have seen) at Brunanburh: and probably was not young even at Athelstan's accession. 'Young prince' would suit his son or son-in-law.
Egil was, etc.] A wonderfully drawn picture. The personal appearance of Egil is often recurred to. He himself speaks of his own uncomely face in Höfudlausn and in Arinbjorn's-drápa.
a ring] A ring worn on the arm, not a finger-ring, as is plain from the rest of the description.
two chests] Of these more anon in chs. lxi. and lxxxix.
Ella] Athelstan is looked upon as successor to Ella king of Northumbria long before. The 'reindeer trod hills' mean the Scotch mountains.
Ch. LVI.—unfriendly] The translator does not pretend to have solved the riddle (if there be one) in this stave. Arinbjorn thinks a woman's name is hidden. Commentators think Asgerdr's name is hidden; but are not agreed how. Egil's next stave seems to make this doubtful. The gist of this first verse appears to be: 'There is a coolness between me and Asgerdr: I once so bold am reserved and sad.'
several winters] Probably from 927-932.
a swift cutter] The various Norse names for ships do not exactly correspond to the English. This appears to have been a light vessel built for speed, and not drawing much water: see ch. lviii., where it passes through a shallow sound.
Gula-Thing] This is mentioned in the Njal's Saga, ch. ii.: and the Gula-Thing's code in Dasent's Preface, p. lii.
precincts] 'Ve-bönd': 'hallowed cords'; also the space thus enclosed. For the Icelandic courts Dasent's Preface may be consulted, p. cxl., etc. The Saga here gives a full description of a suit.
captive of war] Much the same had been said of Hildirida. But in her case there had been no reconciliation between the two families as there had in this.
Ch. LVIII.—like] This might suggest that Egil in the morning dimness thought he was casting a spear at the king. Else why is the likeness mentioned? But Egil's verse shows that he at all events knew very soon that it was Kettle whom he had slain.
loops] Either of a strap or withe fastened to the thole-pin. In the same way the Athenian sailors had oar-thongs (τροπωτῆρας).
Frey and Njord] Givers of wealth. In Arinbjorn's-drápa 18 the same two deities are said to have enriched Arinbjorn.
Ch. LIX.—Harold] This making over of the kingdom would fall in 930: Harold's death in 933. The suit at the Gula-Thing in 934; and all up to Skallagrim's death. Hacon, one of Eric's brothers, was all this time with Athelstan; he thus escaped Eric's cruelty, and was accepted as king in the winter of this same year.
Ch. LX.—must not drink less] A rivalry in potations evidently: they were hard drinkers these Norsemen.
let the sword hang] Just the same do earl Atli and Egil in their combat in ch. lxviii.
Forest-foe] This stave is very spirited: the sense is plain: the kennings poetical. One sees as in a picture the Viking exulting as his barque plunges on it reminds one rather of the German ballad 'Du Recke, wohin im Sturmesgebraus?'
Ch. LXI.—Death of Skallagrim] A curious and interesting chapter. Skallagrim and Egil are alike in a certain hoarding propensity: the last act of the life of each was to hide money. There is a case of burial very like that of Skallagrim in the 'Ere-dwellers': upon which Magnusson has an instructive note, giving much of the passage about the breaking through
