Lokrur: Part IV
Translated by Ann Sheffield, Denise Vast, and Lyonel Perabo,
with additional contributions from Danielle Cudmore and Ben Waggoner
1.
Yet the poet will always gladden
the fields of the flames of Geitir; (1)
now I have the fourth ship of Gres(s) (2)
revealed to the shrubs of steel weapons (3).
En skal gleðja greppur ey
Geitis foldar bála,
nú hef eg Gress hið fjórða fley
fundið runnum stóla. (4)
(1) Geitir is the name of a sea-king; his “flames” are gold (though it would be more usual to specify something like the flames of his land, i.e., the sea). “Fields of gold” are women.
(2) Gress (or Gres?) is presumably a dwarf-name (cf. Grerr); the“ship” of a dwarf is poetry.
(3) “shrubs of steel weapons” = warriors.
(4) The word stóla (“of chairs”) appears to be a typographical error for stála, which appears in the ms and also gives the correct rhyme for bála in the second line.
2.
The heir of Tveggi (1) trusted in himself;
he speaks to the people then:
“Who is eager to grapple with me,
feeder of the steed of Gjálp (2)?”
Tveggja arfi treysti á sig,
talar hann þá til ljóða:
»hverr er fús til fángs við mig
fæðir Gjálpar stóða?«
(1) Tveggi is a name for Óðinn; his “heir” is Þór.
(2) Gjálp is a female jötunn-name; the “steed” of a female jötunn is a wolf, and a wolf’s “feeder” is a warrior.
3.
“I have had a mother,” said the oppressor
of white ice of bride-payment (1),
“Although she is now hurt from injuries;
I remember she knew how to throw.”
»Móður hef eg« kvað mýgir »átt«
mundar hvítra svella
»nú er hun meidd í meinum þrátt;
man eg hun kunni að fella«.
(1) The “white ice of bride-payment” is silver; its “oppressor” is a generous man (here, Útgarða-Loki).
4.
As soon as the famous peoples of the king (1)
heard the ruler’s account,
then the grim mother of Geats of rough ground (2)
came clean through the doorway.
Þegar að fréttu fylkirs grein
frægar kóngsins þjóðir,
þá kom grimm í gáttar hrein
Gauta klúngurs móðir.
(1) “famous peoples of the king” = Útgarða-Loki’s retinue.
(2) “Geats of rough ground” are jötnar; their mother is a lady jötunn.
5.
The old woman appeared large to the champions;
although obviously arrived at great age,
the lady up and came at Þór;
Rymr (1) became weak on the field.
Köppum sýndist kellíng stór,
komin þó sýnt í elli,
rýgur tók og réð á Þór,
Rymr varð laus á velli.
(1) Rymr is a name for Þór.
6.
She was swollen and all blackened,
clearly bent at the hips;
the palate-spears (1) of this gravel-firtree (2)
resembled rock-points on the beach.
Bólgin var hun og blánuð öll,
bognuð sýnt í lendum,
gómaspjót á grýtiþöll
glíkust broddi strendum.
(1) “palate-spears” = teeth.
(2) “gravel-firtree” = female jötunn.
7.
He did not have any effect;
Þór is completely staggering;
the hard ogress almost beat
the son of the prince (1) in the contest.
Ekki hafði hann orku við,
allr er Þór á reiki,
hrökti gríður hilmis nið,
hörð var næsta í leiki.
(1) “son of the prince” = Þór.
8.
The land of steps (1) was as stiff as a tree,
withstood every trick;
Sönnúngur (2) had to bend the knee;
such is perceived by the ogress.
Stíga grund var stirð sem tré,
stóð fyr hverju bragði;
Sönnúng varð að síga kné,
svó er greint af flagði.
(1) “land of steps” = foot.
(2) Sönnúngur is a name for Þór.
9.
Atli (1) gained strong and ardent rage
on account of [this] great wonder;
the old woman vanished, but the champion Þór
says that he longs [to be] in Ásgarður.
Atli fekk við undrin stór
æsta reiði og stránga,
kellíng hvarf, en kappinn Þór
kveðst í Ásgarð lánga.
(1) Atli = Þór.
10.
“[I] shall lead you far from the fortress” -
Loki (1) began thus to speak -
“[so as] then to cause the hard grief, which the prop of spells (2)
delivered to you, to cease.
»Þig skal leiða lángt frá borg«
Loki tók svó til orða,
»fella þá enu föstu sorg,
er fekk þér galdra skorða.
(1) I.e., Útgarða-Loki.
(2) “prop of spells” = sorcerer, wizard (Útgarða-Loki).
11.
“Lord, I tell you for myself-
no need to hide it -
I have manipulated you with tricks,
and both your servants.”
Þeingill, segi eg þér fyr mig,
- það þarf ekki að ljóna -
eg hef brögðum beittan þig
og báði þína þjóna.
12.
“When you, eager, gripped with savageries
to prepare the heavy provisions,
the magic binding, the strong ling-fish of Skrímnir (1),
was locked with rigid steel.”
Þá er þú greipt með grimdum æstr
"geira" nestið þúnga.
gréss var stinnu stáli læst
en sterka Skrímnis "lúnga".
(1) “ling-fish” here (lúnga) is the species of fish called the ling, which is long and thin, and represents the thong the food was bound with.
13.
“When you struck blows with the hammer
and intended to hurt us,
a rock was in front and prepared as protection;
otherwise it was my death.”
Þá er þú högg með hamri laust
og hugðir oss að bella,
bjarg varð fyrir og búið með traust;
bani minn var það ella.
14.
“[I] shall describe this: as Loptur (1) earlier
sported in the king’s house,
glowing fire surpassed your man
by a very large margin.”
Því skal lýsa, að Loptur fyrr
lék í kóngsins ranni,
geysileingi bar glóandi hyrr
gráð af yðrum manni. (2)
(1) Loptur = Ása-Loki.
(2) Finnur Jónsson suggests that something is missing from the manuscript here, presumably because a verse about Þjálfi’s race would be logical at this point.
15.
“[When] the horn came to your mouth,
filled in moderation, very large,
powerful currents had filled it;
the point was lifted into the waves.”
Þér kom horn af hófi fylt
halla (1) stórt að munni;
það hafa stríðir straumar fylt,
stikill var léttr í unni.
(1) The manuscript has harllda. Finnur Jónsson emends to halla; we have emended instead to harðla, ‘very, greatly’ (cf. Part III, st. 3 above).
16.
“When you said that you were ready for beer
to run into the hall of the windpipe (1),
sword-breakers (2) will recognize that since
as the falling of the seas.”
Þá er þú bjór í barka höll,
búinn lést þér að renna,
það munu síðan sjófar föll
sverða brjótar kenna.
(1) “hall of the windpipe” = mouth.
(2) “sword-breakers” = warriors.
17.
“When, destroyer of halberds (1), the cat
came before the excellent chieftain,
that was Midgarður’s ugly serpent,
who lies around the entire world.”
Þar sem köttrinn, kesju brjótr,
kom fyr hessi snjallan,
það var Miðgarðs linni ljótr,
er liggr um heiminn allan.
(1) “destroyer of halberds” = warrior (Þór).
18.
“Although the trollwife was not pretty,
when she bit and plucked,
that was old age, Yggur’s son (1),
who contested with you in strength.”
Þussa kvón var þeygi fögr,
þá er hun beit og reytti,
það var elli, Yggjar mögr,
er orku við þig þreytti.
(1) Yggur is a name for Óðinn; his “son” is Þór.
19.
“Now I have told your labors to you,
this [account] is not biased;
it is now evident that we will part from each other -
may the devil take you all!”
Nú hef eg sagðar þrautir þér,
þeim er ekki að halla;
það er nú skýrt, að skiljumst vér
- skrattinn taki yðr alla«.
20.
With anger, Lóður (1) thought
to firmly smite that devious troll;
then the ruler and the high hall
vanished from the pole of shields (2).
Lóður hygst það lymsku (3) tröll
ljósta fast með reiði,
þá var gramr og hin háfa höll
horfin skjalda meiði.
(1) Lóður = Ása-Loki.
(2) “pole of shields”= warrior.
(3) We interpret this form as a variant of lymska.
21.
I recited the god's palate-sea (1)
for the trees of gold ornaments (2);
we must leave off Lokrur -
otherwise they’ll hate it.
Ginnúngs flutteg góma haf
glæsimeiðum vella.
Lokrur skulu vær leggja af,
leiðast munu þær ella.
(1) “god’s palate-sea” = poetry.
(2) “trees of gold ornaments” = ladies.