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Poetic Edda

Once we were thirty,  we thanes keen for battle,Now eleven are left,  and great is our lack.
51.[1] "There were five of us brothers  when Buthli we lost,Now Hel has the half,  and two smitten lie here;A great kinship had I,—  the truth may I hide not,—From a wife bringing slaughter  small joy could I win.
52.[2] We lay seldom together  since to me thou wast given,Now my kin all are gone,  of my gold am I robbed;Nay, and worst, thou didst send  my sister to hell."

    38), we have eleven left, as Atli says, but this does not allow much for the exploits of Gunnar and Hogni, who, by this reckoning, seem to have killed nobody. The explanation probably is that lines 4-5 of stanza 49 are in bad shape.

  1. ↑ Five brothers: the Volsungasaga speaks of four (not five) sons of Buthli, but names only Atli. Regarding the death of the first two brothers cf. stanza 91 and note. The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza, and many editors combine lines 3-4 with stanza 52. Some insert lines 2-3 of stanza 52 ahead of lines 3-4 of stanza 51.
  2. ↑ Possibly a line has been lost from this stanza. The manuscript marks line 3 as beginning a new stanza, which is impossible unless something has been lost. Gold: the meaning of this half line is somewhat doubtful, but apparently Atli refers to Sigurth's treasure, which should have been his as Brynhild's brother. Sister: Brynhild; regarding Guthrun's indirect responsibility for Brynhild's death cf. Gripisspo, 45 and note.

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