Sagði hitt, es hugði,
hauklyndr, vesa myndu;
þar kvað þengill eirar
þrotna vôn frá hônum.
Heldr kvað hvern várn skyldu
hilmir frægr an vægja
(menn brutu upp) of annan
(ǫll vôpn) þveran falla.
Hauklyndr sagði hitt, es hugði vesa myndu; þengill kvað þrotna vôn eirar frá hônum þar. Frægr hilmir kvað hvern várn skyldu falla þveran of annan heldr an vægja; menn brutu upp ǫll vôpn.
The hawk-minded one said what he thought might happen; the lord declared there was scant hope of mercy from him there. The famous ruler said each of us must fall crosswise on top of one another rather than yield; men readied all weapons.
[7, 8] falla þveran of annan ‘fall crosswise on top of one another’: This phrase became (or was) a commonplace, and it is also found in Sverris saga (Sv) and used by King Sverrir Sigurðarson: hverr fell um þveran annan ‘each fell crosswise on top of the other’ (ÍF 30, 252-3); Liggr hverr yðvar um þveran annan ‘Each of you lie crosswise on top of one another’ (ÍF 30, 253).