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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Anon Krm 22VIII/2 — Hví ‘Why’

Hjuggu vér með hjörvi.
Hví sé drengr at feigri,
at hann í odda éli
öndurðr látinn verði?
Opt sýtir sá ævi,
er aldrigi nistir
— ilt kveða argan eggja —
örn at sverða leiki.
Hugblauðum kemr hvergi
hjarta sitt at gagni.

Hjuggu vér með hjörvi. Hví sé drengr at feigri, at hann verði látinn öndurðr í éli odda? Sá, er aldrigi nistir örn at leiki sverða, sýtir opt ævi; kveða ilt eggja argan. Hugblauðum kemr hjarta sitt hvergi at gagni.

We hewed with the sword. Why should a fellow be any the more likely to die, because he is placed in the front line in the shower of spear-points [BATTLE]? He who never feeds the eagle in the game of swords [BATTLE] often regrets his life; they say it’s a troublesome business egging on a coward. The heart of a cowardly man is never of any use to him.

readings

[2] Hví: ‘[…]’ 147, hvé , hvat R702ˣ, LR, R693ˣ

grammar

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