Re: Eyrbyggja 25 part 2 -- Rob's Translation

> Með jarli voru bræður tveir, sænskir að ætt.

> With the Earl lived two brothers of Swedish descent. (Och
> de talar svenska.)

> With (the) earl were two brothers, Swedish by descent.

With [the] jarl were two brothers, Swedish by descent.

> Hét annar Halli en annar Leiknir.
> One was called Halli and the other Leiknir.
> One was named Halli and the other Leiknir.

One was called Halli and [the] other Leiknir.

> Þeir voru menn miklu meiri og sterkari en í þann tíma
> fengjust þeirra jafningjar í Noregi eða víðara annars
> staðar.

> They were much more and stronger men and in that time were
> busy with their matches in Norway or wider (in) other
> places.

> They were much larger and stronger men than in that time
> ??? of them equals in Norway or more widely of other
> places.

Literally something like this:

They were much larger and stronger men than their equal
might be found at that time in Norway or in many other
places.

In real English:

They were larger and stronger men than could then be found
in Norway or many other places.

The sk-form <fengjust> (from <fá>) is a subjunctive, and
here it must be a genuine passive.

> Þeir gengu berserksgang og voru þá eigi í mannlegu eðli er
> þeir voru reiðir og fóru galnir sem hundar og óttuðust
> hvorki eld né járn.

> They went in a berserk's fury and were then not in human
> nature when they were angry and went mad as dogs and
> feared neither fire nor fetters.

> They went with the fury of a berserker and then were not
> of human nature when they were angry and went mad as dogs
> and feared neither fire nor iron.

They went berserk when they were angry and were then not of
human nature and went about mad as dogs [ok Enskir menn?
:-)] and feared neither fire nor iron.

> En hversdaglega voru þeir eigi illir viðureignar ef eigi
> var í móti þeim gert en þegar hinir mestu örskiptamenn er
> þeim tók við að horfa.

> But they were not generally hard to deal with if nothing
> was done against them but (they were) at once the most
> overbearing men when (one) begins to set himself against
> them. [I assume that the "við" goes with "horfa." ]

I agree: it goes with the last entry in <horfa> Z1.

> But ordinarily they were not bad to deal with if nothing
> was done against them but instantly the most violent men
> when to them resistance was turned?

But usually they were not hard to deal with if nothing was
done against them, but at once the most overbearing men when
[someone] began to set himself against them.

> Eiríkur hinn sigursæli Svíakonungur hafði sent jarli
> berserkina og setti varnað á að hann skyldi gera vel til
> þeirra og sagði sem var að hið mesta fullting mátti að
> þeim verða ef til yrði gætt skapsmuna þeirra.

> Erik the victorious Swedish king had sent the earl the
> berserkers and submitted a warning that he should do well
> towards them and said as it was the most help could happen
> to them if their disposition became looked after

> Eirik the victorious Swedish king had sent the berserkers
> to the earl and placed a warning that he should treat them
> well and said as was the most help might be to them? if to
> their dispositions were attended.

Eirík hinn sigursæli [`the victorious’], king of the Swedes,
had sent the jarl the berserks and set thereon a warning
that he should treat them well and said, as was [true, the
case], that the greatest assistance could from them if their
dispositions were paid heed to.

This is <at> A.IV(8) in Z.

> Um vorið er Vermundur hafði verið einn vetur með jarli þá
> fýstist hann til Íslands og bað jarl gefa sér orlof til
> þeirrar ferðar.

> During the spring when Vermundr had stayed one year with
> the Earl, then he was eager (to go) to Iceland and asked
> the Earl to give him permission to travel.

> During the spring when Vermund had been with the earl one
> winter, then he was eager to (go) to Iceland and asked the
> earl to give him permission for their journey.

In the spring when Vermund had been with the jarl one
winter, he was eager to go to Iceland and asked [the] jarl
to give him permission for their journey.

> Jarl bað hann fara sem hann vildi og bað hann hugsa um
> áður "ef nokkurir eru þeir hlutir í mínu valdi, aðrir meir
> en aðrir, er þú vilt þiggja þér til framkvæmdar en báðum
> okkur til sæmdar og virðingar."

> The Earl bade him go as he wanted and asked him (to) thing
> about beforehand "if any of those things is in my power,
> others more than others, if you wanted to receive for
> yourself success and both to our honor and esteem."

> The earl bade him go as he wished and bad him think about
> (it) beforehand “if there are some things in my power, one
> thing more than another?, which you want to receive for
> success and both of us for honour and worthiness.”

[The] jarl told him to travel as he wished and told him to
think beforehand about 'whether there are any things in my
power, some more than others, that you want to receive for
your fulfilment and for honor and esteem for both of us.'

I interpret the datives <þér> and <báðum okkur> as the
functional equivalent of possessives. The 'some more than
others' is a little obscure, but I think that the jarl is
asking him to pick the things that he wants most.

> En er Vermundur hugsaði eftir hverra hluta hann skal af
> jarli beiðast þá kom honum í hug að honum mundi mikillar
> framkvæmdar afla á Íslandi ef hann hefði slíka
> eftirgöngumenn sem berserkirnir voru.

> And when Vermundr considered what thing she shall request
> from the Early, then he remembered that he would gain much
> prowess in Iceland if he had such support as the
> berserkers were.

> And when Vermun thought about everything he could ask of
> the earl then it came to mind that for him would be great
> success to gain in Iceland if he had such followers as the
> berserkers were.

And when Vermund thought about everything [‘all things’]
[that] he ought to ask of [the] jarl, [it] came to his mind
that he would gain much success in Iceland if he had such
followers as the berserks were.

> Og staðfestist það í skapi hans að hann mundi leita eftir
> ef jarlinn vildi fá honum berserkina til eftirgöngu.

> And it grew firm in his mind that he would see (Z. has
> "seek for") if the Earl would give him the berserkers as
> support.

> And it took up abode in his mind that he would ask if the
> earl wanted to give him the berserkers as followers.

And it settled in his mind that he would inquire whether the
jarl would give him the berserks as followers.

> En það bar til er hann beiddist þessa að honum þótti Styr
> bróðir sinn mjög sitja yfir sínum hlut og hafa ójafnað við
> sig sem flesta aðra þá er hann fékk því við komið.

> And that produced (i.e., resulted) when he requested this
> to him his brother Styr was busy with the matter and has
> unfairness with him as most others, those who he got made
> use of that. (??)

> And it happened when he asked this that to him his
> brother, Styr, seemed much to take over his things and
> have inequality with him as most others those who he was
> able to touch?

And it came about when he asked for this that he thought his
brother Styr much to take possession of his share and to
treat him unjustly [‘have injustice towards him’] as [he
did] most others, when he was able to bring this about.

> Hugði hann að Styr mundir þykja ódælla við sig að eiga ef
> hann hefði slíka fylgdarmenn sem þeir bræður voru.

> He thought that Styr would think difficult with him to
> have if he had such followers as the brothers were.

> He thought that Styr would think it difficult to have to
> deal with him if he had such followers as those brothers
> were.

He thought that Styr would think it difficult to deal with
him if he had such followers as those brothers were.

> Nú segir Vermundur jarli að hann vill þann sóma af honum
> þiggja að hann gefi honum til trausts og fylgdar
> berserkina.

> Now Vermundr tells the Earl that he wants that honor from
> him accepts that he give him in return for support and a
> body-guard of the berserkers.

> Now Vermund tells the earl that he wants to receive that
> honour from him that he give him as support and followers,
> the berserkers.

Now Vermund tells the jarl that he wants to receive that
honor from him, that he give him the berserks as help and
followers.

Brian