34. kafli

Þráinn hét maður. Hann var Sigfússon Sighvatssonar hins rauða. Hann bjó að
Grjótá í Fljótshlíð.

(there was) a man named Thrainn - he was the son of Sigfus Sighvatsson the Red, he lived at Grjot in Fljotshlid (? high water)

Hann var frændi Gunnars og virðingamaður mikill.

He was a kinsman of Gunnar (? Uncle?) and a very worthy man

Hann
átti Þórhildi skáldkonu. Hún var orðgífur mikið og fór með flimtan. Þráinn
unni henni lítið. Honum var boðið til boðsins til Hlíðarenda og skyldi kona
hans ganga um beina og Begþóra Skarphéðinsdóttir kona Njáls.

He was married to Thorhild the Poetess she was very sharp tongued - quarrelsome - (Z - a termagant) and would mock people   Thrain liked her but little.

They were both invited to the feast at Hlidarendi and she was to help at the feast with Bergthora - Skarphedin's daughter - the wife of Njal

Ketill hét
annar Sigfússon. Hann bjó í Mörk fyrir austan Markarfljót. Hann átti
Þorgerði Njálsdóttur. Þorkell hét hinn þriðji Sigfússon, fjórði Mörður,
fimmti Lambi, sétti Sigmundur, Sjöundi Sigurður.

Ketil was the name of the second son of Sigfus, he lived at Mork in East Markafljot - (forest lake) he was married to Thorgerð Njal's daughter. Thorkell was the third Sigfusson Morð was the fourth and the Fifth was Lambi, the sixth Sigmund and the Seventh Sigurd

Þessir voru allir frændur
Gunnars og voru kappar miklir. Þeim hafði Gunnar boðið öllum til boðsins.
Gunnar hafði og boðið Valgarði hinum grá og Úlfi aurgoða og sonum þeirra,
Runólfi og Merði.
These were all kin of Gunnar and were all great heroes/warriors, Gunnar had invited them all to the feast. Gunnar had also invited Valhard the Grey and Ulf Aurgoði and their sons Runolf and Merði (or is it Morð)

Þeir Höskuldur og Hrútur komu til boðsins fjölmennir. Þar voru synir
Höskulds, Þorleikur og Ólafur.

They (brothers) Hoskuld and Hrut came to the feast with  many people - there were (including) Hoskulds sons Thorleik and Olaf

Þar var brúðurin í för með þeim og Þorgerður
dóttir hennar og var hún kvenna fríðust. Hún var þá fjórtán vetra gömul.
The Bride travelled with them and with her was her daughter Thorgerð, and she was a beautiful woman she was fourteen years old (?? they were regarded as women at an earlier age than now??)

Margt var með henni annarra kvenna. Þar var og Þórhalla dóttir Ásgríms
Elliða-Grímssonar og dætur Njáls tvær, Þorgerður og Helga.

Several other women were with her. There were Thorhall the daughter of Asgrim Elliða-Grimsson, and Njal's two - Thorgerð and Helga

Gunnar hafði marga fyrirboðsmenn og skipaði hann svo sínum mönnum.

Gunnar had invited many Guests and he arranged thus - his men

Hann sat
á miðjan bekk en innar frá Þráinn Sigfússon, þá Úlfur aurgoði, þá Valgarður
hinn grái, þá Mörður og Runólfur, þá Sigfússynir. Lambi sat innstur.

He sat in the middle of a bench beside him (on one side ) (sat) Thrainn Sigfusson,then Ulf Aurgoði, then Valgarð the Grey, then Morð and Ranulf, then (other/more) Sigfussons with Lambi sat furthest in (Z) i.e. not near the door

Hið
næsta Gunnari utar frá sat Njáll, þá Skarphéðinn, þá Helgi, þá Grímur, þá
Höskuldur, þá Hafur hinn spaki, þá Ingjaldur frá Keldum, þá synir Þóris
austan úr Holti. Þórir vildi sitja ystur virðingamanna því að þá þótti
hverjum gott þar sem sat.

On the other side of Gunnar sat Njal then Skarphedin then Helgi then Grim then Hoskuld then Haf the Wise, then Ingjald of Keldur then the sons of Holta Thorir from the East.

Thorir wanted to sit the furthest from the Honoured guests (sitting modestly away)  this made everyone else think his place good

Höskuldur sat á miðjan bekk en synir hans innar
frá honum.

Hoskuld (Dale-Kolsson) was  in the middle of another bench and his sons by his side

Hrútur sat utar frá Höskuldi. En þá er eigi frá sagt hversu öðrum
var skipað.

Hrut sat the other side of Hoskuld. But nothing was said how the rest were sat (arranged)

Brúður sat á miðjum palli en til annarrar handar henni Þorgerður
dóttir hennar. Á aðra hönd sat Þórhalla dóttir Ásgríms Elliða-Grímssonar.

The Bride sat in the middle of the dais and on one side her daughter Thorgerð and on the other side Thorhalla the daughter of Asgrim Elliða-Grimsson

_________________

I found the word termagant strikingly unacceptable, but did not like to use "motormouth" which would have exacerbated the situation and seemed even worse - we have one - in my husband's  family  we called her "Nada the Lily" with heavy Sarcasm.

I wondered if it was usual - since I have not been translating very long - for great emphasis to be placed on the relative dignity of people at a feast - it seems so - with  the lesser guests  being sat where they can - the word "Honoured Guests" was used in the dictionary (Z) and seemed to denote the nearest and dearest - or maybe a select few to be sat at the "High Table"

All critique warmly received

Kveðja

Patricia