Stǫng bar jarl at Engla
ættgrund, en rauð stundu
— vé bað vísi knýja —
verðung ara tungu.
Hyrr óx; hallir þurru;
herdrótt rak þar flótta;
eim hratt, en laust ljóma,
limdolgr, náar himni.
Jarl bar stǫng at ættgrund Engla, en verðung rauð stundu tungu ara; vísi bað knýja vé. Hyrr óx; hallir þurru; herdrótt rak þar flótta; limdolgr hratt eim, en laust ljóma náar himni.
The jarl bore his standard onto the native soil of the English, and his retinue reddened at once the eagle’s tongue; the leader called for banners to advance. Flame grew; halls collapsed; the war-band drove [men] to flight there; the foe of branches [FIRE] flung out smoke, and hurled light close to the sky.
[6] her‑: so Flat, heim‑ R702ˣ
[6] herdrótt ‘the war-band’: (a) The herdrótt which puts men to flight is presumably the same as the verðung ‘retinue’ in l. 4: Þorfinnr’s men. (b) Heimdrótt ‘native troop’ is a hap. leg. In the context of st. 17 it would refer to the English as defending army; but the evidence of sts 17-18 is that they were routed.