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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Hókr Eirfl 1I/1 — hneitir ‘The striker’

Út bauð jǫfra hneitir
élmóðr af Svíþjóðu
— sunnr helt gramr til gunnar —
gunnbliks liði miklu.
Hverr vildi þá haulda
hrægeitunga feitir
— môr fekk á sæ sára
sylg — Eireki fylgja.

Hneitir jǫfra, gunnbliks élmóðr, bauð út miklu liði af Svíþjóðu; gramr helt sunnr til gunnar. Hverr feitir hrægeitunga haulda vildi þá fylgja Eireki; môr sára fekk sylg á sæ.

The striker of princes [RULER = Eiríkr], eager for the storm of the battle-gleam [(lit. ‘storm-eager of battle-gleam’) SWORD > BATTLE] summoned a large troop from Sweden; the ruler steered south to battle. Every fattener of carrion-birds [RAVENS/EAGLES > WARRIOR] among freeholders then wished to accompany Eiríkr; the seagull of wounds [RAVEN/EAGLE] got a drink at sea.

readings

[1] hneitir: meitir F

notes

[1] hneitir jǫfra ‘the striker of princes [RULER]’: This kenning is also found in Sturl Hryn 5/1II (see Note there). Hneitir, which was also the name of King Óláfr Haraldsson’s famous sword, is derived from the rare verb hneita ‘cut, strike’ (see Notes to ESk Geisl 43VII [All] and Þul Sverða 2/7III).

kennings

grammar

case: nom.

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