Vǫluspá

Russell Black
June 1, 2010

1
Contents
1 Vo̧luspá, Parallel Text 3

2 Codex Regius, GKS 2367 4to and Translation. 20

3 Hauksbók, AM544 4to, and Translation 37

4 LATEX 50

5 Typesetting This Edition 55

6 Sources 57

7 The Poem 58

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 1 Vo̧luspá, Parallel Text
Codex Regius, GKS 2367 4to Hauksbók, AM 544 4to

1. Hlioðſ bið ec allar 1. Hlioðſ bið ek allar

kinir helgar kinir
meiri  miɴi meiri ok minni
movgu heimallar mǫgu heimallar
5 vilo at ec ualðr villtv at ek vaǫðſ 5R
uel yr telja vel ram telia
orn ioll íra on iǫll ira
þ er remſt um man. þau er ek remz vm man.
2. Ec man iotna 2. Ek man iǫtna
10 ár um borna r vm bona 10R
þ er orom mic þa er oðum mik
oa hoo æa hǫðu
nio man æc heima niu man ek heima
nio i viði niu i uiðiur
15 miot uið moraɴ miǫt við męran 15R
yr mol nean. yri moll neðan.
3. Ár uar ala 3. Aar uar alla
þar er ýmir bygði þa er ymir bygði
vara ſanu ne ſer vara ſan ne o
20 ne ſualar uɴir ne ſualar unnir 20R
iorð aɴz eva iǫð annz ęa
ne upp himin ne vpp himinn

1–7 Hlioðſ … orn ] The first page of this manuscript is worn and appears to have been damaged
by smoke. For this reason, some passages are difficult to read in the digital photograph. The primary
source for these passages is Jónsson, and the orthography follows the patterns of the visible text.
8 um man … iotna ] Illegible.
12–14 hoo … i viði ] Illegible.
17–18 uar … ýmir ] Illegible.
20–21 uɴir… eva ] Illegible.

1 Hlioðſ… ] The condition of this manuscript is terrible, much of the text is illegible in the facsimile
edition. I referred to this whenever possible, but the primary source for this edition was Finnur
Jónsson’s diplomatic edition of Hauksbók. The orthography of this edition is based on the visible
portions of the text. The positions of þ and  was taken om the MUFI online edition.
6 ram telia ] The readable text om the manuscript begins here.

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 gap uar giɴunga gap var ginnvnga
eɴ graſ hvergi. enn graſ ekki.
25 4. Ar bvrſ ſynir 4. Aað boſ ſynir 25R
bioðom um ypðom biǫðum o yptu
þeir er mið garð þeir er męran
moran ſcopo miðgarð opu
ſol ſcein ſuɴan ſol einn ſunnan
30 a ſalar ſteina  ſalar ſteina 30R
þa var grun groin þa uar grun groin
gronom lauki. grænum lauki.
5. Sol varp ſuɴan 5. Sol uarp ſunnan
ɴi mana nni mnna
35 heni iɴi hogri heninni hægri 35R
um himin ioyr o ioður
ſol þat ne uisi ſol þat ne ui
huar hon ſali atri huar hon ſali tti
ono þat ne visso ǫnur þat ne uiu
40 hvar þer ſtaði atto huar þær ſtæði ttu 40R
mani þat ne ui mni þat ne uissi
hvat hann meginſ atti. huat hann meginſ atti.
6. Þa gen gengo regin oll 6. Þa gengu reginn ǫll
ᴀrk ſtola  rǫkſtola
45 giɴheilog go ginnheilog goð 45R
 um þat gettuz ok um þat giettuz
nott  niþiom nott ok niðium
nn om gao nǫn um gæu
mogin heto mogin hetu
50  miian ag ok miðian ag 50R
un orn  aptan vnurn ok aptan
ᴀrom at telia. rum at telia.
7. ittoz ær 7. ittuz ær
a ia uelli  iða uelli
55 þeir er hrg  ho alſ koſtuðu 55R

25 Ar bvrſ ſynir ] Illegible.

43 gen ] Scribal error. This occurs at the end of a line, followed by gengo at the beginning of the
next line.

55–57 alſ … lǫgðu ] Hauksbók records variant lines.

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 hatimbroðo allz eiſtuðu
ala lgðo ala lǫgðu
ð ſmiðoþo auð ſmiðuðu
tangir ſcopo tangir opu
60 tol goðo ok tol giǫðu 60R
8. elðo itvni 8. Telu i tvni
teitir voro teitir uov
var þeim vettergiſ var þeim uettugiſ
vant or gulli vant o gulli
65 vɴz III. qvomo unz þriar komv 65R
þurſa meyjar þua meyiar
amatkar mioc matkar miǫk
or iotun heimom. o iǫtvn heimvm.
9. Þa g.r.a. 9. Þa gengu regin ǫll
70 ar.  rǫkſtola 70R
- ginnheilug goð
- ok vm þat giættuz
hverr ſcyli uerga huerer yllu uergar
rotin ſcepia ottir epia
75 o brimiſ bloði o bimi bloðgu 75R
 o blam leɢiom. ok o blamſ leggium.
10. Þar mot ſognir 10. Þar uar moðſognir
mǫstr vm oðinn męztr o oðinn
verga allra uerga allra
80 eɴ uriɴ aɴaʀ enn urinn annaʀ 80R
þeir man licon þeir manlikan
mog vm goðo mǫg o gioðv
vergar o ioðo uerga i iǫðu
ſem uriɴ ſagði. ſem urinn ſagði.
85 11.-16. Nyi  niþi 11.-16. Nyi niði 85R
noðri  ſuðri noði ſuði
i  uei auſti veſti
alþior uᴀliɴ. alþior ualinn

69–70 Þa g.r.a. ar. ] This stanza begins with the same four lines as ⒍ Some verse is intended to be
repeated formulaically; The Codex Regius scribe thus abbreviates these verses.
85 Nyi  niþi … ] Modern editions formalize the Catalogue of Dwarves into stanzas. Although this
organization naturally occurs for other sections of the poem, this section appears more natural as a
contiguous stream.

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 - naar ok nainn
90 biuʀ bavʀ nipingr ainn 90R
bmbur noi ueggr gan alr
ᴀn ᴀnaʀ uinlr þoinn.
- Bivʀ bavʀ
ai mioðvitnir. bǫmbvʀ noi
95 Veig  ganalr n ok onaʀ 95R
uinalr þraiɴ ai miǫðvitnir
þeccr  þoriɴ þrar ok þrainn
þro vitr  litr þro litr ok vitr.
nár  nyraþr nyr ok nyrð
100 nv hei ec verga nv hei ek rekka 100R
regiɴ  raðſui reginn ok rðſvið
rett um talþa. rett vm talða.
ili kili ili kili
vniɴ. nᴀli. unnin nali
105 hepti. vili heti ili 105R
hanaʀ. ſvi oʀ. hanaʀ ok ſviðʀ
- nr ok nainn
- nipingr áinn
- billingr buni
110 - bill ok buri 110R
rar honboi. ro onbogi
regr  loni. ręg ok loni.
ruangr. iari Auruangr iari
eikins ciali. eikin ialli
115 Mal er vergᴀ ml er uerga 115R
ivaliɴs liði i ualinſ liði
liona kinom liona kinum
til loarſ telia. til loarſ telia
þeir er ſotto þeim er ſottu
120 ra ſalar ſtæni ra ſalar ſteini 120R
rvanga tt ǫvanga ǫt
til ióo ualla. til iǫv valla.

89–92 naar ok nainn, nipingr �ainn ] Hauksbók diverges om Codex Regius, but only superficially.
These two lines marks another divergence in line 10⒍ in ⒒-⒗, the original order is preserved om
both manuscripts.

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 Þar uar rpnir þar var aunir
 olgþrar ok olgþraſer
125 hár hg oi hr haugoi 125R
hlevangr gloi. hlevargr gloinn
ſcirvir. virvir. irir uirvir
ſcaiþr. ai. aið ai
alr  yngvi aalr ok yngvi
130 eikinſciali. eikinialli. 130R
ialaʀ  roi -
iɴr  giɴaʀ. -
þat mun vppi Þat man æ vppi
meþan ld liir meðan ǫlld liir
135 langniþia tal langniðia tal 135R
loarſ haat. loars haat.
17. Vnz þriar quomo 17. Vnz þiar komu
or þvi liþi þua […]
lgir  aſtgir ſtkir ok ǫlgir
140 er at hu. æſer at hv 140R
uno alani vnu  lani
litr megani litt megani
aſc  emblo a ok emblv
olglſa. oluglauſa
145 18. n þ ne atto 18. ǫn þau ne ttu 145R
oþ þau ne hðo oð þau ne hǫðu
la ne leti l ne læti
ne lito goða. ne litv goða
Aun ga oþiɴ ǫn ga oðinn
150 oþ ga henir oð ga henir 150R
la ga loðuʀ l ga loðuʀ
 lito goða. ok litu goða.
19. Aſc ueit ec ſtana 19. Ask ueit ek ſtana
heitir yɢrall heitir yggall

134 meþan ld liir ] Illegible.

138 or þvi liþi ] Illegible.
142 litr megani ] Illegible.
154 heitir yɢrall ] Illegible.

138 þua […] ] The ink here appears to have been scraped. Jónsson also includes this lacuna.

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155 hárbaðmr auɴ har baðmr aunn 155R
huita aúri. huita auri
þaðan coma ɢuar þaðan koma ǫggvar
þerala alla þęrſ i ala alla
ſten e yir groɴ ſtenæ yir grænn
160 urðar bruɴi. vrðar brunni. 160R
20. Þaðan coma meyiar 20. þaðan koma meyiar
margſ uitani margſ vitani
þriar o þeim ſe þriar oþeim ſal
e un þolli ſten er a þolli ſten
165 urð heto eina urð hetv eina 165R
aðra uerþani aða erðani
ſcaro aſciði ru  iði
ſcul ena þriðio. ull hina þriðiu.
Þer lg lgðo þeir log logðu
170 þer lí kuro þær li kuru 170R
ala bonom alla bǫnum
o lg ſeɢia. ǫlǫg at ſegia
21. Þat man hon olc uig 21. Þat man hon olkuig
yrſt iheimi yrſt i heimi
175 er gull ueig er gullueíg 175R
geirom ſtuu geirum ſtui
 ihll harſ ok i hǫll hrſ
hana breno hana benu
Þryſuar breno þyſvar benv
180 þryſuar bona þryſvar bona. 180R
opt oalan opt oallan
þo hon eɴ liir þo hen en liir.
22. eii hana heto 22. Heiði hana hetv
hvarſ til huſa com huarl huſa kom
185 uolo uel a ok vǫlu vel a 185R
uitti hon gana uiti hon gana
ſeið hon kuɴi ſeið hon hvars hvn kunni
ſeiþ hon leikiɴ ſeið hon hvgleikin
e var hon angan æ var hon angann
190 illrar boðar. illrar bruðar. 190R

157 ɢuar ] Illegible.

8
 23. Þa g.r.a. 23. þa gengu regin ǫll
a. a rǫk ſtola
- ginngeilvh goð
- ok vm þat giettvz
195 huart ſcylo er huart yllu ær 195R
arað giala arð gialla
eþa ſcylo goðin ll eð yllv guðin ǫll
gili eiga. gilli eiga.
24. leygði oðiɴ 24. leygði oðinn
200  iolc um ſct ok i olk vm aut 200R
þat var eɴ olc vig þat var enn olkuig
yrſt iheimi. yʀ i heími
brotiɴ var boð uegr botinn var boð ueggr
bogar aſa borgar ſa
205 knatto vanir uiga knaattu vanir uig a 205R
uollo ona. uǫllu ona
25. Þa g.r.a. 25. Þa gengu regin ǫll
-  rǫkſtola
- ginnheilugh goð
210 - ok um þat gięttuz 210R
hverir heði lopt alt hverr heði lot allt
levi blanit lęvi blanit
eþa etr iotunſ ǫ(ða) ætt iǫtunſ
oþſ mey gena. oðſ mey gena.
215 26. Þo eiɴ þar var 26. Þor einn þar u 215R
þungin moði þrunginn moði
hann alan tr hann allan tr
er hann ict um regn er hann ikt o regn
a gengoz eiðar  genguz eiðar
220 orð  ſeri oð ok ſæri 220R
mál ll megin lig maal ǫll meginlig
er ameal oo. er  meðal vou.
27. Veit hon heimalar 27. Veit hon Heimallar
hlioð um olgit hlioð um olgit
225 unir heiðuonom vnir heiðvǫnum 225R
helgom baðmi. helgum baðmi
á ſér hon  ſer hon avſaz
rgom o ǫgum or

9
 a ueði ual rſ a ueði ualǫðſ
230 uit oþ er en e. hvat. uitu þer en eða huat. 230R
28. Eín ſat hon uti -
þa er iɴ alni com -
yɢióngr ᴀſa -
 igo leit. -
235 hverſ regnit mic - 235R
hvi eiþ miin -
alt ueit ec oðiɴ -
hvar þu ga alt -
[…] mera -
240 mimiſ bvɴi - 240R
reckr mioð mimir -
mogin hverian -
a veþ V. -
v.c.c.h. -
245 29. Valþi henne heð - 245R
hringa  men -
e ioll aclig -
 a gana -
ſa hon uitr  um over -
250 ol hveria. - 250R
30. Sa hon valkyrio -
vítr um kommnar -
grvar at riða -
til Goðþioðar. -
255 ſcul helt ſculi - 255R
enn ſcgul ɴo -
gunr. hil gnul -
 geir ſcgul. -
nu ero talþar -
260 nɴo herianſ - 260R
gorvar at riþa -
grvn valkyio. -
31. Ec ſa balri -
231 Eín ſat … ] The following stanzas do not occur in Hauksbok.
239 […] mera ] This word is scratched out here. Jónsson records ” í hinum”.

10
 blogom tivo -
265 oinſ barni - 265R
or log olgiɴ -
ſtoð um vaxiɴ -
vollo heri -
mio  mioc agr -
270 milt eiɴ - 270R
32. Varð a þeim meiði -
er mer ſyniz -
harmlg hettlig -
hþr nam ſciota. -
275 balrſ broðir vár - 275R
o boiɴ ſnemma -
ſa nam oþins ſónr -
ein nettr vega. -
33. Þo hann eva henr -
280 ne huþ kembþi - 280R
aþr a bal um bar -
balſ anſciota. -
en riɢ um grét -
ienſlom -
285 ua val hallar - 285R
u.e.e.e.h. -
35. apt ſa hon liɢia 34. Þa kna vala
unir hvera luni vígbon ſnua
le giarn lici hell varu harðgio
290 loca aþeckiam. hǫt o þǫmum 290R
þar tr gyn þar tr gyn
þeygi um nom þeygi vm num
ver velglyioð uer uel glyiut
v.þ.e.h. vitu þer enn eða huat.
295 36. A ellr ſtan - 295R
um eitr ala -
ſxom  ſverþom -
270 milt eiɴ ] In the manuscript, this word is displaced into the following line.
287–290 apt ſa … aþeckiam. ] Hauksbók here gives a variant verse. According to Jónsson’s desig-
nation, the Codex Regius variant has been given stanza number 34, and Hauksbók, 3⒌ Other editors
have included the first half of 35 as a distinct stanza. Both half stanzas are descriptives of Loki.

11
 iþr heitir ſu. -
37. ſto yr noðan -
300 aniþa vollum - 300R
ſalr o guli -
n ra ettar. -
enn aɴaʀ ſtoð -
a okolni -
305 bio ſalr iotunſ - 305R
en ſa brimir heitir. -
38. Sal ſa hon ſtana 38. Sal er hon ſtana
ſolo iáʀi ſolu iaʀri
na ono a naonu 
310 noþr hoa yʀ. noð hoa yʀ 310R
ello eitr ropar alla eitropar
iɴ vm lioa inn um lioa
ſa er uniɴ ſalr ſ er vninn ſalr
oma hryɢiom. oma hryggium.
315 39. Sa hon þar vaþa 39. Ser hon þar vaða 315R
þunga ma þunga auma
menn moð menn meínnſvara
vargar meinſ vara . ok moðvarga
 þaɴ aɴarſ glepr ok þanz annarſ glepr
320 eyra runo eyrna runa 320R
þar ſug niþ hɢr þar ſavg nið hǫggr
nai ram gengna nai ram gengna
eit vargr vera eit vargr vera
v.e.e.e.h. vitu þer enn eða hvat.
325 40. Au ſat in alna 40. Au byr hin allna 325R
i iarn uiþi i iarnviði
 oi þar ok eðir þar
enriſ kinir. enriindir
verþr a þeim llom verð a þeim ǫllum
330 eiɴa noccor einna nǫkkur 330R
tunglſ tiugari tungls … gari
itrollz hami. i trǫllz hami.
41. ylliz io vi 41. ylliz lǫi

331 tungls … gari ] Damaged ink. Ellipsis also recorded by Jónsson.

12
 eigra manna eigra manna
335 ryþr ragna ot ryþ ragna ǫt 335R
rðom reyra rauðum eyra
ſvart var þa ſol ſcin ſvǫt verða ſolin
o ſumo eptir um ſumvr etir
veþr oll valyn ueð ǫll ualyn
340 v.e.h. uitu þer einn enn ęþ huat 340R
42. Sat þar a hgi 42. Sat þar  haugi
 ó hrpo ok o hǫpu
gygiar hirþir gygiar hirðir
glar eɢþer. glað egðir
345 gol um hanom gol yir 345R
igagl viþi i galguiði
agr r hani agr rauð hani
ſa er ialaʀ heitir. enn ſa ialaʀ heitir.
43. Gól um aſom 43. Gol yir ſum
350 gul lincam i gullin kambi 350R
ſa uecr hlþa ſa uekr hǫla
at hiarar at heriaſ. at heria ǫðſ
eɴ aɴaʀ gelr enn annaʀ gelr
yr ioðneðan yrir iǫoð neðan
355 ſót rðr háni ſot rauð hani 355R
at ſlom heliar. at ſǫlum heliar.
44. Geyr garmr mioc 44. Geyr garmr miǫk
yr gnipa helli yri gnupa helli
e mun itna e man itna
360 eɴ re ki reɴa enn reki renna 360R
iolþ beit hon roða ramm ſe ek lengra
ram ſe ec lengra iǫlð kann ek ſegia
um rag na rc um ragna rǫk
rm gtyva. rǫmm gtiva.
365 45. Broþr muno beriaz 45. Bræð munu beriaz 365R
 at bɴom verþa ok at bǫnum verðaz
muno ſyungar munu ſyungar
iom illa ium illa
hárt er i heim i hart er i heimi
370 hór omr micill hoomr mikill 370R
ſceɢl eggǫll

13
 ſcalm l ælmǫll
ſcilir ro klonir illir klonir.
vinl vargl Uin ǫll varg ǫll
375 aþr verol ſteypiz ð verǫll ſteypiz 375R
- grunir gialla
- gir liugani
mun engi maþr man eingi maðr
oðrom þyrma. ǫðum þyrma.
380 46. Leica mimſ ſynir 46. Leika Mimſ ſynir 380R
eɴ miotuðr kyniz en miǫtvð kyniz
at en galla at hínu gamla
gial lar honi giallar honi
hatr bles heimallr htt blæ heimallr
385 hon er alopti hon er  lopti 385R
melir oðiɴ męler oðinn
við mimſ huþ við mimſ hǫut.
ymr iþ alna tre 47. Skelr yggalſ
eɴ iotuɴ loſnar ar ſtanani
390 ſcelr yɢralſ ymr hið allna tre 390R
aſcr ſt anan. enn iǫtunn loſnar
- hræðaz allir
- a helvegum
- ð ſurtar þann
395 - ſevi o gleypir. 395R
44. Geyr nu g. 44. Geyr nu garmr miǫk
- yri Gnipa helli
- (estr) m(an).
- -
400 - - 400R
- -
- -
396 Geyr nu g. ] This verse repeats here in Codex Regius. Editors tend not to include it here

387 mimſ hǫut ] The manuscript on this page becomes impossible to read here.
388–389 Skelr … ſtanani ] This stanza contains material not found in Codex Regius, and has
been given its own stanza designation, and is given separate treatment in most editions. But note the
common material which ends a stanza in Codex Regius.
398 (estr) m(an). ] Manuscript damaged.

14
 - -
50. rymr ekr �ſtan 50. Hrymr ekr auſtan
405 heiz lin yr heiz lin yrir 405R
ſnyz iomungan ſnyz iǫmungan
i iotun moði. i iǫtunmoði
omr knyr uɴir omr knyr unnir
eɴ ari hlaccar enn ari hlakkar
410 itr nai ne lr itr nai niðǫlr 410R
nagl ar loſnar. naglar loſnar.
51. Kioll eʀ ſ tan 51. Kioll err auſtan
koma muno muellz koma mvnu mvellz
um lg lyir vm lǫgh lyðer
415 eɴ loki ſtyrir enn loki ſtyrer 415R
ara ilſ megir arar ilmegir
meþ reka allir með reka alrer
þeim er broir þeim er broðir
by leipz io. byleiſtz i erð.
420 48. Hvat er með aſom 48. Hvat er með ſum 420R
hvat er meþ alom hvat er með lum
gnyr allr iotun heimr gnyr allr iǫtun heimr
er ro aþin gi ær eru  þingi
ſtynia dvergar ſtynia uergar
425 yr ſtein urom yri ſteinyrvm 425R
veɢ bergſ vir vegbergſ uir
v.e.e.h. uitv þer enn eða hvat.
52. Surtr eʀ ſuɴan 52. ſurtr err ſunnan
meþ ſviga lei með ſuiga levi
430 ſciɴ a sverþi inn a ſverðe 430R
ſol valtía. ſol valtia
griot biog gnata griotbiǫog gnata
eɴ gir rata enn gir hrata
troþa halir helveg troða haler helveg
435 en himin clonar. enn himinn klonar. 435R

420 Hvat er með aſom … ] Jónsson’s edition begins to break om the order found in either
manuscript, presumably in order to keep with his notion of the poem’s cosmological chronology.
Most subsequent editions have kept Jónsson’s order. The Codex Regius order is preserved here.

15
 54. Þa com hlinar 54.Þa kemr hlinar
harmr aɴaʀ ram harmr annaʀ ramm
er oðiɴ eʀ er oðinn err
við ul vega við vl uega
440 en bani belia enn bani belia 440R
biartr at ſurti biartr at ſurti
þa mun riɢiar þar man riggiar
alla angan tyr. alla angann.
- 49.(44.) Geyr nu garmr miǫk
445 - yri gnipa helli 445R
- (estr) m(an).
- -
- -
- -
450 - - 450R
- -
55. Þa komr iɴ micli -
mgr gur -
viðaʀ vega -
455 at val yri. - 455R
letr hann megi hverungſ -
mun um ſtana -
hiotil hiarta -
þa er hent ur. -
460 - 55’. Ginn lot yer 460R
- linnr neðan … atar
- o ſer eðum
- mun oðinſ ſon
- omi męta
465 - vargſ at … 465R
- -
- -
56. Þa kom iɴ moi -
mg hloyniar -
470 gengr oþinſ ſon - 470R

436 Þa kemr hlinar … ] Jónsson follows Hauksbok by including this repetition of 4⒋ in his edition.
460 Ginn lot yer … ] This stanza om Hauksbók is seldom included in any edition. The
manuscript is damaged and difficult to read.

16
 vi ul vega -
repr hann a moþi -
miðgarz ueo -
muno halir allir -
475 heim ſtoð ryþia - 475R
gengr et nío -
iogyn iar buʀ -
neppr fra naðri -
niðſ oqviðnom. -
480 57. Sol ter ſotna 57. [ſolſol] terter ſotna 480R
gr ol imar gr oll imar
hvera a himni huera ahimni
heiðar ono. heiðar onur
geiſar eími [ge]iſar eimi
485 viþ al nara ok allnari 485R
leicr har hiti leikr hr hiti
uið himin alan. við himin alan.
58.(44) Geyr n. 58.(44) Geyr [nu] garmr miǫk
- yri gnipa helli
490 - e man itna 490R
- enn reki r(enna).
- -
- -
- -
495 - - 495R
59. Ser hon upp koma 59. [ſe]r hon vpp koma
ðro ɴi ǫðu nni
ioð o egi iǫð o ægi
iþia grona. iðia græna
500 alla oſar alla oſar 500R
lygr rn yir lygr ǫn yir
ſa er aialli ſ er aá ialli
iſca ueiðir. ia veiðir.
60. iɴaz er 60. ittaz æſer
505 aiþa velli a iða velli 505R
 um mol þinur ok um moll þinnur

480 [ſolſol] terter ſotna ] The facsimile here becomes readable.

17
 matkaɴ oma matkan ema
- ok minnaz þar
- a megin oma
510  aimul ty ok a imbulty 510R
onar runar. onar runar.
61. Þar muno eptir 61. Þa munu æſer
un ſamligar unſamlegar
gull nar tlo gullnar tǫlur
515 igra iɴar. i gra inna 515R
þerſ i araga þærſ i aardaga
attar hoðu. ááttar hǫþv.
62. Muno oſanir 62. munu oſaanir
acrar uaxa akrar uaxa
520 blſ mun allz batna bolſ man allz batna 520R
bal mun coma. man ball koma
bua þeir hþ  bald bua þeir hǫður ok ball
hroptz�igt optir hroptz gtotir
vel val tivar vel uelltiar
525 v.e.e.h. uítu þer enn eð hvat. 525R
63. Þa kna honir 63. Þa kna hęnir
hlt viþ kioſa hlut við kioſa
 byrir byɢia er burir byggia
brora tveɢia. bræða tueggia
530 vin heim vian vin heim viðan 530R
v.e.e.h vitv þer enn ęðr huat.
64. Sal ſer hon ſtana 64. Sal ſer hon ſtana
ſolo egra ſolu egra
gulli þacþan gulli þaktan
535 agimlé. a gimle 535R
þar ſcolo yɢvar þar ulo yggvar
rottir byɢia ottir byggia
 um al aga ok um all aga
ynþiſ niota. yniſ niota.
540 - 65. Þa kemr hinn riki 540R

538  um al ] Illegible.

540 Þa kemr hinn riki … ] This stanza, which occurs only in Hauksbók, has been taken by Jónsson
and subsequent editors to have been a later Christian insertion.

18
 - at regin omi
- ǫlugr oan
- ſa er ǫllu ræð.
66. Þar kom iɴ immi 66. Kemr hinn imi
545 reki liugani eki liugani 545R
naþr raɴ neþan nað raann neðan
ra níþa iollom. ra niða berr
beʀ ſer iioþom er i iǫðum
lygr vll yir lygr uǫll yir
550 niþhɢr nai niðhoggr nai 550R
nu mun hon seyquaz. nv man hon ſǫkkvaz.

551 seyquaz ] Illegible.

19
 2 Codex Regius, GKS 2367 4to and Translation.
1. Hlioðſ bið ec allar 1. Hear, all children
kinir of Heimdall.
meiri  miɴi You wish to ask
movgu heimallar that I will now sing
5 vilo at ec ualðr of Valfather's old tales, 5R
uel yr telja which were renowned
orn ioll íra among men
þ er remſt um man. so long ago.
2. Ec man iotna 2. I remember etins
10 ár um borna born very long ago; 10R
þ er orom mic they who had first raised me.
oa hoo I remember
nio man æc heima the nine regions,
nio i viði nine of the Tree,
15 miot uið moraɴ with great roots 15R
yr mol nean. beneath the soil.
3. Ár uar ala 3. The first age
þar er ýmir bygði was when Ymir lived;
vara ſanu ne ſer where was neither sand nor sea,
20 ne ſualar uɴir no cold waves 20R
iorð aɴz eva met the earth itself,
ne upp himin nor sky above,
gap uar giɴunga the gap was like an abyss,
eɴ graſ hvergi. [there was] no green
anywhere at all. 25R
25 4. Ar bvrſ ſynir 4. First, Bor's sons
bioðom um ypðom lied the land all around,
þeir er mið garð they who created
moran ſcopo mighty middle-earth.

2 Heimdall ] Gatekeeper of the gods.

4 I will now sing ] Presumably the sybil whose voice we now hear.
9 etins ] This word is usually translated "giant", but the creature described here has little in common
with our modern definition of the word. Here I chose the English cognate of the powerful nature
spirit still in use by some in the British countryside.
14 nine of the Tree ] The great Tree in the middle of the world, Yggdrassill.
18 Ymir ] The enormous giant om whose body became the building materials for the world.

20
 ſol ſcein ſuɴan The sun shone om the south 30R
30 a ſalar ſteina upon the ground's stones.
þa var grun groin Then was the ground
gronom lauki. covered with green.
5. Sol varp ſuɴan 5. The sun shone
ɴi mana om the south, 35R
35 heni iɴi hogri the moon's right hand companion,
um himin ioyr over the horizon.
ſol þat ne uisi The sun did not know
huar hon ſali atri where she lived.
ono þat ne visso The moon did not know 40R
40 hvar þer ſtaði atto his power.
mani þat ne ui The stars did not know
hvat hann meginſ atti. where they belonged.
6. Þa gen gengo regin oll 6. Then, all the rulers went
ᴀrk ſtola to the judgment-seat, 45R
45 giɴheilog go and deliberated on this:
 um þat gettuz about night,
nott  niþiom and the black-moon-phase.
nn om gao They ordained
mogin heto morning, noon, 50R
50  miian ag aernoon,
un orn  aptan evening, and enumerated
ᴀrom at telia. the years.
7. ittoz ær 7. The Æsir met one another
a ia uelli in Iða valley 55R
55 þeir er hrg  ho where they hewed
hatimbroðo high henges
ala lgðo and temples,
ð ſmiðoþo made hearths,
tangir ſcopo shaped tongs, 60R
60 tol goðo and created tools.
8. elðo itvni 8. They played
teitir voro chess at home,
var þeim vettergiſ were merry.

44 rulers ] The gods.

57 henges ] Or outdoor shrines.

21
 vant or gulli [There was] 65R
65 vɴz III. qvomo no lack of gold
þurſa meyjar until three
amatkar mioc Thurs-maidens came
or iotun heimom. om the etin-lands.
9. Þa g.r.a. 9. Then all the rulers went 70R
70 ar. to the judgment seat,
- the mighty holy gods,
- and deliberated on this.
9. hverr ſcyli uerga Who should create
rotin ſcepia the dwarves' lord 75R
75 o brimiſ bloði om Brim's blood
 o blam leɢiom. and Blain's limbs?
10. Þar mot ſognir 10. There was Modsognir,
mǫstr vm oðinn who was the greatest
verga allra of all dwarves, 80R
80 eɴ uriɴ aɴaʀ but Durinn was another.
þeir man licon They created
mog vm goðo many human forms,
vergar o ioðo those dwarves in the earth,
ſem uriɴ ſagði. as Durinn said proclaimed. 85R
85 11.-16. Nyi  niþi 11.-16. Nyi and Nithi,
noðri  ſuðri North and South,
i  uei East and West,
alþior uᴀliɴ. Alþiof, Dvalin,
biuʀ bavʀ Bifur, Bofur, 90R
90 bmbur noi Bambur, Nori,
ᴀn ᴀnaʀ One, and Another.
ai mioðvitnir. Ai, Miodvitnir,
Veig  ganalr Veigr, Gandalf,
uinalr þraiɴ Vindalf and Thrainn, 95R
95 þeccr  þoriɴ Thecker and Thorinn,
þro vitr  litr Thror, Vitr, and Litr,
nár  nyraþr Nar and Nyrathr,

68 Thurs ] This word also exists in Beowulf as a term for Grendel. It probably meant some sort of
monster or giant.
75 dvarves' ] Another kind of nature spirit unrelated to the modern fairy tale creature.

22
 nv hei ec verga Now I have the dwarves
regiɴ  raðſui Regin and Rathsvith, 100R
100 rett um talþa. faithfully told.
ili kili Fili, Kili,
vniɴ. nᴀli. Fundin, Nali
hepti. vili Hepti, Vili,
hanaʀ. ſvi oʀ. Hanar, Svior. 105R
105 rar honboi. Frar, Hornbori,
regr  loni. Fraegr and Loni,
ruangr. iari Aurvanger, Iari,
eikins ciali. Eikinskjaldi.
Mal er vergᴀ I speak the account 110R
110 ivaliɴs liði of the dwarves,
liona kinom of Dvalin's host of peoples,
til loarſ telia. all the way to Lofars kin.
þeir er ſotto They who sought
ra ſalar ſtæni hall's stone 115R
115 rvanga tt and the moor's fields
til ióo ualla. in the rocky valleys.
Þar uar rpnir There was Draupnir,
 olgþrar and Dolgthrasir,
hár hg oi Har, Haugspori, 120R
120 hlevangr gloi. Hlevangr, Gloi,
ſcirvir. virvir. Skirvir, Virvir,
ſcaiþr. ai. Skafithr, Ai.
alr  yngvi Alf and Yngvi,
eikinſciali. Eikenskialdi, 125R
125 ialaʀ  roi Fialar and Frostri,
iɴr  giɴaʀ. Finn and Ginnar,
þat mun vppi As long as men
meþan ld liir Will remember,
langniþia tal The line will go down 130R
130 loarſ haat. to Lofar.
17. Vnz þriar quomo 17. Until the three
or þvi liþi of that race came,
lgir  aſtgir strong,

132–133 three of that race ] Odin and his two brothers.

23
 er at hu. and benevolent, 135R
135 uno alani the Æsir om home,
litr megani they found
aſc  emblo Ash and Elm,
olglſa. without fate.
18. n þ ne atto 18. They had 140R
140 oþ þau ne hðo not breath,
la ne leti nor had they thought,
ne lito goða. blood, movement,
Aun ga oþiɴ nor complexion.
oþ ga henir Othin gave them breath, 145R
145 la ga loðuʀ Hoenir gave them thought,
 lito goða. Lothur gave blood and color.
19. Aſc ueit ec ſtana 19. I know that an ash stands,
heitir yɢrall called Yggdrasill.
hárbaðmr auɴ A high tree, 150R
150 huita aúri. dappled with white mud,
þaðan coma ɢuar om which comes the dew
þerala alla which falls in the valleys.
ſten e yir groɴ It stands forever
urðar bruɴi. over the spring of Urth. 155R
155 20. Þaðan coma meyiar 20. From there comes
margſ uitani the all knowing maids,
þriar o þeim ſe three of them
e un þolli ſten om the water
urð heto eina which stands under the tree. 160R
160 aðra uerþani the first is named Urth,
ſcaro aſciði The second Verthandi,
ſcul ena þriðio. they carved upon the wood.
Þer lg lgðo The third is Skuld.
þer lí kuro There [they] put down the law 165R
165 ala bonom they ordain length of life,

138 Ash and Elm ] The first two people on earth; the Norse Adam and Eve. As yet, they are two
trees.
155 Urth ] One of the three fates.
166 ordain length of life ] Literally, "cut the fates of children". That is they cut runes or numbers
on tally sticks defining how long people will live.

24
 o lg ſeɢia. and the battles of men.
21. Þat man hon olc uig 21. She remembers
yrſt iheimi that first feud in the world
er gull ueig when they stuck 170R
170 geirom ſtuu Gullveig with spears
 ihll harſ and burned her
hana breno in the hoary-one's hall
Þryſuar breno burned three times,
þryſuar bona born three times 175R
175 opt oalan again, over and over,
þo hon eɴ liir but she still lives.
22. eii hana heto 22. They called her Heidi,
hvarſ til huſa com wherever she went,
uolo uel a the far-seeing volva. 180R
180 uitti hon gana She enchanted spirits, she seethed
ſeið hon kuɴi wherever she could,
ſeiþ hon leikiɴ she seethed crazed;
e var hon angan she was always a delight
illrar boðar. to evil women. 185R
185 23. Þa g.r.a. 23. Then all the kings went
a. to the judgment seat
- of the holy gods
- and deliberated on this:
huart ſcylo er whether the Æsir 190R
190 arað giala should pay a settlement,
eþa ſcylo goðin ll or whether all the gods
gili eiga. should receive payment.
24. leygði oðiɴ 24. Othin hurled,
 iolc um ſct and shot into the crowd. 195R
195 þat var eɴ olc vig that was the first
yrſt iheimi. murder on earth;
brotiɴ var boð uegr broken were the wooden walls

167 battles of men ] They also ordain who will win in battle
171 Gullveig ] A strange figure with a name that bears an etymological relationship with the word
for "gold". It is possible she introduces greed to the Æsir.
181 seethed ] Seiðr was the art of feminine witchcra which began to be demonized in the Christian
period.
193 receive payment ] That is, how they should do battle with this aggressive influence.

25
 bogar aſa of the citadel of Æsir.
knatto vanir uiga anticipating-murder, 200R
200 uollo ona. the Vanir could tread the vale.
25. Þa g.r.a. 25. Then all the kings went
- upon the judgment seat
- the holy gods,
- also to deliberate on this: 205R
205 hverir heði lopt alt who had blended
levi blanit all the sky (air) with evil?
eþa etr iotunſ or given Od's maid
oþſ mey gena. to the etins?
26. Þo eiɴ þar var 26. Thor fought alone 210R
210 þungin moði with a roused mind.
hann alan tr he seldom sits
er hann ict um regn when he learns
a gengoz eiðar of such things:
orð  ſeri when promises have been broken, 215R
215 mál ll megin lig all the most important treaties, words
er ameal oo. made between them.
27. Veit hon heimalar 27. She knows about
hlioð um olgit Heimdall's horn,
unir heiðuonom kept next 220R
220 helgom baðmi. to the lo tree.
á ſér hon Upon it she sprinkles
rgom o a muddy waterfall
a ueði ual rſ om Valfather's promise.
uit oþ er en e. hvat. Do you really wish to know more? 225R
225 28. Eín ſat hon uti 28. She sat out alone
þa er iɴ alni com when that old one came,
yɢióngr ᴀſa the terrible god,

201 Vanir ] The earth gods against whom the Æsir are now warring.
208 Od's maid ] Od was a little known god, to whom Freyja, the goddess of love was married. Od is
known to have abandoned her.
210–217 Thor fought … words made between them ] This stanza, which could easily have been
inserted in any number of poems in this tradition, describes Thor's upright personality.
218 She knows ] The sibyl is now referred to in the third person.
226 She sat out alone ] Those wise in folk wisdom would oen sit alone outdoors to meditate or
make important descisions.

26
  igo leit. and looks into the eyes.
hverſ regnit mic ``What do you want om me?' 230R
230 hvi eiþ miin Why do you test me?
alt ueit ec oðiɴ Othin, I know
hvar þu ga alt where your eye fell.
[…] mera Into that deep
mimiſ bvɴi well of Mimir. 235R
235 reckr mioð mimir Mimir drinks mead
mogin hverian every morning
a veþ V. om Valfather's promise.''
v.c.c.h. Do you really wish to know more?
29. Valþi henne heð 29. Her war-father chose for her 240R
240 hringa  men rings and necklaces,
e ioll aclig wise with wealth-spells
 a gana and seer-magic.
ſa hon uitr  um over She saw far,
ol hveria. and into all worlds. 245R
245 30. Sa hon valkyrio 30. She saw Valkyries
vítr um kommnar coming om afar
grvar at riða eagerly riding
til Goðþioðar. to the gods.
ſcul helt ſculi Skuld held her shield, 250R
250 enn ſcgul ɴo and another, Skogul,
gunr. hil gnul and Gunnr, Hildr,
 geir ſcgul. Gondul,
nu ero talþar and Geirskogul.
nɴo herianſ Now the women of the army-lord 255R
255 gorvar at riþa are named,
grvn valkyio. dressed to ride valyrie's ground.
31. Ec ſa balri 31. I saw Baldr,
blogom tivo the bloody victim,
oinſ barni Othin's child, 260R
260 or log olgiɴ his fate hidden.

234–235 deep well of Mimir ] Odin sacrificed his eye to the etin Mimir by throwing it into a well.
In doing so, the god is able see in this world and the next.
241 rings and necklaces ] Odin decorates his sybil with gis of prophetic knowlege.
246 Valkyries ] Literally, "dead-choosers".
258 Baldr ] The Norse Apollo, a sun god.

27
 ſtoð um vaxiɴ He stood on the ground
vollo heri full high,
mio  mioc agr slender, very beautiful.
milt eiɴ Mistletoe. 265R
265 32. Varð a þeim meiði 32. What became of this twig
er mer ſyniz appeared to me,
harmlg hettlig that harmful sha,
hþr nam ſciota. Hod took aim .
balrſ broðir vár Balder's brother was 270R
270 o boiɴ ſnemma born too (very) soon.
ſa nam oþins ſónr Othin's one-night-son
ein nettr vega. to kill.
33. Þo hann eva henr 33. Yet Baldr's killer never
ne huþ kembþi washed his hands, 275R
275 aþr a bal um bar or combed his hair
balſ anſciota. till Baldr was born upon the pyre.
en riɢ um grét But Frigg was weeping
ienſlom in Fansalir,
ua val hallar Valhalla's misery. 280R
280 u.e.e.e.h. Do you really want to know more?
35. apt ſa hon liɢia 35. She saw one tied up
unir hvera luni among the hot springs,
le giarn lici a guileful body;
loca aþeckiam. it appears to be Loki. 285R
285 þar tr gyn There sits Sigyn,
þeygi um nom sits near him,
ver velglyioð yet does not rejoice.
v.þ.e.h. Do you really wish to know more?
36. A ellr ſtan 36. In the mountains 290R
290 um eitr ala om the east
ſxom  ſverþom in Poison-valley:
iþr heitir ſu. Swords and daggers,

269 Hod took aim ] Baldr's blind brother, his name is etymologically connected with English, "hood".
Goaded by Loki, Hod kills his brother with a dart made out of mistletoe. Together, they form a pair
representing night and day.
272 one-night-son ] One night old.
282 She saw one tied up ] In order to keep him under control, Loki is bound up, but will be let loose
for the apocalypse.

28
 37. ſto yr noðan It is called Slid.
aniþa vollum 37. Stands before the north, 295R
295 ſalr o guli in Dark-valley,
n ra ettar. a hall of gold
enn aɴaʀ ſtoð of Sindr's clan,
a okolni upon Okolni,
bio ſalr iotunſ the bier-abode of an etin 300R
300 en ſa brimir heitir. who is called Brimer.
38. Sal ſa hon ſtana 38. She saw a hall
ſolo iáʀi standing far om the sun,
na ono a Nastrand's river
noþr hoa yʀ. the doors face north 305R
305 ello eitr ropar poison drops fall
iɴ vm lioa in om the flue
ſa er uniɴ ſalr the hall wound
oma hryɢiom. with worm's rack. (note)
39. Sa hon þar vaþa 39. She saw there wading 310R
310 þunga ma in the thick stream
menn moð untrue and murderous men,
vargar meinſ vara . and furtive beguilers
 þaɴ aɴarſ glepr of another [man's wife];
eyra runo Nidhogg sucks the 315R
315 þar ſug niþ hɢr corpses there,
nai ram gengna the wolf
eit vargr vera tears [them] up.
v.e.e.e.h. Do you really wish to know more?
40. Au ſat in alna 40. In the east sits an 320R
320 i iarn uiþi Old Lady sat
 oi þar in Ironwood.
294 Swords and daggers ] A poetic construction for a river. Slid also means danger.
298 Sindr's clan ] A family of dwarves.
300 bier-abode ] The coffin of the etin Brim, mentioned in stanza ⒐ It is possible that a hall was
made out of the body of the deceased giant in a land called Okolni.
309 worm's rack ] Nastrand is a hall which appears to operate as a kind of hell for devious individuals.
The meaning of this last line is obscure. It could mean the hall is build out of wound serpents, is
build om the spines of serpents, or build out of the skeleton of a giant serpent.
315 Nidhogg ] The name of a dragon.
321 Old lady ] Loki mated with an old etin and sired Fenris, the wolf who will devour Odin in
Ragnarok.

29
 enriſ kinir. The kin of Fenris,
verþr a þeim llom are raised there;
eiɴa noccor a particular one of them 325R
325 tunglſ tiugari will devour the moon
itrollz hami. in the guise of a troll.
41. ylliz io vi 41. It fills itself with the life
eigra manna of fairer men;
ryþr ragna ot reddens the seat of the gods 330R
330 rðom reyra with red gore,
ſvart var þa ſol ſcin sunshine darkens
o ſumo eptir [for many] summers,
veþr oll valyn the storms, mighty.
v.e.h. Do you really wish to know more? 335R
335 42. Sat þar a hgi 42. Happy Edgar.
 ó hrpo Sat there on a hill,
gygiar hirþir Struck (slew) a harp,
glar eɢþer. The giant's herd.
gol um hanom The fair-red cock, 340R
340 igagl viþi He who is called Fjalar,
agr r hani calls to him
ſa er ialaʀ heitir. in the goose-forest.
43. Gól um aſom 43. Gullinkambi sang
gul lincam i to the Aesir. 345R
345 ſa uecr hlþa He wakes
at hiarar at heriaſ. the hold,
eɴ aɴaʀ gelr Battle-father's men,
yr ioðneðan and another calls,
ſót rðr háni a soot-red cock 350R
350 at ſlom heliar. to Hel's halls.
44. Geyr garmr mioc 44. Garm calls loudly
yr gnipa helli to Gnipahell.
e mun itna The bonds shall be cut

328 It fills itself ] The wolf.

336 Happy Edgar ] Apparently some kind of etin on watch duty. Little is known of him.
344 Gullindambi … ] Roosters are announcing the arrival of the apocalypse.
352 Garm calls loudly ] The hound which guards the entrance to the underworld. In Ragnarok, he
will devour the god Tyr.
353 Gnipahell ] The gates of hell.

30
 eɴ re ki reɴa and the wolf will run. 355R
355 iolþ beit hon roða She has much to teach,
ram ſe ec lengra I see more
um rag na rc about Ragnarok,
rm gtyva. about the mighty victory-gods."
45. Broþr muno beriaz 45. Brothers shall 360R
360  at bɴom verþa fight each other
muno ſyungar and become killed.
iom illa Cousins shall
hárt er i heim i spill seed.
hór omr micill Misery will be in the world, 365R
365 ſceɢl and whoredom.
ſcalm l Axe age, sword age,
ſcilir ro klonir shields will be cloven.
vinl vargl Wind-age, wolf-age,
aþr verol ſteypiz before the world tumbles, 370R
370 mun engi maþr no one shall
oðrom þyrma. respect another.
46. Leica mimſ ſynir 46. Mimir's sons play
eɴ miotuðr kyniz yet Metod kindles itself
at en galla upon the old Gjallarhorn. 375R
375 gial lar honi Heimdal ,
hatr bles heimallr blows
hon er alopti the horn
melir oðiɴ resoundingly in the air.
við mimſ huþ Odin speaks 380R
380 ymr iþ alna tre with Mimir's head.
eɴ iotuɴ loſnar Yggdrassill quivers,
ſcelr yɢralſ the standing ash;
aſcr ſtanan. the old tree cries.
356 She has much to teach ] The poet is once again referring to the sybil om the first half of the
poem.
373 Mimir's sons ] A race of giants?
374 Metod kindles itself ] Metod was an oen used word for God in Old English. It means the
"Meter", or the "Measurer". The word also refers to the sun, which is the meter, or measurer of the
day. The word may preserve an ancient pagan word for a fundamental godhead.
381 Mimir's head ] The etin Mimir was killed in the war with the Vanir. In times of crisis, Odin
received council om the decapitated head.

31
 44. Geyr nu g. 44. Garm calls loudly 385R
385 - to Gnipahell.
- The bonds chall be cut
- and the wolf will run.
- She has much to teach
- I see more 390R
390 - about Ragnarok,
- about the mighty victory-gods.
50. rymr ekr �ſtan 50. Hrym pilots om the east.
heiz lin yr His shield raised.
ſnyz iomungan Jormundgander coils 395R
395 i iotun moði. in etin-mood (fury).
omr knyr uɴir The serpent churns waves
eɴ ari hlaccar and the eagle cries,
itr nai ne lr slashes at the pale-nosed.
nagl ar loſnar. Naglfar is launched. 400R
400 51. Kioll eʀ ſ tan 51. The ship sails
koma muno muellz om the east, Loki steers it.
um lg lyir They who are
eɴ loki ſtyrir the people of Muspell,
ara ilſ megir Monster's kind, all go together 405R
405 meþ reka allir with the wolf,
þeim er broir with those with the
by leipz io. brother of Byleistr.
48. Hvat er meþ aſom 48. What of the Aesir?
hvat er meþ alom What of the Elves? 410R
410 gnyr allr iotun heimr All etin-land roars.
er ro aþin gi Aesir are in counsel.
ſtynia dvergar The dwarves groan
yr ſtein urom before stone-doors,

393 Hrym ] An etin known to be Thor's enemy. He is well known in the story of Thor fishing for
the Midgard serpent.
395 Jornumdgander ] The dragon, or serpent coiled around the world keeping the waters of the
ocean om falling off the edge.
399 pale-nosed ] The dead.
400 Naglfar ] A ship of nails or claws, driven by Loki, carrying an assortment of malevolent etins.
404 Muspell ] The monstrous, fiery region in the south.
408 Byleistr ] Loki.

32
 veɢ bergſ vir the rock wall kings. 415R
415 v.e.e.h. Do you really wish to know more?
52. Surtr eʀ ſuɴan 52. Surt comes om the south
meþ ſviga lei with the bane of twigs,
ſciɴ a sverþi the sun shine om the sword
ſol valtía. of the war god. 420R
420 griot biog gnata Rocky mountains clash,
eɴ gir rata and the rapacious move.
troþa halir helveg Men tread on Hel's road
en himin clonar. and the sky is cloven.
54. Þa com hlinar 54. More sadness 425R
425 harmr aɴaʀ ram comes to Hlin
er oðiɴ eʀ when Othin departs
við ul vega to fight the wolf.
en bani belia And the Bane of Belja
biartr at ſurti battles against Surt. 430R
430 þa mun riɢiar Then shall Frigg's
alla angan tyr. love fall.
55. Þa komr iɴ micli 55. Now comes
mgr gur the mighty kin of Sigfod
viðaʀ vega Vidarr, to kill the war-beast. 435R
435 at val yri. He stands
letr hann megi hverungſ before Hvethrung,
mun um ſtana skewers him through by hand,
hiotil hiarta into the heart;
þa er hent ur. then the father is avenged. 440R
440 56. Þa kom iɴ moi 56. Now comes the mighty
mg hloyniar kin of Hlothyn.
gengr oþinſ ſon Othin's son goes
vi ul vega to fight the worm.
repr hann a moþi He kills with fury 445R

417 Surt ] "Soot", a primal fire etin.

418 bane of twigs ] Fire.
434 Sigfod ] Sigfod is another name for Odin; the kin of Sigfod are the Æsir.
435 Vidarr ] Vidarr means "vulture", and refers to Fenris, the wolf which will devour Odin.
436–439 He stands … by hand. ] Hvethrung is another name for Loki. The wolf's teeth kill Odin,
avenging the binding of Loki.
442 Hlothyn ] Thor's mother.

33
445 miðgarz ueo the belt of Midgard.
muno halir allir Men shall all run home.
heim ſtoð ryþia Fjorgyn's sons
gengr et nío walk nine steps,
iogyn iar buʀ then retreats 450R
450 neppr fra naðri om the worm
niðſ oqviðnom. without blame.
57. Sol ter ſotna 57. The Sun blackens,
gr ol imar The Earth
hvera a himni sinks into the sea, 455R
455 heiðar ono. Bright stars
geiſar eími drop om the sky,
viþ al nara vapors erupt with fire
leicr har hiti and rush against
uið himin alan. the sky itself. 460R
460 58.(44.) Geyr n. 58.(44.) Garm calls loudly
- to Gnipahell (note).
- The bonds chall be cut
- and the wolf will run.
- She has much to teach 465R
465 - I see more
- about Ragnarok,
- about the mighty victory-gods.
59. Ser hon upp koma 59. She sees the earth
ðro ɴi rise up 470R
470 ioð o egi again om the sea,
iþia grona. evergreen
alla oſar waterfalls fall,
lygr rn yir eagles fly over
ſa er aialli All in the mountains, 475R
475 iſca ueiðir. and hunts fish.
60. iɴaz er 60. The Aesir meet each other
aiþa velli in Itha valley
 um mol þinur regarding the earth-thong,
448 Fjorgyn ] Fjorgyn is the earth; the earth's sons are the gods.
458–460 vapors erupt … with fire ] Note the similarity this description has with an Icelandic geyser.
Also note the geyser fields in stanza 3⒌
479 earth-thong ] Jormundgander, the world serpent.

34
 matkaɴ oma and upon 480R
480  aimul ty Fimbultyr 's
onar runar. ancient runes.
61. Þar muno eptir 61. Then they shall find
un ſamligar in the grass
gull nar tlo the marvelous 485R
485 igra iɴar. golden game-pieces
þerſ i araga they had
attar hoðu. in the old days.
62. Muno oſanir 62. Unsown fields shall grow
acrar uaxa Misery shall abate. 490R
490 blſ mun allz batna Baldr shall return
bal mun coma. and they, Baldr and Hod,
bua þeir hþ  bald shall live in Hroptz,
hroptz�igt optir the victory hall
vel val tivar Excellent battle gods 495R
495 v.e.e.h. Do you really wish to know more?
63. Þa kna honir 63. Now Hoenir knows
hlt viþ kioſa to take the wand
 byrir byɢia and begins to build
brora tveɢia. the wide wind-home 500R
500 vin heim vian of the two brothers.
v.e.e.h Do you really wish to know more?
64. Sal ſer hon ſtana 64. She sees
ſolo egra a hall standing
gulli þacþan fairer than the sun 505R
505 agimlé. thatched with gold
þar ſcolo yɢvar in Gimle.
rottir byɢia Here shall worthy lords
 um al aga dwell forever and enjoy
ynþiſ niota. happiness. 510R
510 66. Þar kom iɴ immi 66. Then shall come the dim

481 Fimultyr ] The "mighty god". This could either refer to God, or a pagan godhead similar to
the Metod in stanza 4⒍
497 Hoenir ] A god of silence and deliberation. His moderation possibly enables him to survive
Ragnarok.
498 wand ] kioſa. This could also mean "choice", or deliberative skill.
511–518 Then shall come … ] This stanza is particularly obscure and difficult to translate. There

35
 reki liugani dragon flying,
naþr raɴ neþan gleaming adder
ra níþa iollom. om Nitha-fells,
beʀ ſer iioþom bears himself upon feathers, 515R
515 lygr vll yir flying over the vale,
niþhɢr nai Nidhogg with corpses.
nu mun hon seyquaz. Now she shall fly away.

is no consensus for a meaning.

36
 3 Hauksbók, AM544 4to, and Translation
1. Hlioðſ bið ek allar 1. Hear, all holy children
helgar kinir of Heimdall!
meiri ok minni You wish to ask
mǫgu heimallar that I will now sing
5 villtv at ek vaǫðſ of Valfather's old tales, 5R
vel ram telia which were renowned
on iǫll ira among men
þau er ek remz vm man. so long ago.
2. Ek man iǫtna 2. I remember etins,
10 r vm bona born very long ago; 10R
þa er oðum mik they who had first raised me.
æa hǫðu I remember
niu man ek heima the nine regions,
niu i uiðiur nine of the Tree,
15 miǫt við męran with great roots 15R
yri moll neðan. beneath the soil.
3. Aar uar alla 3. The first age
þa er ymir bygði was when Ymir lived;
vara ſan ne o there was neither sand nor sea,
20 ne ſualar unnir no cold waves 20R
iǫð annz ęa met the earth itself,
ne vpp himinn nor sky above,
gap var ginnvnga the gap was like an abyss,
enn graſ ekki. [there was] no green anywhere at all.
25 4. Aað boſ ſynir 4. First, Bor's sons 25R
biǫðum o yptu lied the land all around,
þeir er męran they who created
miðgarð opu mighty middle-earth.
ſol einn ſunnan The sun shone om the south
30  ſalar ſteina upon the ground's stones. 30R
þa uar grun groin Then was the ground
grænum lauki. covered with green.
5. Sol uarp ſunnan 5. The sun shone
nni mnna om the south,

1 helgar ] This word does not appear in Codex Regius.

37
35 heninni hægri the moon's right hand companion, 35R
o ioður over the sky's rim.
ſol þat ne ui The sun did not know
huar hon ſali tti where she lived.
ǫnur þat ne uiu The moon did not know
40 huar þær ſtæði ttu his power. 40R
mni þat ne uissi The stars did not know
huat hann meginſ atti. where they belonged.
6. Þa gengu reginn ǫll 6. Then all the rulers went
 rǫkſtola to the judgment-seat,
45 ginnheilog goð And deliberated on this: 45R
ok um þat giettuz about night,
nott ok niðium and the black-moon-phase.
nǫn um gæu They ordained
mogin hetu morning,noon,
50 ok miðian ag aernoon, 50R
vnurn ok aptan evening, and enumerated
rum at telia. the years.
7. ittuz ær 7. The Æsir met one another
 iða uelli in Iða valley
55 alſ koſtuðu where they 55R
allz eiſtuðu established their powers
ala lǫgðu with all of their might,
auð ſmiðuðu made hearths,
tangir opu shaped tongs,
60 ok tol giǫðu and created tools. 60R
8. Telu i tvni 8. They played
teitir uov chess at home,
var þeim uettugiſ were merry.
vant o gulli [There was]
65 unz þriar komv no lack of gold 65R
þua meyiar until three
matkar miǫk Thurs-maidens came
o iǫtvn heimvm. om the etin-lands.
9. Þa gengu regin ǫll 9. Then all the rulers went
70  rǫkſtola to the judgment seat, 70R

55–57 alſ … lǫgðu ] Codex Regius tells of the gods building temples.

38
 ginnheilug goð the mighty holy gods,
ok vm þat giættuz and deliberated on this.
huerer yllu uergar Who should create
ottir epia the dwarve's lord
75 o bimi bloðgu om Brim's blood 75R
ok o blamſ leggium. and Blain's limbs?
10. Þar uar moðſognir 10. There was Modsognir,
męztr o oðinn who was the greatest
uerga allra of all dwarves,
80 enn urinn annaʀ but Durinn was another. 80R
þeir manlikan They created
mǫg o gioðv many human forms,
uerga i iǫðu those dwarves in the earth,
ſem urinn ſagði. as Durinn said proclaimed.
85 11.-16. Nyi niði 11.-16. Nyi, Nithi, 85R
noði ſuði North, South,
auſti veſti East, West,
alþior ualinn Althio, Dvalinn,
naar ok nainn Nar and Nainn,
90 nipingr ainn Nipingr, Dainn, 90R
ueggr gan alr Veggr, Gandalf,
uinlr þoinn. Vindalf, Thorin.
Bivʀ bavʀ Bifur, Bafur,
bǫmbvʀ noi Bombr, Nori,
95 n ok onaʀ One, Another, 95R
ai miǫðvitnir Ai, Miothvitnir,
þrar ok þrainn Thrar, Thrain,
þro litr ok vitr. Thror, Litr and Vitr,
nyr ok nyrð Nyr, and Nyraths,
100 nv hei ek rekka Now have I reckoned 100R
reginn ok rðſvið Regin and Rathsvith,
rett vm talða. rightly accounted.
ili kili Fili, Kili,
unnin nali Fundin, Nali,
105 heti ili Hepti, Vili 105R
hanaʀ ok ſviðʀ Hanar and Svior,
nr ok nainn Nar and Nain.
nipingr áinn Nipingr, Dainn,

39
 billingr buni Billingr, Brunni,
110 bill ok buri Billdr and Buri, 110R
ro onbogi Fror, Fornbogi,
ręg ok loni. Freg and Loni,
Auruangr iari Aurvanger, Iari,
eikin ialli Eikinskjaldi.
115 ml er uerga I speak the account 115R
i ualinſ liði of the dwarves,
liona kinum of Dvalin's host of peoples,
til loarſ telia all the way to Lofars kin.
þeim er ſottu They who sought
120 ra ſalar ſteini hall's stone 120R
ǫvanga ǫt and the moor's fields
til iǫv valla. in the rocky valleys.
þar var aunir There was Draupnir,
ok olgþraſer and Dolgthrasir,
125 hr haugoi Har, Haugspori, 125R
hlevargr gloinn Hlevangr, Gloi,
irir uirvir Skirvir, Virvir,
aið ai Skafithr, Ai.
aalr ok yngvi Alf and Yngvi,
130 eikinialli. Eikenskialdi, 130R
Þat man æ vppi As long as men
meðan ǫlld liir Will remember,
langniðia tal The line will go down
loars haat. to Lofar.
135 17. Vnz þiar komu 17. Until the three 135R
þua […] of that race came,
ſtkir ok ǫlgir strong
æſer at hv and benevolent,
vnu  lani the Æsir om home,
140 litt megani they found 140R
a ok emblv Ash and Elm,
oluglauſa without fate.
18. ǫn þau ne ttu 18. They had
oð þau ne hǫðu not breath,
145 l ne læti nor had they thought, 145R
ne litv goða blood, movement,

40
 ǫn ga oðinn nor complexion.
oð ga henir Othin gave them breath,
l ga loðuʀ Hoenir gave them thought,
150 ok litu goða. Lothur gave blood and color. 150R
19. Ask ueit ek ſtana 19. I know that an ash stands,
heitir yggall called Yggdrasill.
har baðmr aunn A high tree,
huita auri dappled with white mud,
155 þaðan koma ǫggvar om which comes the dew 155R
þȩrſ i ala alla which falls in the valleys.
ſtenæ yir grænn It stands forever
vrðar brunni. over the spring of Urth.
20. þaðan koma meyiar 20. From there comes
160 margſ vitani the all knowing maids, 160R
þriar oþeim ſal three of them
er a þolli ſten om the water
urð hetv eina which stands under the tree.
aða erðani the first is named Urth,
165 ru  iði The second Verthandi, 165R
ull hina þriðiu. they carved upon the wood.
þeir log logðu The third is Skuld.
þær li kuru There [they] put down the law
alla bǫnum they ordain length of life,
170 ǫlǫg at ſegia and the battles of men. 170R
25. Þa gengu regin ǫll 25. Then all the kings went
 rǫkſtola upon the judgment seat
ginnheilugh goð the holy gods,
ok um þat giȩttuz also to deliberate on this:
175 hverr heði lot allt who had blended 175R
lȩvi blanit all the sky (air) with evil?
ǫ(ða) ætt iǫtunſ or given Od's maid
oðſ mey gena. to the etins?
26. Þor einn þar u 26. Thor fought alone
180 þrunginn moði with a roused mind. 180R
hann allan tr he seldom sits
er hann ikt o regn when he learns
 genguz eiðar of such things:
oð ok ſæri when promises have been broken,

41
185 maal ǫll meginlig all the most important treaties, words 185R
er  meðal vou. made between them.
27. Veit hon Heimallar 27. She knows about
hlioð um olgit Heimdall's horn,
vnir heiðvǫnum kept next
190 helgum baðmi to the lo tree. 190R
 ſer hon avſaz Upon it she sprinkles
ǫgum or a muddy waterfall
a ueði ualǫðſ om Valfather's promise.
uitu þer en eða huat. Do you really wish to know more?
195 40. Au byr. hin allna 40. In the east an 195R
i iarnviði Old Lady dwells
ok eðir þar in Ironwood.
enriindir The kin of Fenris,
verð a þeim ǫllum are raised there;
200 einna nǫkkur a particular one of them 200R
tungls … gari will devour the moon
i trǫllz hami. in the guise of a troll.
41. ylliz lǫi 41. It fills itself with the life
eigra manna of fairer men;
205 ryþ ragna ǫt reddens the seat of the gods 205R
rauðum eyra with red gore,
ſvǫt verða ſolin sunshine darkens
um ſumvr etir [for many] summers,
ueð ǫll ualyn the storms, mighty.
210 uitu þer einn enn ȩþ huat Do you really wish to know more? 210R
21. Þat man hon olkuig 21. She remembers
yrſt i heimi that first feud in the world
er gullueíg when they stuck
geirum ſtui Gullveig with spears
215 ok i hǫll hrſ and burned her 215R
hana benu in the hoary-one's hall
þyſvar benv burned three times,
þryſvar bona. born three times
opt oallan again, over and over,

195 byr ] This word means "dwells". Codex Regius sat, which means "sits"

42
220 þo hen en liir. but she still lives. 220R
22. Heiði hana hetv 22. They called her Heidi,
huarl huſa kom wherever she went,
ok vǫlu vel a far-seeing volva.
uiti hon gana she enchanted spirits, she seethed
225 ſeið hon hvars hvn kunni wherever she could, 225R
ſeið hon hvgleikin she seethed crazed;
æ var hon angann she was always a delight
illrar bruðar. to evil women.
23. þa gengu regin ǫll 23. Then all the kings went
230 a rǫk ſtola to the judgment seat 230R
ginngeilvh goð of the holy gods
ok vm þat giettvz and deliberated on this:
huart yllu ær whether the Æsir
arð gialla should pay a settlement,
235 eð yllv guðin ǫll or whether all the gods 235R
gilli eiga. should receive payment.
24. leygði oðinn 24. Othin hurled,
ok i olk vm aut and shot into the crowd.
þat var enn olkuig that was the first
240 yʀ i heími murder on earth; 240R
botinn var boð ueggr broken were the wooden walls
borgar ſa of the citadel of Æsir.
knaattu vanir uig a anticipating-murder,
uǫllu ona the Vanir could tread the vale.
245 34. Þa kna vala 34. There Vali knew 245R
vígbon ſnua to tie battle-bonds,
hell varu harðgio Rather strong were
hǫt o þǫmum The tough ropes of sinew.
þar tr gyn There sits Sigyn,
250 þeygi vm num sits near him, 250R
uer uel glyiut yet does not rejoice.
vitu þer enn eða huat. Do you really wish to know more?
44. Geyr garmr miǫk 44. Garm calls loudly
yri gnupa helli to Gnipahell (note).
255 e man itna The bonds shall be cut 255R
enn reki renna and the wolf will run.
ramm ſe ek lengra She has much to teach,

43
 iǫlð kann ek ſegia I see more
um ragna rǫk about Ragnarok,
260 rǫmm gtiva. about the mighty victory-gods. 260R
42. Sat þar  haugi 42. Happy Edgar.
ok o hǫpu Sat there on a hill,
gygiar hirðir Struck (slew) a harp,
glað egðir The giant's herd.
265 gol yir The fair-red cock, 265R
i galguiði He who is called Fjalar,
agr rauð hani calls to him
enn ſa ialaʀ heitir. in the goose-forest.
43. Gol yir ſum 43. Gullinkambi sang
270 gullin kambi to the Aesir. 270R
ſa uekr hǫla He wakes
at heria ǫðſ the hold,
enn annaʀ gelr Battle-father's men,
yrir iǫoð neðan and another calls,
275 ſot rauð hani a soot-red cock 275R
at ſǫlum heliar. to Hel's halls.
38. Sal er hon ſtana 38. She saw a hall
ſolu iaʀri standing far om the sun,
naonu  Nastrand's river
280 noð hoa yʀ the doors face north 280R
alla eitropar poison drops fall
inn um lioa in om the flue
ſ er vninn ſalr the hall wound
oma hryggium. with worm's rack. (note)
285 39. Ser hon þar vaða 39. She saw there wading 285R
þunga auma in the thick stream
menn meínnſvara untrue and murderous men,
ok moðvarga and furtive beguilers
ok þanz annarſ glepr of another [man's wife];
290 eyrna runa Nidhogg sucks the 290R
þar ſavg nið hǫggr corpses there,
nai ram gengna the wolf
eit vargr vera tears [them] up.
vitu þer enn eða hvat. Do you really wish to know more?
295 44. Geyr nu garmr miǫk 44. Garm calls loudly 295R

44
 yri Gnipa helli to Gnipahell (note).
(estr) m(an). The bonds shall be cut
- and the wolf will run.
- She has much to teach,
300 - I see more 300R
- about Ragnarok,
- about the mighty victory-gods.
45. Bræð munu beriaz 45. Brothers shall
ok at bǫnum verðaz fight each other
305 munu ſyungar and become killed. 305R
ium illa Cousins shall
hart er i heimi spill seed.
hoomr mikill Misery will be in the world,
eggǫll and whoredom.
310 ælmǫll Axe age, sword age, 310R
illir klonir. shields will be cloven.
Uin ǫll varg ǫll Wind-age, wolf-age,
ð verǫll ſteypiz before the world tumbles,
grunir gialla foundations of the earth groan,
315 gir liugani with the flight of demons, 315R
man eingi maðr no one shall
ǫðum þyrma. love another.
46. Leika Mimſ ſynir 46. Mimir's sons play
en miǫtvð kyniz yet Metod kindles itself
320 at hínu gamla upon the old Gjallarhorn. 320R
giallar honi Heimdal ,
htt blæ heimallr blows the horn
hon er  lopti resoundingly in the air.
mȩler oðinn Othin speaks
325 við mimſ hǫut. with Mimir's head. 325R
Skelr yggalſ Yggdrassill quivers,
ar ſtanani the standing ash;
ymr hið allna tre the old tree cries.
enn iǫtunn loſnar yet all the etins let loose
330 hræðaz allir and everything 330R

314–315 grunir … liugani ] This section of the verse is dropped in Codex Regius.
330–333 Skelr … gleypir ] This has been dropped in Codex Regius

45
 a helvegum in hades shudders
ð ſurtar þann while Surt
ſevi o gleypir. swallows the sea
48. Hvat er með ſum 48. What of the Aesir?
335 hvat er með lum What of the Elves? 335R
gnyr allr iǫtun heimr All etin-land roars.
ær eru  þingi Aesir are in counsel.
ſtynia uergar The dwarves groan
yri ſteinyrvm before stone-doors,
340 vegbergſ uir the rock wall kings. 340R
uitv þer enn eða hvat. Do you really wish to know more?
49(44.). Geyr nu garmr miǫk 49.(44.) Garm calls loudly
yri Gnipa helli to Gnipahell (note).
(estr) m(an). The bonds chall be cut
345 - and the wolf will run. 345R
- She has much to teach
- I see more
- about Ragnarok,
- about the mighty victory-gods.
350 50. Hrymr ekr auſtan 50. Hrym pilots om the east. 350R
heiz lin yrir His shield raised.
ſnyz iǫmungan Jormundgander coils
i iǫtunmoði in etin-mood (fury).
omr knyr unnir The serpent churns waves
355 enn ari hlakkar and the eagle cries, 355R
itr nai niðǫlr slashes at the pale-nosed (dead).
naglar loſnar. Naglfar is launched.
51. Kioll err auſtan 51. The ship sails
koma mvnu mvellz om the east, Loki steers it.
360 vm lǫgh lyðer They who are 360R
enn loki ſtyrer the people of Muspell,
arar ilmegir Monster's kind, all go together
með reka alrer with the wolf,
þeim er broðir with those with the
365 byleiſtz i erð. brother of Byleistr. 365R
52. ſurtr err ſunnan 52. Surt comes om the south
með ſuiga levi with the bane of twigs,
inn a ſverðe the sun shine om the sword

46
 ſol valtia of the war god.
370 griotbiǫog gnata Rocky mountains clash, 370R
enn gir hrata and the rapacious move.
troða haler helveg Men tread on Hel's road
enn himinn klonar. and the sky is cloven.
54. Þa kemr hlinar 54. More sadness
375 harmr annaʀ ramm comes to Hlin 375R
er oðinn err when Othin departs
við vl uega to fight the wolf.
enn bani belia And the Bane of Belja
biartr at ſurti battles against Surt.
380 þar man riggiar Then shall Frigg's 380R
alla angann. love fall.
55.(44.) Geyr nu garmr miǫk 55.(44.)Garm calls loudly
yri gnipa helli to Gnipahell (note).
(estr) m(an). The bonds chall be cut
385 - and the wolf will run. 385R
- She has much to teach
- I see more
- about Ragnarok,
- about the mighty victory-gods.
390 55’. Ginn lot yer 55’. Wide om above, 390R
linnr neðan … atar …
o ſer eðum …
mun oðinſ ſon Shall Odin's son‥
omi mȩta meet the worm‥
395 vargſ at … wolfs to… 395R
- -

57. [ſolſol] terter ſotna 57. The Sun blackens,

gr oll imar The Earth
huera ahimni sinks into the sea, 400R
400 heiðar onur Bright stars
[ge]iſar eimi drop om the sky,
ok allnari vapors erupt with fire
leikr hr hiti and rush against
við himin alan. the sky itself. 405R
405 58.(44.) Geyr [nu] garmr miǫk 58. Garm calls loudly

47
 yri gnipa helli to Gnipahell (note).
e man itna The bonds chall be cut
enn reki r(enna). and the wolf will run.
- She has much to teach 410R
410 - I see more
- about Ragnarok,
- about the mighty victory-gods.
59. [ſe]r hon vpp koma 59. She sees the earth
ǫðu nni rise up 415R
415 iǫð o ægi again om the sea,
iðia græna evergreen
alla oſar waterfalls fall,
lygr ǫn yir eagles fly over
ſ er aá ialli everything in the mountains, 420R
420 ia veiðir. and hunts fish.
60. ittaz æſer 60. The Aesir meet each other
a iða velli in Itha valley
ok um moll þinnur regarding the earth-thong,
matkan ema and upon 425R
425 ok minnaz þar and deliberate
a megin oma on these great events
ok a imbulty and Fimbultyr's
onar runar. ancient runes.
61. Þa munu æſer 61. Then they shall find 430R
430 unſamlegar in the grass
gullnar tǫlur the marvelous
i gra inna golden game-pieces
þærſ i aardaga they had
ááttar hǫþv. in the old days. 435R
435 62. munu oſaanir 62. Unsown fields shall grow
akrar uaxa Misery shall abate.
bolſ man allz batna Baldr shall return
man ball koma and they, Baldr and Hod,
bua þeir hǫður ok ball shall live in Hroptz, 440R
440 hroptz gtotir the victory hall
vel uelltiar Excellent battle gods

425–426 ok minnaz … oma ] This has been dropped in Codex Regius.

48
 uítu þer enn eð hvat. Do you really wish to know more?
63. Þa kna hȩnir 63. Now Hoenir knows
hlut við kioſa to take the wand, 445R
445 er burir byggia and begins to build
bræða tueggia the wide wind-home
vin heim viðan of the two brothers.
vitv þer enn ȩðr huat. Do you really wish to know more?
64. Sal ſer hon ſtana 64. She sees a hall standing 450R
450 ſolu egra fairer than the sun
gulli þaktan thatched with gold
a gimle in Gimle.
þar ulo yggvar Here shall worthy lords
ottir byggia dwell forever and enjoy 455R
455 ok um all aga happiness.
yniſ niota.
65. Þa kemr hinn riki 65. Then shall come
at regin omi the powerful
ǫlugr oan to the last judgment.
460 ſa er ǫllu ræð. He who rules all. 460R
66. Kemr hinn imi 66. Then shall come the dim
eki liugani dragon flying,
nað raann neðan gleaming adder
ra niða berr om Nitha-fells,
465 er i iǫðum bears himself in feathers, 465R
lygr uǫll yir flying over the vale,
niðhoggr nai Nidhoggr with corpses.
nv man hon ſǫkkvaz. Now she shall fly away.

49
4 LATEX

In addition to fulfilling the final requirement for C Lit 593 A, this project is a re-
hearsal for a planned critical edition the Breta sǫgur, an Old Icelandic translation of
Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia regum britannie. Producing a diplomatic editions
of early medieval literature poses many difficulties due to the number of characters
not found in common typefaces. The most common characters found in early En-
glish editions are thorn (þ) and eth (ð). Since their use necessitates the creation of
a new character in the typeface, only in the best editions to these characters appear

to fit comfortably in the text. Typically they look awkwar; oen the thickness of
their lines are too small, or the size of the character is wrong. In some editions, the

thorn is nothing more than a capitol "I" connected to a lower case "o" in the mid-

dle. Rarer characters which may give a manuscript individual character, are not oen

not represented. The au ligature (), which is found in one Vǫluspá manuscript, is

oen replaced with o-umlaut, or a Scandinavian hooked o. LATEX, a text editor and
typesetting program commonly used in mathematics and in the sciences, gave me

an efficient way of editing an attractive medieval text, at the same time allowing me

access to all the obscure characters found in the manuscripts, mending them seam-
lessly and natively with the typeface. Another attractive ability of LATEX, is its ability
to manage the formatting and apparatus of critical editions. The formatter keeps
the parallel texts aligned, while at the same time managing notes and bibliographical
apparatus. Despite these clear advantages, LATEX is a notoriously idiosyncratic and
difficult program to manage. In order to use LATEX, one must learn a new markup

50
language and code similar to HTML.
LATEX, and the circumstances surrounding its creation is an interesting textual
study in itself. In the traditional model of textual production, an author produces a
manuscript, which would then be intermediated by scribes, editors, and printmakers.
In this system, the author's manuscript is a temporary artifact, a sketch om which a
final product is created by a class of secondary individuals who prepare and manufac-

ture a text for distribution. In this model, the manuscript and text produced by the

author is inaccessible to the general reader. The printed text is a reflection of the ex-
emplar, a double image in which the information recorded by the author is replicated
by an editor or typesetter. Aer the creation of the provisional manuscript, the author

has nothing to do with the creation of the printed medium. As new text-producing

technologies developed in the twentieth century, the author was only able to produce

a temporary, provisional text. The typewriter, despite its wide use, produced a text

to be given over to the control of an editor, and could never match the quality of a
professionally typeset book plate. Despite the power and versatility of modern com-

puting, commercial word processors are still virtual typewriters, replicating many of

the machine's mechanical limitations. I find it curious that the typesetting standard
dictated by the MLA style format still makes use of patterns which originally were
most convenient when using a typewriter, such as its ungraceful method of reference
citation, its demand for ragged edges, and its spurning of italics.
Since TEX word processors do not make use of a virtual typewriter, they have not
inherited the old machine's natural limitations. The text is entered in a plain text
console window, and is formatted by means of line commands. Once the program is

51
run, the editor produces a high resolution image of a typeset text ready for the final
stage of printing. The architecture of TEX, as designed by the program's author,
computer science luminary Donald Knuth, effectively removes the need for an editor
or typesetters, allowing the author to have direct control over the artifact in the
reader's hands. Once the image file is produced, an editor can suggest changes. The
markup file is always retained by the author, and all changes can only be made where

the source code is produced. Once the author dies, the code console is not longer

used and the printer's image is retained unalterable for posterity.

This pattern of textual production was intentionally built into the program when
Knuth wrote TEX. It was designed to produce a particular work, still in progress, The

Art of Computer Programming. This text is a foundational treatise in computer sci-

ence, a work completely defining the theoretical underpinnings of modern computer

programming. When the first volume of his monograph was published in 1969, it

was printed by means of a conservative Monotype process, which produced a quality

and type that was appreciated by Knuth. By the time the second volume was ready

for the printers in 1976, Monotype was no longer available to Knuth. His publishers

replaced the process with a cheaper method using photographic plates. Not only
did the new technique produce an inferior edition, but the old fonts were no longer
available for the new editions.¹ When he finally received the galley proofs in 1977,
he found their appearance dreadful.``I had spent 15 years writing those books, but
if they were going to look awful, I didn't want to write any more''.² Two months
¹Knuth, Digital Typography
²Ibid, page 5

52
later, he wrote the architecture for what would eventually become TEX in an effort
to eliminate interaction with editors and typesetters, giving himself direct control
over the appearance of the final, published work. In The TEXbook³, Knuth states,
``TEX is a new typesetting system intended for the creation of beautiful books--and
especially for books that contain a lot of mathematics. By preparing a manuscript
in TEX format, you will be telling a computer exactly how the manuscript is to be

transformed into pages whose typographic quality is comparable to that of the world's

finest printers.''
The Art of Computer Programming is an unfinished work, presently in its seventh
volume. All seven volumes are continually being corrected and edited as part of an

ongoing open source process, a means of editing soware also pioneered by Knuth.

Knuth has offered a hexadecimal dollar ($⒉56) for anyone finding an error in the text.

If the Knuth accepts the correction, it is immediately inputed into the TEXfile and a

new PDF file is made available for download. This has resulted in a highly polished
work which has remained authoritative despite ongoing developments in computer

technology. However, when Knuth dies, the work will be considered complete. The

code file will be destroyed and all subsequent printings with be based on the most
recent image file. Knuth has also applied the same textual philosophy to the program
itself. The version numbering system is now based on decimal digits of pi. For
instance, TEXis now in Version ⒊14159⒉ When the program releases its next update,
it will add another digit and become Version ⒊141592⒍ But when Donald Knuth
dies, TEX will go into Version π, aer which there will be no further development,
³Knuth, page 85

53
and any remaining bugs will become features of the program.⁴
Despite the beautiful results produced by TEX, and its loyal following, its use has
been used only in the world of computer programming, mathematics, physics, and
the other hard sciences. This is due to the practical fact that TEX programs are still
the best way to elegantly typeset mathematical equations in a text, yet the program
can be somewhat difficult to use. From the point of view of a technical or scientific

writer, there is also a clear advantage in that by putting the final step of textual

production in the hands of the author reduces the probably that delicate mathematics
be damaged by the introduction of errors by the editor or printer. TEX also gives the
publisher a very efficient and cheap means of printing a book. Since the author has

already produced the book image, the printer only needs to reproduce the image for

the bindery. It is not surprising that TEX editing has become the standard means

of editing texts throughout the hard sciences. Many books are commonly published

om TEX files, and most hard science journals only accept TEX files for review.
Despite is gradually growing following in the humanities, (Anglo Saxon England and

Speculum both accept TEX files), its use has not yet caught on in other disciplines.

Since nonscientists are not required to produce mathematical symbols, there is little
motivation to leave the familiar environment offered by virtual typewriters such as
Word.
⁴Knuth, chapter 30, Digital Typesetting

54
5 Typesetting This Edition

This document was typeset and written using XƎLATEX, a soware editor which
makes use of the LATEX markup language. LATEX is the ont end soware interface
which accesses the original TEX typesetting program. LATEX does not use font files
, but uses its own font generating system called METAFONT , which uses a pro-
grammed set of algorithms to generate each glyph. XƎLATEX enables the user to use

Unicode font sets in a TEX environment. The program does this by mapping the
character into TEX's native character generator. The font used in this document is

Junicode, a font developed by Peter S. Baker of the University of Virginia⁵. Junicode

is a serif font, based on the traditional typeset used by the University of Oxford press

since the eighteenth century. The font was developed to typeset Old English texts
om the Junius Manuscript, so it contains most of the primary characters needed to

represent characters found in early medieval manuscripts, such as the uncial d (), f

(), eth (ð), thorn (þ), and aesc (æ). Additional characters had to be sourced om

another font package called Cardo, the source for the au ligature (). This Unicode

package and others can be found at the Medieval Unicode Font Initiative website,
which it another valuable resource for anyone generating medieval texts⁶.
In order to access the Unicode pallet via XƎLATEX, each of the non-standard
characters must be manually programmed. Here is a portion of the text as it is seen

in the final edition:

Valþi henne heð

⁵http://junicode.sourceforge.net/index.html
⁶http://gandalf.aksis.uib.no/mufi/

55
 hringa  me
e ioll aclig
 a gana
ſa hon uitr  um over
ol hveria.

(Note the lovely long s-p ligature.) Here is the same text as it appears as it appears
in the command line window:

\setstanzaindent{0,1,0,0,0,0,0}

\begin{astanza}

Val\th i he{\it nne} he\char”F20E\char”F10D\char”EF95\dh

\char”F20E&\

h{\it r}inga \char”F142\ men&

\char”F10De \char”17Fpioll \char”17Fpaclig&

\char”F142\ \char”17Fpa gan\char”F109a&

\char”17Fa ho{\it n} uit{\it r} \char”F142\ um

o\char”F10D v{\it er}&

ol\char”F109\ hv{\it er}ia.

\end{astanza}

Unless one programs special characters, this is by no means characteristic of the

average TEX document. A normal block of text would not require this degree of
coding. Initially, manually keying in all of the commands went very slowly, but aer
sufficient repetition, the keystrokes became more natural.

56
6 Sources

With the aid of the Unicode pallet I was able to represent all of the characters ex-
pressed by scribes of both manuscripts. I chose to follow the early editions of Finnur
Jónsson by not representing the scribal abbreviations by their original marks. All
characters represented in the manuscripts by scribal notation is represented by itali-
cized letters. Tironian ok, as it appears in Codex Regius () appears in this edition.

The stanza structure and numbering scheme is based on the Jónsson edition of the

Edda.⁷
This edition is a best possible text without direct consultation with the original
manuscripts. I was able to consult a digital full color reproduction of the Codex

Regius manuscript (GKS 2365 4to) online⁸. Although the photographs obscured

some of the text, nearly all of the characters were quite legible. Wherever it was

illegible in the original manuscript, I consulted the Jónsson edition. These passages

are marked in the edition. Jónsson was also consulted in decoding the abbreviations,
and passages I had difficulty reading. In these passages, the orthogrophy of (ſ) and

() follow predictable patterns, but both texts move om r to  unpredictably. Where

it was illegible here, I used an ⒭. The text om the Hauksbók (AM 544 4to) was
more difficult to deal with. The quality of the parchment is terrible, having been
badly stained. The only facsimile I had available to me was the 1960 edition⁹. I
consulted the image of the manuscript whenever it was legible, but nearly one third
was impossible to read. For this reason, the primary text I used was Finnur Jónsson's
⁷Jónsson, Eddadigte, 1-⒙
⁸http://www.am.hi.is/WebView/VefHandritalisti.aspx
⁹Jon Helgason, 1960.

57
transcription of Hauksbók¹⁰. Here I must also admit I cheated in my placements
of the two different rs. For this, I consulted another diplomatic edition posted by
MUFI¹¹.

7 The Poem

The Vǫluspá is the first poem occurring in a compilation of literature popularly known
as the Edda. This term actually refers to the corpus of literature associated with the

poems and their subject matter found within the manuscript properly called called
Codex Regius of the Elder Edda, GKS 2367 4to. The Codex Regius is the sole witness

of twenty of the thirty extant Eddic poems; only four Eddic poems do not occur in

the manuscript. The Eddic poems are orally derived and alliterative, bearing a close

structural similarity with the Old English verse of Beowulf. Like Beowulf, Eddic

poetry is oral-derived, meaning that the poems are related to an earlier tradition
which was performative, improvisational, and principally aural in its qualities. In

my opinion, this song was likely a compilation of many other mythological stories

compiled either by a performer or a scribe. If this is the case, many of the stanzas
which make up Vǫluspá would have been recognized as a reference of another well
known song, each metonymically referring to another, independent source. Vǫluspá
contains two stanzas om the story of the death of the sun god Baldr, a few stanzas
refer a war among the gods, another tells the story of the creation of the first people,
and another pair of stanzas refer to the story of how Odin lost his eye.
¹⁰Jónsson, 189⒉
¹¹http://www.mufi.info/fonts/

58
 Despite it being an assemblage of material om oral tradition, the Vǫluspá is
a singularly composed poem, the product of a talented creative voice. The poem
finds unity in a cosmic and eschatological cycle beginning with many acts of cre-
ation. Aer the creation of the world and its sentient beings, the poetess sings of
the gradual accretion of chaos until the destruction of the gods at Ragnarok. All of
these episodes are amed within the vision of a sybil, visited by Odin, who appears

to be granting her these poetic visions.¹² The performed poem was a mask, told in

the voice of the powerful woman who simultaneously addresses the audience and the
gods, particularly Odin. Each episode gives just enough information to inform the
listener the story to which it refers, sometimes in a single quatrain.¹³ If the story

is not attested anywhere else in the Old Icelandic corpus, the reference can be in-

furiatingly obscure to the modern reader.¹⁴ The poem's composition also indicate

a single voice; the meter is fluid throughout, and is much more consistent than in

other Eddic poems. Because a poet worked within an oral tradition does not mean
she does not have an individual voice or that she is without skill.

Vǫluspá is one of the most misread and misunderstood works of Old Icelandic lit-

erature. The poem has been Wagnerized and Tolkienized, giving the poem peculiar
associations foreign to the intentions original poet. Giants, dwarves, and elves are
varieties of nature spirits unrelated to the Victorian fairy tale image familiar to most
readers. The Christian missions obscured their original qualities by making them
demons and monsters. They may have been similar to the animistic spirits of Ti-
¹²Vǫluspá, stanza 28-⒐
¹³Vǫluspá, stanza 35, for example.
¹⁴See stanza 3⒎

59
betan Buddhism and Siberian shamanism. Vǫluspá is a culturally distant and foreign
artifact. Despite the reconstructive efforts of many scholars, most of the images and
allusions communicated by the poem are lost.
Due to the nature of oral-derived poetry, Vǫluspá is an artifact which defies any
sort of definitive dating. An oral, or oral-derived poem, exists in a continual state of
flux, existing alongside innumerable variants. Its composition was likely the result

of many years of gradual evolution, making the question of a date of composition

useless. It is certain that the poem must have existed in some state many years before
the production of the two extant manuscripts. Based on its script, it appears that
the Codex regius must have been written down sometime in the thirteenth century,

over two hundred years aer the official conversion to Christianity. The Hauksbók

is much easier to date confidently since we know who owned the book. Haukr Er-

lindsson was Lawspeaker of Iceland om 1294 until 1301, aer which he became the

chief lawyer for the Gulaþing assembly in Norway. According to Norwegian records,
he held this position until 132⒉ Hauksbók is a motley assemblage of leaves of vary-

ing quality, some probably taken om earlier volumes. Because of the continental

influence apparent in the orthography and language of some of the texts, it has been
postulated that these sections of the book may have been copied or purchased during
the time Haukr worked in Norway.¹⁵ Hauksbók is a younger text than Codex Regius,
having been compiled and written aer 1300.
The Hauksbók text is surprisingly consistent with Codex Regius. In fact, when
the verse is lined up alongside each other, as is done in the first section of this
¹⁵Helgason, 2⒊

60
edition, one finds very few variations. One does not need to refer to oral tradition
to explain the variations, they can easily be explained by known patterns of scribal
errors. Although Vǫluspá came out of an oral tradition, the two variants clearly have
a purely textual relationship. The most prominent difference between the Hauksbók
and Codex Regius Vǫluspá is the striking difference in the stanza's order. The order
in all modern editions are based on the ordering found in Codex Regius which is

reflected by the conventional number system of the stanzas. Since the Codex Regius

version is older and more complete, modern editors have considered it to be the most
pure. For this reason most editions are based on the ordering found in Codex Regius.
The stanza order of Vǫluspá which occurs in Hauksbók reveals the particulate

nature of the poem's episodes. Many episodes do not occur in the other manuscript,

such as the episode of the sybil's visitation of Odin, her vision of the Valkyries' flight,

and Baldr's death. The mysterious account of Gullveig's arrival in Asgard, which

is oen taken to refer to an event which has something to do with the first war
between two groups of gods is displaced, as is a reference to a giant crone who takes

care of a tribe of monstrous wolves, which is moved om near the end of the poem

to the beginning. Some episodes simply refer to another introduction of chaos into
the universe. Since the sense of increasing chaos which represents the world view of
this poem is accumulative, these episodes are easily movable. All of the episodes do
not follow a specific chronology, but represent an accretion of entropy culminating in
Ragnarok. In an aural, oral-derived tradition, each episode of the Vǫluspá would refer
to a separate story well known to the listener, which would not have had a specific
chronological relationship to other stories.

61
 The first section of this edition contains the Codex Regius Vǫluspá on the le
column with comparative verses of the Hauksbók version on the right. Here the
manuscript order of Codex Regius is faithfully preserved whereas the verse of the
Hauksbók text has been disassembled to match the earlier text. The second sec-
tion contains a faithful rendering of the Codex Regius text without the influence
of Hauksbók along with the translation in English. The third section contains a

faithful rendering of the original order of the Hauksbók Vǫluspá in its original order,

along with a translation. All of the differences om Codex Regius are noted, and my
translation attempts to capture them. Although influenced by all the translation I
have already read, the translations are my own. For this reason they are rather artless,

hardly counting as poetry in their own right.

62
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Auden, W. H., and Paul Beekman Taylor. 198⒈ Norse poems. London: Athlone
Press.

Bellows, Henry Adams. 192⒊ The poetic Edda. Scandinavian classics, 21/2⒉ New
York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation.

Detter, Ferdinand, and Richard Heinzel. 190⒊ S¾mundar Edda, mit einem an-
hang. Leipzig: G. Wigand.

Genzmer, Felix, Andreas Heusler, and Hans Kuhn. 196⒊ Edda. Thule, altnordische
Dichtung und Prosa, Bd. 1-⒉ Darmstadt: Wissenschaliche Buchgesellscha.

Helgason Jón. 1960. Hauksb k; the Arna-Magn¾an manuscripts, 371, 4to, 544,
4to, and 675, 4to. Manuscripta Islandica, v. ⒌ Copenhagen: Munksgaard.

Jónsson,Eiríkur and Finnur Jónsson. 189⒉ Hauksbók. Kobenhavn: Thieles bogtr.

Jónsson, Finnur. 193⒉ De gamle Eddadigte. Kobenhavn: G.E.C. Gad.

Jónsson, Guðni, ed. 195⒐ Eddukvaedi; Saemundar-edda.

Knuth, Donald Ervin. 197⒊ The art of computer programming. Addison-Wesley
series in computer science and information processing. Reading, Mass: Addison-
Wesley Pub. Co.

Knuth, Donald Ervin. 199⒐ Digital typography. CSLI lecture notes, no. 7⒏ Stan-
ford, Calif: CSLI Publications.

Knuth, Donald Ervin. 198⒍ The TeXbook. Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley.

McTurk, Rory. 200⒌ A companion to Old Norse-Icelandic literature and culture.

Blackwell companions to literature and culture, 3⒈ Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub.

Mittelbach, Frank, Michel Goossens, Johannes Braams, and Chris Rowley. 200⒋
The LaTeX companion. Addison-Wesley series on tools and techniques for computer
typesetting. Boston: Addison-Wesley.

63