Re: Laxdaela Saga 54 part 1 -- Rob's Translation

> Nú segir Halldór Barða í hljóði að þeir bræður ætla að
> fara að Bolla og sögðust eigi lengur þola frýju móður
> sinnar: "Er ekki því að leyna Barði frændi að mjög var
> undir heimboði við þig að vér vildum hér til hafa þitt
> liðsinni og brautargengi."

> Now Halldor tells Bardi in silence that the brothers
> intend to travel to Bolli and said for themselves not to
> any longer endure their mother's reproach: "It is not that
> to conceal, kinsman Bardi, that many were depending on a
> feast with you that wanted here to have your picked troops
> and help."

> Now Halldor speaks to Bardi in secret that those brothers
> intend to attack Bolli and said of himself not longer to
> endure his mother’s taunts: “It is not to conceal, kinsman
> Bardi, that much was involved in your invitation home that
> we want to have your aid and help here.”

> Now Halldór says to Barði in secret that they (the)
> brothers intend to go at (ie attack) Bolli and
> said-of-himself (ie that he would) not to suffer (any)
> longer (the) reproach of his mother: “(it) is therefore
> concealing nothing, Barði kinsman, that much was much
> under (ie the underlying reason behind) (the) invitation
> to you that we wanted here to have your support and help.”

I'm inclined to take <því> to be the dative object of
<leyna>: '[It] is not to conceal that, Barði kinsman, that
[it] greatly underlay [the] invitation to you that we want
...'. The first part seems to have the sense 'It is not to
be concealed'.

> Þar skortir og eigi viturlegar ráðagerðir er þau eru
> Guðrún og Ósvífur.

> It is lacking therere and not wise plans which they are,
> Gudrun and Osvifr.

> There is lacking also no wiser planners since they are
> Gudrun and Osvif.

> There (it) also is-lacking not sensible (acc plural, not
> comparative) plans (advisers?) when they are Guðrún and
> Ósvífr.

And [it] is not lacking in sensible plans where they, Guðrún
and Ósvíf, are.

> Halldór segir: "Hins munum vér þurfa að torvelda ekki
> þetta mál fyrir oss.

> Halldor says: "We need to not make difficult this case for
> us.

> Halldor says, “This we will need that this case is not
> made difficult for us.

> Halldór says: “We will be-in-need-of that, to make this
> matter not difficult for us.” (I think this means that
> it´s is best that we don´t convince ourselves that this is
> all too hard)

Halldór says: 'We will need not to make this case difficult
for ourselves.' Like Rob and Grace, I think that <ekki>
modifies the 'make' part of 'make difficult', not the
'difficult' part.

> Hefi eg og þetta eigi fyrri upp kveðið en það mun
> framgengt verða að vér munum til leita hefndanna við
> Bolla.

> I have also recited this previously and that will succeed
> that we will seek revenge against Bolli.

> I have also not summoned men to arms before this, but it
> will be advanced that we will seek vengeance against
> Bolli.

> I also have not declared this sooner than that will become
> brought-about that we will seek for the-vengeance with
> Bolli (I think this means that he wouldn´t have mentioned
> it if they weren´t already committed to seeking
> vengeance).

I'd say 'against Bolli', but I agree with the
interpretation.

> Barði svarar: "Veit eg að þér mun ósannlegt þykja að eg
> víkist undan.

> Bardi answers: "I know that you will unfairly think that I
> decline.

> Bardi answers, “I know that you will think (it) unjust
> that I decline.

> Barði answers: “I know that to you (it) will seem
> improbable that I would-refuse.

I agree with 'improbable'.

> Mun eg það og eigi gera ef eg sé að eg fæ eigi latt."

> I will also not do that if I see that I were not able to
> hold back.

> And I will not do (so) if I see that I am not able to
> dissuade (you).”

> I will also not do that (ie refuse) if I see that I
> should-not –be-able to dissuade (pp. of letja?) (you).”

Yes, past part. of <letja>.

> "Þá hefir þú vel af máli," segir Halldór, "sem von var
> að."

> "Then you well have an agreement," says Halldor, "as was
> accustomed. "

> “Then you have a good position in the case,” says Halldor,
> “as was expected.”

> “Then you have well from the-case,” says Halldór, “as was
> expectation of (it) (ie as was to be expected).”

'Then you do well in [the] matter,' says Halldór, 'as was
to be expected.'

> Maður hét Þorsteinn svarti.
> A man was named Thorstein Black.
> A man was named Thorsteinn the black.
> (There) is a man called Þorsteinn (the) black.

Past tense.

> Hann hafði verið langan tíma vinur Ólafs pá.
> He had been a long time friend of Olafs then.
> He had been Olaf’s friend then for a long time.
> He had been for a long time a friend of Ólafr peacock.

Rob, Grace: I'm sure that you've realized it already, but
that's <pá>, not <þá>.

Brian