<<Patricia, do you have different translation in your complete set of
<<sagas? If so, it would be interesting to know what it says here.

_____________________________________________________
"How can this be ? said Morð , give me more details"
 
She answered "When he comes close to me his penis is so large that he can't have any
satisfaction from me, and yet we've both tried every possible way to enjoy each other,
but nothing works.
By the time we part, however, he shows that he's as normal  physically as other men"
___________________________________________________________________________
The name of the Translator was Robert Cook, and all along the line - he appears to be
adding bits in, that are not immediately evident in the Old Norse - I have seen better
I am glad I have the books but you have to be careful not to let them "help you - too much"
Best stick to CV
Kveðja
Patricia
Alan -With your preference for something more literal in your work you would find much to criticize
the Sagas are good and well done but they are in no way enhanced by some of the translators additions
 
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: llama_nom
To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 9:36 PM
Subject: [norse_course] Njála 7 (Alan)


> að allri náttúru sinn annarri
> in all his other powers (?)

MM & HP "in every other way"

> er og lát þér ekki í augu vaxa."
> and let (it) not grow in your eyes.' (ie do not exaggerate)

Zoega: e-m vex e-t í augu, one has scruples about something.
MM & HP "let nothing deter you".
I think the metaphor is of allowing something to grow in your mind's
eye and thus to seem bigger and more daunting than it should be.

> "Svo mun vera verða,"
> `So will (it) be done (?), she says.

MM & HP "Very well". I think she's just saying that what he's told
her to do (speak more fully) is going to happen, i.e. "yes, okay, I will."

> höfum við bæði breytni til þess á alla vega
> we both have both a change (use different positions/technique s?)

Fritzner cites this this very passage to exemplify the second of his
two definitions: Iver for, Evne til at gjøre sig behagelig for andre
"zeal/ardour for, ability/power/ capacity to please one another". The
former fits with Magnús Magnússon and Hermann Pálsson's translation:
"although we both passionately desire to reach consummation. " But
Cleasby and Vigfússon just has the definition "change" and the
definition which Blanc Uoden has mentioned "in modern usage chiefly
'moral conduct, acting'". But does that mean (*adopts Gandalf voice*)
"that it's chiefly in modern usage that this meaning occurs", or that
in modern usage it chiefly means "moral conduct", or that in modern
usage it means "conduct, actions", chiefly with referrence to their
morality??

Patricia, do you have different translation in your complete set of
sagas? If so, it would be interesting to know what it says here.

Strange that ardour and ability are classed together as one definition
with only one quote. Speculation: could it be that this is an unusual
or even unique use of the word in such a sense? Is "ardour" is guess
even? In which case, Alan's explanation sounds pretty convincing. Or
are there other examples with this "ardour, zeal" meaning?

> sem þú mátt framast að alþingismáli réttu og allsherjarlögum
> and declare yourself separated from him, legally-divorced as you may
most (?), rules of the Althing and common law.

MM & HP "as correctly as possible in accordance with the procedural
rules of the Althing and the common law of the land."