Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1981, Page 80
1) $umar slogu gu5vef, en sumar vofu klædi,
sumar spunnu guil edr silki,
2) allar våru {rær gråtandi ok sorgfullar.
(1. Some were weaving precious materials, some were weaving
clothing, and some were spinning gold or silk; 2. all were weeping
and sorrowful.)
The first section above corresponds to vv. 5195-97 -
Qui diverses oevres feisoient.
De fil d’or et de soie ovroient
Chascune au miauz qu’ele savoit.
(...who were engaged in various tasks. Each one was sewing with
golden thread and silk, as best she could.)
The sentence marked 2) represents vv. 5207-11 -
Si s’anbrunchent totes et plorent
Et une grant piece demorent,
Qu’eles n’antandent a rien feire,
Ne lor iauz ne pueent retreire
De terre, tant sont acorees.
(They are all bent over, and they weep, and are unable for some
time to do anything, or to raise their eyes from the ground, so filled
with grief are they.)
The text of the paper manuscript shows that in this portion of the tale the
translator had conveyed more of the French content than one would
suppose on the evidence furnished by the vellum alone. Furthermore, the
passage above is illustrative of the enumerative technique that is one of
the characteristics of the courtly translation style (see pp. 148-151).
The episode that unfolds provides the most compelling evidence for
the significance of the paper manuscript in reconstructing the Norwegian
Ivens saga, and for assessing the fidelity of the translator to his source. As
presented in the vellum, the entire episode is puzzling. Iven does not
react in any way to the obvious plight of the maidens. He rides on, and
spends the night with a powerful lord and his beautiful daughter. Only
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