Prose Edda - Brodeur Trans.
Skáldskaparmál
Yet has Mímir's friendHere he is called High God, and Friend of Mímir, and Adversary of the Wolf.
On me bestowed
Amends of evil
Which I account better.
He has given me the art-
He, the Wolf's Opposer,
Accustomed to battle,-
Of blemish blameless.
Thus sang Refr:
Swift God of Slain, that wieldethThus sang Einarr Tinkling-Scale:
The snowy billow's wave-hawks,
The ships that drive the sea-road,
To thee we owe the dwarves' drink.
'T is mine to pour the liquorThus sang Úlfr Uggason:
Of the Host-God's mead-cask freely
Before the ships' swift Speeder:
For this I win no scorning.
His steed the lordly Heimdallr
Spurs to the pyre gods builded
For the fallen son of Odin,
The All-Wise Raven-Ruler.
102
This is said in Eiríksmál:
What dream is that? quoth Odin,-Kormákr sang this:
I thought to rise ere day-break
To make Valhall ready
For troops of slain;
I roused the champions,
Bade them rise swiftly
Benches to strew,
To wash beer-flagons;
The Valkyrs to pour wine,
As a Prince were coming.
I pray the precious RulerThórálfr sang this:
Of Yngvi's people, o'er me
To hold his hand, bow-shaking.
Hroptr bore with him Gungnir.
The Mighty One of HlidskjálfThus sang Eyvindr:
Spake his mind unto them
Where the hosts of fearless
Hárekr were slaughtered.
The mead which forth
From Surtr's sunk dales
The Strong-through-spells
Swift-flying bore.
103
So sang Bragi:
'Tis seen, on my shield's surface,Thus sang Eínarr:
How the Son of the Father of Peoples
Craved to try his strength full swiftly
'Gainst the rain-beat Snake earth-circling.
Since less with Bestla's OffspringThus sang Thorvaldr Blending-Skald:
Prevail most lordly princes
Than thou, my task is singing
Thy praise in songs of battle.
Now have I much
In the middle grasped
Of the son of Borr,
Of Búri's heir.
III. "Now you shall hear how the skalds have termed the art of poesy in these metaphorical phrases which have been recorded before: for example, by calling it Kvasir's Gore and Ship of the Dwarves, Dwarves' Mead, Mead of the Æsir, Giants' Father-Ransom, Liquor of Ódrerir and of Bodn and of Són, and Fullness of these, Liquor of Hnitbjörg, Booty and Find and Gift of Odin, even as has been sung in these verses which Einarr Tinkling-Scale wrought:
I pray the high-souled Warder
Of earth to hear the Ocean
Of the Cliff of Dwarves, my verses:
Hear, Earl, the Gore of Kvasir.
104
And as Einarr Tinkling-Scale sang further:
The Dwarves' Crag's Song-wave rushesEven as Ormr Steinthórsson sang:
O'er all the dauntless shield-host
Of him who speeds the fury
Of the shield-wall's piercing sword-bane.
The body of the dameAnd as Refr sang:
And my dead be borne
Into one hall; the Drink
Of Dvalinn, Franklins, hear.
I reveal the Thought's DrinkEven as Egill sang:
Of the Rock-Folk to Thorsteinn;
The Billow of the Dwarf-Crag
Plashes; I bid men hearken.
The Prince requires my lore,And as Glúmr Geirason sang:
And bound his praise to pour,
Odin's Mead I bore
To English shore.
Let the Princely Giver hearken:
I hold the God-King's liquor:
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