Útsteinn Lv 1VIII (Hálf 38)
Hubert Seelow (ed.) 2017, ‘Hálfs saga ok Hálfsrekka 38 (Útsteinn Gunnlaðarson, Lausavísa 1)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry in fornaldarsögur. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 8. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 334.
introduction
This stanza stands outside the following sequence that constitutes Útsteinskviða ‘Poem of Útsteinn’ (Útkv). In it Útsteinn, who has survived the burning and hall fight described in his dead brother, Innsteinn’s, Innkv, expresses his pleasure that at least one man, himself, is still alive and, by implication, ready to take vengeance on Ásmundr. However, such a statement does not fit well with the following sequence of stanzas (Hálf 39-50) in which the superiority of the Hálfsrekkar is mentioned frequently, but not a final battle against Ásmundr. The content of this stanza provides no reason for its incorporation into Útkv, contrary to the practice of most eds, even though the prose text places it more or less as an introduction to that poem.
text and translation
Hitt hlægir mik helzt í máli:
mun ekki Ásmundi öll vá sofa.
Þrír eru fallnir af því liði
Eynefs synir, en einn lifir.
Hitt hlægir mik helzt í máli: öll vá mun ekki sofa Ásmundi. {Þrír synir Eynefs} eru fallnir af því liði, en einn lifir.
‘This makes me laugh especially about the matter: not all danger will be dormant for Ásmundr. Three sons of Eynefr <sea-king> [SEAFARERS] have fallen of this host, yet one lives. ’
notes and context
This stanza is preceded by a prose paragraph: Útsteinn was staying with King Eysteinn of Denmark, whose counsellor Úlfr inn rauði ‘the Red’ had eight boisterous sons. They envied Útsteinn and treated him badly, so a dispute arose. First, though, Útsteinn told of King Hálfr’s death. The stanza is introduced by the words: Hann kvað þá ‘He then said’.
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.
-
GKS 2845 4° (2845) — 37r/17 - 37r/19
imagesHitt hlæ ǀ ger mig hellzt j mali mun ecki asmundi oll vo sofa þrír eru fall ǀ ner af þui lídí eynefs syner eɴ eín lifer
(HS)
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.