Here’s my translation and grammar notes. Comments on underlined sections would be appreciated.
vinsælli: (ll. 686, 688) I presume this is the comparative form.
sem mest skip (l. 678), sem mest land (l. 679): What function is sem performing in these phrases?
Kveðja
Alan
Hrafnkell spurði austr í Fljótsdal, at Þjóstarssynir höfðu 670
Hrafnkel learned east in Fljótsdal, that Thjóstar´s sons had
týnt Freyfaxa ok brennt hofit.
destroyed Freyfaxi and burnt the temple.
Þá svarar Hrafnkell: 'Ek hygg þat hégóma at trúa á goð', -- ok
Then Hrafnkel answers: ‘I think that folly to believe in gods,’ -- and
sagðisk hann þaðan af aldri skyldu á goð trúa, ok þat efndi hann
he declared himself (that he) thenceforth should never believe in gods, and he fulfilled that (declaration)
síðan, at hann blótaði aldri.
afterwards, (in) that he sacrificed (made sacrifices) never (again).
Hrafnkell sat á Hrafnkelsstöðum ok rakaði fé saman. Hann 675
Hrafnkel remained at Hrafnkelstaðir and raked wealth together. He
fekk brátt miklar virðingar í heraðinu. Vildi
svá hverr sitja ok
soon received great honours in the district. Everyone wanted thus to sit and
standa sem hann vildi.
stand (just) as he wanted.
Í þenna tíma kómu sem mest skip
af Noregi til Íslands.
At that time, came most ships from Norway to Iceland.
Námu menn þá sem mest land í
heraðinu um Hramkels daga.
Men took then most land in the district during Hrafnkel´s days.
Engi náði með frjálsu at sitja, nema
Hrafnkel bæði orlofs. Þá 680
None were able to remain in peace, unless (they) asked Hrafnkel (for) permission. Then
urðu ok allir honum at heita sínu
liðsinni. Hann hét ok sínu
all must (were obliged) also to him to promise their support. He promised also his
trausti. Lagði hann land undir sik allt fyrir austan
protection. He placed land completely under him (his control) east of
Lagarfljót. Þessi þinghá varð brátt miklu meiri ok
fjölmennari
Lagarfljót. This assembly district became soon much greater and more densely populated
en sú, er hann hafði áðr haft. Hon gekk
upp um Skriðudal ok
than that (one) which he had had before. It (she) went (extended) up across Skriðudal and
upp allt með Lagarfljóti. Var nú skipan á komin á lund hans. 685
up completely along Lagarfljót. Now a change was (had) come about in his mood.
Maðrinn var miklu vinsælli en
áðr. Hafði hann ina sömu
The man was much more popular than before. He had the same
skapsmuni um gagnsemð ok risnu, en
miklu var maðrinn nú
disposition about helpfulness and liberality, but the man was now much
vinsælli ok gæfari ok hœgri en fýrr at öllu.
more popular and more reasonable than before in everything (completely)
Opt fundusk þeir Sámr ok Hrafnkell á mannamótum, ok
Often they, Sám and Hrafnkel, met each other at meetings, and
690 minntusk þeir aldri á sín viðskipti. Leið svá fram sex vetr.
they never reminded (mentioned to) each other about their dealings. Thus (it) passed forward six winters.
Sámr var vinsæll af sínum þingmönnum, því at hann var
Sám was popular with his Thingmen, because he was
hœgr ok kyrr ok góðr órlausna ok minntisk á þat, er
þeir
reasonable and quiet and good of (ready to) help in difficulties and remembered that, which those
brœðr höfðu ráðit honum. Sámr var
skartsmaðr mikill.
brothers had advised to him. Sám was a great lover of finery.
Grammar Notes:
Hrafnkell Hrafnkell: (n) nom sg Hrafnkel
spurði spyrja: (v) 3s past ind learned
austr east
í in
Fljótsdal, Fljótsdalr acc sg Fljótsdal,
at that
Þjóstarssynir Þjóstarssonr: (n) nom pl Thjóstar´s sons
höfðu hafa: (v) 3p past ind had
670
týnt týna: (v) pp done away with
Freyfaxa Freyfaxi: (n) dat sg Freyfaxi
ok and
brennt brenna: (v) pp burnt
hofit. hof: (n) acc sg the temple.
Þá Then
svarar svara: (v) 3s pres ind answers
Hrafnkell: Hrafnkell: (n) nom sg Hrafnkel:
'Ek ek: (pron) nom sg 'I
hygg hyggja: (v) 1s pres ind think
þat þat: (pron) acc sg that
hégóma hégómi: (n) acc sg folly
at to
trúa trúa: (v) inf believe
á in
goð', goð: (n) acc pl gods,'
--
ok and
sagðisk segjask: (v refl) 3s past ind declared that he
hann hann: (pron) nom sg he
þaðan thence
af forth
aldri never
skyldu skulu: (v) 3s past ind should
á in
goð goð: (n) acc pl gods
trúa, trúa: (v) inf believe,
ok and
þat þat: (n) acc sg that
efndi efna: (v) 3s past ind fulfilled
hann hann: (pron) nom sg he
síðan, afterwards,
at that
hann hann: (pron) nom sg he
blótaði blóta: (v) 3s past ind sacrificed
aldri. never.
Hrafnkell Hrafnkell: (n) nom sg Hrafnkel
sat sitja: (v) 3s past ind sat
á at
Hrafnkelsstöðum Hrafnkelsstaðir: (n pl) dat pl Hrafnkelsstaðir
ok and
rakaði raka: (v) 3s past ind raked
fé fé: (n) acc pl possessions
saman. together.
Hann hann: (pron) nom sg He
675
fekk fá: (v) 3s past ind received
brátt soon
miklar mikill: (adj) acc pl many
virðingar virðing: (n) acc pl honours
í in
heraðinu. herað: (n) dat sg the district.
Vildi vilja: (v) 3s past ind Wanted
svá so
hverr hverr: (pron) nom sg each
sitja sitja: (v) inf to sit
ok and
standa standa: (v) inf stand
sem as
hann �
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