----- Original Message -----From: AThompsonSent: Monday, June 19, 2006 9:28 AMSubject: RE: [norse_course] Njála 4, Alan's translation
Spies are cagey bastards or KGB (kay-gee-bee) for short
-----Original Message-----
From: norse_course@yahoogroups.com [mailto:norse_course@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Patricia
Sent: Sunday, 18 June 2006 4:42 AM
To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [norse_course] Njála 4, Alan's translation
FBI - we all love the FBI (joke) but it is possible Peter as I said - maybe he was a "Hitman"
because she threatened the servants with loss of life - made an offer they could not refuse
MM & HP - not familiar with their work
Patricia
----- Original Message -----
From: llama_nom
Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2006 6:41 PM
Subject: [norse_course] Njála 4, Alan's translation
'gestahöfðingi' . Chief of Guests seems to be a bit of a euphemism.
MM & HP: "The leader of the King's Spies". They have a note: "The
King's Spies 'gestasveit' were certain members of the kings retinue
whose function was to look after the internal security of the kingdom.
They roamed the country seeking signs of incipient rebellion and
getting rid of trouble-makers - a sort of medieval F.B.I."
> Vel er þar til fengið
MM & HP: "That is generous."
> Farist þér nú vel.
> Go (you) now well.' (Farewell, Have a good journey!)
More literally maybe: "may it go (turn out) well for/with you."
> Gautlandi hinu eystra
MM & HP: " East Gotaland ", i.e. modern Swedish 'Östergötland' , part of
the southern Swedish mainland, rather than the eastern part of the
Baltic island of Gotland . I suppose there's a few possibilities for
anglicising the name while avoiding ambiguity; another would be just
to half translate the Old Norse version: East Gautland .
> í Leginum
ON lögr (MnIc. lögur), dat.sg. legi + the definite article. "The
Water" = Lake Mälaren near Stockholm (not Vänern, which is further
east) [ http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ M%C3%A4laren ]. Declined like
'völlr' "plain, field", dat.sg. 'velli'.
> úr Jamtalandi
Modern Swedish district of Jämtland.
> Stokkssund
Swedish 'Stocksund'.
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