Eigi varð ins œgja
auðligr konungs dauði;
hlífðut hlenna sœfi
hoddum reknir broddar.
Heldr køru meir ins milda
mildings an grið vildi
of folksnaran fylki
falla liðsmenn allir.
Dauði ins œgja konungs varð eigi auðligr; broddar reknir hoddum hlífðut sœfi hlenna. Allir liðsmenn ins milda mildings køru meir heldr falla of folksnaran fylki an vildi grið.
The death of the fearsome king was not unadorned; spear-points inlaid with gold did not protect the slayer of robbers [JUST RULER]. All the liegemen of the gracious prince chose much rather to fall beside the battle-swift commander than wishing quarter.
[4] reknir broddar: so FskAˣ, Mork, Flat, Hr, roðnir oddar Kˣ, F, E, J2ˣ, reknir broddan H
[4] broddar reknir ‘spear-points inlaid’: As the reading of both Fsk and the Mork tradition, it is preferred here to the equally effective Hkr reading oddar roðnir ‘spear-points reddened’. Hodd n. ‘gold, treasure’ normally occurs in the pl. (see LP: 1. hodd), here dat. pl. hoddum.