Þfagr Sveinn 8II/6 — léttu ‘emptied’
Allt of frák, hvé elti
austmenn á veg flausta
Sveinn, þás siklingr annarr,
snarlundaðr, helt undan.
Fengr varð Þrœnda þengils
— þeir léttu skip fleiri —
allr á éli sollnu
Jótlandshafi fljóta.
Allt of frák, hvé snarlundaðr Sveinn elti austmenn á veg flausta, þás annarr siklingr helt undan. Allr fengr þengils Þrœnda varð fljóta á éli sollnu Jótlandshafi; þeir léttu fleiri skip.
I heard it all, how quick-tempered Sveinn pursued the Norwegians on the path of ships [SEA], when the other prince steered away. All the loot of the lord of the Þrœndir [NORWEGIAN KING = Haraldr] had to float on the hail-swollen Kattegat; they emptied more ships [of their cargo].
readings
[6] léttu: létu Flat, H, Hr, Kˣ, 39, F, E, J2ˣ
notes
[6] léttu (3rd pers. pl. pret. indic.) ‘emptied’: The Hkr mss, Flat, H and Hr all have létu (3rd pers. pl. pret. indic. of láta) ‘lost’ for léttu ‘emptied, lightened’: þeir létu fleiri skip ‘they lost more ships’ (so Skj B; Skald; ÍF 28; ÍF 29). However, the ms. witnesses indicate that this reading is secondary. Furthermore, it is not said that any ships perished during this encounter, and all the prose texts contain the verb létta ‘empty, lighten’: þá bað hann sína menn létta skipin ‘then he [Haraldr] told his men to empty the ships’ (ÍF 28, 117; so also ÍF 29, 259; Mork 1928-32, 167; Flat 1860-8, III, 342; Fms 6, 263).