Skáldskaparmál

97

"But now one thing must be said to young skalds, to such as yearn to attain to
the craft of poesy and to increase their store of figures with traditional
metaphors; or to those who crave to acquire the faculty of discerning what is
said in hidden phrase: let such an one, then, interpret this book to his
instruction and pleasure. Yet one is not so to forget or discredit these
traditions as to remove from poesy those ancient metaphors with which it has
pleased Chief Skalds to be content; nor, on the other hand, ought Christian men
to believe in heathen gods, nor in the truth of these tales otherwise than
precisely as one may find here in the beginning of the book.

II. "Now you may hear examples of the way in which Chief Skalds have held it
becoming to compose, making use of these simple terms and periphrases: as when
Arnórr Earls' Skald says that Odin is called Allfather:

     Now I 'll tell men the virtue
     Of the terrible Jarl;
     Allfather's Song-Surf streams;
     Late my sorrows lighten.

Here, moreover, he calls poesy the Song-Surf of Allfather. Hávardr the Halt
sang thus:


     Now is the flight of eagles
     Over the field; the sailors
     Of the sea-horses hie them
     To the Hanged-God's gifts and feasting.


98

Thus 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.

Thus sang Refr:

     Oft the Gracious One came to me
     At the holy cup of the Raven-God;
     The king of the stem-ploughed sea's gold
     From the skald in death is sundered.

Thus sang Eyvindr Skald-Despoiler:

     And Sigurdr,
     He who sated the ravens
     Of Cargo-God
     With the gore of the host
     Of slain Haddings
     Of life was spoiled
     By the earth-rulers
     At Ögló.

Thus sang Glúmr Geirason:

     There the Týr of Triumph
     Himself inspired the terror
     Of ships; the gods of breezes
     That favor good men steered them.

Thus sang Eyvindr:


99

     Göndull and Skögull
     Gauta-Týr sent
     To choose from kings
     Who of Yngvi's kin
     Should go with Odin
     And be in Valhall.

Thus sang Úlfr Uggason:

     Swiftly the Far-Famed rideth,
     The Foretelling God, to the fire speeds,
     To the wide pyre of his offspring;
     Through my cheeks praise-songs are pouring.

Thus sang Thjódólfr of Hvin:

     The slain lay there sand-strewing,
     Spoil for the Single-Eyed
     Dweller in Frigg's bosom;
     In such deeds we rejoiced.

Hallfredr sang thus:

     The doughty ship-possessor
     With sharpened words and soothfast
     Lures our land, the patient,
     Barley-locked Wife of Thridi.

Here is an example of this metaphor, that in poesy the earth is called the Wife
of Odin. Here is told what Eyvindr sang:


     Hermódr and Bragi,
     Spake Hropta-Týr.


100

     Go ye to greet the Prince;
     For a king who seemeth
     A champion cometh
     To the hall hither.

Thus sang Kormákr:

     The Giver of Lands, who bindeth
     The sail to the top, with gold-lace
     Honors him who pours god's verse-mead;
     Odin wrought charms on Rindr.

Thus sang Steinthórr:

     Much have I to laud
     The ancient-made (though little)
     Liquor of the valiant
     Load of Gunnlöd's arm-clasp.

Thus sang Úlfr Uggason:

     There I think the Valkyrs follow,
     And ravens, Victorious Odin
     To the blood of holy Baldr.
     With old tales the hail was painted.

Thus sang Egill Skallagrímsson:

     No victims for this
     To Víli's brother,
     The High-God, I offer,
     Glad to behold him;



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