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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Eyv Lv 1I/6 — segja ‘to tell’

Blóðøxar téa beiða
brynþings fetilstinga
(oss gerask hneppt) ins hvassa
hefnendr (setuefni).
Heldr es vant, en vildak
veg þinn, konungr, segja
— fôum til fornra vápna
fljótt — hersǫgu dróttni.

Hefnendr ins hvassa Blóðøxar téa beiða brynþings fetilstinga; setuefni gerask oss hneppt. Es heldr vant segja dróttni hersǫgu, en vildak veg þinn, konungr; fôum fljótt til fornra vápna.

The avengers of the keen [Eiríkr] Blóðøx (‘Blood-axe’) are asking for a mail-shirt-assembly [BATTLE] with the sword-belt-stabber [SWORD]; the chances of peace are becoming scant for us. It is rather difficult to tell a lord a tale of war, but I wished for your honour, king; let us quickly reach for our old weapons.

notes

[5, 7, 8] es heldr vant segja dróttni hersǫgu ‘it is rather difficult to tell a lord a tale of war’: Hkr has earlier (ÍF 26, 176-7) mentioned Hákon’s stern reprimands to his coastguards for false alarms about the movements of the Gunnhildarsynir (Eiríkssynir).

grammar

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