Þloft Tøgdr 8^I

Gatk gollskata;
gǫrs leygs of bǫr
gǫtu gunnvita
gráps Tøgdrápa.

Gatk {gollskata}; Tøgdrápa [e]s gǫr of {bǫr {leygs {gráps {gǫtu {gunnvita}}}}}.

I have got {a gold-man} [GENEROUS RULER = Knútr]; Tøgdrápa (‘Journey drápa’) is made about {the tree {of the flame {of the hail-storm {of the path {of the battle-beacon}}}}} [SWORD > SHIELD > BATTLE > SWORD > WARRIOR].

Mss: R(33r), Tˣ(34v), W(76), A(10r), C(4v) (SnE)

Readings: [2] gǫrs (‘gꜹr er’): gǫr W, ‘g[…]’ C;    leygs: logs A, leiks C    [4] gráps: ‘grāþs’ Tˣ;    ‑drápa: so W, drôpu all others

Editions: Skj AI, 324, Skj BI, 299, Skald I, 152, NN §787; SnE 1848-87, I, 408-9, II, 434, 583, SnE 1931, 145, SnE 1998, I, 63, 191.

Context: The helmingr is quoted in SnE (Skm) in exemplification of the kenning gullskati ‘gold-man’, in a series of man-kennings involving gold.

Notes: [All]: The content of the helmingr suggests it is from the last stanza of the poem. The kenning in ll. 2-4 is extended to an exceptional degree but, apart from its inclusion of two sword-kennings, conforms to normal patterns. — [All]: Only in ms. A is the helmingr attributed to Þórarinn; in R and elsewhere it is simply introduced with sem hér er ‘as it stands here’ (SnE 1998, I, 63). — [1] gollskata ‘a gold-man [GENEROUS RULER = Knútr]’: This is a bland and slightly unusual kenning, but it resembles other kennings denoting men as givers, throwers or destroyers of gold, and is cited alongside them by Snorri (see Context above). Kock (NN §787) suggests OE influence and compares OE goldwine ‘gold-friend’. — [4] Tøgdrápa ‘(“Journey drápa”)’: This is the only occurrence of the cpd in skaldic verse. It is taken here as the title of the poem, and it certainly came to be used as such, but it is not certain whether Þórarinn intended it as a title or as a technical term, ‘the poem in tøgdrápa metre’. The former would appear more likely if Þórarinn’s poem predates Sigv Knútdr, the latter if Sigvatr’s poem predates Þórarinn’s (see further Introduction on this and the probable meaning of Tøgdrápa).

References

1. Bibliography
2. SnE 1848-87 = Snorri Sturluson. 1848-87. Edda Snorra Sturlusonar: Edda Snorronis Sturlaei. Ed. Jón Sigurðsson et al. 3 vols. Copenhagen: Legatum Arnamagnaeanum. Rpt. Osnabrück: Zeller, 1966.
3. Skald = Kock, Ernst Albin, ed. 1946-50. Den norsk-isländska skaldediktningen. 2 vols. Lund: Gleerup.
4. NN = Kock, Ernst Albin. 1923-44. Notationes Norrœnæ: Anteckningar till Edda och skaldediktning. Lunds Universitets årsskrift new ser. 1. 28 vols. Lund: Gleerup.
5. SnE 1931 = Snorri Sturluson. 1931. Edda Snorra Sturlusonar. Ed. Finnur Jónsson. Copenhagen: Gyldendal.
6. SnE 1998 = Snorri Sturluson. 1998. Edda: Skáldskaparmál. Ed. Anthony Faulkes. 2 vols. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
7. Internal references
8. Edith Marold 2017, ‘Snorra Edda (Prologue, Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál)’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols [check printed volume for citation].
9. (forthcoming), ‘ Snorri Sturluson, Skáldskaparmál’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=112> (accessed 2 May 2024)
10. Matthew Townend 2012, ‘ Sigvatr Þórðarson, Knútsdrápa’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 649. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1356> (accessed 2 May 2024)