Sturl Frag 2III
Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2017, ‘Sturla Þórðarson, Fragments 2’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 393.
introduction
This half-stanza (Sturl Frag 2) in kviðuháttr, edited by Kari Ellen Gade, is transmitted only in 742ˣ and 1496ˣ, where it is given in the section on heiti for ‘limb’ taken from a ms. of LaufE. It is not included in the extant redactions of LaufE, however, and the only edition is by Jón Helgason (1966a, 178-9). The fragment is attributed to ‘Sturli’ in the left-hand margin of 742ˣ (and ‘Sturlu’ in 1496ˣ), whom Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) correctly identifies as Sturla Þórðarson. As Jón points out, there are strong verbal resemblances between the present stanza and Sturl Hákkv 31/1-4II, a panegyric Sturla composed in honour of the Norwegian King Hákon Hákonarson (r. 1217-63; see SkP II, lxxxi-lxxxii), and, indeed, Frag 2 can be called a variant of Hákkv 31/1-4II. Whereas that poem, which was composed after Hákon’s death, is in the past tense, Frag 2 is in the present tense and praises the generosity of Eiríkr (l. 3), most likely Hákon’s grandson Eiríkr Magnússon (r. 1280-99). Sturla is not listed among the poets of Eiríkr Magnússon (Skáldatal, SnE 1848-87, III, 265, 279), however, and Jón Helgason (1966a, 179) suggests that the half-stanza could have belonged to a poem honouring Eiríkr’s father, Magnús lagabœtir ‘Law-mender’ Hákonarson (r. 1263-80; see SkP II, lxxxviii). According to Jón (loc. cit.), it could have been included in Sturla’s Magnúss saga lagabœtis, which now survives only in fragments in AM 325 X 4°.
text and translation
Þar rennr upp
Eiríks vinum
handar dagr
á himin mergjar.
Þar rennr {dagr handar} upp á {himin mergjar} vinum Eiríks.
‘There the daylight of the hand [GOLD] dawns on the heaven of marrow [ARM] for the friends of Eiríkr. ’
notes and context
The helmingr is cited to illustrate kennings for ‘limb’, here, himinn mergjar ‘heaven of marrow [ARM]’.
[1]: This is a verbal repetition of Sturl Hákkv 31/1II except that the verb in that stanza is in the pret. (rann upp ‘dawned’) rather than in the pres. tense (rennr upp; see Introduction above).
readings
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.
-
AM 742 4°x (742x) — 20r - 20r
þat rennr upp
images
Eiríks vinum
handar dagr
á himin mergjar. -
Thott 1496 4°x (1496x) — 50v - 50v
þat rennr upp
images
Eiríks vinum
handar dagr
á himin mergjar.
editions and texts
Jón Helgason 1966a, 178-9.
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