1. Heard have full many how that men* had gathered
for counsel together---- of which gain had the fewest:
how that wiles they weaved then of which woe came, only,
to them and the Gjukungs who beguiled were by them.

Atli's followers.

2. The folk-warders' fate grew: fey were the heroes.
Unwise was Atli, his insight failed him:
threw his strong stays down, * into straights brought himself:
sent them word swiftly to seek him not tarry.

That is, by bringing about the death of his kinsmen by marriage, who might otherwise have been "pillars of his might."

3. Wise was the lady, had her wits about her,
full well understood she what in stealth they whispered;
a hardship she held it: would fain help give them:
on sea went they sailing, but herself not with them. *

*Guthrun overhears the plottings of Atli and is anxious to warn her brothers, but is not allowed to go personally with the messengers.

4. Runes had she graven: had ravelled * them Vingi---
on their bane bent was he---- ere to the brothers he gave them;
to the firth of Lim ** fared, then, afar whom Atli
had sent to the Gjukungs, Guthrun's stout kinsmen.

*In the sense of "confused."
**An arm of the sea, the Lim Firth (North Jutland) is here supposed to separate the domains of Atli from those of the Gjukungs.

5. Fires they lit for them, and as friends welcomed
from afar who had come there, nor of falsehood bethought them;
the king's gifts took they gladly, which the guests brought with them,
hung them up on the wallposts, * nor aught mistrusted.

*The gifts are of arms. See "Atlakvidha"

6. Came then Kostbera, * the queen of Hogni,
a woman warmhearted, and welcomed the strangers;
glad was eke Glaumvor, whom Gunnar had married,
fulfilled what was fitting to refresh guests weary.

*"The Stewardess"; like Glaumvor "the Cheerful," doubtless the poet's invention. See also "Drap Niflunga."

7. They bade home to them Hogni, if with him they fared, rather:
nor was hidden the falsehood, if heed they had given. *
His word gave Gunnar if with him fared Hogni,
and fain was Hogni to follow his brother.

*The meaning seems to be: the messengers invite the Gjukungs to follow Hogni as their leader, so as to inspire them with confidence.

8. Bore mead the mistresses, of meat was there plenty,
many full horns were handed, till his fill had everyone.
(Then up rose the sea kings and to sleep betook them,) *
husband and wife eke, as the wise ones held seemly.

*Supplied after Bugge's suggestion.

9. Clever was Kostbera, had cunning of rune signs; *
she conned o'er the letters by the light of the fire;
tied was her tongue, though, when she tried to read them:
so muddled were they she could make them out nowise.

*Graven on one of Atli's presents, or else on a separate runestave.

10. To bed went both then, Bera * and Hogni;
(but little slumbered the lady highborn,) **
nor hid she from Hogni what she had been dreaming,
but said to the sea king so soon as she wakened:

*The shorter form Bera, for Kostbera, occurs twice in the poem.
**Supplied, following Grundtvig's suggestion.

11. "From hence would'st, Hogni, but heed thou my counsel---
but few are rune-wise--- fare thou some other time!
The rune signs I have guessed now, graven by thy sister:
has the white-browed one not bidden thee to her.

12. "At one thing I wonder, nor can well make out:
why ravelled the runes are which were written by Guthrun;
for so seemed to me their secret meaning
that your bane it would be if Atli's bidding ye follow:
one rune she wanteth, or 'tis the work of another." *

*That is, the deletion.

(Hogni said:)
13. "Idle fears have women, which are far from my thinking;
bad deeds I reck not till back we must pay them. *
The good king will give us many glow-red armrings,
no dread had I ever, dire things though boded."

*That is, until or unless, they are committed.

(Kostbera said:)
14. "Will be ill the ending if ye are eager thitherward:
a friendly welcome awaits you not this time.
Hear my dreams, Hogni, hide them I will not:
some ill will befall you, I fear me greatly.

15. "Thy bedclothes saw I burning in fire,
the high flames whelming through our hall swept roaring."

(Hogni said:)
"Linens may lie here which little thou prizest---
they will blaze suddenly, as my bedclothes seemed." *

*In the original, this is the only half-line ending on an accented syllable.

(Kostbera said:)
16. "A bear saw I come in here, he broke up the planking
and shook his paws at us, so that shelter we sought from him;
with his muzzle he caught many, but our might had left us:
there was trampling * 'neath rafters, truly not a little."

Of those trying to escape.

(Hogni said:)
17. "There'll be wild weather, with windstorms dreadful:
the white bear thou sawest easter blasts betokens."

(Kostbera said:)
18. "An eagle beheld I through our hall flying----
bad tidings bodes that---- which with blood us sprinkled
(from his gory pinions, ere out of gable-end flying): *
in evil seeming like Atli looked he."

*Freely supplied by the Translator.

(Hogni said:)
19. "Full soon we shall slaughter, and shall see much blood, then:
often for oxen of eagles one dreameth. *
No harm means us Atli, what'er thou dreamest."
Then more they said not not their mouths again opened.

*Compare with Atli's dream ("Gudhrunarkvidha" II, St. 43).

20. Awoke the well-born ones, * were their words of like things:
aghast was Glaumvor with grievous dream-sights,
but gainsaid her Gunnar with more goodly meaning. **

*Gunnar and his wife Glaumvor.
**The rendering of the last line is doubtful because of an evident lacuna in the text.

(Glaumvor said:)
21. "A gallow saw I threat'ning, for thee to hang on,
and worms thee becrawling, unwounded otherwise---*
came the doom of all godheads: what deem'st thou it meaneth? **

*The end of Gunnar in the snake den is alluded to, but the exact meaning of the line is doubtful.
**As neither this dream nor its interpretation are mentioned in the Volsunga saga, we may conclude that a stanza was lacking even then.

22. "A bloody sword saw I out of thy sark taken---
for a husband's hearing unhappy dreams these.
A spear eke thought I thrust through thy middle,
with hungry wolves howling at haft and spearhead."

(Gunnar said:)
23. "Small dogs will be running with din and barking;
oft the hounds' baying bodes whistling of spearshafts."

(Glaumvor said:)
24. "A stream beheld I through our hall flowing;
the roaring river rushed 'gainst our benches,
breaking the legs of you brothers, Gunnar:
naught spared the waters. That forewarneth evil!"

(Gunnar said:)
("Acres waving ween I what water thou thoughtest,
our feet oft stumble o'er the fields as we wander.") *

*Supplied following Bugge, after the paraphrase in the Volsunga saga, Chap. 34.

(Glaumvor said:)
25. "Methought in the darkness came dead women hitherward,
clad in weeds of mourning, * and wished to fetch thee,
beckoned and bade thee to their benches forthwith:
I fear that the goddesses ** have given thee over."

*Conjectural. (Neckel).
**They seem to be the disir; (see "Reginsmal," St. 24, Note 28) beckoning to Hel him who is "fey."

(Gunnar said:)
26. "Too late is't to stay us: out lot is cast now.
(I dread me hereafter that dire will our fate be): *
our fate we may flee not, ** we shall fare on the morrow,
though likely it seemeth that our life be a short one."

*Supplied after Grundtvig's suggestion.
**The rendering is doubtful.

27. When the dawn lighted heaven the heroes were ready
on their way to be wending; but with warnings some held them.
Five, all told, fared they, though fewer by half this
than they had housecarls: 'twas hot-brained and thoughtless.

28. Snaevar and Solar, * sons they of Hogni;
was eke one hight Orkning who to Atli them followed,
Kostbera's brother--- blithe was the shield-tree. **
Fair-Dight fared with them, to where the firth them parted,
the women ay warning, but they would not heed them.

*See "Drap Niflunga."
**Kenning for "warrior."

29. Spake Glaumvor these words then, who was Gunnar's housewife,
to Vingi spake she as well it seemed to her:
"Reward ye fittingly the feastings we gave you:
were a foul shame your coming if befalls them ill hap."

30. Answered her Vingi, nor would aught acknowledge: *
"May the etins seize him ** in aught who betrays you,
and the gallows his body, who his faith breaketh."

*A difficult line.
**Note the ambiguity in his using the third person.

31. Spake Bera these words then, blithe in her heart she:
"May ye sail safely and snatch victory. *
Godspeed I wish you, let no wight gainsay it!"

*It was customary to wish the departing ones "victory," even though no battle was anticipated.

32. Hogni made answer, his own kin loved he:
"Be of good cheer, ladies, whatever grief befall us;
a kind fate bespeak many, yet miss it oft greatly:
the wishes that go with him many a wight avail little."

33. They looked at their lief ones and lingered ere parting,
their weirds awaited them as their ways led asunder.

34. Amain they gan row, * then, to rift the keel almost,
on the oars bent them backward wrathfully;
the oar-thongs they sundered, the tholes they shattered,
their flood-horse ** they fastened not *** when from it they wended.

*It was not considered beneath their dignity for the highborn to take a hand at the oars.
**Kenning for "boat."
***The Germanic equivalent for "burning one's bridges behind one." They do not expect to return. Compare with the similar situation in the Nibelungenlied where Hagene destroys the boat on which the host has been ferried across the Danube.

35. Nor long it lasted---- I lag not in telling----
ere they saw the buildings which Buthli * had dwelt in;
harshly the gate grated when Gjuki's son struck it.
These words said then Vingi, more wisely unspoken:

*He is dead. See Sts. 50 and 90.

36. "Fare ye from hence--- 'tis fraught with death to you;
full soon shall they slay you and swiftly burn you:
with fair words I bade you, but falsehood dwelt in them---
or else wait outside till up is the gallows."

37. Then Hogni spake forth, not to spare him thought he,
nor of aught was fearful, whatever betide them:
"Think not of threat'ning, a thankless task were it:
not one more word or 'twill be worse for thee after."

38. They hewed down Vigni, and to Hel sent him,
with axes gashed him till his ghost he breathed out.

39. Atli's men forgathered, and in mail coats arrayed them;
thus went they forward till the wall lay between them. *
Each host angrily to the other cried out:
"Full long had we settled to slay all of you."

*The Volsunga saga here has a passage in which Atli demands the Niflung treasure, which Gunnar defiantly refuses. In the Nibelungenlied it is Kriemhild who makes the demand at this point.

(Hogni said:)
40. "It seems but little that settled ye had it:
still unready are ye, though without here lieth
one of your henchmen, Helward sent by us."

41. Hot with wrath waxed they when these words reached them,
bestirred their fingers in stringing their bows then,
with arrows shot sharply and behind shields hid them.

42. In came the tidings that without were struggling,
before the hall the heroes--- they heard a thrall tell it:
dreadful was Guthrun at these dire tidings,
the necklace-decked one: down threw she everything,
slung down the silver, that asunder the rings * brake.

*Of her necklace.

43. Out went she eftsoon, wide open the doors flung,
nor fearful was she, to welcome her kinsmen;
to the Gjukungs she turned her--- their last greeting was it---
her mind she spoke truthfully, and eke more thuswise:

44. "I had sought to save you, to forsake not your homestead:
'gainst the norns wins no one: hither nathless came ye!"
Many sage words said she, to settle between them;
but naught would they listen, and "no" said all of them.

45. Beheld the highborn one how they did struggle,
then took courage unwomanish, her cloak she flung off,
a keen sword she caught up and her kinsmen defended:
nor light were the blows which she lavished on foemen.

46. Felled Gjuki's daughter to the ground two warriors:
Atli's brother her blade smote--- they must bear him away thence---
so fiercely fought she that his foot she sundered;
and another struck see that he stood not up after,
but to Hel hied him; yet her hands shook not.

47. A fight they fought there which was famed widely,
than any deed greater which the Gjukungs had done else.
'Tis told that, as long as alive were the Gjukungs,
they made a sword fight, slit through the byrnies,
and hewed the helmets, as their hearts bade them.

48. All morning fought they, till midday was over,
at dusk and at dawn eke, and the day following.
With blood flowed the battlefield ere the brush was ended:
ere they fell, over eighteen the upper hand had then
the two bairns of Bera, * and her brother with them.

*See St. 28 above.

49. Angrily eying them, Atli spake forth thus:
" 'Tis an ill sight to look at, I lay it at your door:
before, we told thirty, thanes of the doughtiest----
but eleven live now: great loss I hold it.

50. "We were five brothers when Buthli died from us.
In Hel dwell now half of them, two hacked by your sword lie;
great are ye Gjukungs---- gainsay I cannot-----
and a grim wife is Guthrun, of whom good had I never.

51. "Were we happy seldom to my hands since thou camest:
hast killed my kindred, of my coffers robbed me,
and to Hel sent my sister: * that my heaviest sorrow."

*Brynhild: possibly, a reference to Guthrun's being, indirectly, the cause of Brynhild's death.

(Guthrun said:)
52. "Dost hint that, Atli? And what of thy deeds?
Thou took'st my mother and didst murder her for gold rings,
and my keen-thoughted sister didst in cave to death starve. **
I laugh to hear thee rehearse the wrongs done thee,
and thank the gods that have given thee sorrow."

**A trace of this deed is found in Thidhreks saga, Chap. 428, where we are told that Hogni's son let Atli starve to death in a cave. Her other allegations stand alone.

(Atli said:)
53. "Ye earls, I urge you to the utmost to heighten
the woes of this woman: fain would I behold it;
and get ye goodly Guthrun to whimper;
my heart it would gladden unhappy to see her.

54. "Seize ye bold Hogni and slit him with knife-edge,
cut the hero's heart out: hold yourselves ready;
and stouthearted Gunnar on the gallows fasten;
see that ye do this; to the snake den then with him!" *

*Atli's hot vengfulness seems to prompt him to order two modes of death for his vanquished foe.

(Hogni said:)
55. "Do thy worst and forbear not, I abide it gladly:
thou shalt find me steadfast, I have stood much ere this.
A whaling we gave you the while hale we Gjukungs:
now we are wounded and weary thy way thou mayst have."

56. Up then spake Beiti--- he was Atli's steward:
"Let us spare Hogni, and Hjalli slaughter,
the foolish fellow, * he is fey for a long time;
too long now liveth that lout, good for nothing."

*Conjectural.

57. Scared was the scullion and scampered away fast,
crept in all corners, cackling with terror;
'twas a sore plight, quoth he, to pay for their warfare,
to end his days dolefully and die from his swinery,
from the fat fare which before he had eaten.

58. On Buthli's baster they brandished the knife then:
cried out the coward---- ere the cold edge he felt e'en---
he would do it this day yet, he would dung the meadow,
nor shun any drudgery, if from death they would spare him:
happy were Hjalli if he had but his life left.

59. Pleaded then Hogni---- as had done the fewest----
the thrall to unfetter that thence he might hie him:
"For us it were easier this ill game to play with you; *
why shoud we here wish to hear that yelping?"

*That is, to have his own heart cut out.

60. They laid hands on Hogni then; hard was it for them
the life to lengthen of the lordly hero. *
Laughed then Hogni--- heard it all warriors---
steadfastly bore it, well stood he the torture.

*That is, they had no other choice but to obey Atli.

61. His harp took Gunnar, * the strings grasped with his foot twigs; **
wept all the women, so well could he play it,
men burst into tears eke who could best hear him;
of his wrongs he told her: *** burst the rafters asunder ****

*The circumstances of Gunnar's death ("Atlakvidha," Sts. 27-34) being known to his audience, the poet dispenses with their recital. Or are a number of stanzas missing?
**Kenning for "toes".
***That is, Guthrun. But compare the similar situation in "Oddrunargratr."
****It is not clear whether the rafters of Atli's hall are meant, hyperbolically, or the boards of the harp.

62. Then died the doughty ones: was the day still young then.
to the last lived in them their lofty manhood.

63. Great thought him Atli: both Gjukungs had he slain now,
told her loss to the lady, with no little taunting:
" 'Tis morning now, Guthrun; no more are thy dear ones;
to thyself in somewhat thy sorrow thy owest."

(Guthrun said:)
64. "Right merry art, Atli, of the murdered to tell me;
but thou'lt rue thy rash deed when wrought is all of it. *
This left they after them, and I let thee know it:
ill hap will haunt thee the while I live, too."

*The ambiguity is intended: all the cosequences of the deed---her murder of his sons---are to be reckoned with. As it is, she hints darkly of suicide.

(Atli said:)
65. "In naught I believe this: another way see I, *
by far more fitting--- oft we fail to take such----
with gifts and girl-slaves I shall gladden, wife, thee,
and with snow-white silver, as yourself will have it."

*To make atonement.

(Guthrun said:)
66. "Thy hope is hollow: I'll have none of these:
my wrath I wreaked oft for wrongs that were lesser;
wilful they weened me, but worse I shall be now,
yet had I foreborne it if Hogni lived still.

67. "In one hall we both were brought up together,
in the grove we grew up and gambolled playfully;
Queen Grimhild gave us gold rings and necklaces:
no amends canst make e'er for my murdered brothers,
nor by aught work it that e'er I forgive thee.

68. "Woman's lot is worsened ay by warriors' recklessness:
the oak's strength is stunted when stripped are its branches,
the tree will topple when torn are its rootlets:
in all mayst now, Atli, thy own will follow." *

*The meaning apparently is: to be sure, woman always is the sufferer by men's deeds. Atli is being lulled into false security by Guthrun's seeming resignation following her outburst of vengefulness.

69. The lord too lightly believed her and trusted,
nor was hidden the falsehood if heed he had given;
crafty was Guthrun, well could she shuffle,
twain shields showed she him * and shamed cheerfulness.

*That is, she played a double game: red shields indicate warlike, white shields, peaceful intentions.

70. Great arvel made she after her brothers,
and after his own deeds did Atli likewise.
No more they said, then; the mead was ready,
was the goodly gathering made with great feasting.

71. Hardhearted, hoped she to harm his kin greatly,
most fearful vengeance she vowed on her husband:
she lured her little ones, laid them 'gainst bedpost.
The wild ones were frightened yet wept not nor whimpered,
sought the arms of their mother and asked what she wanted.

(Guthrun said:)
72. "Ye had better not ask me: you both I shall slaughter,
was I eager ever of old age to heal you."

(The boys said:)
"To make away with us no wight can hinder thee:
thy wrath will be sated when 'tis wrought altogether." *

*An unexpectedly philosophic reply; but the text is fairly clear.

73. Unbending, she blotted out the brothers in their childhood,
their heads she hewed off--- for her 'twas unseemly.
Where the boys were playing, asked Buthli's son then,
his small sons twain, as he saw them nowhere.

(Guthrun said:)
74. (57)"I dare to tell now the tidings to Atli,
will Grimhild's daughter not disguised ought of it:
naught will it gladden thee, once thou knowest it:
great sorrow didst summon when thou slewest my brothers.

*As elsewhere in the Edda, there is here an unannounced change of scene: Guthrun has left her woman's bower and gone over to the kings's hall. Her speech is addressed to him.

75. "But seldom slept I ever since they have fallen.
Grim meed I foretold thee: I mind thee now of it.
Of that morrow spakest thou---* to mind I call it:
'tis evening turned now and tidings I have for thee.

*See St. 63. above.

76. "Lost hast thou thy lief sons, which should have last betide thee:
know that their brain-pans as beakers thou usest;
the mead thou drinkest was mixed with their heartblood.

77. "The hearts of the striplings I steaked o'er the fire,
calfs' hearts I called them when I carried them to thee.
Thou atest all up, nor aught of it leftest,
didst chew greedily with thy girders working.

78. "But to few befalls worse: their fate now knowest thou:
I brought it about, all; yet boast I not of it."

(Atli said:)
79. "Cruel wast thou, Guthrun, that thou could'st do thuswise,
to brew beer for me from the blood of my children.
Thou'st slain those nearest thee, which thou never should'st have.
Naught but ill from thee has befallen me ever."

(Guthrun said:)
80. "In sooth, sweet were it to slay thee also;
naught is enough for so knavish a chieftain
for misdeeds dreadful thou hast done ere this,
nameless, as never were known the like of.

81. "Into greater guilt has now, and more ghastly, fallen
than e'er was heard of: thy own arvel drankest now." *

*That is, by eating his own children's hearts; which necessarily draws after it his death. Hence he is darkly said by Guthrun to have drunk his own arvel.

(Atli said:)
82. "On stake they should burn thee, but stone thee beforehand:
then had'st gained what thou e'er hankered after."

(Guthrun said:)
"On the morrow early be mindful of such things:
by a fairer death shall I fare to the other light." *

*Note the Christian expression!

83. Thus sate they together, filled with savage rancor,
words of hate they bandied, but happy was neither.
Waxed Hniflung's * hatred, of high deeds bethought him,
set forth to Guthrun his grim hate of Atli.

*He is a son of Hogni, as is told in the following stanza. His assistance seems uncalled for.

84. To her mind she called then how they murdered her brother.
Good hap she held it if Hogni avenged were;
then laid low Atli, nor lingered in doing it
Hniflung, Hogni's son, and highborn Guthrun.

85. Quoth the stouthearted one, starting from sleep up---
from the wound well knew he that it needed no binding: *
"Say ye in sooth now: who slew King Atli?
Not lightly ye dealt with me: my lifeblood is ebbing."

*That is, he was past help from bandaging.

(Guthrun said:)
86. "Will Grimhild's daughter not disguise ought of it:
'tis I who wrought it, that ended thy life now,
and Hogni's son eke, that to Hel thou wendest."

(Atli said:)
"Full swiftly thou slewest me, unseemly the deed, though:
'tis ill to betray him who trusts him as his bosom-friend. *

*In the sense of "wife".

87. "Unwilling went I to woo thee, Guthrun;
wast praised in thy windowhood, and proud they called thee.
Nor was it falsehood: all too will I found out.
From thy home thou cam'st hither, a host of men following.

88. "A life most lordly we led, my hall within:
dearth was there never of noble athelings;
well-stocked were our stables and in state lived we,
had great wealth of gold rings which we gave to many.

89. "A great dowry I paid thee, and adorned thee with jewels,
gave thee thralls thirty, seven thrifty bondmaids----
were seeming such gifts---- and of silver a great store.

90. "Thou didst reck it nowise, as though naught were all,
but didst long for the lands ay left me by Buthli;
with wiles thou didst work it, nor would'st have aught else. *
My mother madest thou shed mournful tears oft;
were we, wife and husband, unhappy ever after."

*The rendering of the line is doubtful.

(Guthrun said:)
91. "That liest thou, Atli, though little I reck it.
I smiled on thee seldom: wast thou swelled up o'ermuch; *
e'en as striplings ye struggled, was strife 'mongst you brothers,
to Hel half of them from thy hall wended: **
what good should have given thee, to grief it turned all.

*The rendering of the line is doubtful.
**The rendering of the line is doubtful.66. Gering points out that the historic Attila had his brother Bleda slain to become sole ruler.

92. "Twain brothers had I, headstrong they called us;
we fared from our folk-lands and followed Sigurth; *
forth strode we stanchly, steering his ship each one,
our fates we followed, and fought our way eastward.

*No other source speaks of Guthrun and the Gjukungs following Sigurth in the free viking life described in these stanzas (92-94). Also for other reasons they seem suspicious.

93. "We carved us a kingdom, its king overthrew we;
fell at our feet then, fearful, the barons;
him who fled his fellowmen freed we from outlawry,
and mighty made him without means who had been.

94. "Fell then the Hunnish king, * my fate soon worsened;
keen was my sorrow to be called widow;
but worse grief was it to me to be given to Atli!
A hero once had me: ill hap to lose him!

*Sigurth; the epithet is merely honorific.

95. "From Thing camest never---- so that we heard thereof----
having pleaded pluckily, * or o'erpowered thy foeman;
gravest in at all times, thy own never holding,
but quietly yielded (as a king should never)." **

*The rendering is doubtful.
**Supplied following Grundtvig's suggestion.

(Atli said:)
96. "That liest thou, Guthrun; but little it betters
the lot of either: our lives are blasted.
Forget thou not, Guthrun, nor grudge it to me,
as honor to both of us that out I be borne well."

(Guthrun said:)
97. "A sea-stead * will I get thee, and a stained coffin,**
a sheet will I wax well to shroud thy body,
to all look that is needful, as though we had loved each other."

*Kenning for "ship."
**Note the mixture of Heathen and Christian rites: he is to be buried in a coffin which is to be sent out to sea in a (burning?) ship.

98. Lifeless sank Atli, great loss felt his kinsmen;
carried out the lady all she had pledged her to.
To the flood she fared then, her fate to hasten;
but her days were lengthened, she died another time. *

*See "Gudhrunarhvot," St. 13.

99. Happy is he who hath him begotten
children as great as Gjuki did foster:
in all lands will live ay on the lips of everyone,
where'er men hear of it, their hardy bearing.

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