Källtext till ”Brottstycke av kvädet om Sigurd”
Brot af Sigurðarkviðu
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Fornnordisk text med normaliserad stavning enligt Guðni Jónssons utgåva.
Eldr nam at æsask
en jörð at skjalfa
ok hár logi
við himni gnæfa;
fár treystisk þar
fylkis rekka
eld at ríða
né yfir stíga.
Sigurðr Grana
sverði keyrði;
eldr sloknaði
fyrir öðlingi,
logi allr lægðisk
fyrir lofgjörnum,
bliku reiði
er Reginn átti
-- -- --
Brynhildr kvað:
"Sigurðr vá at ormi,
en þat síðan mun
engum fyrnask,
meðan öld lifir;
en hlýri þinn
hvárki þorði
eld at ríða
né yfir stíga."
-- -- --
Út gekk Sigurðr
andspjalli frá,
hollvinr lofða,
ok hnipnaði,
svá at ganga nam
gunnarfúsum
sundr of síður
serkr járnofinn.
-- -- --
Högni kvað:
"[hvat hefir Sigurðr
til] saka unnit,
er þú fræknan vill
fjörvi næma?"
Gunnar kvað:
"Mér hefir Sigurðr
selda eiða,
eiða selda,
alla logna;
þá vélti hann mik,
er hann vera skyldi
allra eiða
einn fulltrúi."
Högni kvað:
"Þik hefir Brynhildr
böl at gerva
heiftar hvattan
harm at vinna;
fyrman hon Guðrúnu
góðra ráða,
en síðan þér
sín at njóta."
Sumir ulf sviðu,
sumir orm sniðu,
sumir Gotþormi
af gera deildu;
áðr þeir mætti
meins of lystir
á horskum hal
hendr of leggja.
Soltinn varð Sigurðr
sunnan Rínar;
hrafn af meiði
hátt kallaði:
"Ykkr mun Atli
eggjar rjóða,
munu vígskáum
of viða eiðar."
Úti stóð Guðrún
Gjúka dóttir,
ok hon þat orða
alls fyrst of kvað:
"Hvar er nú Sigurðr,
seggja dróttinn,
er frændr mínir
fyrri ríða?"
Einn því Högni
andsvör veitti:
"Sundr höfum Sigurð
sverði höggvinn;
gnapir æ grár jór
yfir gram dauðum."
Þá kvað þat Brynhildr
Buðla dóttir:
"Vel skuluð njóta
vápna ok landa;
einn mundi Sigurðr
öllu ráða,
ef hann lengr litlu
lífi heldi.
Væri-a þat sæmt,
at hann svá réði
Gjúka arfi
ok Gota mengi,
er hann fimm sonu
at folkræði,
gunnarfúsa,
getna hafði."
Hló þá Brynhildr
- bær allr dunði -
einu sinni
af öllum hug:
"Lengi skuluð njóta
landa ok þegna,
er þér fræknan gram
falla létuð."
Þá kvað þat Guðrún
Gjúka dóttir:
"Mjök mælir þú
miklar firnar;
gramir hafi Gunnar,
götvað Sigurðar;
heiftgjarns hugar
hefnt skal verða."
Fram var kvelda,
fjölð var drukkit,
þá var hvívetna
vilmál talið,
sofnuðu allir,
er i sæing kómu,
einn vakði Gunnarr
öllum lengr.
Fót nam-at hræra,
fjölð nam-at spjalla,
hitt herglötuðr
hyggja téði,
hvat þeir í bölvi
báðir sögðu
hrafn ey ok örn,
er þeir heim riðu.
Vaknaði Brynhildr
Buðla dóttir,
dís skjöldunga,
fyr dag litlu:
"Hvetið mik eða letið mik
- harmr er unninn -
sorg at segja
eða svá láta."
Þögðu allir
við því orði,
fár kunni þeim
fljóða látum,
er hon grátandi
gerðisk at segja
þat er hlæjandi
hölða beiddi:
"Hugða ek mér, Gunnarr,
grimmt í svefni,
svalt allt í sal,
ætta sæing kalda;
enn þú, gramr, riðir
glaums andvani,
fjötri fatlaðr,
í fjánda lið;
svá mun öll yður
ætt Niflunga
afli gengin,
eruð eiðrofa.
Mant-at-tu, Gunnarr,
til görva þat,
er þit blóði í spor
báðir rennduð;
nú hefir þú hánum þat allt
illu launat,
er hann fremstan þik
finna vildi.
Þá reyndi þat,
er riðit hafði
móðigr á vit
mín at biðja,
hvé herglötuðr
hafði fyrri
eiðum haldit
við inn unga gram.
Benvönd of lét,
brugðinn gulli,
margdýrr konungr
á meðal okkar;
eldi váru eggjar
útan görvar,
en eitrdropum
innan fáðar."
Frá dauða Sigurðar
Hér er sagt í þessi kviðu frá dauða Sigurðar, ok víkr hér svá til sem þeir dræpi hann úti, en sumir segja svá, at þeir dræpi hann inni í rekkju sinni sofanda. En þýðverskir menn segja svá, at þeir dræpi hann úti í skógi, ok svá segir í Guðrúnarkviðu inni fornu, at Sigurðr ok Gjúkasynir hefði til þings riðit, þá er hann var drepinn. En þat segja allir einnig, at þeir sviku hann í tryggð ok vógu at hánum liggjanda ok óbúnum.
Engelsk översättning av Henry Adams Bellows från 1923, fri från upphovsrätt. Strofnumreringen kan skilja sig från originalets.
The fire raged, the earth was rocked,
The flames leaped high to heaven itself;
Few were the hardy heroes would dare
To ride or leap the raging flames.
Sigurth urged Grani then with his sword,
The fire slackened before the hero,
The flames sank low for the greedy of fame,
The armor flashed that Regin had fashioned.
After Sigurth has spent three nights with Brynhild, laying his sword between them (cf. Gripisspo, 41 and note), he and Gunnar return home, while Brynhild goes to the dwelling of her brother-in-law, Heimir, and makes ready for her marriage with Gunnar, directing Heimir to care for her daughter by Sigurth, Aslaug. The wedding takes place, to be followed soon after by the quarrel between Guthrun and Brynhild, in which the former betrays the fact that it was Sigurth, and not Gunnar, who rode through the flames. Brynhild speaks with contempt of Guthrun and her whole family, and the following stanza, which presumably belongs to the same Sigurth lay as the Brot, is quoted at this point:
Sigurth the dragon slew, and that
Will men recall while the world remains;
But little boldness thy brother had
To ride or leap the raging flames.
Gunnar and Sigurth alike try to appease the angry Brynhild, but in vain. After Sigurth has talked with her, his leaving her hall is described in the following stanza, introduced by the specific phrase: "as is said in the Lay of Sigurth":
Forth went Sigurth, and speech he sought not,
The friend of heroes, his head bowed down;
Such was his grief that asunder burst
His mail-coat all of iron wrought.
Brynhild then tells Gunnar that she had given herself wholly to Sigurth before she had become Gunnar's wife (the confusion between the two stories is commented on in the note to Gripisspo, 47), and Gunnar discusses plans of vengance with his brother, Hogni. It is at this point that the action of the Brot begins.
Beginning with this poem, and thence to the end of the cycle, the German features of the narrative predominate (cf. introductory note to Gripisspo).
Hogni spake: 1.
"(What evil deed has Sigurth) done,
That the hero's life thou fain wouldst have?"
Gunnar spake: 2.
"Sigurth oaths to me hath sworn,
Oaths hath sworn, and all hath broken;
He betrayed me there where truest all
His oaths, methinks, he ought to have kept."
Hogni spake: 3.
"Thy heart hath Brynhild whetted to hate,
Evil to work and harm to win;
She grudges the honor that Guthrun has,
And that joy of herself thou still dost have."
They cooked a wolf, they cut up a snake,
They gave to Gotthorm the greedy one's flesh,
Before the men, to murder minded,
Laid their hands on the hero bold.
Slain was Sigurth south of the Rhine;
From a limb a raven called full loud: "Your blood shall redden Atli's blade,
And your oaths shall bind you both in chains."
Without stood Guthrun, Gjuki's daughter,
Hear now the speech that first she spake:
"Where is Sigurth now, the noble king,
That my kinsmen riding before him come?"
Only this did Hogni answer:
"Sigurth we with our swords have slain;
The gray horse mourns by his master dead."
Then Brynhild spake, the daughter of Buthli:
"Well shall ye joy in weapons and lands;
Sigurth alone of all had been lord,
If a little longer his life had been.
"Right were it not that so he should rule
O'er Gjuki's wealth and the race of the Goths; Five are the sons for ruling the folk,
And greedy of fight, that he hath fathered."
Then Brynhild laughed— and the building echoed—
Only once, with all her heart;
"Long shall ye joy in lands and men,
Now ye have slain the hero noble."
Then Guthrun spake, the daughter of Gjuki:
"Much thou speakest in evil speech;
Accursed be Gunnar, Sigurth's killer,
Vengeance shall come for his cruel heart."
Early came evening, and ale was drunk,
And among them long and loud they talked;
They slumbered all when their beds they sought,
But Gunnar alone was long awake.
His feet were tossing, he talked to himself,
And the slayer of hosts began to heed
What the twain from the tree had told him then,
The raven and eagle, as home they rode.
Brynhild awoke, the daughter of Buthli,
The warrior's daughter, ere dawn of day:
"Love me or hate me, the harm is done,
And my grief cries out, or else I die."
Silent were all who heard her speak,
And nought of the heart of the queen they knew,
Who wept such tears the thing to tell
That laughing once of the men she had won.
Brynhild spake: 16.
"Gunnar, I dreamed a dream full grim:
In the hall were corpses; cold was my bed;
And, ruler, thou didst joyless ride,
With fetters bound in the foemen's throng.
"..............
..............
Utterly now your Niflung race
All shall die; your oaths ye have broken.
"Thou hast, Gunnar, the deed forgot,
When blood in your footprints both ye mingled;
All to him hast repaid with ill
Who fain had made thee the foremost of kings.
"Well did he prove, when proud he rode
To win me then thy wife to be,
How true the host-slayer ever had held
The oaths he had made with the monarch young.
"The wound-staff then, all wound with gold,
The hero let between us lie;
With fire the edge was forged full keen,
And with drops of venom the blade was damp."
Here it is told in this poem about the death of Sigurth, and the story goes here that they slew him out of doors, but some say that they slew him in the house, on his bed while he was sleeping. But German men say that they killed him out of doors in the forest; and so it is told in the old Guthrun lay, that Sigurth and Gjuki's sons had ridden to the council-place, and that he was slain there. But in this they are all agreed, that they deceived him in his trust of them, and fell upon him when he was lying down and unprepared.
AI-översättning till svenska från fornnordiskan, med stöd av den engelska översättningen.
Elden började rasa
och jorden skälva,
och höga lågor
reste sig mot himlen;
få av furstens män
vågade där
rida genom elden
eller ta sig över den.
Sigurd drev Grane
fram med svärdet;
elden slocknade
inför ädlingen,
alla lågor sjönk
inför den ärelystne,
han som svingade den blanka klinga
som Regin hade ägt.
-- -- --
Brynhild sade:
”Sigurd dräpte ormen,
och det skall sedan
ingen glömma,
så länge människor lever;
men din bror
vågade varken
rida genom elden
eller ta sig över den.”
-- -- --
Ut gick Sigurd
från samtalet,
männens trogne vän,
och böjde sig ned,
så att den stridslystnes
järnvävda skjorta
började brista
längs sidorna.
-- -- --
Högne sade:
”[Vad har Sigurd
gjort för] ont,
eftersom du vill ta
den tappres liv?”
Gunnar sade:
”Sigurd har svurit
eder till mig,
svurit eder,
alla falska;
han svek mig då,
när han borde ha varit
den ende som troget
höll alla eder.”
Högne sade:
”Brynhild har eggat dig
med hat att göra ont,
att vålla
sorg och skada;
hon unnar inte Gudrun
ett gott äktenskap,
eller dig att sedan
njuta av hennes kärlek.”
Somliga stekte varg,
somliga skar orm,
somliga gav Guttorm
av vargens kött;
innan de kunde,
lystna efter illdåd,
bära hand
på den kloke mannen.
Sigurd blev dräpt
söder om Rhen;
en korp i ett träd
ropade högt:
”Atle skall rödfärga
sina eggar med ert blod;
eder skall snärja er,
ni som vållar dråp.”
Ute stod Gudrun,
Gjukes dotter,
och detta var orden
hon allra först sade:
”Var är nu Sigurd,
männens herre,
eftersom mina fränder
rider före honom?”
Endast Högne
gav henne svar:
”Vi har huggit Sigurd
i stycken med svärd;
den grå hästen står alltjämt böjd
över den döde fursten.”
Då sade Brynhild,
Budles dotter:
”Må ni njuta väl
av vapen och land;
Sigurd ensam
skulle ha rått över allt,
om han bara hade fått
leva lite längre.
Det hade inte varit skäligt
att han så fick råda
över Gjukes arv
och goternas skara,
när han hade avlat
fem stridslystna söner
att härska
över folket.”
Då skrattade Brynhild
– hela gården dånade –
en enda gång
av hela sitt hjärta:
”Länge skall ni njuta
av land och undersåtar,
sedan ni lät den tappre
fursten falla.”
Då sade Gudrun,
Gjukes dotter:
”Du säger mycket
som är förfärligt;
må onda makter ta Gunnar,
Sigurds baneman;
det hatfyllda sinnets
verk skall hämnas.”
Kvällen hade lidit,
mycket hade druckits,
då talades på alla håll
fagra ord;
alla somnade
när de kom i säng,
Gunnar ensam vakade
längre än alla andra.
Han rörde inte foten,
han sade inte mycket;
härförgöraren
började tänka på
vad de båda
hade sagt till deras ofärd,
korpen och örnen,
när de red hem.
Brynhild vaknade,
Budles dotter,
sköldungarnas dis,
strax före gryningen:
”Egga mig eller avråd mig
– sorgen är vållad –
från att berätta min sorg
eller låta det vara.”
Alla teg
vid dessa ord;
få förstod
kvinnans beteende,
när hon gråtande
började berätta
vad hon skrattande
hade bett männen om:
”Jag tyckte mig, Gunnar,
drömma något grymt:
allt var dött i salen,
min bädd var kall;
och du, furste, red
berövad all glädje,
bunden med bojor,
in bland fiender;
så skall hela er
niflungasläkt
mista sin kraft;
ni har brutit era eder.
Minns du inte, Gunnar,
helt och fullt det,
att ni båda lät blodet
rinna i samma fotspår?
Nu har du lönat honom
med ont för allt,
när han ville se dig
främst bland män.
Det visade sig då,
när han modigt
hade ridit till mig
för att fria,
hur härförgöraren
tidigare hade hållit
sina eder
till den unge fursten.
Sårstaven, omlindad
med guld, lät
den högt aktade kungen
ligga mellan oss;
med eld var eggarna
formade utanpå,
men med giftdroppar
bestrukna inuti.”
Om Sigurds död
Här berättas i denna kväda om Sigurds död, och här framställs det som om de dräpte honom ute, men somliga säger att de dräpte honom inne, sovande i sin säng. Men tyskar säger att de dräpte honom ute i skogen, och i den gamla Gudrunkvädan sägs att Sigurd och Gjukes söner hade ridit till tinget när han blev dräpt. Men alla säger samstämmigt att de svek hans tillit och angrep honom där han låg, oförberedd.