Введение
Эгиль Скаллагримссон (Egil Skallagrímsson; современный исландский:; 904–995) был поэтом-воином, колдуном, берсеркером и фермером эпохи викингов. Он известен главным образом как антигерой «Саги об Эгиле». «Сага об Эгиле» исторически повествует о периоде приблизительно с 850 по 1000 год н.э. и, как считается, была написана между 1220 и 1240 годами н.э. Он был сыном Грима Скалла и Беры Ингварсдоттир; он был внуком Квельда Ульфра (чьё имя означает «вечерний волк»). Ещё один его предок, Хольбьёрн, был норвежским саамом. Скалла Гримр был уважаемым вождем и заклятым врагом короля Норвегии Харальда Прекрасноволосого. Он переселился в Исландию, поселившись в Борге, где ладья его отца Квельда Ульфра причалила после того, как её ритуально отпустили в море, когда лодка Скалла Гримра приближалась к Исландии. У Скалла Гримра и его жены Беры было две дочери, Сэунн и Торунн, и два сына, Торольф и Эгиль. Эгиль сочинил своё первое стихотворение в трёхлетнем возрасте. Он проявлял берсеркское поведение, и это, вместе с описанием его большой и непривлекательной головы, привело к теории о том, что он мог страдать от болезнью Педжета, которая вызывает утолщение костей и может в конечном итоге привести к слепоте. В семь лет его обманули в игре с местными мальчиками. Придя в ярость, он пошёл домой, взял топор и, вернувшись к мальчикам, расколол череп обманщика до зубов. После того как Берг Онундр отказался разрешить Эгилю претендовать на долю своей жены Асгерд в наследстве отца, он вызвал Онундра на поединок на острове (хольмганг). Берг Онундр отказался от вызова, но позже был убит вместе со своим братом Хаддом Эгилем. Позже Эгиль убил последнего из братьев, Атли Короткого, перекусив ему шею во время хольмганга. Позже, после того как его жестоко оскорбили, Эгиль убил Бардра из Атлея, дружинника короля Эрика Кровавого топора и родственника королевы Гуннхильдр, оба из которых провели остаток своей жизни, пытаясь отомстить. Гуннхильдр приказала своим братьям, Эйвинду Браггарту и Альфу Аксманну, убить Эгиля и его брата Торольфа, который ранее был с ней в хороших отношениях. Однако Эгиль убил братьев королевы, когда они попытались противостоять ему. Весной Торольф и Эгиль подготовили большой военный корабль и совершили набег по восточному пути (Аустрвегр), где они добыли много богатства и участвовали во многих сражениях. В Курляндии они заключили мир на полмесяца и торговали с местными жителями (гл. 46). В то же лето умер Харальд Прекрасноволосый. Чтобы обеспечить себе место единственного короля Норвегии, Эрик Кровавый топор убил двух своих братьев. Затем он объявил Эгиля вне закона в Норвегии. Берг Онундр собрал отряд людей, чтобы захватить Эгиля, но был убит в попытке. Перед бегством из Норвегии Эгиль также убил Рёгнвальда, сына короля Эрика и королевы Гуннхильдр. Затем он проклял короля и королеву, установив лошадиную голову на столб нид и сказав: «Здесь я воздвигаю столб нид и объявляю это нид против короля Эрика и королевы Гуннхильдр», — он повернул голову лошади лицом к материку, — «Я объявляю это нид земным духам и самой земле, чтобы всё шло наперекосяк, не держа и не находя своих мест, пока они не изгонят короля Эрика и Гуннхильдр из земли». Он установил столб нид на скале и оставил его стоять; он направил глаза лошади на землю и вырезал руны на столбе, произнеся все формальные слова проклятия (гл. 57). Гуннхильдр также наложила заклинание на Эгиля, прокляв его чувствовать себя беспокойным и подавленным, пока они не встретятся снова. Вскоре после этого Эрик и Гуннхильдр были вынуждены бежать в королевство Нортумбрия князем Хаконом. В саксонской Англии они стали королём и королевой Нортумбрии, соперничая с королём Англии Этельстаном. Со временем Эгиля выбросило на берег в Нортумбрии, и он узнал, кто правит землёй. Эгиль отправился в дом своего хорошего друга Аринбьёрна, где они вооружились и отправились ко двору Эрика. Аринбьёрн сказал Эгилю: «Теперь ты должен пойти и предложить королю свою голову и обнять его ногу. Я представлю твое дело ему». Аринбьёрн представил дело Эгиля, и Эгиль сочинил короткую драпу, произнеся её с ногой Эрика в руке, но Эрика это не впечатлило. Он объяснил, что проступки Эгиля были слишком велики, чтобы их так легко простить. Гуннхильдр потребовала немедленной казни Эгиля, но Аринбьёрн убедил короля не убивать его до утра. Аринбьёрн сказал Эгилю, что он должен бодрствовать всю ночь и сочинить могущественную поэму-выкуп или драпу, достойную такого короля, поэму в честь своего врага. Утром Эгиль предстал перед королём Эриком и прочёл великую драпу. Эта двадцатистрочная поэма-выкуп содержится в главе 63 «Саги об Эгиле». Эрик был так удивлён качеством поэмы, что решил сохранить Эгилю жизнь, хотя Эгиль убил сына Эрика. Сложность этих поэм, с их сложными поэтическими размерами и метафорами (включая кеннинги), а также тот факт, что они часто были посвящены королям, чья историчность надёжно подтверждена, даёт основания предполагать, что они могли быть созданы исторически реальным Эгилем Скаллагримссоном, передаваясь в более или менее неизменном виде через устную традицию со времени их создания до написания «Саги об Эгиле». «Сага об Эгиле» и некоторые другие исландские саги, кажется, опираются на скелетную структуру такой сложной поэзии, основу исторической правды. Эгиль также сражался в битве при Брунанбуре на службе у короля Этельстана; его брат Торольф погиб там, за что Эгиль получил от Этельстана в качестве компенсации два сундука серебра. В конечном итоге Эгиль вернулся в своё семейное хозяйство в Исландии, где оставался влиятельной фигурой в местной политике. Он дожил до восьмидесятых лет, ослеп и умер незадолго до христианизации Исландии. Перед смертью Эгиль закопал своё серебро недалеко от Мосфелльсбэра. В своём последнем акте насилия он убил слуг, которые помогали ему зарыть сокровище. Когда на семейном поместье построили христианскую часовню, тело Эгиля было извлечено его сыном и перезахоронено возле алтаря. Согласно саге, извлечённая кость черепа была ударена топором, и она стала белой, демонстрируя силу воина, но, согласно одной современной интерпретации, указывая на признаки болезни Педжета. Его «Соноторрек», погребальная песнь по своим сыновьям, был назван «рождением нордической личной лирической поэзии». Его стихи также были первыми стихами на древнескандинавском языке, в которых использовалась рифма в конце строки. Следующие произведения приписываются Эгилю:
Egil Skallagrímsson ( ; Modern Icelandic: ; 904 995) was a Viking Age war poet, sorcerer, berserker, and farmer. He is known mainly as the anti hero of Egil's Saga. Egil's Saga historically narrates a period from approximately 850 to 1000 AD and is believed to have been written between 1220 and 1240 AD. and Bera Yngvarsdóttir; he was the grandson of Kveld Úlfr (whose name means 'evening wolf'). Another of his ancestors, Hallbjörn, was Norwegian Sami. Skalla Grímr was a respected chieftain, and mortal enemy of King Harald Fairhair of Norway. He migrated to Iceland, settling at Borg where his father Kveld Úlfr's coffin landed after being ritualistically set adrift as Skalla Grímr's boat approached Iceland. Skalla Grímr and wife Bera had two daughters, Sæunn and Þórunn, and two sons, Þorolfr and Egil. Egil composed his first poem at three years old. He exhibited berserk behaviour, and this, together with the description of his large and unattractive head, has led to the theory that he might have suffered from Paget's disease, which causes a thickening of the bones and may lead eventually to blindness. At the age of seven, Egil was cheated in a game with local boys. Enraged, he went home, procured an axe, and, returning to the boys, split the skull to the teeth of the boy who had cheated him. After Berg Önundr refused to allow Egil to claim his wife Ásgerðr's share of her father's inheritance, he challenged Önundr to a man to man fight on an island (a hólmganga). Berg Önundr refused the challenge but was later killed along with his brother Hadd by Egil. Egil later killed the last of the brothers, Atli the Short, by biting through Atli's neck during a holmgangr. Later, after being grievously insulted, Egil killed Bárðr of Atley, a retainer of King Eiríkr Bloodaxe and kinsman of Queen Gunnhildr, both of whom spent the remainder of their lives trying to take vengeance. Gunnhildr ordered her two brothers, Eyvindr Braggart and Álfr Aksmann, to assassinate Egil and his brother Þórólfr, who had been on good terms with her previously. However, Egil killed the Queen's brothers when they attempted to confront him. In spring Þórólfr and Egil prepared a large warship and raid along the Eastern route (Austrvegr), where they won much wealth and had many battles. In Courland they made a peace for half a month and traded with the men of the land (ch. 46). That same summer, Haraldr Fairhair died. In order to secure his place as sole King of Norway, Eiríkr Bloodaxe murdered his two brothers. He then declared Egil an outlaw in Norway. Berg Önundr gathered a company of men to capture Egil, but was killed in the attempt. Before escaping from Norway, Egil also killed Rögnvaldr, the son of King Eiríkr and Queen Gunnhildr. He then cursed the King and Queen, setting a horse's head on a Nithing pole and saying
"Here I set up a níð pole, and declare this níð against King Eiríkr and Queen Gunnhildr,"—he turned the horse head to face the mainland—"I declare this níð at the land spirits there, and the land itself, so that all will fare astray, not to hold nor find their places, not until they wreak King Eiríkr and Gunnhildr from the land." He set up the pole of níð in the cliff face and left it standing; he faced the horse's eyes on the land, and he carved runes upon the pole, and said all the formal words of the curse. (ch. 57). Gunnhildr also put a spell on Egil, cursing him to feel restless and depressed until they met again. Soon afterwards, Eiríkr and Gunnhildr were forced to flee to the Kingdom of Northumbria by Prince Hákon. In Saxon England, they became King and Queen of Northumbria in rivalry with King Athelstan of England. In time, Egil was shipwrecked in Northumbria and learned who ruled the land. Egil sought out the house of his good friend Arinbjörn, where they armed themselves and marched to Eiríkr's court. Arinbjörn told Egil "now you must go and offer the king your head and embrace his foot. I will present your case to him." Arinbjörn presented Egil's case and Egil composes a short drápa, reciting it with Eiríkr's foot in his hand, but Eiríkr was not impressed. He explained that Egil's wrongs to him were far too great to be forgiven so easily. Gunnhildr called for the immediate execution of Egil, but Arinbjörn convinced the king not to kill him until the morning. Arinbjörn told Egil that he should stay up all night and compose a mighty head ransom poem or drápa fit for such a king, a poem in praise of his enemy. In the morning Egil went back before king Eiríkr and recited the great drápa. This twenty stanza long head ransom poem appears in Chapter 63 of Egils saga. Eiríkr was so surprised by the quality of the poem that he decided to give Egil his life, even though Egil has killed Eiríkr's own son. The complex nature of these poems, with complex poetic metres and metaphors (including kennings), as well as the fact that they were often about kings reliably attested in the historical record, provides some basis for supposing that they might have been composed by a historically real Egil Skallagrímsson, descending more or less unchanged through oral tradition from the time of their composition to the writing of Egils saga. Egils saga and some other Icelandic sagas appear to hang on a skeletal framework of such complex poetry, a spine of historical truth. Egil also fought at the Battle of Brunanburh in the service of King Æthelstan; his brother Þórólfr died there, for which Egil received two chests of silver from Æthelstan in compensation. Ultimately, Egil returned to his family farm in Iceland, where he remained a force to be reckoned with in local politics. He lived into his eighties, grew blind, and died shortly before the Christianisation of Iceland. Before Egil died he buried his silver near Mosfellsbær. In his last act of violence he killed the servants who helped him bury his treasure. When a Christian chapel was constructed at the family homestead, Egil's body was exhumed by his son and re buried near the altar. According to the saga, the exhumed skull bone was hit with an axe, and it turned white, showing the strength of the warrior, but also, according to one modern interpretation, suggesting the traits of Paget's disease. and Sonatorrek, the dirge over his own sons, has been called "the birth of Nordic personal lyric poetry". His poems were also the first Old Norse verses to use end rhyme. The following works are attributed to Egil:
Aðalsteinsdrápa. Drápa for the Anglo Saxon King Æthelstan. Höfuðlausn ("The Head Ransom", sometimes referred to as "Head Ransom"), with which Egil bought his life from Eiríkr Bloodaxe, who had sentenced him to death in England. Sonatorrek ("The Loss of a Son"). After the death of his son Böðvar who drowned during a storm. Arinbjarnarkviða. Dedicated to his companion Arinbjörn
Skjaldardrápa. Berudrápa. Lausavísur. Fragments
The following is one of Egil's Lausavísur (no. 3), found in chapter 40 of Egils Saga:
Edition
Þat mælti mín móðir,
at mér skyldi kaupa
fley ok fagrar árar,
fara á brott með víkingum,
standa upp í stafni,
stýra dýrum knerri,
halda svá til hafnar
höggva mann ok annan. Translation by Herman Pálsson and Paul Edwards
"My mother wants a price paid
To purchase my proud oared ship
Standing high in the stern
I'll scour for plunder. The stout Viking steersman
Of this shining vessel:
Then home to harbour
After hewing down a man or two. "More literal translation (Wikipedia)
"Thus spake my mother
That for me they would buy
A barque and fair oars
To go away with vikings. Stand up in the stern,
Steer an expensive vessel,
Hold course for a haven,
Hew down a man and another. "Translation used in Vikings (2013 TV series)
"My Mother told me
Some day I will buy
A galley with good oars
And sail to distant shores. Stand up on the prow,
Noble barque I steer,
A steady course to the haven,
Hew many foemen."
Адальстейнсдрапа. Драпа для англосаксонского короля Этельстана. Хёфудлаусн («Выкуп за голову», иногда называемый «Выкупом за голову»), с помощью которого Эгиль выкупил свою жизнь у Эрика Кровавого топора, который приговорил его к смерти в Англии. Соноторрек («Потеря сына»). После смерти его сына Бёдвара, утонувшего во время шторма. Аринбьярнаквида. Посвящена его товарищу Аринбьёрну.
Скьяльдардрапа. Берудрапа. Лаусависур. Фрагменты.
Egil Skallagrímsson ( ; Modern Icelandic: ; 904 995) was a Viking Age war poet, sorcerer, berserker, and farmer. He is known mainly as the anti hero of Egil's Saga. Egil's Saga historically narrates a period from approximately 850 to 1000 AD and is believed to have been written between 1220 and 1240 AD. and Bera Yngvarsdóttir; he was the grandson of Kveld Úlfr (whose name means 'evening wolf'). Another of his ancestors, Hallbjörn, was Norwegian Sami. Skalla Grímr was a respected chieftain, and mortal enemy of King Harald Fairhair of Norway. He migrated to Iceland, settling at Borg where his father Kveld Úlfr's coffin landed after being ritualistically set adrift as Skalla Grímr's boat approached Iceland. Skalla Grímr and wife Bera had two daughters, Sæunn and Þórunn, and two sons, Þorolfr and Egil. Egil composed his first poem at three years old. He exhibited berserk behaviour, and this, together with the description of his large and unattractive head, has led to the theory that he might have suffered from Paget's disease, which causes a thickening of the bones and may lead eventually to blindness. At the age of seven, Egil was cheated in a game with local boys. Enraged, he went home, procured an axe, and, returning to the boys, split the skull to the teeth of the boy who had cheated him. After Berg Önundr refused to allow Egil to claim his wife Ásgerðr's share of her father's inheritance, he challenged Önundr to a man to man fight on an island (a hólmganga). Berg Önundr refused the challenge but was later killed along with his brother Hadd by Egil. Egil later killed the last of the brothers, Atli the Short, by biting through Atli's neck during a holmgangr. Later, after being grievously insulted, Egil killed Bárðr of Atley, a retainer of King Eiríkr Bloodaxe and kinsman of Queen Gunnhildr, both of whom spent the remainder of their lives trying to take vengeance. Gunnhildr ordered her two brothers, Eyvindr Braggart and Álfr Aksmann, to assassinate Egil and his brother Þórólfr, who had been on good terms with her previously. However, Egil killed the Queen's brothers when they attempted to confront him. In spring Þórólfr and Egil prepared a large warship and raid along the Eastern route (Austrvegr), where they won much wealth and had many battles. In Courland they made a peace for half a month and traded with the men of the land (ch. 46). That same summer, Haraldr Fairhair died. In order to secure his place as sole King of Norway, Eiríkr Bloodaxe murdered his two brothers. He then declared Egil an outlaw in Norway. Berg Önundr gathered a company of men to capture Egil, but was killed in the attempt. Before escaping from Norway, Egil also killed Rögnvaldr, the son of King Eiríkr and Queen Gunnhildr. He then cursed the King and Queen, setting a horse's head on a Nithing pole and saying
"Here I set up a níð pole, and declare this níð against King Eiríkr and Queen Gunnhildr,"—he turned the horse head to face the mainland—"I declare this níð at the land spirits there, and the land itself, so that all will fare astray, not to hold nor find their places, not until they wreak King Eiríkr and Gunnhildr from the land." He set up the pole of níð in the cliff face and left it standing; he faced the horse's eyes on the land, and he carved runes upon the pole, and said all the formal words of the curse. (ch. 57). Gunnhildr also put a spell on Egil, cursing him to feel restless and depressed until they met again. Soon afterwards, Eiríkr and Gunnhildr were forced to flee to the Kingdom of Northumbria by Prince Hákon. In Saxon England, they became King and Queen of Northumbria in rivalry with King Athelstan of England. In time, Egil was shipwrecked in Northumbria and learned who ruled the land. Egil sought out the house of his good friend Arinbjörn, where they armed themselves and marched to Eiríkr's court. Arinbjörn told Egil "now you must go and offer the king your head and embrace his foot. I will present your case to him." Arinbjörn presented Egil's case and Egil composes a short drápa, reciting it with Eiríkr's foot in his hand, but Eiríkr was not impressed. He explained that Egil's wrongs to him were far too great to be forgiven so easily. Gunnhildr called for the immediate execution of Egil, but Arinbjörn convinced the king not to kill him until the morning. Arinbjörn told Egil that he should stay up all night and compose a mighty head ransom poem or drápa fit for such a king, a poem in praise of his enemy. In the morning Egil went back before king Eiríkr and recited the great drápa. This twenty stanza long head ransom poem appears in Chapter 63 of Egils saga. Eiríkr was so surprised by the quality of the poem that he decided to give Egil his life, even though Egil has killed Eiríkr's own son. The complex nature of these poems, with complex poetic metres and metaphors (including kennings), as well as the fact that they were often about kings reliably attested in the historical record, provides some basis for supposing that they might have been composed by a historically real Egil Skallagrímsson, descending more or less unchanged through oral tradition from the time of their composition to the writing of Egils saga. Egils saga and some other Icelandic sagas appear to hang on a skeletal framework of such complex poetry, a spine of historical truth. Egil also fought at the Battle of Brunanburh in the service of King Æthelstan; his brother Þórólfr died there, for which Egil received two chests of silver from Æthelstan in compensation. Ultimately, Egil returned to his family farm in Iceland, where he remained a force to be reckoned with in local politics. He lived into his eighties, grew blind, and died shortly before the Christianisation of Iceland. Before Egil died he buried his silver near Mosfellsbær. In his last act of violence he killed the servants who helped him bury his treasure. When a Christian chapel was constructed at the family homestead, Egil's body was exhumed by his son and re buried near the altar. According to the saga, the exhumed skull bone was hit with an axe, and it turned white, showing the strength of the warrior, but also, according to one modern interpretation, suggesting the traits of Paget's disease. and Sonatorrek, the dirge over his own sons, has been called "the birth of Nordic personal lyric poetry". His poems were also the first Old Norse verses to use end rhyme. The following works are attributed to Egil:
Aðalsteinsdrápa. Drápa for the Anglo Saxon King Æthelstan. Höfuðlausn ("The Head Ransom", sometimes referred to as "Head Ransom"), with which Egil bought his life from Eiríkr Bloodaxe, who had sentenced him to death in England. Sonatorrek ("The Loss of a Son"). After the death of his son Böðvar who drowned during a storm. Arinbjarnarkviða. Dedicated to his companion Arinbjörn
Skjaldardrápa. Berudrápa. Lausavísur. Fragments
The following is one of Egil's Lausavísur (no. 3), found in chapter 40 of Egils Saga:
Edition
Þat mælti mín móðir,
at mér skyldi kaupa
fley ok fagrar árar,
fara á brott með víkingum,
standa upp í stafni,
stýra dýrum knerri,
halda svá til hafnar
höggva mann ok annan. Translation by Herman Pálsson and Paul Edwards
"My mother wants a price paid
To purchase my proud oared ship
Standing high in the stern
I'll scour for plunder. The stout Viking steersman
Of this shining vessel:
Then home to harbour
After hewing down a man or two. "More literal translation (Wikipedia)
"Thus spake my mother
That for me they would buy
A barque and fair oars
To go away with vikings. Stand up in the stern,
Steer an expensive vessel,
Hold course for a haven,
Hew down a man and another. "Translation used in Vikings (2013 TV series)
"My Mother told me
Some day I will buy
A galley with good oars
And sail to distant shores. Stand up on the prow,
Noble barque I steer,
A steady course to the haven,
Hew many foemen."
Следующее является одним из лаусависуров Эгиля (№ 3), найденным в главе 40 «Саги об Эгиле»:
Egil Skallagrímsson ( ; Modern Icelandic: ; 904 995) was a Viking Age war poet, sorcerer, berserker, and farmer. He is known mainly as the anti hero of Egil's Saga. Egil's Saga historically narrates a period from approximately 850 to 1000 AD and is believed to have been written between 1220 and 1240 AD. and Bera Yngvarsdóttir; he was the grandson of Kveld Úlfr (whose name means 'evening wolf'). Another of his ancestors, Hallbjörn, was Norwegian Sami. Skalla Grímr was a respected chieftain, and mortal enemy of King Harald Fairhair of Norway. He migrated to Iceland, settling at Borg where his father Kveld Úlfr's coffin landed after being ritualistically set adrift as Skalla Grímr's boat approached Iceland. Skalla Grímr and wife Bera had two daughters, Sæunn and Þórunn, and two sons, Þorolfr and Egil. Egil composed his first poem at three years old. He exhibited berserk behaviour, and this, together with the description of his large and unattractive head, has led to the theory that he might have suffered from Paget's disease, which causes a thickening of the bones and may lead eventually to blindness. At the age of seven, Egil was cheated in a game with local boys. Enraged, he went home, procured an axe, and, returning to the boys, split the skull to the teeth of the boy who had cheated him. After Berg Önundr refused to allow Egil to claim his wife Ásgerðr's share of her father's inheritance, he challenged Önundr to a man to man fight on an island (a hólmganga). Berg Önundr refused the challenge but was later killed along with his brother Hadd by Egil. Egil later killed the last of the brothers, Atli the Short, by biting through Atli's neck during a holmgangr. Later, after being grievously insulted, Egil killed Bárðr of Atley, a retainer of King Eiríkr Bloodaxe and kinsman of Queen Gunnhildr, both of whom spent the remainder of their lives trying to take vengeance. Gunnhildr ordered her two brothers, Eyvindr Braggart and Álfr Aksmann, to assassinate Egil and his brother Þórólfr, who had been on good terms with her previously. However, Egil killed the Queen's brothers when they attempted to confront him. In spring Þórólfr and Egil prepared a large warship and raid along the Eastern route (Austrvegr), where they won much wealth and had many battles. In Courland they made a peace for half a month and traded with the men of the land (ch. 46). That same summer, Haraldr Fairhair died. In order to secure his place as sole King of Norway, Eiríkr Bloodaxe murdered his two brothers. He then declared Egil an outlaw in Norway. Berg Önundr gathered a company of men to capture Egil, but was killed in the attempt. Before escaping from Norway, Egil also killed Rögnvaldr, the son of King Eiríkr and Queen Gunnhildr. He then cursed the King and Queen, setting a horse's head on a Nithing pole and saying
"Here I set up a níð pole, and declare this níð against King Eiríkr and Queen Gunnhildr,"—he turned the horse head to face the mainland—"I declare this níð at the land spirits there, and the land itself, so that all will fare astray, not to hold nor find their places, not until they wreak King Eiríkr and Gunnhildr from the land." He set up the pole of níð in the cliff face and left it standing; he faced the horse's eyes on the land, and he carved runes upon the pole, and said all the formal words of the curse. (ch. 57). Gunnhildr also put a spell on Egil, cursing him to feel restless and depressed until they met again. Soon afterwards, Eiríkr and Gunnhildr were forced to flee to the Kingdom of Northumbria by Prince Hákon. In Saxon England, they became King and Queen of Northumbria in rivalry with King Athelstan of England. In time, Egil was shipwrecked in Northumbria and learned who ruled the land. Egil sought out the house of his good friend Arinbjörn, where they armed themselves and marched to Eiríkr's court. Arinbjörn told Egil "now you must go and offer the king your head and embrace his foot. I will present your case to him." Arinbjörn presented Egil's case and Egil composes a short drápa, reciting it with Eiríkr's foot in his hand, but Eiríkr was not impressed. He explained that Egil's wrongs to him were far too great to be forgiven so easily. Gunnhildr called for the immediate execution of Egil, but Arinbjörn convinced the king not to kill him until the morning. Arinbjörn told Egil that he should stay up all night and compose a mighty head ransom poem or drápa fit for such a king, a poem in praise of his enemy. In the morning Egil went back before king Eiríkr and recited the great drápa. This twenty stanza long head ransom poem appears in Chapter 63 of Egils saga. Eiríkr was so surprised by the quality of the poem that he decided to give Egil his life, even though Egil has killed Eiríkr's own son. The complex nature of these poems, with complex poetic metres and metaphors (including kennings), as well as the fact that they were often about kings reliably attested in the historical record, provides some basis for supposing that they might have been composed by a historically real Egil Skallagrímsson, descending more or less unchanged through oral tradition from the time of their composition to the writing of Egils saga. Egils saga and some other Icelandic sagas appear to hang on a skeletal framework of such complex poetry, a spine of historical truth. Egil also fought at the Battle of Brunanburh in the service of King Æthelstan; his brother Þórólfr died there, for which Egil received two chests of silver from Æthelstan in compensation. Ultimately, Egil returned to his family farm in Iceland, where he remained a force to be reckoned with in local politics. He lived into his eighties, grew blind, and died shortly before the Christianisation of Iceland. Before Egil died he buried his silver near Mosfellsbær. In his last act of violence he killed the servants who helped him bury his treasure. When a Christian chapel was constructed at the family homestead, Egil's body was exhumed by his son and re buried near the altar. According to the saga, the exhumed skull bone was hit with an axe, and it turned white, showing the strength of the warrior, but also, according to one modern interpretation, suggesting the traits of Paget's disease. and Sonatorrek, the dirge over his own sons, has been called "the birth of Nordic personal lyric poetry". His poems were also the first Old Norse verses to use end rhyme. The following works are attributed to Egil:
Aðalsteinsdrápa. Drápa for the Anglo Saxon King Æthelstan. Höfuðlausn ("The Head Ransom", sometimes referred to as "Head Ransom"), with which Egil bought his life from Eiríkr Bloodaxe, who had sentenced him to death in England. Sonatorrek ("The Loss of a Son"). After the death of his son Böðvar who drowned during a storm. Arinbjarnarkviða. Dedicated to his companion Arinbjörn
Skjaldardrápa. Berudrápa. Lausavísur. Fragments
The following is one of Egil's Lausavísur (no. 3), found in chapter 40 of Egils Saga:
Edition
Þat mælti mín móðir,
at mér skyldi kaupa
fley ok fagrar árar,
fara á brott með víkingum,
standa upp í stafni,
stýra dýrum knerri,
halda svá til hafnar
höggva mann ok annan. Translation by Herman Pálsson and Paul Edwards
"My mother wants a price paid
To purchase my proud oared ship
Standing high in the stern
I'll scour for plunder. The stout Viking steersman
Of this shining vessel:
Then home to harbour
After hewing down a man or two. "More literal translation (Wikipedia)
"Thus spake my mother
That for me they would buy
A barque and fair oars
To go away with vikings. Stand up in the stern,
Steer an expensive vessel,
Hold course for a haven,
Hew down a man and another. "Translation used in Vikings (2013 TV series)
"My Mother told me
Some day I will buy
A galley with good oars
And sail to distant shores. Stand up on the prow,
Noble barque I steer,
A steady course to the haven,
Hew many foemen."
Издание
Þat mælti mín móðir,
at mér skyldi kaupa
fley ok fagrar árar,
fara á brott með víkingum,
standa upp í stafni,
stýra dýrum knerri,
halda svá til hafnar
höggva mann ok annan. Перевод Германа Палссона и Пола Эдвардса
«Моя мать хочет, чтобы заплатили цену
За покупку моего гордого ладьи с веслами
Стоя высоко в корме,
Я буду искать добычу. Крепкий викинг-рулевой
Этого блестящего судна:
Затем домой в гавань
После того, как срубит одного или двух человек». Более буквальный перевод (Википедия)
«Так сказала моя мать
Что для меня купят
Лодку и красивые весла
Чтобы уйти с викингами. Встань в корму,
Управляй дорогим судном,
Держи курс к гавани,
Сруби одного и другого человека». Перевод, использованный в сериале «Викинги» (2013)
«Мать сказала мне
Однажды я куплю
Галеру с хорошими веслами
И отправлюсь в дальние края. Встань на нос,
Благородную барку я веду,
Устойчивый курс к гавани...
Egil Skallagrímsson ( ; Modern Icelandic: ; 904 995) was a Viking Age war poet, sorcerer, berserker, and farmer. He is known mainly as the anti hero of Egil's Saga. Egil's Saga historically narrates a period from approximately 850 to 1000 AD and is believed to have been written between 1220 and 1240 AD. and Bera Yngvarsdóttir; he was the grandson of Kveld Úlfr (whose name means 'evening wolf'). Another of his ancestors, Hallbjörn, was Norwegian Sami. Skalla Grímr was a respected chieftain, and mortal enemy of King Harald Fairhair of Norway. He migrated to Iceland, settling at Borg where his father Kveld Úlfr's coffin landed after being ritualistically set adrift as Skalla Grímr's boat approached Iceland. Skalla Grímr and wife Bera had two daughters, Sæunn and Þórunn, and two sons, Þorolfr and Egil. Egil composed his first poem at three years old. He exhibited berserk behaviour, and this, together with the description of his large and unattractive head, has led to the theory that he might have suffered from Paget's disease, which causes a thickening of the bones and may lead eventually to blindness. At the age of seven, Egil was cheated in a game with local boys. Enraged, he went home, procured an axe, and, returning to the boys, split the skull to the teeth of the boy who had cheated him. After Berg Önundr refused to allow Egil to claim his wife Ásgerðr's share of her father's inheritance, he challenged Önundr to a man to man fight on an island (a hólmganga). Berg Önundr refused the challenge but was later killed along with his brother Hadd by Egil. Egil later killed the last of the brothers, Atli the Short, by biting through Atli's neck during a holmgangr. Later, after being grievously insulted, Egil killed Bárðr of Atley, a retainer of King Eiríkr Bloodaxe and kinsman of Queen Gunnhildr, both of whom spent the remainder of their lives trying to take vengeance. Gunnhildr ordered her two brothers, Eyvindr Braggart and Álfr Aksmann, to assassinate Egil and his brother Þórólfr, who had been on good terms with her previously. However, Egil killed the Queen's brothers when they attempted to confront him. In spring Þórólfr and Egil prepared a large warship and raid along the Eastern route (Austrvegr), where they won much wealth and had many battles. In Courland they made a peace for half a month and traded with the men of the land (ch. 46). That same summer, Haraldr Fairhair died. In order to secure his place as sole King of Norway, Eiríkr Bloodaxe murdered his two brothers. He then declared Egil an outlaw in Norway. Berg Önundr gathered a company of men to capture Egil, but was killed in the attempt. Before escaping from Norway, Egil also killed Rögnvaldr, the son of King Eiríkr and Queen Gunnhildr. He then cursed the King and Queen, setting a horse's head on a Nithing pole and saying
"Here I set up a níð pole, and declare this níð against King Eiríkr and Queen Gunnhildr,"—he turned the horse head to face the mainland—"I declare this níð at the land spirits there, and the land itself, so that all will fare astray, not to hold nor find their places, not until they wreak King Eiríkr and Gunnhildr from the land." He set up the pole of níð in the cliff face and left it standing; he faced the horse's eyes on the land, and he carved runes upon the pole, and said all the formal words of the curse. (ch. 57). Gunnhildr also put a spell on Egil, cursing him to feel restless and depressed until they met again. Soon afterwards, Eiríkr and Gunnhildr were forced to flee to the Kingdom of Northumbria by Prince Hákon. In Saxon England, they became King and Queen of Northumbria in rivalry with King Athelstan of England. In time, Egil was shipwrecked in Northumbria and learned who ruled the land. Egil sought out the house of his good friend Arinbjörn, where they armed themselves and marched to Eiríkr's court. Arinbjörn told Egil "now you must go and offer the king your head and embrace his foot. I will present your case to him." Arinbjörn presented Egil's case and Egil composes a short drápa, reciting it with Eiríkr's foot in his hand, but Eiríkr was not impressed. He explained that Egil's wrongs to him were far too great to be forgiven so easily. Gunnhildr called for the immediate execution of Egil, but Arinbjörn convinced the king not to kill him until the morning. Arinbjörn told Egil that he should stay up all night and compose a mighty head ransom poem or drápa fit for such a king, a poem in praise of his enemy. In the morning Egil went back before king Eiríkr and recited the great drápa. This twenty stanza long head ransom poem appears in Chapter 63 of Egils saga. Eiríkr was so surprised by the quality of the poem that he decided to give Egil his life, even though Egil has killed Eiríkr's own son. The complex nature of these poems, with complex poetic metres and metaphors (including kennings), as well as the fact that they were often about kings reliably attested in the historical record, provides some basis for supposing that they might have been composed by a historically real Egil Skallagrímsson, descending more or less unchanged through oral tradition from the time of their composition to the writing of Egils saga. Egils saga and some other Icelandic sagas appear to hang on a skeletal framework of such complex poetry, a spine of historical truth. Egil also fought at the Battle of Brunanburh in the service of King Æthelstan; his brother Þórólfr died there, for which Egil received two chests of silver from Æthelstan in compensation. Ultimately, Egil returned to his family farm in Iceland, where he remained a force to be reckoned with in local politics. He lived into his eighties, grew blind, and died shortly before the Christianisation of Iceland. Before Egil died he buried his silver near Mosfellsbær. In his last act of violence he killed the servants who helped him bury his treasure. When a Christian chapel was constructed at the family homestead, Egil's body was exhumed by his son and re buried near the altar. According to the saga, the exhumed skull bone was hit with an axe, and it turned white, showing the strength of the warrior, but also, according to one modern interpretation, suggesting the traits of Paget's disease. and Sonatorrek, the dirge over his own sons, has been called "the birth of Nordic personal lyric poetry". His poems were also the first Old Norse verses to use end rhyme. The following works are attributed to Egil:
Aðalsteinsdrápa. Drápa for the Anglo Saxon King Æthelstan. Höfuðlausn ("The Head Ransom", sometimes referred to as "Head Ransom"), with which Egil bought his life from Eiríkr Bloodaxe, who had sentenced him to death in England. Sonatorrek ("The Loss of a Son"). After the death of his son Böðvar who drowned during a storm. Arinbjarnarkviða. Dedicated to his companion Arinbjörn
Skjaldardrápa. Berudrápa. Lausavísur. Fragments
The following is one of Egil's Lausavísur (no. 3), found in chapter 40 of Egils Saga:
Edition
Þat mælti mín móðir,
at mér skyldi kaupa
fley ok fagrar árar,
fara á brott með víkingum,
standa upp í stafni,
stýra dýrum knerri,
halda svá til hafnar
höggva mann ok annan. Translation by Herman Pálsson and Paul Edwards
"My mother wants a price paid
To purchase my proud oared ship
Standing high in the stern
I'll scour for plunder. The stout Viking steersman
Of this shining vessel:
Then home to harbour
After hewing down a man or two. "More literal translation (Wikipedia)
"Thus spake my mother
That for me they would buy
A barque and fair oars
To go away with vikings. Stand up in the stern,
Steer an expensive vessel,
Hold course for a haven,
Hew down a man and another. "Translation used in Vikings (2013 TV series)
"My Mother told me
Some day I will buy
A galley with good oars
And sail to distant shores. Stand up on the prow,
Noble barque I steer,
A steady course to the haven,
Hew many foemen."
Руны
Эгиль также был знатоком рун. Его явное владение их магической силой несколько раз помогало ему во время путешествий. Во время пира на острове Атла попытка Барда отравить Эгиля провалилась, когда руны, вырезанные Эгилем, разбили его отравленную чашу. По просьбе товарища он осмотрел больную женщину. Местный землевладелец, после того как ему отказали в руке этой женщины, попытался вырезать руны любви. Вместо этого он по ошибке вырезал руны, вызывающие болезнь. Эгиль сжёг эти руны и вырезал руны для исцеления, и женщина выздоровела. Затем он пропел стихотворение, в котором говорилось: "Руны никто не должен гравировать / Кто не умеет их читать". Что касается больной молодой женщины, то, помимо сожжения рун, Эгиль приказал поднять её с постели, выбросить старое постельное бельё и заменить его новым. Восстановление наступило быстро. Эгиль также использовал руны при возведении Нитинга (Полюса Клеймления) против короля Эрика Кровавого Топора и королевы Гуннхильдр.
Эгиль в популярной культуре
Исландский пивоваренный завод Ölgerðin Egil Skallagrímsson назван в его честь. На исландском телевидении есть ток-шоу под названием «Серебро Эгиля», названное в честь спрятанного сокровища Эгиля (название также является игрой слов, связанной с именем ведущего – Эгиль). «Egil's Silver» – это также название песни Megas из его первого альбома. В Баронии Адиантум Общества творческого анахронизма ежегодно в выходные дни, приуроченные ко Дню памяти, проводится «Мемориальный турнир Эгиля Скаллагримссона». Романист Poul Anderson (член SCA) написал роман «Мать королей» – историческое фэнтези, посвященное Гуннхильде и долгой вражде между ней, Эриком и их детьми с Эгилем. Роман основан на «Хеймскрингле» и «Саге об Эгиле». «Egil Saga» – это песня немецкой группы Faun из альбома Licht. Текст песни взят из «Саги об Эгиле» и рассказывает историю о девушке, заболевшей из-за рун, и о том, как Эгиль её исцелил. Эгиль Скаллагримссон – персонаж серии исторических романов «Саксонские хроники» Бернарда Корнуэлла, который на некоторое время поселяется в Нортумбрии как близкий друг и союзник вымышленного Утреда из Беббанбурга. Подобно своему историческому прототипу, он сражается в битве при Брунанбуре вместе со своим братом Торольфом и лордом Утредом.