Sæl
Here is my translation. Comments on others’ translations in separate posts. No time this week for my web-page.
Question 1: When Kali says he is ‘örr at efla tafl’ do you think he means that he is simply keen or eager to play the game or rather that, when he is playing the game, he is bold in his play and makes moves swiftly? I am inclined to the latter but Gordon suggests the former.
Question 2: Zöega gives ‘bók’ a number of meanings including (2) poet. Textile fabric with figures woven in it, (3) book, (4) the Gospel, (5) Latin. Given that in this verse it appears in the singular, is it more likely that in this context it has either meaning (4) or (5) rather than books in general (which Gordon suggests), and if so how would we know whether he meant the Gospel or Latin?
Kveðja
Alan
Kali var inn efniligsti maðr, meðalmaðr á vöxt,
Kali was the most promising man, a medium-sized man in stature,
kominn vel á sik, limaðr manna bezt, ljósjarpr á hár.
well advanced in himself (accomplished), (the) best (most) fine-limbed of men, light auburn in hair.
Manna var hann vinsælastr ok atgørvimaðr meiri en vel flestir menn aðrir.
Of men was he (the) most popular and a man of great physical accomplishments, more (so) than well (nigh) most other men.
Hann orti vísu þessa:
He wrote this verse:
'Tafl emk örr at efla,
’Tafl (Table) am I swift to play (at playing).
íþróttir kank níu,
skills know I nine,
týnik trauðla rúnum,
I forget scarcely (how to interpret/read) runes,
tíð erum bók ok smíðir,
dear (customary) are to me a book and works of art.
skríða kank á skíðum,
I know (how to) slide on skis,
skýtk ok rœk, svát nýtir;
I launch and I row, such as is (sufficient to be) useful;
hvártveggja kank hyggja,
each of the two I know (how to) interpret
harpslátt ok bragþáttu.'
Harp playing and poetry.’
-----Original Message-----
From: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:norse_course@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of AThompson
Sent:
Friday, 24 June 2005
7:20 PM
To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [norse_course]
Miscellanea Section L Subsection (i)
Sæl
I’ve chosen Section L from Gordon´s Miscellanea for this week’s text. The text is from Orkneyinga saga, Gordon states that ‘Rögnvald was Earl of the Orkneys 1135ö58. His verses are simpler and more direct in statement than most of those composed in dróttkvætt.’ Subsections (ii) and (iii) will follow in coming weeks
Kveðja
Alan
Verses by Earl Rögnvald Kali
(i) A Gentleman´s Accomplishments
Kali var inn efniligsti maðr, meðalmaðr á vöxt, kominn vel á sik, limaðr manna bezt, ljósjarpr á hár. Manna var hann vinsælastr ok atgørvimaðr meiri en vel flestir menn aðrir. Hann orti vísu þessa:
'Tafl emk örr at efla,
íþróttir kank níu,
týnik trauðla rúnum,
tíð erum bók ok smíðir,
skríða kank á skíðum,
skýtk ok rœk, svát nýtir;
hvártveggja kank hyggja,
harpslátt ok bragþáttu.'
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