Sé ek, hvar sitja Sveinn ok Helgi;
þeir eru rógberar rekka á millum.
Þikjaz garpar í gamanmálum;
eru löskvir tveir lymskudrengir.
Ek sé, hvar Sveinn ok Helgi sitja; þeir eru rógberar á millum rekka. Þikjaz garpar í gamanmálum; eru tveir löskvir lymskudrengir.
I see where Sveinn and Helgi are sitting; they are slander-bearers among men. They appear brave fellows in their joking speech; they are two good-for-nothing men of cunning.
[2] Sveinn ok Helgi ‘Sveinn and Helgi’: These two men are described as kertisveinar ‘attendants’, lit. ‘candle-boys’ of the king. Although they are members of his household, they are treacherous, and throughout the saga make common cause with Ubbi jarl, acting as his agents provocateurs (see Mág 3/6 and Note below).