Re: Laxdaela Saga 45 part 3 - Rob's Translation

> Kjartan tók vel undir þetta og kvað hana vel mála leita.

> Kjartan answered this well and told her (he would) well
> broach the subject.

> Kjartan seconded this well and said of her to have pursued
> her case well.

> Kjartan readily took this on-board (lit: under) and
> declared her (to have done) well to seek speech(es) (to
> broach the subject, see mál, Z4, it is she who is doing
> the broaching) (I´m not sure if this is meant to be gen pl
> or is a typo for máls).

My other edition also has the plural. I make it 'and said
[that] she [had] pursued matters well', meaning that she had
made a good case. I think that <tók vel undir> here can
probably be understood simply as 'readily accepted' or
'readily agreed with'.

> Hann tekur því máli líklega því að hann var vitur maður og
> kunni að sjá hversu sæmilega þeim er boðið.

> He answers favorably to this matter because he was a wise
> man and was able to see how honorably who asked them.

> He gives a favorable answer to (the) arrangement because
> he was a wise man and was able to see how honourable the
> offer was to them.

> He receives that speech favourably because he was a wise
> person (man) and would-be-able (present subjunctive) to
> see how honourably for them (it) is asked (ie the honour
> bestowed on them by the asking).

Grace: The way to tell that <boðið> is the past participle
and not the noun+article is to note that <sæmilega> is the
adverb, not the adjective.

However, I would translate <er boðið> 'is offered', not 'is
asked': 'how honorably to them is offered'.

> Kálfur er þessa máls mjög flýtandi: "Vil eg ekki láta til
> spara."

> Kalfr is hurrying to this matter: "I will not cause to
> spare from (expenses)."

> Kalf is very encouraging of this arrangement, “I do not
> wish anything to be spared.”

> Kálfr is much a-hastening of this matter (keen to get
> things rolling?): “I want to let spare (hold back) nothing
> towards (it).”

I don't know that he's so much literally rushing things --
pushing them forward in time -- as pushing them forward more
metaphorically by urging the acceptance of the arrangement.

> Með slíku móti voru aðrir hættir Kjartans umfram aðra
> menn.

> In such ways were other customs of Kjartan above other
> men.

> With such manner other ventures of Kjartans were beyond
> other men.

> In like manner were Kjartan’s other ways-of-doing-things
> beyond (the ken? ability? of) other men.

Better or more admirable than those of other men, I think.

> Kjartan gave Hrefna (as a) bridle gift

Neigh, never! <g>

Brian