I have to say that the syntactic style of this is a bit
different from that of anything else that I’ve read, if not
quite so odd as that of <Tristrams saga ok Ísöndar>, the ON
adaptation of the tale of Tristan and Yseult by a man known
only as Brother Robert, probably an Anglo-Norman working in
Norway. He tended to follow the syntax of his Old French
original, and I have never *seen* so many present
participles in any other ON saga.

> Nú er at segja frá Herrauði ok Bósa, at þeir búast at
> sigla heim ór hernaði.

> Now we must tell about Harraudr and Bosi, that they
> prepared to sail home from freebooting.

> Now is the time to speak of Herraudr and Bosi that they
> readied themselves to sail home from plundering.

> Now (one) is to say about Herrauðr and Bósi, that they
> ready-themselves to sail home out-out (from) harrying.

Now we must [‘[it] is to’] say of Herrauð and Bósi that they
made ready to sail home from freebooting.

> Þá höfðu þeir frétt, at Sjóðr hafði rænt Þvara karl.

> They had then learned that Sjodr had robbed old-man
> Thvara.

> They had news then, that Sjodr had robbed commoner Thvari.

> Then they had heard (pp), that Sjóðr had robbed commoner
> Þvari.

They had then heard that Sjóð had robbed Þvari [the]
commoner.

I see no way to distinguish formally here between <frétt>
‘news’ and <frétt> the neuter nom./acc. sing. past
participle of <frétta> ‘to hear’; so far as I can see, it
could just as well be ‘They then had news that ...’.
Fortunately, the two are pretty nearly synonymous here.

> Ætlaði Herrauðr þá at friða fyrir Bósa ok sætta hann við
> konung.

> Herraudr then intended to intercede for Bosi and make
> peace for him with the King.

> Herraudr intended then to intercede for Bosi and reconcile
> him with the king.

> Herrauðr intended then to intercede for Bósi, and to
> reconcile him with (the) king.

Herrauð intended then to intercede for Bósi and reconcile
him with [the] king.

> Þeir fengu veðr svá mikil, at skip þeira skildust, ok
> týndust þau öll, sem Herrauðr hafði heiman haft, en hann
> komst með tvau skip í Elfarsker, en Bósa rak til Vindlands
> einskipa.

> They got such a strong wind, that their ship broke up, and
> they all perished, as Herraudr had had at home, but he
> arrived with two ships in Elfarser, and Bosi's drove
> (i.e., "sailed") to Vindland with a single ship.

> They got such fierce wind that their ships broke up and
> all those drowned which Herraudr had had from home, but he
> arrived with two ships in Elfskerry, and Bosi was driven
> to Vindland with a single ship.

> They got weather (wind) so great that their ships (plural)
> broke-up (or maybe they just became separated?), and all
> those (ships, neut) perished, which Herrauðr had had
> (taken) from-home, but he made-his-way with two ships to
> Elfarsker (the skerries at the mouth of the Gotha-river),
> but (and) Bósi drove towards Vindland (land of the Wends)
> with-a-single-ship.

They got such a great wind that their ships were separated,
and all those [ships] were lost that Herrauð had taken from
home, but he came with two ships to Elfarsker, and Bósi was
driven to Vindland [the land of the Wends] with a single
ship.

Elfarsker is the Southern Gothenburg archipelago at the
mouth of the Göta älv (ON Gautelfr), the ‘river skerries’.
Some ships clearly survived, so I expect that <skiljask>
here just means that they were separated.

> Þar lá fyrir Sjóðr með tvau skip, nýkominn ór Austrvegi,
> ok hafði hann keypt konungi dýrgripi.

> There Sjodr lay at anchor in front with two ships, newly
> arrived from Austrvegr, and he had made an agreement about
> the king's treasures.

> There Sjodr lay before with two ships, newly arrived from
> the East, and he made a bargain with the king for
> treasure.

> There Sjóðr lay-at-anchor before (Bósi´s arrival) with two
> ships, newly-come out-of Austrvegr (the East-way), and he
> had bought treasures for (the) king (dative).

Sjóð lay there at anchor with two ships, newly arrived from
the Baltic [‘eastern way’], and he had bought [the] king
treasures.

<Dýrgripr> is what Zoëga calls a 2nd declension feminine
strong noun, with the ending <-i> in both the dat. sing. and
the acc. plur. <Kaupa> takes an acc. object, so <dýrgripi>
must be plural.

> En er Bósi vissi þat, bað hann menn sína vápnast, ok lagði
> hann til fundar við Sjóð ok spurði, hverju hann vildi
> bæta, er hann hafði rænt Þvara karl.

> When Bosi learned that, he asked his men to arm
> themselves, and set a course to meet with Sjodr and asked,
> if he wanted to compensate for when he had robbed old man
> Thvara.

> And when Bosi knew that, he bade his men arm themselves,
> and he arranged a meeting with Sjodr and asked how he
> wanted to compensate (for what he took) when he robbed
> commoner Thvari.

> But (And) when Bósi knew (ie became aware of) that, he
> bade his people (men) to arm-themselves, and he laid (his
> course, ie set off) for a meeting with Sjóðr and asked,
> with what (ie how, in what way) he wanted to
> make-reparation, when he had robbed commoner Þvari.

And when Bósi found that out, he told his men to take up
arms, and he laid course to meet with Sjóð and asked with
what he intended to compensate for having robbed [‘that he
had robbed’] Þvari [the] commoner.

> Sjóðr kvað hann firna djarfan, er hann þorði slíkt at
> mæla, þar sem hann var áðr útlagi konungs, ok kvað honum
> vel yfir at láta, ef hann missti eigi meira.

> Sjodr told him (that he) blames boldly, if he spoke thus
> to Thorr, when he was previously the king's outlaw, and
> told him to yield well, if he should not lose more.

> Sjodr said he blames impudence, that he dared to speak
> such, whereas he was previously outlawed by the king and
> told him he was pleased if he was obliged to suffer the
> loss of more.

> Sjóðr declared him (ie Bósi) (to be) very (firna as
> intensive prefix) bold (mas acc sg agreeing with hann),
> when he dared (þora) to speak such, there where (ie
> whereas) he was already (the) king’s outlaw, and declared
> (one) to express approval of him (láta vel yfir e-u, Z12?
> The sense seems to be that he would be doing well, spoken
> favourably about?) if he lost not more.

Sjóð said that he [was] very bold that he dared to say such
[a thing], seeing that he was already an outlaw of the king,
and declared [it] to speak well of him if he did not lose
more.

I’m not quite sure about <ok kvað honum vel yfir at láta>,
but a missing impersonal subject seems the best solution. I
agree with Alan that the sense is that he’d fortunate not to
end up even worse off.

> Þá tóku hvárirtveggju til vápna, ok sló í bardaga með
> þeim, ok lauk svá, at Bósi varð banamaðr Sjóðs.

> Each of the two sides began to furnish themselves with
> arms, and a battle began between them, and it ended thus,
> that Bosi became Sjodr's slayer.

> Then each of the two resorted to weapons and struck in
> battle with them and it ended so that Bosi became Sjodr’s
> slayer.

> Then each-of-the-two (sides) took up weapons, and (it)
> came to a fight between them, and (it) concluded thus,
> that Bósi became (ie was) (the) slayer of Sjóðr.

Then each of the two took up weapons, and it came to a fight
between them, and it ended thus, that Bósi became Sjóð’s
killer.

> Gaf hann þá grið þeim, sem eftir váru, en tók at sér
> skipit ok allt þat, er á var.

> He then granted them quarter, those who remained, and took
> for himself the ship and all that, which was in (the
> ship). (Z. vera 10: vera eptir = to be left, to remain) (Z
> gefa 2: gefa e-m grið = to grant quarter or pardon to one)

> He then gave a truce to them who were left and took the
> ship for himself and all that which was on it.

> He gave then quarter to those, who remained (lit: were
> after), but (and) took for himself the-ship and all that,
> which was on (it).

He then gave quarter to those who remained but took for
himself the ship and everything that was on [it].

> En er honum gaf byr, siglir hann undir Gautland ok fann
> þar Herrauð, fóstbróður sinn, ok sagði honum tíðendin, en
> Herrauðr sagði honum, at þat mundi eigi bæta um vinsældir
> hans við konung, - "eða hví fórtu á minn fund, svá nærri
> mér sem þú hefir höggvit?"

> And when he got a fair wind, he sails below Gautland and
> met Herraudr, his foster brother there, and told him the
> news, but Harraudr told him, that that would not
> compensate for his popularity with the king, "why did you
> go to my meeting, so near me as you have struck?"

> And when he got a breeze, he sails below Gautland and met
> Herraudr there, his foster brother, and told him the news,
> but Herraudr told him that it would not improve his
> popularity with the king “or why do you come to meet me,
> so close to me as you have struck?”

> But (And) when (it) gave favourable-wind, he sails under
> Gautland and he found there Herrauðr, his foster-brother,
> and said to him the-tidings, but (and) Herrauðr said to
> him, that that would not improve his popularity with (the)
> king, - “so why have you journeyed to a meeting with me,
> as near to me as you have struck? (ie when you have just
> killed my half-brother)’

And when he got a fair wind, he sails up to Götaland and
there found Herrauð, his foster brother, and told him the
news, and Herrauð said to him that that would not improve
his popularity with [the] king, — ‘so why did you travel to
meet me, as close to me as you have struck?’

> "Ek vissa," sagði Bósi, "at mér mundi eigi tjá at forðast
> þik, ef þú vildir illu til þín slá, en ek þóttumst þar
> allt traust eiga, sem þú vart.

> "I knew," said Bosi, "that to me it would not be of use to
> avoid you, if you wanted bad to strike you, and it seemed
> to me there to have all support, as you (are) aware.

> “I know,” said Bosi, “that to me would not appear to avoid
> you, if you wished ill strike you?, but I thought myself
> to have all help, as you are.”

> “I knew,” said Bósi, “that (it) would not be of use (tjá,
> Z5) to avoid you, if you wanted badly to strike (aim a
> blow) at yours (?), but (and) I bethought-myself to have
> complete protection there, where you were (vera).

‘I knew,’ said Bósi, ‘that it would avail me nothing to
avoid you if you wanted to take it badly [‘to strike ill
towards you’], and I thought to have all support there where
you were.’

> "Kalla má," segir Herrauðr, "at lítill mannskaði væri at
> Sjóð, þó at mér væri skyldr, ok mun ek fara á fund föður
> míns ok freista, ef ek gæti sætt ykkr."

> "Can say," says Herraudr, "little loss of life would be to
> Sjodr, though to me it would be obliged, and I will not go
> to meet my father and try, if I could get your
> settlement."

> “(It) may be said,” says Herraudr, “that Sjodr is a small
> loss in terms of a man’s death, even though it is my
> bounden duty and I will go to a meeting with my father and
> try if I am able to reconcile you two.”

> “(One) may say,” says Herrauðr, “that (it) was a little
> (insignificant) loss-of-life with-respect-to Sjóðr, even
> though (he) was related to me, and I will journey to a
> meeting of my father and try, if I am able to reconcile
> (geta + pp) you-two.”

‘[It] may be said,’ says Herrauð, ‘that Sjóð’s death would
be no great loss [‘that little loss in death would be
present in Sjóð’], although [he] be near kin to me, and I
will go to have a talk with my father and see if I can
reconcile you two.’

> Bósi kvaðst eigi vænta mikils létta af konungi, en
> Herrauðr sagði, at eigi dygði ófreistat.

> Bosi said for himself not to want much alleviation from
> the king, but Herraudr said, nothing ventured nothing
> gained. (?? same as: at ekki dugir ófreistat = Nothing
> ventured, nothing gained? Reference:
> https://www.usask.ca/english/icelanders/proverbs_BNS.html)

> Bosi said he didn’t give much hope of the king’s (mercy),
> but Herraudr said that one shouldn’t give up without a try
> (Baetke).

> Bósi declared-of-himself not to hope of much relief
> (létti) from (the) king, but (and) Herrauðr said, that
> (it) would-suffice-not (duga) untested (ie doing nothing
> was not an option, “nothing ventured, nothing gained”).

Bósi said that he did not expect much relief from [the]
king, but Herrauð said that [it] did not suffice not to try
[‘untried’; i.e., nothing ventured, nothing gained].

> Fór hann á fund föður síns ok gekk fyrir hann ok kvaddi
> hann virðuliga.

> He went to meet with his father and went before him and
> greeted him respectfully.

> He went to meet his father and went before him and greeted
> him respectfully.

> He journeyed to a meeting of his father and went before
> him and (he) greeted him honourably.

He travelled to meet with his father and went before him and
greeted him respectfully.

> Faðir hans tók honum fáliga, því at hann hafði frétt áðr
> sameign þeira Bósa og Sjóðs.

> His father received him coldly, because he had previous
> news (about) Bosi's and Sjodr's fight.

> His father received him coldly because he had news
> previously of their, Bosi’s and Sjodr’s, fight.

> His father received him reservedly, because he had heard
> (pp) already of their Bósi and Sjóðr’s dealings (fight).

His father received him coldly, because he had already heard
[about] Bósi and Sjóð’s conflict.

> Herrauðr mælti til föður síns: "Þar er til bóta at sjá,
> sem þér eruð, við Bósa, félaga minn, því at hann hefir
> hent slys mikit.

> Herraudr said to his father: "There is a compensation to
> see to, as you are, with respect to Bosi, my comrade,
> because he has committed a great wrong.

> Herraudr spoke to his father, “there is compensation to
> see to, as you are, with Bosi, my comrade, because he has
> ?? great wrong doing.”

> Herrauðr spoke to his father: “(One) is to look for (ie
> expect) compensation (weregild) there, where you are (ie
> in your position), against Bósi, my comrade, because he
> has committed (henda, Z3) a great wrong-doing.

Herrauð said to his father: ‘There is atonement to be seen
to considering your position regarding Bósi [‘where you are
regarding Bósi’], my comrade, because he has been caught in
[or committed] a great wrongdoing.

CV s.v. <henda>, II.3.

> Hann hefir vegit Sjóð, son þinn, þó at sakir væri nokkurar
> til, ok viljum vér bjóða sættir ok fé svá mikit sem þú
> vilt sjálfr kjósa ok þar með várt fylgi ok hylli ok slíka
> þjónustu sem þér vilið hann krefja."

> He has slain Sjodr, your son, though would charges would
> exist, and we would like to offer a settlement and so much
> money as you would like to choose yourself and there with
> our support and favor and such service as you wanted to
> demand of him." (Z. vera 10: vera til = exist)

> He has slain Sjodr, your son, even though it is for some
> cause, and we want to offer compensation and so much
> wealth as you yourself wish to choose and with that our
> support and favor and such service as you wish to claim
> from him.”

> He has killed Sjóðr, your son, even though (there) were
> some reasons (sök, Z4) for (it), and we want to offer
> reconciliations and as much money as you want to choose
> yourself and there-with (ie along with it) our following
> and favour and such service as you want (present) to
> demand of him.”

He has killed Sjóð, your son, though there were some reasons
for [it], and we mean to offer compensation and such great
wealth as you yourself wish to choose and in addition
[‘therewith’] our support and favor and such service as you
wish to demand of him.’

> Konungr svarar þá reiðuliga: "Mikit kapp leggr þú á,
> Herrauðr, at fylgja illmenni þessu, ok mundi mörgum þykkja
> þér betr standa at hefna bróður þíns ok várrar svívirðu."

> The king then answers angrily: "You impose much zeal,
> Herraudr, to accompany this wicked man, and many would
> think you better stick to avenge your brother and our
> dishonor."

> The king answered angrily, “You, Herraudr, take great
> interest in it to support this evil man, and many will
> think you better to stand to avenge your brother and our
> disgrace.”

> (The) king answers then angrily: “You lay on much zeal,
> Herrauðr, to support this evil-person (man), and (it)
> would seem to many (persons) better to befit (standa, Z7)
> you to avenge your brother and our honour.”

[The] king then replies angrily: ‘You take great pains,
Herrauð, to help this evildoer, and it would seem to many to
befit you better to avenge your brother and our disgrace.’

Brian