norsk-islandske skjaldedigtning. B: Rettet tekst. 2 vols. Copenhagen: Villadsen & Christensen. Rpt. 1973. Copenhagen: Rosenkilde & Bagger.
3. Skald = Kock, Ernst Albin, ed. 1946-50. Den norsk-isländska skaldediktningen. 2 vols. Lund: Gleerup.
4. 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.
5. F 1871 = Unger, C. R., ed. 1871. Fríssbók: Codex Frisianus. En samling af norske konge-sagaer. Christiania (Oslo): Malling.
6. E 1916 = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1916. Eirspennill: AM 47 fol. Nóregs konunga sǫgur: Magnús góði – Hákon gamli. Kristiania (Oslo): Den norske historiske kildeskriftskommission.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Internal references
10. Lauren Goetting (ed.) 2009, ‘Óláfr hvítaskáld Þórðarson, Hrynhenda 11’ 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. 668-9.