Réð Friðþjófr fyrst at senda
heiptarboð horskum jöfri,
hvárt Víkarr vildi gjalda
hilmi skatt eða her þola.
Friðþjófr réð fyrst at senda horskum jöfri heiptarboð, hvárt Víkarr vildi gjalda hilmi skatt eða þola her.
Friðþjófr first sent a message of hostility to the wise prince, [enquiring] whether Víkarr wanted to pay tribute to the ruler or suffer his army.
[1, 2] réð … at senda ‘sent’: Here réð functions as an auxiliary with senda ‘send’. For réð formulas in the sense ‘rule’, which characteristically begin a stanza or a helmingr see, e.g., st. 30/1 below, as well as Anon Nkt 8/1, 12/1, 16/5, 23/1, 28/5II, etc. Cf. also Þjóð Yt 26/5I as well as the kviðuháttr stanza on the Rök stone (Run Ög136VI Ræð Þiðrikr). These formulas must have been a staple of the genealogical kviðuháttr tradition.