Myndit seima sendir
svá brátt hafa látit
(spjót flugu langt í ljótri)
líf sitt (boga drífu),
ef alkostigs austan
Eysteins flota þeysti
beinn at Bjǫrgyn sunnan
byrr tveim dǫgum fyrri.
Sendir seima myndit hafa látit líf sitt svá brátt—spjót flugu langt í ljótri drífu boga—, ef beinn byrr sunnan þeysti flota alkostigs Eysteins austan at Bjǫrgyn tveim dǫgum fyrri.
The dispenser of gold [GENEROUS MAN] would not have lost his life so suddenly—spears flew far in the hideous storm of bows [BATTLE]—, if a steady wind from the south had speeded the fleet of most splendid Eysteinn from the east towards Bergen two days earlier.
[5] austan ‘from the east’: The three half-brothers were to meet in Bergen, but Eysteinn, who resided in Viken at this time, had a longer distance to travel and did not arrive in Bergen until two or three days after the killing had taken place.