Bersi Skáldtorfuson

Bersi Skáldtorfuson

Bersi Skáldtorfuson [The names can be represented or Anglicized as "Bersi"/"Bessi"/"Berse"/"Besse" "Skáld-Torfuson"/"Skáldtorfuson"/"Skald-Torfuson/Skaldtorfuson/Torfuson/Torfasson/Torfason.] was an Icelandic skald, active around the year 1000. He was a court poet to Earl Sveinn Hákonarson. During the Battle of Nesjar he was captured by King Óláfr Haraldsson's forces. In captivity he composed three of his four stanzas which have come down to us.

One "lausavísa" is attributed to Bersi in the surviving fragments of "Óláfs saga helga" by Styrmir Kárason. But the same stanza is attributed to Sigvatr Þórðarson in Heimskringla and to Óttarr svarti in other sagas on St. Óláfr. [Poole 1991, p. 95.] Styrmir's saga gives some information on Bersi's career in St. Óláfr's service and indicates that he died in 1030.

Bersi was at some point at the court of King Canute the Great where Sigvatr Þórðarson addressed him in verse after they had both received gifts from the king. [Monsen 2004, p. 357.] Apart from being mentioned in the kings' sagas Bersi also has a minor role in "Grettis saga" where he asks Earl Sveinn to spare Grettir Ásmundarson's life. [Fox 2001, page 54. See [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/gre/gre29.htm] for an alternative translation (by William Morris and Eiríkr Magnússon) of the relevant chapter or [http://www.snerpa.is/net/isl/grettir.htm] for an edition of the Old Norse text.]

Bersi's mother, Skáld-Torfa, was apparently also a poet but none of her works have come down to us.

Notes

References

* Eysteinn Björnsson (2001). "Lexicon of Kennings : The Domain of Battle". http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/ugm/kennings/kennings.html
* Finnur Jónsson (1931). "Lexicon Poeticum". København: S. L. Møllers Bogtrykkeri.
*Fox, Denton and Hermann Pálsson (translators) (2001). "Grettir's Saga". University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0802061656
*Hollander, Lee M (editor and translator). (1991). "Heimskringla : History of the Kings of Norway". University of Texas Press. ISBN 0292730616
*Monsen, Erling (editor and translator) and A. H. Smith (translator) (2004). "Heimskringla Or the Lives of the Norse Kings." Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 0766186938
*Poole, Russell G. (1991). "Viking Poems on War and Peace". University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0802067891

* [http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/ugm/skindex/bersi.html Bersi Skáldtorfuson] Extant poetry


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