Hamðismál

The Lay of Hamðir

Kvädet om Hamder

31 stanzas

Summary

A

Hamðismál is the last poem in Codex Regius and is considered one of the oldest Eddic poems. Hamðir and Sörli ride to avenge Svanhildr at Jörmunrekkr's court.

On the way they meet their half-brother Erpr and kill him in a quarrel. At Jörmunrekkr's hall they attack the king and cut off his hands and feet.

Yet because they killed Erpr (who would have cut off the head), Jörmunrekkr lives long enough to call for stones. Hamðir and Sörli cannot be harmed by iron (through enchantment) yet are stoned to death.

The poem's archaic language and fatalistic tone make it one of the most admired Eddic poems. It closes the Codex Regius heroic cycle.

The story

Svá skyldi gørvagullhjálmr konungr,sem Jónakrs synirJörmunreki gerðu,er þeir Svanhildisendum til þingsgáfu at troðagrám hestum.
So should a gold-helmed king be dealt withas Jónakr's sonsdealt with Jörmunrekkr,when they sent Svanhildrto the assemblyand gave her to be trampledby grey horses.

English translation: own translation.

Þat var af liðiLjónakrs sonum,er ór þolliþrösvar gátu;þeir váru fæddirfyr Fáfnis gold,Hamðir ok Sörli,hvatir megu.
It was the deed of Ljónakr's sonsthat they felled three branchesfrom the trunk;they were rearedfor Fáfnir's gold,Hamðir and Sörli,bold warriors.

English translation: own translation.

Grét GuðrúnGjúka dóttirþeira bróðurat bengi morgins,ok þat orðumb alla kvað:'Þér munuð sváat Svanhildi verðask.'
Guðrún wept,Gjúki's daughter,for her brothers' woundsin the morning,and these wordsshe spoke before all:'You will becomeas Svanhildr.'

English translation: own translation.

Hlóðrviðr ormarhér fyr austanvarðveita veit,verðr þú varr við þá;eigu þér at sonareigi þatnema þú þat vegir,þar er þú ferr.
Serpents guards Hlöðvirhere in the east,a watchful guard he keeps;be you wary of them;you will have no sonunless you strike them downthere where you ride.

English translation: own translation.

Mun ek ykkr gefagóðar ráðgjafar,ef þér vilið hlýða;hittið Erpáðr en farið,bróður yðvarn,brigðan mann.
I will give yougood counsel,if you are willing to heed it;seek out Erprbefore you depart,your brother,the steadfast man.

English translation: own translation.

Hvat skyldi ossErpr hjálpabrigðr maðrok bragna níðr?Sáum vér hann síðastat sævar ósi,þann inn ókunnaœðlings bana.
What should Erprhelp us with,the treacherous manand shame to warriors?We saw him lastat the river's mouth,that unknown one,the prince's bane.

English translation: own translation.

Ríðu drengirdarra stáli,dökk váru gætur,duttu skjaldmævar;hittust þeir Erprá miðri leið,kunningr þeiraaf konu borinn.
The warriors rodewith steel spears,dark were the tracks,the shield-maidens mourned;they met Erprhalfway along the road,their kinsmanborn of a woman.

English translation: own translation.

Hvárt muntuokkr hjálpa, Erpr!systur mágr,á sumblum laung?Kvað sá inn ungiErpr af hesti:'Mun ek ykkr hjálpasvá sem höndr fætr.'
How will youhelp us, Erpr!sister's kinsman,on the long journey?The young Erpr answeredfrom horseback:'I shall help youas the hands help the feet.'

English translation: own translation.

Hvat mun höndrhér hjálpa fætumeða fótr öðrum fæti?Þat kváðu þeirþrjár þegarmær at mætast,höfðu þeir Erpof eggja veginn.
How should handshelp the feetor one foot the other foot?That they saidthree times at oncewhile maidens met;they had cut down Erprwith the sword's edge.

English translation: own translation.

Skóku þeir skjöldu,skemmr en vili,ulfa leikrá auðnum þróttu;ríðu þeir síðansuðr at Götuok svinnligaSvanhildar hefna.
They shook their shields,shorter than wished,the wolf's playspread across the wasteland;they rode thensouthward toward the Gothsand swiftlyto avenge Svanhildr.

English translation: own translation.

Fundu þeir Jörmunrekksofinn at sinni,drekkinn at veigi,dólgar Niflungar;greip Hamðirat grjóti þá,en Sörli lagðisverðs oddi.
They found Jörmunrekkrasleep beside his woman,drunk on ale,the enemy of the Niflungar;Hamðir seizeda stone then,and Sörli thrust withthe sword's point.

English translation: own translation.

Fló þá Hamðirat höndum konungs,en Sörli at fótum,fell þat ríki;mælti þá Jörmunrekkrmeðr miklu geysi:'Hér kveða þeirkarlmenn inn.'
Then Hamðir flewat the king's hands,and Sörli at the feet,that realm fell;then Jörmunrekkr spokewith great fury:'Here they callfor men to come in.'

English translation: own translation.

Hlægr þá Jörmunrekkr,lagði hönd á skegg,gerðisk at vígum,glaðr at vápnum;mælti hann þatmanna rammastr:'Gott ef ek sæjaGunnar eða Högna.'
Jörmunrekkr laughed then,laid hand to beard,readied himself for battle,glad at the weapons;he spoke these words,the mightiest of men:'Good if I could seeGunnarr or Högni.'

English translation: own translation.

Bindi þér, Þjóðrekr,búnar til strengja;eggðu mikeirar vant,engi er slíkrEinherjar ríkrsem Hamðir ok Sörlihvarir tveggja.
Bind yourselves, Þjóðrekr,the strings are already on the bows;urge me onwithout mercy,none among the Einherjar is so mightyas Hamðir and Sörli,each of the two.

English translation: own translation.

Kvað þat Hamðirinn hugumstóri:'Þú mundir vilja, Jörmunrekkr,er vit inni fórum,brœðr Erps báðir,inn inn hvassi,er þú mundir þateigi lifat.'
Hamðir the great-hearted spoke:'You would have wished, Jörmunrekkr,when we two went in,both brothers of Erpr,the sharp one,that you had thennot been alive.'

English translation: own translation.

Munat höfuð af hálsi,ef Erpr lifðibróðir okkarr,inn bolvísi;sá er kynjaðrat kona oss báðum,karlmaðr góðrkveðinn á þingi.
The head would not sit on the neckif Erpr had lived,our brother,the wise in evil;he is begottenby a woman common to us both,a good mancalled so at the assembly.

English translation: own translation.

Hlóðu þeir grjótiat gram Gota,er sá inn hvatiHamðir mælti:'Veg þú, Sörli,svá sem ek vega mun;þú varst inn frœknastiFáfnis arfar.'
They heaped stonesat the prince of the Goths,when the bold oneHamðir spoke:'Strike you, Sörli,as I shall strike;you were the bravestof Fáfnir's heirs.'

English translation: own translation.

Þat mælti Sörliinn sviðr at ráðum:'Þú ert gáfugr, Hamðir,at gáfum ok œri;gorr hefir þúgørst at þingi:hvat skyldi maðr gøranema mæla?'
That spoke Sörlithe wise in counsel:'You are gifted, Hamðir,in gifts and in courage;you have accomplishedthe best at the assembly:what should a man doother than speak?'

English translation: own translation.

Víðr ferr GuðrúnGjúka dóttirat Svanhildarsvik ok harmr.Hon kvað þatKára son fostra:'Sér þú líkner ek ligg kyrr?'
Wide wanders GuðrúnGjúki's daughterwith Svanhildr'sbetrayal and sorrow.She said thatto her foster-son's son:'Do you see comfortwhen I lie still?'

English translation: own translation.

Þat hygg ek,ef Erpr hefðilíf um laðat,bróðir okkarr,munat höfuð af hálsihringa deilir.Hvat skyldu þeirþrír verða?
This I think,that if Erpr hadbeen enticed to live,our brother,the ring-giver would nothave kept his head.What would the threehave become?

English translation: own translation.

Fellr Sörliat sal gafli,en Hamðirof hlíðar datt;þeir váru hvaterok hugðusk vel,meðan makligrmóðr var á þeim.
Sörli fallsat the hall's gable end,and Hamðirfell at the slope;they were boldand thought well of themselves,while it was fitting,courage was in them.

English translation: own translation.

Hlóðu þeir grjótiá gram Gota,svá at lífof lœgðusk þeira;ganga munuGötar at þingihyggja at Svanhildarsorgum sínum.
They heaped stoneson the prince of the Goths,so that lifewas loosened from them;the Goths will goto the assemblyand think on Svanhildr'sown sorrows.

English translation: own translation.

Gótt var þat,er ver of gáfumgram Niflungumat grjóti láta,ok svá sigrJörmunreki.Þat hygg ekheilagt vera.
It was goodthat we offeredthe Niflung lordto be felled by stones,and so victoryto Jörmunrekkr.That I holdto be holy.

English translation: own translation.

Svá skyldi gørvagullhjálmr konungrsem vér Jörmunrekkigørðum þat sama;höfum vérat harmihugfullr konungrhöndum ok fótum.
So should a gold-helmed king be dealt withas we dealt with Jörmunrekkrin the same way;we haveto our sorrowcut from the bold kinghands and feet.

English translation: own translation.

Nú em ek kominnat Níflungum,ek sá niðjanœr Guðrúnar.Hvat þarf ekheiman at fara,er ek hlé fannhér at sofa?
Now I am cometo the Niflungar,I have seen the kinsmennear Guðrún.Why do I needto travel from home,when I found restto sleep here?

English translation: own translation.

Þá kvað þatþulr inn gamliFjölsviðr hinn mærifróðs kynjaðr:'Berið grjót at þeim,bíta né munueggjar á þeimHamðis ok Sörla.'
Then spokethe old thulrFjölsviðr the renownedof wise birth:'Carry stones to them,blades will not biteon Hamðir and Sörli,steel will not cut them.'

English translation: own translation.

Þar var Hamðirhugr inn hvatiat grjóti þungumgrunfœrr lagðr;en Sörli siðanat sal gaflilagðisk af lífiljóstan dag.
There lay Hamðirbold of heartbeneath heavy stoneslaid to the ground;and Sörli thenat the hall's gablelaid down his lifein the bright day.

English translation: own translation.

Hér er lykðrljóða þessaraer fœrðar váruat frami sonum;frœknir várufyr foldar reginþeir er drukkudýrt Sifjar mjoð.
Here is the endof these poemsthat were recitedto the glory of sons;bold were theybefore the powers of the earth,those who drankthe precious mead of Sif.

English translation: own translation.

Svá er málmanna lýðsat þeir váruinn hugfullir;en ek vilyfir verðaheldr þess vísshvat þeir gerðu.
So goes the wordof men and peoplethat they werethe great-hearted ones;but I would ratherknow with certaintywhat they actuallyaccomplished.

English translation: own translation.

Þvíat einn hafðakalls inum œrumharm Hamðisok Sörla;svá er mérsagt at sœmð,at þeir fengufrægt of verk.
For I alone hadof all the othersthe grief of Hamðirand Sörli;so it istold me to my honor,that they wona famous deed.

English translation: own translation.

Svá skyldi gørvagullhjálmr konungr,sem Jónakrs synirJörmunreki gerðu,er þeir Svanhildisendum til þingsgáfu at troðagrám hestum.
So should a gold-helmed king be dealt withas Jónakr's sonsdealt with Jörmunrekkr,when they sent Svanhildrto the assemblyand gave her to be trampledby grey horses.

English translation: own translation.

Key concepts

  • Hamðir , the elder brother whose fate-conscious courage carries the poem's core
  • Jörmunrekkr , the Gothic king (Ermanaric) whose maiming and call for stones closes the heroic cycle
  • Erpr , the half-brother whose killing becomes the tragic error that prevents complete vengeance

Interpretive traditions

A What we know

Hamðismál is the last poem in Codex Regius and closes the manuscript's heroic cycle.

The poem's archaic language, concise style, and fatalistic worldview have led most scholars to date it to the 9th-10th century.

The connection to the historical Gothic king Ermanaric (d. ca. 375) and his downfall is firmly anchored in Germanic tradition (Jordanes, Ammianus Marcellinus).

The motif that the heroes cannot be harmed by iron yet are killed by stones has parallels in Celtic and Germanic saga tradition.

B What we think we know

The exact interpretation of the Erpr episode is debated. His cryptic reply to the brothers (stanza 8) has been interpreted as a riddle, an insult, or an offer of help.

The relationship between Hamðismál and Guðrúnarhvöt, whether they are parts of an originally continuous poem, is debated.

C What we do not know

Several stanzas in the poem are considered corrupt or mixed with material from other poems. The stanza sequence in the middle of the poem (stanzas 19-25) is particularly problematic text-critically.

Sources and further reading

Primary sources

  • Neckel, Gustav, och Hans Kuhn. 1983. Edda: Die Lieder des Codex Regius nebst verwandten Denkmälern. 5. uppl. Heidelberg: Winter.

Translations

  • Bellows, Henry Adams (trans.). 1923. The Poetic Edda. New York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation. (PD)
  • Larrington, Carolyne (trans.). 2014. The Poetic Edda. Rev. ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Scholarly works

  • Lindow, John. 2001. Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Simek, Rudolf. 1993. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Translated by Angela Hall. Cambridge: D. S. Brewer.
  • de Vries, Jan. 1956–1957. Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte. 2 vols. Berlin: de Gruyter.
  • Turville-Petre, E. O. G. 1964. Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
  • Clunies Ross, Margaret. 1994–1998. Prolonged Echoes: Old Norse Myths in Medieval Northern Society, vols. I–II. Odense: Odense University Press.