The Poetic Edda on Hovamol
The > Volume I > Introductory Note
attestation: The stanza describes an act of creation involving Hovamol.
"This poem follows the Voluspo in the Codex Regius, but is preserved in no other manuscript. The first stanza is quoted by Snorri, and two lines of stanza 84 appear in one of the sagas. "
attestation: The stanza references wealth or gifts involving Hovamol.
"This poem follows the Voluspo in the Codex Regius, but is preserved in no other manuscript. The first stanza is quoted by Snorri, and two lines of stanza 84 appear in one of the sagas. "
relationship: The stanza references alliance or oath between Hovamol and Othin.
"This poem follows the Voluspo in the Codex Regius, but is preserved in no other manuscript. The first stanza is quoted by Snorri, and two lines of stanza 84 appear in one of the sagas. "
attestation: The stanza references wealth or gifts involving Hovamol.
"The Vafthruthnismol follows the Hovamol in the Codex Regius. From stanza 20 on it is also included in the Arnamagnæan Codex, the first part evidently having appeared on a leaf now lost. Snorri quotes eight"
attestation: The stanza references rulership or authority involving Hovamol.
"The Vafthruthnismol follows the Hovamol in the Codex Regius. From stanza 20 on it is also included in the Arnamagnæan Codex, the first part evidently having appeared on a leaf now lost. Snorri quotes eight"
relationship: The stanza references alliance or oath between Hovamol and Alviss.
"The Vafthruthnismol follows the Hovamol in the Codex Regius. From stanza 20 on it is also included in the Arnamagnæan Codex, the first part evidently having appeared on a leaf now lost. Snorri quotes eight"
The > Volume I > Notes
attestation: The 'heron of forgetfulness' is the bird referred to in Hovamol stanza 13
"The heron: the bird of forgetfulness, referred to in line 1."
attestation: The leek was a symbol of fine growth and was also believed to have magic power
"The manuscript has "little" in place of "a hut" in line 1, but this involves an error in the initial-rhymes, and the emendation has been generally accepted."
attestation: The Hovamol stanzas 73-74 are described as 'obviously a jumble' with interpolated lines and unclear connections
"These seven lines are obviously a jumble. The two lines of stanza 73 not only appear out of place, but the verse-form is unlike that of the surrounding stanzas."
attestation: Hovamol stanza 62 follows stanza 63 in the manuscript, with marks indicating the transposition
"This stanza follows stanza 63 in the manuscript, but there are marks therein indicating the transposition."
attestation: An early emendation by Rask in 1818 changed Hovamol stanza 70 from 'and a worthy life' to 'than to lie a corpse'
"The manuscript has "and a worthy life" in place of "than to lie a corpse" in line 1, but Rask suggested the emendation as early as 1818, and most editors have followed him."
attestation: The Hovamol stanza 76 appears out of order in the manuscript, which has the sequence 77, 78, 76, 80, 79, 81
"In the manuscript this stanza follows 78, the order being: 77, 78, 76, 80, 79, 81."
attestation: The fifth line of Hovamol stanza 61 is probably a spurious addition
"The fifth line is probably a spurious addition."
attestation: The verse-form abruptly changes to Malahattr at Hovamol stanza 81, likely because the theme of man's love for woman prompted insertion of stanzas about women's ways
"With this stanza the verse-form, as indicated in the translation, abruptly changes to Malahattr. What has happened seems to have been something like this. Stanza 80 introduces the idea of man's love for woman."
attestation: Hovamol stanzas 85-88 and 90 are in Fornyrthislag meter and clearly derive from a different source than the rest of the poem
"Stanzas 85–88 and 90 are in Fornyrthislag, and clearly come from a different source from the rest of the Hovamol."
attestation: The phrase 'Hova mol' (speech of Hor) was later used as the title for the entire poem
"The phrase translated "the speech of Hor" is "Hova mol," later used as the title for the entire poem."
The > part in a few of the Eddic poems. > Introductory Note
attestation: The passage describes violence or death involving Hovamol.
"Next follows a passage in Ljothahattr form (stanzas 19–22 and 24–25) in which Hnikar-Othin gives some general advice as to lucky omens and good conduct in battle; the entire passage might equally well stand in the Hovamol, and I suspect that it originally came from just such a collection of wise saws."
attestation: The passage describes violence or death involving Hovamol.
"All of the story, the dialogue and the characterization are embodied in stanzas 1–4 and 20–21 and in the prose notes accompanying the first four stanzas; all of the rest might equally well (or better) be transferred to the Hovamol, where its character entitles it to a place."
The > part in a few of the Eddic poems. > "T."
attestation: The stanza references wealth or gifts involving Hovamol.
"13. Stanzas 13–14 appear to have come from a passage regarding Othin's getting of the runes similar to Hovamol, 139–146. Editors have tried various combinations of the lines in stanzas 12–14. Hropt: Othin; cf."
relationship: The stanza references alliance or oath between Hovamol and Brynhild.
"22. With this stanza begins the list of numbered counsels, closely resembling the Loddfafnismol (Hovamol, 111–138), here attributed to Brynhild. That the section originally had anything to do with Brynhild is more than improbable."