Bjarkamál

Bjarkamál(Bjarkemålin modernNorwegianandDanish) is anOld Norse poemfrom around the year 1000. Only a few lines have survived in theOld Norseversion, the rest is known fromSaxo'sversion inLatin.The latter consists of 298hexameters,and tells the tale ofRolf Krake'sdownfall atLejreon the isle ofSjælland,described in a dialogue between two of Rolf Krake's twelveberserkers,Bodvar Bjarke(hence the name of the poem), the most famous warrior at the court of thelegendary Danish kingRolf Krake, and Hjalte (= hilt). The poem opens with Hjalte waking up his fellow berserkers, having realized they are under attack. In 1030, KingOlavhad thebardTormod Kolbrunarskald recite theBjarkamálto rouse his outnumbered army in the morning before the start of theBattle of Stiklestad,according toFóstbrœðra saga.

InBjarkamál,Rolf Krake has subdued theSwedesenough to make them pay him tax. Instead, they destroy his court at Lejre with a trick reminding us ofHomer'sTrojan horse:The wagons, bringing the valuables to Lejre, are filled with hidden weapons instead. When the Swedes, led by Hjartvar, arrive at Lejre, they are invited to a party, but unlike the Danes, they make sure to stay sober. Saxo has combined motives from the original Danish poem with motives from the second song in theÆneid,known as thenyktomakhi,whereÆneastellsDidoabout the battle between theGreeksand the Trojans inTroy.Thenyktomakhiis of about the same length asBjarkamál,and containing the same elements: The Trojan horse/the smuggling of Swedish weapons; Danes/Trojans are sound asleep when Swedes/Greeks attack them; plus the climax: ThegoddessVenusinforms Æneas that it is the will of the gods themselves (that is,Jupiter,Juno,MinervaandNeptune) that Troy shall fall, and so he can honourably flee. Correspondingly, Rolf Krake's sister Hrut shows Bjarke thewar godOdin,albeit the sight of Odin constitutes the moment when Bjarke and Hjalte die.

In Axel Olrik's rewrite of Bjarkemål, the mortally wounded Bjarke calls on Hrut to show him Odin, only to say that if Odin shows himself, Bjarke will take revenge (for the death of Rolf). He then lies down next to his dead king, because it is appropriate of a king's man to honour him so, when the king has been mild and just ( "dådherlig" ). The postscript of Roar Skovmand emphasises the rejection of Odin and that the king is honoured with loyalty, even after he is dead.

A well-known example of the old Norse faith infylgjur,is Bjarke inBjarkamállying fast asleep in the hall, while his fylgja (doppelgängerin animal shape), thebear,is fighting on his behalf outside. When eventually Bjarke gets up and starts fighting, the bear has disappeared.

Thehymn"Sol er oppe" (= Sun is up) from 1817 isGrundtvig's version of the poem.

Body

Most of the poem is lost. Only fragments of it are preserved inSkáldskaparmáland inHeimskringla.InSaxo Grammaticus'Gesta Danoruma Latin translation of the poem is found but it probably does not closely follow the original.

The following example may illustrate the difference between the original terseOld Norseand Saxo's elaborate translation.

Vekka yðr at víni
né at vífs rúnum,
heldr vekk yðr at hörðum
Hildar leiki.

I wake you not to wine
nor to women’s converse,
but rather to the hard
game ofHild.

—Finnur Jónsson's edition —Hollander's 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.

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.

—J. Olrik's edition —Elton's translation

References

• The Old Lay of BiarkiTranslation and commentary by Lee M. Hollander, includes translation of Axel Olrik's reconstruction
• BjarkamálThe remnants of the original text, two editions
• Gesta Danorum, Liber 2, Caput 7Saxo's Latin version (starting with "Ocius evigilet" )
• [1]Translation of Saxo's version