Atlakviða in grœnlenzka

Atlakviða in grœnlenzka (Akv.) ‘The Greenlandic Lay of Atli’, on fol. 39v–41r of R, is the first of two consecutive poems in this manuscript concerning the death of Atli, Old Norse legend’s reflex of the fifth-century Attila the Hun; essentially the same story is told at greater length in Atlamál in grœnlenzku (Am.).

Akv. is generally thought to be among the earliest poems in the collection and, whatever the basis of its Greenlandic connection (which might simply derive from association with Am.), to predate the Norse settlement of Greenland in around 985.

That the poem has more than negligible links to the European continent and the ancient Germanic past is suggested by its references to, for example, the Dnieper (5), the Rhine (17, 27), to the huge and dark forest of central Europe (3, 5, 13), to the Gjúkjungar as Burgundians (or to Gunnarr, reflex of the fifth-century Burgundian King Gundaharius, as ‘friend of the Burgundians’) (18), and perhaps even to the Burgundian capital at Worms, Germany (17). Whether the poem in its present form was composed in Iceland, Greenland or Scandinavia, it is clearly not set there. Furthermore, although Akv.’s narrative is largely fictional, it contains some elements that reflect history. Most generally, the Burgundians and the Huns were indeed both foes and allies. More intriguingly, some aspects of Akv.’s account of Atli’s death suggest a distorted, elaborated folk-memory of what may well have been historical reality, as dimly as we can perceive it from the surviving sources. Thus, a contemporary account by Priscus, related in chapter 49 of the De origine actibusque Getarum ‘On the origin and deeds of the Goths’ (Getica, c. AD 551) by the sixth-century historian Jordanes, records that Attila died after a heavy drinking session on the night of his marriage to a beautiful woman called Ildico, having choked on blood flowing from his nose.¹ It seems possible to detect a distorted echo of this demise in Atli’s drunken consumption of his children’s bloody hearts, which were served to him by his wife.² Ildico could be a diminutive of Germanic *Hildaz ‘Battle’, which may survive as the second part of Kriemhilt, the name of Guðrun’s counterpart as the wife of Attila in continental Germanic tradition (Guð- in Guðrún also means ‘Battle’).

A further indication of Akv.’s relative antiquity may be its metre, which includes stanzas that mix fornyrðislag and málaháttr. This feature need not (or not always) indicate composite origin or the contributions of multiple poets. It may rather reflect the differing prosodic tradition of an earlier age.

Whatever its age, and whatever vestiges of history may survive in Akv., it is undoubtedly a highly effective heroic poem, even if the surviving version suffers from textual damage in some places. In contrast to the largely reflective character of preceding poems about a static, grieving Guðrún, Akv. is more of an action narrative. Its tense, economically told story advances to a shockingly gruesome and dramatic climax in which the burning timbers of Atli’s hall collapse around the drunken king who has unwittingly eaten his own sons. Characterization is satisfyingly bold. Guðrún again features prominently, but here impresses not just in words but also in deeds both subtle and appalling, though not wholly heartless (she lets Atli’s dogs and servants escape the flames); her portrayal is enriched by suggestions of the supernatural (29?, 36). Gunnarr speaks defiantly but impresses most through his apparent refusal to fight Atli; instead, he advances coolly, and unarmed, to his death in order (we infer) to embrace its inevitability and thwart his enemy’s desire for treasure. Hǫgni, by contrast, fights valiantly and even laughs as his heart is removed—surely the ultimate expression of the defiant, martial spirit not just of the Burgundians but of the whole Germanic North. Atli remains a sinister, shadowy figure, occasionally glimpsed but largely lurking in the background.

The poem’s vivid, sometimes cryptic, language also impresses. Notable, for instance, are Gunnarr’s final words to his household (11), the description of the Burgundians’ thunderous gallop to their doom (13), the portrayal of Atli’s towering hall (14), Guðrún’s prophetic words upon her brothers’ arrival (16), and Gunnarr’s fatalistic reply (17).

A version of Akv. was among the sources for chapters 35 to 40 of VS, although none of its stanzas are quoted. The story is also told in chapter 42 of SnESkáld.

Strikingly different accounts of the visit of Gunnarr and Hǫgni to Atli’s hall, and of Atli’s death, appear in the Middle High German Nibelungenlied, the Old Norse (Norwegian) Þiðreks saga af Bern and the Faroese ballad Høgna táttur ‘Høgni’s Story’.

Synopsis

Wagons were brought to take Gunnarr to his death (28). Atli rode with them, and Guðrun fought back tears (29). She cursed Atli for breaking his oaths to Gunnarr (30), but the horse drawing Gunnarr’s wagon continued on its way (31 [28]).3 Men placed Gunnarr in an enclosure full of snakes, where he played his harp (32 [31]). Atli rode home (33 [32]), and was greeted ambiguously by Guðrún (34 [33]). Ale was served (35 [34]), with Guðrún bringing both drink and food (36 [35]), before declaring that Atli was eating his own sons (37–38 [36–37]). At that there was loud lamentation in the hall, except for Guðrún, who wept for neither her brothers nor her sons (39 [38]). She showered the servants with rings (40 [39]). Atli had drunk himself into a stupor (41 [40]). Guðrún stabbed him in his bed before setting fire to the hall’s door in revenge for her brothers, but only after freeing Atli’s dogs and waking his servants (42 [41]). All those who were left inside she let burn (43 [22]).

Lastly, we learn that, henceforth, no bride will go to avenge her brothers in a mail-coat, and that Guðrún caused the death of three kings before she died (44 [33]).

Prose: A final sentence records that these events are told more fully in Atlamál in Grœnlenzku (the next poem in R).

Further Reading

Aðalheiður Guðmundsdóttir, ‘Gunnarr and the Snake Pit in Medieval Art and Legend’, Speculum 87 (2012), 1015–49, https://doi.org/10.1017/s0038713412003144

Andersson, T. M., ‘An Alemannic Atlakviða’, in E. S. Firchow, K. Grimstad, N. Hasselmo and W. O’Neil, ed., Studies for Einar Haugen: Presented by Friends and Colleagues (The Hague: Mouton, 1972), 31–45.

Andersson, T. M., ‘Did the Poet of Atlamál Know Atlaqviða?’, in R. J. Glendinning and Haraldur Bessason, ed., Edda: A Collection of Essays (Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 1983), pp. 243–57.

Andersson, T. M., The Legend of Brynhild (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1980).

Babcock, M. A., The Night Attila Died: Solving the Murder of Attila the Hun (New York: Berkley Books, 2005).

Clark, D., ‘Undermining and En-Gendering Vengeance: Distancing and Anti-Feminism in the Poetic Edda’, SS 77 (2005), 173–200.

Dronke, U., ‘The Lay of Attila’, Saga-Book 16 (1962–65), 1–21.

Dronke, U., ed. and trans., The Poetic Edda: Volume I. Heroic Poems (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1969).

Finch, R. G., ‘Atlakviða, Atlamál and Vǫlsunga Saga: A Study in Combination and Integration’, in U. Dronke, Guðrún P. Helgadóttir, G. W. Weber and H. Bekker-Nielsen, ed., Speculum Norroenum: Norse Studies in Memory of Gabriel Turville-Petre (Odense: Odense University Press, 1981), pp. 123–38.

Jensen, B., ‘Skull-Cups and Snake-Pits: Men’s Revenge and Women’s Revenge in Viking Age Scandinavia’, in U. Matić and B. Jensen, ed., Archaeologies of Gender and Violence (Oxford: Oxbow, 2017), pp. 197–222, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvh1dp2p.14

Krappe, A. H., ‘The Snake Tower’, Scandinavian Studies and Notes 16 (1940), 22–33.

Dauði Atla

Guðrún, Gjúka dóttir, hefndi brœðra sinna, svá sem frægt er orðit. Hon drap fyrst sonu Atla, en eptir drap hon Atla ok brendi hǫllina ok hirðina alla. Um þetta er sjá kviða ort.

Atlakviða in grœnlenzka

1. Atli sendi   ár til Gunnars,

kunnan segg at ríða —   Knéfrøðr var sá heitinn;

at gǫrðum kom hann Gjúka   ok at Gunnars hǫllu,

bekkjum aringreypum   ok at bjóri svásum.

2. Drukku þar dróttmegir —   en dyljendr þǫgðu —

vín í valhǫllu —   vreiði sásk þeir Húna;

kallaði þá Knéfrøðr   kaldri rǫddu,

seggr inn suðrœni —   sat hann á bekk hám:

3. ‘Atli mik hingat sendi   ríða ørindi,

mar inum mélgreypa,   Myrkvið inn ókunna,

at biðja yðr, Gunnarr,   at it á bekk kœmið,

með hjálmum aringreypum,   at sœkja heim Atla!

4. ‘Skjǫldu kneguð þar velja   ok skafna aska,

hjálma gullroðna   ok Húna mengi,

silfrgylt sǫðulklæði,   serki valrauða,

5. ‘Vǫll létz ykkr ok mundu gefa   víðrar Gnitaheiðar,

af geiri gjallanda   ok af gyltum stǫfnum,

stórar meiðmar   ok staði Danpar,

hrís þat it mæra   er meðr Myrkvið kalla!’

6. Hǫfði vatt þá Gunnarr   ok Hǫgna til sagði:

‘Hvat ræðr þú okkr, seggr inn œri,   allz vit slíkt heyrum?

Gull vissa ek ekki   á Gnitaheiði,

þat er vit ættima   annat slíkt.

7. ‘Sjau eigu vit salhús,   sverða full,

hverju eru þeira   hjǫlt ór gulli;

minn veit ek mar beztan,   en mæki hvassastan,

boga bekksœma,   en brynjur ór gulli,

hjálm ok skjǫld hvítastan,   kominn ór hǫll Kjárs;

einn er minn betri   en sé allra Húna!’

8. ‘Hvat hyggr þú brúði bendu,   þá er hon okkr baug sendi

varinn váðum heiðingja?   Hygg ek at hon vǫrnuð byði;

hár fann ek heiðingja   ríðit í hring rauðum:

ylfskr er vegr okkarr,   at ríða ørindi!’

9. Niðjargi hvǫttu Gunnar,   né náungr annarr,

rýnendr né ráðendr,   né þeir er ríkir váru;

kvaddi þá Gunnarr,   sem konungr skyldi,

mærr, í mjǫðranni,   af móði stórum:

10. ‘Rístu nú, Fjǫrnir,   láttu á flet vaða

greppa gullskálir   með gumna hǫndum!

11. ‘Úlfr mun ráða   arfi Niflunga,

gamlir gránverðir,   ef Gunnars missir;

birnir blakfjallir   bíta þreftǫnnum,

gamna greystóði,   ef Gunnarr né kømrat!’

12. Leiddu landrǫgni   lýðar óneisir,

grátendr, gunnhvata,   ór garði húna;

þá kvað þat inn œri   erfivǫrðr Hǫgna:

‘Heilir farið nú ok horskir,   hvars ykkr hugr teygir!’

13. Fetum létu frœknir   um fjǫll at þyrja

marina mélgreypu,   Myrkvið inn ókunna;

hristisk ǫll Húnmǫrk,   þar er harðmóðgir fóru,

ráku þeir vannstyggva   vǫllu algrœna.

14. Land sá þeir Atla   ok liðskjálfar djúpa —

Bikka greppa standa   á borg inni há —

sal um suðrþjóðum,   sleginn sessmeiðum,

bundnum rǫndum,   bleikum skjǫldum —

dafar, darraða;   en þar drakk Atli

vín í valhǫllu;   verðir sátu úti,

at varða þeim Gunnari,   ef þeir hér vitja kvæmi

15. Systir fann þeira snemst   at þeir í sal kvómu,

brœðr hennar báðir —   bjóri var hon lítt drukkin:

‘Ráðinn ertu nú, Gunnarr —   hvat muntu, ríkr, vinna

við Húna harmbrǫgðum?   Hǫll gakk þú ór snemma!

16. ‘Betr hefðir þú, bróðir,   at þú í brynju fœrir —

sem hjálmum aringreypum —   at sjá heim Atla;

sætir þú í sǫðlum   sólheiða daga,

nái nauðfǫlva létir   Nornir gráta,

Húna skjaldmeyjar   hervi kanna,

en Atla sjálfan   létir þú í ormgarð koma —

nú er sá ormgarðr   ykkr um fólginn!’

17. ‘Seinat er nú, systir,   at samna Niflungum,

langt er at leita   lýða sinnis til

of rosmufjǫll Rínar,   rekka óneissa!’

18. Fengu þeir Gunnar   ok í fjǫtur settu,

vinir Borgunda,   ok bundu fastla.

19. Sjau hjó Hǫgni   sverði hvǫssu,

en inum átta   hratt hann í eld heitan;

svá skal frœkn   fjándum verjask;

Hǫgni varði   hendr Gunnars.

20. Frágu frœknan,   ef fjǫr vildi,

Gotna þjóðann,   gulli kaupa.

21. ‘Hjarta skal mér Hǫgna   í hendi liggja,

blóðugt, ór brjósti   skorit baldriða

saxi slíðrbeitu,   syni þjóðans!’

22. Skáru þeir hjarta   Hjalla ór brjósti,

blóðugt, ok á bjóð lǫgðu   ok báru þat fyr Gunnar.

23. Þá kvað þat Gunnarr,   gumna dróttinn:

‘Hér hefi ek hjarta   Hjalla ins blauða —

ólíkt hjarta   Hǫgna ins frœkna —

er mjǫk bifask   er á bjóði liggr;

bifðisk hálfu meirr,   er í brjósti lá!’

24. Hló þá Hǫgni,   er til hjarta skáru

kvikvan kumblasmið —   kløkkva hann sízt hugði!

Blóðugt þat á bjóð lǫgðu   ok báru fyr Gunnar.

25. Mærr kvað þat Gunnarr,   geir-Niflungr:

‘Hér hefi ek hjarta   Hǫgna ins frœkna —

ólíkt hjarta   Hjalla ins blauða —

er lítt bifask   er á bjóði liggr;

bifðisk svági mjǫk,   þá er í brjósti lá!

26. ‘Svá skaltu, Atli,   augum fjarri,

sem þú munt   menjum verða;

er und einum mér   ǫll um fólgin

hodd Niflunga,   lifira nú Hǫgni!

27. ‘Ey var mér týja,   meðan vit tveir lifðum,

nú er mér engi,   er ek einn lifik!

Rín skal ráða   rógmálmi skatna,

svinn, áskunna   arfi Niflunga —

í veltanda vatni   lýsask valbaugar,

heldr en á hǫndum gull   skíni Húna bǫrnum!’

28. ‘‎Ýkvið ér hvélvǫgnum!   Haptr er nú í bǫndum!’

29. Atli inn ríki   reið glaummǫnum,

sleginn rógþornum —   sifjungr þeira;

Guðrún sigtíva   . . . .;

varnaði við tárum,   vaðin í þyshǫllu.

30. ‘Svá gangi þér, Atli,   sem þú við Gunnar áttir

eiða opt um svarða   ok ár of nefnda,

at sól inni suðrhǫllu   ok at Sigtýs bergi,

hǫlkvi hvílbeðjar   ok at hringi Ullar!’

31 [28]. Ok meirr þaðan   menvǫrð — bituls —

dólgrǫgni, dró   til dauðs — skókr.

32 [31]. Lifanda gram   lagði í garð,

þann er skriðinn var,   skatna mengi,

innan ormum;   en einn Gunnarr,

heiptmóðr, hǫrpu   hendi kníði —

glumðu strengir;   svá skal gulli

frœkn hringdrifi   við fira halda!

33 [32]. Atli lét   lands síns á vit

jó eyrskán   aptr frá morði;

dynr var í garði,   drǫslum of þrungit,

vápnsǫngr virða —   váru af heiði komnir.

34 [33]. Út gekk þá Guðrún,   Atla í gǫgn,

með gyltum kálki,   at reifa gjǫld rǫgnis:

‘Þiggja knáttu, þengill,   í þinni hǫllu,

glaðr, at Guðrúnu   gnadda niflfarna!’

35 [34]. Umðu ǫlskálir   Atla, vínhǫfgar,

þá er í hǫll saman   Húnar tǫlðusk,

gumar gransíðir,   gengu inn hvárir.

36 [35]. Skævaði þá in skírleita,   veigar þeim at bera,

afkár dís, jǫfrum,   ok ǫlkrásir valði,

nauðug, neffǫlum,   en níð sagði Atla:

37 [36]. ‘Sona hefir þinna,   sverða deilir,

hjǫrtu hrædreyrug   við hunang of tuggin!

Melta knáttu, móðugr,   manna valbráðir,

eta at ǫlkrásum,   ok í ǫndugi at senda!

38 [37]. ‘Kallaraðu síðan   til knjá þinna

Erp né Eitil,   ǫlreifa tvá!

Séraðu síðan   í seti miðju

gulls miðlendr   geira skepta,

manar meita   né mara keyra!’

39 [38]. Ymr varð á bekkjum,   afkárr sǫngr virða,

gnýr und guðvefjum —   grétu born Húna,

nema ein Guðrún,   er hon æva grét

brœðr sína berharða   ok buri svása,

unga, ófróða,   þá er hon við Atla gat!

40 [39]. Gulli seri   in gaglbjarta,

hringum rauðum   reifði hon húskarla;

skǫp lét hon vaxa,   en skíran málm vaða —

æva fljóð ekki   gáði fjarghúsa!

41 [40]. Óvarr Atli,   móðan hafði hann sik drukkit,

vápn hafði hann ekki,   varnaðit hann við Guðrúnu;

opt var sá leikr betri,   þá er þau lint skyldu

optarr um faðmask   fyr ǫðlingum!

42 [41]. Hon beð broddi   gaf blóð at drekka,

hendi helfússi —   ok hvelpa leysti;

hratt fyr hallar dyrr —   ok húskarla vakði —

brandi, brúðr, heitum;   þau lét hon gjǫld brœðra!

43 [42]. Eldi gaf hon þá alla   er inni váru

ok frá morði þeira Gunnars   komnir váru ór Myrkheimi;

forn timbr fellu,   fjarghús ruku,

bœr Buðlunga,   brunnu ok skjaldmeyjar

inni, aldrstamar,   hnigu í eld heitan.

44 [43]. Fullrœtt er um þetta;   ferr engi svá síðan

brúðr í brynju   brœðra at hefna;

hon hefir þriggja   þjóðkonunga

banorð borit,   bjǫrt, áðr sylti.

En segir gløggra i ‘Atlamálum inum grœnlenzkum.’

The Death of Atli

Guðrún, Gjúki’s daughter, avenged her brothers, just as has become famous. She first slew the sons of Atli, and afterwards she slew Atli and burned the hall and all the court. This poem was composed about this.

The Greenlandic Lay of Atli4

1. Atli sent an envoy to Gunnarr,

a knowledgeable man riding — he was called Knéfrøðr;5

he came to Gjúki’s courts and to Gunnarr’s hall,

2. Men of the warrior-host drank there — but concealers⁶ kept quiet —

wine in the foreign hall⁷ — they feared the wrath⁸ of the Húnar;9

then Knéfrøðr called out in a cold voice,

the southern man — he sat on a high bench:10

3. ‘Atli sent me riding here on an errand,

on the bit-champing steed, [across] Myrkviðr11 the unknown,¹²

to ask you,¹³ Gunnarr, that you both14 come to his benches,

with their hearth-surrounding¹⁵ helms, to visit Atli at home!

4. ‘There you can choose shields and smooth-shaven ash-spears,

gold-plated helms and a horde of Húnar,

silver-gilt saddle-cloths, foreign-red16 tunics,

lances, spears(?),¹⁷ bit-champing steeds.

5. ‘He said he would also give you both the field of wide Gnitaheiðr,

[your choice] from yelling18 spear and from gilded stems,¹⁹

great treasures and homesteads of the Danpr,20

[and] that famous thicket²¹ which people call Myrkviðr!’

6. Then Gunnarr turned his head and said to Hǫgni:

’What do you advise us both [to do], young22 man, since we hear of such?

I know of no gold on Gnitaheiðr,

[such] that we didn’t own another such [amount].23

7. ‘We two have seven hall-houses, full of swords,

on each of them is a hilt made from gold;

I know that my steed is the best, and my sword the sharpest,

that my bows are bench-worthy, and my mail-coats are made from gold,

that my helm and shield are the shiniest, come [as they are] from Kjárr’s24 hall;

one of mine is better than all of the Húnar’s!’

8.²⁵ ‘What do you think the bride²⁶ meant, when she sent us both an arm-ring

wrapped in the clothes of a heath-dweller?²⁷ I think she offered us a warning;

I found hair of the heath-dweller tied round²⁸ the red ring:

wolfish is our road, if we ride on this mission!’

9. No kinsmen urged Gunnarr, nor close relative either,

then Gunnarr spoke out, as a king should,

10. ‘Arise now, Fjǫrnir,29 let the warriors’ golden cups flow³⁰

into the hall³¹ in the hands of men!

11.³² ‘The wolf will rule the inheritance of the Niflungar,

old grey-guardians,33 if Gunnarr goes missing;34

black-skinned bears³⁵ will bite with snatching³⁶ teeth,

entertain the bitch-stud,³⁷ if Gunnarr doesn’t come [back]!’38

12. Blameless³⁹ people led the land-ruler,⁴⁰

weeping,⁴¹ [they led] the battle-whetters,⁴² from the court of cubs;⁴³

then the younger inheritance-warder⁴⁴ of Hǫgni said this:

13. The bold ones let their bit-champing steeds gallop with their steps

across mountains, [across] Myrkviðr the unknown;

all Húnmǫrk45 shuddered, where the hard-spirited ones passed by,

[where] they drove the stick-shy ones⁴⁶ [across] all-green plains.

14. They saw Atli’s land and army-shelves47 of the depths⁴⁸ —

Bikki’s49 warriors standing on the high stronghold —

a hall over⁵⁰ southern peoples, surrounded by seat-trees,⁵¹

by bound [shield]-rims, by shining shields —

[and they also saw] lances, spears(?); and there Atli drank

wine in the foreign hall;52 warders sat⁵³ outside,

to ward off Gunnarr and his men, if they were to come hither seeking

with yelling spear to waken the prince with war.54

15. Their sister⁵⁵ noticed soonest that they came into the hall,

both her brothers — she was little drunk with beer:⁵⁶

‘You’re betrayed now, Gunnarr — what, mighty one, will you do

against the Húnar’s harmful schemes? Get out of the hall at once!

16. ‘You’d have done better, brother, if you’d come in a mail-coat —

likewise in hearth-surrounding helms⁵⁷ — to see Atli’s home;

if you’d sat in saddles58 through sun-bright days,⁵⁹

to make the Nornir cry over constraint-pale corpses,60

and the Húnar’s shield-maidens get to know the harrow,61

and [if] you’d had Atli himself put in a snake-yard —

17.⁶² ‘It’s late now,⁶³ sister, to assemble the Niflungar,

from the reddish-brown(?) mountains64 of the Rín,65 for blameless warriors!’

18. They seized Gunnarr and set him in fetters,

the friends of the Borgundar,66 and bound him firmly.

19. Hǫgni hewed seven with a sharp sword,

Hǫgni defended Gunnarr’s(?) hands.67

20. They asked the brave one,⁶⁸ the king of the Gotar,69

if he wanted to buy his life with gold.

21.⁷⁰ ‘Hǫgni’s heart must lie in my hand,

22. They cut Hjalli’s71 heart from his breast,

bloody, and laid it on a platter and brought it before Gunnarr.

23. Then Gunnarr said this, the lord of men:

‘Here I have the heart of Hjalli the coward —

unlike the heart of Hǫgni the brave —

24. Hǫgni laughed then, when to the heart they cut

the living wound-smith72 — least [of all] did he think to sob!

They laid it,⁷³ bloody, on a platter and brought it before Gunnarr.

25. Glorious Gunnarr said this, the spear-Niflungr:

‘Here I have the heart of Hǫgni the brave —

unlike the heart of Hjalli the coward —

26. ‘Thus you, Atli, shall be as far from eyes,74

as you will be from torcs;⁷⁵

all the hoard of the Niflungar is [kept] hidden

by me alone, now Hǫgni isn’t living!

27. ‘Doubt was always with me, as long as we two lived,

now there’s none with me, since I alone live!

The Rín76 shall rule the discord-metal of men,⁷⁷

the swift [Rín shall rule] the Áss78-descended inheritance of the Niflungar79—

in surging water foreign arm-rings shall gleam,

rather than gold shine on the hands⁸⁰ of the children of the Húnar!’

28.⁸¹ ‘Bring out the wheeled wagons!⁸² The captive is now in bonds!’

29. Atli the mighty rode a noisy-maned one,83

surrounded by discord-thorns⁸⁴ — [he was] their trusted relative;

Guðrún of the victory-gods . . . .;85

she fought back tears, destitute⁸⁶ in the tumultuous hall.

30. ‘May it go for you, Atli, just as you had

often sworn oaths to Gunnarr and uttered names87 early,⁸⁸

by the south-slanting sun⁸⁹ and by Sigt‎ýr’s90 rock,

by the horse of rest-bedding⁹¹ and by the ring of Ullr!’92

31 [28].⁹³ And on from there the bit’s shaker⁹⁴

drew the torc-guardian, the strife-ruler,⁹⁵ to death.

32 [31]. A multitude of warriors laid the living prince⁹⁶

in a yard,⁹⁷ the one that was crawling

inside with snakes; but, alone, Gunnarr,

the strings resounded; so must a brave ring-strewer98

guard his gold against men!

33 [32]. Atli made the sand-treading(?) steed visit his land,99

[turn] back from the murder;

there was a clamour in the court, with steeds closely packed,

[and] weapon-song¹⁰⁰ of men — they had come [back] from the heath.

34 [33]. Out went Guðrún then, towards Atli,

with a gilded cup, to present the ruler’s101 due payment:¹⁰²

’You may happily accept, prince, in your hall,

from Guðrún, young mist-gone ones!’103

35 [34]. Atli’s ale-cups rang out, wine-heavy,

when the Húnar gathered themselves together in the hall,

men with long moustaches, [when those] from either group went inside.104

36 [35]. Then the shining-faced one, the frightful lady,¹⁰⁵

hastened to bring them, the boars,¹⁰⁶ drinks, and chose ale-dainties,¹⁰⁷

against her will, for the pale-nosed ones,¹⁰⁸ and spoke offensive words to Atli:109

37 [36]. ‘Distributor of swords, you have your sons’

corpse-bloody hearts chewed with honey!

You’re digesting, proud one, slaughter-meats¹¹⁰ of men,

eating them as ale-dainties, and sending them to the high-seat!¹¹¹

38 [37]. ‘Never again will you call to your knee

Erpr or Eitill,112 the two ale-merry ones!

You won’t see henceforth in the middle of the floor

the distributors of gold¹¹³ attaching shafts to spears,

cutting manes or spurring steeds!’

39 [38]. There was uproar on the benches, an awful song of men,

a din under costly clothes¹¹⁴ — the children of the Húnar115 were crying,

except for Guðrún alone, as she never cried

the young, unwise116 ones whom she bore to Atli!

40 [39]. The gosling-bright one¹¹⁷ sowed¹¹⁸ gold,

with red rings she showered the house-servants;

she let fate grow, and shining metal flow —

the woman paid no heed at all to god-houses!¹¹⁹

41 [40]. Atli [was] unaware — he’d drunk himself to exhaustion —120

he had no weapon,¹²¹ he wasn’t on his guard against Guðrún;

42 [41]. With a sword-point she¹²² gave the bed blood to drink,¹²³

with a Hel-eager hand — and let the whelps loose;

the bride shoved before the hall’s door — and wakened the house-servants124 —

a hot firebrand; those [acts] she let [serve as] retribution for her brothers!¹²⁵

43 [42]. She gave to the fire all those who were inside

and had come from the murder of Gunnarr and his men(?), from Myrkheimr;126

ancient timbers fell, god-houses¹²⁷ smoked,

the farmstead of the Buðlungar,128 [and] shield-maidens also burned

inside, life-stemmed,¹²⁹ they sank in the hot fire.

44 [43]. About this [the tale] is fully told; henceforth no bride will go

thus in a mail-coat to avenge her brothers;¹³⁰

of three people-kings,¹³¹ she, bright one, has brought

the death-word,¹³² before she died.

And it is told¹³³ in more detail in Atlamál in grœnlenzku [‘The Greenlandic Poem of Atli’].

Textual Apparatus to Atlakviða in Grœnlenzka