Því betr mér þykkir,
ef þá skal valr falla
nær vér fráligra færum
fót at geira móti.
Drekkum alt af uxa
ennigeira hlenni;
vera mun snarpra sverða
svipun, ef ek skal ráða.
Þykkir mér því betr, ef valr skal þá falla, nær vér færum fráligra fót at móti geira. Drekkum alt af hlenni ennigeira uxa; mun vera svipun snarpra sverða, ef ek skal ráða.
It will seem to me so much better, if then the slain are to fall, when we quickly betake our feet to the meeting of spears [BATTLE]. Let us drink fully from the resounding sea (?) of the forehead-spears of oxen [HORNS > DRINK]; there will be a swinging of sharp swords [BATTLE], if I am to have my way.
[2] ef valr skal þá falla ‘if then the slain are to fall’: This subordinate clause is proleptic, since warriors become valr ‘the slain’ when they fall in battle.
Verbs: Preterite-present verbs
The present tense of these verbs is like the past tense of strong verbs, and their past tense is weak.
eiga | mega | kunna | skulu | munu | muna | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
indic. pres. | sing. pl. | 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd | á átt á eigum eiguð eigu | má mátt má megum meguð megu | kann kannt kann kunnum kunnuð kunnu | skal skalt skal skulum skuluð skulu | mun munt mun munum munuð munu | man mant man munum munið muna |
indic. past stem subj. pres. stem subj. past stem | átt- eig- ætt- | mátt- meg- mætt- | kunn- kunn- kynn- | skyld- skyl- skyld- | mund- myn- mynd- | mund- mun- mynd- |