them, where they were, or when. This might be partly because Egil was an unwilling eulogist. But probably Eric's rule, while cruel, was yet in some respects weak, and his battles perhaps in no very worthy cause. It has been supposed by some that Egil was all the while laughing in his sleeve, and meant not to praise Eric heartily: but this seems hardly probable. For Egil no doubt meant to do his best to save his own head; and Eric was personally brave and warlike. Arinbjorn's loyalty to Eric shows that Eric had good points in his character; but Gunnhilda was his prompter to evil. 'The king will not let himself be egged on to all thy dastardly work,' said Arinbjorn to the queen. Hence we may suppose Egil to be heartily praising what he would heartily appreciate, valour in war.
St. 1. when . . . icefloes broke] In the spring of the year. The expression might denote either the 'when,' or the where (from Iceland); indeed, it comprises both.
2. Odin's mead] One of the numerous expressions for 'poetry.'
3. Odin saw] Rumour tells much; but Odin the war-god alone knows, and the inspired poet can therefore best tell. So Homer invokes the Muses to tell him of the battle, 'ye are present everywhere and see, we only hear the rumour, and do not know 'ἡμεῖς δὲ κλέος οἷον ἀκούομεν οὐδέ τι ἴδμεν}).
4. Swell'd] Here begins the middle part and substance of the eulogy.
6. Of men] The first burden, repeated with part changed in st. 9.
8. Odin's oaks] Warriors. The 'kennings' in this poem present little difficulty, being poetical metaphors, 'ice-of-sword-belt' is the exact 'kenning' for sword here.
10. Scotland's scourge] 'Eric was Athelstan's keeper of the land against the Scots.'
Ogress' steed] In the Edda an ogress is spoken of as thus horsed.
12. Axe] Another burden, varied in st. 15.
13. Strings sang] Λίγξε βίος, νευρὴ δὲ μέγ' ἴαχεν, ἄλτο δ' ὀϊστός. Hom.
14. East] Eric's prowess in Northumberland, or about the Scotch coast and isles, would be reckoned as exploits 'in the west': their fame would therefore travel east to Norway: not strictly so to Iceland perhaps. But Egil was much in Norway.
15. Bees wound-bearing] 'Unda-bý': wound-bees. The word 'bý' seldom occurs: 'by-fluga' is mod. Icel. for 'bee.' Stinging arrows' is natural enough: and the hum of the twanging string and whizz of the arrow justify Egil's phrase as most suggestive and poetical.
16. Weapons] He rouses the goddess of battles when he goes to fight: Bellona then knows that battle is toward.
17. Frodi's flour] Or 'meal': this 'kenning' rests on a passage in the Edda.
18. crowned] This stanza ends the fifth 'stefja-mal.' It appears to take the place of a 'stef' or 'burden' with which the others end.
19. heart's ground] Egil at all events professes sincerity.
20. hear] Egil spoke in a high tone and at once got a silent hearing, we are told. The half verse that follows in most editions is according to the best critics not genuine, a much later addition. The literal rendering of it is 'May he enjoy gold-rings, as Bragi did his eye, as the whale does the firth, ship does the haven, the raven the battle!' It is a wish of wealth to Eric or someone; the meaning of the sentence about Bragi is obscure. The translator in 'Corpus Poeticum Boreale' takes a different reading and rendering.
Ch. LXIV.—in features loathly] Cf. st. 7 of Arinbjornar-drápa, ‘Not well-favoured seemed my head,' etc.
Dragvandil] The descent of the sword Dragvandil from one giver to
