The complete text
Atlakviða
The Lay of Atli
About these two editions
These are complete reading editions of the poem and its accompanying prose, rather than a facsimile of Codex Regius. Bellows sometimes orders, divides, or supplements stanzas differently, so the two editions do not always share stanza numbers. Editorial introductions and footnotes are omitted; follow the source links for that commentary.
Original wording is retained. Obvious transcription errors in stanza numbering have been corrected. Spelling and names differ from the modern retelling.
Tap an underlined name for an explanation. Switch editions above at any time.
Old Norse
Normalized Old Norse · Guðni Jónsson edition · Source ↗
Gjúkadóttir hefndi bræðra sinna, svá sem frægt er orðit. Hon drap fyrst sonu , en eftir drap hon ok brenndi höllina ok hirðina alla. Um þetta er sjá kviða ort:
Stanza 1 sendi ár til kunnan segg at ríða, var sá heitinn; at görðum kom hann ok at Höllu, bekkjum aringreypum ok at bjóri svásum.
Stanza 2Drukku þar dróttmegir, en dyljendr þögðu, vín í valhöllu, vreiði sásk þeir Húna; kallaði þá kaldri röddu, seggr inn suðræni sat hann á bekk háum:
Stanza 3" mik hingat sendi ríða erendi mar inum mélgreypa myrkvið inn ókunna, at biðja yðr, , at it á bekk kæmið með hjalmum aringreypum at sækja heim .
Stanza 4Skjöldu kneguð þar velja ok skafna aska, hjalma gullroðna ok Húna mengi, silfrgyllt söðulklæði, serki valrauða, dafar darraðar, drösla mélgreypa.
Stanza 5Völl lézk ykkr ok mundu gefa víðrar Gnitaheiðar, af geiri gjallanda ok af gylltum stöfnum, stórar meiðmar ok staði Danpar, hrís þat it mæra, er meðr kalla."
Stanza 6Höfði vatt þá
ok til sagði:
"Hvat ræðr þú okkr, seggr inn æri, alls vit slíkt heyrum?
Gull vissa ek ekki á , þat er vit ættim-a annat slíkt.
Stanza 7Sjau eigum vit salhús sverða full, hverju eru þeira hjölt ór gulli; minn veit ek mar beztan, en mæki hvassastan, boga bekksæma, en brynjur ór gulli, hjalm ok skjöld hvítastan kominn ór höll Kíars, einn er minn betri en sé allra Húna."
kvað:
Stanza 8"Hvat hyggr þú brúði bendu, þá er hon okkr baug sendi, varinn váðum heiðingja? Hygg ek, at hon vörnuð byði. fann ek heiðingja riðit í hring rauðum, ylfskr er vegr okkarr at ríða erendi."
Stanza 9Niðjar hvöttu né náungr annarr, rýnendr né ráðendr né þeir er ríkir váru; kvaddi þá , sem konungr skyldi, mærr í mjöðranni af móði stórum:
Stanza 10"Rístu nú, , láttu á flet vaða greppa gullskálir með gumna höndum.
Stanza 11Ulfr mun ráða arfi Niflunga, gamlir, gránvarðir, ef missir, birnir blakkfjallir bíta þreftönnum, gamna greystóði, ef né kemr-at."
Stanza 12Leiddu landrögni lýðar óneisir, grátendr gunnhvata ór garði húna. Þá kvað þat inn æri erfivörþr : "Heilir farið nú ok horskir, hvars ykkr hugr teygir!"
Stanza 13Fetum létu fræknir um fjöll at þyrja mari ina mélgreypu inn ókunna; hristisk öll Húnmörk þar er harðmóðgir fóru, ráku þeir vandstyggva völlu algræna.
Stanza 14Land sáu þeir ok liðskjalfar djúpa, Bikka greppar standa á borg inni háu, sal of suðrþjóðum sleginn sessmeiðum, bundnum röndum, bleikum skjöldum, dafar darraðar; en þar drakk vín í valhöllu, verðir sátu úti at varða þeim , af þeir hér vitja kvæmi með geiri gjallanda at vekja gram hildi.
Stanza 15Systir fann þeira snemst, at þeir í sal kómu bræðr hennar báðir, - bjóri var hon lítt drukkin: "Ráðinn ertu nú, . Hvat muntu, ríkr, vinna við Húna harmbrögðum? Höll gakk þú ór snemma.
Stanza 16Betr hefðir þú, bróðir, at þú í brynju færir, sem hjalmum aringreypum at séa heim , sætir þú í söðlum sólheiða daga, nái nauðfölva létir nornir gráta, Húna skjaldmeyjar herfi kanna, en sjalfan létir þú í ormgarð koma, nú er sá ormgarðr ykkr of folginn."
kvað:
Stanza 17"Seinat er nú, systir, at samna Niflungum; langt er at leita lýða sinnis til, ef rosmufjöll Rínar rekka óneissa."
Stanza 18Fengu þeir ok í fjötur settu vin Borgunda ok bundu fastla.
Stanza 19Sjau hjó sverði hvössu, en inum átta hratt hann í eld heitan; svá skal frækn fjándum verjask [sem] varði hendr [sínar].
Stanza 20-- -- ; frágu fræknan, ef fjör vildi, gotna þjóðann, gulli kaupa.
kvað:
Stanza 21"Hjarta skal mér í hendi liggja blóðugt, ór brjósti skorit baldriða saxi slíðrbeitu, syni þjóðans."
Stanza 22Skáru þeir hjarta ór brjósti blóðugt ok á bjóð lögðu ok báru þat fyr .
Stanza 23Þá kvað þat , gumna dróttinn: "Hér hefi ek hjarta ins blauða, ólíkt hjarta ins frækna, er mjök bifask, er á bjóði liggr, bifðisk halfu meir, er í brjósti lá."
Stanza 24Hló þá , er til hjarta skáru kvikvan kumblasmið, klökkva hann sízt hugði; blóðugt þat á bjóð lögðu ok báru fyr .
Stanza 25Mærr kvað þat geirniflungr: "Hér hefi ek hjarta ins frækna, ólíkt hjarta ins blauða, er lítt bifask, er á bjóði liggr, bifðisk svági mjök, þá er í brjósti lá.
Stanza 26Svá skaltu, , augum fjarri, sem munt menjum verða; er und einum mér öll of folgin hodd Niflunga, lifir-a nú .
Stanza 27Ey var mér týja, meðan vit tveir lifðum, nú er mér engi, er ek einn lifik. skal ráða rógmalmi skatna, svinn, áskunna arfi Niflunga, - í veltanda vatni lýsask valbaugar, - heldr en á höndum gull skíni Húna börnum."
kvað:
Stanza 28"Ýkvið ér hvélvögnum, haftr er nú í böndum."
Stanza 29 inn ríki reið mönum, sleginn rógþornum, sifjungr þeira. sigtífa, varnaði við tárum, vaðin í þyshöllu.
kvað:
Stanza 30"Svá gangi þér, , sem þú við áttir eiða oft of svarða ok ár of nefnda, at sól inni suðrhöllu ok at Sigtýs bergi, hölkvi hvílbeðjar ok at hringi Ullar." Ok meir þaðan menvörð bituls dolgrögni dró til dauðs skokkr.
Stanza 31Lifanda gram lagði í garð, þan er skriðinn var, skatna mengi, innan ormum, en einn heiftmóðr hörpu hendi kníði, glumðu strengir; svá skal gulli frækn hringdrifi við fira halda.
Stanza 32 lét lands síns á vit jó eyrskáan aftr frá morði; dynr var í garði, dröslum of þrungit, vápnsöngr virða, váru af heiði komnir.
Stanza 33Út gekk þá í gögn með gylltum kálki at reifa gjöld rögnis: "Þiggja knáttu, þengill, í þinni höllu glaðr at gnadda niflfarna."
Stanza 34Umðu ölskálir vínhöfgar, þá er í höll saman Húnar tölðusk, gumar gransíðir, gengu inn hvatir.
Stanza 35Skævaði þá in skírleita veigar þeim at bera, afkár jöfrum ok ölkrásir valði nauðug neffölum, en níð sagði :
Stanza 36"Sona hefir þinna, sverða deilir, hjörtu hrædreyrug við hunang of tuggin; melta knáttu, móðugr, manna valbráðir, eta at ölkrásum ok í öndugi at senda.
Stanza 37Kallar-a þú síðan til knéa þinna né , ölreifa tvá; sér-a-ðu síðan í seti miðju gulls miðlendr geira skefta, manar meita né mara keyra."
Stanza 38Ymr varð á bekkjum, afkárr söngr virða, gnýr und guðvefjum, grétu börn Húna; nema ein , er hon æva grét bræðr sína berharða ok buri svása, unga, ófróða, þá er hon við gat.
Stanza 39Gulli söri in gaglbjarta, hringum rauðum reifði hon húskarla; sköp lét hon vaxa, en skíran malm vaða, æva fljóð ekki gáði fjarghúsa.
Stanza 40Óvarr óðan hafði hann sik drukkit, vápn hafði hann ekki, varnaði-t hann við Gudrúnu, oft var sá leikr betri, þá er þau lint skyldu oftar um faðmask fyr öðlingum.
Stanza 41Hon beð broddi gaf blóð at drekka hendi helfússi ok hvelpa leysti, hratt fyr hallar dyrr ok húskarla vakði brandi brúðr heitum, þau lét hon gjöld bræðra.
Stanza 42Eldi gaf hon þá alla, er inni váru ok frá morði þeira komnir váru ór Myrkheimi; forn timbr fellu, fjarghús ruku, bær Buðlunga, brunnu ok skjaldmeyjar inni aldrstamar, hnigu í eld heitan.
Stanza 43Fullrætt er um þetta, ferr engi svá síðan brúðr í brynju bræðra at hefna; hon hefir þriggja þjóðkonunga banorð borit, björt, áðr sylti. Enn segir gleggra í .
English translation
Henry Adams Bellows · First published 1923 · Source & commentary ↗
, 's daughter, avenged her brothers, as has become well known. She slew first 's sons, and thereafter she slew , and burned the hall with his whole company. Concerning this was the following poem made:
Stanza 1 sent | of old to A keen-witted rider, | did men call him; To 's home came he | and to 's dwelling, With benches round the hearth, | and to the beer so sweet.
Stanza 2Then the followers, hiding | their falseness, all drank Their wine in the war-hall, | of the ' wrath wary; And spake loudly, | his words were crafty, The hero from the south, | on the high bench sitting:
Stanza 3"Now has sent me | his errand to ride, On my bit-champing steed | through the secret, To bid You, , | to his benches to come, With helms round the hearth, | and 's home seek.
Stanza 4"Shields shall ye choose there, | and shafts made of ash-wood, Gold-adorned helmets, | and slaves out of Hunland, Silver-gilt saddle-cloths, | shirts of bright scarlet, With lances and spears too, | and bit-champing steeds.
Stanza 5"The field shall be given you | of wide , With loud-ringing lances, | and stems gold-o'er-laid, Treasures full huge, | and the home of , And the mighty forest | that is called."
Stanza 6His head turned , | and to he said: "What thy counsel, young hero, | when such things we hear? No gold do I know | on lying So fair that other | its equal we have not.
Stanza 7"We have seven halls, | each of swords is full, (And all of gold | is the hilt of each;) My steed is the swiftest, | my sword is sharpest, My bows adorn benches, | my byrnies are golden, My helm is the brightest | that came from 's hall, (Mine own is better | than all the ' treasure.)"
spake:
Stanza 8"What seeks she to say, | that she sends us a ring, Woven with a wolf's hair? | methinks it gives warning; In the red ring a hair | of the heath-dweller found I, Wolf-like shall our road be | if we ride on this journey."
Stanza 9Not eager were his comrades, | nor the men of his kin, The wise nor the wary, | nor the warriors bold. But spake forth | as befitted a king, Noble in the beer-hall, | and bitter his scorn:
Stanza 10"Stand forth now, ! | and hither on the floor The beakers all golden | shalt thou bring to the warriors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stanza 11"The wolves then shall rule | the wealth of the , Wolves aged and grey-hued, | if is lost, And black-coated bears | with rending teeth bite, And make glad the dogs, | if returns not."
Stanza 12A following gallant | fared forth with the ruler, Yet they wept as their home | with the hero they left; And the little heir | of called loudly: "Go safe now, ye wise ones, | wherever ye will!"
Stanza 13Then let the bold heroes | their bit-champing horses On the mountains gallop, | and through the secret; All Hunland was shaken | where the hard-souled ones rode, On the whip-fearers fared they | through fields that were green.
Stanza 14Then they saw 's halls, | and his watch-towers high, On the walls so lofty | stood the warriors of ; The hall of the southrons | with seats was surrounded, With targets bound | and shields full bright.
Stanza 15Mid weapons and lances | did his wine In the war-hall drink, | without were his watchmen, For they waited, | if forth he should go, With their ringing spears | they would fight with the ruler.
Stanza 16This their sister saw, | as soon as her brothers Had entered the hall,-- | little ale had she drunk: "Betrayed art thou, ! | what guard hast thou, hero, 'Gainst the plots of the ? | from the hall flee swiftly!
Stanza 17"Brother, 'twere far better | to have come in byrnie, With thy household helmed, | to see 's home, And to sit in the saddle | all day 'neath the sun, (That the sword- might weep | for the death-pale warriors, And the shield-maids | might shun not the sword,) And send himself | to the den of the snakes; (Now the den of the snakes | for thee is destined.
spake:
Stanza 18. . . . . . . . . . "Too late is it, sister, | to summon the , Long is it to come | to the throng of our comrades, The heroes gallant, | from the hills of the ."
Stanza 19Then they seized, | and they set him in chains, The Burgundians' king, | and fast they bound him.
Stanza 20 slew seven | with sword so keen, And an eighth he flung | in the fire hot; A hero should fight | with his foemen thus, As strove | in 's behalf.
Stanza 21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The leader they asked | if his life he fain With gold would buy, | the king of the .
spake:
Stanza 22"First the heart of | shall ye lay in my hands, All bloody from the breast | of the bold one cut With ke-en-biting sword, | from the son of the king."
Stanza 23. . . . . . . . . . They cut out the heart | from the breast of , On a platter they bore it, | and brought it to .
Stanza 24Then spake forth, | the lord of the folk: "Here have I the heart | of the craven, Unlike to the heart | of the valiant, For it trembles still | as it stands on the platter; Twice more did it tremble | in the breast of the man.
Stanza 25Then laughed | when they cut out the heart Of the living helm-hammerer; | tears he had not. . . . . . . . . . . On a platter they bore it, | and brought it to .
Stanza 26Then spake forth, | the spear of the : "Here have I the heart | of the valiant, Unlike to the heart | of the craven, Little it trembles | as it lies on the platter, Still less did it tremble | when it lay in his breast.
Stanza 27"So distant, , | from all men's eyes, Shalt thou be as thou | . . . . . from the gold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stanza 28"To no one save me | is the secret known Of the ' hoard, | now is dead; Of old there were two, | while we twain were alive, Now is none but I, | for I only am living.
Stanza 29"The swift shall hold | the strife-gold of heroes, That once was the gods', | the wealth of the , In the depths of the waters | the death-rings shall glitter, And not shine on the hands | of the men."
spake:
Stanza 30"Ye shall bring the wagon, | for now is he bound."
Stanza 31On the long-maned | rode the great, About him were warriors | . . . . . But , akin | to the gods of slaughter, Yielded not to her tears | in the hall of tumult.
spake:
Stanza 32"It shall go with thee, , | as with thou heldest The oaths ofttimes sworn, | and of old made firm, By the sun in the south, | by 's mountain, By the horse of the rest-bed, | and the ring of ."
Stanza 33Then the champer of bits | drew the chieftain great, The gold-guarder, down | to the place of death. . . . . . . . . . .
Stanza 34By the warriors' host | was the living hero Cast in the den | where crawling about Within were serpents, | but soon did With his hand in wrath | on the harp-strings smite; The strings resounded,-- | so shall a hero, A ring-breaker, gold | from his enemies guard.
Stanza 35Then rode | on his earth-treading steed, Seeking his home, | from the slaughter-place; There was clatter of hoofs | of the steeds in the court, And the clashing of arms | as they came from the field.
Stanza 36Out then came | to meeting with , With a golden beaker | as gift to the monarch: "Thou mayst eat now, chieftain, | within thy dwelling, Blithely with | young beasts fresh slaughtered."
Stanza 37The wine-heavy ale-cups | of resounded, When there in the hall | the youths clamored, And the warriors bearded, | the brave ones, entered.
Stanza 38Then in came the shining one, | . . . . . . . . . . | and drink she bore them; Unwilling and bitter | brought she food to the warrior, Till in scorn to the white-faced | did she speak:
Stanza 39"Thou giver of swords, | of thy sons the hearts All heavy with blood | in honey thou hast eaten; Thou shalt stomach, thou hero, | the flesh of the slain, To eat at thy feast, | and to send to thy followers.
Stanza 40"Thou shalt never call | to thy knees again or , | when merry with ale; Thou shalt never see | in their seats again The sharers of gold | their lances shaping, (Clipping the manes | or minding their steeds.)"
Stanza 41There was clamor on the benches, | and the cry of men, The clashing of weapons, | and weeping of the , Save for only, | she wept not ever For her bear-fierce brothers, | or the boys so dear, So young and so unhappy, | whom with she had.
Stanza 42Gold did she scatter, | the swan-white one, And rings of red gold | to the followers gave she; The fate she let grow, | and the shining wealth go, spared she the treasure | of the temple itself.
Stanza 43Unwise then was , | he had drunk to wildness, No weapon did he have, | and of bewared not; Oft their play was better | when both in gladness Each other embraced | among princes all.
Stanza 44With her sword she gave blood | for the bed to drink, With her death-dealing hand, | and the hounds she loosed, The thralls she awakened, | and a firebrand threw In the door of the hall; | so vengeance she had.
Stanza 45To the flames she gave all | who yet were within, And from Myrkheim had come | from the murder of ; The timbers old fell, | the temple was in flames, The dwelling of the , | and the shield-maids burned, They were slain in the house, | in the hot flames they sank.
Stanza 46Now the tale is all told, | nor in later time Will a woman in byrnie | avenge so her brothers; The fair one to three | of the kings of the folk Brought the doom of death | ere herself she died. Still more is told in the Greenland ballad of .