--- "AThompson" wrote:

> Skarphéðinn var vel til Atla.
> Skarphéðin was well (disposed) towards (kind to) (see Zoega: vel

(1))

> Atli

Cook catches it well: "Skarphéðinn took a liking to Atli."

> "Koma mun það til nokkurs," sagði Skarphéðinn og glotti við.
> 'That will come (lead) to something,' said Skarphéðin and smiled
> (derisively? Is this a positive or negative grin?).

Negative, but somewhat gleeful. I'd say malicious, derisive,
and snide, in equal measures.

> 'I have considered the work for you,' she says.

Cook: "I have thought of a job for you."

> þó skal eg svo til hans ráða
> still I shall rush upon (attack) him so that

Too strong, I think - Cook comes very close: "I'll go after
him in such a way that ..."

> "Vel mun þér fara," segir hún
> '(May it) go well for you,' she says

Not an imperative. Simple future: "You'll do well".

> "og skalt þú eigi til engis vinna."
> `and you shall not undertake it
> for (or perhaps, make-yourself-worthy of) nothing.'

Cook catches this perfectly: "... and you won't do this job
for nothing."

> "en þó er þá helst eftir að spyrja er á ferli hafa verið í
> nótt."
> MM and HP's translation suggests the former, but my
> inclination is for the latter.

Nope - the Icelanders have it right this time, and so does
Cook: "but it would be best for you to ask those who were
on the move last night." Að spyrja + acc. = to ask someone.
To ask about someone = að spyrja um e-n.

> og búið (neut of búinn, used as adverb) eg láti (yield see Zoega:

láta

> (12) láta at e-u) annars víti að varnaði."
> and maybe I should yield to (the) warning of another's suffering.'

"Láta e-t at varnaði" = take something as a warning. Cook
catches drift well: "and I'd best be warned by another man's
woe." A figure of speech still in use.

> "Hinn veg værir þú undir brún að líta," segja þeir, "sem þú mundir

eigi

> vera
> '(The) other way (alternatively?) you were to look under the brow

(?) ,'

> they say, `as you would not be
>
> ragur" og vísuðu honum til Kols.
> cowardly' and showed him (the way) to Kol.

What you see under a man's brow are his eyes - so: "From the look
in your eyes, you seem anything but a coward (Cook)." Literally:
"Another way (i.e. different) you would (seem to) appear under your
brow (in your eyes), (i.e.) as if you would not be cowardly."

Regards,
Eysteinn