Menn sá ek þá, er af mikillæti
virðuz vánum framar;
klæði þeira váru kýmiliga
eldi um slegin.
Ek sá menn þá, er af mikillæti virðuz framar vánum; klæði þeira váru kýmiliga um slegin eldi.
I saw men then who from pride esteemed themselves beyond expectation; their clothes were amusingly set on fire.
[5] kýmiliga: kynliga 1441ˣ, 10575ˣ
[5] kýmiliga ‘amusingly’: Bugge, Skj B, Falk, Björn M. Ólsen, Skald and Fidjestøl all emend to kynliga ‘strangely’, occurring in 1441ˣ, 10575ˣ and one other ms., but 166bˣ’s reading is overwhelmingly attested across the tradition. Njörður Njarðvik (1991, 94), adopting kýmiliga, cites a striking parallel in the Visio Thurkilli where a proud man is made to parade in a theatre for the amusement of devils; while he is strutting his clothes suddenly catch fire (Schmidt 1978, 20-1).