Bibliotheca Polyglotta

Battle

Hvernig skal kenna orrostu? Svá at kalla veðr vápna eða hlífa eða Óðins eða valkyrju eða herkonunga eða gný eða glym.

XLVII. “How should battle be periphrased? By calling it Storm of Weapons or of Sheltering Shields, or of Odin or the Valkyrs, or of Host-Kings; and Din and Clashing.

Svá kvað Hornklofi:
(219) Háði gramr, þar er gnúðu,
geira hregg við seggi,
— rauð fnýstu ben blóði —
bengǫgl at dyn Skǫglar.

Thus sang Hornklofi:
The king hath held a Spear-Storm
With heroes, where the eagles
Screamed at the Din of Skögul;
The red wounds spat out blood.

Svá kvað Eyvindr:
(220) Ok sá halr
at Hárs veðri
hǫsvan serk
hrísgrísnis bar.

Thus sang Eyvindr:
And that hero
At Háar’s Tempest
Wore a sark
Of gray wolf-skin.

Svá kvað Bersi:
(221) Þótta ek þá er œri
ár — sagt er þat — várum
hœfr at Hlakkar drífu
hyrrunnum vel Gunnar.

Thus sang Bersi:
In earlier days I seemed not
To Gunn’s War-Bushes useful
In the Sleet of Hlökk, when younger
We were: so ‘t is said.

(67,1) Svá kvað Einarr:
(222) Glymvindi lætr Gǫndlar
— gnestr hjǫrr — taka mestum
Hildar segl þar er hagli,
hraustr þengill, drífr strengjar.

(182,1) Thus sang Einarr:
The stark prince lets Hildr’s Shield-Sails
Take the sternest crashing Storm-Wind
Of the Valkyr, where hail of bow-strings
Drives; the sword-blade hammers.

Sem kvað Einarr skálaglamm:
(223) Ne sigbjarka serkir
sómmiðjungum rómu
Hárs við Hǫgna skúrir
hléðut fast of séðir.

As Einarr Tinkling-Scale sang:
The mail-sarks of the warriors,
Firm-woven, did not shelter
The seemly youths ‘gainst Högni’s
Showers of Hákon’s onset.

Svá sem hér:
(224) Odda gnýs við œsi
oddnets þinul setja.

Even as here:
They set the Point-Net’s edge-band
Against the Point-Crash-Urger.

Ok enn þetta:
(225) Hnigu fjándr at glym Gǫndlar
grams und arnar hramma.

And again:
’Neath eagles’ claws the king’s foes
Sank at the Clash of Göndul.

Vápn ok herklæði skal kenna til orrostu ok til Óðins ok valmeyja ok herkonunga, kalla hjálma hjálm, hǫtt eða fald, en brynju serk eða skyrtu, en skjǫld tjald, ok skjaldborgin er kǫlluð hǫll ok ræfr, veggr ok gólf. Skildir eru kallaðir — ok kendir við herskip — sól eða tungl eða lauf eða blik eða garðr skipsins. Skjǫldr er ok kallaðr skip Ullar eða kent til fóta Hrungnis er hann stóð á skildi. Á fornum skjǫldum var títt at skrifa rǫnd þá er baugr var kallaðr, ok er við þann baug skildir kendir. Hǫggvápn, øxar eða sverð, er kallat eldar blóðs eða benja. Sverð heita Óðins eldar en øxar kalla menn trǫllkvinna heitum ok kenna við blóð eða benjar eða skóg eða við. Lagvápn eru vel kend til orma eða fiska. Skotvápn eru mjǫk kend til hagls eða drífu eða rotu. Ǫllum þessum kenningum er marga lund breytt þvíat þat er flest ort í lofkvæðum er þessar kenningar þarf við.

XLVIII. “Weapons and armor should be periphrased in figures of battle, and with reference to Odin and the Valkyrs and host-kings: one should call a helmet Cowl, or Hood; a birnie, Sark, or Kirtle; a shield, Tent; and a shield-wall is termed Hall and Roof, Wall and Floor. Shields, periphrased in figures of warships, are called Sun, or Moon, or Leaf, or Sheen, or Garth, of the Ship; the shield is also called Ship of Ullr, or periphrased in terms of Hrungnir’s feet, since he stood upon his shield. On ancient shields it (183,1) was customary to paint a circle, which was called the ‘ring,’ and shields are called in metaphors of that ring. Hewing weapons, axes or swords, are called Fires of Blood, or of Wounds; swords are called Odin’s Fires; but men call axes by the names of troll-women, and periphrase them in terms of blood or wounds or a forest or wood. Thrusting weapons are properly periphrased by calling them by names of serpents or fishes. Missile weapons are often metaphorically termed hail or sleet or storm. Variants of all these figures have been made in many ways, for they are used chiefly in poems of praise, where there is need of such metaphors.

(226) Lattisk herr með hǫttu
Hangatýs at ganga (68,1)
— þóttit þeim at hætta
þekkiligt — fyrir brekku.

So sang Víga-Glúmr:
With the Hanged-God’s helmet
The hosts have ceased from going
By the brink; not pleasant
The bravest held the venture.

Svá kvað Einarr skálaglamm:
(227) Hjálmfaldinn bauð hildi
hjaldrǫrr ok Sigvaldi,
hinn er fór í gný Gunnar,
gunndjarfr Búi, sunnan.

Thus sang Einarr Tinkling-Scale:
Helm-folded strife-bold Búi,--
Who from the south went forth
Into Gunn’s Crash,--and din-swift
Sigvaldi offered battle.

Róða serkr, sem Tindr kvað:
(228) Þá er hringfám Hanga
hrynserk — viðum brynju
hruðusk riðmarar Róða
rastar — varð at kasta.

Sark of Ródi, as Tindr sang:
When came the birnied Hákon
To cast away the ring-rent
Streaming Sark of Odin,
Ródi’s rocking sea-steeds were cleared.

Hamðis skyrta, sem Hallfrøðr kvað:
(229) Ólítit brestr úti
unndýrs sumum runnum
hart á Hamðis skyrtum
hryngráp Egils vápna.

(184,1) Hamdir’s Kirtle, as Hallfredr sang:
The war-sleet hard and streaming
Of Egill’s weapons breaketh
Fiercely on Hamdir’s Kirtles
Of the foremost wave-deer’s warriors.

Sǫrla fǫt, enn sem hann kvað:
(230) Þaðan verða fǫt fyrða
— fregn ek gerla þat — Sǫrla
rjóðask bjǫrt í blóði
benfúr méilskúrum.

Sörli’s Garments, as he sang further:
Thence the bright Weeds of Sörli
In men’s blood must be reddened;
I hear it clearly: Wound-Fire
In cutting showers of iron.

Sem Grettir kvað:
(231) Heldu Hlakkar tjalda
hefjendr saman nefjum
Hildar veggs ok hjoggusk
hregg-Nirðir til skeggjum.
Róða ræfr, sem Einarr kvað:

Shields are called Tents of Hlökk, as Grettír sang:
Hlökk’s Tent-Raisers held their noses
Together, and the heroes
Of the Rain-Storm of Hildr’s Shield-Wall
Hewed at each other’s beards.

(69,1)
(232) Eigi þverr fyrir augna
Óðs beðvinu Róða
ræfrs — eignisk sá — regni
ramsvell — konungr elli.

Ródi’s Roof, as Einarr sang:
Ródi’s Roof’s great Ice-Lump
For the Rain of Freyja’s Eyelids
Grows not less, my fair axe-head;
His age my lord so useth.

Hildar veggr, sem kvað Grettir ok áðr er ritat.

Wall of Hildr, as Grettír sang, and as we have written before.

Skipsól, sem Einarr kvað:
(233) Leyg rýðr ætt á ægi
Óláfs skipa sólar.

Ship-Sun, as Einarr sang:

In the sea Ólafr’s Kinsman
Reddens the flame of the Ship-Sun.

Hlýrtungl, sem Refr kvað:
(234) Dagr var fríðr sá er fǫgru
fleygjendr alinleygjar
í hangferil hringa
hlýrtungli mér þrungu.

(185,1) Moon of the Ship’s Cheek, as Refr sang:
Fair was the day, when Scatterers
Of Arm-Fire thrust the clear Moon
Of the Cheek into my hand-clasp,
The coiling track of red rings.

Garðr skips, sem hér er:
(235) Svá skaut gegn í gǫgnum
garð steinfarinn barða
— sá var gnýstœrir geira
gunnar æfr — sem næfrar.

Ship’s Garth, as here:
The swift Sweller of the Spear-Crash
Shot through the stain-dyed Prow-Garth
As it were birch-bark; truly
He was a bitter battler.

Askr Ullar, sem hér er:
(236) Ganga él of yngva
Ullar skips með fullu
þar er samnagla siglur
slíðrdúkaðar ríða.

Ash of Ullr, as here:
The Snow-Gusts of Ullr’s Ash-Ship
Grimly o’er our Prince shoot
With fullness, where are tossing
The fearsome covered spike-spars.

Ilja blað Hrungnis, sem Bragi kvað:
(237) Vilið, Hrafnketill, heyra
hvé hreingróit steini
Þrúðar skal ek ok þengil
Þjófs ilja blað leyfa?

Blade of Hrungnir’s Foot-Soles, as Bragi sang:
Wilt hear, O Hrafnketill,
How I shall praise the Sole-Blade
Of Thrúdr’s thief, stain-covered
With skill, and praise my king.

Bragi skáld kvað þetta um bauginn á skildinum:
(70,1)
(238) Nema svá at góð ins gjalla
gjǫld baugnafaðs vildi
meyjar hjóls inn mæri
mǫgr Sigurðar Hǫgna.

Bragi the Skald sang this concerning the ring on the shield:
Unless it be, that Sigurdr’s
Renowned Son would have payment
In good kind for the ring-nave
Of the Ringing Wheel of Hildr.

Hann kallaði skjǫldinn Hildar hjól, en bauginn nǫf hjólsins. Baugjǫrð, sem Hallvarðr kvað:

(186,1) He called the shield Wheel of Hildr, and the ring the Nave of the Wheel.

(239) Rauðljósa sér ræsir
— rít brestr sundr hin hvíta —
baugjǫrð brodda ferðar
— bjúgrend — í tvau fljúga.

Ring-Earth, as Hallvardr sang:
The Chief of ranks of Combat
Sees the red-gleaming Ring-Earth
Fly in two parts; the white disk,
The pictured, bursts in sunder.

Svá er enn kveðit:
(240) Baugr er á beru sœmstr
en á boga ǫrvar.

It is also sung:
A ring befits the shield best;
Arrows befit the bow.

Sverð er Óðins eldr, sem Kormakr kvað:
(241) Svall þá er gekk með gjallan
Gauts eld hinn er styr beldi
glaðfœðandi Gríðar
gunnr. Komsk Urðr ór brunni.

A sword is Odin’s Fire, as Kormákr sang:
The fight swelled, when the Warrior,
The Wolf’s blithe Feeder, in tumult
Fared with Odin’s ringing Fire-Flame;
Urdr came forth from the Well.

Hjálms eldr, sem kvað Úlfr Uggason:
(242) Fullǫflug lét fjalla
fram haf-Sleipni þramma
Hildr, en Hropts of gildar
hjálmelda mar feldu.

Fire of the Helm, as Úlfr Uggason sang:
The very mighty Maiden
Of the Mountain made the Sea-Horse
Roll forward, but the Champions
Of Odin’s Helm-Fire felled her Wolf-Steed.

Brynju eldr, sem kvað Glúmr Geirason:
(243) Heinþyntan lét hvína
hryneld at þat brynju
foldar vǫrðr sá er fyrðum
fjǫrnharðan sik varði.

Fire of the Birnie, as Glúmr Geirason sang:
At that the Land-Protector
Let the Birnie’s Streaming Fire whine,
Hone-whetted, he who warded
Him strongly ‘gainst the warriors.

Randar íss ok grand hlífar, sem Einarr kvað: (71,1)
(244) Ráðvǫndum þá ek rauðra
randa ís at vísa
— grand berum hjálms í hendi —
hvarmþey drifinn Freyju.

(187,1) Ice of the Rim, and Hurt of Sheltering Weapons, as Einarr sang:
I received the Ice of Wed Rims,
With Freyja’s golden Eye-Thaw,
From the upright prince high-hearted;
We bear in hand the Helm’s Hurt.

Øx heitir trǫllkona hlífa, sem Einarr kvað:
(245) Sjá megu rétt hvé Ræfils
ríðendr við brá Gríðar
fjǫrnis fagrt of skornir
foldviggs drekar liggja.

An axe is called Troll-Woman of Sheltering Weapons, as Einarr sang:
Ræfill’s Sea-Steed’s Riders
May see how, richly carven,
The dragons close are brooding
’Gainst the brow of the Helm-Ogress.

Spjót er ormr kallat, sem Refr kvað:
(246) Kná myrkdreki marka
minn þar er ýtar finnask
æfr á aldar lófum
eikinn borðs at leika.

A spear is called Serpent, as Refr sang:
My angry Murky Serpent
Of the markings of the Shield-Board
Savagely doth sport, in
My palms, where men in strife meet.

Ǫrvar eru kallaðar hagl boga eða strengjar eða hlífa eða orrostu, sem Einarr kvað skálaglamm:

Arrows are called Hail of the Bow or Bowstring, or of the Shelters, or of Battle, as Einarr Tinkling-Scale sang:

(247) Brak-Rǫgnir skók bogna
— barg óþyrmir varga —
hagl ór Hlakkar seglum
hjǫrs — rakkliga fjǫrvi.

The hammering King of Swords shook
From the Sails of Hlökk the Bow-Hail:
Bravely the Wolf’s Supporter
Warded his life in battle.

Ok Hallfrøðr:
(248) Ok geirrotu gǫtvar
gagls við strengjar hagli
hungreyðundum Hanga
hléðut járni séðar.

And Hallfredr:
And the armor of the Spear-Sleet,
Knitted with iron, saved not
(188,1) The saters of hungry ravens
From the Shaft-Hail of the Bowstring.

Ok Eyvindr skáldaspillir:
(249) Lítt kváðu þik láta
landvǫrðr er brast Hǫrða
brynju hagl í benjum
— bugusk álmar — geð fálma.

And Eyvindr Skald-Despoiler:
They said, O Hörds’ Land-Warder,
Thy spirit little faltered,
When the Birnie’s Hail in the wound burst;
Bent were the stringèd elm-bows.

(72,1) Orrosta er kǫlluð Hjaðninga veðr eða él ok vápn Hjaðninga eldar eða vendir, en saga er til þess. Konungr sá er Hǫgni er nefndr átti dóttur er Hildr hét. Hana tók at herfangi konungr sá er Heðinn hét Hjarrandason. Þá var Hǫgni konungr farinn í konunga stefnu. En er hann spurði at herjat var í ríki hans ok dóttir hans var í braut tekin þá fór hann með sínu liði at leita Heðins ok spurði til hans at Heðinn hafði siglt norðr með landi. Þá er Hǫgni konungr kom í Nóreg spurði hann at Heðinn hafði siglt vestr of haf.

XLIX. “Battle is called Storm or Snow-Shower of the Hjadnings, and weapons are termed Fire or Wands of Hjadnings; and this is the tale thereof: that king who was called Högni had a daughter named Hildr: her King Hedinn, son of Hjarrandi, took as the spoils of war, while King Högni attended an assembly of kings. But when he learned that there had been raiding in his realm and his daughter had been borne off, he departed with his host to seek Hedinn, and heard tidings of him, that he was proceeding northward along the land. When Högni had come into Norway, he learned that Hedinn had sailed westward over the sea.

Þá siglir Hǫgni eptir honum alt til Orkneyja, ok er hann kom þar sem heitir Háey þá var þar fyrir Heðinn með lið sitt. Þá fór Hildr á fund fǫður síns ok bauð honum men at sætt af hendi Heðins, en í ǫðru orði sagði hon at Heðinn væri búinn at berjask ok ætti Hǫgni af honum øngrar vægðar ván.

Then Högni sailed after him, even to the Orkneys; and when he landed at the place called Hoy, Hedinn was already there before him with his host. Then Hildr went to meet her father, and offered him a necklace on Hedinn’s behalf, for reconciliation and peace; but if it were not accepted, she said, Hedinn was ready to fight, and Högni might hope for no mercy at his hands.

Hǫgni svarar stirt dóttur sinni, en er hon hitti Heðin sagði hon honum at Hǫgni vildi ønga sætt ok bað hann búask til orrostu. Ok svá gera þeir hvárirtveggju, ganga upp á eyna ok fylkja liðinu. Þá kallar Heðinn á Hǫgna mág sinn ok bauð honum sætt ok mikit gull at bótum.

“Högni answered his daughter harshly; and when she returned to Hedinn, she told him that Högni desired no reconciliation, and she bade him make ready for battle. So did both parties: they went to the island and marshalled (189,1) their hosts. Then Hedinn called to Högni his father-in-law, offering him reconciliation and much gold in compensation.

Þá svarar Hǫgni: ‘Of síð bauðtu þetta ef þú vill sættask, þvíat nú hefi ek dregit Dáinsleif er dvergarnir gerðu, er manns bani skal verða hvert sinn er bert er ok aldri bilar í hǫggvi ok ekki sár grœr ef þar skeinisk af.’

But Högni answered: ‘Thou hast made this offer over-late, if thou wouldst make peace: for now I have drawn Dáinsleif, which the dwarves made, and which must cause a man’s death every time it is bared, nor ever fails in its stroke; moreover, the wound heals not if one be scratched with it.’

Þá segir Heðinn: ‘Sverði hœlir þú þar en eigi sigri. Þat kalla ek gott hvert er dróttinholt er.’

Then said Hedinn: ‘Thou dost boast in the sword, but not in the victory; I call any sword good which is faithful to its lord.’

Þá hófu þeir orrostu þá er Hjaðningavíg er kallat ok bǫrðusk þann dag allan ok at kveldi fóru konungar til skipa. En Hildr gekk of nóttina til valsins ok vakði upp með fjǫlkyngi alla þá er dauðir váru. Ok annan dag gengu konungarnir á vígvǫllinn ok bǫrðusk ok svá allir þeir er fellu hinn fyrra daginn. Fór svá sú orrosta hvern dag eptir annan at allir þeir er fellu ok ǫll vápn þau er lágu á vígvelli ok svá hlífar urðu at grjóti. En er dagaði stóðu upp allir dauðir menn ok bǫrðusk ok ǫll vápn váru þá nýt. Svá er sagt í kvæðum at Hjaðningar skulu svá bíða ragnarøkrs. Eptir þessi sǫgu orti Bragi skáld í Ragnars drápu loðbrókar:

Then they began that famous battle which is called the Hjadnings’ Strife, and they fought all that day, but at evening the kings went to their ships. Now Hildr went to the slain by night, and with magic quickened all those that were dead. The next day the kings went to the battlefield and fought, and so did all those that had fallen on the day before. So the fight went one day after the other: all who fell, and all those weapons which lay on the field, and the shields also, were turned to stone; but when day dawned, up rose all the dead men and fought, and all weapons were renewed. It is said in songs that in this fashion the Hjadnings shall continue unto the Weird of the Gods. Bragi the Skald composed verses after this tale in Ragnarr Lodbrók’s Song of Praise:

(250) Ok ofþerris æða
ósk-Rán at þat sínum
til fárhuga fœri
feðr veðr boga hugði,
þá er hristi-Sif hringa
háls in bǫls of fylda
(73,1) bar til byrjar drǫsla
baug ørlygis draugi.

And the belovèd Maiden
Of the veins’ blood-letting
Purposed to bring, for wrath’s sake,
The bow-storm to her father:
When the ring-wearing lady,
The woman full of evil,
Bore the neck-ring of War-Doom
To the Battler of the Wind’s Steeds.

(251) Bauða sú til bleyði
bœti-firúðr at móti
málma mætum hilmi
men dreyrugra benja.
Svá lét ey þótt etti
sem orrostu letti
jǫfrum úlfs at sinna
með algífris lifru.

(190,1) That gory Wound-Amender
To the glorious Monarch offered
The necklace not for fear’s sake,
At the mote of fatal weapons:
Ever as restraining battle
She seemed, although she goaded
Warriors to walk the death-road
With the ravening Wolf’s dire Sister.

(252) Letrat lýða stillir
landa vanr á sandi
— þá svall heipt í Hǫgna —
hǫð glamma mun stǫðva,
er þrymregin þremja
þróttig Heðin s[óttu]
heldr en Hildar svíra
hringa þeir of fingu.

The Prince of Folk, the Land-God,
Let not the fight, wolf-gladdening,
Halt, nor slaughter on the sands cease,--
Hate, deadly, swelled in Högni,
When the stern Lords of Sword-Din
Sought Hedinn with stern weapons,
Rather than receive
The necklet-rings of Hildr.

(253) Þá má sókn á Svǫlnis
salpenningi kenna.
Ræs gáfumk reiðar mána
Ragnarr ok fjǫlð sagna.

And that baleful Witch of Women,
Wasting the fruits of victory,
Took governance on the island
O’er the axe, the Birnie’s Ruin;
All the Ship-King’s war-host
Went wrathful ‘neath the firm shields
Of Hjarrajidi, swift-marching
From Reifnir’s fleet sea-horses.

(254) Ok fyrir hǫnd í hólmi
Hveðru brynju Viðris
fengeyðandi þjóða
fordæða nam ráða.
Allr gekk herr und hurðir
Hjarranda fram kyrrar
reiðr af Reifnis skeiði
raðálfs af mar bráðum.

On the fair shield of Svölnir
One may perceive the onslaught;
Ragnarr gave me the Ship-Moon,
With many tales marked on it.

Orrosta er veðr Óðins sem fyrr er ritat.

(191,1) Battle is called Storm of Odin, as is recorded above;

Svá kvað Víga-Glúmr:
(255) Rudda ek sem jarlar
— orð lék á því — forðum
(74,1) með veðrstǫfum Viðris
vandar mér til landa.

so sang Víga-Glúmr:
I cleared my way aforetime
Like earls to lands; the word went
Of this among the Storm-Staves,
The men of Vidrir’s Sword-Wand.

Viðris veðr er hér kallat orrosta en vǫndr vígs sverðit en menn stafir sverðsins. Hér er bæði orrosta ok vápn haft til kenningar mannsins. Þat er rekit kallat er svá er ort. Skjǫldr er land vápnanna en vápn er hagl eða regn þess lands ef nýgjǫrvingum er ort.

Here battle is called Storm of Vidrir, and the sword is the Wand of Battle; men are Staves of the Sword. Here, then, both battle and weapons are used to make metaphors for man. It is called ‘inlaying,’ when one writes thus. “The shield is the Land of Weapons, and weapons are Hail or Rain of that land, if one employs figures of later coinage.

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