Þorbjörn Hornklofi

Þórbjǫrn hornklofi (Modern Norwegian: Torbjørn Hornklove) was a 9th-century Norwegian skald and one of the court poet of King Harald Fairhair. His poetry provides the only contemporary sources of information regarding King Harald.^[1]

A portion of two skaldic poems by him which are preserved are Hrafnsmál and Glymdrápa. The first poem, which utilizes verse form málaháttr, describes life at Harald's court, mentions that he took a Danish wife, and that he won a victory at the Battle of Hafrsfjord. The second is a drápa which relates a series of battles Harald won during the consolidation of his rule of Norway.^[2][3]

Translations

• Kershaw, Nora (1922) Anglo-Saxon and Norse Poems (originally published by The University Press, 1922. re-published by Kessinger Publishing, LLC . 2009) ISBN 978-1120230959
• Hollander, Lee Milton (1980) Old Norse Poems: The Most Important Nonskaldic Verse Not Included in the Poetic Edda (originally printed by Columbia University Press. 1936, re-published by Abela Publishing. 2010) ISBN 978-1907256509

References

1. Torbjørn Hornklove (Store norske leksikon)
2. The Lay of Harold (Haraldskvæthi or Hrafnsmól) by Thórbiorn Hornklofi
3. Index of poetry by Thórbiorn Hornklofi

External links

• The Lay of Harold (Translation and commentary by Lee M. Hollander)
• Den norsk-islandske skjaldedigtning (Author: Finnur Jónsson)