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Bersi Skáldtorfuson

Bersi in chains after being captured by King Óláfr Haraldsson

Bersi Skáldtorfuson[1] was an Icelandic skald, active around the year 1000 CE. He was a court poet to Earl Sveinn Hákonarson. During the Battle of Nesjar he was captured by King Óláfr Haraldsson's forces. Three of the four stanzas of his that have survived were ostensibly composed while in captivity.

One lausavísa is attributed to Bersi in the surviving fragments of Óláfs saga helga by Styrmir Kárason. However, the same stanza is attributed to Sigvatr Þórðarson in Heimskringla and to Óttarr svarti in other sagas on St. Óláfr.[2] Styrmir's saga gives some information on Bersi's career in St. Óláfr's service and indicates that he died in 1030.

Bersi was at some point at the court of King Canute the Great where Sigvatr Þórðarson addressed him in verse after they had both received gifts from the king.[3] Apart from being mentioned in the kings' sagas, Bersi also has a minor role in Grettis saga, chapters 15, 23 and 24, where he asks Earl Sveinn to spare Grettir Ásmundarson's life.[4]

Bersi's mother, Skáld-Torfa, was apparently also a poet but none of her works have survived.

Poetry

Bersi Skáldtorfuson: "Flokkr um Óláf" 1-3:

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ The names can be represented or Anglicized as Bersi/Bessi/Berse/Besse Skáld-Torfuson/Skáldtorfuson/Skald-Torfuson/Skaldtorfuson/Torfuson/Torfasson/Torfason.
  2. ^ Poole 1991, p. 95.
  3. ^ Monsen 2004, p. 357.
  4. ^ Fox 2001, page 54. See [1] for an alternative translation (by William Morris and Eiríkr Magnússon) of the relevant chapter or [2] for an edition of the Old Norse text.
  5. ^ Eysteinn Björnsson translates [3] Archived 2006-07-21 at the Wayback Machine: "I will never again, under no circumstance, follow a greater leader (than this) storm-herald of fire of horse of waves."
  6. ^ Here taken from Eysteinn Björnsson's online edition of the skaldic corpus. [4] Archived 2007-03-11 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ The original has hagkennandi hróðrs, a kenning for "poet".
  8. ^ a b The original kenning is boði elda úthauðrs knarrar; "herald of the fire of the outer land of the knörr", i.e. "herald of the fire of the sea", i.e. "herald of the gold", i.e. "generous man". Hollander substitutes a kenning referring to the dragon Fáfnir who lay on a pile of gold.
  9. ^ The original has a kenning for "blades"; bjartar svaltungur rekninga, "bright cool tongues of swords".
  10. ^ The original has a kenning for "ship"; Áta öndurr, "ski of Áti (a sea-king)".
  11. ^ Monsen 2004, p. 253.
  12. ^ A kenning for "warrior". The kenning in the original is snarrœkir gunnar; "swift tender of gunnr (battle)". See [5] Archived 2006-12-15 at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ^ Hollander 1991, p. 285.

Bibliography