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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Sneglu-Halli (SnH)

11th century; volume 2; ed. Kari Ellen Gade;

Lausavísur (Lv) - 11


Skj poems:
1. Et digt om Harald hårdråde (?)
2. Lausavísur


Lausavísur — SnH LvII


 1   2   3   5   6   7   8   9   10   11 

cross-references:  4 = Hharð Lv 9II 


SkP info: II, 330

old edition introduction edition manuscripts transcriptions concordance search files

9 — SnH Lv 9II

edition interactive full text transcriptions old edition references concordance


Cite as: Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Sneglu-Halli, Lausavísur 9’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 330.

Þjón gerik þann at sveini;
Þjóðolf lætk mat sjóða.

Gerik þann þjón at sveini; lætk Þjóðolf sjóða mat.

I make that slave [my] boy; I let Þjóðólfr cook food.

Mss: Flat(208rb) (Flat); 563aˣ(20)

Readings: [2] mat: om. 563aˣ

Editions: Skj: Sneglu- [Grautar-] Halli, 2. Lausavísur 9: AI, 390, BI, 360, Skald I, 180, NN §§2526, 3396R; ÍF 9, 293 (Snegl ch. 10), Flat 1860-8, III, 427 (Snegl).

Context: On a voyage to Trondheim, Halli becomes seasick and his companion, the poet Þjóðólfr Arnórsson, is left to do the chores. Halli replies with this couplet to a taunting lv. by Þjóðólfr (ÞjóðA Lv 8).

Notes: [1] gerik þann þjón at sveini ‘I make that slave [my] boy’: The most common meaning of sveinn is ‘boy’ or ‘young male person’ (see Fritzner: sveinn 1-2), and þjónn and sveinn could mean both ‘slave’ and ‘servant’ (see Fritzner sveinn 4-5; þjónn). Skj B translates this sentence loosely as Ham gör jeg til tjæner ‘I make him a servant’, whereas Kock (NN §§2526, 3396R) suggests that sveinn here stands for matsveinn ‘cook’ (‘this servant I make a cook’). See also Gulaþingslǫg §300 (NGL I, 98) and NGL V: matgerðarmaðr; matsveinn; sveinn; þjónn. Neither interpretation captures the full derogatory force of Halli’s couplet.
