Though the saga is believed to have been among the earliest sagas composed, it is well preserved. The unknown author clearly relies on oral tradition and seems unwilling to add much of his own or even to fully integrate the different accounts he knew of Kormákr. Often, he does little more than briefly set the scenes for Kormákr's stanzas, with the declarations of love often contrasting with the skald's antagonizing actions.[2] The only complete version of the saga is found in the Icelandic manuscript Möðruvallabók AM 132 fol.[3]
The saga tells of the tenth-century Icelandic poet Kormak Ogmundsson (Kormákr Ögmundarson) and of the love of his life, Steingerd Torkelsdottir (Steingerðr Þórkelsdóttir), to whom he is betrothed. Due to a curse, he arrives too late for his wedding with Steingerðr, who marries another. Kormak then follows King Harald Greycloak to Ireland. Later, in Scotland, he loses his life in a battle with a wizard. The saga preserves a significant number of poems attributed to Kormak, many of them dealing with his love for Steingerd.
^"Vatnsdæla saga. Hallfreðar saga. Kormáks saga". National and University Library of Iceland. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
^Alexander Wilson. 2021. "Let the Right Skald In: Unwanted Guests in Sagas of Poets". In: Andreas Schmidt and Daniela Hahn (eds.). Unwanted: Neglected Approaches, Characters, and Texts in Old Norse–Icelandic Saga Studies. Munich: Utz Verlag: 28–56.
Einar Ól. Sveinsson (Ed.) (1939). Íslenzk fornrit VIII - Vatnsdœla saga. Reykjavík: Hið íslenzka fornritafélag.
Hollander, Lee M. (Ed.) (1949). The Sagas of Kormák and The Sworn Brothers. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Viðar Hreinsson (Ed.) (1997). The Complete Sagas of Icelanders, Volume 1. Reykjavík: Leifur Eiríksson Publishing. ISBN9979-9293-1-6.
External linksedit
Full text of the saga in the original language
Full text and translations at the Icelandic Saga Database
W. G. Collingwood and Jón Stefánsson, The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald, Viking Club Translation Series, 1 ([Ulverston: Holmes, 1902]), available as a pdf at http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/Cormac%20the%20Skald.pdf and as text at
Russell Poole, "Composition Transmission Performance: The First Ten lausavísur in Kormáks saga", Alvíssmál 7 (1997): 37–60.
Full text of the saga in English at The Medieval and Classical Literature Library
March 16, 2024
kormáks, saga, norse, pronunciation, ˈkʰorˌmɒːks, ˈsaɣa, icelandic, pronunciation, ˈkʰɔrˑmauks, ˈsaːɣa, icelanders, sagas, saga, probably, written, during, first, part, 13th, century, though, saga, believed, have, been, among, earliest, sagas, composed, well, . Kormaks saga Old Norse pronunciation ˈkʰorˌmɒːks ˈsaɣa Icelandic pronunciation ˈkʰɔrˑmauks ˈsaːɣa is one of the Icelanders sagas The saga was probably written during the first part of the 13th century 1 Though the saga is believed to have been among the earliest sagas composed it is well preserved The unknown author clearly relies on oral tradition and seems unwilling to add much of his own or even to fully integrate the different accounts he knew of Kormakr Often he does little more than briefly set the scenes for Kormakr s stanzas with the declarations of love often contrasting with the skald s antagonizing actions 2 The only complete version of the saga is found in the Icelandic manuscript Modruvallabok AM 132 fol 3 The saga tells of the tenth century Icelandic poet Kormak Ogmundsson Kormakr Ogmundarson and of the love of his life Steingerd Torkelsdottir Steingerdr THorkelsdottir to whom he is betrothed Due to a curse he arrives too late for his wedding with Steingerdr who marries another Kormak then follows King Harald Greycloak to Ireland Later in Scotland he loses his life in a battle with a wizard The saga preserves a significant number of poems attributed to Kormak many of them dealing with his love for Steingerd Contents 1 Kormakr s love poems 2 References 3 Other sources 4 External linksKormakr s love poems editThe following stanzas in which Kormak recalls the first time he met Steingerd represent the style and content of his love poems Read aloud Brunnu beggja kinna The bright lights of both Brightly beamed the lights of bjǫrt ljos a mik drosar her cheeks burned onto me both her cheeks upon me oss hlœgir that eigi from the fire hall s felled wood e er will I recall it eldhuss of vid felldan no cause of mirth for me in that o er the heaped up wood pile enn til ǫkkla svanna By the threshold I gained a glance and the instep saw Iitrvaxins gatk lita at the ankles of this girl of the shapely woman thrǫ muna oss of aevi of glorious shape yet while I live no laughing matter lo myeldask hja threskeldi that longing will never leave me longing by the threshold Bramani skein bruna The moon of her eyelash that valkyrie Brightly shone the beamingbrims und ljosum himni adorned with linen server of herb surf brow moons of the goodlyHristar hǫrvi glaestrar shone hawk sharp upon me lady linen dight howhaukfrann a mik lauka beneath her brows bright sky like a hawk s upon me en sa geisli syslir but that beam from the eyelid moon but that beam from forehead s sidan gullmens Fridar of the goddess of the golden torque bright hued orbs I fear me hvarmatungls ok hringa will later bring trouble to me of the Eir of gold dothHlinar othurft mina and to the ring goddess herself ill spell for us later Einar ol Sveinsson s edition Rory McTurk s translation Lee M Hollander s adaptationReferences edit Vatnsdaela saga Hallfredar saga Kormaks saga National and University Library of Iceland Retrieved December 1 2019 Alexander Wilson 2021 Let the Right Skald In Unwanted Guests in Sagas of Poets In Andreas Schmidt and Daniela Hahn eds Unwanted Neglected Approaches Characters and Texts in Old Norse Icelandic Saga Studies Munich Utz Verlag 28 56 Kormaks saga Store norske leksikonOther sources editEinar ol Sveinsson Ed 1939 Islenzk fornrit VIII Vatnsdœla saga Reykjavik Hid islenzka fornritafelag Hollander Lee M Ed 1949 The Sagas of Kormak and The Sworn Brothers Princeton Princeton University Press Vidar Hreinsson Ed 1997 The Complete Sagas of Icelanders Volume 1 Reykjavik Leifur Eiriksson Publishing ISBN 9979 9293 1 6 External links editFull text of the saga in the original language Full text and translations at the Icelandic Saga Database All of Kormakr s poems in Icelandic W G Collingwood and Jon Stefansson The Life and Death of Cormac the Skald Viking Club Translation Series 1 Ulverston Holmes 1902 available as a pdf at http vsnrweb publications org uk Cormac 20the 20Skald pdf and as text at http www worldwideschool org library books lit epics LifeandDeathofCormactheSkald Chap1 html Russell Poole Composition Transmission Performance The First Ten lausavisur in Kormaks saga Alvissmal 7 1997 37 60 Full text of the saga in English at The Medieval and Classical Literature Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kormaks saga amp oldid 1193544190, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
