Tímarit Þjóðræknisfélags Íslendinga - 01.01.1967, Page 61

Tímarit Þjóðræknisfélags Íslendinga - 01.01.1967, Page 61
the poetry of egill skalla-grímsson 43 escort to his friend King Athelstan °f England. After this adventure it was only natural that Egill should want to compose a poem of undying praise ln honor of the friend who always had stood him in good stead and here even risked his life for him ~~ for that Arinbjörn had to do be- fore he could move his master to let Egill go free. And though the poem seems to have been less pre- tentious than the Headransom (Höf- wðlausn) being only a flokkr without rcfrains (síef) and not composed in the sparkling ‘running rime’ but rather in another varition of the Old permanic meter called kviðuhátfr, h more than makes up for these formal defects by its genuine sincerity of feeling. Unfortunately i-he poem is badly preserved, only ^5 stanzas and fragments of stanzas have come down to us. An English translation of the first part of this Poem follows: 1- Quick am I a king to praise, but silent about saving princes — outspoken about splendid deeds, but fawn not on false greatness. 2. With braggarts I can bear nowise, Good friends though, I gladly laud. Sought have I the seats of kings with unfeigned flood of Odin. 3- Had I drawn down upon me the king’s wrath, the royal scion’s ... donned I then the daring-hat and sought out the atheling’s hall. 4. Where held sway, ‘neath helm-of-fear, the land-steward, with lavish gifts. Stern-minded, he steadfast ruled in York castle over coastal lands. 5. Fearsome was’it to face, nor flinch, the angry glance of Eric’s brow-moons, when sharply they shot keen beams from under the athling’s brows. 6. Yet dared I the draught to offer, by Gunnlod given to Odin: Yggs-beaker thus brimming came to ear-mouth of every man. 7. Unhandsome to the hird did seem the poet’s meed in the prince’s hall, for Ygg’s-draught when my ugly head, wolfgray all, as reward I got. 8. With it came, of kindred hue, both my eyes ‘neath brows shaggy, my mouth eke which ere had spoken the “Head-ransom” in the hall of Eric. 9. Teeth and tongue I took back thence, and my ears eke from the king; but these gifts than gold better seemed, by the liege lavished on me. 10. By me stood, strong as a host, shielding me shoulder to shoulder, my own friend, whom I could trust honor-corwned in all he did. The beginning of this poem has been quoted because of the humor- ous selfportrait it contains. This was
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Tímarit Þjóðræknisfélags Íslendinga

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