{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/onp/onp13.htm","path":"neu/onp/onp13.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/onp/onp13.htm","text":"IF THE Lay of Eric was \u201cmade to order\u201d by an unknown poet, as the eulogium of an unpopular, though brave, king, the Lay of H\u00e1kon is composed by the best-known of Norwegian skalds, unquestionably of his own accord, to commemorate his generally beloved leader. Hence the warmth of feeling, the note of personal loss, which pervades this splendid poem.\nH\u00e1kon, surnamed the Good, a child of Harold Hairfair\u2019s old age, had been fostered by King \u00c6thelstan of England, and thus brought up a Christian. After overthrowing his half brother Eric he tried to introduce the new faith, but met with stubborn opposition and had to desist in order to keep his throne. He is described as an ideal ruler for the times, handsome, generous, warlike though not aggressive, during whose reign of twenty-six years Norway enjoyed comparative peace and good harvests. He repelled several attempts of the sons of Eric to repossess themselves of the kingdom with the help of the Danes, but was wounded in a (victorious) battle against them on the island of Storth in southwest Norway (961) and died soon thereafter.\nThe poet Eyvind Finnsson was himself a distant relative of the king. We know that he lived in moderate circumstances and was a man of character. His (much-debated) epithet of sk\u00e1ldaspillir seems to mean \u201cdespoiler of skalds\u201d; and if so, must have been given him by his enemies who readily fastened on the fact that his best works, H\u00e1konarm\u00f3l and H\u00e1leygiatal\u2014the latter a long genealogical poem\u2014are quite evidently patterned, the one after Eiriksm\u00f3l, the other, after Ynglingatal, by the earlier poet, Thi\u00f3th\u00f3lf of Hvin.\nIf, notwithstanding this lack of original inspiration, the Lay of H\u00e1kon has been generally admired, then as well as now, this is due, not only to the genuine warmth and sincerity, but also p. 67 to the superior artistry which makes it, all in all, perhaps the finest monument of its kind erected by Northern antiquity.\nCentral, and similar down to details, in both Eiriksm\u00f3l and H\u00e1konarm\u00f3l, is the hero-king\u2019s advent in Valholl; but whereas the former does not change scene (and thus achieves greater unity) the latter, with richer content, shifts from earth to heaven and back again to earth as it ebbs in the poet\u2019s plaint over the loss of the peerless king. Also in style H\u00e1konarm\u00f3l shows more variety\u2014consciously striven for. Thus, the straightforward and sober style of the narrative stanzas contrasts with the typically skaldic, baroque overloading of the battle-scene, clamorous with gorgeous and bizarre kennings, and that again with the highly charged dramatic force of the dialogues and the elegiac sorrow of the final dirge. The meter likewise shows a carefully considered correspondence to the style and theme\u2014simple, impressive li\u00f3thah\u00e1ttr for the epic-dramatic and lyric portions, against the martial tramp and blare of m\u00e1lah\u00e1ttr descriptive of the carnage.\nEyvind had no doubt both a political and an apologetic aim with his poem: it was to be a counterblast to Eiriksm\u00f3l and outdo it in splendor, but also to save the king\u2019s good heathen reputation. If H\u00e1kon at his entrance in Valholl is suspicious of \u00d3thin\u2019s attitude and refuses to abandon his arms, he has abundant cause to fear the god\u2019s wrath\u2014his abortive defection from the heathen cause. And the good reception accorded him because he had \u201cprotected\u201d the heathen fanes which, in fact, he had been powerless to destroy, may not have been altogether convincing to his contemporaries.1 Also the heathen trappings, the copious reminiscences from such arch heathen poems as Volusp\u00f3 and H\u00f3vam\u00f3l, the interest in the king shown by the valkyries, the delegation to receive him composed of the gods Bragi and Herm\u00f3th\u2014the same who was to fetch Baldr back from Hel2\u2014all seem deliberately chosen to link the king with the old religion and to rehabilitate him in the eyes of his people.\nThe complete poem is found in Snorri Sturlason\u2019s History of the Norwegian Kings (Heimskringla), at the end of H\u00e1konarsaga g\u00f3tha. Portions of it are transmitted also in Fagrskinna.\n| 1 | Gautat\u00fdr3 sent forth\u2003Gondul and Skogul4 to choose among kings\u2019 kinsmen: who of Yngvi\u2019s offspring5 should with \u00d3thin dwell, and wend with him to Valholl. | \n| 2 | They found Biorn\u2019s brother6\u2003his byrnie donning, under standard standing the stalwart leader\u2014 were darts uplifted and spearshafts lowered; up the strife then started. | \n| 3 | Called on H\u00e1logaland\u2019s7\u2003heroes and Horthaland\u2019s swordsmen the Northmen\u2019s folkwarder, ere he fared to battle: a good host had he of henchmen from Norway\u2014 the Danes\u2019-terror donned his bronze-helm.8 | \n| 4 | Threw down his war-weeds,\u2003thrust off his byrnie9 the great-hearted lord, ere began the battle\u2014 laughed with his liege-men; his land would he shield now,10 the gladsome hero \u2019neath gold-helm standing. | \n| p. 69 | | \n| 5 | Cut then keenly\u2003the king\u2019s broadsword through foemen\u2019s war-weeds, as though water it sundered.11 Clashed then spear-blades, cleft were war-shields; did ring-decked12 war-swords rattle on helmets. | \n| 6 | Were targes trodden\u2003by the T\u00fdr-of-shields,13 by the hard-footed hilt-blade, and heads eke of Northmen; battle raged on the island,14 athelings reddened the shining shield-castles15 with shedded life-blood, | \n| 7 | Burned the wound-fires16\u2003in bloody gashes, were the long-beards17 lifted against the life of warriors\u2014 the sea-of-wounds18 surged high around the swords\u2019 edges, ran the stream-of-arrows18 on the strand of Storth-isle. | \n| 8 | Reddened war-shields\u2003rang \u2019gainst each other, did Skogul\u2019s-stormblasts19 scar red targes; billowed blood-waves in the blast-of-\u00d3thin20\u2014 was many a man\u2019s son mowed down in battle. | \n| 9 | Sate21 then the liege-lords\u2003with swords brandished, with shields shattered and shredded byrnies: not happy in their hearts was that host of men, and to Valholl wended their way. | \n| p. 70 | | \n| 10 | Spoke then Gondul,\u2003on spearshaft leaning: \u201cgroweth now the gods\u2019 following,22 since H\u00e1kon hath been with host so goodly hidden home by holy gods.\u201d | \n| 11 | Heard the war-lord\u2003what the valkyries spoke of, high-hearted, on horsehack\u2014 wisely they bore them, sitting war-helmeted, and with shields them sheltering. | \n| H\u00c1KON said: | | \n| 12 | \u201cWhy didst Geirskogul,23\u2003grudge us victory? Yet worthy were we that the gods granted it.\u201d | \n| SKOGUL said: | | \n| 13 | \u201c\u2009\u2019Tis owing to us\u2003that the issue was won and your foemen did flee. | \n| 14 | Ride forth now shall we,\u201d\u2003said fierce Skogul, \u201cto the green homes of the godheads,\u2014 there to tell \u00d3thin that the atheling will now come to see him himself.\u201d | \n| 15 | \u201cHerm\u00f3th and Bragi!\u201d\u2003called out Hr\u00f3ptat\u00fdr:24 \u201cGo ye to greet the hero; for a king cometh who hath keenly foughten, to our halls hither.\u201d | \n| 16 | Said the war-worker,\u2003wending from battle\u2014 was his byrnie all bloody: \u201cAngry-minded \u00d3thin meseemeth. Be we heedful of his hate!\u201d | \n| 17 | \u201cAll einheriar\u2003shall swear oaths to thee: share thou the \u00e6sir\u2019s ale, p. 71 thou enemy-of-earls!25 Here within hast thou brethren eight,\u201d said Bragi. | \n| 18 | \u201cOur gear of war,\u201d\u2003said the goodly king, \u201cwe mean to keep in our might. helmet and hauberk one should heed right well: \u2019tis good to guard one\u2019s spear.\u201d26 | \n| 19 | Then was it seen\u2003how that sea-king had upheld the holy altars, since H\u00e1kon all did hail with welcome, both gods and heavenly hosts. | \n| 20 | On a good day is born\u2003that great-souled lord who hath a heart like his; aye will his times be told of on earth, and men will speak of his might.27 | \n| 21 | Unfettered will fare\u2003the Fenriswolf, and fall on the fields of men, ere that there cometh a kingly lord as good, to stand in his stead.28 | \n| 22 | Cattle die\u2003and kinsmen die,29 land and lieges are whelmed; since H\u00e1kon to the heathen gods fared many a host is harried.30 | \n1 Though we may in this stanza also see a reflection on his successors who ravaged the sanctuaries and hid the gold.\n2 Cf. Baldr\u2019s Dreams.\n3 \u201cThe God of the Gauts.\u201d i.e., \u00d3thin.\n4 Valkyries.\n5 Yngvi generally stands for Freyr in his capacity of progenitor of the Swedish kings. Here, however, he stands for \u00d3thin, the progenitor of the royal race of Norway.\n6 H\u00e1kon. Biorn was one of the many sons of Harold Fairhair.\n7 Cf. Haraldskv\u00e6thi, note 37. Horthaland is here substituted for the Rogaland of the text. It is directly south of the latter.\n8 The change to the golden helmet (in the next stanza) has been referred to an episode of the battle as told by Snorri: \u201cH\u00e1kon was more easily recognized than other men, and his helmet glittered when the sun shone on it. He always was in the thick of the fray. Then Eyvind Finnsson (our poet) drew a hood over it. Whereupon Eyvind skreya (one of the enemy) cried out: \u2018Is the king of Norway hiding now, or has he fled\u2014else where is his golden helmet?\u2019 The king shouted: \u2018Come forward hither if you would find the King of Norway,\u2019 and in the ensuing hand-to-hand fight cleft his skull with his sword.\u201d\n9 This was not uncommon with fierce warriors, in the heat of battle.\n10 Viz., against the sons of Eric.\n11 At his departure from England, his foster father, King \u00c6thelstan, gave him the sword Quernbiter with which H\u00e1kon is said to have cut a millstone in two.\n12 Swords frequently had rings on the hilt, for carrying.\n13 The following stanzas are examples of Skaldic style overloaded with kennings; though not as complicated and disjointed as was believed until recently. The T\u00fdr (god)-of-shields (or rings) is a kenning for \u201cwarrior.\u201d In ordinary language the first part of the stanza says that the shields and the heads of Northmen were trodden (hewed) by the hardened steel of the king (Kock).\n14 Viz., of Storth.\n15 The serried shields thrown about the king.\n16 Kenning for \u201csword.\u201d\n17 Kenning for \u201cbattle-axe.\u201d\n18 Kenning for \u201cblood.\u201d\n19 I.e., the mutual attacks. The difficulties, both of interpretation and translation, are considerable.\n20 Kenning for \u201cbattle.\u201d\n21 Viz., dying.\n22 Cf. Eiriksm\u00f3l, 7, note, for the conception implied.\n23 I.e., Spear-Skogul.\n24 \u201cGod of gods,\u201d i.e., \u00d3thin.\n25 \u201cHero.\u201d\n26 Cf. Hovam\u00f3l, 1. I follow Kock\u2019s suggestion.\n27 There is reference here, probably, to his favor with the gods, manifest in good harvests and general prosperity.\n28 Cf. Volusp\u00f3 36, 54: not till the end of the world will a better ruler come.\n29 Patently, a reminiscence of the famous stanzas 77, 78 of H\u00f3vam\u00f3l.\n30 This is, very likely, an allusion to the lawless times that followed the reign of H\u00e1kon.","title":"THE LAY OF H\u00c1KON [HAKONARM\u00d3L] BY EYVIND FIN...","type":"page"}