Patricia's Humble Offering

 

 Þetta þing var harðla fjölmennt.

that Assembly was with many people

The Assembly was well attended

 

 Váru þar flestir höfðingjar,þeir er váru á Íslandi.

they were there most of them Rulers/Leaders those who were over Island

most of the Chieftains in Iceland were there

 

 Sámr finnr alla höfðingja ok bað sér trausts ok liðsinnis,

Sam Finds all/every(single) Chieftain and asks of them help and assistance

Sam finds every one of the Chieftains and asks for help and assistance

 

en einn veg svöruðu allir,

in one way replied all

they all gave the same reply

 

at engi kvazk eiga svá gott Sámi upp at gjalda,

that (declared/Reflexive)  nothing good owed to Sam

they owed Sam nothing

 

 at ganga vildi í deild viðHrafnkel goða ok hætta svá sinni virðingu, segja ok þat einn
veg flestum farit hafa,

as to go in favor to quarrel with Hrafnkel the Goði and risk so their reputations saying that one way most had fared

to go with a quarrel with Hrafmkel the priest (would) risk their reputations (because) there was one way most had fared

 

 þeim er þingdeilur  við Hrafnkel hafa haft, at hann hafi alla menn hrakit af málaferlum þeim, er við
hann hafa haft.

those who had had meetings with Hrafnkel, that he had all men (defeated) of (their ) Lawsuits that they had taken up

those who had had meetings with Hrafnkel that he had won every case (against him)

 

Sámr gengr heim til búðar sinnar, ok var þeim frændum þungt í skapi ok uggðu,

Sam goes home to his booth, and was those kinsmen to suffer a fate and fear

Sam returns to his booth (or tent ?) was to suffer with his kin a fate of fear

 

at þeira mál mundi svá niðr falla, at þeir mundi ekki fyrir hafa nema skömm ok svívirðing.

that their words/speech would (mundi) down fall and they (mundi) for nothing instead of shame and disgrace

that their words would mean their downfall and they remembered (?) for nothing but shame and disgrace ( I found no help in the wordbooks for mundi it seemed to = minded  (?) thought of)

 

Ok svá mikla áhyggju hafa þeir frændr, at þeir njóta hvárki svefns né matar,

and so great worry have these kinsmen thay they enjoy neither sleep nor food

And such great concern have they, that they cannot eat nor sleep

 

 því at allir höfðingjar skárusk undan liðsinni við þá frændr, jafnvel þeir, sem þeir væntu, at þeim mundi lið veita.

for this reason, that all the Rulers/Chieftains ?(scorned) thrown down/out help with the kin

as well as those they hope/expect that they would aid to grant

Because all the Chiefs (refused) to offer help with (their)Kinsman, even those the thought might provide help

 

I am not happy with "mundi" Alan and very unhappy that I missed the earlier translations I would have loved to have read of Freyfaxi scampering off to his master (or maybe servant Hrafnkel)

to let on to him of his treatment at the hands of an idiot, my sort of Critter without doubt.

I have tried to find a translation of the last few and came across the phrase "My Fosterling" used by Hrafnkel to the Horse - is it correct, if so very appropriate

I shall be looking forward with some trepidation to the corrections

Kveðja

Patricia

 

----- Original Message -----
From: AThompson
To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 8:43 AM
Subject: RE: [norse_course] Hrafnkell 295-308

Here’s the next instalment of Hrafnkel’s Saga (only 16 months after the previous one, but they will be more regular from now on).

 

Kveðja

Alan

 

295 Þetta þing var harðla fjölmennt. Váru þar flestir höfðingjar,
þeir er váru á Íslandi. Sámr finnr alla höfðingja ok bað sér
trausts ok liðsinnis, en einn veg svöruðu allir, at engi kvazk
eiga svá gott Sámi upp at gjalda, at ganga vildi í deild við
Hrafnkel goða ok hætta svá sinni virðingu, segja ok þat einn
300 veg flestum farit hafa, þeim er þingdeilur við Hrafnkel hafa
haft, at hann hafi alla menn hrakit af málaferlum þeim, er við
hann hafa haft.

Sámr gengr heim til búðar sinnar, ok var þeim frændum
þungt í skapi ok uggðu, at þeira mál mundi svá niðr falla, at
305 þeir mundi ekki fyrir hafa nema skömm ok svívirðing. Ok svá
mikla áhyggju hafa þeir frændr, at þeir njóta hvárki svefns né
matar, því at allir höfðingjar skárusk undan liðsinni við þá
frændr, jafnvel þeir, sem þeir væntu, at þeim mundi lið veita.

 

And for those who are just beginning, a summary of the story so far:

 

Hrafnkel, aged 15, arrives in Iceland with his parents, and settled in Fljotsdale District, East Iceland.

 

Hrafnkel leaves home and settles at Aðalbol farm in Hrafnkel´s Dale,  marries Oddborg, has two sons Þorir and Asbjorn, and becomes priest and a harsh chieftain over all the other inhabitants of the valley. He treasured his stallion Freyfaxi, named in honour of the god Frey, who Hrafnkel worshipped above all others, and swore to kill anyone who rode him without his permission.

 

Bjarni, a settler in Hrafnkel´s Dale has two sons Sam and Eyvind, and a brother Þorbjorn, also settled in Hrafnkel´s Dale, who had a son, Einar.

 

Einar gains employment as Hrafnkel’s shepherd, and Hrafnkel warns him never to ride Freyfaxi, but allows him to ride other horses.

 

On one particlar morning while working at Grjotteig’s Shieling, in the upper reaches of the dale, Einar decides to ride Freyfaxi to look for missing sheep, when he can’t manage to catch any of the other horses which he usually rode, thinking that Hrafnkel would never find out.

 

At the end of the day’s riding, Freyfaxi is exhausted, covered in sweat, and dirty, but, in the evening, after Einar dismounts, Freyfaxi suddenly gallops off down the valley until he reaches Aðalbol and Hrafnkel sees his condition.

 

Next morning, Hrafnkel rides to the Shieling and asks Einar if he had ridden Freyfaxi. Einar admits it, and Hrankel kills him.

 

Einar´s father asks Hrafnkel for compenation for his son´s slaying. Hrafnkel, who never pays anyone compensation, admits that this act was one of his worst, and so offers to provide for Þorbjorn and his family as long as they remain in the dale.

 

Þorbjorn declines the offer and intends to seek court action over the matter, first seeking the help of his brother Bjarni., who declined saying Þorbjorn was foolish not to accept Hrafnkel´s offer. Þorbjorn then seeks the help of his nephew, Bjarni´s son, Sam. Sam also thinks Þorbjorn foolish not to have accepted Hrafnkel´s offer, but reluctantly agrees, on the grounds of kinship, to help him bring the court action against Hrafnkel.

 

Sam gives formal notice of the charge against Hrafnkel, and the following Spring, both parties gathered their supporters to them and ride off to the Althing, and set up their booths.

 

 



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