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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Óttarr svarti (Ótt)

11th century; volume 1; ed. Matthew Townend;

1. Hǫfuðlausn (Hfl) - 20

Skj info: Óttarr svarti, Islandsk skjald, 11. årh. (AI, 289-99, BI, 267-75).

Skj poems:
1. Óláfsdrápa sœnska
2. Hǫfuðlausn
3. Knútsdrápa



Hǫfuðlausn (‘Head-ransom’) — Ótt HflI

Matthew Townend 2012, ‘(Introduction to) Óttarr svarti, Hǫfuðlausn’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 739.


Skj: Óttarr svarti: 2. Hǫfuðlausn, o. 1023 (AI, 290-6, BI, 268-72); stanzas (if different): 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20

SkP info: I, 741

old edition introduction edition manuscripts transcriptions concordance search files

1 — Ótt Hfl 1I

edition interactive full text transcriptions old edition references concordance


Cite as: Matthew Townend (ed.) 2012, ‘Óttarr svarti, Hǫfuðlausn 1’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 741.

Hlýð, manngǫfugr, minni
myrkblás, þvít kannk yrkja;
finnum yðr ok annan,
allvaldr, konung fallinn.
Þat telk, garms ok Gauta
glaðnistanda misstak,
dǫglings verk at dýrka,
dýrr þengill, mitt lengi.

Hlýð, manngǫfugr, minni myrkblás, þvít kannk yrkja; finnum yðr, allvaldr, ok annan fallinn konung. Þat telk mitt at dýrka verk dǫglings lengi, dýrr þengill, ok misstak {glaðnistanda {garms Gauta}}.

Listen, noble with your retinue, to the recollection of the dark black one [Óttarr], because I know how to compose; we [I] come to you, mighty ruler, and another worthy king. I reckon it my [task] to glorify the work of the prince for a long time, precious ruler, and I have lost {the glad feeder {of the hound of Gauti <= Óðinn>}} [WOLF > WARRIOR = Óláfr Eiríksson].

texts: ÓHLeg 21 [1-1], ÓHÆ 6 [1-1]

editions: Skj Óttarr svarti: 2. Hǫfuðlausn 1 (AI, 290; BI, 268); Skald I, 137, NN §§721-3, 2988E; ÓH 1941, II, 702; ÓHÆ 1893, 7; ÓHLeg 1922, 57, ÓHLeg 1982, 132-3.


GKS 1008 fol (Tóm) 122r, 30 - 122r, 32 (ÓH)  transcr.  image  
NRA 52 (NRA52) 3r, 5 - 3r, 5 (ÓHÆ)  image  
DG 8 (DG8) 91r, 20 - 91r, 21 (ÓHLeg)  image  
AM 761 b 4°x (761bx) 268r, 4 - 268r, 11  image  
