Lokasenna

 

Ægir, er öðru nafni hét Gymir, hann hafði búit ásum öl, þá er hann hafði fengit ketil inn mikla, sem nú er sagt. Til þeirar veizlu kom Óðinn ok Frigg, kona hans. Þórr kom eigi, því at hann var í austrvegi. Sif var þar, kona Þórs, Bragi ok Iðunn, kona hans. Týr var þar. Hann var einhendr, - Fenrisúlfr sleit hönd af honum, þá er hann var bundinn. Þar var Njörðr ok kona hans Skaði, Freyr ok Freyja, Víðarr, son Óðins. Loki var þar ok þjónustumenn Freys, Byggvir ok Beyla. Margt var þar ása ok alfa. Ægir átti tvá þjónustumenn, Fimafengr ok Eldir. Þar var lýsigull haft fyrir elts ljós. Sjálft barst þar öl. Þar var griðastaðr mikill. Menn lofuðu mjök, hversu góðir þjónustumenn Ægis váru. Loki mátti eigi heyra þat, ok drap hann Fimafeng. Þá skóku æsir skjöldu sína ok æpðu at Loka ok eltu hann braut til skógar, en þeir fóru at drekka. Loki hvarf aftr ok hitti úti Eldi. Loki kvaddi hann:

 

Ægir, called Gymir by another name, had prepared ale for the Æsir after he received the big vessel, as has now been told. To their feast came Óðinn and his wife Frigg. Thor did not come, because he was travelling in the East. Sif, Thor's wife, was there, [and] Bragi and his wife Iðunn. Týr was there. He was one-handed - the Fenris wolf bit his hand off when he was bound. Njǫrðr was there, and his wife Skaði, Freyr and Freyja, [and] Víðarr, Óðin's son. Loki was there and Frey's servants, Byggvir and Beyla. Many Æsir and Álfar were there. Ægir had two servants, Fimafengr and Eldir(1). Bright gold was used there instead of fire-light. The ale served itself there. It was a great place of truce. There was much praise for how good Ægir's servants were. Loki could not stand to hear that, and he killed Fimafeng. Then the Æsir shook their shields and shouted at Loki and chased him out into the woods, but then they went to drink. Loki came back and met Eldir outside. Loki said to him:

 

1.                                                               1.

"Segðu þat, Eldir,                                      Say, Eldir,

svá at þú einugi                                         before you by a single

feti gangir framar,                                     step go from here,

hvat hér inni                                              what herein

hafa at ölmálum                                        have as ale-talk

sigtíva synir."                                            the sons of victorious gods(2)."

 

Eldir kvað:                                                            Eldir said:

2.                                                               2.

"Of vápn sín dæma                                   "Their weapons they are discussing,

ok um vígrisni sína                                    and their prowess in war(3),

sigtíva synir;                                              the sons of victorious gods;

ása ok alfa                                                 of the Æsir and Álfar

er hér inni eru,                                           who are herein

manngi er þér í orði vinr."                         none is a friend to you in words."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

3.                                                               3.

"Inn skal ganga                                         "[I] will go in

Ægis hallir í                                               into Ægir's hall

á þat sumbl at sjá;                                      to see that feast;

jöll ok áfu                                                  bitter herbs and small beer(4)

færi ek ása sonum,                                    I [will] bring to the sons of the Æsir,

ok blend ek þeim svá meini mjöð."           and so mix harm into their mead."

 

Eldir kvað:                                                            Eldir said:

4.                                                               4.

"Veiztu, ef þú inn gengr                            "Know that if you go in

Ægis hallir í                                               into Ægir's hall

á þat sumbl at sjá,                                      to see that feast,

hrópi ok rógi                                              if with slander and strife

ef þú eyss á holl regin,                              you splatter the gracious regin,

á þér munu þau þerra þat."                        they will wipe it off on you."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

5.                                                               5.

"Veiztu þat, Eldir,                                     "Know this, Eldir,

ef vit einir skulum                                     if we two alone must

sáryrðum sakask,                                       bandy sharp words,

auðigr verða                                              rich

mun ek í andsvörum,                                 in answers I will be,

ef þú mælir til margt."                               if you talk too much."

Síðan gekk Loki inn í höllina. En er þeir sá, er fyrir váru, hverr inn var kominn, þögnuðu þeir allir.

 

Then Loki went into the hall. And when those in front of him saw who had come in, they all stopped talking.

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

6.                                                               6.

"Þyrstr ek kom                                          "Thirsty I have come

þessar hallar til,                                         to this hall,

Loptr, um langan veg                                [I,] Loptr(5), a long way,

ásu at biðja,                                               to ask the Æsir

at mér einn gefi                                         to give me one

mæran drykk mjaðar.                                drink of the glorious mead.

 

7.                                                               7.

Hví þegið ér svá,                                       Why do you stay silent like that,

þrungin goð,                                              sullen gods,

at þér mæla né meguð?                             that you cannot speak to me?

Sessa ok staði                                            A seat and place

velið mér sumbli at                                    pick out for me at the feast,

eða heitið mik heðan."                               or order me hence."

 

Bragi kvað:                                                            Bragi said:

8.                                                               8.

"Sessa ok staði                                          "A seat and place

velja þér sumbli at                                     to pick out for you at the feast

æsir aldregi,                                               [will] the Æsir never [do],

því at æsir vitu,                                         because the Æsir know

hveim þeir alda skulu                                to what people they should

gambansumbl of geta."                             offer the mighty feast(6)."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

9.                                                               9.

"Mantu þat, Óðinn,                                   "Do you remember, Óðinn,

er vit í árdaga                                            how we two in times of yore

blendum blóði saman?                              mixed [our] blood together?

Ölvi bergja                                                You undertook you would not

lézktu eigi mundu,                                    taste ale(7)

nema okkr væri báðum borit."                   unless it was served to us both."

 

Óðinn kvað:                                                          Óðinn said:

10.                                                             10.

"Rístu þá, Viðarr,                                      "Get up, then, Viðarr,

ok lát ulfs föður                                        and let the wolf's father(8)

sitja sumbli at,                                           sit at the feast,

síðr oss Loki                                              lest Loki against us

kveði lastastöfum                                      speak blaming words(9)

Ægis höllu í."                                             in Ægir's hall."

Þá stóð Viðarr upp ok skenkði Loka. En áðr hann drykki, kvaddi hann ásuna:

Then Viðarr stood up and poured for Loki. But before he drank, he addressed the Æsir:

 

11.                                                             11.

"Heilir æsir,                                               "Hail the Æsir,

heilar ásynjur                                             hail the Ásynjur

ok öll ginnheilög goð -                              and all the vastly holy gods(10) -

nema sá einn áss                                        except that one god

er innar sitr,                                               who sits inside

Bragi, bekkjum á."                                    on the benches, Bragi."

 

Bragi kvað:                                                            Bragi said:

12.                                                             12.

"Mar ok mæki                                           "A steed and a sword

gef ek þér míns féar,                                 I [will] give you from my goods,

ok bætir þér svá baugi Bragi,                    and Bragi [will] likewise better you with

                                                                  a ring,

síðr þú ásum                                              lest you to the Æsir

öfund of gjaldir,                                        render slander;

grem þú eigi goð at þér."                           do not enrage the gods against you."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

13.                                                             13.

"Jós ok armbauga                                      "Charger and armrings,

mundu æ vera                                           you will always

beggja vanr, Bragi;                                    lack both, Bragi;

ása ok alfa,                                                of the Æsir and Álfar

er hér inni eru,                                           who are herein,

þú ert við víg varastr                                 you are wariest of war

ok skjarrastr við skot."                              and scaredest of shooting."

 

Bragi kvað:                                                            Bragi said:

14.                                                             14.

"Veit ek, ef fyr útan værak,                      "I know, if we were outside this place,

svá sem fyr innan emk,                             as [surely] as I am in it,

Ægis höll of kominn,                                 come to Ægir's hall,

höfuð þitt                                                  your head

bæra ek í hendi mér;                                  I would be carrying in my hands;

lykak þér þat fyr lygi."                              I would pay you that for the lie."(11)

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

15.                                                             15.

"Snjallr ertu í sessi,                                    "Bold you are in your seat,

skal-at-tu svá gera,                                    you will not do so,

Bragi bekkskrautuðr;                                 Bragi Bench-Decorator;

vega þú gakk,                                            go to war

ef þú vreiðr séir;                                        if you are wrathful;

hyggsk vætr hvatr fyrir."                           a manly man thinks nothing is in his

                                                                  way."(12)

 

Iðunn kvað:                                                           Iðunn said:

16.                                                             16.

"Bið ek þik, Bragi,                                    "I beg you, Bragi,

barna sifjar duga                                       for the sake of kinship of children

ok allra óskmaga,                                      and all wish-kin(13),

at þú Loka                                                 that you not

kveðir-a lastastöfum                                  speak blaming words to Loki

Ægis höllu í."                                             in Ægir's hall."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

17.                                                             17.

"Þegi þú, Iðunn,                                        "Shut up, Iðunn,

þik kveð ek allra kvenna                           I say you of all women

vergjarnasta vera,                                      are the most man-crazy,

síztu arma þína                                          since you your arms

lagðir ítrþvegna                                         put, nobly washed,

um þinn bróðurbana."                                around your brother's slayer."

 

Iðunn kvað:                                                           Iðunn said:

18.                                                             18.

"Loka ek kveðk-a                                      "To Loki I [will] not speak

lastastöfum                                                blaming words

Ægis höllu í:                                              in Ægir's hall:

Braga ek kyrri                                           I am calming Bragi,

bjórreifan;                                                  [who is] cheerful from beer;

vilk-at ek, at it vreiðir vegizk."                  I do not want you two, enraged, to

                                                                  fight."

 

Gefjun kvað:                                                         Gefjon said:

19.                                                             19.

"Hví it æsir tveir                                        "Why must you two Æsir

skuluð inni hér                                           herein

sáryrðum sakask?                                      bandy sharp words?

Loftki þat veit,                                          Of Loptr isn't it known

at hann leikinn er                                       that he is fun-loving

ok hann fjörg öll fría."                               and all the Great Ones love him.(14) "

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

20.                                                             20.

"Þegi þú, Gefjun,                                      "Shut up, Gefjon,

þess mun ek nú geta,                                 I will now tell this:

er þik glapði at geði                                   that the white swain

sveinn inn hvíti,                                         confounded your mind,

er þér sigli gaf                                           he who gave you a necklace,

ok þú lagðir lær yfir."                                and you laid your thigh upon him.(15) "

 

Óðinn kvað:                                                          Óðinn said:

21.                                                             21.

"Ærr ertu, Loki,                                         "You're insane, Loki,

ok örviti,                                                    and out of your mind,

er þú fær þér Gefjun at gremi,                  when you arouse Gefjon's rage against

                                                                  you,

því at aldar örlög                                       because every person's ørlǫg(16),

hygg ek, at hon öll of viti                          I believe, she knows entirely,

jafngörla sem ek."                                     as certainly as I do."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

22.                                                             22.

"Þegi þú, Óðinn,                                        Shut up, Óðinn,

þú kunnir aldregi                                       You have never been capable

deila víg með verum;                                 of sharing out war among mankind;

oft þú gaft,                                                often you have given victory       

þeim er þú gefa skyldir-a,                         to the one you should not have given it,

inum slævurum sigr."                                the weak one.(17) "

 

Óðinn kvað:                                                          Óðinn said:

23.                                                             23.

"Veiztu, ef ek gaf,                                     Know that if I gave victory         

þeim er ek gefa né skylda,                        to the one I should not have given it,

inum slævurum, sigr,                                 the weak one,

átta vetr                                                     for eight winters(18)

vartu fyr jörð neðan,                                 you were under the earth,

kýr mólkandi ok kona,                              milking cows(19) and a woman,

ok hefr þú þar börn borit,                          and you bore children there,

ok hugða ek þat args aðal."                       and I thought that the part of a

                                                                  degenerate(20)."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

24.                                                             24.

"En þik síða kóðu                                      "But they say you did seiðr

Sámseyu í,                                                 on Sámsey(21),

ok draptu á vétt sem völur;                       and pounded on a drum like the

                                                                  vǫlur(22);

vitka líki                                                    in a wizard's guise

fórtu verþjóð yfir,                                     you travelled over(23) the inhabited

                                                                  world,

ok hugða ek þat args aðal."                       and I thought that the part of a

                                                                  degenerate."

 

Frigg kvað:                                                            Frigg said:

25.                                                             25.

"Örlögum ykkrum                                     "You should never

skylið aldregi                                             speak of your ørlǫgs

segja seggjum frá,                                     in front of people,(24)

hvat it æsir tveir                                        what you two Æsir

drýgðuð í árdaga;                                      got up to(25) in days of yore;

firrisk æ forn rök firar."                             let people ever shun old dooms."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

26.                                                             26.

"Þegi þú, Frigg,                                         "Shut up, Frigg,

þú ert Fjörgyns mær                                  you are Fjǫrgynn's girl(26)

ok hefr æ vergjörn verit,                           and have always been man-crazy,

er þá Véa ok Vilja                                     since Véi and Vili

léztu þér, Viðris kvæn,                              you, Viðrir's wife(27), arranged

báða i baðm of tekit."                                to take in your bosom, both of them."

 

Frigg kvað:                                                            Frigg said:

27.                                                             27.

"Veiztu, ef ek inni ættak                           "Know, if I had had in [here]

Ægis höllum i                                            in Ægir's halls

Baldri líkan bur,                                        a son like Baldr,

út þú né kvæmir                                        you would not have got out

frá ása sonum,                                           from the sons of Æsir,

ok væri þá at þér vreiðum vegit."              and war would have been waged against

                                                                  you with fury."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

28.                                                             28.

"Enn vill þú, Frigg,                                    "Still, Frigg, you want

at ek fleiri telja                                          me to state more

mína meinstafi:                                          of my harmful words:

ek því réð,                                                 I plotted(28) it so

er þú ríða sér-at                                         that you would not see ride

síðan Baldr at sölum."                               again Baldr to the halls."

 

Freyja kvað:                                                          Freyja said:

29.                                                             29.

"Ærr ertu, Loki,                                         "You're insane, Loki,

er þú yðra telr                                            speaking to us your kind's(29)

ljóta leiðstafi;                                            ugly hateful words;

örlög Frigg,                                               ørlǫg Frigg,

hygg ek, at öll viti,                                    I believe, knows entirely,

þótt hon sjalfgi segi."                                even though she herself does not tell."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

30.                                                             30.

"Þegi þú, Freyja,                                        "Shut up, Freyja,

þik kann ek fullgörva,                               I know you completely clearly,

er-a þér vamma vant:                                 there is no fault absent in you;

ása ok alfa,                                                of the Æsir and Álfar

er hér inni eru,                                           who are herein,

hverr hefir þinn hór verit."                        each has been your boy-toy(30)."

 

Freyja kvað:                                                          Freyja said:

31.                                                             31.

"Flá er þér tunga,                                       "Floppy(31) is your tongue,

hygg ek, at þér fremr myni                        I believe it will in future for you

ógótt of gala;                                             sing ill into being;

reiðir ro þér æsir                                        angered at you are the Æsir         

ok ásynjur,                                                 and Ásynjur,

hryggr muntu heim fara."                          you will go home worse off."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

32.                                                             32.

"Þegi þú, Freyja,                                        "Shut up, Freyja,

þú ert fordæða                                          you are a witch(32)

ok meini blandin mjök,                             and with a high admixture of evil,

síz þik at bræðr þínum                               since the blithe regin

stóðu blíð regin                                         came upon you on your brother(33)

ok myndir þú þá, Freyja, frata."                and you must then have farted, Freyja."  

 

Njörðr kvað:                                                          Njǫrðr said:

33.                                                             33.

"Þat er válítit,                                            "There's small harm in it

þótt sér varðir                                            even if wives(34)

vers fái, hós eða hvárs;                              get themselves a man, a boy-toy or

                                                                  whatever;

hitt er undr, er áss ragr                              it is an outrage(35) that the degenerate god

er hér inn of kominn                                  has come herein

ok hefir sá börn of borit."                          and he's borne children."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

34.                                                             34.

"Þegi þú, Njörðr,                                       "Shut up, Njǫrðr,

þú vart austr heðan                                    east from here you were sent

gíls of sendr at goðum;                             to the gods as a hostage;

Hymis meyjar                                            Hymir's maids

höfðu þik at hlandtrogi                             had you as a piss-trough

ok þér i munn migu."                                 and urinated in your mouth.(36)"

 

Njörðr kvað:                                                          Njǫrðr said:

35.                                                             35.

"Sú erumk líkn,                                         "This is my relief,

er ek vark langt heðan                               for my being far from here sent

gísl of sendr at goðum,                             to the gods as a hostage(37),

þá ek mög gat,                                           I then begot a son,

þann er mangi fíár,                                    whom no one hates,

ok þykkir sá ása jaðarr."                            and I believe is the best(38) of the Æsir."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

36.                                                             36.

"Hættu nú, Njörðr,                                    "Stop now, Njǫrðr,

haf þú á hófi þik,                                       stay in proportion,

munk-a ek því leyna lengr:                        thus I will not hide this any longer;

við systur þinni                                          with your sister

gaztu slíkan mög,                                      you begot such a son,

ok er-a þó vánu verr."                                and that is still not worse than the

                                                                  expectation."

 

Týr kvað:                                                               Týr said:

37.                                                             37.

"Freyr er beztr                                           "Freyr is the best

allra ballriða                                               of all bold riders

ása görðum í;                                             within the Æsir's courts;

mey hann né grætir                                   he makes no maid weep

né manns konu                                          nor man's wife

ok leysir ór höftum hvern."                       and releases every man from bonds."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

38.                                                             38.

"Þegi þú, Týr,                                            "Shut up, Týr,

þú kunnir aldregi                                       you have never been capable

bera tilt með tveim;                                   of making a good settlement between

                                                                  two(39);

handar innar hægri                                    of that right hand [of yours]

mun ek hinnar geta,                                   I will speak,

er þér sleit Fenrir frá."                               that Fenrir tore off."

 

Týr kvað:                                                               Týr said:

39.                                                             39.

"Handar em ek vanr,                                 "I am lacking the hand,

en þú hróðrsvitnis,                                     but you, Hróðsvitnir(40),

böl er beggja þrá;                                       the misfortune is dire for both [of us];

ulfgi hefir ok vel,                                      and the wolf is not doing well,

er í böndum skal                                        who has to in chains(41)

bíða ragnarökrs."                                       await Ragnarǫk."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

40.                                                             40.

"Þegi þú, Týr,                                            "Shut up, Týr,

þat varð þinni konu,                                  it happened to your wife

at hon átti mög við mér;                            to have a boy by me;

öln né penning                                           not an ell or a penny(42)

hafðir þú þess aldregi                                have you ever had for that

vanréttis, vesall."                                       offense against your rights, wretch."

 

Freyr kvað:                                                            Freyr said:

41.                                                             41.

"Ulfr sé ek liggja                                       "I see the wolf lying

árósi fyrir,                                                  in front of the river-mouth,(43)

unz rjúfask regin;                                      until the regin are smashed;

því mundu næst,                                       so you will next [be] -

nema þú nú þegir,                                      unless you shut up now -

bundinn, bölvasmiðr."                               bound, baleforger."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said: 

42.                                                             42.

"Gulli keypta                                             You had Gymir's daughter

léztu Gymis dóttur                                    bought for gold(44)

ok seldir þitt svá sverð;                             and in the process yielded your sword;

en er Múspells synir                                  but when the sons of Múspell

ríða Myrkvið yfir,                                      ride over Myrkvið(45),

veizt-a þú þá, vesall, hvé þú vegr."           wretch, you [will] not know how to

                                                                  fight."

 

Byggvir kvað:                                                       Byggvir said:

43.                                                             43.

"Veiztu, ef ek eðli ættak                           "Know that if I had had a family line

sem Ingunar-Freyr                                     like Ingunar-Freyr

ok svá sælligt setr,                                     and such a blessed seat,

mergi smæra                                              finer than marrow

mölða ek þá meinkráku                             I would have crushed that crow of harm

ok lemða alla í liðu."                                  and beaten [him] in every limb."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

44.                                                             44.

"Hvat er þat it litla                                    "What is that little thing

er ek þat löggra sék                                   that I see cowering(46)

ok snapvíst snapir?                                    and snapping its jaws snufflingly?

At eyrum Freys                                         At Frey's ears

mundu æ vera                                           you will always be

ok und kvernum klaka."                            and chattering under querns."(47)

 

Byggvir kvað:                                                       Byggvir said:

45.                                                             45.

"Byggvir ek heiti,                                      "I am called Byggvir(48),

en mik bráðan kveða                                 and all gods and men       

goð öll ok gumar;                                      say I am rash;(49)

því em ek hér hróðugr,                              so I am triumphant here,

at drekka Hropts megir                             that Hropt's sons(50) are drinking

allir öl saman."                                           ale all together."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

46.                                                             46.

"Þegi þú, Byggvir,                                     "Shut up, Byggvir,

þú kunnir aldregi                                       you have never been capable

deila með mönnum mat,                            of dividing food among people,

ok þik í flets strái                                      and in the straw of the bed(51) you

finna né máttu,                                          could not be found,

þá er vágu verar."                                      when men were fighting."

 

Heimdallr kvað:                                                    Heimdallr said:

47.                                                             47.

"Ölr ertu, Loki,                                          "You're drunk, Loki,

svá at þú ert örviti,                                    so that you are out of your mind,

- hví né lezk-a-ðu, Loki? -                         why don't you control yourself?

því at ofdrykkja                                        because excessive drinking

veldr alda hveim,                                      rules over every human,

er sína mælgi né man-at."                          who does not mind his prattling."(52)

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

48.                                                             48.

"Þegi þú, Heimdallr,                                  "Shut up, Heimdallr,

þér var í árdaga                                         in days of yore

it ljóta líf of lagit;                                      an ugly life was laid on you;

örgu baki                                                   with a muddy back end(53)

þú munt æ vera                                         you will always be

ok vaka vörðr goða."                                 and stay alert, the guardian of the gods."

 

Skaði kvað:                                                           Skaði said:

49.                                                             49.

"Létt er þér, Loki;                                     "You're in a lighthearted mood, Loki,

mun-at-tu lengi svá                                   you will not for long thus

leika lausum hala,                                      play with a free tail,

því at þik á hjörvi                                      because the gods must on a sword

skulu ins hrímkalda magar                        bind you with the guts

görnum binda goð."                                  of [your] rime-cold son."(54)

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

50.                                                             50.

"Veiztu, ef mik á hjörvi                             "Know, if the gods must on a sword

skulu ins hrímkalda magar                        bind me with the guts

görnum binda goð,                                    of [my] rime-cold son,

fyrstr ok efstr                                            first and last

var ek at fjörlagi,                                       I was at the death,

þars vér á Þjaza þrifum."                           when we grabbed Þjazi."

 

Skaði kvað:                                                           Skaði said:

51.                                                             51.

"Veiztu, ef fyrstr ok efstr                          "Know, if first and last

vartu at fjörlagi,                                        you were at the death,

þá er ér á Þjaza þrifuð,                              when you [all] grabbed Þjazi,

frá mínum véum                                        from my vés

ok vöngum skulu                                       and fields(55) must

þér æ köld ráð koma."                               for you forever come cold counsel.

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

52.                                                             52.

"Léttari í málum                                        "Lighter in your speech

vartu við Laufeyjar son,                            with Laufey's son you were

þá er þú létz mér á beð þinn boðit;            when you had me invited to your bed;

getit verðr oss slíks,                                   of such things regarding us is to be

                                                                  spoken

ef vér görva skulum                                  if we must completely

telja vömmin vár."                                     recount our faults."

þá gekk Sif fram ok byrlaði Loka í hrímkálki mjöð ok mælti:

Then Sif stepped forward and served Loki mead in a glass goblet and spoke:

 

53.                                                             53.

"Heill ver þú nú, Loki,                              "Hail to you now, Loki,

ok tak við hrímkálki                                  and take the glass goblet

fullum forns mjaðar,                                  full of aged mead,(56)

heldr þú hana eina                                     [so that] on the contrary you allow

látir með ása sonum                                   her alone of the sons of the Æsir

vammalausa vera."                                    to be without fault."


Hann tók við horni ok drakk af:                           He took the horn and drained it:

 

54.                                                             54.

"Ein þú værir,                                            "You would be the only one,

ef þú svá værir,                                         if you were so,

vör ok gröm at veri;                                   wary and angry towards men;

einn ek veit,                                               I know of one man,

svá at ek vita þykkjumk,                           such that I believe I do know,

hór ok af Hlórriða,                                    boy-toy cuckolding Hlórriði, too(57)--    

ok var þat sá inn lævísi Loki."                   and that man was the devious(58) Loki."

 

Beyla kvað:                                                           Beyla said:

55.                                                             55.

"Fjöll öll skjalfa;                                        "The mountains are all quaking;

hygg ek á för vera                                     I think Hlórriði

heiman Hlórriða;                                       is on the way from home;(59)

han ræðr ró,                                               he [will] impose peace

þeim er rægir hér                                       on those who here defame

goð öll ok guma."                                      all gods and humans."

 

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

56.                                                             56.

"Þegi þú, Beyla,                                        "Shut up, Beyla,

þú ert Byggvis kvæn                                 you are Byggvir's wife

ok meini blandinn mjök,                           and with a high admixture of evil,

ókynjan meira                                            a greater disgrace to the clan

kom-a med ása sonum;                              never came among the sons of the Æsir;

öll ertu, deigja, dritin."                              completely filthy you are,

                                                                  dairymaid(60)."


Þá kom Þórr at ok kvað:                                        Then Thor arrived and said:

 

57.                                                             57.

"Þegi þú, rög vættr,                                   "Shut up, degenerate wight,

þér skal minn þrúðhamarr,                         my hammer of might,

Mjöllnir, mál fyrnema;                              Mjǫllnir, is going to stop your talking;

herðaklett                                                  the shoulder-knoll(61)

drep ek þér halsi af,                                   I['ll] knock off your neck,

ok verðr þá þínu fjörvi of farit."                and then your life will be gone."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

58.                                                             58.

"Jarðar burr                                                "Jǫrð's son

er hér nú inn kominn,                                has now come in here,

hví þrasir þú svá, Þórr?                              why are you talking big like that, Thor?

En þá þorir þú ekki,                                   But you [will] not dare then

er þú skalt við ulfinn vega,                        when you are to fight with the wolf,

ok svelgr hann allan Sigföður."                 and he [will] swallow up all of

                                                                  Sigfaðir.(62)"

 

Þórr kvað:                                                              Thor said:

59.                                                             59.

"Þegi þú, rög vættr,                                   "Shut up, degenerate wight,

þér skal minn þrúðhamarr,                         my hammer of might,

Mjöllnir, mál fyrnema;                              Mjǫllnir, is going to stop your talking;

upp ek þér verp                                         up I [will] throw you

ok á austrvega,                                          and into the east,

síðan þik manngi sér."                               after which no one [will] see you."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

60.                                                             60.

"Austrförum þínum                                   "Your journeys to the east

skaltu aldregi                                             you should never

segja seggjum frá,                                     tell men about,

síz í hanska þumlungi                                since in the thumb of a glove

hnúkðir þú einheri,                                    you were crouched, unique warrior(63),

ok þóttisk-a þú þá Þórr vera."                   and you did not then think you were

                                                                  Thor."

 

Þórr kvað:                                                              Thor said:

61.                                                             61.

"Þegi þú, rög vættr,                                   "Shut up, degenerate wight,

þér skal minn þrúðhamarr,                         my hammer of might,

Mjöllnir, mál fyrnema;                              Mjǫllnir, is going to stop your talking;

hendi inni hægri                                        with my right hand

drep ek þik Hrungnis bana,                       I['ll] pound you with Hrungnir's

                                                                  bane(64),

svá at þér brotnar beina hvat."                  so that all your bones [are] broken."

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

62.                                                             62.

"Lifa ætla ek mér                                      "I mean to live myself

langan aldr,                                               a long life,

þóttú hætir hamri mér;                              although you are threatening me with the

                                                                  hammer;

skarpar álar                                                difficult straps

þóttu þér Skrýmis vera,                             you thought Skrýmir's were,

ok máttir-a þú þá nesti ná,                         and you could not then get to the

                                                                  provisions,

ok svalzt þú þá hungri heill."                     and [while] healthy you then were

                                                                  perishing of hunger."

 

Þórr kvað:                                                              Thor said:

63.                                                             63.

"Þegi þú, rög vættr,                                   "Shut up, degenerate wight,

þér skal minn þrúðhamarr,                         my hammer of might,

Mjöllnir, mál fyrnema;                              Mjǫllnir, is going to stop your talking;

Hrungnis bani                                            Hrungnir's bane

mun þér í hel koma                                    will send you to Hel

fyr nágrindr neðan."                                  down under the gates of the dead.(65)"

 

Loki kvað:                                                             Loki said:

64.                                                             64.

"Kvað ek fyr ásum,                                   "I spoke in front of the Æsir,

kvað ek fyr ása sonum,                             I spoke in front of the sons of Æsir,

þats mik hvatti hugr,                                 as my mind moved me;

en fyr þér einum                                        but in front of you alone

mun ek út ganga,                                       I will go out,

því at ek veit, at þú vegr.                          because I know that you hit.(66)

 

65.                                                             65.

Öl gerðir þú, Ægir,                                    "Ale you brewed, Ægir,

en þú aldri munt                                        but you will never

síðan sumbl of gera;                                  again hold a feast;

eiga þín öll,                                                all your possessions

er hér inni er,                                             that are herein,

leiki yfir logi,                                             let wildfire lick across,

ok brenni þér á baki."                                and your back burn."




En eftir þetta falst Loki í Fránangrsforsi í lax líki. Þar tóku æsir hann. Hann var bundinn með þörmum sonar síns, Vála, en Narfi, sonr hans, varð at vargi. Skaði tók eitrorm ok festi upp yfir annlit Loka. Draup þar ór eitr. Sigyn, kona Loka, sat þar ok helt munnlaug undir eitrið. En er munnlaugin var full, bar hon út eitrið, en meðan draup eitrit á Loka. Þá kippðist hann svá hart við, at þaðan af skalf jörð öll. Þat eru nú kallaðir landsskjálftar.

 

And after that Loki hid in Fránangr's waterfall in the form of a salmon. The Æsir captured him there. He was bound with the guts of his son Váli(67), but his son Narfi became a wolf. Skaði took a poisonous snake and fastened it up over Loki's face. The venom dripped from it. Sigyn, Loki's wife, sat there and held a hand-basin under the venom. But when the basin was full, she took out the venom, and meanwhile the venom dripped onto Loki. Then he writhed so strongly that all the earth quaked from it. That is now called earthquakes.

 

Notes

 

1.  The names mean Nimble Bringer and Cook or Fire-Tender.

2.  Sigtívar, a common epithet for the gods using a word that is etymologically the plural of Týr's name.

3.  Vígrisni and the related adjective vígrisinn only occur once in the texts (hapax legomenon), so their exact force - whether they suggest eagerness to go to war - cannot be determined.

4.  A doubtful line, which has been amended to mean "bitterness and strife".

5.  An alternate name of Loki; I have undone Guðni Jónsson's (modern Icelandic) normalisation of the spelling to "Loftr" since the name is usually given with "p" as it appears here in the manuscripts; the pronunciation is the same.

6.  The force of the prefix gamban- is uncertain but Ursula Dronke has argued persuasively that it has to do with power. For example the gambanteinn in "Skírnismál" is clearly a magic wand from context.

7.  These 2 lines reversed for clarity.

8.  Fenrir's - heiti for Loki.

9.  Literally staves, i.e, letters, suggesting something cut in runes for magical purposes. The same phrase occurs in verse 16; meinstafir and leiðstafir occur later in the poem.

10.  As in "Vǫluspá" verse 6.

11.  Lykak is an emendation by Guðni Jónsson. The manuscripts have lítt ec; Sophus Bugge inserted qveþ between them, "Little I say to you in response to the lie"; Olive Bray and Dronke interpret the manuscript reading as "Little is that for you [to pay] for the lie".

12.  i.e, lets nothing stand in his way.

13.  Christians used ósk- for adopted children and, by extension, fellow Christians; but it also occurs in óskmey, a term for "valkyrie". It is possible that the original meaning was "associated with Óski [Óðinn]", and this is how Bray took it.

14.  Fjǫrg: preserved in the names of Fjǫrgyn and Fjǫrgynn and in fjarghús (big house), and with a cognate used in a Gothic word for "mountain", this hapax legomenon (unique word) is evidently a heiti for the gods meaning "big".  The Codex Regius has fiorg vall. I've undone Guðni Jónsson's emendation of fría to fía (fjá), which means the opposite, "loathe".

15.  It has been suggested that these four lines refer to Heimdallr ("the whitest god") retrieving Brísingamen from Loki (in their duel in seal form) and returning it to Freyja, who has here been conflated with Gefjon. Sigli is a rare word in ON, probably borrowed from AS sigle, which occurs in Béowulf, once in relation to the Brósinga mene, and has been related to sigel, "sun". Lær refers to the thigh or a ham. Þik glapði at geði could also be rendered "beguiled your senses" or "stole your heart" (Bray). I have reversed the order of the first 2 lines of the section for clarity.

16.  Fate: I am preserving the word to distinguish from wyrd.

17.  I've moved "victory" up from this last line for clarity. The literal meaning of slævarr appears to be "blunt", like a weapon that needs sharpening.

18.  i.e, years

19.  Dronke points out that this can be taken alternately as "you were a milch-cow".

20.  Argr is a strongly pejorative word for "effeminate". Loki repeats the line at the end of verse 24, and Njǫrðr and Thor use two alternate forms of the word, ragr and rǫgr, of Loki in verses 33 and 57, 59, 61 and 63.

21.  Now Samsø, in Denmark. Dronke suggests a connection with sámskr, "Saami", may have been intended.

22.  Vǫlur is the plural of vǫlva. Their magic, seiðr, has traditionally been associated with shamanism, so I have given the simplest translation for the hapax legomenon vétt, "drum"; but Dronke cites scholarship suggesting it is the same word as vætt and means the lid of a tub or churn, which Saami shamans sometimes used; she notes that it has also suggested it may be the same as vítt, a tool of heathen practice; a verb related to that occurs in "Vǫluspá" verse 22.

23.  Yfir, "over", may suggest flying; see also verse 42, Myrkvið yfir.

24.  These 3 lines rearranged for clarity

25.  Drýgja has generally negative connotations.

26.  Mær, "maiden", could be "wife" but is more commonly used for "daughter".

27.  Viðrir is a name of Óðinn: Vé(i) and Vili are his brothers.

28.  The manuscript forms can be read here as present tense, but if Baldr were not dead, he would be in the hall.

29.  Yðr is a plural "your".

30.  Hórr: adulterous male partner.

31.  Literally applying to a loose seam in clothing; metaphorically applied to untruthfulness.

32.  Fordæða: a damning word for witch.

33.  Rearranged for clarity. This is Sophus Bugge's emendation: the Codex Regius has sitztu at brǫ þ' | siþo bliþ regin, in which siþo is "performed seiðr" in the plural. The interpretation of stóðu, "stood", in the meaning "surprised, ambushed" and of at as implying "having sex with" are also Bugge's.

34.  Varðir is plural of vǫrðr, properly a woman under guardianship, usually in association with verr, "husband and wife".

35.  Undr is etymologically the same as "wonder" and can mean "miracle" or "portent", but often has bad connotations of scandal and shame.

36.  This is presumed to be a crude way of saying the rivers (jǫtuns' daughters' emissions) flow into the ocean (Njǫrð's mouth). Households used communal troughs to collect urine for tanning.

37.  Gísl here is the normal spelling, but gíls in the preceding verse is the same word.

38.  Jaðarr: literally, the edge, particularly of a piece of cloth.

39.  Tilt is a hapax legomenon. It has been related to the AS adjective til, "good, wholesome" and (as tílt and with emendation of bera to deila, "adjudicate") to the AS noun tíhtle, "charge, lawsuit". In both cases the meaning reached for is that Týr is unable to broker solutions.

40.  Hróðsvitnir: epithet for Fenrir (a son of Loki, as alluded to in verse 10): fame's vitnir, "witness, acute-witted one", a heiti for "wolf". It also appears in the form Hróðvitnir, "fame-vitnir, famous wolf".

41.  Dronke amends this to ǫngum, "tight straits", on grounds of alliteration.

42.  The smallest units of cloth measurement and of currency. The Old Icelandic ell was from the elbow to the tip of the second finger and thus about half a yard.

43.  The full image is that the river-mouth is the wolf's gaping, propped-open maw, the river originating in his slobber.

44.  These 2 lines reversed for clarity

45.  over Murkwood. In "Vǫluspá" verse 31, the "people of Múspell" come by ship from the east, over water; here they apparently ride horses through the air.

46.  Lǫggra - to cower like a cur, show submission like a dog; hapax legomenon interpreted from a Danish verb for "wag the tail". The þat in this line is probably scribal error.

47.  Dronke relates this riddle-like verse to a bird rather than a dog. Klaka is used of both twittering birds and grunting pigs. The only other occurrence of snapir is the eagle in "Hávamál" verse 62.

48.  The noun bygg(v)i), which survives only in compounds, means a settler, an inhabitant, but Byggvir is a John Barleycorn figure, from bygg, "barley".

49.  These 2 lines reversed for clarity

50.  Hroptr is a name of Óðinn: the Æsir. As with Loptr in verse 6, I have undone Guðni Jónsson's normalisation of the name to Hroftr.

51.  Flet can mean a floor or storey, the whole house, or (a less common meaning in ON but the modern meaning) a bed on the floor.

52.  This has been taken both as "those who drink too much forget they have a tendency to talk too much" and "those who drink too much have a tendency to forget what they have run on about".

53.  The Codex Regius has aurgo; here and aurgum in relation to Heimdallr in "Vǫluspá" 27 are the only occurrences of aurigr, presumed to mean "muddy, clayey".

54.  These 3 lines rearranged for clarity. Hjǫrr is a poetic word for a sword. Skulu is a more definite future than munu, usually with the meaning "should" or "must".

55.  Vé: shrine; vangr: homefield, green meadow.

56.  These 3 lines are adapted from "Skírnismál" verse 37. There I rendered the hrím- in hrímkálki with "foamy"; it literally means "rimy, frosty".

57.  I'm rendering ok, "and", with "too". This line appears to involve some colloquialism. Hlórriði is a name of Thor.

58.  Inn lævísi is a standard epithet for Loki.

59.  Some rearrangement for clarity in these 2 lines.

60.  Deigja derives from deig, "dough"; the dairymaid was also the baker and was the head maid on a farm.

61.  Kenning: head

62.  Sigfaðir or Sigfǫðr: a name of Óðinn, who will be eaten by Fenrir at Ragnarǫkr.

63.  The only occurrence of the singular of einherjar; the force of the ein- here may simply be "great." The word has also been amended to Eindriði, "singular rider", which is sometimes used as a name for Thor.

64.  Mjǫllnir

65.  This line appears in "Skírnismál" verse 35.

66.  Vega can mean either "fight", "strike", or "kill".

67.  This has been amended, as it usually is,  to insert a missing possessive pronoun and match the account in the Prose Edda: the Codex Regius has með þörmum sonar Nara, "with the guts of the son, Nari."