Re: Kjalnesinga Saga 13 end + 14 beginning - Rob's Translation

> Hann hafði skegg mikið og hvítt af hæru.
> He had a large beard and white hair.
> He had a great beard and (was) white haired.
> he had a long (tall) beard and white from hoariness.

Rob, Grace: You can probably tell from Alan's translation,
but just in case, neuter <hvítt> modifies <skegg>: it's the
beard that's white.

> Hvortveggi bekkur var skipaður af fólki og voru þeir
> margir heldur stórleitir.

> Both benches were occupied by people and they were many
> rather big faced.

> On each of two benches were arranged with people and they
> were many rather big-faced(?).

> Each bench (of the two) was occupied (skipa, Z2) by folk
> and they (must be only men on the benches) were many
> rather big-faced.

A characteristic of giants, perhaps?

> Konur sátu um þvert herbergið og var sú best farandi er í
> miðju sat.

> A woman was busy with contrary to the room and it was the
> best traveler who sat in the middle.

> Women sat across the lodgings and that one best of beggars
> (??) who sat in the middle.

> Women sat (plural) across the-room and that-one (she) was
> by chance (see fara, CV.vi.1, ie she just happened to be?)
> best who sat in (the) middle.

CV A.III.1 is a better fit: <var sú konan bezt farandi> 'the
most graceful, lady-like'. It's under the broad head 'to
suit, fit', especially of clothes, hair, and the like, along
with <klæði sem bezt farandi>.

> Borð stóðu um allt herbergið og vist fram sett og sú ein
> er mönnum sómdi þann tíma að neyta.

> A table stood around all the room and probably set from
> and the one who people became that time to use. [Truth in
> advertising: I am not pretending that I understand this
> sentence at all.]

> Tables stood all about the lodgings and provisions set
> forward and that alone which to men seem to be of use at
> that time.

> Tables stood around all the-room and food (provisions) set
> forth and that (ie the food, vist is feminine) alone is
> befitting (sóma) for men at that time to consume (neyta,
> Z2). (I ´m guessing this means the food that was laid out
> was just what the doctor ordered for such an occasion, and
> nothing else would be appropriate)

That <er> is the relativizer: 'and only that [food] which
was fitting for men to consume at that time'. I'm not sure
whether 'that time' refers to the time of year or to the
time at which the tale is set, but I lean towards the
former. I'm also not sure in just what sense it was
fitting.

Brian

Brian