Ok hǫfðingjar hraustir
heyra menn at væri
— þat hefr þjóð at minnum —
þrír með flokki hverjum,
þar er hreggviðir hittusk
hjálma skóðs á víðum
— fundr þótti sá fyrðum
frægr — Hjǫrungavági.
Ok menn heyra, at þrír hraustir hǫfðingjar væri með hverjum flokki — þjóð hefr þat at minnum —, þar er hjálma skóðs hreggviðir hittusk á víðum Hjǫrungavági; sá fundr þótti frægr fyrðum.
And men hear that three bold chieftains were with each troop — people hold that in memory —, where the trees of the storm of the harm of helmets [(lit. ‘storm-trees of the harm of helmets’) SWORD > BATTLE > WARRIORS] met in wide Liavågen; that meeting seemed famous to men.
[1, 4] þrír hraustir hǫfðingjar ‘three bold chieftains’: It is not entirely clear who the three men commanding each troop are or which side they are on, but to judge from ÓT the reference may be to the Norwegian leaders, three heading each of three sections of the battle-line, and if that is correct the reading hverjum flokki ‘each troop’ is preferable to hvárum ‘each troop (of two)’. ÓT (1958-2000, I, 186) says that the Jómsvíkingr Sigvaldi jarl is in the centre of the troop formation; against him is Hákon jarl together with the chieftains Þórir hjǫrtr ‘Stag’ and Styrkárr. One wing is headed by the Jómsvíkingr Búi digri and his brother Sigurðr kápa; against them is Eiríkr jarl with the chieftains Guðbrandr hvíti, Þorkell leira, and a man called Ármóðr, a great champion. On the other wing is the Jómsvíkingr Vagn Ákason, and against him is Sveinn Hákonarson together with Skeggi and Rǫgnvaldr.