> Þetta haust hafði Gunnar Þiðrandabani verið sendur Guðrúnu
> til trausts og halds.

> This fall Gunnar Thidrandabani had been sent to Gudrun for
> help and support.

> That fall Gunnar bane of Thidrand had been sent to Gudrun
> for support and help.

> This autumn Gunnarr Þiðrandabani (Þiðrandi’s-slayer) had
> been sent to Guðrún for help and support (in need, his or
> hers?).

His, I think, given his situation and the way that she
protects him.

> Fór hann mjög huldu höfði því að margir stórir menn veittu
> þar eftirsjár.

> He went about much (with his) head hidden because many
> important men were looking after (him) there.

> He went (with his) head very disguised because many
> important men paid attention there.

> He travelled (ie got around) much by means of (ie with the
> aid of) a covering for his head because many great
> (powerful) persons (men) gave attention there(-to) (ie
> were out to get him).

I don’t think that the dative of respect here (<huldu
höfði>) can be interpreted as an instrumental dative ('by
means of, with the aid of'); it simply describes the manner
in which he travelled.

> Hið fyrsta kveld veislunnar er menn gengu til vatns stóð
> þar maður mikill hjá vatninu.

> The first evening of the banquet when men went to water, a
> large man stood there next to the water.

> The first evening of the wedding feast when people went to
> the water, a big man stood there near the water.

> On the first evening of the-feast when people went to
> water (lake, the bathing-spot?), a tall man stood there by
> the-water.

A place where they could wash, I think, but one would
probably have to know the local topography to say whether it
was a stream, a pond, or a lake.

> Sá nefndist svo sem honum sýndist.

> That one gave his name so as appeared to him.

> That one named himself just as seemed to him.

> That-one gave-a-name-for himself such as seemed
> appropriate to him (ie probably not his real name)

‘He named himself as he pleased/saw fit.’ I take this to
mean that he gave whatever name he felt like giving, or
whatever came to mind.

> Eða hvað hefir þú mér hugað að heldur?"

> What do have you rather intended for me?"

> Rather what have you in mind for me?

> So what have you thought-out (ie devised, intended) for me
> all-the-more (for now knowing who I am)?”

I’m by no means certain, but I’m inclined to put <að> with
<huga> rather than with <heldur>: ‘So what, rather, have you
considered for me?’

> En Guðrún sat innar á þverpalli og þar konur hjá henni og
> höfðu lín á höfði.

> And Gudrun sat more inside the cross dais and there a
> woman next to her also had linen on her head.

> But Gudrun sat inside on the cross dais and women near her
> there and had linen on (her) head.

> But Guðrún sat further-in on the cross-dais and there
> women (plural) alongside her and (they) had (wore, höfðu
> is plural) linen on (their) head(s).

This apparently refers to their being gussied up for the
wedding.

> En þegar hún verður vör við stígur hún af brúðbekkinum og
> heitir á sína menn að veita Gunnari lið.

> And at once she becomes aware of a path she (goes) from
> the bride's bench and calls to her men to help Gunnar's
> troops.

> And as soon as she became aware (of what happened) she
> steps off the bride’s bench and calls on her men to give
> Gunnar help.

> But (And) as-soon-as she becomes aware (varr) of (this)
> she steps (stíga) (does this mean that the water was quite
> close to the house and Guðrún had witnessed these events
> or that the events at the water had been conveyed back to
> Guðrún?) from the-bride’s-bench and calls on (exhorts) her
> people (men) to give support to Gunnarr (dative).

It must be fairly close, but it seems to me a bit unlikely
that she could actually see what was going on.

> Snorri mælti: "Miklu er þér meiri vandi á að gera eftir
> vorum vilja.

> Snorri said: "It is much more difficult to you to do later
> our wishes.

> Snorri spoke, “More great are customs? to behave in
> accordance with our wishes.

> Snorri spoke: “(The) obligation (vandi, Z3) is by-far
> greater for you to act according to (eptir) our wish.

Rob, Grace: Think of it as <Miklu meiri er vandi á þér>
'Much more is [the] obligation on you'.

Brian