Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Sturla Þórðarson, Hrafnsmál 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, p. 737.
(not checked:)
bjóða (verb; °býðr; bauð, buðu; boðinn (buð- Thom¹ 5²n.)): offer, order, invite
(not checked:)
2. inn (art.): the
(not checked:)
fróðr (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): wise < bǫðfróðr (adj.)
(not checked:)
bragnar (noun m.): men, warriors
(not checked:)
sigr (noun m.; °sigrs/sigrar, dat. sigri; sigrar): victory < sigrmǫgnuðr (noun m.)
[2] sigr‑: sig‑ 304ˣ
(not checked:)
mǫgnuðr (noun m.): increaser < sigrmǫgnuðr (noun m.)
[2] ‑magnaðr: magna Flat
(not checked:)
austan (adv.): from the east
(not checked:)
orrusta (noun f.; °-u; -ur): battle
[4] optar (comp.) ‘often’: Lit. ‘more often’.
(not checked:)
spjót (noun n.; °-s; -): spear < spjóthroptr (noun m.)
[4] spjót-Hroptum ‘to the spear-Hroptar <= Óðinns> [WARRIORS]’: So NN §109. The emendation is conjectural. The reading of F, spjótskoptar ‘spear-forelocks’ makes no sense in the context. Flat has ‘sko᷎ptum’, i.e. sköptum ‘shafts’ which could be construed as a dat. instr. ‘with the spear-shafts’. However, the internal rhyme (aðalhending) requires the stressed syllable -opt- (not -öpt-). Hroptr is a heiti for ‘Óðinn’. Odda spjótbroddum ‘with the spear-points of the points’ (so 304ˣ) cannot be construed in any meaningful way.
(not checked:)
Hroptr (noun m.): [Hroptr, Hroptar] < spjóthroptr (noun m.)
[4] Hroptum: skoptum F, broddum 304ˣ, ‘sko᷎ptum’ Flat
[4] spjót-Hroptum ‘to the spear-Hroptar <= Óðinns> [WARRIORS]’: So NN §109. The emendation is conjectural. The reading of F, spjótskoptar ‘spear-forelocks’ makes no sense in the context. Flat has ‘sko᷎ptum’, i.e. sköptum ‘shafts’ which could be construed as a dat. instr. ‘with the spear-shafts’. However, the internal rhyme (aðalhending) requires the stressed syllable -opt- (not -öpt-). Hroptr is a heiti for ‘Óðinn’. Odda spjótbroddum ‘with the spear-points of the points’ (so 304ˣ) cannot be construed in any meaningful way.
(not checked:)
þora (verb): dare
(not checked:)
þrekr (noun m.): powerful < þrekstœrðr (adj.)
[5] þrekstærðan ‘powerful’: Lit. ‘power-increased’. Þrekstirðan ‘power-firm’ (so Flat) is also possible.
(not checked:)
stœra (verb): increase, strengthen < þrekstœrðr (adj.)
[5] ‑stærðan: ‘stordann’ 304ˣ, stirðan Flat
[5] þrekstærðan ‘powerful’: Lit. ‘power-increased’. Þrekstirðan ‘power-firm’ (so Flat) is also possible.
(not checked:)
þegn (noun m.; °dat. -/-i; -ar): thane, man, franklin
(not checked:)
ó- ((prefix)): un- < ófeginn (adj./verb p.p.): [unhappy]
(not checked:)
2. feginn (adj.; °compar. fegnari, superl. fegnastr): glad, happy < ófeginn (adj./verb p.p.): [unhappy]
[6] ‑fegnir: ‑gegnir 304ˣ
(not checked:)
1. bjórr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -): beer
(not checked:)
1. bjórr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -): beer
(not checked:)
1. bjórr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -): beer
(not checked:)
2. við (prep.): with, against
(not checked:)
blik (noun n.): gleam < blikrýrir (noun m.)
[7] blikrýri ‘flash-diminisher’: Blikstýri ‘flash-controller’ (so Flat) is an equally good reading.
(not checked:)
blik (noun n.): gleam < blikrýrir (noun m.)
[7] blikrýri ‘flash-diminisher’: Blikstýri ‘flash-controller’ (so Flat) is an equally good reading.
(not checked:)
rýrir (noun m.): diminsher, destroyer < blikrýrir (noun m.)
[7] ‑rýri: stýri Flat
[7] blikrýri ‘flash-diminisher’: Blikstýri ‘flash-controller’ (so Flat) is an equally good reading.
(not checked:)
2. berja (verb; °barði; barðr/bariðr/barinn): fight
(not checked:)
útver (noun n.): [fishing-stations]
(not checked:)
útver (noun n.): [fishing-stations]
(not checked:)
útver (noun n.): [fishing-stations]
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
Bauð inn böðfróði |
The war-crafty victory-augmenter of men [WARRIOR = Hákon] from the east often offered battle to the spear-Hroptar <= Óðinn’s> [WARRIORS]. The unhappy warriors did not dare to fight against the powerful diminisher of the flash of the beer of fishing-stations [(lit. ‘flash-diminisher of the beer of fishing-stations’) SEA > GOLD > GENEROUS MAN].
Hákon wanted to reach an agreement with the Scottish king Alexander (III), and sent Kolbeinn, one of his retainers, to the Scottish court as an envoy. Hákon suggested that the two kings should meet with their armies and settle their dispute either by peaceful means or by battle. Alexander was slow to respond.
Alexander III (r. 1241-86) stalled the negotiations with the Norwegians intentionally in anticipation of the autumn storms which would put the Norw. fleet at a disadvantage.
Use the buttons at the top of the page to navigate between stanzas in a poem.
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.
This is the text of the edition in a similar format to how the edition appears in the printed volumes.
This view is also used for chapters and other text segments. Not all the headings shown are relevant to such sections.