Re: Miscellanea Section L Subsection (ii)/Translation

Sæl

Here is my translation. Comments on others’ translations in separate posts. I too had some difficulties with parts of the verse so I hope some one else can help out here.

Question 1 relates to the two lines: ‘saurs vara vant, er várum, viðr, í Grímsbœ miðjum’ Firstly I have to question whether this text from Gordon is accurate because in Gordon´s own glossary, the phrase ’saurs eigi vant viðr’, cross referenced to the lines in question, is glossed as ’there was no lack of mud.’ Somehow, ’vara’ has replaced ’eiga.’ I searched the web but could not find an on-line text of Orkneyinga saga to see which version was correct. Can anyone say what the correct text should be? And then provide an explanation?

Question 2 relates to the words: ’Nú'r þat's...’ can someone say precisely what this expression means and how the syntax works? Is it a common expression?

Kveðja

Alan

Þá var Kali fimtán vetra er hann fór með kaupmönnum vestr til Englands, ok hafði góðan kaupeyri.

Then was Kali fifteen winters (old) when he travelled with traders west to England, and had good wares [acc sg] (for trade).

Þeir heldu til þess kaupstaðar er Grímsbœr heitir.

They held (course) to that trading town which is called Grimsby.

Kom þar mikit fjölmenni bæði af Nóregi ok Orkneyjum, af Skotlandi ok Suðreyjum.

Came there a great gathering of men both from Norway and (the) Orkneys, from Scotland and (the) Southern Isles (Outer Hebrides).

Eptir þat fór Kali vestan á hinu sama skipi ok kómu útan at Ögðum ok heldu þaðan til Björgynjar.

After that, Kali travelled from the west on that same ship and came from without (ie reached land) at Agðir and held (course) from there to Bergen.

Þá kvað hann vísu:

Then composed he a verse:

'Vér höfum vaðnar leirur

’We have waded mud-flats

vikur fimm megingrimmar;

(for) five terrible weeks;

saurs vara vant, er várum,

(one) expects [?] a lack of mud, when (we) were,

viðr, í Grímsbœ miðjum.

with, in (the) middle of Grimsby.

Nú'r þat's más of mýrar

Now when there is [?] over (the) gull´s moor

meginkátliga látum

most joyfully (we) let

branda elg á bylgjur

(the) elk of blades on (the) billows

Björgynjar til dynja.'

to Bergen roar.’

Transposed: For five terrible weeks, we have waded mud-flats, (there was) [no] lack of mud when we were in the middle of Grimsby; Now it is that, most joyfully, over the gull’s moor, we let the elk of blades roar across the billows to Bergen.

-----Original Message-----
From: norse_course@yahoogroups.com [mailto:norse_course@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of AThompson
Sent: Friday, 1 July 2005 7:33 PM
To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [norse_course] Miscellanea Section L Subsection (i)

Sæl

This week we continue Section L from Gordon´s Miscellanea. As mentioned last week, the text is from Orkneyinga saga, Subsection (iii) will follow next week.

Kveðja

Alan

Verses by Earl Rögnvald Kali

(ii) Rögnvald at Grimsby

Þá var Kali fimtán vetra er hann fór með kaupmönnum vestr til Englands, ok hafði góðan kaupeyri. Þeir heldu til þess kaupstaðar er Grímsbœr heitir. Kom þar mikit fjöl- menni bæði af Nóregi ok Orkneyjum, af Skotlandi ok Suðreyjum. Eptir þat fór Kali vestan á hinu sama skipi ok kómu útan at Ögðum ok heldu þaðan til Björgynjar. Þá kvað hann vísu:

'Vér höfum vaðnar leirur

vikur fimm megingrimmar;

saurs vara vant, er várum,

viðr, í Grímsbœ miðjum.

Nú'r þat's más of mýrar

meginkátliga látum

branda elg á bylgjur

Björgynjar til dynja.'

A Norse funny farm, overrun by smart people.

Homepage: http://www.hi.is/~haukurth/norse/

To escape from this funny farm try rattling off an e-mail to:

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