Prose Edda - Brodeur Trans.
Skáldskaparmál
The Stay's Bear, shower-breasting,Here the ship is called Winterling of the Stream: a bear-cub is called a Winterling; and a bear is called Tusker; the Bear of the Stay is a ship.
Broke the Reef's splashing Fetter.
The ship is also called Reindeer, and so Hallvardr sang, as we have written before; and Hart, as King Haraldr Sigurdarson sang:
By Sicily then widelyAnd Elk, as Einarr sang:
The Seam cut: we were stately;
The Sea-Hart glided swiftly
As we hoped beneath the heroes.
The ring's mild Peace-Dispenser,And Otter, as Máni sang:
The princely hero, may not
Long bide with thee, if something
Aid not; we boune the Flood's Elk.
What, laggard carle with gray cheeks,Wolf, as Refr sang:
Canst do among keen warriors
On the Otter of the Sea-Waves?
For thy strength is ebbing from thee.
And the Hoard-Diminisher hearkened
To Thorsteinn; true my heart is
194
To the Lord of the Wolf of BillowsAnd Ox also. The ship is called Snowshoe, or Wagon, or Wain. Thus sang Eyjólfr the Valiant Skald:
In the baleful Wrath-Wand's conflict.
Late in the day the young EarlThus sang Styrkárr Oddason:
In the Snowshoe of Landless Waters
Fared with equal following
To meet the fearless chieftain.
Högni's host drove the WagonsAnd as Thorbjörn sang:
Of Rollers o'er Heiti's Snow-Heaps,
Angrily pursuing
The great Giver of Flood-Embers.
The Freighter of Wave-Crests' Sea-WainLI. "How should one periphrase Christ? Thus: by calling Him Fashioner of Heaven and Earth, of Angels, and of the Sun, Governor of the World and of the Heavenly Kingdom and of Jerusalem and Jordan and the Land of the Greeks, Counsellor of the Apostles and of the Saints. Ancient skalds have written of Him in metaphors of Urdr's Well and Rome; as Eilífr Gudrúnarson sang:
Was in the font of christening,
Hoard-Scatterer, who was given
The White Christ's highest favor.
195
So has Rome's Mighty RulerThus sang Skapti Thóroddsson:
In the Rocky Realms confirmed
His power; they say He sitteth
South, at the Well of Urdr.
The King of Monks is greatestKing of the Heavens, as Markús sang:
Of might, for God all governs;
Christ's power wrought this earth all,
And raised the Hall of Rome.
The King of the Wind-House fashionedThus sang Eilífr Kúlnasveinn:
Earth, sky, and faithful peoples;
Christ, sole Prince of Mortals,
Hath power o'er all that liveth.
The Host of the beaming World's RoofSon of Mary, as Eilífr sang further:
And the Band of Illustrious bow down
To the Holy Cross; than all glory
Else the Sole Sun's King is brighter.
The bright Host of Heaven boweth
To Mary's Bairn: He winneth,
The Gentle Prince, of glory
The true might, God and man both.
196
King of Angels, as Eilífr sang again:
The goodly might of God's friendKing of Jordan, as Sigvatr sang:
Is better than men guess of;
Yet the Gracious King of Angels
Is dearer than all, and holier.
Four angels the King of JordanKing of Greeks, as Arnórr sang:
Sent long ago through aether
To earthward; and the stream washed
The holy head of the World's Lord.
I have lodged for the hero's ashesThus sang Eilífr Kúlnasveinn:
Prayers with the Lordly Warder
Of Greeks and men of Gardar:
Thus I pay my Prince for good gifts.
The Glory of Heaven praisesHere he called Christ, first, King of Men, and again, King of All. Einarr Skúlason sang:
Man's Prince: He is King of all things.
He who compasseth, Bright in Mercy,
All the world, and gently careth
For all, caused the realm of Heaven
To ope for the valiant ruler.
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