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.
[edit] The poem text
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.
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[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")