Bjarkamál

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Bjarkamál is an Old Norse poem telling the tale of Bödvar Bjarki, the most famous warrior at the court of the legendary Danish king Hrólf Kraki, and other warriors. In 1030, King Olaf II of Norway roused his outnumbered army at the Battle of Stiklestad with the Bjarkamál, according to Fóstbrœðra saga.

Most of the poem is lost. Only fragments of it are preserved in Skáldskaparmál and in Heimskringla. In Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum a Latin translation of the poem is found but it does probably not closely follow the original.

The following example may illustrate the difference between the original terse Old Norse and Saxo's elaborate translation.

Non ego virgineos iubeo cognoscere ludos nec teneras tractare genas aut dulcia nuptis oscula conferre et tenues astringere mammas, non liquidum captare merum tenerumve fricare femen et in niveos oculum iactare lacertos. Evoco vos ad amara magis certamina Martis. Bello opus est nec amore levi, nihil hic quoque facti mollities enervis habet; res proelia poscit. J. Olrik's edition	I do not now bid ye learn the sports of maidens, nor stroke soft cheeks, nor give sweet kisses to the bride and press the slender breasts, nor desire the flowing wine and chafe the soft thigh and cast eyes upon snowy arms. I call you out to the sterner fray of War. We need the battle, and not light love; nerveless languor has no business here: our need calls for battles. Elton's translation
Vekka yðr at víni né at vífs rúnum, heldr vekk yðr at hörðum Hildar leiki. Finnur Jónsson's edition	I wake you not to wine nor to women’s converse, but rather to the hard game of Hild. Hollander's translation

[edit] References

• The Old Lay of Biarki Translation and commentary by Lee M. Hollander, includes translation of Axel Olrik's reconstruction
• Bjarkamál The remnants of the original text, two editions
• Gesta Danorum, Liber 2, Caput 7 Saxo's Latin version (starting with "Ocius evigilet")
• The Danish History: Book Two Translation of Saxo's version (starting with "Let him awake")