À propos of nothing much, my local Old Norse group, which
meets only once a month (usually with a break in the summer)
but has different people taking different passages,
celebrated its 25th anniversary this month. The group has
fluctuated quite a bit in size over the years, but we
currently number about eight, four of whom have been there
from the beginning or within a few months thereof.
> Guðrún mælti: "Svo þykir mér sem Þorleiki virðist engi
> jafn vel til fallinn að vera fyrirmaður ef það skal nokkuð
> vinna er til harðræða sé.
> Gudrun said: "So it seems to me as Thorleik to be highly
> esteemed not equally well to fallen to be one who excells
> if that shall somewhat work which would be to hardiness.
> (??)
> Gudrun spoke, “So it seems to me that to Thorleik, none is
> valued as well to suit to be foreman if it shall be to
> work some which hardiness be (needed).
> Guðrún spoke: So (it) seems to me that Þorleikr
> should-esteem (impers construction) no-one (engi) equally
> worthy (well placed, see fallinn vel til, Z2) to be leader
> if that which would-be towards hardiness shall avail
> somewhat (?) (if something like hardiness is to prevail?).
That last bit really is a bit of a bear. I finally decided
that <skal> is impersonal, so that <ef það skal nokkuð
vinna> is 'if that is at all to be done'. In some contexts
<til> has senses awfully close to 'of, concerning', and
something close to that would fit here to make it 'if that
is at all to be done that would be of hardiness', i.e., if
something requiring hardiness is to be done.
Brian