Ok fyr fornan
friðmenn liðu
haug Hjǫrnagla
hvasst griðfastir.
Þás stóð fyr Stað
stafnklifs drifu,
vasa eyðilig
ǫrbeiðis fǫr.
Ok griðfastir friðmenn liðu hvasst fyr fornan haug Hjǫrnagla. Þás stóð stafnklifs drifu fyr Stað, vasa fǫr ǫrbeiðis eyðilig.
And the protection-secure men of peace travelled keenly past the ancient mound of Tjernagel. When the stud-horses of the prow-cliff [SEA > SHIPS] sped past Stad, the journey of the arrow-demander [WARRIOR] was not wasted.
[4] grið‑: ‘gid’ Tóm
[4] griðfastir friðmenn ‘the protection-secure men of peace’: Grið n. normally means ‘truce, protection, quarter’ on a more individual basis than friðr f. ‘peace’ (on the two terms in OE and ON, see Fell 1982-3). The reference here could be to the Danes’ situation as former enemies of Norway: they keep their promises of truce (cf., e.g., heitfastr, eiðfastr ‘oath-firm, true to one’s oath’) and bring protection to Norway. Alternatively, the emphasis may be on the way in which Knútr’s followers enjoy the protection, friendship and peace conferred on his household and supporters (cf. LP: griðfastr; ÍF 27; IF 29).