--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "Fred and Grace Hatton" <hatton@...> wrote:

>
> There were several words I couldn't figure out at all, but the first
> half was pretty straightforward.
>
> Grace

Well done, Grace. Good work, and quick off the mark, too! Yes, you seem to have got the measure of the first part.  There were a few idioms towards the end that I think were new to you. Here's my comments anyway.  Anyone who doesn't want to see yet, should look away now...

Llama Nom

literally "has ruled [over]", but "ruled [over]" is more natural English.  Curiously, Illuga saga Gríðarfóstra is the only result that comes up on Google for `hefir ráðit'. The Icelandic folktale Himinbjargar saga has: "Hér skammt frá hefur ráðið fyrir ríki kóngur ágætur."  Much more usual in formulaic saga beginnings would seem to be the simple preterite (past tense): réð fyrir.  But try typing `hefir heitit': Hálfdan hefir konungr heitit. Hann réð fyrir Danmörk (Sörla þáttr); BELI hefir konungr heitit (Friðþjófs saga ins froekna); Ásmundr hefir hersir heitit í Noregi (Gríms saga loðinkinna).  Samsons saga fagra, in the post-medieval paper manuscripts at Saganet, opens like this: "Artús hefur kóngur heitið, er réð fyrir Englandi." (There was a king called Arthur who ruled over England).  And see also the beginning of paragraph two of Illuga.

Is any more known of this incident, I wonder? If not, we could play safe and make that "fought with" (rather than "warred"), in case they actually engaged in single combat.

"in their saga", rather than 'í þeim sögum' "in those sagas".

"warrior" (Zoega + Cleasby & Vigfússon); "stridsmand, kriger" (Fritzner) = warrior; "warrior, fighter, combatant" (orðabók.is). 'inn mesti bardagamaðr', literally "the greatest warrior", although as in English sometimes, superlatives like this are really a rhetorical way of saying just that he was "a very great warrior". Ralf O'Connor has a comment which I can't quite locate at the moment (in his much recommended "Icelandic Histories and Romances") where he says something like beware of superlatives and refers to a close encounter in Hjálmþés saga ok Ölvis of three men who are all the biggest but not all the same size!

"possessions" is good, I think.  Specifically moveable wealth as opposed to real estate.  But that's a bit of a mouthful.

"most hansom", long í, as opposed to 'friðsamr' "peaceful".

"enemies", literally "un-friends", as Daniel says. The negative prefix, cognate with English un-, appears as ó- in Modern Icelandic and in most standardised spelling systems for Old Icelandic. ú- was originally the Norwegian form, which gained ground in Iceland as it fell under Norweigian political dominance, but later fell from favour. As Patricia points out, Zoega lists all words with this prefix under ú-.

"There was a commoner named Sviði". More literally, but not idiomatic English "there's been commoner named Sviði". "He owned a small farm" or "a cottage", "a humble dwelling"? I´ll post a separate message on this word.

karl...kerling

According to Fritzner, 'karl' (1) man; (2) old man; (2) husband; (4) free man of common birth.  Likewise 'kerling' = (1) woman; (2) old woman; (3) wife; (4) woman of the same social status as a 'karl'; (5) part of a ship.  I think we're looking at meaning 4 in each case.

"very close to", "not far from". 'harðla' "very". 'skammt' "a short way", see Zoega 'skammr' (1).

"big of stature", "great/large with regard to his physical size". 'vexti' is the dative singular of 'vöxtr', which declines like skjöldr.

Yes, "agile, nimble, adroit, etc."

"arranged / organised games between themselves". See Zoega 'leggja' (5) l. stefnu, l. leika "appoint, fix".

"surpassed them by far, whatever they attempted (whatever they competed at; in whatever it was that they should happen to test their skills against each other)."

"but Illugi beat him at everything".

"swore to each other", past plural reflexive of 'sverja'.

"they swore brotherhood to each other", "entered into a pact of sworn brotherhood" = fóstbroeðralag. The noun is accusative because they´re swearing themselves INTO the agreement. I wonder if this word originated from the swearing of oaths at a 'stalli' "[heathen] altar", maybe on the 'stallahringr' "altar ring". Anyone know more?

"if they were killed with weapons", "if they should be killed with weapons", "should it happen they either of them was killed with weapons (met a violent end)." Does this mean that stranglers and stone-throwers were immune? Was it to rule out wrestling related casualties in those rough games they played? Or to avoid the necessity of avenging death by troll? Hmm, that's not a very heroic clause. Maybe it's more to do with the solemn and ritualistic feel of alliteration, like "to have and to hold" or "let the wookie win."

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>

>
> Illuga 1
>
>
>
> Sá konungr hefir ráðit fyrir Danmörku, er Hringr hét. Hann var
>
> That king ruled (?) (over?) Denmark, who was called H. He was
>
>
>
> Skjaldarson, Dagssonar. Þessi Skjöldr barðist við Hermann, sem segir
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> Skjöldr's son, (who was) Dag's son. This S. warred with Hermann, as is
> said
>
>
>
> í sögu þeira. Hringr konungr var vitr maðr ok vinsæll ok mildr af fé
>
> in those sagas. King H. was a wise man and popular and generous with
> possessions
>
>
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> ok inn mesti bardagamaðr. Hann átti drottningu, er Sigríðr hét. Hún
>
> and the most ready for battle. He had a queen, who was called Sigrid.
> She
>
>
>
> var dóttir Vilhjálms konungs ór Vallandi. Við henni átti hann þann
>
> was a daughter of King William of France. With her he had then a
>
>
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> son, er Sigurðr hét. Hann var allra manna fríðastr ok at íþróttum
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> son, who was called Sigurd. He was of all men most peaceful and to
> skills
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>
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> bezt búinn. Hann var blíðr við vini sína, örr af fé, en grimmr sínum
>
> best capable. He was friendly with his friends, openhanded (with his)
> possessions, but stern with his
>
>
>
> óvinum.
>
> (?)
>
>
>
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> Sviði hefir karl nefndr verit. Hann átti eitt garðshorn, harðla
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> (He?)has a man (who?) was named Sviði?? He had a court trumpet? very
>
>
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> skammt frá konungshöllunni. Hann átti kerlingu, er hét Hildr. Við
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> recently from the kings hall. He had a woman, who was called Hildr.
>
>
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> henni átti hann einn son, er Illugi hét. Hann var mikill vexti ok
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> With her he had one son, who was called Illugi. He was very (well?)
> grown and
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>
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> sterkr at afli, fimr var hann á alla leika. Faðir hans var kallaðr
>
> powerful of physical strength, agile was he in all play. His father was
> called
>
>
>
> Sviði inn sókndjarfi. Sigurðr konungsson ok Illugi lögðu leika með
>
> Sviði the valiant. The king's son, Sigurdr and Illugi (?) to play with
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>
>
>
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> sér. Átti Sigurðr marga leiksveina, ok bar hann langt af þeim, hvat
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> each other. Sigurdr had many playmates and he carried (?) long of them,
> what
>
>
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> sem þeir skyldu reyna, en Illugi vann hann í öllu. Ok svá kom, at
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> as they should ?, but Illugi won it in all. And so (it) came (about
> that)
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>
>
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> þeir sórust í stallbræðralag, ok skyldi hvárr annars hefna, ef þeir
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> they sowed (?) in fellowship, and should where another ???, if they
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>
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> væri með vápnum vegnir. Var nú allkært þeira á milli.
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> were to go (about with) weapons. (He) was now very beloved among them.
>
>
>
> Grace
>
> Fred and Grace Hatton
>
> Hawley,Pa
>