Saell Alan

I looked in the CSOI Translated by Robert Cook

 

Kari then spoke this verse

18

If I ran, warrior,

why rebuke me?

The weapon-storm pounded,

by my power, on shields

Long, slender swords

sang loud, while you,

red-bearded coward,

ran to your booth

 

Kari spoke another verse;

19

When Warriors lacked

the will to stop fighting,

Skafti the poet was pinned

scared behind his shield,

and the cooks dragged

this dauntless hero

flat on his back

to the juggler's floor   [ed- being sarcastic is he?]

 

Kari spoke a third verse

20

Men who mount the sea's elk

have mocked the burning of Njal

and of Grim and of Helgi -

they did a great wrong

and now in the heather -decked

hills of the hog   [Svinafell]

all goes otherwise

after the Althing

 

There was great laughter, Snorri the Godi smiled and spoke in a low voice, yet

in such a way that many heard him

 

21

Skafti would shorten the fight

but then Asgrim shot his shaft

Holmstein fled unwillingly

Thorket was forced to fight

 

Now they laughed even louder

 

 

Kveðja

Patricia

 

 

 

Here’s my translation. Grace, sorry, I’m not much help with the verse – too many words not in Zoega or, at least that don’t seem to fit the context.

Alan.

Þeir Flosi hörfuðu nú upp um Vatnsfirðingabúð.
They, Flosi (and co) retreated now up around (the) Lake-Fjorder’s-booth.


Þorgeir skorargeir mælti þá við Kára Sölmundarson: "Þar er hann nú Eyjólfur
Thorgeir ‘Chafe-spear’ spoke then with Kári Sölmund’s-son: ‘There he is now, Eyjólf

Bölverksson ef þú vilt launa honum hringinn."
Bölverk’s-son, if you want to recompense him for the ring.’


"Eg ætla það nú eigi fjarri," segir Kári og þreif spjót af manni og skaut
’I intend that now not farther (I’m no less inclined to do that than I was before?),’says Kári and grasped a spear from a person (man) and shot

til Eyjólfs og kom það á hann miðjan og gekk í gengum hann. Féll Eyjólfur
towards Eyjólf and (it) came onto him amidships and went through him. Eyjólf fell

þegar dauður til jarðar.
at-once dead to (the) earth.


Þá varð hvíld nokkur á um bardagann. Snorri goði kom þá að með flokk sinn.
Then some (a slight?) pause occurred amidst the battle. Snorri (the) chieftain-priest came upon (it) then with his body-of-men.

Var þar þá Skafti í liði með honum og hljópu þegar í milli þeirra. Náðu þeir
Was there then Skapti in (the) force with him and (they) ran at once between them (ie the opposing sides). They (ie the opposing sides) were allowed (see ná + inf, Z3)

þá eigi að berjast. Hallur gekk þá í lið með þeim og vildi skilja þá.
then not to fight. Hall walked then into (the) force with them and wanted to separate them.

Voru þá sett grið (pl) og skyldu þau haldast um þingið. Var (3^rd pers sg) þá búið um lík (acc neut pl) og færð til
A truce (see grið, plural, Z2) was then agreed and it (plural because referring to grið) should be-maintained during the Thing. (It) was then arranged concerning (the) corpses and (they were) removed to

kirkju en bundin sár þeirra manna er særðir voru.
(the) church but (and) bound (were the) wounds of those men who were wounded.


Annan dag eftir gengu menn til Lögbergs. Hallur af Síðu stóð upp og kvaddi
(The) next day after (this) men walked to (the) Law-Rock. Hall of Síða stood up and called

sér hljóðs og fékkst (fást) þegar.
for himself for a hearing (silence) and was-given (it) at-once.


Hann mælti svo: "Hér hafa orðið harðir atburðir í mannaláti og málasóknum.
He spoke thus: ’Here have occurred severe events in (the) loss-of-life and in prosecutions.

Mun eg enn sýna það er eg er lítilmenni. Eg vil nú biðja Ásgrím og þá menn
I will yet (however) show that, that I am a small-person (ie no hero). I want now to ask Ásgrím and those other men

aðra er fyrir málum þessum eru að þeir unni oss jafnsættis."
who are for (ie supporting) these cases that they grant us an agreement-on-equal-terms.’


Fór hann þar um mörgum fögrum orðum.
He went (expounded) there-on with many fair words .


Kári Sölmundarson mælti: "Þó að allir sættist aðrir á sín mál þá skal eg
Kári Sölmund’s-son spoke: Even if all others reach-agreement in their case, then I shall

eigi sættast á mín mál því að þér munuð vilja virða víg þessi í móti
not reach-agreement (come to terms) in my case because you (plural) will want to value (equally, ie equate) this manslaughter against

brennunni en vér þolum það eigi."
the burning, but we (will or can) not endure that.’


Slíkt hið sama mælti Þorgeir skorargeir.
Such (Exactly) the same spoke Þorgeir ‘Chafe-spear.’


Þá stóð upp Skafti Þóroddsson og mælti: "Betra hefði þér verið Kári að renna
Then Skapti Þórodd’s-son stood up and spoke: ‘(It) had been better for you, Kári, not to run

eigi frá mágum þínum (plural) og skerast nú eigi úr sáttum við góða menn."
from your in-laws and not to withdraw (see skarast, Z8) now out-of agreements with good men.’


Kári kvað þá vísur þrjár:
Kári recited then three verses:


Hvað skaltu, runnr, þótt rynnum,
What shall you, ?, although ?

randlinns, of sök minni
?, for lesser reason

hagl dreif skarpt á Sköglar
hail drove sharply on Skögul’s

skýjum, oss að frýja,
clouds (presumably an allusion to the battle), to reproach us,

hinn er hélt, þá er hjalta
That (one) is ?, when ?

hátungur mjög sungu,
loud-tongues much sang

brynju meiðr til búðar
of coat-of-mail ? to (the) booth

blauðr með skeggið rauða.
cowardly with the red-beard