Rolf Stavnem (ed.) 2012, ‘Hallar-Steinn, Rekstefja 34’ 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. 937.
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herr (noun m.; °-s/-jar, dat. -; -jar, gen. -ja/herra): army, host < hermargr (adj.): a great deal
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2. margr (adj.; °-an): many < hermargr (adj.): a great deal
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hví (adv.): why
[1] hví kveðum ‘why do we say’: A rhetorical question, rare in skaldic poetry, which made Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) emend this passage, but that is unnecessary.
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2. kveðja (verb; kvaddi): (dd) request, address, greet
[1] hví kveðum ‘why do we say’: A rhetorical question, rare in skaldic poetry, which made Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) emend this passage, but that is unnecessary.
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yrkja (verb): compose
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hugr (noun m.): mind, thought, courage < hugdyggr (adj.): steadfast
[2] hugdyggs: ‘hygdvgs’ Bb
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dyggr (adj.; °dyggvan/dyggan; compar. -vari/-ari/-ri, superl. -vastr/-astr/-str): trustworthy < hugdyggr (adj.): steadfast
[2] hugdyggs: ‘hygdvgs’ Bb
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3. of (prep.): around, from; too
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sonr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. syni; synir, acc. sonu, syni): son
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Tryggvi (noun m.): Tryggvi
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hǫnd (noun f.; °handar, dat. hendi; hendr (hendir StatPáll³ 752¹²)): hand < handbál (noun n.)
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hǫnd (noun f.; °handar, dat. hendi; hendr (hendir StatPáll³ 752¹²)): hand < handbál (noun n.)
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bál (noun n.; °-s; -): fire < handbál (noun n.)
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bál (noun n.; °-s; -): fire < handbál (noun n.)
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hnykkja (verb): pull violently < hnykkilundr (noun m.)
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1. lundr (noun m.; °-ar, dat. -i/-; -ar): grove, tree < hnykkilundr (noun m.)
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2. hreinn (adj.; °compar. hreinari/hreinni, superl. hreinastr/hreinstr): pure
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2. hreinn (adj.; °compar. hreinari/hreinni, superl. hreinastr/hreinstr): pure
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
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flokkr (noun m.): group, flock
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2. einn (pron.; °decl. cf. einn num.): one, alone
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Hallfreðr (noun m.): Hallfreðr
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Hǫrðar (noun m.): the Hǫrðar
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stillir (noun m.): ruler
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hríðǫflugr (adj.): [in onslaught]
[6, 7] hríðǫflgum hjǫrgráps ‘powerful in the onslaught of the sword-hail [BATTLE]’: Lit. ‘onslaught-powerful of the sword-hail’. Hríð ‘storm, onslaught’ apparently contributes to the description of Óláfr’s fierceness in battle, yet although it is very often used in battle-kennings, it is not an element in the kenning hjǫrgráps ‘sword-hail [BATTLE]’, as gráp ‘hail, hail-shower’ is already a sufficient base-word. Since hríð can refer to a particular phase or onslaught in a battle it may have that sense here; see Note to st. 17/7 and LP: hríð 2.
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2. vinna (verb): perform, work
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smíða (verb): craft
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hjǫrr (noun m.): sword < hjǫrgráp (noun n.)
[6, 7] hríðǫflgum hjǫrgráps ‘powerful in the onslaught of the sword-hail [BATTLE]’: Lit. ‘onslaught-powerful of the sword-hail’. Hríð ‘storm, onslaught’ apparently contributes to the description of Óláfr’s fierceness in battle, yet although it is very often used in battle-kennings, it is not an element in the kenning hjǫrgráps ‘sword-hail [BATTLE]’, as gráp ‘hail, hail-shower’ is already a sufficient base-word. Since hríð can refer to a particular phase or onslaught in a battle it may have that sense here; see Note to st. 17/7 and LP: hríð 2.
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gráp (noun n.): hail < hjǫrgráp (noun n.)
[6, 7] hríðǫflgum hjǫrgráps ‘powerful in the onslaught of the sword-hail [BATTLE]’: Lit. ‘onslaught-powerful of the sword-hail’. Hríð ‘storm, onslaught’ apparently contributes to the description of Óláfr’s fierceness in battle, yet although it is very often used in battle-kennings, it is not an element in the kenning hjǫrgráps ‘sword-hail [BATTLE]’, as gráp ‘hail, hail-shower’ is already a sufficient base-word. Since hríð can refer to a particular phase or onslaught in a battle it may have that sense here; see Note to st. 17/7 and LP: hríð 2.
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hugðr (adj./verb p.p.): agreeable, courageous
[7] hugða ‘agreeable’: This appears to be the adj. hugaðr ‘dear, agreeable, pleasant’ (LP: hugaðr 2). It is difficult to separate this word from hugaðr as p. p. of hyggja ‘to think’, which could give ‘(well) conceived, thoughtful’ here, but since the verb normally refers to belief and opinion rather than thinking as a creative act, the adj. seems more likely; cf. a similar context in Bjbp Jóms 1/3.
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drápa (noun f.; °-u): poem with refrains
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hróðr (noun m.): encomium, praise < hróðrargjarn (adj.)
[8] hróðrargjarn ‘praise-eager’: The cpd can either mean that Hallfreðr is eager to be praised or that he is eager to praise, since hróðr can refer both to praise or renown and to praise poetry; cf. LP: hróðr. Syntactically, it may also be taken with Bjarni, and it can be construed either as a cpd or as a two-word phrase.
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gjarn (adj.; °compar. -ari, superl. -astr): eager < hróðrargjarn (adj.)
[8] hróðrargjarn ‘praise-eager’: The cpd can either mean that Hallfreðr is eager to be praised or that he is eager to praise, since hróðr can refer both to praise or renown and to praise poetry; cf. LP: hróðr. Syntactically, it may also be taken with Bjarni, and it can be construed either as a cpd or as a two-word phrase.
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
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Bjarni (noun m.): Bjǫrn, Bjarni
Interactive view: tap on words in the text for notes and glosses
Hermart hví kveðum ortu |
Why do we say that moving trees of the pure hand-fire [GOLD > MEN] composed a great deal about the son of the mind-brave Tryggvi [= Óláfr] and only flokkar? Praise-eager Hallfreðr forged an agreeable drápa for the ruler of the Hǫrðar [NORWEGIAN KING = Óláfr], powerful in the onslaught of the sword-hail [BATTLE], and [so did] Bjarni.
[5-8]: We are informed here and in st. 35/2 that Rst is the third drápa about Óláfr Tryggvason, and the skald claims his predecessors to be Hallfreðr and Bjarni. The former is Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld ‘Troublesome-poet’ Óttarsson (Hfr), Óláfr’s own skald, who is believed to have produced two drápur about Óláfr (Hfr Óldr and Hfr ErfÓl; see Introductions to these). Bjarni’s identity is unknown, though a ‘Bjarni skáld’ is listed as a poet of Óláfr Tryggvason in Skáldatal (SnE 1848-87, III, 253, 261; the U text specifies ‘biarni gvllbra S’, i.e. Bjarni gullbrárskáld Hallbjarnarson (BjHall), presumably in error).
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