Eskál Vell 24I/6 — bragna ‘of men’
Strǫng varð gunnr, áðr gunnar
gammi nás und hramma
þrøngvimeiðr of þryngvi
þrimr hundruðum lunda.
Knátti hafs at hǫfðum
— hagnaðr vas þat — bragna
folkeflandi fylkir
fangsæll þaðan ganga.
Gunnr varð strǫng, áðr þrøngvimeiðr lunda gunnar of þryngvi þrimr hundruðum und hramma gammi nás. Fangsæll folkeflandi fylkir knátti ganga þaðan hafs at hǫfðum bragna; þat vas hagnaðr.
The battle became intense before the oppressing-pole of trees of battle [WARRIORS > WARRIOR] pressed three hundred [men] under the claws of the vulture of the corpse [RAVEN/EAGLE]. The plunder-rich battle-supporting ruler was able to walk from there to the sea over the heads of men; that was an advantage.
notes
[5, 6, 8] ganga at hǫfðum bragna ‘to walk over the heads of men’: This phrase could be understood literally, as a grotesque image of the victor walking over the heads of his (three hundred) slain enemies. It appears to be understood thus by the Fsk author, who singles it out after his citation of the stanza. A variant on this would be to understand hǫfuð as standing for the whole body or person (cf. Note to Sigv ErfÓl 18/7). A metaphorical expression of triumph over enemies is also possible, however, cf. Fritzner: höfuð 1: stíga yfir höfuð e-m, lit. ‘tread/climb over sby’s head’, hence blive ens Overmand ‘to overcome sby, to walk all over sby’.