THE POESY OF SKALDS
205
LIV. "How are the gods named? They are called Fetters, as Eyjólfr the Valiant Skald sang:
- Eiríkr draws the lands beneath him
- At the pleasure of the Fetters,
- And fashions the Spear-Battle.
And Bonds, as Thjódólfr of Hvin sang:
- The skilful God-Deceiver
- To the Bonds proved a stern sharer
- Of bones: the Helmet-Hooded
- Saw somewhat hindered seething.[1]
Powers, as Einarr Tinkling-Scale sang:
- I say, the Mighty Powers
- Magnify Hákon's empire.
Jólnar,[2] as Eyvindr sang:
- We have fashioned
- The Feast of Jólnar,
- The Prince's praise-song,
- Strong as a stone bridge.
Deities,[3] as Kormákr sang:
- ↑ See page 130.
- ↑ This word, in the singular, is one of the names of Odin. I can find no etymology for it.
- ↑ A rare and doubtful word. According to Cl.-Vig., the word occurs only twice: Yngl. S., ch. ii, and here. Cl.-Vig. holds that the word probably meant priests: "The díar of the Yngl. S. were probably analogous to the Icel. godi, from god (deus)" (p. 100).
