Hrókr er fallinn með hertoga,
frækn at fótum fólks oddvita.
Eigum Óðni ilt at gjalda,
er hann slíkan konung sigri rænti.
Hrókr er fallinn með hertoga, frækn at fótum oddvita fólks. Eigum at gjalda Óðni ilt, er hann rænti slíkan konung sigri.
Hrókr has fallen with the army-commander, valiant at the feet of the leader of the army [KING = Hálfr]. We have to repay Óðinn for evil, as he deprived such a king of victory.
[5-6] eigum at gjalda Óðni illt ‘we have to repay Óðinn for evil’: A similar sentiment is expressed much more aggressively in Hrólf, when Bǫðvarr bjarki rails against Óðinn after Hrólfr has been killed, saying that he would squeeze him like the tiniest mouse if he could find him (cf. Hrólf 1960, 122). A similar threat is recorded by Saxo (Saxo 2015, I, ii. 7. 27, pp. 138-9). Cf. Bjarkamál 7III and Note to [All] there.