Hamðismál

Hamðismál (Hm.) ‘The Lay of Hamðir’, more fully Hamðismál in fornu ‘The Ancient Lay of Hamðir’, survives on fol. 44v–45v of R and brings its collection of Eddic poetry to a fierce and memorable conclusion. It is arguably the codex’s finest heroic poem, and likely to be among its oldest. Possible echoes in skaldic verses by Torf-Einarr Rǫgnvaldsson, a jarl of the Orkneys in the early tenth century, may point to the existence of a version of Hm. by then.¹ That key aspects of a form of the story told in Hm. were known in ninth-century Norway is shown by stt. 3–6 of Ragnarsdrápa ‘Ragnarr’s Poem’, a skaldic composition attributed to Bragi Boddason, a poet thought to have been active in Norway c. 850–70. These four stanzas, quoted in SnESkáld (I, 42, pp. 50–51), describe scenes on a shield belonging to Ragnarr loðbrók which depicted the attack of Guðrún’s sons, Hamðir and Sǫrli, on the Gothic King Jǫrmunrekkr and their subsequent stoning.² At least one aspect of the story treated in Hm. has much earlier roots than that, however. For the vengeance exacted by Hamðir and Sǫrli on Jǫrmunrekkr for the killing of their sister, Svanhildr, is also attested, albeit in different circumstances and different form, in the mid-sixth-century Getica of Jordanes.³

Postdating Hm. are other Northern versions of the story, which attest to its popularity. Thirteenth-century Old Norse prose accounts survive in SnESkáld (I, 42) and chapters 42–44 of VS, the latter account being partly based on a version of Hm., from which it quotes the first half of st. 28. Earlier, in the twelfth century, the story was told in Saxo Grammaticus’ GD (8.10.10–14), in which the Goths have become Danes and the avenging brothers Hellespontines. There are also German accounts, including references in the Latin Annales Quedlinburgenses ‘Annals of Quedlinburg’ and Chronicon Wirziburgense ‘Chronicle of Würzburg’ from around the year 1000, and a sixteenth-century Low German ballad called Koninc Ermenrikes Dot ‘King Ermenrik’s Death’.⁴

Hm. is composed almost entirely in fornyrðislag. The only exception is a single stanza of ljǫðaháttr (29), which need not necessarily therefore be an interpolation. Some early scholars raised serious doubts about the poem’s integrity and considered it something of a noble ruin, but others (probably more enlightened) subsequently discern a largely complete and finely crafted poem by a poet of rare skill—which does not, of course, necessarily mean that he may not have drawn on diverse sources. Although it is likely that st. 12 has been displaced from its original position after st. 14, and although st. 22 appears partly corrupt, Hm. is mostly comprehensible as it stands and appears to require no major textual surgery.

That is not, however, to say that Hm. is easy to appreciate in all respects, especially as it is not always wholly clear who is speaking (R’s attribution of st. 26 to Hamðir may well be mistaken). The poem’s many vivid and often violent images—of, for example, Svanhildr being trampled by horses, Guðrún standing as a stripped, isolated tree, a man hanging from a gallows as a likely sacrifice to Óðinn, Jǫrmunrekkr’s severed limbs burning in a fire, and Hamðir and Sǫrli surmounting corpses like eagles on a bough—make immediate and lasting impressions. But full appreciation of Hm.’s terse, confrontational and often sententious dialogue requires careful consideration, not just of what the characters say explicitly but also of what they do not state but may communicate implicitly.⁵

At its heart, Hm. is a tale of human tragedy both self-inflicted by human failings and predestined, being played out against a supernatural backdrop of weeping elves, a delighting ogress, inciting female spirits and the fatal decree of the Nornir. If Hamðir and Sǫrli, as ‘brothers of the same mother’ (24), had not acted angrily on their prejudice against their half-brother Erpr, ‘the man of a separate mother’ (14) whom they called a ‘bastard’ (12), they would have escaped Jǫrmunrekkr’s hall with their lives, because the king would have been unable to command their stoning. Hamðir comes to recognize this: ‘Off would be the head [of Jǫrmunrekkr] now, if Erpr [still] lived, the battle-brave brother of us both’ (28). Yet, although Hamðir and Sǫrli had a choice, it seems they were fated to make the wrong one (or at least believed this was the case); in other words, they both had options and had none, their fate was at once in their hands and out of it. It is fitting that this haunting paradox which lies at the heart of much Northern myth and legend should find such telling expression in R’s climactic poem, which marks the extinction of Guðrún’s line.

Synopsis

An introductory stanza sets the scene by referring to the burgeoning of grim deeds, the weeping of elves, and the pain that all men’s afflictions cause in the early morning (1). It was long ago, the poet says, that Guðrún incited her sons, Hamðir and Sǫrli, to avenge their sister, Svanhildr (2). She reminds them how Svanhildr was trampled to death by Jǫrmunrekkr’s horses (3), and declares that they are the last of her line (4) and that she stands alone, bereft (5). Hamðir reminds her that it was her dead brothers, Hǫgni and Gunnarr, who slew her beloved Sigurðr (6–7), whereupon she undertook to kill her sons by Atli, thereby bringing grief upon herself (8). Sǫrli says that he has no wish to argue with his mother, but that the revenge she is asking them to take will cause her further grief, as he and his brother will die (9–10). The brothers set off to avenge Svanhildr (11) and met their half-brother, Erpr, whom they insulted and killed after failing to appreciate the wisdom in his enigmatic statement that he would help them as one foot helps another (12–15). They then dressed themselves finely (16) and encountered Svanhildr’s stepson and reputed lover (Randvér), who was hanging wounded on a gallows (17).

The scene shifts to Jǫrmunrekkr’s hall, whose rowdy occupants are alerted to the arrival of the brothers and warned to devise a plan, as they are about to face mighty warriors intent on avenging the dead maiden (18–19). Jǫrmunrekkr laughed at this and declares himself delighted at the prospect of capturing and hanging Hamðir and Sǫrli (20–21). What happens next is unclear, due to textual corruption, but a woman (perhaps Óðinn incognito) possibly expresses incredulity that the two brothers alone could defeat two hundred enemies (22). Battle is joined and Hamðir taunts Jǫrmunrekkr, whose arms and legs the brothers have severed and thrown in the fire (23–24). Jǫrmunrekkr (perhaps inspired by Óðinn) roars at his men to stone the brothers, since iron weapons cannot hurt them (25), whereupon (according to the likely original form of the text) Sǫrli castigates Hamðir for loosening the ‘bag’ (that is, prompting what is left of Jǫrmunrekkr to speak) (26–27). Hamðir (apparently) then regrets the killing of Erpr, whom he now recognizes as their brother, with whose help they would have beheaded Jǫrmunrekkr and thereby prevented him from ordering their stoning (28). Sǫrli (possibly) says that the two of them won’t fight with each other like wolves (29). Hamðir (possibly) then proclaims that they have fought well, won glory—and that no man outlives the time at which the Nornir determine he will die (30). A final stanza records where Sǫrli and Hamðir fell (31).

Hamðismál

1. Spruttu á tái tregnar íðir,

grœti álfa in glýstǫmu;

ár um morgin manna bǫlva

sútir hverjar sorg um kveykva!

2. Vara þat nú, né í gær,

þat hefir langt liðit síðan —

er fátt fornara, fremr var þat hálfu —

er hvatti Guðrún, Gjúka borin,

sonu sína unga at hefna Svanhildar.

3. ‘Systir var ykkur Svanhildr um heitin,

sú er Jǫrmunrekkr jóm um traddi,

hvítum ok svǫrtum, á hervegi,

grám, gangtǫmum Gotna hrossum.

4. ‘Eptir er ykkr þrungit, þjóðkonunga —

lifið einir ér þátta ættar minnar!

5. ‘Einstœð em ek orðin sem ǫsp í holti,

fallin at frændum sem fura at kvisti,

vaðin at vilja sem viðr at laufi,

þá er in kvistskœða kømr um dag varman!’

6. Hitt kvað þá Hamðir inn hugumstóri:

‘Lítt myndir þú þá, Guðrún, leyfa dáð Hǫgna,

er þeir Sigurð svefni ór vǫkðu —

saztu á beð, en banar hlógu!

7. ‘Bœkr váru þínar, inar bláhvítu,

ofnar vǫlundum, flutu í vers dreyra;

svalt þá Sigurðr, saztu yfir dauðum,

glýja þú né gáðir — Gunnarr þér svá vildi!

8. ‘Atla þóttisk þú stríða at Erps morði

ok at Eitils aldrlagi — þat var þér enn verra!

Svá skyldi hverr ǫðrum verja til aldrlaga,

sverði sárbeitu, at sér né stríddit!’

9. Hitt kvað þá Sǫrli — svinna hafði hann hyggju:

‘Vilkat ek við móður málum skipta,

orðs þikkir enn vant ykkru hváru:

hvers biðr þú nú, Guðrún, er þú at gráti né færat?

10. ‘Brœðr grát þú þína ok buri svása,

niðja náborna, leidda nær rógi!

Okkr skaltu ok, Guðrún, gráta báða,

er hér sitjum feigir á mǫrum — fjarri munum deyja!’

11. Gengu ór garði, gǫrvir at eiskra;

liðu þá yfir, ungir, úrig fjǫll,

mǫrum húnlenskum, morðs at hefna.

12 [14]. Þá kvað þat Erpr einu sinni —

mærr, um lék á mars baki:

‘Illt er blauðum hal brautir kenna!’

Kóðu harðan mjǫk hornung vera!

13 [12]. Fundu á stræti stórbrǫgðóttan:

‘Hvé mun jarpskammr okkr fultingja?’

14 [13]. Svaraði inn sundrmœðri, svá kvazk veita mundu

fulting frændum sem fótr ǫðrum.

‘Hvat megi fótr fœti veita,

né holdgróin hǫnd annarri?’

15. Drógu þeir ór skíði skíðijárn,

mækis eggjar, at mun flagði;

þverðu þeir þrótt sinn at þriðjungi,

létu mǫg ungan til moldar hníga.

16. Skóku loða, skálmir festu,

ok goðbornir smugu í guðvef.

17. Fram lágu brautir, fundu vástígu

ok systur son sáran á meiði,

vargtré vindkǫld vestan bœjar;

trýtti æ trǫnu hvǫt — títt varat biða!

18. Glaumr var í hǫllu, halir ǫlreifir,

ok til gota ekki gerðut heyra,

áðr halr hugfullr í horn um þaut.

19. Segja fóru Jǫrmunrekki

at sénir váru seggir und hjálmum:

‘Rœðið ér um ráð! Ríkir eru komnir —

fyr mátkum hafið ér mǫnnum mey um tradda!’

20. Hló þá Jǫrmunrekkr, hendi drap á kampa,

beiddisk at brǫngu, bǫðvaðisk at víni;

skók hann skǫr jarpa, sá á skjǫld hvítan,

lét hann sér í hendi hvarfa ker gullit.

21. ‘Sæll ek þá þœttumk, ef ek sjá knætta

Hamði ok Sǫrla í hǫllu minni;

buri mynda ek þá binda með boga strengjum,

goðbǫrn Gjúka, festa á gálga!’

22. Hitt kvað þá Hróðrglǫð, stóð uf hléðum,

mæfingr mælti við mǫg þenna:

‘. . . þvíat þat heita, at hlýðigi myni —

mega tveir menn einir tíu hundruð Gotna

binda eða berja í borg inni há?’

23. Styrr varð í ranni, stukku ǫlskálir,

í blóði bragnar lágu komit ór brjósti Gotna.

24. Hitt kvað þá Hamðir inn hugumstóri:

‘Æstir, Jǫrmunrekkr, okkarrar kvámu,

brœðra sammœðra, innan borgar þinnar;

fœtr sér þú þína, hǫndum sér þú þínum,

Jǫrmunrekkr, orpit í eld heitan!’

25. Þá hraut við inn reginkunngi,

baldr í brynju, sem bjǫrn hryti:

‘Grýtið ér á gumna, allz geirar né bíta,

eggjar né járn, Jónakrs sonu!’

26. Hitt kvað þá Hamðir inn hugumstóri:

‘Bǫl vanntu, bróðir, er þú þann belg leystir —

opt ór þeim belg bǫll ráð koma!’

27. ‘Hug hefðir þú, Hamðir, ef þú hefðir hyggjandi;

mikils er á mann hvern vant, er manvits er!’

28. ‘Af væri nú haufuð, ef Erpr lifði,

bróðir okkarr inn bǫðfrœkni, er vit á braut vágum,

verr inn víðfrœkni — hvǫttumk at dísir —

gumi inn gunnhelgi — gørðumk at vígi!’

29. ‘Ekki hygg ek okkr vera úlfa dœmi,

at vit mynim sjálfir um sakask,

sem grey Norna, þau er, gráðug, eru

í auðn um alin!’

30. ‘Vel hǫfum vit vegit! Stǫndum á val Gotna,

ofan eggmóðum, sem ernir á kvisti!

Góðs hǫfum tírar fengit, þótt skylim nú eða í gær deyja —

kveld lífir maðr ekki eptir kvið Norna!’

31. Þar fell Sǫrli at salar gafli,

en Hamðir hné at húsbaki.

Þetta eru kǫlluð ‘Hamðismál in fornu.’

The Lay of Hamðir

1. There sprouted on the threshold⁶ sorrowful deeds,

the glee-stemmed⁷ grievings of elves;⁸

early in the morning any afflictions

of the evils of men engender sorrow!

2. It wasn’t [just] now, nor yesterday,

it has long since passed —

few things are older, it was further away by half —

when Guðrún, born of Gjúki , incited

her young sons to avenge Svanhildr .

3. ‘Your⁹ sister was called Svanhildr,

she whom Jǫrmunrekkr trampled with steeds,

white and black, on the army-way,10

with the grey, gait-tamed horses of the Gotar.11

4. ‘You’re crushed back, people-kings —

you alone [still] live of the strands of my family!

5. ‘I’ve become lone-standing like an aspen in a wood,

bereft of kinsmen like a fir of branches,

stripped of my desire¹² like a tree¹³ of leaf,

when the branch-damaging one¹⁴ comes on a warm day!’

6. Then Hamðir the great-hearted said this:

‘Little would you, Guðrún , have lauded Hǫgni ’s deed then,

when they woke Sigurðr from sleep —

you sat on the bed, and the slayers laughed!15

7. ‘Your embroidered coverlets, the blue-white ones,¹⁶

woven by skilled craftsmen, floated in your husband’s gore;¹⁷

Sigurðr died then, you sat over the dead man,

you didn’t pay heed to gaiety 18 — Gunnarr willed it so for you!

8. ‘You thought to harm Atli through Erpr ’s murder

and Eitill ’s life-end 19 — that was even worse for you!

Everyone should bring another to life-end,

with a wound-biting²⁰ sword, in such a way that one didn’t harm oneself!’

9. Then Sǫrli said this — he had a shrewd mind:

‘I don’t want to bandy words with my mother,

[though] it seems to each of you two that there’s still a lack of talk:

what do you ask for now, Guðrún , that won’t bring you to weeping?

10. ‘Weep for your brothers and your sweet boys,

your near-born kindred, led near to strife!

You, Guðrún, shall also grieve for us both,

as we sit here doomed on our horses — we shall die far away!’

11. They went from the court, ready to roar;

they passed then, the young ones, over moist mountains,²¹

on Húnlandic²² horses, to avenge murder.

12 [14].²³ Then Erpr 24 said this, one time —

splendid, he sported on his horse’s back:

‘It’s [a] bad [idea] to show a soft²⁵ man the way!’²⁶

They²⁷ declared him to be a very hard bastard!²⁸

13 [12]. They²⁹ encountered on the street one with great strategies:³⁰

‘How will a short, reddish-brown³¹ one help us two?’³²

14 [13]. The man of a separate mother³³ answered — he said thus, that he would grant

help to his kinsmen as [one] foot³⁴ to the other.³⁵

‘How can a foot give help to a foot,

or one flesh-grown hand³⁶ [give help to] the other?’³⁷

15. They drew from the scabbard sheath-iron,³⁸

the sword’s edges, to the delight of an ogress;³⁹

they diminished their might by a third,

made the young man⁴⁰ sink to the soil.⁴¹

16. They shook their loden cloaks, fastened their short-swords,

and the god-descended ones⁴² dressed themselves in costly cloth.

17. Ahead lay the ways, they found woe-paths

and their sister’s son⁴³ wounded on a cross-beam,⁴⁴

wind-cold wolf⁴⁵-trees⁴⁶ west of the farmstead;

the crane’s incitement⁴⁷ swung endlessly — it wasn’t pleasant to abide!

18. There was revelry in the hall,⁴⁸ ale-merry men,

and they couldn’t hear the Gothic horses,⁴⁹

until a brave man blew into a horn.

19. They⁵⁰ went to tell Jǫrmunrekkr 51

that men in⁵² helmets had been seen:

‘Take counsel about a plan! Powerful ones have come here —

in defiance of mighty men you⁵³ have trampled a maiden to death!’

20. Then Jǫrmunrekkr laughed, stroked his moustache with his hand,

worked himself up for battle, grew warlike at his wine;

he shook his reddish-brown hair, regarded his white shield,

he made the golden goblet turn in his hand.

21. ‘I should think myself blessed, then, if I could see

Hamðir and Sǫrli in my hall;

I would then bind the boys with bows’ strings,

the god-born 54 of Gjúki, fasten them to gallows!’55

22. Then Hróðrglǫð(?)56 said this — she stood by the doors⁵⁷ —

slender-fingered, she spoke to this young man:⁵⁸

‘…(?) because they promise it, that would not be obedience(?)⁵⁹ —

can two men alone bind or beat [down]

two hundred Gotar in the high stronghold?’

23. There was uproar in the house, ale-cups flew about,

men lay in blood come from the breast⁶⁰ of the Gotar.

24. Then Hamðir the great-hearted said this:

‘You wished, Jǫrmunrekkr , for our coming,

brothers of the same mother,61 within your stronghold;

you see your feet,⁶² you see your hands,⁶³

Jǫrmunrekkr, hurled into the hot fire!’64

25. Then the one descended from ruling powers⁶⁵ roared at that,⁶⁶

bold in his mail-coat, as a bear roars:

‘Stone the men, since spears don’t bite,

[or] edges⁶⁷ or iron,⁶⁸ Jónakr’s sons!’69

26. Then Hamðir(?) the great-hearted said this:70

‘You did badly, brother, when you loosened that bag⁷¹ —

bold counsels often come from that bag!’⁷²

27. ‘You’d have had [some] heart,⁷³ Hamðir, if you’d had insight;

every man lacks much when innate intelligence is wanting!’

28.⁷⁴ ‘Off would be the head⁷⁵ now, if Erpr [still] lived,76

the battle-brave brother of us both, whom we slew on the way,

the widely brave man⁷⁷ — supernatural women⁷⁸ spurred me —⁷⁹

the combat-holy man⁸⁰ — to the killing!’

29.⁸¹ ‘I don’t think wolves are an example to us two,

that we shall ourselves fight each other,

like the bitches of the Nornir,82 those which, greedy, are

nourished in the wilderness!’

30.⁸³ ‘Well have we two slain! We stand on the Gotar’s slaughtered,

above edge-weary ones,84 like eagles on a branch!

We’ve seized good glory, even if we shall die now or another day⁸⁵ —

no one lives the evening after the Nornir’s decree!’86

31. There fell Sǫrli at the hall’s gable,

and Hamðir sank at the back of the house.87

This is called Hamðismál in fornu [‘The Ancient Lay of Hamðir’].

Textual Apparatus to Hamðismál

Hamðismál] The rubricated title is illegible in the photograph in the facsimile volume of R; this reading is therefore reliant on the transcription therein

1/1 Spruttu] The first letter is illegible in the photograph in the facsimile volume of R; this reading is therefore taken from the transcription therein

10/4 leidda] R leiþa

17/8 biða] R biðia

20/1 Jǫrmunrekkr] R ior / mvnr with the rest of the word obliterated

22/8 hundruð] R hvndroþom

28/5 verr] R vaR

28/8 gørðumk] R gorþvmz

29/1 okkr] R ycr

1 See U. Dronke, ed. and trans., The Poetic Edda: Volume I. Heroic Poems (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1969), pp. 214–17. For an edition and translation of Torf-Einarr’s verses, see SPSMA I, 129–38.

2 See also SPSMA III, 31–38.

3 See the introduction to Ghv.

4 For detailed discussion of relevant Norse and German texts, and their interrelationships, see C. Brady, The Legends of Ermanaric (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1943); G. Zink, Les légendes héroïques de Dietrich et d’Ermrich dans les littératures germaniques (Lyon: IAC, 1950); Dronke, Poetic Edda: Volume I, pp. 192–224; von See et al., Kommentar, Bd. 7.

5 See T. A. Shippey, ‘Speech and the Unspoken in Hamðismál’, in M. J. Toswell, ed., Prosody and Poetics in the Early Middle Ages: Essays in Honour of C. B. Hieatt (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1995), pp. 180–96.

6 Cf. Ghv. 9.

7 I.e., joyless.

8 Probably benevolent ancestral spirits or other supernatural beings affiliated to a human family.

9 Guðrún uses the dual pronoun to address Hamðir and Sǫrli together.

10 Or ‘common highway’.

11 Goths. Cf. Ghv. 2.

12 Or ‘of joy’.

13 Or ‘wood’.

14 Probably a woman gathering wood. Otherwise, perhaps a gale, a fire, an axe or a hind.

15 Cf. Ghv. 4.

16 I.e., ones with blue and white stripes.

17 Cf. Ghv. 4.

18 I.e., Guðrún was distraught.

19 I.e., death. Erpr and Eitill were Guðrún’s sons by Atli. The former is distinct from the Erpr whom Hamðir and Sǫrli meet later in this poem.

20 Or ‘painfully biting’.

21 Cf. FSk. 10.

22 This may simply mean ‘southern’.

23 This stanza is presumably either an original stanza that has been misplaced—it would fit more comfortably after Hm. 14—or an awkward accretion.

24 He is, of course, distinct from Atli’s son Erpr, whom Guðrún killed.

25 I.e., spineless, cowardly; cf. harðan ‘hard’ in the next line. It is unclear whether Erpr knows that, unlike him, Hamðir and Sǫrli were hard in the sense that they could not be pierced by iron weapons (see Hm. 25).

26 Literally, ‘ways’. Another proverbial statement, one that prompts the decidedly uncowardly Hamðir and Sǫrli to kill their half-brother.

27 Hamðir and Sǫrli.

28 Whether Erpr was indeed of illegitimate birth is uncertain.

29 Hamðir and Sǫrli.

30 Or ‘planning great deeds’. The reference is to Erpr.

31 Here jarp- ‘reddish-brown’ puns on Erpr.

32 This question is asked by Sǫrli or Hamðir, or by both together. A prior offer of help by Erpr may be inferred.

33 Erpr, whose mother’s name is unknown. Cf. Hm. 24 where Hamðir describes himself and Sǫrli as ‘brothers of the same mother’; also the prose preceding Ghv., where, by contrast, Erpr is Guðrún’s son.

34 Or ‘leg’.

35 Proverbial.

36 I.e., hand (or arm) of the same flesh.

37 This foolish, impatient question is asked by either Sǫrli or, much more likely, Hamðir (or by both together). It possibly cuts Erpr’s proverbial utterance short.

38 I.e., the sword.

39 Perhaps one of the dísir (cf. Hm. 28, Rm. 24); less likely, the goddess Hel.

40 Erpr.

41 In VS 44, Hamðir and Sǫrli kill Erpr because they misinterpret his cryptic words as indicating that he would not help them; in SnESkáld (I, 42, p. 50), their motivation is to hurt Guðrún, who loved Erpr most. In VS 44, following the killing of Erpr, the usefulness of hand to foot, and of foot to foot, is demonstrated when Hamðir trips and has to use one hand to steady himself, and when Sǫrli stumbles and has to use both feet to regain his balance; in SnESkáld (I, 42, p. 50), Sǫrli stumbles and supports one leg with one arm.

42 Sǫrli and Hamðir.

43 Randvér, Svanhildr’s stepson and reputed lover; see the prose preceding Ghv.

44 I.e., of a gallows; alternatively, ‘tree’. The combination of wounding and hanging may indicate a sacrifice to Óðinn. Cf. Hm. 21.

45 Or ‘criminal’.

46 Gallows.

47 Randvér’s corpse, which, as carrion, would attract birds. The crane (trana) is not a carrion-bird, but here presumably stands in for such.

48 Jǫrmunrekkr’s hall.

49 Gothic horses were greatly prized; here they are presumably ridden by Hamðir and Sǫrli. Alternatively, Gota ‘Goths’, presumably Hamðir and Sǫrli.

50 Jǫrmunrekkr’s sentries or other retainers.

51 The Old Norse line lacks alliteration, which may well indicate textual corruption.

52 Literally, ‘under’.

53 Pl.

54 I.e., children descended from gods. Alternatively, góð bǫrn ‘good children’.

55 Possibly as sacrifices to Óðinn; cf. Hm. 17. The Old Norse line’s alliteration is faulty, or at least unusual; the second half should perhaps be á galga festa, with the same meaning.

56 ‘Glory Glad’, usually interpreted as a woman’s name. Its bearer is possibly Óðinn in female form. Alternatively, it may just be an adjective describing an unnamed female observer.

57 Specifically, the door(s) to a sleeping chamber along the side of the hall.

58 The identity of the young man is unclear.

59 This line resists interpretation and may well be corrupt. Some text might have dropped out before it, though there is no indication of loss in R.

60 Or ‘chest’. Unless this refers to Jǫrmunrekkr alone, presumably more than one man’s chest may be inferred.

61 This refers solely to Hamðir and Sǫrli.

62 Or ‘legs’.

63 Or ‘arms’. The Old Norse line has unconventional alliteration.

64 The brothers have dismembered Jǫrmunrekkr.

65 Probably Jǫrmunrekkr, the ruling powers being gods. Alternatively, ‘the one with divine/powerful insight’, which, although still describing Jǫrmunrekkr, might suggest a link with Óðinn in particular. In VS 44, Óðinn advises Jǫrmunrekkr to stone the brothers; he intervenes similarly in GD (8.10.14).

66 This line lacks conventional alliteration.

67 Sword-edges.

68 Or ‘iron weapons’.

69 VS 44 (cf. SnESkáld I, 42, p. 49) indicates that Guðrún had made Hamðir and Sǫrli’s armour invulnerable to iron, but Hm. makes no mention of this.

70 Either the attribution of these words to Hamðir is mistaken or Sǫrli spoke the second half of Hm. 24. It seems more likely that the following words were originally spoken by the shrewd Sǫrli, and that the half-stanzas Hm. 26 and 27 were originally a single full stanza spoken by him.

71 The ‘bag’ is Jǫrmunrekkr’s head and torso.

72 This line might be corrupt. Perhaps it originally read opt ór rauðum belg bǫll ráð koma ‘bold counsels often come from a red [i.e., bloody] bag’.

73 Or ‘mind’, ‘spirit’.

74 It is not entirely clear who speaks Hm. 28–30. However, VS 44 quotes a close variant of the first half of this stanza, and both the saga and SnESkáld (I, 42, p. 50) attribute words corresponding to this stanza to Hamðir.

75 Jǫrmunrekkr’s head.

76 SnESkáld (I, 42, p. 49) says that Guðrún had instructed Hamðir and Sǫrli to cut off Jǫrmunrekkr’s arms and legs, and Erpr his head.

77 If the rather awkward manuscript reading varr (= várr ‘our’) is kept, the sense is ‘the widely brave one of ours’.

78 Cf. Hm. 15.

79 This line lacks conventional alliteration in the Old Norse.

80 Erpr again.

81 This is the only stanza of ljóðaháttr in Hm.

82 Supernatural females who determined humans’ fates. Their ‘bitches’ are presumably wolves.

83 This edition assigns this stanza to Hamðir, but it might alternatively be spoken by Sǫrli or perhaps by both brothers together.

84 Goths slain by weapons. Cf. Grm. 53.

85 Or perhaps ‘or tomorrow’.

86 Cf. Fm. 11.

87 This may indicate that the brothers fought their way separately outside the hall, where stones would presumably be more plentiful.

Hamðismál

Synopsis

Further Reading

Hamðismál

The Lay of Hamðir

Textual Apparatus to Hamðismál