Hákonarmál

Hákonarmál is a skaldic poem which the skald Eyvindr skáldaspillir composed about the fall of the Norwegian king Hákon the Good at the battle of Fitjar and his reception in Valhalla. This poem emulates Eiríksmál and is intended to depict the Christian Hákon as a friend to the pagan gods. The poem is preserved in its entirety and is widely considered to be of great beauty.

These are the last three stanzas.

Góðu dœgri verðr sá gramr of borinn, es sér getr slíkan sefa. Hans aldar mun æ vesa at góðu getit. Mun óbundinn á ýta sjǫt Fenrisulfr of fara, áðr jafngóðr á auða trǫð konungmaðr komi. Deyr fé, deyja frændr eyðisk land ok láð. Síz Hákon fór með heiðin goð, mǫrg es þjóð of þéuð.

On a good day is born that 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. Unfettered will fare the Fenriswolf, and fall on the fields of men, ere that there cometh a kingly lord as good, to stand in his stead. Cattle die and kinsmen die, land and lieges are whelmed; since Hákon to the heathen gods fared many a host is harried. – Hollander's translation

On a good day will such a king be born who leaves such a sorrow. His reign will forever be mentioned as good only. Unfettered will on earth Fenrisulfr go, before as good on the empty ground a king will come. Cattle die, kinsmen die, land and sea are destroyed. Since Hákon left with heathen gods many people are oppressed. – Literal translation

The last stanza is clearly related to a stanza from Hávamál. The traditional view is that Hákonarmál borrowed from that poem but it is also possible that the relation is reversed or that both poems drew on a third source.

External links

• Hákonarmál in Old Norse from heimskringla.no
• English translation and commentary by Lee M. Hollander
• Samuel Laing's translation (within its Heimskringla context)
• Two editions of the poem