Hrafnkels saga Freysgoða [Reprint 2013 ed.] 9780674732278, 9780674731165

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HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

LONDON : HUMPHREY MILFOKD OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGODA EDITED WITH INTRODUCTION AND GLOSSARY BT

PRANK STANTON CAWLEY ASSISTANT PROFESSOR O F SCANDINAVIAN LANGUAGES A N D L I T E R A T U R E S I N HARVARD U N I V E R S I T Y

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS

HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS 1932

COPYRIGHT, 19S2 BT THE PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE

PRINTED AT THE HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS CAMBRIDGE, MASS., U . S . A .

TO THE MEMORY OF

MY MOTHER AND FATHER

PREFACE

THE purpose of this book is to enable English-speaking students with some knowledge of Old Norse inflections to read a complete Icelandic saga without recourse to a third language for assistance in matters of idiom, syntax, and lexicography. Since the chief difficulties met by the beginner in reading the sagas are to be found in the field of idiom and syntax, I have treated these subjects fully in the introduction and glossary, and have not consciously left any real difficulty unexplained. 1 Nor do I make any apologies for having thus smoothed the student's path; he will find abundant opportunities for applying his knowledge and exercising his ingenuity when he goes on to read other sagas; and it is, I believe, important that he should be set on the right track in the beginning by having his attention called to features which he will find constantly recurring in his later reading. Besides my obvious obligations to my predecessors in similar editorial tasks (above all to Andreas Heusler's wholly admirable Zwei Isländergeschichten), I am grateful to various friends and colleagues for suggestions and corrections. Professor F. P. Magoun, Jr., 1 The section on the use of the article (p. xxxv, fif.) aims at completeness; the classifications are not conceived as rigid, bût are merely intended to give a better perspective of the facts.

viii

PREFACE

gave me several useful hints affecting the makeup of the book. Manuscript and proofs were read by Professor Halldór Hermannsson of Cornell University, from whose equal command of Icelandic and of English idiom I have profited in several cases, and Dr. Stefán Einarsson of Johns Hopkins University, to whom I owe especially the interpretation of hraun, meltorfa, and vik. Dr. Einarsson has also contributed the sketch of Fljótsdalr (see frontispiece), which was made on a visit to his home in Eastern Iceland in the summer of 1930. To my friend and teacher, Professor Siguröur Nordal of the University of Iceland, who suggested to me the making of this edition and who read the manuscript of the introduction and criticized the glossary in proof, I owe a great debt for instruction and inspiration in Icelandic studies as a whole. I am obliged to the Samfund til Udgivelse af gammel nordisk Litteratur for permission to base my text on their edition in Austfirftinga sçgur, and to Professor Jón Helgason, Librarian of the Arnamagnsean Collection, for leave to reproduce the oldest manuscript fragment of the saga; the map of Iceland, which was traced and lettered by my wife, is adapted, by kind consent of the author and publishers, from Professor E. V. Gordon's Introduction to Old Norse, Oxford University Press, 1927. Part of the expenses of publication were met by a grant from the Fund for Research in the Humanities of the General Education Board of the Rockefeller Foundation.

PREFACE

ix

I am especially indebted to Professor George Lyman Kittredge for his helpful interest, in the midst of urgent demands upon his time; Scandinavian studies at Harvard have never failed to find in him an influential friend, from the time when he himself introduced the teaching of Old Norse at this university. F . STANTON CAMBRIDGE,

MASSACHUSETTS

October 1, 1931

CAWLEY

CONTENTS CHRONOLOGY I.

II. III.

XII

INTRODUCTION

XV

1.

T H E STORY OF H R A F N K E L E R E Y ' S P R I E S T

2.

SYNTACTICAL OBSERVATIONS

XXVII

3.

EDITIONS AND TRANSLATIONS

XLVIII

4.

THE TEXT

TEXT GLOSSARY

I N D E X OF NAMES

.

.

XV

1 1 35 79

CHRONOLOGY1 T H E BIRTH OF H R A F N K E L

905

HALLFRETH SETTLES I N ICELAND

920

T H E KILLING OF E I N A R

945

T H E MEETING AT THE T H I N G

946

H R A F N K E L KILLS E Y V I N D AND OVERCOMES SAM

952

1 Approximate dates; cf. GuSbrandur Vigfússon, " U m tímatal í íslendinga sögum," Safn til Sögu Islands, I, 268-269, 407-408, and Hrafnkels saga freysgoSa, ed. Valdimar Asmundarson, 2nd ed., Reykjavik, 1911, facing p. 1.

INTRODUCTION 1.

T H E STORY O F H R A F K K E L F R E Y ' S

PRIEST

T H A T branch of ancient Germanic literature which is peculiar to Iceland, the Sagas, has a twofold interest for modern readers. 1 Quite apart from other considerations, the scattered allusions in these monuments to primitive institutions shed welcome light upon the otherwise dark domain of Proto-Germanic culture, social, political, and religious, so that they constitute a body of sources invaluable to the antiquarian who seeks to penetrate into the obscurity which envelops Germanic origins. But beside this incidental interest which attaches to the matter of the sagas, they possess as works of literature a merit which may properly be characterized as unique among contemporary creations of the human spirit. In these tales are preserved for all time the pre-Christian ethical values by which our remote ancestors lived, expressed with a sovereign artistry which bridges the gulf between our world and theirs, and sets these heathen men and women before us as human beings whose heroism, compounded of the cardinal Germanic virtues of loyalty and courage, carries them as individuals triumphantly through 1 The most recent account oí the sagas as a whole is to be found in Professor Koht's Lowell Lectures of 1930 (Halvdan Koht, The Old Norse Sagas, to be published by the American-Scandinavian Foundation). Sir W. A. Craigie, The Icelandic Sagas, Cambridge Manuals, 1913, gives an excellent summary.

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every conflict with their environment and invests them with a tragic grandeur which stirs our instinctive admiration. We look back to them today, not through the romantic haze which distorted their flesh-and-blood reality into the meretricious fiction of the noble savage, but as to men and women like ourselves compact of human frailties, but vindicating the liberty of the human personality through faithfulness to an ideal standard of conduct, no matter how narrow and sometimes incomprehensible to our modern feeling that ideal may be.1 The preservation of these unique records of Germanic culture, in a form which ensured their permanence, was due to a happy accident. Iceland was settled in the last quarter of the ninth century and the first quarter of the tenth, mainly by chieftains from the west coast of Norway who were impelled by one motive or another to emigrate from their native land, taking with them their wives, children, more distant relatives, freedmen, slaves, and movable property of all kinds. In many cases it was the success of Harald Fairhair's ambitious enterprise to bring under his own sceptre the whole of Norway, previously divided into a large number of petty kingdoms, which moved the liberty-loving Norsemen to seek a domicile in the barren island under the 1 T h e view of life contained in the sagas has an enduring validity for the Icelanders of today, so that their ancient literature remains to them the fitting and adequate expression of their national culture. See, for example, Asgeir Ásgeirsson, Kver og kirkja, Reykjavik, 1925, p. S3.

INTRODUCTION

XV

Arctic Circle which had formerly had no inhabitants but a few Irish anchorites who had sought out its solitudes as a retreat from the sinful world of men. Swedes and Danes had only a minor share in the settlement, but the admixture of blood from the British Isles, where some of the settlers had sojourned for a time on their way from Norway to Iceland, formed a not inconsiderable, perhaps a decisively important, element in the physical and spiritual constitution of the new nation.1 Whether because of a fortunate blending of Scandinavian and Celtic racial strains, as some think, or in consequence of the select character of these emigrants who left the land of their fathers because they would endure no curtailment of their ancient rights as freemen, the first settlers were the progenitors of an extraordinarily gifted race, whose general level of intelligence and capacity in literature and the arts is even today far above that of most parts of the world. Another circumstance uniquely favorable to the flourishing of a native literature, dealing with native subjects, was the isolation of the Icelanders on their distant island, far removed from the effectual control of the Christian 1 For recent views which incline to ascribe a greater significance than has been customarily assumed to the contribution from the British Isles to the Icelandic people's ethnic character, see H. Bryn, "Über den Ursprung des isländischen Volkes," Festskrift til Rektor J. Qvigstad, Tromsff, 1928, and Niels Ρ Dungal, " U m blóSflokka," in the Icelandic quarterly Vaha, III (1929), 195 ff. The latest comment on the subject is by Halldór Hermannsson, The Book of the Icelanders (ìslendingabók) by Ari Thorgilsson, edited and translated with an Introductory Essay and Notes (Islandica, X X ) , Ithaca, New York, 19S0, p. 8 ff.

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HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

church with its hostility to everything connected with the pagan culture of the folk. The genesis of the sagas is a subject on which scholars disagree. 1 It seems clear, however, that they took their rise from family traditions and local legends, and were worked up through a long process of oral transmission, lasting through two or three centuries, to the shape in which they were finally committed to writing and thus preserved to us. The astonishingly high level of merit which marks the best of them shows that at some stage in their development the tales in question passed through the hands of a gifted person (or several such), be it analphabetic saga-man or author in the sense of our lettered age, who gave the material its final, classic form. The impulse toward the development which raised them from their crude origins as folklore into the transfigured realm of art came, according to Heusler, from Ireland. 2 No less a subject of learned debate is the historicity of the sagas. They purport to be — we are speaking now of the Family Sagas, Islendinga sqgur — sober history, and actually it has been found in the few 1 The best discussions of the whole question are by Andreas Heusler, Oie Anfänge der isländischen Saga, Berlin, 1914 (Kgl. Preuss. Akad. d. Wissensch., Abhandlungen, phil.-hist. Cl., 1913), and Knut Liest01, Upphavet iil den islendshe Mttesaga (Instituttet for sammenlignende Kulturforskning, Serie A: Forelesninger, X a), Oslo, 1929 (English trans, by A. G. Jayne, The Origin of the Icelandic Family Sagas [Instituttet, Serie A, X], Oslo, 1930). 1 Op. cit., p. 48 f. See, however, Liest0l, op. cit., p. 146 f. (trans. p. 155 f.).

INTRODUCTION

xvii

cases where we are able to check them from external sources that their statements of historical fact are often surprisingly accurate. The able Norwegian folklorist Knut Liest0l has published an interesting investigation of a Norwegian "saga," written down for the first time at the end of the nineteenth century, which reveals a striking accuracy with regard to facts which can be verified by existing records dating back three hundred years or more. 1 Here we have a modern instance characterized by similarity of conditions, kindred race, and analogous social environment, which would seem to justify the drawing of conclusions with regard to the reliability of the Icelandic sagas. That is, when we have discarded obvious folklore accretions and made allowance for the heightenings and foreshortenings of art, we often have remaining a substratum of solid historical fact. I t ought not to need pointing out that the inevitable inaccuracies of detail, sometimes of important detail, which are inseparable from oral tradition over a long period of time, are no argument whatever against the credibility of the tale as a whole, nor do they even operate to cast suspicion on other details in the absence of definite evidence against them. 2 Hrafnkels saga FreysgoSa is generally acknowledged to be one of the best of the whole group in faithful1 Norske Mtiesogm, Kristiania, 1922. For a more sceptical view, see Halvor Nordb^, JEttesogor frâ Telemark (Skrifter utgitt av D e t Norske Videnskaps-Akademi i Oslo, Hist.-Filos. Klasse, 1928, No. 1). 2 See the pertinent remarks of Per Wieseigren, Författarskapet till Eigla, Lund, 1927, p. 88 f., and the warning of Magnus Olsen there cited.

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HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

ness to historical fact, 1 unity of composition, and skilful drawing of character. I t is free, as few of its fellows are, from the luxuriant growth of the supernatural which attached itself to most of the tales in greater or less degree during the long period when they were transmitted orally by the popular storytellers called sagnamenn. A modern writer of short stories might envy its anonymous author the economy of means by which he achieves his artistic ends. There are none of the usual digressions and more or less irrelevant and confusing details which make the sagas hard reading for the person who approaches them for the first time. The firm line of the narrative is kept throughout, one event follows logically and inevitably from another, and the tale marches surely and swiftly to its conclusion with the convincing realism of life itself. Hrafnkel, priest of Frey, 2 was a mighty man in his day and generation. He loved no other god like his patron, with whom he was joined by a bond of reverence which embraced an element of honest comradeship expressed with a touching ingenuousness in his entering into a partnership with the divinity by sharing with him his most prized worldly possessions, the visible marks of his standing in the community. 1 That is, we have no reason to doubt the essential truthfulness of the narrative. That the story is told with masterful skill, including a copious use of dialogue (which is, of course, not "historical" in a narrow sense), should not influence the reader to an undue scepticism. 2 For the cult of Frey, see Canon G. A. MacCulloch, Eddie Mythology (The Mythology of All Races, II), Marshall Jones: Boston, 1930, ch. VIII.

INTRODUCTION

xix

We are almost completely ignorant of the priestly functions of the Icelandic goSi,1 just as the whole field of ancient Scandinavian religion is dark to us. What we clearly see in the sagas is that the office carried with it far-reaching temporal prerogatives, judicial and legislative, which made the goöi, owner of the temple in which the inhabitants of the whole district worshipped and voluntarily undertaking its maintenance, the most powerful figure in his community, whose authority could not be successfully challenged by any lesser man without obtaining the aid of outsiders, usually a hopeless enterprise. Secure in the feeling of his eminence, justified and attested by his relation with the god, Hrafnkel ruled with a relentless severity which brooked no opposition, scorning to give an account to any man for his deeds of violence or to pay the customary compensation to repair the " h o n o r " of his victim's relatives. One possession he esteemed his greatest treasure, a splendid stallion named Freyfaxi 2 in honor of the god. No man but Hrafnkel should mount him, and the goSi had sworn an oath to be the death of any luckless mortal who was rash enough to violate this solemn prohibition. Now fate willed it that the first to disregard Hrafnkel's warning was a faithful ser1 There was apparently a distinction between the hofgdSi, or priest properly speaking, and the forrâdsgoÏÏi, whose powers were secular as well as religious. See Valter GuSmundsson, Island i Fristaistiden, Copenhagen, 1924, p. 41 f. 2 Faxi (from fax n., "mane") is still a common name in Iceland, given to a horse with a mane of a different color from his body.

XX

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGODA

vant of his own, young Einar, Thorbjorn's son, whom his father's poverty had impelled to seek service as shepherd with the powerful chief. In a conscientious effort to recover some of his master's sheep which had strayed from his keeping, Einar was obliged to use a horse. The usually gentle mares of Freyfaxi's stud showing themselves strangely intractable (a motive which seems here less like the static 0rlçg of the sagas than the malevolent Chance of Thomas Hardy), Einar as a last resort approaches the stallion, which stands motionless, as though rooted to the ground. The search is successful, but hard riding has left its tell-tale marks upon the sacred animal. Covered with sweat, foam, and mire, a melancholy travesty of his regal self, Freyfaxi sets off down the valley to protest to his master against the outrageous indignity which has been offered him. Hrafnkel, called to the door by the frenzied neighing of his favorite, needs only one glance at the horse to convince himself of what has happened. N o t for a moment does he hesitate as to his own course. He sleeps through the night, and the next morning he takes his battle-axe and, dressed in the fine raiment of a chief, rides up to the mountain dairy where Einar lies on the wall of the pen, counting the sheep while the women milk, 1 and kills him with one blow. 1 Others have remarked on the charm of this little genre picture of Icelandic farm life, as true today as it was a thousand years ago. The contrast with the tragedy which ensues is a touch of art all the more effective for its unobtrusiveness.

INTRODUCTION

xxi

Subsequent events follow with tragic necessity from this deed of irresponsible tyranny. Hrafnkel's confidence in himself is shaken for the first time by an uneasy doubt: was it right to kill this fine boy for riding the horse? When the injured father appears to claim compensation, he finds the goSi in a mood of contrition, half acknowledged, which moves him to offer of his own accord an unusually ample atonement. But Thorbjorn refuses to accept it as a boon from the slayer of his son. He demands an arbitration of the case, which implies equality of social standing between the litigants. This is a fantastic length of magnanimity to which the proud chief is unprepared to go, and Thorbjorn, poor and infirm with age, must seek the aid of his relatives to redress his wrong. He succeeds in persuading his nephew Sám to take up the suit. This young man is an ambitious stripling whose bold front covers an inward uncertainty and weakness of purpose which ultimately lead to his undoing. Arrived at the Thing, the two hopeful partners find scant support for their rash enterprise, and ignominious failure seems the inevitable conclusion. Then, in the eleventh hour, they succeed in enlisting the assistance of two brothers from the West Firths, young men of good family, one himself a goîSi, whose consent to the affair is won by a bold manoeuvre comically unpromising of success beforehand. The mighty Hrafnkel is overborne and humbled in court, much to his surprise and dismay.

xxii

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGODA

It remains to execute the verdict upon him. Fatally for its own permanence, the Icelandic judicial system was accompanied by no provision for the executive branch of government, and the decision of the court had to be put into effect by the strong arm of the successful litigant. Backed by the powerful aid of his new-won friends, Sám catches his antagonist unawares and drives him from his home, setting himself up in his place. His presumptuously ambitious plans have succeeded with a completeness which must seem to himself almost incredible. Good and ill fortune were to the Icelanders concrete attributes possessed by individuals in varying degrees. A king had by virtue of his descent and his royal office a larger share of luck (gœfa, flaming ja) than ordinary men. Personal prowess, ambition, and self-confidence were normally accompanied and sanctioned by this gift of good luck, though not always, as is shown by the tragic exceptions: Grettir, Gisli, Skarpheat eru eigi mikil tiîSendi 11,19 (cf. Ger. das sind keine grossen Neuigkeiten)·, heita J>ar siSan Hrossageilar 22,23; J>ar heita Bessagçtur 29,25. Β.

Tense

1. The historical present is extremely common in Icelandic prose, varying constantly with the preterite as the tense of narration (Heusler 412) : eptir }>at vaknar hann ok fcerir bú sitt út yfir Rangá . . ., ok bjó }>ar til elli 3,17; hann st0kti }>vi heim at selinu, en ferr at leita hins 7,11; Sámr mselti ok segir 17,5; and passim. 2. The periphrastic future and future perfect, formed with the auxiliary munu, are much used to express probability in present and past (Nygaard 177, Anm. 2,d) : heilráSr muntu okkr vera, your advice is doubtless good 17,2; muntu }>ess mest á J>ér kenna, I suppose you feel that more than anyone else 17,22; Hrafnkell mun heim kominn (sc. vera), H. has probably got home 21,19. Note. A confusion of tense between governing verb and dependent infinitive is found in certain con-

INTRODUCTION

xxvii

structions with munu (Heusler 417,2, Anm.) : mundi ¡>ér ]jykkja (for mun J»ér J>ótt hafa) J?etta ólíMigt, you probably thought this to be unlikely 23,15. C. Indirect Discourse 1. Infinitive with subject-accusative, much as in Latin : Hrafnkell kvaz ( = kvaurfa 6,9. Certain auxiliary verbs (munu, skulu, vilja) show a preterite infinitive (mundu, shyldu, vildu) which appears regularly after a governing verb in the preterite, but has itself no past signification (for the origin of this West Norse innovation see Heusler 428) : Einarr kvatS sér eigi mundu svá meingefit (sc. vera) 6,27. 2. A clause with the optative, resembling the use of the subjunctive in German. A governing verb in the present is regularly followed by the pres. opt., one in the preterite by the prêt, opt., to express an action or state contemporary with the main verb. Following a verb in the present, future time is expressed by the fut. opt. ; after a verb in the preterite, a form of munda, mynda (prêt, opt.) + infinitive is used. Time past with reference to the main verb is regularly expressed after the preterite by the plup. opt.; the present should normally be followed by the perf. opt., but here the usual form is the prêt. opt. (see Heusler 417), a survival of an old usage before the compound tenses had been developed.

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HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGODA

(a) vil ek J>ess vsenta, at J?at mseli fleiri, at sá macSr sé vel dyrr 10,24; )>at bytSr mér í hug, at hann muni }>ik hitta vilja 30,7 (the fut. is here equivalent to the present [ = at hann vili }>ik hitta] ; cf. Β, 2 above). (δ) Einarr spurSi, hver sú vseri 6,8; Jjóttiz vita, at hann mundi Ajotara yfir bera 7,14. Note 1. After a governing verb in the perfect, emphasizing a present situation, the pres. (perf.) opt. is used : ekki hefi ek varr oröit fyrri, . . . at Hrafnkell hafi (instead of hefdi) svá botSit nçkkurum sem {>ér 11,26; >at hçfum vèr heyrt, at J>ú hafir (instead of hefdir) litt verit leiíSitamr J>ínum óvinum 23,7. Noie 2. The rule for the sequence of tenses is often disregarded after the historical present, which is frequently followed by a prêt. opt. : hyggr, at Hrafnkell myndi eigi vita 7,20, cf. 15,4, 22,12. Subordinate clauses in indir, disc, regularly have the opt.: Einarr kvaz eigi hirSa, hvat hann ynni, hvárt sem J?at vseri J>etta eSa annat 6,10, cf. 5,16, 6,29, 7,15, 7,21, 23,22. Note 3. When the element of objective reality is emphasized rather than that of subjective supposition or belief, the indicative replaces the optative : hon sagtSi Hrafnkeli, at Freyfaxi var fyrir dyrum úti 8,23; porbjçrn sagSi alt hit sanna, hversu farit hafSi 11,25; cf. 24,29; in a subordinate clause: kváSuz vilja sjá gripi Jjessa, er svá gengu miklar sQgur af 25,29. Sometimes the mood varies within the same clause : en ek get, . . . at Hrafnkell mun heim kominn ok setli at sitja á AtSalbóli 21,18.

INTRODUCTION

XXIX

D. Other Uses of the Optative 1. In independent clauses: (a) expressing a wish (Nygaard 182; Heusler 418,1): ok megir Jm \>k sitja um kyrt 21,30, "and may you then be able to sit unmolested." 1 (Westergaard translates by a final clause [ = til Jjess at ]m megir], forat du skal kunne sidde i Ro, Gisl. p. 21,1. 9.) (b) adhortative (Nygaard 182; Heusler 418,1): geymi tuttugu menn 22,21. (c) in the conclusion of unreal conditions, including "potential" clauses where the unreal condition is left unexpressed (Heusler 419; Nygaard 193 f.); the usage corresponds closely to that of German, present time — prêt, opt., past time — plup. (occasionally prêt.) opt.; for the opt. of the verb is usually substituted in prose the prêt. opt. of a modal auxiliary plus the infinitive, pres. for present time, perf. for past time, like the Ger. present and past conditional with würde : \>&τ mynda ek hafa gefit ]>év upp eina sq>k, ef ek heföa eigi svá mikit um mselt 9,18; mundi okkr Einari ekki hafa annat smátt til or'Sit, ef hann hefSi eigi riSit hestinum 10,8; vit vildim, at ]>ér tœkiz alt 1 This interpretation is doubtful; it is questioned by both Professor Hermannsson and Dr. Einarsson. The optative of wish in the second person is very rare in prose, the two examples given by Nygaard being evidently due to Latin influence; but I cannot see how it is possible to explain in any other way this indubitably optative form (all the MSS agree in reading megir).

XXX

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

vel 25,25; cf. 29,11, 30,11, 30,17 (with a real condition), 32,27, 34,4. 2. In dependent clauses: (a) substantive clauses (a) with expressions meaning " i t is well, suitable" (Nygaard 283,b) : er vel nú, at J)ú kennir (opt.) ]?ess í dag á })ér 23,8, cf. 29,14; mun J>at nú makligt, at sá taki viö honum, er hann á 26,8; (β) with expressions meaning " i t may b e " (Nygaard 281, a): kann vera, at porkell leppr komi ]?ar, at hans orS verSi (Nygaard 316, a; cf. C, b, note 2 above) meir metin 19,9; (γ) after verbs of willing and permitting (Nygaard 271,b) : (willing) ek vil at J)ú komir aldri á bak honum 6,19; vit vildim, at J>ér tœkiz alt vel 25,25; cf. 10,27, 26,6, 30,11; (permission) vil ek J>ess unna J>ér, at J)ú sjáir \>ax fyrir 24,3; ek lset mér líka, at J>ú sitir . . . 33,10; (δ) after expressions of asking and advising (Nygaard 271,c): biîSr, at hann muni nçkkurn hlut í eiga um )>essi mài 11,2; er ]>at mitt ràîS, at ]>au vinni . . . 26,2; (6) adjective clauses (relative clauses of characteristic) after sá = talis (Nygaard 290,b): kantu nçkkura Jm leiS . . ., at ( = er) eigi sé almannavegr? 22,3; (c) adverbial clauses (a) conditional in unreal conditions (Nygaard 193 f.): examples under D, 1, c above; (β) restrictive (Nygaard 192; Heusler 422): nema Hrafnkel bseöi orlofs 27,6; (γ) concessive (Nygaard 296, 297; Heusler 422): pó at vèr mseltim fœrra en fleira 10,11; cf. 11,4, 11,20, 11,22, 21,5; (δ) causal after a negative (Nygaard 299): eigi

INTRODUCTION

xxxì

fyrir J)ví at J?ér gangi gott til 29,13; (e) result after a negative (Nygaard 293, a): er okkr ok eigi svá mikil fyst at deila viS Hrafnkel, at vit nennim at leggja J)ar viS viröing okkar optar 34,12; cf. 18,14; (Γ) result after a question (Nygaard 293, b): "Til hvers Jjykkjaz J>essir menn fcerir," segir JJorgeirr, "svá at framkvsemd verSi at ]>eira máli?" 19,15; (η) comparison (svá, sem) : after expressions meaning "it seems to me, I think" ( = at-clause with opt.; Nygaard 308): svá syniz mér . . ., sem )>k muni goSorö várt bezt komit 19,2; after a verb of saying ( = at-clause with opt.; cf. Nygaard 307-309, but neither Nygaard nor Heusler has an example quite parallel) : en J>ó lset ek svá, sem mér }>ykki }>etta verk mitt í verra lagi viga Jjeira, er ek hefi unnit 10,4. E. Idiomatic Omission of the Subject with Certain Verbs (Nygaard 11^-11) The grammatical subject is generally a vague, unexpressed " i t " ; the psychological subject often appears as the object, direct or indirect, of the verb. Following the classification of Heusler (ch. 35) : 1. Mental states: fser porbirni 14,23; hefir mér líkat vel til ]?in 10,7; ]>at (acc.) bySr mér í hug 30,7; eigi syniz mér svá 18,21, cf. 19,2, 23,29, 30,2 (this verb may also be used with a subject, which is sometimes a clause or infinitive phrase: syniz mér ]>ú vitlítill viö hafa orSit 11,8, cf. 16,27; syniz mér slikum mçnnum illa farit [sc. vera] 12,8).

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2. Natural phenomena: meS svá fagran skjçtld, at ljómaSi af 29,9; er J>á létt af (adv.) allri sunnanJjokunni ok úrinu 7,7. 3. Manifestations of fate (this variety is extremely common) : leiö nú á vetrinn (acc.) 12,25; )ùk mun ekki saka 17,18; mçrgum tekz verr en vili 17,19; áSr lúki 18,17, cf. 34,29; hversu horfir 19,11; J>ar til er ór slítr meîS ykkr Hrafnkeli 21,29; lá j>á drjúgum í fyrir )?eim, dvaldiz J)á mjçk fyrir J>eim 30,23 ; er daga lengtSi 33,23; with ver&a: 5,28, 7,3, 12,10, 12,16; with vera: 28,21, 29,28; w i t h f a r a : 9,10, 11,30, 18,12; with iil bera: hefir J?at (acc.) ok eigi svá opt til borit 9,12; with bera: at hann (acc.) myndi Ajotara yfir bera 7,14, cf. 22,24, 30,24; with passive of koma (in sense of "bring"): mér J>ykkir fyrir ván komit (sc. vera) 14,22, cf. 23,14; with passive of gefa: Einarr kvaö sér eigi mundu svá meingefit (sc. vera) 6,27, cf. 18,28. 4. The subject is known, but is replaced by an impersonal (unexpressed) " i t " : J>ar sem síSan heitir á HallfreôarstçSum, "where it (the farmstead) is since called At Hallfrethstead" 3,18; )>ar sem heitir at Grjótteigsseli, "where it (the 'sel') is called At Rocky Strip Sel" 7,1; the verb in such phrases regularly agrees with a plural predicate, see above under Α,Ι,δ; J)ar er svarSlaus myrr, ok er sem rítSi í efju eina fram, ok tók jafnan í kné eessa hefnt ver'Sa 8,30 ( = skal >essa hefna); hlytr 21,16; átti 22,12; Jmrfti 24,27 (or this may be a case of ellipsis of pronoun subject, see below under G, 5); mátti 25,12; ríSi 29,26; in the passive: var foert í sel 6,30; cf. 11,15, 11,23; konur (acc.) ok bçrn (acc.) var rekit 22,28; var skotit vátSási einum 22,30. F. Use of the Definite Article (Nygaard

37-^1)

A characteristic feature of the Scandinavian languages to this day is the definite article suffixed to the noun it modifies. 1 In Old Norse this article is used, much as in Mod. Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and other modern languages, to particularize a noun, i. e., to mark it as present in the consciousness of the speaker or writer, whether because it has been mentioned specifically before or is necessarily suggested by the situation. 2 But Old Norse (and Mod. Icelandic also) 3 uses the noun in the indefinite form, i. e., 1 For theories as to the origin of this construction see Olof Gjerdman, "Till Frâgan om bestämda Artikelns Uppkomst och Placering," Festshrift tillägnad Hugo Pipping (Skrifter utgiima av Svenska Litteratursällskapet i Finland, CLXXV), Helsingfors, 1924, p. 122 ff. 2 This function of the article may be studied in the passage 6,30 to 7,25. 3 The (written) language of today is markedly conservative in this respect, cf. Jakob Jóh. Smári, íslenzk setningafrœSi, Reykjavik, 1920, §§25, 26.

xxxiv

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGODA

without article, in a great many cases where customary modern usage in other languages requires the definite form, with article.1 That is, the principle of particularization has not been applied consistently.2 We have analogous survivals of older usage in English phrases like " t o town," " t o bed," "on hand." The cases occurring in this text may be grouped as follows : 3 1. Proper names of localities, even in cases where the name consists of, or is compounded with, an appellative: yfir Rangá í Tungu 3,17; á pingvçtll 13,7 (cf. á >ingvQll 13,17, where, if the spelling has any significance, the word is a simple appellative, see under F, 5 below); at 0xará 14,13, um VestfjçrtSu 15,19; til Lçgbergs 20,3; í AustfjçrSu 22,2. Since the object is particularized by its name, no article is felt to be necessary. Here it is the old language which is more logical than the modern ones. To be sure, the younger form (with the article) sometimes occurs beside the older: Fj^rSrinn, Vikin. 2. Titles and nicknames following the personal name: GuSr0öarsonar veiSikonungs 3,2; Óláfssonar trételgju Svia konungs 3,4; viö Hrafnkel goîSa 13,28. 1 Occasionally, but much less often, Old Norse uses the particularizing article where the modern languages omit it : eru }>ér fleiri brcetSrnir? 15,22; (prepositive article) sá hinn gamli matSr 16,26. 2 See G. T. Flom, "The Scope of the Post-Positive Article in Olafs Saga hivs Helga," Journal of Eng. and Ger. Philol., I X (1910), 193 ff. An excellent description and analysis of the use of the article in an Old Norwegian text, to which I am largely indebted in this section. 3 This classification differs in some particulars from that of Nygaard.

INTRODUCTION

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3. Names of clans: Jçkulsdalsmenn 4,18;· Austfiröingar 13,20. 4. Common nouns in the plural referring to persons, either a whole class or all those members of the class who can be meant in the present connection: mçnnum 4,12; konur 9,8; konur ok bçrn 22,28; boSsmenn 26,19; verkmenn 28,27. A similar use of the collective singular in: mannfólk 16,18; folk 22,25. 5. Common nouns, singular or plural, referring to localities, where (in the pl.) a whole class is included, or where in the connection there can be no doubt what locality is meant; appellatives of the latter class may easily develop into proper names : 1 á heiSar 3,23; út í lçnd 5,8; til jçkla 7,23; yfir hálsa 8,2; eptir heratSi 10,30, ór heratSi 13,8; eptir dal 12,22; um ]>veran háls 13,4, yfir háls 31,12 (cf. yfir Háls 28,16); til brúa 13,12, yfir brú 13,13, 22,11, 33,24; vestan af landi 20,9; ríSa nú rètta leiS 26,21; yfir heiSi 32,11, 32,17. There are numerous occurrences of the younger, definite form: í heraSinu 27,2, 27,5; at fijótinu 28,17; Freyfaxi gengr í dalnum fram 6,17; eptir dalnum 8,16,12,28,12,30, í dalinn 22,19; upp á múlann, eptir hálsinum 22,15; í heiöina upp 22,18. Note that the last four of these examples occur within a few lines of the text. 1

See the first chapter of Magnus Olsen's fascinating book on Norwegian place-names, /Ettegárd og Helligdom (Instituttet, Serie A, IX a), Oslo, 1926 (English trans, by Th. Gleditsch, Farms and Fanes of Ancient Norway [Instituttet, Serie A, IX], Oslo, 1928).

xxxvi

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

6. Nouns denoting the world or large and unique parts of it: sòl 23,22; af hafi 27,22; uppi á fjalli 33,25. 7. Nouns denoting the ship and its parts, the farm and its appurtenances, dwelling-house and its furniture, out-houses, live stock: til skips 27,28; bœr 25,9; nú skipar Hrafnkell á ASalbóli bùi sínum mçnnum 33,17; fyrir dyrr 8,18, fyrir dyrum úti 8,24, drepr á dyrr 11,14, til dyra 11,15; J)eir skutu stokki á hurtS 22,25; ofan ór krókum 23,11; í stofu 6,3; ferr Sámr í hvílu 32,12; tekr Sám í rekkju 32,18; ór garîSi 23,19; í seli 6,14, var fœrt í sel 6,30, at seljum 7,26, upp til seis 9,5; aptr til hrossa 8,14; til smala 9,25; ]>& haföi Einarr nyrekit fé í kvíar 9,6, taldi fé 9,7. Examples of the definite form: bcerinn 22,19; til dyranna 8,21, fram í dyrnar 8,22; í skálanum 28,26; útibúrit 23,11; á kvíagarSinum 9,7; fyrir framan selit 7,10, heim at selinu 7,11. Particularization by means of a possessive pronoun in: Hrafnkell ferr í rekkju sina 9,2; Hrafnkell hvildi í rekkju sinni 22,26. 8. Nouns denoting parts of the body: í hendi 9,6, 11,8, 14,28; ljósjarpr á hár 14,29; á bak aptr 23,10; tók jafnan í kné eSa í mi?)jan legg 29,27. Definite form: pá rètti Sámr fram hçndina 12,20; í fcetinum 16,21; binda stein vi S hálsinn 26,14. Particularized by poss. pron. : í hári sínu 14,30. Particularized by a noun or pron. in dat. : hann tekr staf í hçnd sér 7,8; ytSr vex alt í augu 12,6; var J?á sigit blóS fyrir augu J>eim 23,27.

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Particularized by a dependent gen.: bundu hendr Jjeira 23,9. 9. Nouns denoting the seasons of the year, day and night and their divisions: til mitisumars 7,3; frá eldingu 7,27, í nastrelding 22,10; til miSs aptans 7,28; um nátt 13,14, um nœtr 16,22, í nótt 16,23; rismál 22,25; á vetr 25,9; jafnnser rismálum ok dagmálum 28,21. The definite form also occurs, especially often with the preposition w : um vetrinn 3,10, 33,23; um várit 3,11; á sumarit 3,24; um sumarit 7,2; morgunninn 7,20; um náttina 9,3; um kveldit 9,3, 32,12; um morguninn 9,3; leiS nú á vetrinn 12,25. 10. Nouns denoting legal institutions or processes, many in formalistic phrases with a preposition or verb: nçtkkuru sföar kom Hrafnkell á ]>ing 13,20; Sámr var á J>ingi 21,4; ritSr af J^ingi 21,18; tjaldar bútS 13,19; til búSar 20,28; alJjySa 21,18; atyyöu rómr 28,11; vápnatak 21,18; Sámr hefir tekit mài 12,24; at búa mál til 19,20; at réttu iQgmáli 20,13; at réttum landslçgum 20,6; til fullra laga 20,27; er lç>gvçrn vildi frammi hafa 20,13; at fœra lçgvçrn fram 20,26; Jmngat til er Hrafnkeli var boar J)á dómr settr 20,4; sótti málit í dóm 20,11; til dòma 20,18; at hleypa upp dómum 20,20; er féránsdóm átti at heyja 22,12, cf. 21,15; at stefnudçgum 12,26; kvaddi búa til JñngreiSar 12,28; nema J>ú sér í flutningi me?S okkr 16,14; málaflutning á ek undir mér 19,18; hann hefr Jjegar upp váttnefnu 20,5; tók goîSorô 4,13; hefir

xxxviii HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA nú goîSorS 33,19; halda manna forráS 21,20; tóku vitS mannaforráSi 34,27. Definite form: á Jñnginu 13,23, 15,20; sföan hann kom á {ñngit 16,21; til }>ess, at slitit er Jñnginu 21,8; fari }>it nú fyrir til búSarinnar ok gangiS inn í búSina 16,17; um J>vera búSina 16,19; sótti málit í dóm 20,11; sótti málit til fullra laga 20,27; tók viS málinu 12,20; hrekja hann af málinu 20,21; Sámr gekk ]>á djarfliga at dominum 20,4; báar yfir á, sem hinir fyrri 29,23. Note the paral1 See Flom, op. cit., p. 201 ff. His statement of the rule seems to involve a confusion of ideas: "A noun in the genitive is ordinarily employed in the indefinite form; the genitive being itself a defining modifier, its presence continued for a long time to exclude the definite article." The point is obviously that the definite article was not used with a noun limited by another in the genitive; that in the genitive might be expected to have the article if it was particularized, and indeed regularly did when it followed the limited noun, as the examples on p. 202 f. show. When the genitive precedes, the group sometimes approaches the nature of a compound, as Flom points out, and the indefinite form is to be expected. The only other examples he cites (p. 202) tell us nothing, for these nouns would take the indefinite form whether in the genitive or in any other case, according to the general rules stated above : a konongs skip, at konongs rade, firir pingmanna it®».

xl

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

lelism of limiting genitive and prepositional phrase in : eigi Jjykkir mér meira vert dráp Eyvindar ok manna hans en meizl viS mik ok mina menn 33,8. Definite form: vestan at ánni 14,24; vestr yfir ána 15,2; ofan meess) 25,20; hrinda hestinum af (sc. hamrinum) fram 26,13; ]>k er undir (sc. JJVÍ) svá hart sem hçlkn 29,28. Used pleonastically : sakir ofrhita, er á er á fœtinum 16,25.

xlii

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGODA

The missing object of the preposition may be represented by a preceding adverb (hér, ]>ar) : ek hefi hér allmikit urn mselt 6,21, I have sworn a great oath about this; vil ek mér hér 0ngvu af skipta 11,9, I will not meddle with this; J>ar of an frá standa goSahús ]>au 26,15, below that stand those temples. A preposition in a relative clause never stands before the introductory particle er which represents its object; it is placed at or near the end of the clause and is stressed like an adverb, as often in Mod. Scandinavian and (less frequently) English (Heusler 490) : fótr J?inn, er mikit mein hefir í verit 17,22, your foot, which there has been great pain in; kváí5uz vil ja sjá gripi J>essa, er svá gengu miklar sçgur af 25,29, said they wished to see those treasures t h a t so great tales were told of. 4. There is occasional irregularity in the use of the reflexive possessive, the reference being sometimes to the object instead of the subject : at gçmlum manni sé eigi ósárari sonardauSi sinn ( f o r hans) 17,23; J?akkar hann }>eim brceSrum sina (for Jjeira) li'Sveizlu 21,9. Cf. the examples in Cleasby-Vigfússon's Dictionary, p. 529, col. a; Nygaard 330. Conversely, the personal pronoun may be used instead of the reflexive: hann }>r0ngï>i undir sik Jçkulsdalsmçnnum til Jñngmanna hans ( f o r sinna) 4,16. 5. Ellipsis. Under this head may be mentioned the abbreviated forms of expression with the personal pronouns and a following noun: okkr Einari 10,8, (for) us two, Einar (and me); similarly meS

INTRODUCTION

xliii

J>eim Hrafnkeli 11,25, with him and H., meîS ykkr Hrafnkeli 21,29, with you and H.; cf. Jjeim Sámi varö ekki at or'Si 17,16. A similar use of the pronoun with a noun (proper name or appellative), but without ellipsis, is found in such expressions as: }>eir Sámr ok J)orbjç>rn 17,8; Jjeir porgeirr ok Sámr 23,24; J>eir Sámr ok Hrafnkeli 27,16; >eir brœtSr 26,1, and -passim; Jjér brœSrnir 15,22; Hrafnkeli goSi hefir vegit son hans porbjarnar 18,9. Omission of a pronoun subject is extremely common when it can be readily supplied from the context : var linr ok blfór vieim ok kallar (sc. hann, acc.) á A'Salbóli 4,4; var vant nser Jjremr tigum ásauSar . . . leitar Einarr um alla haga ok finnr (sc. hann, acc.) eigi 7,3; cf. vant varS {>riggja tiga ásauSar nser viku, en nú er (sc. hann) fundinn 9,10; Hrafnkeli spyrr }>etta ok J?ótti (sc. honum) hlœgiligt 12,23; látum lausa hesta vára, ok geymi (sc. >á) tuttugu menn 22,20. After the modal auxiliaries the dependent infinitive (vera, jara) is often omitted : at fátt muni manna á fótum (sc. vera) 22,22; similarly 24,6, 26,8, 30,12, 32,25; vilja (sc. fara) heim aptr 34,17. A finite form of vera is sometimes left unexpressed: en ek (sc. em) óráSinn 19,6.

xliv

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

Apart from the usage with modals just mentioned, the infinitive of any verb may be omitted when the meaning is clear from the context: fyrir hvi reiztu Jjessu hrossi, er \>ér var bannat (sc. at ri(5a), Jmr er hin váru nóg til, er }?ér var lofat (D adds at ríú vilt af }>eim hafa á n á t t e'Sa degi skulu J>ér til rei Su 6,23; styrktarmaSr hvers sem hans }?urfa vi S 25,22. A similar confusion of number in: vertir J)at mçrgum, at J>á fá eigi alls gsett jafnvel, er honum (for J>eim) er mikit í skapi 17,19. A confusion between the personal and impersonal constructions: mun ySr Jjykkja nú vit skyldastir 21,30; this represents a compromise between the two grammatically correct constructions, munum vit ySr Jjykkja nú skyldastir: mun yör nú J?ykkja, at vit sém skyldastir. A frequently occurring peculiarity of Icelandic prose is a loose use of an infinitive to close a period which has begun with a different construction (Heusler 536): J>ik skal leiSa ór garSi brott ok pá menn, sem mér líkar, ok vera drepinn 24,1, " (someone) shall lead you away from the enclosure, and those men whom it pleases me, and be killed." Grammatical regularity would require either drepa (parallel with leitia) instead of vera drepinn or pú skalt (skaltu) before the latter phrase. Cf. Heusler's examples. This construction is especially common with vita and

INTRODUCTION

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similar verbs used adhortatively in the sense of " i n quire, find out, ascertain" (Heusler 537, p. 196): fçrum vit lítillátliga at viS Hrafnkel, ok vita, ef hann vili halda hin sç>mu boS 11,29. In the following sentence a noun, an infinitive, and an optative are used one after another in a parallel construction: nú má ok Jjat vera, at gçmlum manni sé eigi ósárari sonardauöi sinn, en fá 0ngvar bœtr, ok skorti hvetvitna sjálfr, "now this may also be, that for an old man the death of his son is no less grievous (sc. than your hurt for you), but ( = and nevertheless ; not than !) to get no compensation and (that) he lack everything himself" 17,23. Syntactical uniformity would require something like: . . . . ósárara, at sonr hans sé drepinn, en hann fái 0ngvar bœtr . . . . Cf. Heusler 500, 536. The last clause contains an additional irregularity in the nom. sjálfr, the verb skorta being regularly impersonal and taking a double acc. of the person lacking and the thing lacked, so that sjálfan would be the form expected. The relative particle is sometimes used loosely to connect two clauses whose real syntactical relation is left unexpressed: vit eigum málum at skipta vit) Hrafnkel gotia um víg Einars Jtorbjarnarsonar, er vit megum vel hlíta okkrum flutningi meS Jrínu fulltingi 15,29. Clarity of expression would require svâ at instead of er; the sense is: " t h e case is of such a nature that we may rely on our own pleading, if we have your aid."

xlvi

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGODA 3.

E D I T I O N S AND T R A N S L A T I O N S

1

Previous complete editions are the following: 1. Sagan af Hrafnkeli Freysgoda. Udg. af P. G. Thorsen og KonrátS Gíslason. K0benhavn, 1839. 2. Sagan af Hrafnkeli FreysgoSa. 2. Udgave, besorget ved Κ. Gíslason, og oversat af N. L. Westergaard, udg. af det nordiske Literatur-Samfund. Kj0benhavn, 1847. (Nordiske Oldskrifter, I.) 3. Sagan af Hrafnkeli Freysgoda med forklarende Anmaerkninger udg. til Skolebrug af Karl L. Sommerfeldt. Kristiania, 1879. 4. Sagan af Hrafnkeli Freysgoda. (Einleitung in das Studium des Altnordischen von J. C. Poestion. Hagen i. W., 1887. II, 13-39.) 5. Hrafnkels saga FreysgoSa. BúiS hefir til prentunar Vald. Ásmundarson. Reykjavik, 1893. (Islending a sögur, 8.) 6. Hrafnkels saga Freysgoda. (AustfirSinga sçgur udg. af Jakob Jakobsen. K0benhavn, 1902-1903, pp. 93-137.) 7. The Story of Hrafnkel (Ravencetil) the Priest of Frey. (Origines Islandicae, by G. Vigfusson and F. Y. Powell. Oxford, 1905. II, 486-527.) 8. Hrafnkels saga FreysgoSa. (2nd ed. of No. 5.) Reykjavik, 1911. 1 See H. Hermannsson, "Bibliography of the Icelandic Sagas and Minor Tales," Islandica, I, Ithaca, N. Y., 1908, p. 50 ff., complete to 1908; Catalogue of the Icelandic Collection Bequeathed by Willard Fiske, Ithaca, 1914, p. 259 f.; Additions 1913-26, Ithaca, 1927, p. 107.

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The translations include four Danish, two DanoNorwegian, one New Norwegian (Landsmaal), one in East Norwegian dialect,1 two Swedish, two English, three German. These versions are of various degrees of merit. That in Origines Islandicae (see No. 7 above) is not free from mistakes.2 Of the German translations, the rendering by Gustav Neckel (in Sieben Geschichten von den Ostlandfamilien, Sammlung Thüle, X I I , Jena, 1913), stylistically far superior to its predecessor, is unfortunately marred in several places by a failure to understand the plain sense of the original.3 A new edition is promised by the publishers, to appear soon.4 1 Sagaen om Ravnkjell fr0isgode. Omsatt fra gammalnorsk ta Helge Refsum. (ßstaglett, V, pp. 10-12, 29-31, 49-50, 67-68, 74-76, 87-88.) 2 Sámr hefer teket mál á hendr honom 503,7, Sam had taken the suit on his hands; fyr ofan Bláfiall 504,2, down off Blue-Fell; hverge user JJVÍ, 504,6, somewhat near; ganget inn í búenna einn: " E r }>ér ]>at eigi ókunnigt, at ek vil 0ngvan mann fé bœta, ok vertía menn ]>at J»ó svá gert at hafa; en J>ó 5 lset ek svá, sem mér fcykki fcetta verk mitt í verra lagi viga Jjeira, er ek hefi unnit; hefir ]?ú verit nábúi minn langa stund, ok hefir mér líkat vel til J>ín ok hvárum okkar til annars; mundi okkr Einari ekki hafa annat smátt til orSit, ef hann hefói eigi riSit hestinum; en io vèr munum opt ]?ess iSraz, er vèr erum ofmálgir, ok sjaldnar mundum vèr J>essa iSraz, }>ó at vèr mseltim fserra en fleira; mun ek J>at nú syna, at mér jjykkir J?etta verk mitt verra en çnnur ]?au, er ek hefi unnit; ek vil birgja bú Jntt meú }?arft at hafa heSan af, ]>á skaltu mér til 20 segja ok eigi fyrir skart sitja heSan af um J?á hluti, sem Jm J>arft at hafa; skaltu búa, meöan ]>ér J>ykkir gaman at, en fara ]>á hingat, er Ipév leiSiz; mun ek J?á annaz Jñk til dauSadags; skulum vit j>á vera sáttir; vil ek }>ess vaenta, at J?at mseli fleiri, at sá matSr sé vel 25 dyrr." " E k vil eigi J>enna kost," segir porbjçrn. "Hvern viltu ]>á?" segir Hrafnkell. ])á segir J)orbjç>rn: " E k vil, at vit takim menn til gerSar meS okkr." Hrafnkell svarar: "pá Jjykkiz J>ú jafnmentr mér, ok munum vit ekki at JJVÍ ssettaz." pá reift porbjçrn í 30 brott ok ofan eptir herafti. Hann kom til Laugarhúsa

HRAFNKELS SAGA EREYSGOBA

11

ok hittir Bjarna brótSur sinn ok segir honum }>essi tiSendi, biessi mài. Bjarni kvaS eigi sitt jafnmenni vi(5 at eiga, J>ar er Hrafnkell er; "en J>ó at vèr styrim penningum miklum, ¡>á megum vèr ekki deila af kappi viS Hrafnkel; ok er J?at satt, at sá er svinnr, er sik kann; hefir hann Ipá marga málaferlum vafit, er meira bein hafa ί hendi haft en vèr; syniz mér Jm vitlítill viîS hafa orSit, er }>ú hefir svá góSum kostum neitat; vil ek mér hér 0ngvu af skipta." porbjçrn mselti j)á mçrg herfilig orö til bróSur sins ok segir Jm síSr dáS í honum, sem meira lsegi viar á dyrr. Var ]>ar til dyra gengit. porbjçrn biSr Sám út ganga. Sámr heilsaSi vel frsenda sínum ok bauö honum J>ar at vera, porbjçrn tók }>ví çllu seint. Sámr sér ógle'Si á forbirai ok spyrr tíSenda; en hann sagSi víg Einars, sonar sins, " p a t eru eigi mikil tíSendi," segir Sámr, " Jsótt Hrafnkell drepi menn." porbjçrn spyrr, ef Sámr vildi nçkkura liSveizlu veita sér: " E r J>etta mál }>ann veg, J)ótt mér sé nánastr matSrinn, at \>ó er yör eigi fjarri hçggvit." "Hefir Jjú nçkkut eptir scemdum leitat vi'S Hrafnkel?" porbjçrn sagSi alt hit sanna, hversu farit hafói meS }>eim Hrafnkeli. "Eigi hefi ek varr orSit fyrri," segir Sámr, " a t Hrafnkell hafi svá boSit nçkkurum sem J?ér. Nú vil ek ríSa metS J)ér upp á ASalból, ok fçrum vit lítillátliga at viö Hrafnkel, ok vita, ef hann vili halda hin sçmu botS; mun honum nçkkurn veg

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vel fara." " p a t er bseöi," segir porbjçrn, " a t Hrafnkell mun nú eigi vil ja; enda er mér J>at nú eigi heldr í hug, en J)á er ek reiS JjatSan." Sámr segir: "pungt get ek at deila kappi vis Hrafnkel um málaferli." porbjçrn svarar: "])ví verSr engi uppreist ytSarungra manna, at ySr vex alt í aùgu; hygg ek, at engi matSr muni eiga jafnmikil auvirîSi at frsendum sem ek; syniz mér slíkum mçnnum illa farit sem t>ér, er Jjykkiz lçgkœnn vera ok ert gjarn á smásakir, en vilt eigi taka viîS J^essu máli, er svá er brynt; mun )>ér verSa ámselissamt, sem makligt er, fyrir ]>ví at Jjú ert hávaSamestr ór sett várri; sé ek nú, hvat sç>k horfir." Sámr svarar: " H v e r j u gôî5u ertu \>â naer en átSr, Jjótt ek taka vitS }>essu máli, ok sém vit J>á bátSir hraktir?" porbjçrn svarar: " p ó er mér J)at mikil hugarbót, at J>ú takir vitS málinu; verîSr at J^ar, sem má." Sámr svarar: "Ófúss geng ek at }>essu; meir geri ek J?at fyrir fraendsemi sakir vitS J>ik; en vita skaltu, at mér J)ykkir ]>ar beimskum manni at duga, sem Jm ert." pá rètti Sámr fram hçndina ok tók vitS málinu af porbirni. Sámr laetr taka sér hest ok ríSr upp eptir dal ok ríetta ok Jjótti hlœgiligt, er Sámr hefir tekit mál á hendr honum. LeitS nú á vetrinn; en at vàri, }>á er komit var at stefnudçgum, rför Sámr heiman upp á At5alból ok stefnir Hrafnkeli um víg Einars. Eptir ]>at ríSr Sámr ofan eptir dalnum ok kvaddi búa til JñngreiSar, ok sitr hann um kyrt, }>ar til er menn búaz til J)ingreiîSar. Hrafnkell sendi ¡>á menn ofan eptir dalnum

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ok kvaddi upp menn. Hann ferr metS JñngmQnnum sinum, sjau t0gum manna. MeS J>enna flokk riör hann austr yfir FljótsdalsheraS ok svá fyrir vatnsbotninn ok um )>veran háls til SkriSudals ok upp eptir SkritSudal ok suftr á 0xarheiSi til BerufjarSar ok rètta Jñngmanna leiîS á SíSu. SuSr ór Fljótsdal eru sjautján dagleiSir á pingvçll. En eptir J>at er hann var á brott riîSinn ór heraöi, j>â safnar Sámr at sér mQnnum. Fser hann mest til reitSar mets sér einhleypinga ok pá, er hann hafSi saman kvatt; fser Sámr Wessum mQnnum vápn ok klœîSi ok vistir. Sámr snyr aatSan yfir MçSrudalsheiSi, ok váru í MçSrudal um nátt. paSan rieir til HerSibreiöstungu ok svá fyrir ofan Blâfjçll ok }>aSan í Króksdal ok svá suSr á Sand, ok kómu ofan í SauîSafell ok JjaSan á Jjingvgll; ok var J>ar Hrafnkell eigi kominn; ok fórz honum JJVÍ seinna, at hann átti lengri leitS. Sámr tjaldar búÍS yfir sínum mçmnum hvergi naer }>ví, sem AustfirîSingar eru vanir at tjalda; en nçkkuru síSar kom Hrafnkell á ]?ing. Hann tjaldar bútS sína, svá sem hann var vanr, ok spurSi, at Sámr var á Júnginu. Honum J>ótti Jmt hloegiligt. petta })ing var harSla fjQlment. Váru J>ar flestir hçfSingjar J»eir, er váru á Islandi. Sámr finnr alla hçfîSingja ok batS sér trausts ok lfösinnis; en einn veg svçruSu allir, at engi kvaz eiga svá gott Sámi upp at gjalda, at ganga vildi í deild vitS Hrafnkel goSa ok h setta svá sinni viröingu; segja ok J>at einn veg flestum farit hafa, J>eim er Jñngdeilur viö Hrafnkel hafa haft, at hann

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hafi alla menn lirakit af málaferlum }>eim, er viîS hann hafa haft. Sámr gengr heim til búSar sinnar, ok var Jjeim frœndum Jmngt í skapi, ok ugSu, at }>eira mài myndi svá niSr falla, at J>eir myndi ekki fyrir hafa nema skçmm ok svívirSing; ok svá mikla áhyggju hafa Jjeir fraendr, at J>eir njóta hvárki svefns né matar, J)ví at allir hç>fSingjarnir skáruz undan liSsinni viö ¡>á fraendr, jafnvel J?eir, sem J^eir vsentu, at J)eim myndi liS veita. 4. pat var einn morginn snemma, at porbjçrn karl vaknar. Hann vekr Sám ok batS hann upp standa: " M á ek ekki sofa." Sámr stendr upp ok ferr í klseSi sin. peir ganga út ok ofan at 0xará, fyrir neSan brúna. par J>vá J>eir sér. porbjçrn mselti vi?S Sám: "pat er ráú látir reka at hesta vára, ok búumz heim; er nú sét, at oss vili ekki annat en svivirtSing." Sámr svarar: "pat er vel, af Jm at Jm vildir ekki annat en deila vitS Hrafnkel ok vildir eigi j>á kosti Jjiggja, er margr myndi gjarna pegit hafa, sá er eptir sinn náunga átti at sjá. FrySir J)ú oss mjçk hugar ok çllum })eim, er í })etta mál vildu eigi ganga mecS J>ér; skal ek ok nú aldri fyrr af láta, en mér Jjykkir fyrir ván komit, at ek geta nçkkut at gert." pá fser porbirni svá mjçk, at hann grsetr. pá sjá J>eir vestan at ánni hóti ne'Sar en Jjeir sátu, hvar fimm menn gengu saman frá einni bút>. Sá var hár maSr ok ekki J>rekligr, er fyrstr gekk, í laufgrcenum kyrtli ok hafîSi búit sverS í hendi, réttleitr maSr ok rauSlitaSr ok vel í yfirbragîSi, ljósjarpr á hár ok mjçk hsertSr. Sá maSr var auSkenniligr, })ví at hann hafói ljósan lepp í hári

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sínu hinum vinstra megin. Sámr mselti: "Stç>ndum upp ok gçngum vestr yfir ána til móts vitS J?essa menn." J)eir ganga nú of an meö ánni; ok sá maSr, sem fyrir gekk, heilsar ]>eim fyrri ok spyrr, hverir J>eir ν seri. peir SQgSu til sin. Sámr spurîSi Jjennamann 5 at nafni, en hann nefndiz porkell ok kvaz vera pjóstarsson. Sámr spuröi, hvar hann vaeri settaör, eSa hvar hann setti heima. Hann kvaz vera vestfirzkr at kyni ok uppruna, en eiga heima í porskafiröi. Sámr mselti: " H v á r t ertu goSorösrnatSr?" Hann kvaö Jjat io fjarri fara. " E r t u ]>á bóndi?" sagSi Sámr. Hann kvaz eigi )>at vera. Sámr mselti: " H v a t manna ertu }>á?" Hann s varar: " E k em einn einhleypingr; kom ek út í fyrra vetr; hefi ek verit utan sjau vetr ok farit út í MiklagarS, en em handgenginn GarSskonung- 15 inum; en nú em ek á vist meS bróÍSur mínum, J>eim er porgeirr heitir." " E r hann goöorSsmaör?" segir Sámr. porkell svarar: " GoSorSsmaSr er hann vist um porskafjçrS ok vfóara um VestfjQrSu." " E r hann hér á fingimi?" segir Sámr. " H é r er hann vist." 20 "Hversu margmennr er h a n n ? " " H a n n er viö sjautigu manna," segir porkell. " E r u J)ér fleiri brcetSrnir?" segir Sámr. " E r hinn priîSi," segir porkell. " H v e r r er sá?" segir Sámr. " H a n n heitir pormóSr," segir porkell, " o k byr í GçrSum á Âlptanesi; hann á 25 pórdísi, dóttur pórólfs Skallagrímssonar frá Borg." "Viltu nçkkut liSsinni okkr veita?" segir Sámr. "Hvers ]>urfi Jjit viS?" segir porkell. "Liösinnis ok afla hçfSingja," segir Sámr, "J>ví at vit eigum málum at skipta viS Hrafnkel goSa um víg Einars porbjarn- 30

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arsonar, er vit megum vel hlíta okkrum flutningi metS }>ínu fulltingi." porkell svarar : " Svá er, sem ek sagSa, at ek em engi goîSorSsmatSr." " Hví ertu svá afskipta gçrr, par sem J?ú ert hçfSingjason sem atSrir brœSr Jjinir?" porkell sagtSi: "Eigi sagSa ek }>ér ]>at, at ek setta J>at eigi, en ek selda ]?at í hendr porgeiri bróSur mínum, mannaforráS mitt, átSr en ek fór utan; síSan hefi ek eigi viö tekit, fyrir JJVÍ at mér Jjykkir vel komit, metSan hann varöveitir. Gangi J>it á fund hans, biîSit hann ásjá; hann er skçrungr í skapi ok drengr gótSr ok í alia statSi vel mentr, ungr maSr ok metnaSargjarn; eru slíkir menn vsenztir til at veita ykkr liSsinni." Sámr segir: " A f honum munum vit ekki fá, nema Jm ser í flutningi meî5 okkr." porkell segir: "pví mun ek heita, at vera heldr metS ykkr en mòti, meykkir œrin nauîSsyn til at maela eptir náskyldan mann. Fari }>it nú fyrir til búcSarinnar ok gangit inn í búíSina; er mannfólk í svefni. pit munutS sjá hvar standa innar um Jrvera búSina tvau hùîSfçt, ok reis ek upp ór çî5ru, en í QÎSru hvílir porgeirr bróSir minn. Hann hefir haft kveisu mikla í fœtinum, sföan hann kom á Jñngit, ok Jm hefir hann litit sofit um nsetr; en nú sprakk fótrinn í nótt ok er ór kveisunaglinn. En nú hefir hann sofnat sfóan ok hefir réttan fótinn út undan fçtunum fram á fótafjQlina sakir ofrhita, er á er á fœtinum. Gangi sá hinn gamli ma?r fyrir ok svá innar eptir búSinni; mér syniz hann mjçk hrymîSr bseSi at syn ok elli. pá er {m, maSr," segir porkell, "kemr at húSfatinu, skaltu rasa mjçk ok fall á fótafjQlina ok tak í tána, pá er um er bundit, ok

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hnykk at J>ér ok vit, hversu hann ver'Sr viîS. ' ' Sámr mselti: "HeilráSr muntu okkr vera, en eigi syniz mér Jjetta ráSligt." J)orkell svarar: "Annathvárt verSi J>it at géra : at haf a }>at, sem ek legg til, eví at ek bíat er várkunn, frsendi, at ]>ér sé sárr fótr Jñnn, er mikit mein hefir í verit ; muntu J^ess mest á }>ér kenna. Nú má ok J>at vera, at gçmlum manni sé eigi ósárari sonardautSi sinn, en fá 0ngvar bœtr ok skorti hvetvitna sjálfr; mun hann }>ess g0rst 25 kenna á sér, ok er }>at at vánum, at sá mavi at eigi drap ek son hans ok má hann af J>vi eigi á mér J>essa hefna." "Eigi vildi hann á J>ér ]>essa hefna," segir 30

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porkell, "en for hann at J>ér haröara, en hann vildi, ok gait hann óskygnleika sins, en vsenti sér af Jjér nçkkurs trausts. Er Jjat nú drengskapr, at veita gQmlum manni ok }>urftigum. Er honum Inetta nauösyn en eigi selling, J?ó at hann mseli eptir son sinn, en nú ganga allir hçfSingjar undan lfóveizlu viS J>essa menn ok syna í }>ví mikinn ódrengskap." porgeirr mselti: "Viö hvern eigu J^essir menn at ksera?" porkell svaraSi: "Hrafnkell goSi hefir vegit son hans porbjarnar saklausan. Vinnr hann hvert óverk at çSru, en vili engum manni sòma vinna fyrir." porgeirr mselti: "Svá mun mér fara, sem çSrum, at ek veit eigi mik Wessum mçnnum svá gott eiga upp at inna, at ek vilja ganga í deilur vitS Hrafnkel. pykkir mér hann einn veg fara hvert sumar viS ¡>á menn, sem málum eigu at skipta vitS hann, at flestir menn fá lítla virtSing eSa 0ngva, átSr lúki; ok sé ek }>ar fara einn veg çllum; get ek af }m fiesta menn ófúsa til, J)á sem engi nauösyn dregr til." porkell segir: " p a t má vera, at svá fœri mér at, ef ek ν aera hgfSingi, at mér Jroetti ilt at deila viS Hrafnkel; en eigi syniz mér svá, fyrir J?ví at mér Jjoetti viS Jjann bezt at eiga, er allir hrekkjaz fyrir á(5r; ok Jwetti mér mikit vaxa min virSing eSa J>ess hçfSingja, er á Hrafnkel gseti nQkkura vík róit, en minkaz ekki, J>ó at mér fœri, sem çSrum, fyrir ]>ví at 'má mér }>at, sem yfir margan gengr'; 'hefir sá' ok 'jafnan, er hsettir.'" "Sé ek," segir porgeirr, "hversu J>ér er gefit, at Jm vilt veita Wessum mçnnum. N ú mun ek sel ja J>ér í hendr goöorö mitt ok manna forráS, ok haf J>ú J?at, sem ek hefi haft átSr,

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en J>ac5an af hçfum vit jçfnuS af báSir; ok veittu ]>á Jjeim, er Jm vilt." " S v á syniz mér," segir porkell, "sem Jjá muni goí5ort5 várt bezt komit, er Jjú hafir sem lengst. Ann ek 0ngum svá vel sem J>ér at hafa, J?ví at Jm hefir marga hluti til mentar um fram alla oss s brceSr, en ek óráSinn, hvat er ek vil af mér gera at bragîSi; en J>ú veizt, frsendi, at ek hefi til fás hlutaz, sföan ek kom til Islands. M á ek nú sjá, hvat min ráíS eru. Nú hefi ek flutt, sem ek mun at sinni; kann vera, at porkell leppr komi J>ar, at hans orS verSi 10 meir metin." porgeirr segir : " Sé ek nú, hversu horfir, frsendi, at ]>ér mislíkar; en ek má J>at eigi vita, ok munum vit fylgja Wessum mçnnum, hversu sem ferr, ef )jú vilt." J)orkell mselti: "pessa eins bieira máli?" " S v á er, sem ek sagSa 1 dag," segir Sámr, " a t styrk J)urfum vit af hçfSingjum, en málaflutning á ek undir mér." porgeirr kvaî5 honum \>á gott at duga, " o k nú er fiat til, at búa mál til sem réttligast, 20 en mér Jjykkir, sem porkell vili, at J>it vitiit }>á hafa annathvárt fyrir ykkar J>rá, nçkkura huggan, eSa lseging enn meir en átSr ok hrelling ok skapraun. GangiS nú heim ok verit kátir, af Jm at J>ess munu J>it viîS Jmrfa, ef J>it 25 skulut deila vitS Hrafnkel, at Jñt berit ykkr vel upp um hrfó; en segi J>it 0ngum manni, at vit hçfum liSveizlu heitit ykkr." pá gengu }?eir heim til búSar sinnar; váru pá çlteitir. Menn undruSuz Jjetta allir, hví J)eir hefói svá skjót skapskipti tekit, J>ar sem 30

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Jjeir váru óglaSir, er }>eir fóru heiman. Nú sitja J>eir, Jpar til er domar fara út. J>á kveSr Sámr upp menn sína ok gengr til Lçgbergs ; var J)ar }>á dómr settr. Sámr gekk ]>& djarfliga at dominum. Hann hefr }>egar upp váttnefnu ok sótti mài sitt at réttum landslçgum á hendr Hrafnkeli goSa, miskviSalaust, meeir pjóstarssynir metS mikla sveit manna; allir menn vestan af landi veittu Jjeim liîS, ok syndiz Jjat, at pjóstarssynir váru menn vinsselir. Sámr sótti málit í dóm, Jsangat til er Hrafnkeli var boöit til varnar, nema sá maör ν seri J>ar viS staddr, er lçgvçrn vildi frammi hafa fyrir hann at réttu lçgmáli. Rómr var at χ hug sér at lei6a smâmçnnum at sœkja mál á hendr honum; setlafti hann at hleypa upp dómum fyrir Sámi ok hrekja hann af málinu. En }>ess var nú eigi kostr. par var fyrir sá mannfjçldi, at Hrafnkeli komz hvergi η ser; var honum J>r0ngt frá í burtu meö miklu ofríki, svá at hann náSi eigi at heyra mál })eira, er hann sóttu; var honum J?vi óhoegt at fœra lçgvçrn fram fyrir sik. En Sámr sótti málit til fullra laga, til ]?ess er Hrafnkeli var alsekr á Jjessu Jnngi. Hrafnkeli gengr }>egar til búSar ok lsetr taka hesta sína ok ríftr á brott af }ñngi ok unSi illa viS sínar málalyktir, Jm at hann átti

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aldri fyrr slíkar. RíSr hann J>á austr LyngdalsheiSi ok svá austr á Síingi ok gekk mjç>k uppstertr. Mçrgum mçnnum Jjykkir vel, J>ó at ]?ann veg hafi at boriz, at Hrafnkell hafi hneykju farit, ok minnaz nú, at hann hefir mçrgum ójafnaS synt. Sámr bíSr til J>ess, at slitit er Jñnginu. Búaz menn ]>á heim, pakkar hann }>eim brœtSrum sína liSveizlu; en porgeirr spurSi Sám hl sejan di, hversu honum lucetti at fara. Hann lét vel yfir Jrví. porgeirr mselti: "pykkiz ]>ú nú nçkkuru nser en áykkir mér Hrafnkell hafa sneypu, er lengi mun uppi vera, J?essi hans sneypa, ok er Jjetta viat skal vera fjórtán náttum eptir vápnatak." En ]>at heitir vápnatak, er alJjySa ríSr af }?ingi. " E n ek get," segir porgeirr, " a t Hrafnkell mun heim kominn ok setli at sit ja á ASalbóli; get ek, at hann mun halda manna forráitt, ef }?ú náir, at bezta kosti. Get ek, at J>ú hafir J>at svá Jñnna mála, at Jm kallir hann skógarmann; en slíkan cegishjálm get ek at hann beri yfir flestum sem áú hljótir at fara nçkkuru 1 segra." "Aldri hirSi ek }>at," segir Sámr. "Hraustr maSr ertu," segir porgeirr, "ok Jjykkir mér, sem porkell frsendi vili eigi gera endamjótt viik. Hann vili nú fylgja ]>ér, J?ar til er ór slítr ine'S ykkr Hrafnkell, ok megir J)ú ]>á sitja um kyrt. Mun ySr Jjykkja

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nú vit skyldastir at fylgja pér, er vèr hçfum áSr mest í fengiz; skulum vit nú fylgja J>ér um sinnsakir í AustfjçrSu; en kantu nçkkura pá leiS til AustfjarSa, at eigi sé almannavegr?" Sámr kvez fara mundu hiña SQmu leiS, sem hann fór austan. Sámr vart5 ]?essu feginn. 5. porgeirr valdi liS sitt ok lét sér fylgja fjóra tigu manna. Sámr hafói ok fjóra tigu manna. Var ]>at litS vel búit at vápnum ok hestum. Eptir J?at ríí5a ]?eir alla hiña sçmu leietta }>ann morgun, er féránsdóm átti at heyja. pá spyrr porgeirr, hversu J>eir maetti heizt á óvart koma. Sámr kvaz mundu kunna rá(5 til ]>ess. Hann snyr Jjegar af leitSinni ok upp á múlann ok svá eptir hálsinum milli Hrafnkelsdals ok Jçkulsdals, J>ar til er Jjeir koma utan undir fjallit, er bœrinn stendr undir niîSri á ASalbóli. J)ar gengu grasgeilar í heitSina upp, en }>ar var brekka brçtt ofan í dalinn, ok stótS ]>ar bœrinn undir nitSri. par stígr Sámr af baki ok mselti: "Látum lausa hesta vára, ok geymi tuttugu menn; en vèr sex tigir saman hlaupum at boenum, ok get ek, at fátt muni manna á fótum." peir gerSu nú svá, ok heita par síSan Hrossageilar. pá bar skjótt at bœnum. Váru pá liîSin rismál. Eigi var fólk upp staí5it. peir skutu stokki á hurt5 ok hljópu inn. Hrafnkell hvíldi í rekkju sinni; taka J>eir hann J^atSan ok alia hans heimamenn, pá er vàpnfœrir váru; konur ok bçrn var rekit í eitt hús. I túninu stóS útibúr; af J>ví ok heim á skálavegginn var skotit vátSási einum. peir leföa Hrafnkel pax til

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23

ok hans menn. Hann bauS mçrg boat tjáSi eigi, J>á baS hann mçmnum sínum lífs: "J>ví at Jjeir hafa ekki til saka gert vitS yí5r; en )>at er mér engi óscemd, J>ótt Ipér drepiö mik; mun ek ekki undan ]>ví mselaz ; undan hrakningum mselumz ek; er ySr engi sœmd í )>ví." porkell mselti: "pat hçfum vèr heyrt, at Jpú hafir litt verit leiSitamr Jjínum óvinum, ok er vel nú, at ]?ú kennir ]>ess í dag á J>ér." pá taka J>eir Hrafnkel ok hans menn ok bundu hendr Jjeira á bak aptr. Eptir ]>at brutu J>eir upp útibúrit ok tóku reip of an ór krókum; taka sfóan knífa sína ok stinga raufar á hásinum Jieira ok draga ]?ar í reipin ok kasta J>eim svá upp yfir ásinn ok binda 1?á svá átta saman, pá mselti porgeirr: "Svá er komit nú kosti Jnnum, Hrafnkell, sem makligt er, ok mundi J?ér Jjykkja })etta ólíkligt, at J>ú myndir slíka skçmm fá af nçkkurum manni, sem nú er oreira, eSa viltu fara me'S Sámi ór garSi á brott í çrskotshelgi vi'S bœinn ok heyja féránsdóm á grjóthól nçkkurum, )>ar sem hvárki er akr né eng?" petta skyldi í Jjann tima gera, er sòl ν seri í fullu suöri. porkell sagtSi: "Ek vil hér sitja hjá Hrafnkeli; syniz mér Jjetta starfaminna." peir porgeirr ok Sámr fóru ]>á ok háSu féránsdóm; ganga heim eptir J>at ok tóku Hrafnkel of an ok hans menn ok settu J?á niSr í túninu, ok var J)á sigit blófingmenn hans. Sámr byz til at vera yfirmaSr J>eira í stacS Hrafnkels. Menn játuSuz undir J>at ok hugöu ]>ó enn misjafnt til. J)jóstarssynir rétSu honum J>at, at hann skyldi vera blíSr ok góSr fjárins og gagnsamr sínum mçnnum, styrktarmaSr hvers sem hans Jmrfa viö; "}>á eru J?eir eigi menn, ef J^eir fylgja Jjér eigi vel, hvers sem J p ú }>arft viîS; en }>ví ráSum vit J?ér Jjetta, at vit vildim, at J>ér tœkiz alt vel, J>ví at ]>ú virSiz okkr vaskr maîîr; gsettu nú vel til, ok vertu varr um J)ik, af J?ví at vant er viS vándum at sjá." pjóstarssynir létu senda eptir Frey faxa ok liSi hans ok kváSuz vil ja sjá gripi Jjessa, er svá gengu miklar sQgur af. pá váru hrossin

26

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

heim leidd. peir brœSr lita á hrossin. porgeirr maelti : "pessi hross lítaz mér ]X¿TÍ búinu; er J?at mitt ráS, at Jjau vinni slíkt, er ]>au megu til gagnsmuna, Jjangat til er }>au megu eigi lifa fyrir aldrs sçkum; en hestr Jjessi syniz mér eigi betri en aÍSrir hestar, heldr J>ví verri, at margt ilt hefir af honum hlotiz; vil ek eigi, at fleiri víg hljótiz af honum en átSr hafa af honum orSit; mun J>at nú makligt, at sá taki viS honum, er hann á." J)eir leiSa nú hestinn ofan eptir vellinum. Einn hamarr stendr niÍSr viîS ána, en fyrir framan hylr djúpr. par leiSa J>eir nú hestinn fram á hamarinn. pjóstarssynir drógu fat eitt á hçfuS hestinum, taka síS an hávar stengr ok hrinda hestinum af fram, binda stein viö hálsinn ok tyndu honum svá. Heitir Jjar siSan Freyfaxahamarr. par ofan frá standa goîSahús Jrnu, er Hrafnkell hafSi átt. porkell vildi koma }>ar. Lét hann fletta goSin q11. Eptir ]>at lsetr hann leggja eld í goSahúsit ok brenna alt saman. SíSan búaz bocSsmenn í burtu. Velr Sámr J?eim ágseta gripi báSum brœtSrum, ok maela til fullkominnar vináttu meíS sér ok skiljaz allgóÍSir vinir. RítSa nú rètta leitS vestr í FjçrSu ok koma heim í porskafjçrS meS virSingu. En Sámr setti porbjçrn niSr at Leikskálum; sky Idi hann ]mr búa; en kona Sáms fór til bús meö honum á ASalból, ok byr Sámr J?ar um hrfó. 7. Hrafnkell spurSi austr í Fljótsdal, at pjóstarssynir hçfSu tynt Freyfaxa ok brent hofit. J)á svarar Hrafnkell: " E k hygg ]>at hégóma at trúa á goS," ok sagSiz hann J>aî5an af aldri skyldu á goS trúa; ok ]?at efndi hann síSan, at hann blótaSi aldri. Hrafnkell

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGODA

27

sat á Hrafnkelsstçôum ok rakaSi fé saman. Hann fekk brátt miklar viröingar í heraSinu; vildi svá hverr sitja ok standa, sem hann vildi. I J>enna tima kómu sem mest skip af Nóregi til Islands; námu menn ¡>á sem mest land í heraSinu um Hrafnkels daga. Engi náSi meîS frjálsu at sitja, nema Hrafnkel bsetSi orlofs. pá urSu ok allir honum at heita sínu liSsinni. Hann hét ok sínu trausti. LagíSi hann land undir sik alt fyrir austan Lagarfljót. })essi J>inghá varS brátt miklu meiri ok fjcjlmennari en sú, er hann hafSi á?5r haft; hon gekk upp í SkriSudal ok upp ait meîS Lagarfljóti. Var nú skipan á komin á lund hans. Maörinn var miklu vinsselli en áeir aldri á sin vitSskipti. LeiS svá fram sjau vetr. Sámr var vinssell af sínum ]ñngmçnnum, JJVÍ at hann var hœgr ok kyrr ok góau títSendi, er g0rz hgföu, ok lét hann sér um ]?at fátt finnaz. Hann var fáskiptinn maSr. Ok J>egar Sámr spyrr J^etta, pá ríSr hann til skips. YertSr nú mikill fagnafundr meS }>eim broeSrum. Sámr bySr honum vestr J»angat. En Eyvindr tekr

28

H R A F N K E L S SAGA

FREYSGOBA

vel ok biSr Sám rítSa heim fyrir, en senda hesta á mòti varningi hans. Hann setr upp skip sitt ok byr um. Sámr gerir svá, ferr heim ok lsetr reka hesta á mòti Eyvindi. Ok er hann hefir búit um vara a (5 sinn, byr hann fer (5 sína til Hrafnkelsdals; ferr upp eptir ReyöarfirtSi. peir váru fimm saman; enn sètti var skósveinn Eyvindar. Sá var íslenzkr at kyni, skyldr honum. penna svein haföi Eyvindr tekit af válatSi ok flutt utan meS sér ok haldit sem sjálfan sik. f e t t a bragS Eyvindar var uppi haft, ok var ]>at alj>yí5u rómr, at fseri vseri hans líkar. peir rfóa upp pórisdalsheiSi ok ráku fyrir sér sextán klyfjaSa hesta. Váru J>ar húskarlar Sáms tveir, en ]>TÍT farmenn; váru ]>eir ok allir í litklseSum ok riÎ5u viS fagra skjçldu. peir riSu um Jjveran SkriSudal ok yfir Háls yfir til Fljótsdals, Ipax sem heita Bulungarvellir, ok of an á Gilsáreyri; hon gengr austan at fljótinu milli HallormsstaSa ok Hrafnkelsstat5a. RtSa Jjeir upp metS Lagarfljóti fyrir neSan vçll á HrafnkelsstQ(5um ok svá fyrir vatnsbotninn ok yfir Jçkulsà at SkálavaSi. pá var jafnnser rismálum ok dagmálum. Kona ein var viS vatnit ok )>ó lérept sin. Hon sér ferS manna. Griökona sjá sopar saman léreptunum ok hleypr heim. Hon kastar ]?eim nit5r úti hjá viîSarkesti, en hleypr inn. Hrafnkell var j)á eigi upp staSinn, ok nQkkurir vildarmenn lágu í skálanum, en verkmenn váru til ieir koma á hraunit, J>á lítr sveinninn aptr ok mselti til Eyvindar: "Menn rfóa

30

H R A F N K E L S SAGA

FREYSGOBA

par eptir oss," segir hann, "eigi fseri en átján; er p&v mikill maSr á baki í blám klseSum, ok syniz mér líkt Hrafnkeli goSa; pó hefî ek nú lengi eigi sét hann." Eyvindr svarar: "Hvat mun oss skipta? veit ek mér enskis òtta ván af reiS Hrafnkels; ek hefi honum eigi í mòti gert; mun hann eiga 0rendi vestr til Dais at hitta vini sína." Sveinninn svarar: "pat bySr mér í hug, at hann muni Jñk hitta vilja." "Ekki veit ek," segir Eyvindr, "til hafa orSit meS >eim Sámi, bróSur mínum, sfóan Jjeir ssettuz." Sveinninn svarar: "pat vilda ek, at JJÚ ricSir undan vestr til Dais; muntu pá geymdr; ek kann skapi Hrafnkels, at hann mun ekki gera oss, ef hann náir pér eigi; er pá alls g sett, ef J) in er, en pá er eigi dyr í festi, ok er vel, hvat sem af oss verSr." Eyvindr sagt5iz eigi mundu brátt undan ri(5a: "J>vi at ek veit eigi, hverir }>essir eru; myndi }>at mçrgum manni hlœgiligt }>ykkja, ef ek renn at çllu óreyndu." peir ríSa nú vestr af hrauninu. pá er fyrir }>eim çnnur myrr, er heitir Oxamyrr; hon er grçsug mjçk; }>ar eru bleytur, svá at náliga er ôfœrt yfir; af ]JVÍ lagSi HallfreSr karl hinar efri ggtur, JJÓ at Jjser vseri lengri. Eyvindr riör vestr á myrina. Lá pá drjúgum í fyrir Jjeim; dvaldiz pá mjçk fyrir Jjeim. Hiña bar skjótt eptir, er lausir riíSu. RíSa ]>eir Hrafnkeli nú leiö sína á myrina. peir Eyvindr eru pá komnir af myrinni; sjá Jjeir pá Hrafnkel ok sonu hans báí5a. peir báSu Eyvind pá undan at ríSa: "eru nú af aliar torfcerur; muntu ná til AtSalbóls, meöan myrrin er á milium." Eyvindr svarar: "Eigi mun ek flyja undan J>eim mçnnum,

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

31

er ek hefi ekki til miska g0rt." J)eir ríSa pá upp á hálsinn. par standa fjçll lítil á hálsinum; utan í fjallinu er meltorfa ein, blásin mjçk; bakkar hávir váru umhverfis. Eyvindr rícSr at torfunni; J?ar stígr hann af baki ok bfór }>eira. Eyvindr svarar: " N ú munum vèr skjótt vita }>eira erendi." Eptir pat gengu J>eir upp á torfuna ok brjóta par upp grjót nQkkut. Hrafnkell snyr pá af gçtunni ok suSr at torfunni. Hann hafSi engi orS viö Eyvind ok veitti ]>egar atgçngu. Eyvindr vartSiz vel ok drengiliga. Skósveinn Eyvindar ]>óttiz ekki krçptugr til orrustu ok tók hest sinn ok rfór vestr yfir háls til AtSalbóls ok segir Sámi, hvat leika er. Sámr brá skjótt viS ok sendi eptir mçnnum. UrtSu Jjeir saman tuttugu. Var Inetta litS vel búit. Rfór Sámr austr á heiSina ok at ]?ar, er vsettfangit hafSi verit. pá er umskipti á orSit meeim. ReiS Hrafnkell pá austr frá verkunum. Eyvindr var pá fallinn ok allir hans menn. Sámr g0rSi J?at fyrst, at hann leitaSi lífs meö brótSur sínum. Var pat trúliga gert: ]>eir váru allir líflátnir, fimm saman, par váru ok fallnir af Hrafnkeli tólf menn, en sex riSu burt. Sámr átti pav lítla dvçl, baS menn ríSa Jjegar eptir. peir Hrafnkell rííSa undan sem máttu, ok hafa pó mœdda hesta. pá maelti Sámr: " N á megum vér J?eim, pví at }>eir hafa mœdda hesta, en vér hçfum alla hraöa; ok mun nálaegt verSa, hvárt vér nám J>eim eSa eigi, átSr en J^eir komaz af heiSinni." pá var Hrafnkell kominn austr yfir Oxamyri. RíSa nú hvárirtveggju alt til J>ess, at Sámr kemr á heiîSarbrúnina; sá hann pá, at Hrafnkell var kominn lengra

32

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

ofan í brekkurnar. Sér Sámr, at hann mun undan taka ofan í heraá: " H é r munum vèr aptr snúa, J>ví at Hrafnkeli mun gott til manna verSa." Snyr Sámr pá aptr viS svá búit, kemr J>ar til, er Eyvindr là, tekr til ok verpr haug eptir hann ok félaga hans. Er J?ar ok kçllutS Eyvindartorfa ok Eyvindarfjç>ll ok Eyvindardalr. Sámr ferr )>á mets alian varnaSinn heim á ASalból. Ok er hann kemr heim, sendir Sámr eptir J^ingmQnnum sinum, at j>eir skyldi koma J>ar um morguninn fyrir dagmál; setlar hann J?á vestr yfir heiar drjúgt komit manna. 9. Hrafnkeli reiS heim ok sagSi tiSendi ])essi. Hann etr mat, ok eptir J>at safnar hann mçnnum at sér, svá at hann fser sjau tigu manna, ok rfSr me?) J>etta litS vestr yfir heiá: " N ú er svá komit kosti {)ínum, Sámr, at J?ér mundi ólíkligt }>ykkja fyrir stundu, at ek á nú vald á lífi Júnu; skal ek nú eigi vera J)ér verri drengr, en J>ú vart mér ; mun ek bjóíSa J>ér tvá kosti : at vera drepinn —hinn er annarr, at ek skal einn skera ok skapa okkar í milli." Sámr kvaz heldr kjósa at lifa, en kvaz ]>ó hyggja, at hvárrtveggi mundi harSr. Hrafnkeli kvaîS hann )>at setla mega: "]>ví at vèr eigum J>ér Jjat at launa; ok sky Ida ek hálfu betr viS Jnk gera, ef ]>ess vaeri vert, pú skalt fara burt af ASalbóli ofan til Leikskála, ok sez J?ar í bú }>itt. Skaltu hafa me?) J?ér auSœfi }>au, sem Eyvindr hefir átt. J)ú skalt ekki heSan fleira hafa í fémunum utan J>at, er J»ú hefir hingat haft; J?at

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

33

skaltu alt í burtu hafa. Ek vil taka viS goSorSi minu, svá ok vitS bùi ok staSfestu. Sé ek, at mikill ávgxtr hefir á orSit á gózi minu, ok skaltu ekki }>ess njóta. Fyrir Eyvind, bróSur J>inn, skulu 0ngvar bœtr koma, fyrir }m at J>ú mseltir herfiliga eptir hinn fyrra 5 frsenda J?inn, ok hafi ]>ér œrnar bœtr \>ó eptir Einar frsenda ySvarn, }>&r er ]>ú hefir haft ríki ok fé sex vetr ; en eigi Jjykkir mér meira vert dráp Eyvindar ok manna hans en meizl viú io sitir á Leikskálum, ok mun J>at duga, ef J)ú ofsar J>ér eigi til vansa. Minn undirmaSr skaltu vera, meSan vit lifum báíiir. Máttu ok til J>ess setla, at Jm munt J?ví verr fara, sem vit eigumz fleira ilt viS." Sámr ferr nú brott meS lis sitt of an til Leikskála ok sez J?ar í 15 bú sitt. 10. Nú skipar Hrafnkell á ASalbóli búi sínum mQnnum. pòri, son sinn, setr hann á HrafnkelsstaSi. Hefir nú goSorS yfir Qllum sveitum. Àsbjçrn var meS fçSur sínum, J>ví at hann var yngri. Sámr sat á Leik- 20 skálum pernia vetr; hann var hljótSr ok fáskiptinn. Fundu margir J>at, at hann untSi litt viS sinn hlut. En um vetrinn, er daga lengîSi, fór Sámr vi8 annan mann, ok hafSi J>rjá hesta, yfir brú ok J>atSan yfir MçSrudalsheicSi ok svá yfir Jçkulsà uppi á fjalli; svá til My- 25 vatns; J>ar; hann hafíSi verit utan fjóra vetr. Sámr var }>ar viku ok hvíleim viöskipti 30 Jjeira Hrafnkels ok beiîSir pá brceör ásjá ok liîSsinnis

34

s

10

is

20

25

30

HRAFNKELS SAGA FREYSGOBA

enn sem fyrr. porgeirr hafîSi meir svçr fyrir J>eim brceat sinni; kvaz fjarri sit j a : " e r langt á milli vár. póttumz vér allvel í hendr J>ér búa, áér heftSi hœgt verit at halda, Hefir Jjat farit eptir )>ví, sem ek aetlaSa, Ipá er J>ú gaft Hrafnkeli líf, at }>ess myndir J>ú mest itSraz; fystu vit f>ik, at ]>ú skyldir Hrafnkel af lífi taka, en }>ú vildir ráSa. Er J>at nú auSsét, hverr vizkumunr ykkarr hefir oröit, er hann lét J»ik sitja í fritSi ok leitaSi }>ar fyrst á, er hann gat ]>ann af rá?5it, er honum J>ótti J>ér vera meiri matSr. Megum vit ekki hafa at J>essu gaefuleysi }>itt; er okkr ok ekki svá mikil fyst at deila viö Hrafnkel, at vit nennim at leggja J»ar viS virtSing okkar optar. En bjóSa viljum vit }>ér hingat meS skuldali'S J?itt alt undir okkarn áraburtS, ef Jjér ]>ykkir hér skapraunarminna en í nánd Hrafnkeli." Sámr kvez ekki }>vi nenna, segiz vilja heim aptr ok batS pá skipta hestum vitS sik. Var }>at }>egar til reiSu. peir broeSr vildu gefa Sámi góSar gjafir, en hann vildi 0ngvar J>iggja ok sagöi J>á vera lítla í skapi. ReitS Sámr heim viS svá búit ok bjó J>ar til elli; fekk hann aldri uppreist mòti Hrafnkeli, meîSan hann lifíSi. En Hrafnkeli sat í búi sínu ok helt virSingu sinni. Hann vartS sóttdauSr, ok er haugr hans í Hrafnkelsdal út frá ASalbóli; var lagit í haug hjá honum mikit fé, herklseSi hans ρΐΐ ok spjót hans hit góíSa. Synir hans tóku viS mannaforráÍSi. pórir bjó á Hrafnkelsstçôum, en Âsbjçrn á AíSalbóli; báÍSir áttu Jjeir goSorSit saman ok }>óttu miklir menn fyrir sér. Ok lykr J>ar frá Hrafnkeli at segja.

GLOSSARY

ABBREVIATIONS

THE construction is indicated by the use of abbreviated forms of the pronoun einhverr, "someone," as follows: e - r = einhverr (nom. sg. mase.). e - t = eitthvert (nom. sg. neuter). e - s = einhvers (gen. sg. masc. and neuter). e - a r = einhverrar (gen. sg.fern.). e - m = einhverjum (dat. sg. masc.). e - u = einhverju (dat. sg. neuter). e - η = einhvern (acc. sg. masc.). e - a = einhverja (acc. sg. fem.). e - t = eitthvert (acc. sg. neuter), so. = someone, st. = something. Noreen = A. Noreen, Altisländische und Altnorwegische Grammatik, 4th ed., Halle, 1923. Heusler = A. Heusler, Altisländisches Elementarbuch, 2nd ed., Heidelberg, 1921. References are to §§.

GLOSSARY A á (cf. Ooth. ana) prep, with dai., expressing rest, and acc., expressing limit of motion, on, onto, upon, at, to, in, into, against; á hçfuS hestinum, over the horse's head 26,12; á Jjessum hesti hafSi hann svá mikla elsku, he loved this horse so much 5,14; ógleSi á Porbirni, Th.'s dejection 11,18; gjarn á smásakir, eager for petty suits 12,9; er á (adv.) er á fœtinum, which is in the foot 16,26; of, in respect to; á hár 14,29. á (Goth, ahva) /., river. ábyrgtS /., responsibility, liability; vera til ábyrgtSar, to be at stake, be risked. ávi ssettaz 10,29 see under saetta; at frœndum, for kinsmen 12,7; a t

sér

13,8

see

under

safna; vestan at ánni, eastward to the river 14,24; adv. 7,2

see under f a r à ; before inf., t o ; with vera equiv. to Eng. progressive vb. forms, a construction as common in Mod. Icel. as the corresponding one in Mod. Eng.:

váru a t mjólka, were milking 9,8. at (Goth. Jjatei; Heusler 162) conj., that. atdráttr m., provisions, supplies; hann hafSi mikinn atdrátt af fiskinum, he got a good yield from the fisheries 25,7. atganga /., attack, assault, á t j á n num., eighteen. átrúnaí5r m., belief, átta (Goth, ahtau) num., eight. autSkenniligr adj., easily recognizable. auSsét neut. adj., easy to see, evident, plain. auSœfi ( < auB-hœfi, Noreen 170, Anm. 1) n. pl., wealth, possessions. auga (Goth, augö) η., eye. auka (Goth, aukan; jók, jókum, aukinn), to make greater, increase; refi, at J)ér aukiz erfitSi, that your pains be increased, that you should be set to work 29,14. austan adv., from the east, westward; fyrir austan, east, on the east; prep, with acc. east of 24,9 and

passim.

austr adv., east, eastward. auvirtSi (Noreen 235,2) n., good-fornothing, bungler, contemptible fellow; jafnmikil auvirtSi, such paltry bunglers 12,7. ávQxtr m,., growth, increase.

GLOSSARY Β báSir (cf. Goth, bajóos) proti, pl., both; η. baet5i as adv. J>at er bœ15i, a t . . ., enda . . in the first place . . ., in the second place . . . 12,1; bsetSi . . . ok, both . . . and 16,28. bak re., back; á bak aptr, behind their backs 23,10; á baki, on horseback 30,2; koma á b a k hesti, to mount a horse; stiga af baki, dismount; hljóp af baki til hans, dismounted and ran up to him 9,22. bakki m., bank, hill, ridge, banahçgg η., death-blow, bani m., death; slayer; e - m a t bana verSa (cf. Ger. jemandem zum Verhängnis werden), to kill someone, banna (aér var bannat (sc. a t ríSa), you were forbidden (to ride) 9,17. barn (Goth, barn) η., child. bei'Sa (Goth, baidjan; dd) e - n e - s, to ask someone for something. bein n., bone; hafa bein í hendi, " t o have bone in the hand (arm?)," to be strong, powerful, beizl re., bridle. bera (Goth, bairan; bar, bárum, borinn), to bear, carry; a t ]?it berit ykkr vel upp, t h a t you bear yourselves up well, keep up your courage 19,26; fram bera ( = frammi hafa), set forth, enter 20,15; impers, hann (acc.) myndi Ajotara yfir bera, he would get on more swiftly, make better progress 7,15; J>á (m. pl. acc.

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of pron. sá) bar skjótt at bcenum, they rushed swiftly upon the farmstead 22,24; hina bar skjótt eptir, the others followed them swiftly 30,24; hefir \>nt (acc.) . . . til borit, t h a t has happened 9,12; refi. \>ó at J>ann veg hafi a t boriz, t h a t it had turned out this way 21,5; opt. pres. 3rd, sg. beri 21,24. betr (cf. Goth, batiza adj.) adv. comp., better, beztr (Goth, batists) adj. sup., best. bi'Sa (Gcth. beidan; bei)>au) conj., or; and; but. ef (Goth, ibai) conj., if, whether, e f j a / . , mud, mire; í e f j u eina.fram, through nothing b u t mud 29,26. efla (d), to support, assist; make, celebrate (blót). efna (d), to perform, fulfil (an oath, a promise) ; prepare, make ready, efnaleysi n., lack of means, poverty, efni n., stuff, material; matter, affair; cause, reason, efniligr adj., having good stuff (efni), promising, efri adj. comp., higher, eiga (Goth, aigan [ind. pres. á, eigum], átta, áttr), to have, own, possess; eiga e - a, have a woman in marriage, have to wife; nçkkurn hlut í eiga 11,2, see under hlutr; eiga vi (5 e - η, have

to do, have dealings, t r y conclusions with so. 18,22; recip. eigaz ilt viœtti a t (adv.) fara, how he thought things were going 21,10; hann kvaS J>at fjarri fara, he said t h a t

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was far from, by no means, the case 15,10; refi, fórz honum, " t h e journey went for him," he travelled 13,18; e - r ferr vel (ilia), one fares well (ill), is lucky (unlucky); Einarr ferr allvel at, E. does very well at it 7,2; fara nçkkuru leegra, suffer still greater humiliation 21,25; impera. e - m ferr e - η veg, it fares in a certain way with one; segja ok J>at einn veg flestum farit hafa, (they) say moreover that it has fared the same way with most 13,29; svá mun mér nú fara sem çSrum, it will go now with me as with others, I suppose 18,12; similarly 18,25,24,12; but also often one behaves, conducts oneself; mun honum nçkkurn veg vel fara, he will behave well in one way or another 11,30; s^niz mér slíkum mgnnum ilia farit sem ¡?ér, it seems to me ill behavior of such men as you 12,8; fara at, to proceed; fçrum vit lítillátliga at vieim fceri at, how " i t proceeded for them," how they were getting on 9,9; at svá fœri mér at, that it would go thus with me; imp. 2nd pi. fari Jñt = fariîS it 16,17; opt. prêt. 3rd sg. fœri 17,14 and passim; pf. part. nom. pl. m. farnir 28,27. farmaSr ra., traveller, merchant. farnir see fara. fáskiptinn adj., joining in little, keeping to oneself; not meddlesome, reserved; fáskiptinn maür, a man of few words 27,27.

fat n., vat; bag; pl. fçt, clothes; bed-clothes 16,25. fátoekt f., poverty, fé (Goth, faíhu) η., gen. fjár, cattle, sheep; meess er getit, it is told 27,22; opt. pres. 1st sg. geta 14,23; prêt. 3rd sg. gaeti 18,24. geyma (Goth, gaumjan; d), to keep, watch, guard; prêt. part. geymdr, safe 30,12; opt. pres. 3rd pi. geymi 22,21. gil η., gorge, chasm, ravine, gildr adj., brave, valiant, doughty, gjalda (Goth, fra-gildan; gait, guldum, goldinn), to pay, repay; svá gott upp at gjalda, such favors to repay 13,27; with gen. to pay the penalty for st., suffer on account of it; gait hann óskygnleika sins, it was the fault of his blindness 18,2. gjarn (Goth, faíhu-gaírns) adj., eager, gjarna adv., gladly, gjçf (Goth, giba) f., gift. glatSliga adv., gladly, cheerfully, heartily. gnegg ( < ga-hnegg?; Noreen 154) n., neigh, whinny. goitt, we cannot have your lucklessness in this affair 34,11 i. e. we do not care to risk association with such a luckless fellow as you. gœta (tt) e - s, to regard, pay heed to; watch, guard; gcettu nú vel til, be on your guard 25,26; save, preserve; er J)á alls gsett, ef \>in er, everything is saved if you are 30,13; opt. près 3rd. sg. gseti 17,26. gœttu = gœt J)ú. gçrr adj., ready; prêt. part, see g0ra. gçrva adv., fully, completely; sup. g0rst 17,25 = mest 17,23. g0ra, géra (S, prêt. part, gçrr or g0rtSr, gertSr), to do, make, es-

tablish; hann mun ekki gera oss, he will do nothing to us, will not harm us 30,12; g0ra kost, to give a choice, make a condition; refi. g0raz, become; come about, happen; gerìSiz mçnnum búshœgindi, people's housekeeping became easy, comfortable 25,14; part, til gçrr, treated 8,29; afskipta gçrr, cheated, defrauded 16,3; svá gert at hafa, " t o have as it is," put up with, be reconciled to 10,4 ; gert 14,23 see under geta; hvat er ek vil af mér gera, what I will do with myself 19,6; viS })ik gera, treat you 32,27. g0rst see gQrva. g0rviligr adj., enterprising, capable. g0rz ( < g0rt-sk < g0rt sik) prêt, part, of g0raz see under g0ra. H hafa (Goth, haban; haftSa, hafSr, ind. pres. 1st sg. hefi [hef]), to have, also as aux.; hold, keep 24,18; accept 10,4, 17,4; take, bring 32,29, 32,30, 32,31 and passim; hefir sá jafnan, er hsettir, he always has who risks (nothing venture, nothing have) 18,27; ind. 2nd pl. hafi Jjér = hafiS ér 33,6; imp. 1st pl. hçfum vit, let us have 19,1; opt. pres. 2nd sg. hafir 19,3, 23,7; 3rd sg. hafi 9,14 and passim; prêt. 1st sg. hefSa 9,19; 3rd sg. hefSi 7,26 and passim; 3rd pi. heftSi 19,30 and passim. hafrTO.,buck, he-goat. hagi m., pasture. halda (Goth, haldan; helt, heldum, haldinn), to hold, keep; keep

GLOSSARY (things as they are), maintain one's advantage 34,4; stand by, renew 11,30; er }>aSan haldinn mi'Sr aptann frá selinu, it marks mid-evening from the " sel" 9,27; support, maintain (cf. Ger. erhalten) ; of live stock keep, take care of 25,10; refi, haldaz, to be maintained, continue 25,15; with dat. hold fast to, keep, maintain 34,23. hálfr {Goth, halbs) adj., half; n. sg. dat. subst. with comp, hálfu betr, twice as well 32,27. hallr (cf. Goth, hallus, rock) m., big stone, boulder; slope, hill 9,26. háls (Goth, hals) m., neck; ridge, hamarr m., cliff. handgenginn adj., belonging to the king's household; handgenginn e - m, liegeman of. handsal ra., law term usually in pl., handsgl, shaking hands in token of a bargain; eiga handsgl vi(5 e - η, to make a bargain with so. hann pron., he, f . hon, gen. hans, hennar, his, her; hans, his (i. e. Hrafnkel's) 25,18. hár (Goth, hauhs) adj., high, tall, long; m. pl. nom. hávir 31,3; f . pl. acc. hávar 26,13; η. sg. acc. as adv. h á t t , loudly, hár η., hair. harSfengiliga adv., valiantly, in manly fashion. hartSla adv. intens., very, exceedingly. harSr (Goth, hardus) adj., hard; n. sg. as adv. hart; comp. harSara 18,1; farà hart, to go fast, quickly 29,14. hárfagr adj., fair-haired.

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hásin /., hough sinew, tendon, h á t t see hár adj. h á t t r m., mode, manner; constitution, character; einskis háttar, of no consequence, insignificant 29,5. haugr TO., burial mound, barrow. hávatSamikill adj., noisy, swaggering, bragging; sup. hávatSamestr 12,12. heSan adv., hence, from here; hetSan af, henceforth, liefja (Goth, h a f j a n ; hóf, hófum, hafinn or hafiSr), to lift, raise; hefja upp, raise up; begin (cf. Ger. anheben), hefna (d), to avenge ( e - s , st.); impers, skal Jjessa (ra. sg. gen.) hefnt verSa, vengeance shall be taken for this, this shall be avenged 8,30. hefnd /., vengeance; a t hefnd vseri í honum, t h a t he would be a proper object for vengeance, t h a t vengeance taken on him would be worth while 29,10. hégómi m., cobweb; rubbish; fig. folly, nonsense, vanity. heiSarbrún / . , edge of the heath (plateau). heiSr (Goth, haijji) f., heath, fell, plateau. beili (cf. Goth, hails adj.) f . (also n.), fortune, happiness, good luck. heilráSr adj., giving good counsel; heilrátSr m u n t u okkr vera, I dare say your advice is good 17,2. heilsa (at5) e - m, to greet, heim adv., home (limit of motion) ; in the phrase heim á ASalból 6,30 the adv. is used idiomatically (cf. Eng. to drive a blow

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GLOSSARY

home) and may be omitted in translation: similarly heim á skálavegginn 22,29; the idiom is common in Mod. Icel., e.g. aar sem heitir í Geitdal, there where it is called (in) Goatdale 3,13, and passim. heitstrenging /., taking an oath; oath, vow. heldr (Goth, haldis) adv. comp., rather, more; considerably, very, heizt adv. sup., most, helzti ( < heizt til) adv., all too, exceedingly; at }>ú maelir helzti margt satt, that your words are all too true 29,12. hér (Goth, her) adv., here; hér . . . um, about this 6,21 ; hér . . . af, with this 11,10. herab η., district, neighborhood, hundred; of an eptir heraSi (Hrafnkelsdal D), down along the hundred (i. e. Hrafnkelsdale) 10,30.

herfiliga adv., ruthlessly, implacably. herfiligr adj., "harrowing," hard, bitter. herklœSi n. pl., armor, hestr m., stallion; horse, heyja (há'Sa, háiSr or háSr [also háinn]) law term, to discharge a public duty or office; heyja féránsdóm, hold a court of execution. heyjaannir (i. e. heyja-annir; Goth. asans, harvest, summer) / . pl., hay-making season (July and August). heyra (Goth, hausjan; S), to hear, hingat ( < hinn veg at) adv., hither, here. hinn, hin, hitt (hit) pron., that; ( = inn), the; alt hit sanna, the whole truth 11,25; the other; hin (sc. hross) váru nóg til, there were enough other horses 9,17; hinir, the others 29,23 ; similarly hina 30,24. hirSa (cf. Goth, hairdeis m.; rt5) e - 1 , to care about, heed, hirzla ( < hirSsla) f., keeping, keeping safe; box, chest, hitta (tt), to meet, find, hjá (cf. Goth, heiwa-) prep, with dat., at the dwelling of; near, by; with; along, past; beside, compared with, hjón (cf. Goth, heiwa-) n. pl., members of a household; man and wife; family; servants, hlaupa (Goth, us-hlaupan; hljóp, hljópum, hlaupinn), to leap, run; hljóp upp, started up, raised himself suddenly 17,13; at hlypi á fœtr mçnnum, that he ran against men's feet 17,15;

GLOSSARY imp. 1st pl. hiaupum 22,22; opt. prêt. 3rd sg. hlypi 17,15. hleypa (t) e - u, causative o/hlaupa (cf. Oer. sprengen caus. of springen in similar senses), to cause to leap or run; hleypa (sc. hesti), to gallop (cf. Ger. [das Pferd] sprengen) ; hleypa upp dómum, break up the court (cf. Ger. das Gericht sprengen), hlita (tt) e - u, to rely on, trust. hljó'Sr adj., silent, taciturn, glum, hljóta (hlaut, hlutum, hlotinn), to get by lot; with inf. be destined, be obliged, must; impers, hlytr, one must 21,16; refi, hljótaz, to be got (through fate), result, come about 26,6, 26,7; opt. pres. 2nd sg. hljótir 21,25; refi. opt. -pres. 3rd pi. hljótiz 26,7. hluta (aessi mài, take some share in this case 11,2. hlœja (Goth, hlahjan; hló, hlógum, hleginn), to laugh; pres. part. hlaejandi 21,10. hlcegiligr adj., laughable, ridiculous. hnegg n., neigh, neighing, hneggja (aS), to neigh, h n e y k j a / . , shame, disgrace, hnykkja (kt) e - u , to pull violently, hot n., temple, hon see bann. horfa (S), to turn, face, look; hversu horfir, " h o w it turns,"

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what is the matter 19,11; h v a t sç>k horfir, how the case is tending, what the issue will be 12,12. hot n., a whit, bit; dat. with comp. hóti neîSar, a little lower 14,25. hraSr adj., swift; fresh 31,26. hrakning/., insult, humiliation, hrapalliga adv., hurriedly, clumsily. hraun n., stretch of rocky ground with cliffs and ridges (the usual sense is lava field, but in the East Firths, where these are scarce, the ordinary meaning is the one given above. See Kdlund, Beskrivelse, II, 232). hraustr adj., brave, bold, intrepid, hrekja I c f . Goth, wrikan; hrakti, hraktr or hrakitSr), to drive away in an insulting, shameful manner; hrekja e - η (af máli, málaferli), drive one's opponent to abandon his suit, confound, discomfit him 12,15,14,1, 20,21; refi, (medio-passive) J>ann . . ., er allir hrekjaz fyrir áBr, liim . . . by whom all are discomfited up to now 18,22. hrelling/., anguish, distress. hri(5/., time, while; um hríat, every animal 25,11. hvergi ( < hvar-gi) adv., nowhere; hvergi naer J)vi, sem . . ., far

from where . . . 13,19; Hrafnkell komz hvergi nser, H. got nowhere near (the court) 20,23; by no means, not at all. hverr (Goth, hvarjis) pron., who, which, what; each, every; hverr at Q(5rum, one after another; m. sg. acc. hvern (sc. kost) 10,26; η. sg. gen. hvers sem J>ú }>arft vitS, whatever you need (i. e. whenever you are in need) 25,24; dat. hverju góSu, to what good 12,13; m. pl. nom. hverir 15,4. hversu adv., how; hversu . . . sem, however, hvetvitna see hvatvetna. hvi (dat. of hvat) adv., why. hvila (Goth, hveilan; 8 ) , to rest, sleep; refi. 136, 11. hvila (Goth, hveila) / . , bed. hyggja (Goth, hugjan; hug n.) adj., light, lofa (cf. Goth, bröjjra-lubö f.; aS), to allow, permit; impers. J)ér var

GLOSSARY lofat (sc. a t ríSa), you were permitted (to ride) 9,18. lúka (Goth, ga-lükan; lauk, lukum, lokinn), to shut, close ( e - u ) ; impers, be a t an end, be over 18,17; similarly 34,29; opt. pres. 3rd sg. lúki 18,17. l u n d / . , mind, nature, disposition. If sa (cf. Goth, liuhtjan; t), to make bright; announce, publish, make known (e - u) 12,22. Iseging /., lowering; humiliation, shame, disgrace, laegra see lágr. lçg (pl. of lag) re. pl., law; til fullra laga, to the limit of the law 20,27. lçgkœnn adj., wise in the law, clever a t litigation. Içgmâl η., prescription, legal rule. IijgVQrn f., lawful defense. M m á see mega. maSr (cf. Goth, manna) m., man; pi. menn. makligr adj., proper, suitable, fitting, just, mài (Goth, mei) η., time, mài (Goth. maj>l) re., public transaction; case a t law, suit; speech 20,14; generally case, matter, affair, thing; pi. with sg. sense J)essi mài, this case 11,3; a t J>ú hafir )>at svá Jjinna mála, t h a t you have this profit from your case 21,22. málaferli re. pl., law-suits, litigation. málaflutningr m. law term, pleading of a case, m á l a l y k t i r / . pl., conclusion, result of a case.

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málnyta f., milch cattle. mannaSr adj., = mentr. mannaforrá'S re., "men-rule," chief's power, authority; = goSorS 16,7. mannamót η., meeting, gathering, festival. mannfj(jldi m., multitude, crowd, throng. mannfólk re., "man-folk," men. mannvœnn adj., hopeful, promising. margmennr adj., having many men; hversu margmennr er hann? how many men has he? 15,21. margr adj., many a, many; n. sg. margt, much; pron. margr, many a man. matarillr adj., niggardly with food, matr (Goth, mats) m., food, m á t t u = m á t t J>ú. meenna flokk 13,2, me