Lay of Hlöd
"Ar kváðu Humla
Húnum ráða,
Gizur Gautum,
Gotum Angantý,
Valdarr Dönum,
en Völum Kíarr,
Alrekr inn frækni
enskri þjóðu."
"Of yore, say they, Humli over Huns held sway;
Gizur over Gauts; over Goths, Angantýr;
Valdar over Danes, but over the Welsh, Kíar;
and Alrek the Bold over English folk."
"Hlöðr var þar borinn
í Húnalandi
saxi ok með sverði,
síðri brynju,
hjalmi hringreifðum,
hvössum mæki,
mari vel tömum
á mörk inni helgu."
"Was Hloth born there in Hunnish folk-lands
with dagger and broadsword and byrnie long,
with ring-decked helmet and sharp-hewing sword,
with horses well-broken, in the hallowed land."
Now Hloth learned about the death of his father, and that his brother, Angantýr, had himself made king over all those lands which Heithrek had owned. Then King Humli advised Hloth to claim from Angantýr his share of the inheritance with fair words; as is said here:
"Hlöðr reið austan,
Heiðreks arfi;
kom hann at garði,
þar er Gotar byggja,
á Árheima,
arfs at kveðja;
þar drakk Angantýr
erfi Heiðreks."
"Rode Hloth from the East, King Heithrek’s first-born,
to the halls where dwell the dauntless Goths
to Árheimar to claim his heir-lands.
There was Angantýr drinking arvel for Heithrek."
"Segg fann hann úti
fyr sal hávum
ok síðförlan
síðan kvaddi?
Inn gakktu, seggr,
í sal hávan,
bið mér Angantý
andspjöll bera."
"Before the high hall he found a hero standing,
from far lands hailing, him he welcomed."
Hloth said:
"Into high hall now go thou, hero,
and bid Angantýr make answer to me."
Sá gekk inn fyrir konungs borð ok kvaddi Angantý konung vel ok mælti síðan:
The warrior went in before the table of King Angantýr, and said:
"Hér er Hlöðr kominn,
Heiðreks arfþegi,
bróðir þinn
inn böðskái;
mikill er sá maðr ungr
á mars baki,
vill nú, þjóðann,
við þik tala."
"Is Hloth come here, King Heithrek’s heir,
thy bastard brother, thy brother he;
high the young hero his horse doth sit:
would he now, thane, with thee have speech."
But when King Angantýr heard this, he threw down his trencher on the board and rose and clad himself in his byrnie. He took his white shield in hand, and grasped the sword Tyrfing with the other. Then there arose much din in the hall; as is here said:
"Rymr varð í ranni,
risu með góðum;
vildi hverr heyra,
hvat Hlöðr mælti
ok þat, er Angantýr
andsvör veitti."
"Rose outcry in hall; with the atheling stood up,
(the Gothic king, his goodly warriors:)
they all fain would hear what Hloth did say,
and eke what answer Angantýr made."
"Þá mælti Angantýr:
Heill kom þú, Hlöðr,
Heiðreks arfi,
bróðir minn,
gakk á bekk sitja;
drekkum Heiðreks
hollar veigar
feðr okkrum
fyrstum manna,
vín eða mjöð,
hvárts þér vildra þykkir."
Angantýr said:
"Hail to thee, Hloth, King Heithrek’s son
and my own brother! On bench sit thou!
In his hall let us drink Heithrek’s arvel
(the father of us, the first of mankind)
in wine or in mead whiche’er worthiest seemeth."
"Þá kvað Hlöðr:
Til annars vér
en öl at drekka
hingat fórum
af Húna landi
þigg-a-k, þjóðann,
þínar veigar."
Hloth said:
"Not hither came we from Hunnish lands
to share with you your wine and mead"
"Hafa vil ek halft allt,
þat er Heiðrekr átti,
al ok af oddi,
einum skatti,
kú ok af kalfi,
kvern þjótandi,
þý ok af þræli
ok þeira barni;"
"The half will I have of what Heithrek owned,
of awl and of edge, of all the treasure,
of cow and of call, of quern harsh-grinding,
of thrall and of bond-maid, and those born of them,"
"Hrís þat it mæra,
er Myrkvið heita,
gröf þá ina helgu,
er stendr á Goðþjóðu,
stein þann inn fagra,
er stendr á stöðum Danpar,
halfar herborgir,
þær er Heiðrekr átti,
lönd ok lýða
ok ljósa bauga."
"the mighty forest which is Murkwood hight,
the hallowed grave which in Gothland stands,
the shining stone which in Danpstead stands,
half of the war-weeds which Heithrek owned,
of lands and lieges and of lustrous arm-rings."
"Angantýr kvað:
Bresta mun fyrr, bróðir,
in blikhvíta lind
ok kaldr geirr
koma við annan
ok margr gumi
í gras hníga,
áðr en Tyrfing
í tvau deilak
eða þér, Humlungr,
halfan arf látak."
Angantýr said:
"Your shining shield will be shattered, brother,
and by cold spears will be split many another,
(and many a man will meet his death)
before Tyrfing in two I sunder,
or to thee, son of Humli, leave the half of it!"
"Ek mun bjóða þér
bjartar vigrar,
fé ok fjölð meiðma,
sem þik fremst tíðir;
tolf hundruð gef ek þér manna,
tolf huhdruð gef ek þér mara,
tolf hundruð gef ek þér skálka,
þeira er skjöld bera."
"Will I give thee, brother, gleaming arm-rings,
much wealth of gold, what most thou wishest
twelve hundred thralls, twelve hundred steeds,
twelve hundred bond-men with bucklers weaponed."
"Manni gef ek hverjum
margt at þiggja
annat æðra
en hann á at ráða;
mey gef ek hverjum
manni at þiggja,
men spenni ek hverri
meyju at halsi."
"To every man of you much will I give
other and better things than ere this he had:
to every man a maid will I give,
and give each maiden a golden necklace."
"Mun ek um þik sitjanda
silfri mæla,
en ganganda þik
gulli steypa,
svá at á vega alla
velti baugar;
þriðjung Goðþjóðar, —
því skaltu ráða."
"About thee a-sitting shall I silver heap,
about thee a-going shall I gold-trinkets pour,
so that the rings will roll about thee;
shalt govern a third of Gothic lands."
Gizurr Grýtingaliði, fóstri Heiðreks konungs, var þá með Angantý konungi. Hann var þá ofrgamall. Ok er hann heyrði boð Angantýs, þótti honum hann of mikit bjóða ok kvað þá:
Gizur, called the Follower25 of the Grytings, King Heithrek’s faster father, was then in Angantýr’s company. He was exceeding old then. When he heard Angantýr’s offer he thought that too much was offered, and said:
"Þetta er þiggjanda
þýjar barni,
barni þýjar,
þótt sé borinn konungi;
þá hornungr
á haugi sat,
er öðlingr
arfi skipti."
"Could no better be offered to a bond-woman’s son
to the son of a bond-woman, though born to a king.
The bastard son then sate on a hill
when the atheling the heirlooms shifted."
Hlöðr reiddist nú mjök, er hann var þýbarn ok hornungr kallaðr, ef hann þægi boð bróður síns, ok sneri hann þá þegar í burt með alla sína menn, til þess er hann kom heim í Húnaland til Humla konungs, frænda síns, ok sagði honum, at Angantýr, bróðir hans, hefði synjat honum helmingaskiptis.
Humli spyrr nú allt tal þeira. Varð hann þá reiðr mjök, ef Hlöðr, dóttursonr hans, skyldi ambáttarsonr heita, ok kvað þá:
(Hloth is enraged and returns to Humli, who promises help for the summer after.)
"Sitja skulu vér í vetr
ok sælliga lifa,
drekka ok dæma
dýrar veigar,
kenna Húnum
hervápn búa,
þau er fræknliga
skulum fram bera."
Humli said:
"Shall we feast at our ease till over is winter,
drink and hold converse, quaffing the mead,
and teach our warriors weapons to fashion,
which to battle bravely we shall bear forward."
"Vel skulum þér, Hlöðr,
herlið búa
ok framliga
fylki týja;
með tolf vetra mengi
ok tvævetrum fola,
svá skal Húna
her of samna."
"Well shall we arm the warrior host,
and help thee, Hloth, with hardy deeds;
with twelve-year old draughts, and two-year old foals,
thus shall the host of the Huns be gathered."
Þenna vetr sátu þeir Humli ok Hlöðr um kyrrt. Um várit drógu þeir her saman svá mikinn, at aleyða var eftir vígra manna í Húnalandi...
Sem þessi herr kom saman, riðu þeir skóg þann, er Myrkviðr heitir, er skilr Húnaland ok Gotaland. En sem þeir kómu af skóginum, þá váru byggðir stórar ok vellir sléttir, ok á völlunum stóð borg ein fögr, en þar réð fyrir Hervör, systir Angantýs konungs, ok Ormarr, fóstri hennar. Váru þau sett þar til landgæzlu fyrir her Húna, ok höfðu þau þar mikit lið.
That winter, King Humli and Hloth stayed at home; but when spring came they drew together so great a host that there was a dearth of fighting men in Hunland... And when this mighty host was gathered they rode through Murkwood... As they came out of the forest they found many farms and level fields. In the fields there stood a fair castle. There ruled Hervor, Angantýr’s and Hloth’s sister, and with her, Ormar, her foster father. They warded the land against the Huns and had a great host... One morning, about sunrise, Hervor stood on a tower above the castle gate. She saw so much dust southward toward the forest that it hid the sun for a long time. Then saw she a glow under the dust, as though from gold, of fair shields inlaid with gold, of gilded helmets and bright byrnies. Then understood she that this was the Hunnish host, and most numerous. She hurried down and called her trumpeter and bade him summon the host. Then said Hervor to them: "Take your weapons and make ready for battle; but thou, Ormar, ride out toward the Huns and affer them battle before the southern gate."
"Skal ek víst ríða
ok rönd bera,
*********
Gota þjóðum
gunni at heyja."
Ormar said:
"Assuredly shall I, with shield aloft,
(to the Hunnish host hurriedly ride,
to summon them to the southern gate)
there ’gainst the Goths to try the game of war."
Þá reið Ormarr af borginni ok í mót hernum. Hann kallaði hátt ok bað þá ríða til borgarinnar, — ok úti fyrir borgarhliðinu suðr á völlinn — þar býð ek yðr til orrostu. Bíði þeir þar annarra, er fyrr koma.
Nú reið Ormarr aftr til borgarinnar, ok var Hervör þá albúin ok allr herr. Riðu þau nú út af borginni með hernum móti Húnum, ok hófsk þar allmikil orrosta. En með því at Húnar hafa lið miklu meira, sneri mannfallinu í lið þeira Hervarar, ok um síðir fell Hervör ok mikit lið umhverfis hana.
En er Ormarr sá fall hennar, flýði hann ok allir þeir, er lífit þágu. Ormarr reið dag ok nótt, sem mest mátti hann, á fund Angantýs konungs í Árheima...
Og sem Ormarr kom fyrir Angantý konung, þá kvað hann:
(And so he did and) then returned to the castle. Then was Hervor armed and all her host... There was a great battle; but because the Huns had a much greater host, the battle turned against Hervor, and at length she fell, and round about her, many men. But when Ormar saw her fall he fled, and with him all they who still lived. He rode day and night as fast as he could, to King Angantýr in Árheimar, while the Huns took to harrying and burning the countryside. When he arrived he said:
"Sunnan em ek kominn
at segja spjöll þessi:
Sviðin er öll in mæra
Myrkviðar heiðr,
drifin öll Goðþjóð
gumna blóði."
"From the south am I come, to say these tidings:
burned is the far-famed forest Murkwood,
all Goth-land drenched with the gore of the fallen."
"Mey veit ek Heiðreks,
(fyr mækis eggjum),
systur þína,
svigna til jarðar;
hafa Húnar
hana fellda
ok marga aðra
yðra þegna."
"I know that Hervor, Heithrek’s daughter,
and thy sister, by the sword has fallen.
Have Hunnish hosts hewed down the maiden
with many an other of your warriors."
"Léttari gerðisk hon at böð
en við biðil ræða
eða í bekk at fara
at brúðar gangi."
"*********
Was she readier for war than with wooer to dally,
or on bench to sit as wedded bride."
Angantýr konungr, þá er hann heyrði þetta, brá hann grönum ok varð seint til orða ok mælti þetta um síðir:
When Angantýr heard this he stroked his beard and was silent for a long time. At last he said:
"Óbróðurliga vartu leikin,
in ágæta systir!
Mjök várum vér margir,
er vér mjöð drukkum,
nú erum vér færi,
er vér fleiri skyldum."
"Wast unbrotherly dealt with, my brave sister!
(Now have fallen the fighters who fared with you.)
Full many the men when mead we drank,
have I fewer followers when I fain would have more."
Ok síðan leit hann yfir hirðina, ok var ekki margt liðs með honum. Hann kvað þá:
"Sé ek eigi mann
í mínu liði,
þótt ek biðja
ok baugum kaupa,
er muni ríða
ok rönd bera
ok þeira Húna
herlið finna."
"In all my host no hero see I,
though I should beg him and buy him with rings,
who would raise the war-shield and ride for me
to the Hunnish host to harbinger war."
"Gizurr gamli sagði:
Ek mun þik einkis
eyris krefja
né skjallanda
skarfs ór gulli;
þó mun ek ríða
ok rönd bera,
Húna þjóðum
herstaf bjóða."
Gizur the Old said:
"Not a single silverling seek I of thee,
nor of glistening gold guerdon crave I;
yet shall I ride and raise the war-shield,
and to Hunnish hosts herald battle."
...Gizurr herklæddist með góðum hervápnum ok hljóp á hest sinn, sem ungr væri. Þá mælti hann til konungs:
It was King Heithrek’s law, that if a hostile army was in the land and the king of the land challenged them to a pitched battle and appointed the battle field, then those vikings durst not harry before battle was tried between them. Gizur then armed himself with good weapons and leaped on his horse as though he were a young man, and said to the king:
To the Huns where shall I herald battle?
"Hvar skal ek Húnum
hervíg kenna?"
Angantýr said:
"On the down of Dun-heath and in Dylgia-vales
(shall the battle be) neath the Iassar-fells brow,
where often Goths their glaives reddened,
and victory won warriors in sword-play."
Angantýr kvað:
"Kenndu at Dylgju
ok á Dúnheiði
ok á þeim öldnum
Jassarfjöllum;
þar oft Gotar
gunni háðu
ok fagran sigr
frægir vágu."
Nú reið Gizurr í brott ok þar til, er hann kom í her Húna. Hann reið eigi nær en svá, at hann mátti tala við þá. Þá kallar hann hári röddu ok kvað:
Then Gizur rode till he came upon the Hunnish army. When he was within earshot he called out with a loud voice and said:
"Felmtr er yðru fylki,
feigr er yðvarr vísi,
gnæfar yðr gunnfani,
gramr er yðr Óðinn."
"*********
*********
Afraid are your hosts, fey is your leader
You have angered Óthin: we offer you battle."
"Býð ek yðr at Dylgju
ok á Dúnheiði
orrostu undir
Jassarfjöllum,
hræsi yður
at há hverju,
ok láti svá Óðinn flein fljúga
sem ek fyrir mæli."
"On the downs of Dun-heath and in Dylgia-vales
I bid you battle, neath the Iassar-fells brow.
(May Óthin o’erawe Angantýr’s foes)
and may this spear fly o’er you as I do bid it."
Þá er Hlöðr hafði heyrt orð Gizurar, þá kvað hann:
"Taki þér Gizur
Grýtingaliða,
mann Angantýs,
kominn af Árheimum."
Humli konungr sagði:
"Eigi skulum
árum spilla,
þeim er fara
einir saman."
When Hloth had heard Gizur’s words he said:
"Seize ye Gizur (the Grýtings follower),
Angantýr’s man, from Árheimar come!"
Humli said:
"No hurt nor harm to him shall be done,
to hero who fares to herald us war."
Gizur said:
"Will not Hunnish hornbows do harm to us ever,
nor Hunnish wiles hinder our warriors."
Gizurr drap þá hest sinn með sporum ok reið á fund Angantýs konungs...Angantýr spyrr, hvat mikit lið Húnar hafa. Gizurr mælti: Mikit er þeira mengi:
Gizur then gave the spurs to his horse and rode back to King Angantýr... The king asked him whether he had encountered the Huns.
"Sex ein eru
seggja fylki,
í fylki hverju
fimm þúsundir,
í þúsund hverri
þrettán hundruð,
í hundraði hverju
halir fjórtalðir."
Gizur said:
"I spoke with them and summoned them to combat on the downs of Dun-heath and in Dylgia-vales."
Angantýr asked him how great an army the Huns had. Gizur said:
"Huge was that host (of Hunnish warriors)"
Angantýr spyrr nú til Húna hers. Þá sendi hann alla vegu menn frá sér ok stefndi hverjum manni til sín, er honum vildi lið veita ok vápnum mætti valda. Fór hann þá á Dúnheiði með lið sitt, ok var þat allmikill herr. Kom þá á móti honum herr Húna, ok höfðu þeir lið hálfu fleira.
At öðrum degi hófu þeir sína orrostu ok börðust allan þann dag ok fóru at kveldi í herbúðir sínar. Þeir börðust svá átta daga, at höfðingjar váru enn heilir, en engi vissi manntal, hvat margt fell. En bæði dag ok nótt dreif lið til Angantýs af öllum vegum, ok þá kom svá, at hann hafði eigi færa fólk en í fyrstu. Varð nú orrostan enn ákafari. Váru Húnar allákafir ok sá þá sinn kost, at sú ein var lífs ván, ef þeir sigruðust, ok illt mundi Gota griða at biðja. Gotar vörðu frelsi sitt ok fóstrjörð fyrir Húnum, stóðu því fast, ok eggjaði hverr annan. Þá er á leið daginn, gerðu Gotar atgöngu svá harða, at fylkingar Húna svignuðu fyrir. Ok er Angantyýr sá þat, gekk hann fram ór skjaldborginni ok í öndverða fylking ok hafði í hendi Tyrfing ok hjó þá bæði menn ok hesta. Raufst þá skjaldborg fyrir Húna konungum, ok skiptust þeir bræðr höggum við. Þar fell Hlöðr ok Humli konungr, ok þá brast flótti á Húnum, en Gotar drápu þá...Angantýr konungr gekk þá at kanna valinn ok fann Hlöð, bróður sinn. Þá kvað hann:
"Bauð ek þér, bróðir,
basmir óskerðar,
fé ok fjölð meiðma,
sem þik fremst tíddi;
nú hefir þú hvárki
hildar at gjöldum
ljósa bauga
né land ekki."
"Sixteen squadrons saw I foregathered;
had each squadron fully five thousand men,
and each thousand, thirteen hundred,
and each hundred, horse-men eight-score."
Angantýr then got together an army to meet the Huns, who were twice his strength. The battle lasted eight days, with great slaughter which was made good, in the case of the Goths, by continual reinforcements; so that at last the Huns were forced to give ground. Angantýr stepped into the front ranks with the sword Tyrfing in hand, and slew both Hloth and Humli. Then the Huns took to flight, and the Goths slew so many that the rivers were dammed up and overflowed their banks and the valleys were filled with dead men and horses. Angantýr went about on the battlefield to search among the fallen. He found his brother Hloth. Then he said:
"Bölvat er okkr, bróðir,
bani em ek þinn orðinn;
þat mun æ uppi;
illr er dómr norna."
"Untold arm-rings I offered thee, brother,
a wealth of gold and what most thou didst wish.
As guerdon for strife now hast gotten neither,
nor lands nor lieges nor lustrous rings."
"A baleful fate wrought it that, brother, I slew thee!
Will that aye be told. Ill’s the norns’ doom."
Translation by Henry Adams Bellows.