Sturl Hrafn 19^II

Kvöddu kappstudda
kæris Norðmæra
hölða hervalðir
hersar gunnversum.
Gekk in geðrakka
gætis hásæta
hirð at hjörstærðum
hjaldri járnfaldin.

Hervalðir hersar {kæris Norðmæra} kvöddu kappstudda hölða {gunnversum}. In geðrakka hirð {gætis hásæta} gekk járnfaldin at hjörstærðum hjaldri.

The host-selected hersar {of the litigator of the Norðmærir} [NORWEGIAN KING = Hákon] greeted the vigour-supported men {with battle-verses} [BATTLE]. The valiant retinue {of the guardian of rowing-benches} [CAPTAIN] went iron-hooded to the sword-swelled fight.

Mss: F(123rb), 8(79v), Flat(186ra) (Hák)

Readings: [1] ‑studda: ‑stadda 8    [3] ‑valðir: faldir Flat    [5] geðrakka: so 8, gunnrakka F, geðrakki Flat    [7] at: so 8, Flat, af F;    hjörstærðum: ‘hiordstordu’ 8, hjörstærðu Flat

Editions: Skj AII, 124, Skj BII, 131, Skald II, 70; F 1871, 578, Hák 1977-82, 205, Flat 1860-8, III, 226.

Context: During the battle described in st. 18 above, there was such a violent storm that Hákon could not launch any boats to come to the relief of the men on the beach. Finally the Norwegians were able to regroup, and the Scots retreated to a hill. Some skirmishes occurred between the two armies before the Norwegians made an assault on the hill.

Notes: [1] kappstudda ‘vigour-supported’: Hap. leg. — [3] hervalðir ‘host-selected’: Hap. leg. LP: hervaliðr suggests the possible meanings meget udsøgt, udmærket ‘very select, outstanding’ or valgt af hæren ‘chosen by the army’. — [4] gunnversum ‘with battle-verses [BATTLE]’: Taken here as a kenning for ‘battle’ (so also Skj B, LP: gunnvers and Meissner 197). The cpd could also be interpreted in a more literal sense, to the effect that the Norw. troops shouted incentive battle cries at the Scots. — [5] in geðrakka ‘the valiant’: Lit. ‘the mind-valiant’ (so 8). In gunnrakka ‘the battle-valiant’ (so F) is contextually and metrically possible but looks like a repetition of gunn- ‘battle-’ (l. 4). — [6] gætis hásæta ‘of the guardian of rowing-benches [CAPTAIN]’: See also st. 1/8 above. — [7] hjörstærðum ‘sword-swelled’: Hap. leg.

References

1. Bibliography
2. Skj B = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1912-15b. Den norsk-islandske skjaldedigtning. B: Rettet tekst. 2 vols. Copenhagen: Villadsen & Christensen. Rpt. 1973. Copenhagen: Rosenkilde & Bagger.
3. Skald = Kock, Ernst Albin, ed. 1946-50. Den norsk-isländska skaldediktningen. 2 vols. Lund: Gleerup.
4. Meissner = Meissner, Rudolf. 1921. Die Kenningar der Skalden: Ein Beitrag zur skaldischen Poetik. Rheinische Beiträge und Hülfsbücher zur germanischen Philologie und Volkskunde 1. Bonn and Leipzig: Schroeder. Rpt. 1984. Hildesheim etc.: Olms.
5. LP = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1931. Lexicon poeticum antiquæ linguæ septentrionalis: Ordbog over det norsk-islandske skjaldesprog oprindelig forfattet af Sveinbjörn Egilsson. 2nd edn. Copenhagen: Møller.
6. Flat 1860-8 = Gudbrand Vigfusson [Guðbrandur Vigfússon] and C. R. Unger, eds. 1860-8. Flateyjarbók. En samling af norske konge-sagaer med indskudte mindre fortællinger om begivenheder i og udenfor Norge samt annaler. 3 vols. Christiania (Oslo): Malling.
7. F 1871 = Unger, C. R., ed. 1871. Fríssbók: Codex Frisianus. En samling af norske konge-sagaer. Christiania (Oslo): Malling.
8. Hák 1977-82 = Mundt, Marina, ed. 1977. Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar etter Sth. 8 fol., AM 325VIII, 4° og AM 304, 4°. Oslo: Forlagsentralen. Suppl. by James E. Knirk, Rettelser til Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar etter Sth. 8 fol., AM 325VIII, 4° og AM 304, 4°. Norrøne tekster 2. Oslo: Norsk historisk kjeldeskrift-institutt, 1982.