ǪgmEyb Lv 1VIII (Ǫrv 31)/2 — goða ‘of the gods’
Beiði ek Geirrøð með goða hylli,
kappa inn stærsta, koma mér at bjarga,
ok beðju mína beint sem aðra;
þarf ek nú allra þeira gengis.
Ek beiði Geirrøð með hylli goða, kappa inn stærsta, koma at bjarga mér, ok beðju mína beint sem aðra; nú þarf ek gengis allra þeira.
I implore Geirrøðr, with the favour of the gods, the greatest champion, to come and rescue me, and my bed-fellow likewise along with the others; now I need the help of them all.
notes
[2] með hylli goða ‘with the favour of the gods’: Skj B assumes that Geirrøðr possesses the favour of the gods (Geirrød, der besidder guders gunst ‘Geirrøðr, who possesses the gods’ favour’) and it is for this reason Ǫgmundr calls upon him. Another interpretation is that Ǫgmundr calls on Geirrøðr and also invokes the favour of the gods. The meaning is slightly different in each case. What is certain is that Ǫgmundr brands himself an obdurate pagan (in the eyes of a Christian audience) with these words. A number of formulae invoking the pre-Christian gods use the noun hylli (e.g. Óðins hylli ‘the favour of Óðinn’ Grí 51/6 (NK 67), Ullar hylli … oc allra goða ‘the favour of Ullr and all the gods’ Grí 42/1-2 (NK 65), til hylli Óðins ‘for Óðinn’s favour’ Hfr Lv 7/1-2V (Hallfr 10).