Here’s the translation and grammar notes. Comments welcome, particularly on underlined text.

 

lausir: (ll. 777): Gordon seem to suggest that somehow this is due to them being hindered by saddle-packs, but surely it is just as much  the fact that at this stage the swamp is impeding Eyvind´s party while Hrafnkel are still on solid ground.

Útan í (ll. 785): Does this mean beyond as Grace and Patricia have or (sticking) out in as I have?

grjót (l. 789) Gordon and Zöega gloss this with a plural meaning ie stones, even though it is gramatically singular. I guess there must be some basis for this…

 

Kveðja

Alan

 

 

Þeir ríða nú vestr af hrauninu. Þá er fyrir þeim önnur mýrr,

They ride now west from the rocky ground. Then (there) is before them another swamp,


er heitir Oxamýrr. Hon er grösug mjök. Þar eru bleytur, svá

which is called Ox Swamp. It (she) is very grassy. There are soft patches, so


at náliga er ófœrt yfir. Af því lagði Hallfreðr karl inar efri

that (it) is nearly impassable over (it). For that (reason), old man Hallfreð laid other upper


775 götur, þó at þær væri lengri.

paths, even though they were longer (ie in distance than a direct route)


Eyvindr ríðr vestr á mýrina. Lá þá drjúgum í fyrir þeim.

Eyvind rides west  into the swamp. (it) sank in then greatly for them. (ie they found themselves sinking into the mire)


Dvalðisk þá mjök fyrir þeim. Hina bar skjótt eptir, er lausir

(It) was delayed then much for them (ie they were much delayed). (It) bore quickly after the others (ie the others went forth quickly), who unimpeded


riðu. Ríða þeir Hrafnkell nú leið sína á mýrina. Þeir Eyvindr

rode. They, Hrafnkel (and his men) ride now their way into the swamp. They, Eyvind (and his men)


eru þá komnir af mýrinni. Sjá þeir þá Hrafnkel ok sonu hans

are (have) then (ie by that time) come from the swamp. They see then Hrafnkel and both his sons


780 báða. Þeir báðu Eyvind þá undan at ríða. 'Eru nú af allar

They begged Eyvind then to ride away. All difficult passages are now off (ie behind us)

(if only that were the case with this text J )


torfœrur. Muntu ná til Aðalbóls, meðan mýrrin er á millum.'

You will get to Aðalból, while the swamp is in between (us and them).’


Eyvindr svarar: 'Eigi mun ek flýja undan þeim mönnum, er

Eyvind answers: I will not flee away (from) those men, whom


ek hefi ekki til miska gört.'

I have done nothing of offence. (ie to offend)’


Þeir ríða þá upp á hálsinn. Þar standa fjöll lítil á hálsinum.

They ride then up onto the ridge, There little hillocks stand on the ridge.


785 Útan í fjallinu er meltorfa ein, blásin mjök. Bakkar hávir váru

(Sticking) out in the hillock is a certain turf knoll, very windswept. High banks were


umhverfis. Eyvindr ríðr at torfunni. Þar stígr hann af baki

around (it). Eyvindr rides to the turf patch. There he steps off (horse) back (ie he dismounts)


ok bíðr þeira.

and awaits them.


Eyvindr segir: 'Nú munum vér skjótt vita þeira ørendi.'

Eyvind says: ’Now we will quickly know their errand.’

 

Eptir þat gengu þeir upp á torfuna ok brjóta þar upp grjót

After that they walk up onto the turf patch and pull up there some


nökkurt. 790

stones.

 

Grammar notes:

 

Þeir                                þeir: (pron)                      nom pl                            They

ríða                                 ríða: (v)                           3p pres ind                      ride

nú                                                                                                               now

vestr                                                                                                           west

af                                                                                                                from

hrauninu.                         hraun: (n)                        dat sg                             the lava field (rocky ground).

Þá                                                                                                              Then

er                                                                                                               is

fyrir                                                                                                             before

þeim                               þeir: (pron)                      dat pl                              them

önnur                              annarr: (pron)                   nom sg                           another

mýrr,                               mýrr: (n)                          nom sg                           swamp,

er                                                                                                               which

heitir                               heita: (v)                          3s pres ind                      is called

Oxamýrr.                         Oxamýrr: (n)                    nom sg                           Ox Swamp

Hon                                hon: (pron)                      nom sg                           It (she)

er                                   vera: (v)                           3s pres ind                      is

grösug                            grösugr: (adj)                   nom sg                           grassy

mjök.                                                                                                          very.

Þar                                                                                                             There

eru                                                                        3p pres ind                      are

bleytur,                           bleyta: (n)                       nom pl                            swampy patches,

svá                                                                                                             so

at                                                                                                               that

náliga                                                                                                          nearly

er                                   vera: (v)                           3s pres ind                      is (it)

ófœrt                               ófœrr: (adj)                      nom sg                           impassable

yfir.                                                                                                             over (it).

Af                                                                                                               For

því                                  þat: (pron)                       dat sg                             that (reason)

lagði                               leggja: (v)                        3s past ind                      placed

Hallfreðr                          Hallfreðr: (n)                    nom sg                           Hallferð

karl                                 karl: (n)                           nom sg                           old man

inar                                 inn: (pron)                       acc pl                             the

efri                                  efri: (adj compar)              acc pl indecl                    upper

775                                                                                                            

götur,                              gata: (n)                          acs pl                             paths,

þó at                                                                                                           even though

þær                                þær: (pron)                      nom pl                            those

væri                                vera: (v)                           3p past subj                    were

lengri.                             lengri: (adj compar)          nom pl indecl                   longer.

Eyvindr                            Eyvindr: (n)                      nom sg                           Eyvind

ríðr                                  ríða: (v)                           3s pres ind                      rides

vestr                                                                                                           west

á                                                                                                                onto

mýrina.                           mýrr: (n)                          acc sg                            the swamp.

Lá                                   liggja: (v)                         3s past ind                      (it) stuck fast

þá                                                                                                               then

drjúgum                           drjúgr: (adj as adv)           dat sg                             greatly

í                                                                                                                 in

fyrir                                                                                                             for

þeim.                              þeir: (pron)                      dat pl                              them.

Dvalðisk                          dveljask: (v refl)                3s past ind                      (It) was delayed

þá                                                                                                               then

mjök                                                                                                           much

fyrir                                                                                                             for

þeim.                              þeir: (pron)                      dat pl                              them.

Hina                                hinn: (pron)                      acc pl                             those

bar                                  bera: (v)                          3s past ind                      (It) carried

skjótt                              skjótr: (adj as adv)                                                 quickly

eptir,                                                                                                           after,

er                                                                                                               who

lausir                              laus: (adj)                        nom pl                            unimpeded

riðu.

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