ÞjóðA Sex 7II/1 — Stól
Stólþengils lét stinga
— styrjǫld vas þá byrjuð —
eyðir augu bæði
út heiðingja sútar.
Lagði allvaldr Egða
austr á bragning hraustan
gráligt mark, en Girkja
gǫtu illa fór stillir.
Eyðir sútar heiðingja lét stinga út bæði augu stólþengils; þá vas styrjǫld byrjuð. Allvaldr Egða lagði gráligt mark á hraustan bragning austr, en stillir Girkja fór illa gǫtu.
The destroyer of the care [GLADDENER] of the wolf [lit. heath-goer] [WARRIOR] had both eyes of the emperor stabbed out; war was under way then. The overlord of the Egðir [NORWEGIAN KING = Haraldr] placed a hostile mark on the daring prince in the east, and the ruler of the Greeks [= Michael] travelled a dire road.
notes
[1] stólþengils ‘of the emperor’: Lit. ‘throne-lord’s’. Frank (1978, 134) notes that this term encapsulates awe at the magnificence of the Byzantine imperial throne, of which there is an account from c. 950 (see also Note to ÞSkegg Hardr l. 3). The victim here seems to be to Michael Kalaphates (Michael V), and if so, the reference to Constantine in the ON prose sources is incorrect (although Michael’s uncle and counsellor, Constantine, was also blinded on the same occasion; see Sigfús Blöndal 1978, 94). Michael’s brief reign in Constantinople in spring 1042 ended with accusations of treachery and tyranny, and a bloody uprising in which he was blinded. The order for this was given, with the authority of the city prefect, by the leader of the military rebels, who could well have been Haraldr Sigurðarson (Sigfús Blöndal 1978, 93-4; see also Note to Valg Har 4 [All]).