Bibliotheca Polyglotta

Snorri-Edda

Complete text

Tears of Freyja

Gull er kallat grátr Freyju sem fyrr er sagt.

XXXVII. “Gold is called Freyja’s Tears, as was said before.

Svá kvað Skúli Þorsteinsson:
(144) Margr of hlaut of morgin
morðelds þar er vér feldumsk
Freyju tár at fleiri
fárbjóðr. At þar várum.

So sang Skúli Thorsteinsson:
Many a fearless swordsman
Received the Tears of Freyja
The more the morn when foemen
We murdered; we were present.

Ok sem kvað Einarr Skúlason:
(145) Þar er Mardallar milli
meginhurðar liggr skurða
Gauts berum galla þrútinn
grátr dalreyðar látra.

And as Einarr Skúlason sang:
Where, mounted ‘twixt the carvings,
The Tear of Mardöll lieth,
We bear the axe shield-splitting,
Swollen with Serpent’s lair-gold.

Ok hér hefir Einarr enn kent svá Freyju at kalla hana móður Hnossar eða konu Óðs; svá segir hér:

And here Einarr has further periphrased Freyja so as to call her Mother of Hnoss, or Wife of Ódr, as standeth below:

(146) Eigi þverr fyrir augna
Óðs beðvinu Róða
ræfs — eignisk svá — regni
ramsvell — konungr elli.

The shield, tempest’s strong roof-ice,
With tear-gold is unminished,
Eye-rain of Ódr’s Bed-Mate:
His age the King so useth.

Ok enn svá: (44,1)
(147) Hróðrbarni kná ek Hǫrnar
— hlutum dýran grip — stýra,
brandr þrymr gjálfrs á grandi
gullvífiðu hlífar;

And again thus:
(149,1) Hörn’s Child, the glorious adornment,
I own, gold-wound--a jewel
Most fair--to the shield’s rim
Fast is the golden Sea-Flame:

-sáðs — berr sinnar móður —
svans unni mér gunnar
fóstr- gœðandi Fróða —
Freys nipt brá driptir.

On the gem, Freyr’s Niece, the tear-drift
Of the fore-head of her Mother
She bears; the Raven-Feeder
Gave me Fródi’s seed-gold’s fostering.

Hér getr ok þess at Freyju má svá kenna at kalla hana systur Freys. Ok enn svá:

It is also recorded here that one may periphrase Freyja by calling her Sister of Freyr.

(148) Nýt buðumk — Njarðar dóttur
(nálægt var þat skála)
vel of hrósa ek því — vísa
varn (sjávar) ǫll — barni.

And thus also:
A defence of songs full goodly
He freely gave me, neighbor
Of sea-scales: I praise gladly
Njördr’s Daughter’s golden gem-child.

Hér er hon kǫlluð dóttir Njarðar. Ok enn svá:

Here she is called Daughter of Njördr.

(149) Gaf sá er erring ofrar
ógnprúðr Vanabrúðar
þing- Váfaðar -þrøngvir
þróttǫflga mér dóttur.
Ríkr leiddi mey mækis
mótvaldr á beð skaldi
Gefnar glóðum drifna
Gautreks svana brautar.

And again thus:
The awesome Stately Urger
Of Odin, he who raises
The struggle stern, gave to me
The courage-stalwart daughter
Of the Vana-Bride, my fair axe;
The valorous sword-mote’s Ruler
Led Gefn’s girl to the Skald’s bed,
Set with the sea-flame’s gold-work.

Hér er hon kǫlluð Gefn ok Vana brúðr. Til allra heita Freyju er rétt at kenna grátinn ok kalla svá gullit, ok á marga lund er þessum kenningum breytt, kallat hagl eða regn eða él eða dropar eða skúrir eða forsar augna hennar eða kinna eða hlýra eða brá eða hvarma.

Here she is called Gefn and Bride of the Vanir. --It is proper to join ‘tears’ with all the names of Freyja, and (150,1) to call gold by such terms; and in divers ways these periphrases have been varied, so that gold is called Hail, or Rain, or Snow-Storm, or Drops, or Showers, or Water falls, of Freyja’s Eyes, or Cheeks, or Brows, or Eyelids.

Hér má þat heyra at kallat er orð eða rǫdd jǫtna gullit, svá sem fyrr er sagt.

XXXVIII. “In this place one may hear that gold is called Word, or Voice, of Giants, as we have said before;

Svá kvað Bragi skáld:
(150) Þann átta ek vin verstan
vazt-rǫdd en mér baztan
Ála -undirkúlu
óniðraðan þriðja.

thus sang Bragi the Skald:
Then had I the third friend
Fairly praised: the poorest
In the Voice of the Botched-Knob’s Áli,
But best of all to me.

(45,1) Hann kallaði stein vazta undirkúlu — steinninn — en jǫtun Álasteinsins, en gull rǫdd jǫtuns.

He called a rock Botched Knob, and a giant Áli of Rock, and gold Voice of the Giant.

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