THE LAY OF INGIALD

p. 12

THE LAY OF INGIALD

IN THE sixth book of Saxo Grammaticus s Gesta Danorum there are embedded, in the narrative of the Danish hero, Starkath s, life and deeds, two extensive poems, the Lay of Ingiald and Starkath s Death Song; and a third lay, somewhat related to the Icelandic Víkarsbálk, is to be inferred from Saxo s prose narrative. That there were current lays about Starkath, not only in Scandinavia, but also in Anglo-Saxon England, brought thither from the old home, and that they were in favor, is amply evident from that reproachful passage in one of Alcuin s letters:1 Quid enim Hinieldus cum Christo? Angusta est domus; utrosque tenere non poteritWhat hath Ingiald to do with Christ? Small is the house, it will not hold botheven if we did not have the well-known Ingeld episode of Bowulf (2024-2069).

Like the Biarkamól, and likewise Danish in origin, the Lay of Ingiald is an exhortationeven more narrowly sonot to loyal devotion unto death in the king s cause, but addressed to the son of the slain father, to bestir himself to revenge. Both the situation and the reaction to it are typical of the Germanic North in pre-Christian times.

According to the oldest, and no doubt most original, account as found in Bowulf, the matter is as follows: In a great battle with the Heathobards,2 their king, FrMda, was slain. In order to effect a reconciliation between the two hostile nations, the Danish king, HrMthgr, gave his daughter, Frawaru, in marriage to Ingeld, the son of FrMda; but at the marriage feastit seems, in the royal hall of the Heathobardsa young warrior, stung to the quick by the repeated eggings on of an old warrior, slays one of the Danish company, in order to avenge his father. Ingeld s love of the Danish princess cools (i.e., he puts her away), the feud breaks out again which according to W+ds+th, ends with the disastrous defeat of the Heathobards before Heorot, the royal hall of the Danes.

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This matter is significantly changed, and condensed to far greater dramatic effect, in the Old Danish lay. There, the injured party are the Danes, the ignominious peace and marriage lies in the past. Starkath, the stern old warrior and companion in arms of Fróthi, arrives incognito in Leire, where a sumptuous banquet is being given by Ingiald to his brothers-in-law (here called the sons of Sverting), and arouses him by bitter denunciation of his supineness to slay them and put away their sister, his wife. To the rôle of the formidable hereditary enemies of the land have succeeded the Germans 3as well they might under the powerful and aggressive (Saxon) Ottones, who finally compelled the Danes to accept their overlordship and Christianity. The lay has gained, furthermore, by the fierce denunciation of the new and hated Southron ways and by concentrating this invective on Ingiald; who avenges himself on the spot.

Starkath s own personality is kept in the background, though he is unmistakably felt to be the representative of the older and better ideals of the Viking Age. Since this age, to which the lay harks back with such approbation, had come to an end in the ninth century, after the conquest and settlement of the western and northern Atlantic littoral; since the poem is still thoroughly heathen in spirit; and since the fear and hatred of the Saxon and his ways could have arisen only after the accession of the Saxon emperors, it is safe to conclude that the lay was composed during the tenth century.

As for its contents, we are altogether dependent on Saxo s prolix and highly rhetorical Latin versionin Sapphic stanzas and hexameters.4 From these, Olrik by judicious reduction brought out the lay approximately as it may have come to the knowledge of Saxo. The version here offered leans on Olrik s, but is shorter by nine stanzas through the elimination of some fulsome details improbable in an old lay and, especially, the omission of the weak ending which in Olrik s version mars the fine climax of exultation over the revenge accomplished, which Starkath calls on Óthin to witness.

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1
Go from the grey-beard!No longer make game of me,
ye deedless swainsin the Danish court!
No outcast isthe old man before you:
oft hoary hair hidetha hardy mind.

2
I formerly followedFróthi for years,
sate in the high-seat,5and was served before others;
but now I sit namelessand unknown in the hall,
I like a fish at ebb-tidefinding a waterhole.

3
I formerly sateon soft cushions;
now in a corner I sit,crowded by every one.
Fain out of doorswould they drive the grey-beard
but wall and wainscotgave welcome foothold.

4
The courtiers laugh at mewho come from afar off,
no one gets up to greet meor to cheer the guest!
What be the ways nowin the hall of the Skioldungs?
I should like to learnLeire s 6 new breeding.

5
Thinkest thou, Ingiald,as at ease thou sittest,
to avenge Fróthi,thy father, on his banesmen?
Or are you pleased, ratherto fill your paunch
than to make stern waron the murderers of your father?

6
That feared I, when farewellto the folkwarder I said,
that slain by the swordhe soon would lie.
From Fróthi afarthe folklands I roamed
when I learned that our liegehad been laid low by Saxons.

7
Had that time I beenwith the thane s shield-bearers,
then not deedless had Iseen my dear lord s fall:
my sword had then smittenthe Saxon traitors,
or else had I fallenby Fróthi s side.

8
Now on wilding waysI wended from Sweden,
hoping to findFróthi s heir-taker
p. 15 and find a feasterbut for food hankering,
and instead of a king,a coward and wanton.

9
But sooth did saythe Swedish king7
that

deedless scionsfollow doughty father.
Shall strangers stealthe stores of your father?
Shall his red-gold ringsfall in robbers hands?

(Then the queen, frightened, and wishing to appease the terrible old man, undid her golden fillet and handed it to him; but Starkath hurled it back at her scornfully and said:)

10
Away from the warriorwith your woman s finery!
About your own browbind your fillet,
or else your husband s,who will highly prize it,
fingering for foodsteaked fowls inwards.

11
Evil art, thou,Ingiald s mistress!
Saxland s ways softto Sealand thou broughtest!
In the king s kitchencook they now tidbits,
such as war-workersne er would have eaten.

12
But on board, bloody,the meat of beeves 8
was laid for strong menas they right the battlefield.
In their frosted beardsoft bit the rowers,
nor slaked their thirstwith sweet milk for babies.

13
Athelings eleven,all told, were there
with Haki,9 when werode the horse-of-the-sea.10
Beigath and Belgiat board with us sate;
seldom on sea faredswains more hardy.

14
With smoked salt meatwe sated our hunger,
and slaked our thirstwith swallows of ale;
nor was honeyed meadever Haki s delight,
nor soft bread, either,when at sea he fared.

p. 16

15
But weregild no onee er would have taken,
or by payment of pencein his purse borne his father;11
nor was ever heardthat the heir of his father
sate at festive boardwith his father s banesmen.

16
So, when in the hallgreat heroes are spoken of,
and skalds are chantingthe champions great deeds,
then in shame I hideunder hood my glances,
for Fróthi s first-bornshowed but faint-heartedness.

17
Why so sternly, Ingiald,starest thou at me?
Never saw the sneeringSaxons such glances!
Thou who never didst winother warfare
than cutting down breadand killing puddings.

18
A cruel fate has befallenFróthi s kinsmen
when the king was givensuch a coward as heir:
no greater worth hast thouthan a hunted goat,
or than sheep in shamblesshrinking in terror.

19
Shall Sverting s 12 seedhold sway over Denmark,
Seated at Leirewith Saxon warriors,
on thy lap whilst thou fondlestthe linen-clad woman,
the fair-haired daughterof thy father s banesman.

(Roused by these words, Ingiald leapt up and drew his sword on Sverting s sons who sate in the high-seat with him.)

20
Rail now, Ingiald!Thou art awakened!
No more wavering weakness,thou warriors leader,
but slay with the swordall of Sverting s kinsmen!
Alike be their deathas alike was their deed!

21
Let thralls drag thenthe dead from the high-seat,
cart away the killed onesfrom the king s mead-hall,
toss the dead out-of-doorsnor dig graves for them
to feed on the heathfoxes and ravens.

p. 17

22
Still further shalt, Ingiald,if foresight thou hast,
put away the womanwily and evil!
The she-wolf s whelpswill take after her:
beware of the wolfthough weak he be now.

23
Behold now, Hrauthi,13thou who whettest to strife,
that full vengeancefor Fróthi is taken:
the seven sons of Svertingby sword are laid low,
his false friends now arefelled by Ingiald.

24
Though hoary my hairthat hope never left me
that Fróthi s first-bornwould not flinch in trial;
as only heirshall Ingiald rule here
over the lands of the Danesand Leire s high-seat.

Footnotes

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1 A.D. 797.

2 This warlike tribe was located south of Denmark, north of the lower Elbe.

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3 Or Saxons as they are called, from the nearest German tribe.

4 The metre of the original is assumed to have been málaháttr.

p. 14

5 The raised seat of honor in the middle of the hall. The seats for servants and hangers-on were at the gable-end, near the door.

6 Cf. Biarkamól, note 25.

p. 15

7 With whom Starkath had dwelt during his absence.

8 Cf. the Second Lay of Helgi, stanzas 8, 9.

9 Typical name for a viking.

10 Kenning for ship.

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11 To carry one s kinsman in one s purse was a current expression of utmost contumely for enriching one s self by accepting weregild, instead of avenging him.

12 The king of the Saxons.

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13 The Destroyer; which seems to be a name of Óthin, the inciter to warfare.

1	Go from the grey-beard!No longer make game of me, ye deedless swainsin the Danish court! No outcast isthe old man before you: oft hoary hair hidetha hardy mind.
2	I formerly followedFróthi for years, sate in the high-seat,5and was served before others; but now I sit namelessand unknown in the hall, I like a fish at ebb-tidefinding a waterhole.
3	I formerly sateon soft cushions; now in a corner I sit,crowded by every one. Fain out of doorswould they drive the grey-beard but wall and wainscotgave welcome foothold.
4	The courtiers laugh at mewho come from afar off, no one gets up to greet meor to cheer the guest! What be the ways nowin the hall of the Skioldungs? I should like to learnLeire s 6 new breeding.
5	Thinkest thou, Ingiald,as at ease thou sittest, to avenge Fróthi,thy father, on his banesmen? Or are you pleased, ratherto fill your paunch than to make stern waron the murderers of your father?
6	That feared I, when farewellto the folkwarder I said, that slain by the swordhe soon would lie. From Fróthi afarthe folklands I roamed when I learned that our liegehad been laid low by Saxons.
7	Had that time I beenwith the thane s shield-bearers, then not deedless had Iseen my dear lord s fall: my sword had then smittenthe Saxon traitors, or else had I fallenby Fróthi s side.
8	Now on wilding waysI wended from Sweden, hoping to findFróthi s heir-taker p. 15 and find a feasterbut for food hankering, and instead of a king,a coward and wanton.
9	But sooth did saythe Swedish king7 that deedless scionsfollow doughty father. Shall strangers stealthe stores of your father? Shall his red-gold ringsfall in robbers hands?

10	Away from the warriorwith your woman s finery! About your own browbind your fillet, or else your husband s,who will highly prize it, fingering for foodsteaked fowls inwards.
11	Evil art, thou,Ingiald s mistress! Saxland s ways softto Sealand thou broughtest! In the king s kitchencook they now tidbits, such as war-workersne er would have eaten.
12	But on board, bloody,the meat of beeves 8 was laid for strong menas they right the battlefield. In their frosted beardsoft bit the rowers, nor slaked their thirstwith sweet milk for babies.
13	Athelings eleven,all told, were there with Haki,9 when werode the horse-of-the-sea.10 Beigath and Belgiat board with us sate; seldom on sea faredswains more hardy.
14	With smoked salt meatwe sated our hunger, and slaked our thirstwith swallows of ale; nor was honeyed meadever Haki s delight, nor soft bread, either,when at sea he fared.
p. 16
15	But weregild no onee er would have taken, or by payment of pencein his purse borne his father;11 nor was ever heardthat the heir of his father sate at festive boardwith his father s banesmen.
16	So, when in the hallgreat heroes are spoken of, and skalds are chantingthe champions great deeds, then in shame I hideunder hood my glances, for Fróthi s first-bornshowed but faint-heartedness.
17	Why so sternly, Ingiald,starest thou at me? Never saw the sneeringSaxons such glances! Thou who never didst winother warfare than cutting down breadand killing puddings.
18	A cruel fate has befallenFróthi s kinsmen when the king was givensuch a coward as heir: no greater worth hast thouthan a hunted goat, or than sheep in shamblesshrinking in terror.
19	Shall Sverting s 12 seedhold sway over Denmark, Seated at Leirewith Saxon warriors, on thy lap whilst thou fondlestthe linen-clad woman, the fair-haired daughterof thy father s banesman.

20	Rail now, Ingiald!Thou art awakened! No more wavering weakness,thou warriors leader, but slay with the swordall of Sverting s kinsmen! Alike be their deathas alike was their deed!
21	Let thralls drag thenthe dead from the high-seat, cart away the killed onesfrom the king s mead-hall, toss the dead out-of-doorsnor dig graves for them to feed on the heathfoxes and ravens.
p. 17
22	Still further shalt, Ingiald,if foresight thou hast, put away the womanwily and evil! The she-wolf s whelpswill take after her: beware of the wolfthough weak he be now.
23	Behold now, Hrauthi,13thou who whettest to strife, that full vengeancefor Fróthi is taken: the seven sons of Svertingby sword are laid low, his false friends now arefelled by Ingiald.
24	Though hoary my hairthat hope never left me that Fróthi s first-bornwould not flinch in trial; as only heirshall Ingiald rule here over the lands of the Danesand Leire s high-seat.