Sturl Hákkv 18^II

Var laushendr
lofða stýrir
á blóðorms
beinu skapti
en haldsamr
at hjarar leiki
á geir-Týs
grænni málu.

{Stýrir lofða} var laushendr á beinu skapti {blóðorms} en haldsamr at {leiki hjarar} á {grænni málu {geir-Týs}}.

{The controller of men} [RULER = Hákon] was openhanded with the straight shaft {of the blood-snake} [SPEAR] but tight-fisted in {the play of the sword} [BATTLE] on {the green wife {of the spear-Týr <god>}} [= Óðinn > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)].

Mss: E(177v), F(111rb), 42ˣ(164v), 81a(109va), 8(57r), Flat(178vb) (Hák)

Readings: [4] beinu: so 81a, 8, benju E, F, 42ˣ, Flat    [5] en: er F;    hald‑: hall‑ 42ˣ, hjall‑ 8    [6] hjarar: herjar Flat    [7] Týs: ‘tyrs’ F, ‘‑tyrs’ 8, Flat    [8] grænni: grænnu 42ˣ, gróinni 8

Editions: Skj AII, 113-14, Skj BII, 122, Skald II, 65; E 1916, 605, F 1871, 517, Hák 1910-86, 564, Hák 1977-82, 128, Flat 1860-8, III, 154.

Context: Both Skúli and Hákon went on horseback to the churchyard where Skúli’s men were penned in. Skúli called on his troops and wanted to advance against Hákon’s standard, but one of his men took hold of the reins of his horse and stopped him. The Birkibeinar threw spears at Skúli and almost hit him.

Notes: [All]: For this event, see also Ólhv Hryn 12. — [1] laushendr ‘openhanded’: Lit. ‘loose-handed’. — [3] blóðorms ‘of the blood-snake [SPEAR]’: Skj B takes this as a kenning for ‘spear’ here, but LP: blóðorm gives the translation ‘sword’. — [7-8] grænni málu geir-Týs ‘the green wife of the spear-Týr <god> [= Óðinn > = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’: See Note to Anon Nkt 8/1, 2.

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. LP = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1931. Lexicon poeticum antiquæ linguæ septentrionalis: Ordbog over det norsk-islandske skjaldesprog oprindelig forfattet af Sveinbjörn Egilsson. 2nd edn. Copenhagen: Møller.
5. 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.
6. F 1871 = Unger, C. R., ed. 1871. Fríssbók: Codex Frisianus. En samling af norske konge-sagaer. Christiania (Oslo): Malling.
7. E 1916 = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1916. Eirspennill: AM 47 fol. Nóregs konunga sǫgur: Magnús góði – Hákon gamli. Kristiania (Oslo): Den norske historiske kildeskriftskommission.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Internal references
11. Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Anonymous Poems, Nóregs konungatal 8’ 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, p. 767.
12. Lauren Goetting (ed.) 2009, ‘Óláfr hvítaskáld Þórðarson, Hrynhenda 12’ 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. 669-70.