Old Icelandic · AI translation
Skáldskaparmál
English for the 13 passages of this work that the Atlas of Ancient Myth, Magic in the Ancient Texts and a study of demons and angels quote or cite, and which the library holds in no published English. The numbers are the edition's own references.
1.25–1.31
ſialꝼr i ſæki alꝼí
himself, in the attacking elf,
ſigtẏr atalſ ꝺẏra.
the victory-god of Atal's beasts.
Gonꝺul ok ſkogul
Gondul and Skogul
ſenꝺí gauta tẏr
Gautatyr sent
at kioſa um konunga
to choose among kings
hverr ẏngva ættar
which of Yngvi's line
ſkẏllꝺi með oðní ꝼara
should go with Odin
Translator's note. 1.25–26 end a stanza begun in the context. Atal's beasts are ships; the 'victory-god' of the ships may be the sea-warrior himself, or Odin present in the 'attacking elf' (the warrior); the construction is uncertain. Gautatyr is a name of Odin; Gondul and Skogul are valkyries.
1.43–1.58
barrhaꝺꝺaða bẏriar
[the steed] of the fair wind, the pine-haired
biꝼkvan unꝺ ſíg þꝛíðia.
waiting-wife of Thridi, under himself.
Hermoðꝛ ok bragi
Hermod and Bragi,
qvað hropta tẏr
said Hroptatyr,
gangit i gegn gramí.
go to meet the prince,
þviat konungr ꝼerr
for a king is coming
ſa er kappí þikker
who seems a champion
til hallar híníg.
here to the hall.
Eẏkr með enni ꝺuki
He honours with a headband
iarðlutr ꝺia ꝼiarðar
— the land-holder — the gods' fjord's
bꝛæẏti hunn ſa er bæinan
shaper; the mast-head, he who straight
binꝺꝛ ſeið ẏggr til rinꝺar.
binds. Ygg won Rind by seiðr [sorcery].
Foꝛn gioꝛvar a ek ꝼirnum
Old, ready-made, I have, wondrously,
ꝼarmſ gunnlaðar arma
of the cargo of Gunnlod's arms
hoꝛna ꝼoꝛſ at hroſa
the waterfall of horns, to boast of,
hlitſtẏggſ ok þo lítlum
of the [lord] averse to enough, and yet little.
Translator's note. 1.43–44 end a stanza begun in the context: the bold receiver of the 'steed of the fair wind' (a ship), i.e. the ruler, draws under himself with true words the pine-haired waiting-wife of Thridi (Odin), that is Earth: he wins the land. biꝼkvan is read as biðkván, 'waiting-wife'. Hroptatyr and Ygg are names of Odin. 1.51–54 are obscure: the land-holder (the ruler) seems to reward with a headband the 'shaper of the gods' fjord' (poetry), i.e. the poet; hunn, taken as 'mast-head', is unexplained. 1.55–58 are also obscure: the waterfall of horns of the cargo of Gunnlod's arms (Odin, whom Gunnlod held) is the mead of poetry; hlitstyggr, 'averse to enough', seems to describe a generous lord.
1.81–1.88
ꝼyrir ꜹrþæẏſi at auſa
for the arrow-speeder, to bail
auſtr vingnaðar ꝼlauſta.
the bilge of Vingnad's ships.
koſtigr riðꝛ at keſtí
Splendid, rides to the pyre
kẏnꝼroðſ þeim er guð hloðu
— which the gods built — of the kin-wise
hraꝼn ꝼreíſtaðar heſtí
Raven-tester, on his horse,
heimꝺallr at mǫg ꝼallinn.
Heimdall, for the fallen son.
hvat er þat ꝺꝛauma qvað oðínn
"What sort of dream is that," said Odin,
ek hugðumk ꝼyrir ꝺag riſa
"I thought I rose before day
Translator's note. 1.81–82 end an obscure stanza begun in the context: to bail the bilge of a god's ships seems to mean pouring out poetry, here before a warrior (the 'arrow-speeder'); Vingnad is not identified. The Raven-tester is Odin, and the fallen son, for whom Heimdall rides to the pyre, is Baldr.
1.120–1.124
bura arva.
of the sons' heir.
hugſtoꝛan bið ek hæẏra
The great-minded one I bid to hear
hæẏr iarl kvaſiſ ꝺꝛæẏra
— hear, jarl, Kvasir's blood —
ꝼollꝺar voꝛð a ꝼẏrða
the land's guardian, to listen to, of the men
ꝼiarðleggiar bꝛim ꝺreggíat.
of the fjord-bone, the surf of the dregs.
Translator's note. 1.120 ends a stanza from the context and does not construe on its own. Kvasir's blood is poetry, and so is 'the surf of the dregs of the men of the fjord-bone': the fjord-bone is rock, its men are dwarves, and their drink is the mead of poetry. ꝺreggíat (1.124) is read as dreggjar.
1.137–1.141
Buðumk hilmer lǫð
The prince offered me hospitality;
a ek hroðꝛ um kvꜹð
praise is my obligation;
bar ek oðinſ miǫð
I bore Odin's mead
a engla biǫð.
to the land of the English.
Hlẏði hapta beiðiſ
Let [men] hear — of the gods' ruler
Translator's note. Odin's mead is poetry. hapta beiðir, 'ruler of the gods' (hapt, 'fetters', is a name for the gods), is Odin; the line runs on beyond the unit.
1.180–1.215
ſeínꝼẏrnꝺ gotu æína.
a slow-to-age [poem] along one path.
at ſenꝺa ſeínꝼẏrnꝺ gotu æína.
to send a slow-to-age [poem] along one path.
Vaðꝛ la viðꝛiſ arꝼa
The line of Vidrir's heir lay
vilgi ſlakr er raktiz
not at all slack, when there uncoiled
a æẏneꝼiſ onꝺꝛí
on Eynefir's ski
ioꝛmunganꝺꝛ at ſanꝺí.
Jormungand at the sand.
ęſtiz allra lanꝺa
There raged all lands'
um gerð ok ſonr iarðar.
encircler, and the son of Earth.
Reiðꝛ ſtoð rǫſku broðer
Angry stood Roskva's brother,
va gagn ꝼaðer magna
Magni's father won the victory;
ſkelꝼra þoꝛſ ne þíalꝼa
neither Thor's nor Thjalfi's
þrotta ſteín við otta.
stone of strength trembled with fear.
Leit a brattrar brautar
At the steep road's
baug hvaſſlegum augum
ring he looked with piercing eyes
æſtiz aðꝛ at ꝼlauſti
— before, against the ship, raged
ꜹgurſ buð ꝼaðer þruðar.
the dwelling of the fish — the father of Thrud.
Sín bio ſiꝼiar runí
His own [gear] Sif's confidant
ſnarla ꝼramm með karlí
swiftly made ready, out with the old man;
hoꝛn ſtraum getinn hrímníſ
the horn-stream gotten from Hrimnir
hræra veiðar ꝼærí.
to stir, the fishing tackle.
Sua bra viðꝛ at ſẏioꝛ
So it jerked, that the strakes
ſeiðꝛ renꝺi ꝼramm breiðar
the saithe drove forth — of the broad
iarðar ut
earth — out
boꝛði. ullz magſ hneꝼar ſkullu.
over the side; the fists of Ull's stepfather banged.
hamri ꝼoꝛſt í hæægri
The hammer went into his right
honꝺ þa er allra lanꝺa
hand, when of all lands
æẏger oꝼlug barða
the terrifier of Oflugbardi
enꝺi ſeiðſ oꝼ kenꝺi.
the end-saithe recognised,
meðan gramr hinn er ſvik ſamði
while the prince — he who devised the deceit —
ſnart bilſkirniſ hiarta
of Bilskirnir, swiftly, the heart
grunꝺar ꝼiſk með granꝺí
of the fish of the ground, with the bane
gliuꝼr ſkeliungſ nam ríuꝼa.
of the gorge-whale, set about breaking.
þoꝛr heꝼer ẏggſ með arum
Thor has, with Ygg's servants,
aſgarð aꝼ þrek varðan.
defended Asgard by his strength.
Ok boꝛð roínſ barða
And over the gunwale of Roin's ship
bꝛautar hríngr hinn liotí
the ugly ring of the road
Translator's note. 1.181 repeats 1.180 with 'to send' before it; the close of that stanza is uncertain (seinfyrnd, 'slow to age', is taken as describing a lasting poem). Vidrir and Ygg are Odin. Thor is Vidrir's heir, the son of Earth, Magni's father, the father of Thrud, Sif's confidant, Ull's stepfather, the terrifier of Oflugbardi (a giant) and the prince of Bilskirnir (his hall); Roskva's brother is Thjalfi. The World Serpent (Jormungand) is the encircler of all lands, the ring of the steep road, the saithe of the broad earth, the end-saithe of all lands, the fish of the ground and the ugly ring of the road. Eynefir's ski and Roin's ship are ships; the dwelling of the fish is the sea; the stone of strength is the heart; the old man is the giant Hymir; the bane of the gorge-whale (a giant) is Thor's hammer. 'The horn-stream gotten from Hrimnir' may be the poem itself. 1.198–199, 1.200 (ſẏioꝛ, perhaps the boat's strakes) and 1.208–209 do not construe with certainty. In 1.200–203 renndi is the transitive 'drove': the serpent's pull drives the boat's strakes (or their rivets) out at the gunwale, so the boat is breaking.
1.258–1.262
þviat griotbíǫrn
for Grjotbjorn
oꝼ gieꝺꝺan heꝼr
has been endowed
ꝼræẏr ok nioꝛðꝛ
by Frey and Njord
at ꝼiar aflí
with a wealth of goods,
þa er ut ræſtr
when out rushes
Translator's note. Grjotbjorn, 'stone-bear', is probably a play on the name Arinbjorn (arinn, 'hearth-stone'). 1.262 begins a new stanza; ræstr is unclear.
1.343–1.347
Flugſtalla reð ꝼeller
Of the flight-ledges — set about — the feller
ꝼiornatz goða at hvetia
of the life-net of the gods, to urge,
ꝺꝛiugr var loptr at liuga
— Lopt was great at lying —
logſeimſ ꝼaðer heíman
the father of the fire-thread, from home.
geðræẏner qvað grænar
The tester of minds said green
Translator's note. Lopt, 'the father of the fire-thread' (the Serpent, his son), is Loki, here goading Thor to leave home. The two kennings in 1.343–344 are obscure, and which god each names is uncertain. The 'tester of minds' is probably Loki again. 1.343–346 in prose order: the father of the fire-thread (Loki) set about urging from home the feller of the life-net of the gods of the flight-ledges (Thor, killer of giants); Lopt was great at lying.
1.498–1.502
trẏgglauſt ok ꝼar þriggía
the unsafe journey of three,
a hreíngoꝛo hlẏrí
on the bright-made cheek
hillꝺar vez ok þiaza.
of Hild's lid, and of Thiazi.
Seggionꝺum ꝼlo ſagna
Toward the leaders of hosts flew
ſnotar ulꝼr at motí
the lady's wolf, to meet [them],
Translator's note. The poet describes a scene painted on a shield ('Hild's lid', if vez is so read; Hild is a valkyrie): the risky journey of three gods and the giant Thiazi. The 'lady's wolf' is Thiazi, the ravisher of Idunn, flying in eagle form.
1.523–1.528
þar er vel ſparer voru
to where, unsuspecting of guile, were
varnenꝺꝛ goða ꝼarner.
the defenders of the gods, come.
Fliott bað ꝼollꝺar ꝺrottinn
Quickly the lord of the land bade
ꝼaarbauta mog vara
Farbauti's son,
þekkiligr með þegnum
— pleasing among the thanes —
þrẏmſeilar hval ꝺeila.
share out the whale of the clatter-rope.
Translator's note. The giant Thiazi, in eagle form, settles where the gods are cooking an ox. The 'lord of the land' is probably Thiazi; Farbauti's son is Loki; the 'whale of the clatter-rope' seems to be the ox. vara (1.526) is unexplained.
1.539–1.543
herꝼang oꝼan ſtongu.
the war-booty, from above, with the pole.
þa varð ꝼaſtr við ꝼoſtra
Then fast to the fosterer
ꝼarmr ſigẏniar arma
stuck the burden of Sigyn's arms
þa er oll regin æẏgía
— while all the powers looked on —
ǫnꝺurguðſ i honꝺum
of the ski-god; in [his] hands
Translator's note. The burden of Sigyn's arms is Loki, her husband; the fosterer of the ski-god (probably Skadi) is her father, the giant Thiazi. The reference of 'war-booty' (1.539) is uncertain; æẏgía (1.542) is read as 'look upon'.
1.549–1.563
ꝼangſæll oꝼ veg langan
lucky in its catch, a long way,
ſveíta nagr sua at ſlitna
the gnawer of carrion, so that torn
ſunꝺꝛ ulꝼſ ꝼaðer munꝺi.
apart the wolf's father would be.
þa varð þoꝛſ oꝼ runi
Then Thor's confidant
þungſ var loptr oꝼ ſprunginn
— Lopt was badly spent —
malu nautr hvatz matti
the bold giant's meal-companion, had to
miðíungſ ꝼriðar biðía.
beg for peace.
Ser bað ſagna hrærí
He bade the mover of hosts
ſoꝛg æẏra mæẏ ꝼæra
— sorrow-crazed — bring him the maid
þa er elli lẏꝼ aſa
who the Aesir's cure for old age
att runnr hẏmíſ kunni.
knew: he, the kin-tree of Hymir.
bꝛun akr oꝼ kom beckíar
Of Brunnakr's brook he brought
briſingſ goða ꝺiſí
— Brising's — the gods' lady,
girði þioꝼr i garða
girdle-thief, into the courts
griot niðaðar ſiðan.
of the stone-Nidad afterwards.
Translator's note. The 'gnawer of carrion' is the giant Thiazi in eagle form; he is also 'Hymir's kin-tree'. The wolf's father, Thor's confidant, Lopt, the mover of hosts and Brising's girdle-thief are Loki. The maid who knew the Aesir's cure for old age, the lady of Brunnakr's brook, is Idunn. The stone-Nidad is a giant, so his courts are the giants' world. sorg-æyra (1.557) is uncertain, and may describe Loki or the maid.
1.768–1.779
her ꝼẏlginſ bar ek hǫlga
of the war-keen [lord]; I carried Holgi's
haugþok ſama baugum.
mound-thatch together with rings.
Gramr hinn gioꝼlaztí
The most generous prince
giæꝺꝺí hirð ſina
enriched his retinue
ꝼeníu ꝼoꝛverkí
with Fenja's toil,
ꝼaꝼniſ miðgarði.
with Fafnir's Midgard,
glaſiſ globaʀi
with Glasir's glowing needles,
grana ꝼagrbẏrði
with Grani's fair burden,
ꝺꝛaupniſ ꝺẏrſveita
with Draupnir's precious sweat,
ꝺuni graꝼvítníſ.
with Grafvitnir's down.
Yttí ǫꝛr hilmer
The generous prince handed [it] out,
allꝺer við toku
men received [it]
Translator's note. Holgi's mound-thatch is gold (his grave-mound was said to be laid with gold and silver). The six kennings in 1.772–777 are all for gold: Fenja ground gold at the mill; Fafnir's 'Midgard' is his gold-bed; Glasir is the grove with golden leaves; Grani carried Sigurd's gold; the ring Draupnir dripped gold rings; Grafvitnir is a serpent, and serpents lie on gold.
The whole original: Menota's corpus at Clarino (open AM 242 fol).