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Thank you for your compliment LN - I was nervy of it at first but I shall be better at ease with the second bit tomorrow
Patricia
-------Original Message-------
From: llama_nom
Date: 22/09/2007 20:33:48
Subject: [norse_course] Re: Hjálmarskviða (1-4) - llama nom's translation + notes Good work, Meghan and Patricia. At the risk of jumping the gun,
here's my translation and some notes. Anyone who hasn't yet can still
post a translation, of course, or any questions you have about
specific points.
O. went to where H. was and said/chanted:
(Not necessary to translate as "to *there* where", which I think
probably adds an awkwardness of idiom not present in the Norse.)
"What's up (what's the matter with you), H.? You've changed your
colour (i.e. you've gone pale from loss of blood). I say that many
wounds weary you. Your helm is hewn (your helmet is cut) and the
byrnie (coat/shirt of chain-mail) on your side [is also cut]. I say
your life is at an end."
'þér' is the dative of the singular 'þú', rather than the nominative
plural 'þér'. Notice that O. uses singular forms 'þú' and 'þik' in
the following lines.
'bregða', past participle, neuter 'brugðit' - various meanings, but in
this case "changed". 'litr' "colour" (here specifically
"complexion"), masculine.
'en' can mean "but", however it's also often used where we would say
"and". It can indicate a slightly stronger contrast than 'ok',
although not always quite as strong as English "but". E.g. here the
helmet and the coat of chain-mail are contrasted slightly, but there's
no suggestion that there's anything surprising about the fact that his
armour is hacked to bits as well as his helmet, as would be implied by
English "but". If that makes any sense...
'hlið' "side", feminine dative singular.
'fara', main meaning "to go, travel", but here 'fara' with a dative
object = "to put an end to, destroy" (Zoega 15), thus 'fara sér' "to
kill oneself", 'fara fjörvi' = 'fara lífi' "to take the life [of]".
Weird grammar note: when an accusative object is made the subject of a
passive verb, it becomes nominative, just as in English, e.g. "it cut
my helmet" : "my helmet is cut". But Old Norse also has verbs that
require their direct object to take the dative case: 'fara fjörvi'
"destroy/take life". When such verbs are made passive, the noun stays
in the dative; and the past participle of the verb, instead of
agreeing with the noun, is declined as neuter nominative singular,
thus 'fjörvi of farit þínu' (the nominative would be 'fjör ... þitt').
The same thing happens in other old Germanic languages and Modern German.
'of' is here a meaningless particle used in verse, especially before a
verb, to help the meter. It's interchangeable with 'um'.
Patricia writes: "like German Müde - tired". Exactly. Old Norse
'móðr' "tired", 'moeða' "to make tired". In Old English poetry too,
the effect of wounds in battle is conventionally described as tiredness.
Notice the freer word order than is normal in prose, e.g. the way the
possessive adjective is twice separated from its noun by an
intervening verb: 'hjálmr er þinn...', 'fjörvi of farit þínu'.
Another typical feature of old poetry is the lack of definite articles.
"I have 16 wounds [and] a broken/torn/slit/sliced byrnie. It's black
before my sight/eyes (i.e. my sight has darkened). I can't see to
walk. A.'s sword struck my heart, the sharp point, tempered/hardened
in poison."
'slitna', feminine accusative singular. 'slíta' "to tear", past
participle 'slitinn' "torn".
'séka' = 'sé' "see" + suffixed pronoun -k (='ek') "I" + the negative
suffix -a = "I see not", "I can't see". 'séka ek ganga' "I can't see
to walk", "I can't see where I'm going", "I can't find my way".
'hneit'. 'I think you must just have misread this, Patricia: 'hneit'
is the past 3rd person singular of 'hníta' "to strike, to wound"
(rather than 'hníga "to sink").
'hjörr' is a poetic synonym [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heiti ] for
'sverð' "sword".
"I owned in all five farms [all] together, but I was never satisfied
with that lot. Now I must lie deprived of life, wounded by sword, on
Sámsey (Sámr's island)."
'áttak' = 'átta' + suffixed pronoun -k, as you both spotted.
'ráði', dative singular neuter noun, object of 'unða', past 1st person
singular (infinitive 'una' "to be content with"). Various meanings,
but here "condition, state of life, lot" (Zoega 7).
'verða' + infinitive "to have to".
"Housecarls drink mead in the hall, endowed/adorned with gems at my
father's house. Ale makes tired many men, but the tracks of edges (of
blades) torment/pain/plague me on the island."
'göfgir', masculine nominative plural of 'göfugr' normally "noble, of
noble birth, powerful", is here used as a synonym for 'göfgaðr', past
participle of 'göfga' "to worship, honour" - their patron (H.'s father
has honoured his men with jewels). (Cf. G. Turville Petre: Hervarar
saga ok Heiðreks, glossary).
'fira', masculine accusative plural or 'firar', a poetical term for
"men" or "people".
'eggja spor' "tracks of blades" is a kenning for wounds.
*
Hope that makes it a bit clearer. Please let me know if I went
incomprehensible anywhere there, or if you have any more questions.
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