Asatru Folk Assembly - December 20, 2023


Hymiskviða, a reading

Hosted by
Steve McNallen
Mentioned
Hymir Ymir Snorri Jessen Hymur Thor Jennifer Johnson Glyngisman Mithgar Loretty Regius Battle Vedic Hemir Vitha Twigs Himir Smite Whole Malk and 6 more
Hárbarðsljóð, a reading Lokasenna, a reading

Episode Stats


Length

14 minutes

Words per minute

132.69

Word count

1,926

Sentence count

65

Harmful content

Misogyny

2

sentences flagged

Hate speech

25

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

The Hymyskvita, or The Lay of Hemir, is a poem about Thor, the god of the gods, written in ancient Norwegian. It tells the story of Thor's first encounter with the gods and how he became a god.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Misogyny classifications generated with MilaNLProc/bert-base-uncased-ear-misogyny .
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
Hosts, guests, and mentioned names generated with spaCy (en_core_web_sm), reconciled against Wikidata.
00:00:00.000 Hymyskvitta 0.92
00:00:21.000 The Lay of Hemir
00:00:24.000 The Hymyskvitta is found complete in both manuscripts.
00:00:28.000 In Regius, it follows the Harbass Leoth, while in the Armagnian Codex, it comes after the Glyngisman.
00:00:35.160 Snorri does not quote it, although he tells the main story involved.
00:00:39.820 The poem is a distinctly inferior piece of work, obviously based on various narrative fragments, awkwardly pieced together.
00:00:48.840 Some critics, Jessen and Zardy, for instance, have maintained that the compiler had before him three distinct poems,
00:00:56.900 which he simply put together.
00:00:59.780 Others, like Fenner Johnson and Malk,
00:01:02.540 think that the author made a new poem of his own
00:01:04.800 on the basis of earlier poems, now lost.
00:01:08.660 It seems probable that he took a lot of odds and ends of material
00:01:11.980 concerning Thor, whether in prose or in verse,
00:01:15.820 and worked them together in a perfunctory way
00:01:17.900 without much caring how well they fitted.
00:01:21.680 His chief aim was probably to impress
00:01:23.580 the credulous imaginations of hitters greedy for wonders.
00:01:26.900 The poem is almost certainly one of the latest in those dealing with the gods, though Finner Johnson, in order to supply and support his theory of the Norwegian origin, has to date it relatively early.
00:01:42.020 If, as seems probable, it was produced in Iceland, the chances are that it was composed in the first half of the 11th century.
00:01:49.660 Jessen, rather recklessly, goes so far as to put it 200 years earlier.
00:01:54.260 In any case, it belongs to a period of literary decadence.
00:01:59.900 The great days of Vedic poetry would never have permitted the 900-headed person found
00:02:04.300 in Hymur's home, and to one in which the usual forms of diction and mythological poetry
00:02:11.540 had yielded somewhat to the verbal subtleties of Scaldic verse.
00:02:18.660 While the Scaldic poetry properly falls outside the limits of this book, it is necessary here
00:02:23.740 to say a word about it. There is preserved in the sagas and elsewhere a very considerable body of
00:02:29.460 lyric poetry, the authorship of each poem being nearly always definitely stated, whether correctly
00:02:35.360 or otherwise. This type of poetry is marked by an extraordinary complexity of diction with a
00:02:42.520 peculiarly difficult vocabulary of its own. It was to explain some of the kennings which composed
00:02:49.480 this special vocabulary that Snorri wrote one of the sections of the prose letter.
00:02:55.120 As an illustration and a single stanza of one poem in Egil's saga, a sword is called
00:03:00.020 The Halo of the Helm, The Wound Hole, The Blood Snake, possibly no one is sure what
00:03:07.340 the compound word means, and The Ice of the Girdle, which meant appearing in the same
00:03:13.460 stanza as Odin's Ash Trees, and Battle is spoken of as The Iron Game, one of the eight
00:03:19.460 lines has defied translation completely. Scaldic diction made relatively few inroads into the
00:03:27.460 earlier Edic poems, but in the Hemiskvitha, these circumlocutions are fairly numerous.
00:03:36.660 This sets the poem somewhat apart from the rest of the mythological collection.
00:03:41.220 Only the vigor of the two main stories, Dolor's expedition after Hemir's Kittel,
00:03:46.500 and the fishing trip on which he caught Mithgar's storm, saves it from complete mediocrity.
00:03:57.680 Himmisk Vitha
00:03:59.240 Of old the gods made feasts together, and drink they sought that are sated they were.
00:04:06.880 Twigs they shook, and blood they tried, which fair in Aegir's hall they found.
00:04:12.540 The mountain-dweller set merry his boyhood, but soon like a blinded man he seemed.
00:04:19.940 The son of Ygg gazed in his eyes, for the gods a feast shalt thou forwith get. 0.64
00:04:26.780 The word-wielder toil for the giant worked, and so revenge on the gods he sought. 0.64
00:04:33.580 He bade Sith's mate the kettle bring, wherein for y'all much air shall brew.
00:04:39.620 The far-famed ones could find it not, and the holy gods could get it nowhere,
00:04:46.720 Till in truthful wise did Tir speak forth, and helpful counsel to Lorethi gave.
00:04:54.100 There dwells to the east of El-Vagar, Himir the wise at the end of heaven,
00:05:00.020 A kettle my father fierce doth own, a mighty vessel a mile in depth.
00:05:05.040 Thor, spake, may we win, dost thou think, this whirler of water.
00:05:12.380 Tyr, spake, I, friend, we can, if cunning we are.
00:05:17.660 Forward that day with speed they fared, from Asgard came they to Egil's home.
00:05:23.980 The goats with horns bedecked he guarded, then they sped to the hall where Ymir dwelt.
00:05:30.320 The youth found his grandam, that greatly he laud, and four nine hundred heads she had.
00:05:39.540 But the other fair with gold came forth, and the bright-browed one brought beer to her son.
00:05:47.140 Kinsmen of giants beneath the kettle, where I set ye both, ye heroes, bold,
00:05:53.540 for many a time my dear-loved mate to guess is wrathful and grim of mind. 0.61
00:05:59.180 Late to his home the misshapen Hymir, the giant harsh from his hunting came,
00:06:06.340 The icicles rattled as in he came, for the fellow's chin forest frozen was. 1.00
00:06:13.740 Hail to thee, Hymir! Good thoughts mayst thou have!
00:06:17.880 Here has thy son to thine heart come, for him have we waited, his way was long.
00:06:24.220 And with him fares the foeman of Hroth, the friend of mankind, and Vrl, they call him.
00:06:31.980 Thor spake, may we win, dost thou think, this whirler of water.
00:06:38.240 Tyr spake, I, friend, we can, if cunning we are.
00:06:43.460 For with that day, with speed they fared, from Asgard came they to Egil's home.
00:06:49.140 The goats with horns bedecked he guarded, then they sped to the hall where Ymir dwelt.
00:06:57.180 The youth found his grandam, that greatly he lawed, and four nine hundred heads she had.
00:07:05.380 But the other fair with gold came forth, and the bright-browed one brought beer to her son.
00:07:12.720 Kinsmen of giants beneath the kettle, where I set ye both, ye heroes, bold,
00:07:19.140 For many a time, my dear loved mate, To guess is wrathful and grim of mind.
00:07:26.280 Late to his home the misshapen Hymir, The giant harsh from his hunting came,
00:07:32.160 The icicles rattled as in he came, For the fellow's chin forest frozen was. 0.99
00:07:39.300 Hail to thee, Hymir! Good thoughts mayst thou have!
00:07:43.660 Here has thy son to thine horror come, For him have we waited, 0.91
00:07:48.400 his way was long, and with him fares the foeman of Hroth, the friend of mankind, and Wurr they 0.85
00:07:56.060 call him. See where under the gable they sit, behind the beam do they hide themselves. The 0.95
00:08:05.100 beam at a glance of the giant broke, and the mighty pillar in pieces fell. Eight fell from
00:08:11.440 the ledge and one alone the hard hammered kettle of all was whole forth came they then and his foe
00:08:19.420 he sought the giant old and held with his eyes which sorrow his heart foretold what he saw
00:08:27.820 the giantess's foemen come forth on the floor then of the steers did they bring in three
00:08:35.040 Their flesh to boil did the giant bid
00:08:38.080 By a head was each the shorter hewed
00:08:41.580 And the beast to the fire straight they bore 0.77
00:08:44.620 The husband of Sif, heir to sleep he went 1.00
00:08:48.760 Alone to oxen of Ymir's ate 0.98
00:08:51.840 To the camaraderie hoary of Rumnir then
00:08:56.940 Did Loretty's meal full mighty seem
00:09:00.040 Next time at eve we must three eat
00:09:03.760 The food we halves, the hunting spoil
00:09:07.200 Fain to row on the sea was vore
00:09:11.220 He said if the giant bold would give him bait
00:09:14.720 He mirr spake, go to the herd
00:09:19.040 If thou hast it in mind, thou slayer of giants
00:09:22.660 Thy bait to seek, for there thou soon mayst find, methinks
00:09:27.580 Bait from the oxen easy to get
00:09:30.280 Swift to the wood the hero went 0.99
00:09:34.720 Till before him an ox all black he found
00:09:37.540 Then the beast the slayer of giants broke
00:09:40.500 The fortress high of his double horns
00:09:43.360 He ne'er spake
00:09:45.900 Thy works, methinks, are worse by far
00:09:48.960 Thou steerer of ships
00:09:50.840 Than wind still thou sittest
00:09:53.280 The lord of the goats 0.98
00:09:57.160 Bade the ape begotten 0.94
00:09:59.340 Fathers steered the steed of the rollers, but the giant said that his will, forsooth, longer to roll was little enough. 0.99
00:10:11.320 To wails on his hook did the mighty Hymir soon pull up on a single cast.
00:10:17.040 In the stern the kinsmen of Odin sat, and Vurr was cunning his cast prepared.
00:10:23.060 The warder of men, the worm's destroyer
00:10:26.900 Fixed on his hook the head of the ox
00:10:29.380 There gaped at the bait the foe of the gods
00:10:32.700 The girdler of all the earth beneath
00:10:35.260 The venomous serpent swiftly up
00:10:38.460 To the boat did Thor the bold one pull
00:10:41.240 With his hammer the loathly hill of the hair
00:10:44.360 Of the brother of Finreir he smote from above
00:10:47.860 The monsters roared and the rocks resounded
00:10:51.860 And all the earth so old was shaken
00:10:54.780 Then sank the fish in the sea forthwith
00:10:58.080 Joyless his back they rode was the giant
00:11:02.780 Speechless did Hymur sit at the oars
00:11:05.940 With the rudder he sought a second wind
00:11:09.060 Hymur spake
00:11:11.720 The half of our toil wist thou have with me
00:11:15.320 And now make fast our goat in the flood
00:11:18.340 or home wilt thou bear the whales to the house
00:11:22.760 across the gorge of the wooden glen
00:11:26.040 Hlorithi stood in the stem he gripped
00:11:29.620 and the seahorse with water a wash he lifted
00:11:33.160 oars and baler and all he bore
00:11:36.340 with the surf swine home to the giant's house
00:11:39.240 his might the giant again would match
00:11:43.780 for stubborn he was with the strength of Thor
00:11:46.300 None truly strong, though stoutly he rode
00:11:51.000 What he called save one who could break the cup
00:11:54.740 Lorithi then, when the cup he held
00:11:58.940 Struck with a glass the pillars of stone
00:12:02.280 As he set the posts in pieces he shattered 0.99
00:12:05.420 Yet the glass to Himir whole they brought
00:12:08.380 But the loved one fair of the giant found
00:12:12.280 A counsel true and told her thought 0.95
00:12:14.580 Smite the skull of Himir heavy with food 0.98
00:12:18.700 For harder it is than ever was glass 0.99
00:12:21.400 The goat's mighty ruler then rose on his knee
00:12:26.040 And with all the strength of a god he struck 0.60
00:12:28.920 Whole was the fellow's helmet stem
00:12:31.920 But shattered the wine cup round it was 1.00
00:12:35.540 Himir spake 1.00
00:12:38.220 Fair is the treasure that from me is gone
00:12:42.440 Since now the cup on my knees lies shattered
00:12:45.620 So spake the giant
00:12:47.660 No more can I say
00:12:49.600 In days to be thou art brewed my nail
00:12:52.520 Enough shall it be
00:12:56.800 If out ye can bring 0.60
00:12:58.780 Forth from her house the kettle here 0.94
00:13:01.160 Tear than twice to move it tried
00:13:04.760 But before him the kettle twice stood fast
00:13:07.920 The father of Moti
00:13:11.520 The rim ceased firm, and before it stood on the floor below.
00:13:16.460 Up on his head, since husband raised it, and about his heels the handles clattered.
00:13:23.880 Not long had they fared, and backwards looked, the son of Odin, once more to see.
00:13:29.720 From their caves in the east beheld he coming, with Himir the throng of the many-headed. 0.64
00:13:36.000 He stood and cast from his back the kettle, and Mjolnir the lover of murder he wielded, so all the wails of the waste he slew. 0.96
00:13:48.120 Not long had they fared, ere one there lay, of Hrothi's goats, half dead on the ground.
00:13:56.220 In his leg the pole-horse there was laying, the deed the evil Loki had done.
00:14:02.180 but ye all have heard for of them who have the tales of the gods who better can tell
00:14:10.160 what prize he won from the wilderness dweller who both his children gave him to boot the mighty one
00:14:18.700 came to the council of the gods and the kettle he had that he mirrors was so gladly their ale
00:14:25.900 the gods could drink in Agir's hall at the autumn time.