----- Original Message -----

From: llama_nom

To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2006 6:43 PM

Subject: [norse_course] Re: Chapter 15 of Njal's Saga - from Patricia

--- In norse_course@ yahoogroups. com, "Patricia" <originalpatricia@ ...>
wrote:
>
> Rightly or wrongly I read and tried to forget the dictionaries and
go ahead - the result being that I would like anyone to comment on
anything - but especially the underlined bits
>

Your translation looks good to me.

> til Varmalækjar.
> to Warmbrooks

Genitive singular.

> og bað hana ásjá.
> and asked her for help.

Yes.

> "Vel er um ástir okkrar," segir hún.
> "Well" because we love each other says she

MM & HP: "We love each other very much."

> Nú er þér fer svo vel
> Now when it goes so well with you (you are so reasonable)

MM & HP: "Since you are being so reasonable."
Cf. Zoega 'fara' (10) impersonal, e-m ferr vel, illa "one behaves or
acts well, ill".

As well as meaning "when", 'er' can introduce a clause describing some
explanitory circumstance: "since...", "seeing as how...", "given that..."

> sem von var að
> as it was expected

Yes.

> að hann þótti þar öllu spilla.
> that he seemed to spoil everything.

Yes, or "he was seen/regarded as spoiling..." , "people were of the
opinion that he spoilt everything there." MM & HP paraphrase: "began
to make his unpleasantness felt".

> að hlífast við engan mann
> He began to be unrestrained with no one

Zoega: hlífast við e-n "to spare one".
MM & HP: "He showed no respect for anyone"