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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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ESk Geisl 64VII/1 — byrjar ‘of fair wind’

Hverrs svá horskr, at byrjar
hans vegs megi of segja
ljóss í lífi þessu
lofðungs gjafar tunga,
þars hreggsalar hyggjum
heitfastr jǫfurr veitir
— skreytt megu skatnar líta
skrín — dýrðar vin sínum?

Hverrs svá horskr, at hans tunga megi of segja gjafar lofðungs ljóss vegs byrjar í lífi þessu, þars hyggjum heitfastr jǫfurr hreggsalar veitir dýrðar vin sínum? Skatnar megu líta skreytt skrín.

Who is so wise that his tongue can tell of the gifts of the prince of the bright path of fair wind [SKY/HEAVEN > = God] in this life, where we think [that] the oath-firm king of the storm-hall [SKY/HEAVEN > = God] gives honours to his friend? Men can see the ornamented shrine.

readings

[1] byrjar: so Bb, hyrjar Flat

notes

[1] byrjar ‘of fair wind’: Bb’s reading is superior to Flat’s hyrjar ‘of fire’ because the latter produces three alliterative staves rather than the expected two. Additionally, the heaven-kenning produced with this reading, ljóss vegs hyrjar ‘of the bright path of fire’ (ll. 1, 2, 3), is abnormal (cf. Meissner, 106).

kennings

grammar

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