Page:Poeticedda00belluoft.djvu/531
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Atlakvitha
The strings resounded,— so shall a hero,
A ring-breaker, gold from his enemies guard.
A ring-breaker, gold from his enemies guard.
35.[1] Then Atli 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.
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.
36.[2] Out then came Guthrun to meeting with Atli,
With a golden beaker as gift to the monarch:
"Thou mayst eat now, chieftain, within thy dwelling,
Blithely with Guthrun young beasts fresh slaughtered."
With a golden beaker as gift to the monarch:
"Thou mayst eat now, chieftain, within thy dwelling,
Blithely with Guthrun young beasts fresh slaughtered."
37.[3] The wine-heavy ale-cups of Atli resounded,
When there in the hall the Hunnish youths clamored,
And the warriors bearded, the brave ones, entered.
When there in the hall the Hunnish youths clamored,
And the warriors bearded, the brave ones, entered.
- ↑ The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza. Two (possibly three) of the lines appear to be in Fornyrthislag. Field: so the manuscript, involving a metrical error; many editions have "wood."
- ↑ Young beasts: Guthrun means Atli's sons, Erp and Eitil, but of course he thinks she refers to newly slaughtered beasts; cf. Guthrunarkvitha II, 41-45.
- ↑ Youths: a conjectural addition. The brave ones is also conjectural, the manuscript having "each." No gap indicated in the manuscript; some editions insert as line 3 or line 4 a slightly altered version of line 2 of stanza 45.
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