Hákonarmál

Hákonarmál (Old Norse: 'The Song of Hákon')[1] is a skaldic poem which the skald Eyvindr skáldaspillir composed about the fall of the Norwegian king Hákon the Good at the battle of Fitjar and his reception in Valhalla. This poem emulates the approximately seven years older Eiríksmál and is intended to depict the Christian Hákon as a friend to the pagan gods. The poem is preserved in its entirety and is considered to be of great beauty.

Contents

The poem consists of 21 ljóðaháttr stanzas. It begins with a description of the valkyries who come down to witness the battle and bring the slain to Valhalla (1). It then describes the bloody battle in ornate language (2–8), culminating with the fall of Hákon’s army (9). We then hear how Hákon is escorted to the green land of the gods (10–13) and welcomed by the gods Hermod and Bragi (14). Hákon expresses his fear of Odin's intentions, but Bragi reassures him that he is in good standing (15–16). Hákon then declares that he will keep his armour on, since a warrior must always be ready for war (17); he is then bid welcome by all Norse gods as thanks for his reverence for pagan shrines (18). The poem ends with three stanzas of praise (19–21):

Góðu dœgri / verðr sá gramr of borinn,
es sér getr slíkan sefa.
Hans aldar / mun æ vesa
at góðu getit.
Mun óbundinn / á ýta sjǫt
Fenrisulfr fara,
áðr jafngóðr / á auða trǫð
konungmaðr komi.
Deyr fé, / deyja frændr
eyðisk land ok láð.
Síz Hákon fór / með heiðin goð,
mǫrg es þjóð of þéuð. – R. D. Fulk’s edition
On a good day / is born that great-souled lord
who hath a heart like his;
aye will his times / be told of on Earth,
and men will speak of his might.
Unfettered will fare / the Fenriswolf,
and fall on the fields of men,
ere that there cometh / a kingly lord
as good, to stand in his stead.
Cattle die / and kinsmen die,
land and lieges are whelmed;
since Hákon / to the heathen gods fared
many a host is harried. – Hollander's translation
On a good day / will that king be born
who gets such a heart.
His lifetime / will forever be
spoken of as good.
Unfettered will / on the abode of men
the Fenriswolf go,
before an equally good / on the deserted pasture
kingly man might come.
Cattle die, / kinsmen die,
land and realm are deserted.
Since Hákon went / among the heathen gods
many peoples are oppressed. – Literal translation

The last stanza is clearly related to a stanza from Hávamál. The traditional view is that Hákonarmál borrowed from that poem but it is also possible that the relation is reversed or that both poems drew on a third source.

The skald Eyvindr also composed a few loose stanzas that lament the fall of Hákon and express his discontent with the new king, Harald Greycloak, whom he labels a tyrannical oppressor (folkstríðir)[2]. He later went on to serve at the court of Harald’s rival and eventual successor, Hákon jarl, for whom he composed Háleygjatal.

References

  1. ^ Orchard 1997, p. 71.
  2. ^ Russell Poole 2012.

Bibliography

  • R. D. Fulk 2012, ‘Eyvindr skáldaspillir Finnsson, Hákonarmál’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 171. https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1187
  • Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Eyvindr skáldaspillir Finnsson, Lausavísur 8–9’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 226 ff. https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=verse&i=2560
  • Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell. ISBN 978-0-304-34520-5.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.