VIKING SOCIETY
FOR NORTHERN RESEARCHAND
DREYERS FORLAG OSLONORDISK FILOLOGIB A N D A M A N N A SAGA
edited by Hallvard Mager0y

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA
edited by

HALLVARD MAGER0Y

Glossary made byPeter FooteIntroduction and Notes
englished byPeter Foote and Sue Margeson

VIKING SOCIETY FOR NORTHERNRESEARCH
UNIVERSITY COLLEGELONDONDREYERS FORLAG
OSLO

©

Copyright 1981
VIKING SOCIETY FOR NORTHERNUNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDONRESEARCH

DREYERS FORLAG
I/S U N D E R V I S N I N G S L I T T E R A T U R
Arbiensgt. 7, Oslo 2

Typeset in Malta
by Interprint LitnitedISBN 0-903521-15-6
ISBN 82-09-031341(English Language market)(Scandinavian market)

Printed and bound in Malta 1981
by Interprint Limitedon H a m a n g slightly yellowish 120 g/m^ offset paperPREFACE

It is a pleasure to me to express my gratitude to thepeople who have helped towards the publication of thisedition. Professor Peter Foote and Dr Sue Margeson
translated and undertook some abridgement of myintroduction and notes. Professor Foote also made several
helpful suggestions about interpretation and composed
the glossary, incorporating in it many of the linguistic
comments originally included in my general notes.
Professor Jonas Kristjansson, Director of Stofnun Arna
Magnussonar a Islandi, read the Norwegian text andmade valuable comments on a number of points. Miss
Maureen Thomas read a draft of the glossary and Mr
Anthony Faulkes improved the presentation in various
ways. The edition could not have been undertaken
without financial support from the University of Oslo,whose research fund has met the expenses of translation,
thanks not least to the good offices of my colleague. Professor Eyvind Fjeld Halvorsen. Finally, I acknowledge
my obligation to the Council of the Viking Society for
Northern Research, London, and the Directors of Dreyers
Forlag, Oslo, under whose joint imprint the book is now
published.
HALLVARD MAGER0Y

CONTENTS
Abbreviations

x

Introduction

xv

Bandamanna sagaiGeneral notes

37

Glossary

68

Index of names in the saga text

104

Maps (A. Iceland; B. The land round Hunafloi and
HunaIJ9rSr; C. E>ingv9llr)

at endABBREVIATIONS

AJVF
BB 1976

Baetke i960

Blondalde Vries

Finnur Jonsson, Litt. hist.

Finnur Jonsson 1933

Fritzner

Grdgds la-b

Arkivfor nordisk filologi.
Bandamanna saga.
Bandamanna saga utgjcven for
Samfund til udgivelse af gammel
nordisk litteratur vcd Hallvard
Mager0y. S T U A G N L L X V I I .
1956-76.
Bandamanna saga und Qlkofra pattr. . . herausgegeben von Walter
Baetke. Altnordisrhe Textbibliothek, N.F., 4. Band. i960.
Sigliis Blondal. Island sk-Dansk
Ordhog. 1920-24.
J a n de Vries. Altnordisihe Literaturgeschiclite^. I -II. Grundriss dergermanischen Philologic, 15-16.
1964-7.
Finnur Jonsson. Den oldnorske og
oldislandske litteraturs historie'^, II I I . 1920-24.
Bandamanna saga . . . Udgivne for
Samfund til udgivelse af gammel nordisk litteratur ved Finnur Jonsson. STUAGNL lA'II.
1933Johan Fritzner. Ordhog over Det
gamle norske Sprog, I-III. 1883—96,
reprinted 1954. IV. Retteher ogtilleggved Finn Hodnebo. 1972Griigas . . . udgivet , . . af Vilhjalmur Finseii . . . Forste Del . . .
Anden Del. 1852, reprinted 1974.
x

ABBREVIATIONS

Grdgas II

Grdgds I I I

GuSni Jonsson

Gunnl.
Halldor Halldorsson I - I I
Heusler 1897

Heusler 1913

Heusler, Strafrecht
H. Fr.

IF
Isl. pjodhiettir
Jon JohannessonJS

Grdgds . . Stadarholshok, udgivet. . . [ved Vilhjalmur Finsen].
1879, reprinted 1974.
Grdgas . . Skdlholtshok . . udgivet. [ved Vilhjalmur Finsen].
1883, reprinted 1974.
Grettis saga Asmundarsonar. Bandamanna saga. Odds pattr Ofeigssonar.
GuSni Jonsson gaf ut. IF V I I .
1936Gunnlaugs saga.
Halldor Halldorsson. Islenzkt ordtakasafn I (1968), II (1969).
Zwei
Isidnder-Geschichten, Die
Hensna-Pores und die Bandamannasagaherausgegeben vonAndreas Heusler. 1897.
^ivei Isldndergeschichfen . . . herausgegeben von Andreas Heusler. Zweite verb. Auflage. 1913.
Andreas Heusler. Das Strafrecht
der Isl'dndersagas. 1911 •Bandamanna Saga, ved H[alld6r]
FriSriksson. Nordiske Oldskrifter
udgivne af det nordiske Literatur-Samfund X. 1850.
Islenzkfornrit. 1933 —.
Jonas Jonasson. Islenzkir pjodhattir^. 1945.
Jon Johannesson. A History of
the Old Icelandic Commonwealth.
Islendinga saga. Translated by
Haraldur Bessason. Universityof Manitoba Icelandic Studies
II. 1974.
Manuscript J S , brot nr 6, Landsbokasafn Islands.

Xll

K

KL

Kalund, Beskrivelse

Landn.
Ljbsv.
M

Malshattasafn
NK
NygaardPrestatal
Saga Islands
Skirnir 1977

Studiar

Sturl.
Sturl. 1911

Sturl. 1946

ABBREVIATIONS

Konungsbok, manuscript Gl. kgl.
saml. 2845 4to in Det kongelige
Bibliotek, Copenhagen.
Kulturhistorisk leksikon for nordisk
middelalder, I - X X I I . . . Administrator [I] Lis Jacobsen, — [IIX X I I ] Georg Rona. 1956-78.
P. E. Kristian Kalund. Bidrag
til en historisk-topografisk Beskrivelse
af Island, I - I I . 1877-82.
Landnamabok.
Ljosvetninga saga.
MoSruvallabok, in the collectionof Stofnun Arna Magnussonara Islandi, Reykjavik, formerly
AM 132 fol. in Den Arnamagnaeanske Samling, Copenhagen.
Islenzktmalshattasafn.
FinnurJonsson setti saman. 1920.
Nordisk kultur. 1931-56.
M. Nygaard. Norron syntax. 1905.
Sveinn Nielsson. Prestatal og profasta a Islandi''- 1950.
Saga Islands, I - H I . Ritstjori SigurSur Lindal. 1974-8.
Sverrir
Tomasson,"Bandamanna saga og aheyrendur a 14.
og 15. old", Skirnir 151 (1977),
97-117Hallvard Mageray. Studiar i
Bandamanna saga. Bibliotheca
Arnamagnaeana X V I I I . 1957.
Sturlunga saga.
Sturlunga saga . . . udgiven . . .
[ved Kr. Kalund], I-II. 1966-11.
Sturlunga saga, I-II. Jon J o -ABBREVIATIONSVerzeichnis

Pingvollur
Aarbeger

XIU

hannesson, Magniis Finnbogason og Kristjan Eldjarn sau
um utgafuna. 1946.
Einar Ol. Sveinsson. Verzeichnis
isldndischer Mdrchenvarianten. Folklore Fellows Communications
83- 1929Matthias J>6r3arson. Pingvdllur.
Alpingisstadurinnforni. 1945.
Aarbeger for nordisk Oldkyndighedog Historic.

INTRODUCTION
The general character and structure of the saga.
Bandamanna saga (hereafter B) belongs to the type ofsagas known as Sagas of Icelanders (or Family Sagas).
The main characters in these sagas are mostly Icelanders
and the events they describe are mostly set in Iceland
during the period from the settlement (A.D. 870-930)
to the early eleventh century {c. 1030) when the Viking
Age had ended and Christianity was firmly established inboth Norway and Iceland. But B is distinctive among
Sagas of Icelanders in that almost all its action belongs
to a time subsequent to this period. From what is otherwise
known about some of the people involved in the story wemust imagine that the chief events take place in the1050S.' And while the action in Sagas of Icelanders
normally covers a relatively long period, often several
generations or at least the life-span of one main character,the central action in B (disregarding Oddr Ofeigsson's
youth) takes only a little over four years.
B differs from the usual run of sagas in other ways too.
In the form it has in the M redaction B is seen to beconstructed with unusually taut artistic economy; it hasa tighter unity than even such carefully planned sagas as
Laxdcela saga and Hrafnkels saga. In B there is not a single
sentence that does not have a clear connection with themain action.^ In other sagas one may often find informa' At 31/12-21 there is reference to a hard winter in BorgarfJ9rSr, probably theone preceding the summer in which the confederates prosecute Oddr. Thismight conceivably be related to the great famine recorded by Icelandic annals
as oqld i kristni, dated by most of them to 1056. The Althing in question would
then be that of 1057. Cf Gustav Storm, hlandske Annaler indtil 1578 (1888), 58,
108, 250, 318, 470. Gu5ni Jonsson, IF \ ' I I i.xxx and c, suggested (h(^ year
I055^Cf note to 36/24-25.

XVI

INTRODUCTION

tion about genealogy which has nothing to do withthe principal story. All information in B about ancestors
and kinship is either related to events in the saga (thefather-son relationship of Ofeigr and Oddr, the relationship between Svala and E>6rarinn LangdoelagoSi) orserves to explain the characters and roles of some of themain figures (Ofeigr SkiSason, Ospakr Glumsson).
Sagas of Icelanders are very varied in content, but what
we hear most about is conflict between individuals orgroups over property, honour or women. As in the heroic
poetry of the Edda, the central incidents are usually
brutal battle-scenes or burnings, the heroes are championsof outstanding physical and/or mental capacity, and thedominant note is tragic, though glimpses of a rather
harsh humour and sense of comedy are vouchsafed here
and there. In some short stories (pettir), on the other hand,a sense of humour and a comic spirit provide the key-note.
The contents of B are also extremely varied. The saga
is built like a frame round a centre-piece. The frame is thestory of a father and son who are so unlike in characterand interests that the father, partly because of his own
lack of understanding, loses his son and his son's affection.
He wins him back only after years of patient waiting,and then by exerting all his mental powers at the psychologically decisive moment.
In the prelude which sets the chief events in motion
there is one killing and in the epilogue there are two. But
the saga has no battles and no warrior heroes. Odd's
achievements as seafarer and merchant are of a peacefulnature, and the victories of the central character, Ofeigr
SkiSason, are won entirely through his mental prowess,which is displayed in striking contrast to his fragile body,enfeebled by age.
Another well-known saga hero, who is also rather old

INTRODUCTION

XVlland extraordinarily sage in counsel and who fights onlywith intellectual weapons, is Njall E>orgeirsson in .Njals
saga. But there is a fundamental distinction between
Njal's situation and Ofeig's. Njal's wise advice is continually turned to misfortune by the intervention of destiny.
That is Njal's tragedy. But when everything turns out wellfor Ofeigr in B, it is because there is no interference froma fate that works in a mysterious way. B is certainly oneof the least "mystical", one of the most clear-as-day andrational of all the Sagas of Icelanders. The only supernatural intrusion is in connection with Hermund's
death in the final chapter. This attitude of the author
doubtless also explains why he ignores such a common
device of saga narrative as the use of foreboding dreams.
The absence of tragic atmosphere is bound up withthe fact that, unlike the usual Sagas of Icelanders, thissaga has pure comedy as its outcome. It is "the firstreasonable and modern comedy in the history of modern
Europe", as W. P. Ker said.^ The Icelanders had notheatre and if they were to have comedy, it too had to beclothed in saga dress. But the author has made maximum
use of direct speech. This is an important stylistic featureof sagas in general but B outdoes them all. More thanhalf (about 54%) of the text in M consists of direct speech.
Not a few features of the composition and style of theSagas of Icelanders have parallels in eddaic poetry. The
concentration of dialogue and comedy in the middle
section of B may remind us of the composition of the Helgi
lays of the Edda, especially Helgakvida Hundingshana I,
where a long section in the middle is devoted to a comic
flyting (senna) between two warriors, one from each side,
3 W. p. Ker, Epic and Romance' (1957), 229. Cf Peter Hallberg, The Icelandic
Saga (1962), 114.

XVlllINTRODUCTION

before the battle. Scholars have long since noticed thesimilarity between Egill Skulason in B, when he talks
back to his erstwhile allies in ch. lo, and Loki in thepoem Lokasenna, where he bandies words with the othergods in a similar way.
The nature of the comedy. Dialogue and the use of verse.
Comedy in B is not least the comedy of situation. At thefirst assembly (ch. 5) the chieftains Styrmir and E>6rarinn
give the judges no option but to commit a glaring injustice when they stop an open-and-shut killing casebecause at an early stage the prosecutor had made a
trifling procedural error. But when Ofeigr later gets thejudges to rectify this, it is not because their sense of justiceprevails but because they, who ought to be the foremost
protectors of everything lawful and right, themselvescommit the most heinous illegality by accepting bribes
to disregard the plaintiff's formal mistake. Contrast
between legal formalism and moral right is a not uncommon saga theme. In B justice prevails but only bytrampling under foot the very principles on which honest
legal procedure is based. As a whole B provides some of
the best examples we have in saga literature of ironic
narrative technique.
At the assembly in the following year the hypocrisy is,
if anything, taken still further. Two of the chieftains whobring the suit against Oddr for bribing the judges anddemand that he be outlawed for it now take bribes
themselves and agree to betray their sworn allies. The
author's account of how the judges and later Egill andGellir behave as Ofeig's arguments gradually sink in —and not least when he allows them a glimpse of his moneybag — is marvellously effective.

INTRODUCTION

XIX

But the comedy also lies in the speeches and dialogue.
This is especially true of the fantastic battery of argumentswith which the author allows Ofeigr to blow to smithereens all the objections and remonstrances that reason
and morality can marshal against his tempting offers.
We may be sure too that the wrangling between Egill andthe other confederates, which is coarser in tone, was also
highly appreciated by the audience for whom the saga
was intended. It is these exchanges that are most reminiscent of the eddaic poems mentioned above.
The dialogue in B is characteristically fluent and close
to real speech. We find interjections, uncommon in
Sagas of Icelanders, and a natural turn of familiar speech
like hann Oddr, with the proclitic personal pronoun before
a name (though this occurs more often in K than in M ) .
Long replies are made more supple by a "said so-and-so"
inserted in the middle of the speech instead of merely
at the beginning or end. This and other features give thestyle a more spontaneous, less literary ring.
The use of stanzas of verse is also part of the dialogue
technique. It is a well-known artistic device in Sagas of
Icelanders. A saga character may often express thoughts
and feelings in verse which he is seldom allowed to expressin prose. All the stanzas in B are fitted into the context
according to a premeditated plan. Strophes 4, 5 and 6 areaddressed to the audience in general. But strophes i,
2 and 3 are spoken privately for the benefit of Egill
Skulason, scion of a great family of poets. His father,
Skuli Porsteinsson, was a scald, and his great-grandfather
was the most famous scald of all, Egill Skallagrlmsson.
Ofeigr recites the first two stanzas to Egill in order tocatch his interest. He introduces the third at the point in
the conversation where he is whetting Egil's curiosity
about the profit he will reap from the lawsuit against

XX

INTRODUCTION

Oddr. It is placed there to add still more to Egil's suspense(and the reader's) —just before he drops his bombshell.
Such a move to increase suspense before a sensational
stroke ("retardation") is a recognised narrative device, as
well known in Sagas of Icelanders as in modern novels.*^
In B we meet this device again at the end of the longspeech in which Ofeigr gives his merciless characterisationof the confederates one by one. After the characters of
all the members of the band have been unflatteringly
sketched, only the ruthless cynic, Egill, remains, and theaudience must have been on tenterhooks to know what
Ofeigr would say to him. But then Ofeigr recites strophe
4 before he lets the cat out of the bag! He utters strophe 5
when he has established his decisive victory over the
confederates. It is a triumphant memorial to his achievement and a jubilant end to the saga's Althing episode.
Finally we have strophe 6, which heightens and marks
the end of the whole saga.^
A proper comedy should have a happy ending, and so
has B. The actual comedy, the conflict at the assembly,
ends in total victory for Ofeigr and Oddr and total
defeat for the band of chieftains. And then in the frame
narrative we find that not only does the father win backhis lost son but the "Ash-lad" marries the "princess",while the chief villains, Hermundr and Ospakr, meet amerited and miserable end.

*Cf Staffan Bjorck, Romanens formvarld (1953); Theodore M. Andersson,
The Icelandic Family Saga . . . (Harvard Studies in Comparative Literature 28,1967); Hallvard Mager0y, "Skaldestrofer som retardasjonsmiddel i islendingesogene", Sjotiu ritgerdir helgadar Jakobi Benediktssyni (1977-8), 586-99.
^ For verses uttered at moments of triumph cf IF II 205-6, 210 (Egils saga),
IF H I 2 0 3 - 4 (Bjarnar saga Hitdcelakappa) ; and for a concluding verse IF I I I
107 (Gunnlaugs saga).

INTRODUCTIONXXIThe characters.
The creator of B reveals his art not least remarkably inthe portrayal of characters. He has a rare ability to draw
distinctive individuals.
(i) Ofeigr.
Ofeigr SkiSason occupies a special position in the portrait
gallery. He is introduced in the first sentence of the saga,
and is without doubt the character depicted by the author
with the greatest originality, sympathy and pleasure.
Authors of sagas seem to have had a special predilection
for the portrayal of older men of monumental stature,
like Egill Skallagrlmsson, Njall Porgeirsson and HavarSr
IsfirSingr in their respective sagas and Ingimundr inn
gamli in Vatnsdwla saga. As a literary portrait Ofeigr isthus in distinguished company. He stands up well to thecomparison.
What is most impressive about Ofeigr at first sight is
his brilliant intelligence, his profound knowledge of men,and his ready tongue. They make him master of every
situation, however complicated and hopeless it may
appear. His intellectual superiority is brought out in thecontrast between him and the other less gifted actors in
the play, his son Oddr on the one side and the judges andchieftains on the other. Ofeigr knows how to tackle his
antagonists at just their weakest point. He comes to Oddr
at the moment when his legal incompetence has been
revealed for all to see. He perturbs the judges by showing
them the wrong they have done in the name of right.
He at once reminds Egill of the contrast between his proudancestry and his miserable finances, Gellir of his difficulties in finding a suitable match for his daughter.

XXll

INTRODUCTION

The different methods of approach Ofeigr adopts inorder to win over Egill and Gellir offer an especially good
illustration of his psychological insight. When he wants
to get hold of the proud and prickly Egill, he takes careto meet him out of doors, waiting beside the booth until
Egill has finished talking to some other men, and thengreeting him respectfully. When he wants to get hold of
Gellir, on the other hand, he sends a message in to bid
Gellir come out to see him. Ofeigr spends much time onblatant flattery of Egill and on disparagement of himself.
To Gellir he only says politely that he, Gellir, is a wise
man and that is why he wants to talk to him. This is no
exaggeration but a reasonable compliment to the man
he wants as father-in-law for his son. In conversation
with Egill Ofeigr forcefully urges how deceived his
expectation of reward will be. To Gellir, on the other
hand, he chiefly stresses morality and reputation. To
Egill he offers the threat that his own farm, Borg, might
be devastated by Oddr. But he frightens Gellir, who isless selfish than Egill and well disposed to everyone, withthe prospect of the destruction of several chieftains'
houses round the coast of Iceland as well as the possibility
that his own home might be burnt and his womenfolk
carried off. Egill is persuaded to take his bribe as an"honourable present". Conscientious Gellir is not
tempted by Ofeigr with a dishonest bribe at all. Don't besilly — this money is the bride-price required by law!
Ofeigr is not just intelligent. He is also utterly cynicaland disillusioned in his view of mankind. Just as Philip ofMacedon thought there was no town he could not take aslong as he could make a hole in the wall big enough toslip in an ass laden with gold, so Ofeigr knew that nojudge or chieftain could resist money. Therefore he says
to Oddr, " H o w could there be a flaw in the case of such aINTRODUCTION

XXlllrich m a n ? " And when it comes to hitting on one of theother seven confederates to join Egill in breaking his oathand betraying his companions, Ofeigr says to Egill, "Actas if I can choose any one of them."
With this cynicism is united Ofeig's talent for playacting. He deliberately makes himself more wretchedand pitiable than he really is. He looks harmless, so his
opponents lose their caution and give him his chance to
get under their guard.
Yet the essential thing about Ofeigr is that his intelligence, cynicism and acting ability are in reality only anouter shell. Inside there is a flame of moral seriousness
and genuine pathos, wounded father-feeling in relation
to Oddr, righteous indignation at the state of the law,
deep anger against the confederates. Ofeigr fights in thefirst place to save his son, in the second to save his own
happiness. Therefore it is not just feigned but deeply
and authentically serious when Ofeigr feels himself
weighed down and hopeless faced with the tasks he hastaken upon himself and which seem so impossible. And
just as HavarSr IsfirSingr in his saga gradually recovers
and regains his zest for living as vengeance for his son isachieved, so Ofeig's mood picks up at each new victory.
And his state of mind is reflected at every stage in his
appearance until finally he stands like a conqueror andspeaks his real mind to each of the confederates in turn:"And Ofeigr goes into the circle, looks around him andlifts back the hood of his cape, strokes his arms and stands
up rather straighter."
Humour in the author's realisation of Ofeig's characteris to be found not least in the fact that for all his sharp
wits and quick tongue he sometimes has difficulty in
hiding his feelings. It comes out in his tendency to joke —when he first asks Oddr for a well-stuffed money-bag, forXXIV

INTRODUCTION

example, or when he comes to tell Oddr of the victorious
outcome at the Althing. It is also apparent in his tendency
to irony — especially obvious in his conversation with
Oddr and his great speech to the confederates in ch. lo.
And Ofeigr shows an almost childish need to crow, bothin this great speech and in the triumphant stanza after
the defeat of the chieftains. This constant interplay
between honest feeling and unrestrained cunning andcynicism, between real mood and assumed role, is whatmakes Ofeig's personality and appearance so entertaining
and captivating, so unmatched in saga literature.

(ii) Oddr.
It has been suggested that Oddr Ofeigsson displays an
unnatural ambiguity of character, which has been
explained by claiming that his portrait depends on a
combination of materials drawn from varying literarysources.^ It is true that in the ordinary run of things weshould find it difficult to believe that a man like Oddr, whoworks his way up from more or less nothing to become therichest man in Iceland and the associate of princes abroad,would appear so completely naive and helpless on his
native soil both in relation to Ospakr and in matters oflaw. Disparate talents in one and the same person are ofcourse well known in real life, but in Odd's case one isbound to say that the discrepancy is unnaturally wide.
But it is nevertheless precisely this marked difference oftalent in O d d r which provides a starting-point of fundamental importance for the whole action and in itself
requires no other explanation. In some ways Oddr islike the folktale hero who starts as a lay-about by the fire
^ IF V n t.xxxvi.

INTRODUCTION

XXV(Icel. kolbitr "coal-biter", Norw. Askeladden "Ash-lad"),and one of the chief characteristics of this type of hero islack of energy and ability at home which contrasts withhis success out in the world.' But Oddr also has clearly
realistic traits. The author gives a skilful impression of hischildlike obstinacy when his father approaches him after
the fiasco at the assembly and offers his help. Ofeigr
pretends he cannot believe that Oddr has been forced
to give up the suit, and Oddr answers, " I don't care one
bit whether you befieve it or not!" Oddr is still naively
self-confident in the conversation in ch. 7, when Ofeigr
shows him how little he understands the situation andmakes him realise his danger and his need of help. But
with Odd's fantastic luck on his Orkney voyage in ch. 11
and his magnificent wedding afterwards, we are once
more back in a fairy-tale world.

(iii) Ospakr.
Ospakr Glumsson is in many ways the most typical"saga character" in the story. Unlike Ofeigr and Oddr
who appear basically with the same character throughout
the saga, Ospakr is the sort of character who develops,
changes his nature.^ He does not have a good start.
There is a predisposition to violence and rashness to befound in his ancestry. His uncle on his mother's side is thefamous outlaw Grettir Asmundarson. That Grettir is
specifically named when Ospakr is introduced bodes ill^ H. Dehmer, Primitives Erzahlungsgut in den Islendinga-Sogur (Von deutscher
Poeterey 2, 1927), 6 - 1 6 ; Studiar, 2 7 9 - 8 1 .
" Einar Ol. Sveinsson, "KyrrstaSa og broun i fornum mannlysingum", Vaka H(1928), reprinted in Vid uppspretturnar (1956).

XXVI

INTRODUCTION

for his future. Ospakr too will become an outlaw. There
are many examples in Sagas of Icelanders of such difficult
personahties, who play a decisive part in the action but
meet a sorry e n d . ' At the same time Ospakr has some good
features. He is able and shrewd and clever with words.
Like Oddr he works himself up to become a coastalskipper. And when first with Oddr he has an opportunity
to show both his ability and his honest desire to be loyal
to his employer. He also advises Oddr to let his father
take over the chieftaincy in his absence abroad. But inreality Ospakr is glad when Oddr insists that he takecharge of the farm and the chieftaincy. His objections aresham. Desire for power and distinction above his station
has now been wakened in Ospakr, and people in the
district think Oddr has acted rashly. This last is importantfor in Sagas of Icelanders what the people of a district
say is usually right. All the same, the decisive turningpoint in Ospak's development does not come until hegets to know Svala. As often in sagas, it is a woman who
sets the wheel of misfortune in motion. His link with
Svala causes the dangerous tendencies latent in Ospak's
personality, to falseness, arrogance and brutality, to get
the upper hand. The good will he showed to start with andthe fact that it is partly family failing and partly otherpeople's influence that call forth the evil in him add atouch of tragedy to his lot. While Oddr is the "lucky"
man, Ospakr turns into his ill-starred counterpart,sinister and doomed. But the obstinate dishonesty andirreconcilable refusal with which he meets the goodVali's peace-offers, and not least the killing of Vali —which he did not even proclaim and so made himself
guilty of the despicable mord or "secret killing" — mean
' B a e t k e i960, 33.

INTRODUCTION

XXVll

that his dismal death at the last is seen as an end hedeserved.
The account of Ospak's acts of revenge before he dies ismore closely related to the main part of the saga than may
appear at first sight. The people he harms are men against
whom he had special reasons for feeling bitter. Oddr had
brought the lawsuit which led to his sentence of outlawry.
Bergjjorr of B9Svarsh61ar had played a significant partin the proceedings when Ospakr was condemned, and hadreceived special payment for it. Mar Hildisson had takenfrom him the only person he might turn to in his need, hiswife Svala. But even if these acts of revenge have theirevident motivation, they nevertheless show that Ospakr
has become no more than a criminal. Indeed, in the way
he plays his hand in the last chapter he becomes strikingly
reminiscent of an aptrgqngumadr, one of the malevolent
dead-walkers of Norse folk-belief (cf note to 35/20-26).

(iv) Vdli and Svala.
Vali, the innocent and selfless mediator who loses hislife in attempting to reconcile Oddr and Ospakr, represents a fixed type in Sagas of Icelanders. It may becalled the "Christ-Baldr type" inasmuch as the characteris reminiscent both of the self-sacrificing and redeeming
Christ of the Gospels and of the good and innocently
slain Baldr of the Edda tradition. Men of the same stamp
are Ingimundr inn gamli in Vatnsdwla saga, Askell goSi in
Reykdosla saga, KoSran GuSmundarson in Ljosvetninga
saga, Helgi Arngrimsson in Hcensa-Poris saga, H9skuldr
HvitanessgoSi in JVjdls saga.
The crafty and shameless character of Svala is to beinferred only from her actions — or perhaps she is merely

XXVlll

INTRODUCTION

shallow. She is the antithesis of the loyal wife (AuSr in
Gisla saga, for example) who sticks by her husband throughthick and thin.
(y) The confederates.
The chieftains who band together against Oddr include
representatives from all four Quarters of the country(the same is true of the corresponding group in Qlkofra
pattr). Baetke is undoubtedly right in believing that theauthor had a particular intention in selecting them thus
widely.'"The personalities of the chieftains Styrmir Porgeirsson
and f>6rarinn LangdoelagoSi inn spaki are clearly demonstrated through the dialogue, Styrmir aggressive, selfish
and cowardly, Porarinn apparently just as self-centred
but wiser and more moderate. His remarks tend to be
adage-like sayings, partly in verse. He also represents a
fixed type in Sagas of Icelanders, which has been labelled"the Wise Counsellor". 11
Styrmir and E>6rarinn set each other off and there is acomparable contrast between the hot-tempered andreckless Egill Skulason and the nice but weak and insecure
Gellir E>orkelsson. The rough Egill nevertheless has afeeling for poetry, while Gellir reminds one a little of thekings in folk-tales who are oppressed with worry about
getting their daughters married, i'^
The oldest (according to ordinary saga chronology)'" Baetke i960, 9.
" Lars Lonnroth, Mjals saga. A critical introduction (1976), 61.
'2 Gellir Porkelsson was a descendant of the famous woman settler AuSr in
djupuSga; on his parents see p. xxxviti below. He lived at Helgafell on Snasfellsnes. He was one of the foremost Icelanders of his day and, according to Snorri
Sturluson, King Olafr Haraldsson used him as his emissary when he tried to get
the Icelanders to submit to him.

INTRODUCTION

XXIX

and also the most dominating and aggressive of the confederates is Hermundr lUugason of the well-known
Gilsbakki family, brother of Gunnlaugr ormstunga.
In Gunnlaugs saga he is portrayed more sympathetically.
It says there of the brothers that " H e r m u n d r was themore popular of the two and had the stamp of a chieftain". 1^ In B Hermundr also appears as a great chieftain.
He and Egill come from the same district but are archenemies. Hermund's death, described in detail in thelast chapter, can be seen as a fulfilment of the curse which
Egill threw at him in the dispute at the assembly.
That t>orgeirr Halldoruson is as stupid as Ofeigr says
he is can be clearly seen from the only words put into hismouth in the whole story, a banal repetition of what
Hermundr and Styrmir have already said.
Jarnskeggi, son of the famous Einarr Eyjolfsson off»vera in EyjafjgrSr, is characterised by Ofeigr as immoderately vain; in that respect he recalls his proud uncle,
GuSmundr inn riki of MgSruvellir (cf. p. xxxv below).
Skegg-Broddi, of the well-known Hof family in
VapnafjgrSr, gets on the other hand a notably flattering
mention by Ofeigr and is himself modest in his reply.
This accords with the impression we get of Skegg-Broddi
in other sagas (cf. p. xxxvi below). That nevertheless thedecent Skegg-Broddi has allowed himself to be enticed
into this contemptible conspiracy may be part of thesaga's irony.
In refusing to take part in the wrangling with Egill,
Jarnskeggi and Skegg-Broddi show more sense andmoderation than the other chieftains.

' / F i n 59.

XXX

INTRODUCTION

The satire; and the saga's relation to history.
B can be called a comedy in saga dress but its satiricalcharacter is also evident. It must have been written whenthe Icelandic commonwealth was in the throes of radical
change. In the thirteenth century the old farming society,with relatively little distinction between ordinary farmers
and chieftains, was finally replaced by a society in whicha rich and dominant upper class of chieftains' families
had emerged, who were caught up in a ruthless struggle
for supremacy. Some, like Sturla Sighvatsson and Gizurr
Porvaldsson, aimed to become sole rulers in the country,
and attempted to strengthen their position in Iceland byentering the service of King Hakon of Norway, whose
own intention was to bring the Icelanders under his
control. The memory of this period of bitter strife musthave remained fully alive in Iceland long after the Icelanders had accepted the Norwegian king as their overlord in 1262-4.
It has been claimed (cf p. xxxiv below) that B is anexpression of indignation at and opposition to the chieftain class and the lawless conditions of that time. There
must be at least substantial truth in this interpretation.
The selection of chieftains in the confederacy from all
four Quarters points in that direction. But we must notforget that the hero, Oddr Ofeigsson, is a godi, a chieftain
like the others. Chieftainship as an institution is as
securely anchored in the author's consciousness askingship is in folk-tales. The saga can be taken therefore
as a mocking attack not so much on the chieftain class ingeneral as on unscrupulous and dishonest chieftains,and not so much on the procedures of justice in general
as on naive and corrupt judges.
There is another aspect to be considered. B clearlyINTRODUCTION

XXXlcame into being at a time when saga-writing was in full
flower, and it is a natural assumption that the author knew
a work such as Laxdcela saga. In that saga, and for thatmatter in others too, like Egils saga and Njals saga, theIcelandic leaders of the Viking Age are portrayed in a
way which makes them a kind of supermen. And we knowthat thirteenth-century Icelanders tended to look backon the earliest period of their country's history as a lost
Golden Age. One cannot then ignore the possibility that
B was a barb aimed at this literary gilding of chieftains andconditions of the Icelandic past as much as, or even morethan, an attack on the contemporary state of Icelandic
society. Parallels from other literatures may be cited— Cervantes' Don Quixote, for example, a parody ofcurrent Spanish romance, or J. H. Wessel's Kiarlighed
uden Stremper, a parody of classical French tragedy, i*
In B the form and technique show such logic andartistry, both in the main plot and in the details, and thechief events are in themselves so improbable and folk-talelike, that we must conclude that the saga tells very little
that ever actually happened. Still, there is reason tobelieve that Oddr and his father Ofeigr were real people
in eleventh-century Iceland, partly because we see thatmen in later times traced their ancestry back to them (cf.
the end of the saga). The accounts in Odds pattr Ofeigssonarand Hemings pattr Aslakssonar suggest that Oddr was aperson in whom people had some particular interest andthey appear to reflect a body of tradition about him
independent of B. In Eyrbyggja saga and Grettis saga
mention is made of a conflict between Oddr and Ospakr
Glumsson and this too might be the record of a tradition'^ Heusler 1913, Lvi, rejected the contention that B was a social or literarysatire.

XXXllINTRODUCTION

separate from the account in B. With the exception ofE>orgeirr Halldoruson all the confederates are known
from other Icelandic sources. But otherwise the contentsof B and the verse it contains are completely unknown inother writings and, all things considered, must be counted
the pure invention of the author. This applies to thenarrative about Mar Hildisson and strophe 6 at the endof the saga as well, though it has been generally held that
this stanza was derived from an older tradition. But there
are factors which indicate that both the strophe and theprose around it are the work of the author of B, who here
made use of material from Porgils saga ok Hqflida andGunnlaugs saga (cf. p. xxxix below), i^
In the past it was claimed that B provided evidence ofthe poverty of Icelandic chieftains in the eleventh
century. '^ Recently, on the other hand, it has beensuggested that the background for the story was thepoverty of Icelandic chieftains in the thirteenth century,
the time the saga was composed, i' Both views appear tobe mistaken. B tells us nothing about a state of general
impoverishment among Icelandic chieftains. In ch. lo
it states quite the opposite, when both Styrmir andHermundr are described as well-to-do. The only chiefly Hallvard Mageroy, " T h e literary background of the account of Ospakr's
revenge in the B a n d a m a n n a saga", Proceedings of the First International Saga
Conference . . . 1971 (ed. P. Foote, H e r m a n n Palsson, D. Slay, 1973), 300-334.
— T h e conclusion that B does not in the main depend on oral tradition accords
reasonably well with the results reached by Theodore M. Andersson in his
paper, " T h e textual evidence for an oral Family Saga", ANF ?ii (1966), 5 - 2 3 .
He considers all references such as t>ess er getit, Nit er fra pvi at segja, Ekki er pessgetit, etc., and concludes that 57 exx. (24.7%) are "genuine" references to oral
report and that 174 exx. (75.3%) arc "spurious". He finds 6 "spurious" exx.
in B (2/13-14, 3/6, II, 18, 16/1, 27/7; loc. cit., 6, 10) and one "genuine" one(36/24; loc. cit., 20) Ekki er pess getit at eptirmalyrdi um nig Mas ne um vig Ospaks.
But this seems more likely to be "spurious" too, cf above and note to 36/24-25.
'6 IFWl
Lxxxix-xc; J o n Johannesson, 169.
' ^ G u n n a r Karlsson, "GoSar og bcendur". Saga X (1972), 48.

INTRODUCTION

XXxiiitains in B who are hard up are Egill and Gellir, but they
have to be to make Ofeig's bribery of them more plausible.
Dating the saga.
B appears to have been composed in the latter part of thethirteenth century. A decisive terminus ad quern is the age of
MoSruvallabok, the codex containing the main text ofthe saga (M). It seems certain that this was written about
1350. '^ The other manuscript containing the whole text,
Gl. kgl. saml. 2845 4to (the K recension), is dated to thefirst quarter of the fifteenth century, i^ M and K have aremoter common source (cf. p. xlv below), and a numberof textual details prove that M was copied from an older
exemplar 2° — that is to say, it is out of the question that
the M text is the original text of the saga. But whether
M's exemplar was itself the author's manuscript or anintermediate copy derived from it cannot be told.
The terminus is taken farther back than the date of
MoSruvallabok by a reference to B in Grettis saga, ch. 14.
Grettis saga as we have it is generally thought to date fromthe early fourteenth century. 2'
A point in favour of a date for B before about 1300
is the accurate knowledge the saga (in M) mostly reveals
about the laws and legal system of the commonwealthperiod. These underwent radical changes within twenty
years of the Icelanders' submission to the Norwegian'^ Slciiin Karlsson, Sagas of Icelandic Bishops (Early Icelandic Manuscripts in
Facsimile V I I , 1967), 28.
'" Jc)i Helgason, The Saga Manuscript 284^. 4'" • • • (Manuscripta Islandica 2,'9.15 • xi-xiT.
-" On the state of the text of M see B 1976, * i 8 - * 2 i ; Studiar, 119; and the textual notes below.
•' CI IFWl
37; KL V (i960), 4 6 0 - 1 ; de Vries, I I 409.

XXXIVINTRODUCTION

crown. An interesting correspondence between B and thelawbooks Jdrnsida and Jbnsbok has recently been pointed
out.^^ The first of these codes was valid, in part or as awhole, from 1271 to 1281, the second after 1281. If B
shows influence from these lawbooks we there have aterminus a quo for its composition. But more points haveto be considered.
Peter Hallberg has maintained that B must have been
written comparatively early in the thirteenth century
because of the relative frequencies of the verbs hittaskj
finnask (in the sense "to meet"),^^ but this point, however
one may assess it in general terms, hardly seems sufficient
to decide the case.
GuSni Jonsson believed that B was written, near the
middle of the thirteenth century. ^^ There were twothings in particular which he thought indicated a date ofcomposition before the end of the commonwealth. One
is the strong attack on blind legal formalism which wefind in the saga. The other is the contempt for the godar.
Both attitudes, he beheved, must have been especiallyprevalent in the lawless period before the free state
finally succumbed. But too much weight cannot be
attached to these arguments either, since perversion ofjustice and hatred of chieftains can hardly be confined
to one period in this way.
Many scholars have tried to date Sagas of Icelanders
by seeking to place them in a general frame of literary
development. To a certain extent one can also do this with
B. A prime consideration must be that in literary technique, character portrayal and style B represents saga art
22 Sverrir Tomasson, Skirnir 1977, 111 and 117, note 55.
2^ Peter Hallberg, " O m sprakliga forfattarkriterier i islandska sagatexter",
ANF&o (1965), 179.
"/FVIIxci-xcn.

INTRODUCTION

XXXV

at its highest and most refined level. This makes it difficult
to place the saga among the earliest works in the genre.
And if it is right to interpret the saga as a literary travesty
of sagas in the prevailing traditional form, with theircelebration of great men and heroes larger than life, weare bound to believe that B came into being at a rather
advanced stage in the development of saga literature.
Several characters and circumstances in B become more
ahve and stand out in clearer relief if they are seen against
the background of portraits and events which other sagas
provide. It cannot be mere chance, for example, that rightat the beginning of B we learn that Ofeigr SkiSason isdescended on his mother's side from the plain farmer,
Ofeigr JarngerSarson of Sk9r3, whom we hear muchabout in Ljosvetninga saga, where he time and again
humbles the overweening chieftain, GuSmundr inn rikiof M93ruvellir in Eyjafj9rSr. One of the two redactions
oiLjosv. tells how Ofeigr JarngerSarson helps to settle alawsuit by arranging a marriage without consulting
the prospective bride and groom. ^^ In some ways thisoffers a striking parallel to the account in B, where
Ofeigr SkiSason uses a match between Oddr and RagnheiSr Gellisdottir as a chief means of securing victoryin the lawsuit between Oddr and the confederates.
Knowing Ljosv. we understand better why it is thatin his speech to the band of chieftains Ofeigr chooses
to reproach Jarnskeggi for being full of metnadr andaccuses him of having a standard carried before him
at a local assembly as if he were a king —Jarnskeggi was anephew of GuSmundr inn riki, the great chieftain who isdepicted in an unsympathetic light in Ljosv., not least'^See IF X 135-8 and V I I LXXXVII; and the latter place also for further discussion of Ljosv. as a model for B.

XXXVIINTRODUCTION

because of his arrogance. Jarnskeggi is also mentioned in
Ljbsv. He is said to have been a retainer of King Haraldr
SigurSarson and is described as an aggressive character.
Apart from B and Qlkofra pattr, Ljosv. is the only textthat tells anything particular of Skegg-Broddi. He there
appears as one of the foremost chieftains of East Icelandand is portrayed throughout in an attractive way, as healso is in Qlkofra pattr. We find that he gets a notably
favourable mention by Ofeigr in B.
If we know the description of the outlawed robber
chieftain, Ospakr Kjallaksson, in Eyrbyggja saga, we have aportent of the character and destiny of his grandson,
Ospakr Glumsson, in B.
In the case of both Ofeigr and Ospakr the correspondences between them and their forebears, in character and role, are clearly underlined by their identicalnames.
Eyrbyggja saga gives the same information about
Ospak's family origins as is given in B. Eyrbyggja saga,ch. 62, says that Glumr Ospaksson married I'ordis,"daughter of Asmundr haerukollr and sister of Grettir
the strong, and their son was Ospakr who contended with
O d d r Ofeigsson of MiSfJ9rSr".^^ When B also includes
the information that Grettir was Ospak's uncle, it serves(as noted above) to stress still more firmly the ominous in
Ospak's family background. Grettir is spoken of several
times in Landn. and in a number of sagas, most fully, ofcourse, in Grettis saga. He was certainly a universallyknown legendary figure in thirteenth-century Iceland.
The extant Grettis saga is considered to be from the early
fourteenth century but it is generally believed to have

2 S / F I V 168.

INTRODUCTIONXXXVUbeen based on an earlier saga. ^^ The text we now havecontains information about Ospakr Glumsson's family
which corresponds to what we are told in Eyrbyggja saga
and B. Ospakr himself plays a part in two or three scenes
and is described as pugnacious and ambitious (kappsmadr
ok framgjarn).
As has often been pointed out, Oddr Ofeigsson resembles Oddr in Odds pattr Ofeigssonar. This pattr is in
the Morkinskinna codex (written c. 1275) and several
later medieval manuscripts. It has been suggested that itwas composed in the first half of the thirteenth century, ^^and there is every reason to believe that it antedates B.
In the pattr Oddr is a prominent trader from MiSfj9rSr,
renowned for the skill and success of his voyaging (farsnilli). He was often honourably received by Haraldr
SigurSarson of Norway but the story ends with enmity
between him and the king. As in B, Oddr tends to take acharacteristically shortsighted view of things and needs
other men's advice, but he takes good care of people
under him.
Oddr Ofeigsson is also an important character in
Hemings pattr Aslakssonar, which is thought to have been
written in the last part of the thirteenth century. ^^ Oddr
appears there as an important man, rich and energetic
and a great seafarer, owner of Melr in Mi8fJ9rSr but now
resident at the court of King Haraldr SigurSarson, with^^See especially Sigur5ur Nordal, Sturla Pordaisoii og Gict//\ saga (Studia
Islandica 4, 1938); cf references in note 21 above.
28/F V I I CI.
*'Finnur Jonsson, Litt. hist., II 771. The manuscript preservation does notby itself, however, provide a basis for this dating. T h e parts of the /lattr in which
O d d r Ofeigsson is mentioned are found in a section of Flateyjarbok that isdated to the end of the fifteenth century and in a section of Hrokkinskinna thatis dated to the sixteenth century. See Gillian Fellows Jensen, Hemings pattr
Aslakssonar (Editiones A r n a m a g n s a n a B 3, 1962), xviii and xli; J a k o b Benediktsson in ICL V I (1961), 438.

XXXVlll

INTRODUCTION

whom he is on bad terms by the end of the story. A particular point of resemblance to B is found in the account in
Hemings pattr of how Oddr sails through the barrier ofKing Harald's ships. He sets sail in spite of the derision of
the Norwegians ashore and his extraordinary skill gets
him out and away to Iceland. 3° This reminds us of his
departure from E>orgeirsfJ9rSr in B, ch. 11.
As we have seen, the character and fate of Ospakr, thechief villain in B, are presaged by allusions to narrative
material known otherwise from Eyrbyggja saga andtraditions about Grettir. Similarly, the person and statureof the young hero of B, Oddr Ofeigsson, are thrown intorelief and enhanced by the connection that comes to bemade between him and the events and people oiLaxdala
saga. As a whole, one can regard Laxdcela saga as a monument raised to glorify the family of the highborn bride
Oddr ultimately wins in B. Her father's father, Porkell
Eyjolfsson, was a great trader and one of Iceland's leading chieftains, as we learn from a number of sources,
including Snorri's sagas about St Olafr. In Laxdala saga,ch. 68, we read that E>orkell "owned two ocean-goingvessels on trading voyages; one of them arrived at
BorSeyrr in HrutafJ9rSr".3i In B, ch. i, it says of Oddr
that "he becomes so rich that he owns two ocean-goingvessels on trading voyages," and shortly afterwards, inch. 2, that he "brings his ship to BorSeyrr in HrutafJ9r3r".
This correspondence is all the more striking inasmuch as
we later hear of only a single ship in B. (It may be notedthat in Laxdcela saga f>orkell makes a present of one of his
ships to Gunnarr f>iSrandabani.) The part of Laxdcelasaga which deals with E>orkell also has a number of words^^ Hemings pattr, ed. cit., 30/24-29, cf 6 3 / 4 - 1 3 .
^ ' / F Y 199.

INTRODUCTION

XXXIX

and phrases that show formal correspondence withexpressions in B.^^In Laxdcela saga iJorkel's standing is particularly
enhanced by his marriage to GuSriin Osvifrsdottir.
This saga is the only source to make GuSriin so outstanding a person. In ch. 78 there we read, " I t is also
universally said that GuSrun was the noblest of all
women ever born of her rank in Iceland." ^^ GuSrun was
the mother of Gellir in B and so grandmother of the brideof the hero, Oddr.
Two of the leading chieftains in B are Egill Skulasonof Borg and Hermundr Illugason of Gilsbakki. They
belong respectively to the two families which stand at thecentre of Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu. Several points in
Gunnl. are reminiscent of B. Odd's self-willed departurefrom his father's home is a clear parallel to Gunnlaug's
attempt to do something similar. It is in accord with thefamous scaldic traditions of the Borg family that Egill isquick to respond to verse; and the last stanza in B has suchstriking affinity with the last words of the dying Hrafn in
Gunnl. that influence one way or the other is indisputable.
As we have evidence that traditions about Gunnlaugr
were well known in Iceland throughout the thirteenth
century, while the matter of the last verse in B is otherwise
completely unknown, it is reasonable to conclude that thestanza in B was inspired by the story of the final battle
between Gunnlaugr and Hrafn. ^*It is possible to point out further parallels in content orform between B and other works — Sagas of Icelanders
such as Porsteins saga Sidu-Hallssonar and Havardar saga
" Studiar, 2 4 5 - 7 .
"/FV228.
" See my article cited in note 15 above, where more similarities between B and
Gunnlaugs saga are discussed.

xl

INTRODUCTION

Isfrdings, Kings' Sagas, Porgils saga ok Haflida in the
Sturlunga saga compilation, and, as was mentioned earlier,
eddaic poems. ^^ A parallel text occupying a special
position remains to be considered. This is Qlkofra pattr.
In this short story, as in B, a group of great chieftains
band together to exploit a triviality and bring a lawsuit
against a wealthy man in order to lay hands on his
property. The defendant himself is completely helpless
but receives cunning assistance from an outsider, Broddi
Bjarnason (the Skegg-Broddi of B). Two of the prosecutors are persuaded to betray the others. The lawsuit
ends in a complete fiasco and a glorious senna between
Broddi and the instigators of the case. The saga and thepattr also display a series of straightforward formal
correspondences. ^^Everyone seems to agree that there must be a literary
connection between the pattr and B. The saga lies on ahigher literary plane and departs more notably from thecommon run of sagas. Was the pattr a model that inspired
the author of B, or is it a more artless imitation of thesaga? In recent times most scholars have inclined to theformer explanation, though one is forced to be content
with arguments that are less than decisive. ^''One might readily use some of the material and formal
parallels that have been noted above in an attempt todefine with greater precision the date of composition of
B. But we must be cautious. Connections in subjectmatter do not necessarily demonstrate that we are dealing
with literary influence. A good deal of what is told about
people and events in written sagas was doubtless also in^^ Studiar, 248-79. Cf. further pp. xvii-xviii above, and my article cited in' note 15.
"> Studiar, 2 6 4 - 6 .
" i F ' V I I L x x x v - L x x x v i ; IF X I xxxviii; Studiar, 2 6 7 - 8 ; Baetke i960, 7; deVries, I I 448, is more sceptical.

INTRODUCTION

xH

oral circulatron and existed in that mode behind andalongside the literary transmission.^^ This applies forexample to Oddr Ofeigsson, Grettir Asmundarson and
Ofeigr JarngerSarson in B. But where relationship incontent is extensive and detailed, and especially where itis accompanied by comparatively clear and circumstantial correspondence in vocabulary and syntax (disregarding verse and fixed idioms), one may be compelled
to assume direct influence from one written text on
another. As far as I can see, such a conclusion is assured
in the case of B and Qlkofra pattr discussed above.
But even if similarity between two surviving works canbe counted the result of direct influence, it may — as with
B and Qlkofra pattr — still be difficult to decide which
way the influence went. No general rules have as yet been
propounded for the solution of this problem, beyond theguidance provided by established chronological facts.
Excluding Qlkofra pattr and perhaps Porsteins saga
Sidu-Hallssonar, hardly any of the texts that can otherwise
be used to throw light on the contents of B, show suchextensive material or formal correspondence with it that
we must conclude that the author of B came by his
knowledge from the work in its extant literary form rather
than from oral anecdote or story-telling. This is not
to say that the author of B could not have known someof the works mentioned above in book form. It is especiallytempting to think that he did so in the case o^Laxdcela saga.
Such a point of detail as the fact that E>orkell Eyjolfsson
owned two ships is only appropriate in an account whichnarrates both Porkel's gift of one ship to Gunnarr E>iSrandabani and I^orkel's last voyage to Norway and his
3' Lars Lonnroth, op. cit. (note i i above), has for example attempted to argue
that the author of Njals saga cannot certainly be shown to have used written
sources.

xlii

INTRODUCTION

death. The man who linked these two items can hardly
have been anyone but the author of the extant Laxdcelasaga. But, as noted above, this detail recurs in B (where it
has the character of a blind motif). As shown above, it isalso only Laxdcela saga in its literary form and no othersource which gives GuSrun Osvifrsdottir such uniquestatus, a status which helps to explain why it is that in B
precisely her granddaughter is chosen for the marriagematch to crown the success of the hero, Oddr.
Fortunately we can have more confident opinions
about the date of origin o{Laxdcela saga than of most othersagas. It has long been held that it was written about the
middle of the thirteenth century, but Rolf Heller has
recently presented persuasive reasons for believing that it
cannot have been composed until after 1255. He himself
would prefer to assign the saga to a still later date. ^^If this is correct, and given that B builds on Laxdcela saga,
B cannot have been written before about 1260, i.e. about
the time the Icelandic commonwealth came to an end.
If B is thus to be put between Laxdcela saga and Grettis
saga, we have a probable span of, say, fifty years, between
about 1260 and 1310, in which to place its composition.
If B is influenced by Jdrnsida (cf. p. xxxiv) it must be
younger than 1271.
It may finally be noted that the conclusion that the saga
was composed relatively late is supported by the way inwhich several of the strophes (in M) are introduced. The
introductory formula, ok vard honum staka (visa) a munni(18/29, 20/19, 29/21), is characteristic of sagas written in
the latter part of the thirteenth century or subsequently. *°3^ "Das .Alter der Laxdcela saga", J^eit^clmft fur dcut\ches Altertum und deulsdw
Literatur X C V I I (1968), especially 1 4 2 - 8 ; idem. Die Laxdcela Saga (1976),
2 8 - 9 ; cf also Hallvard Mageroy in Maal og Minne 1971, l o - i i.
'^"Studiar, 114.

INTRODUCTION

xliii

Where the saga was written.
That the author wrote in Iceland is evident from expressions such as: pa var hann bedinn af vinum sinum at
stadfestask her (M and K) 3/8; her a Islandi (M; her a landiK) 3/17; her a landi (M and K) 3/21. It is not so easy to
say where he belonged in Iceland. The events in the saga
chiefly take place in the Hunavatn district and at theAlthing. The M text shows no topographical error inthese places, though the author appears vague about
local conditions in E>orgeirsfJ9rSr and BorgarfJ9rSr (cf.
notes to 34/4, 35/2). The writer who tells us in M that
Ofeigr SkiSason lived vestr i Midfirdi" ( i / i ) and that
Ofeigr JarngerSarson was nordan br Skqrdum (i /4) musthave lived in North Iceland somewhere between
MiSfJ9rSr and the district where Sk9rS lies*i (cf Maps
A-B), but we have no means of deciding whether these are
the words of the original author or of a later copyist. There
are things which suggest that MoSruvallabok was itself
written in that same area, possibly at the monastery of
M9Sruvellir in H9rgardalr*2, and it is known that the
scribe of this codex could on occasion omit statements of^^ Cf the distinction nordar — vestar at 3/4. — In North Iceland people say
vestur — nordur for directions west and east along the coast, and they had thesame usage in the middle ages. Cf Stefan Einarsson, "Attataknanir i islenzku
mi a dogum", Skirnir 126 (1952), 159-60, 164; idem, "Attataknanir i fornritum", Skirnir 12-; (1953), 169, iy6. At 2l2oinBitsays
ofOddihannritzkiflutningar (tilflutninga Kj nordr til Stranda. This agrees with usage in both Dalasysla andNorth Iceland, cf Skirnir 126 (1952), 160, Skirnir 127 (1953), 173-4. ( I "BorgarfjorSur on the other hand, nowadays at least, they say vestur a Strandir,
cf Skirnir 126, 1952, 161.). The phrase norSri Vididal, 6/20, relates to movementfrom Melr in Mi3fJ9r3r and agrees with normal North Icelandic usage. (ViSidalr lies east of MiSljprSr.) At 2/8-9 ^"<^ 9 / ' 5 we have movement from Reykir
lit a Vatnsnes and from Melr iit til Vatnsdals ok Langadals. Here iit is normal usage
because in each case it is a question of movement towards the sea. Direction
away from the sea is normally conveyed by upp, as in upp a Mel at 4/4; cf Skirnir' 2 7 (1953). 172'^Stefan Karlsson, op. cit. (note 18 above), 29; idem, Gripla I I I (1979), 228.

xliv

INTRODUCTION

direction that did not fit a northern Icelandic context. *^The fact that K says that Ofeigr lived nordr i Midjirdi(B 1976, 1/12) does not help us much. The man who
wrote that must have lived in West or South Iceland **but, all things considered, nordr here must be counted a
substitution — there is a general predilection' for West
Iceland in this redaction which has led to alteration of theoriginal text in several places (cf. pp. xlviii-1 below).
The manuscripts. Derivation of M and Kfrom
a common written source.
B has survived in many manuscripts. The two vellum
books from the middle ages, MoSruvallabok (M), written
about 1350, and Gl. kgl. saml. 2845 4to (K), written
about 1400-1425, have already been mentioned.*^ Thereis a vellum fragment, J S , brot nr 6, in Landsbokasafn
Islands (JS), written in the latter half of the fifteenth
century.''s It covers 7/4-10/22 in this edition, is close to
M and probably derived from it.
All the extant paper manuscripts (33 in all) aredescended from the known vellum manuscripts, most fromM, some from K. They thus have no value for textual
criticism. *'The texts in M (and JS) and K are quite close to eachother in the first part of the saga (chs. i -4). But afterwards
there is greater dissimilarity, right to the end, so much sothat one must talk of them as representatives of two

43 IF V Lxxvii and note 2.
••> / F V l l xciii; Skirnir 127 (1953), 166.
" See p. xxxiii and notes 18-19 above.
« B 1976, * 7 4 - * 8 i .
* ' F o r discussion of the relations between the paper manuscripts see B 1976,*2i-*93.

INTRODUCTION

xlv

redactions. It is also important that M contains fivestanzas attributed to Ofeigr, which are not in K, while thestanza ascribed to Ospakr in the last chapter of the saga
is in both M and K.
These circumstances have made B a central subject ofdispute in the long controversy about the origins of Sagas
of Icelanders. Several other sagas also survive in deviant
redactions. Scholars (especially Andreas Heusler andKnut Liestol) who maintained that sagas existed in oral
form before being written down have taken the deviant
redactions to be independent recordings of complete oralsagas. Heusler, who published two editions of B (in the
M text), thought that this was the case here as well, whileother scholars, such as Bjorn Magnusson Olsen, Finnur
Jonsson and GuSni Jonsson, have reckoned that the two
versions of B were derived from a common literary source
but had been differently moulded by the editorial activityof scribes."*^ In Studiar i Bandam.anna saga (1957) I tried todemonstrate that this latter view is nearer the truth andthat M and K must share a common written source. *^This conclusion was largely based on a systematic studyof the syntax and style of the two redactions. It came tolight that a great many small details are the same in bothversions and occur at corresponding points in the narrative. One cannot avoid the conclusion that they must havestood in the author's original, for such correspondences
would be inconceivable if each redaction had been given
literary form by a writer working on his own.*" Many of•" Bjorn Magntisson Olsen, Um islendingasogur (Safn til sogu Islands VI, 192939), 2 5 6 - 6 2 ; Finnur Jonsson 1933, x - x i ; / F V I I x c i v - x c v i i i .
•" See especially Studiar, 2 3 5 - 7 , 309''" I have further supported this conclusion in "Eventyrvariantar og sagaversjonar", Einarsbok. Afrrwliskvebja til Einars 01. Sveinssonar (1969), 233-54,
where I considered some Icelandic and Norwegian folktales that exist in

Xlvi

INTRODUCTION

the points of correspondence can be sorted into representative groups. As examples may be cited: word-pairs(e.g. storaudigr madr ok dgatr; 24 exx.); antitheticalconstructions (e.g. dtti lendur miklar en minna lausafe;
32 exx.); echoing replies (e.g. Ospakr malti: " .. ertu
mjqk lofadr afmqnnum . ." Oddr svarar: "Ekki ertu mjqk lofadr
af mqnnum . . . " ; 20 exx.); alliteration (e.g. at Idni okleigu; seg upp settina eba sitfyrir svgrum).

The primacy of M (including Ofeig's strophes).
Having established a common literary source for M andK, the next question to ask is which of the two represents
the original more faithfully. There has been dispute about
this too.
The first scholarly edition of the saga, by Halldor
FriSriksson in 1850, was chiefly based on M, but thesecond, by Gustaf Cederschiold in 1874, had K as its
main source. Most scholars have since regarded theshorter K text as closer to the original. In Studiar (1957)
the present editor rehabilitated the primacy of M, but
this was criticised by Walter Baetke, who stuck to the K
text in his edition of i960. I have answered the objectionsof Baetke and others in an article in Arkiv for nordisk
filologi (1966), and supplemented the arguments infavour of M in two subsequent papers. ^1
independently recorded variants. On the whole it appears safe to say that them a x i m u m n u m b e r of the same words occurring in such pairs of variants does
not exceed one-third of the total n u m b e r of words in the shorter of the variants
compared. In ch. 2 of B, on the other hand, M and K have so many words incommon that they amount to approximately 73 % of the shorter text of thischapter; in ch. 11 the percentage is about 40, still notably higher than the maxim u m found in the folktale variants.
'' Hallvard Mageroy, "Dei to gjerdene (versjonane) av Bandamanna saga",
ANF 81 (1966), 7 5 - 1 0 8 ; and my articles cited in notes 4 and 15 above.

INTRODUCTION

xlvii

Here we may take just a few examples to show thenature of the evidence in M's favour.
In several places we find better logic in the way theaction develops in M than in K.
In ch. I Oddr Ofeigsson becomes a rich man by thesesteps: money on loan — capital of his own — share in aboat in coastal trade — ownership of the boat — share ina merchantman — ownership of that vessel — and of asecond. K has the same but does not specifically mention
the share in the merchantman. Instead it says that Oddr
"now buys stockfish and goes abroad", which may imply
a part-share (later it says that he becomes sole owner ofthe ship), but nevertheless breaks the orderly progression.
It must also be counted an anachronism because Icelandic
fish-export hardly existed on any scale before the fourteenth century — after B was originally composed, thatis, though it was in full swing when the K text was
written.*^In ch. 9 Ofeigr asks Gellir for the hand of his daughter
for Oddr. In M the dialogue follows the pattern found inch. 6, where Ofeigr persuades the judges, and in ch. 8,
where he wins over Egill. Ofeigr first uses elaborate
arguments to demolish objections, and only after he hassoftened up the opposition in this way does he venture to
produce the decisive, but risky, argument — the moneybag. But in ch. 9 in K Ofeigr starts by playing his trumpcard, his cash inducement, and only makes use of
persuasive argument afterwards.
In ch. 10 K says that Ofeigr took his kinsmen from
Sk9rS with him when he went to L9gberg to intervene in
the suit against Oddr. This detail is not in M and it has nofunction in the narrative, for nothing is subsequently"Jon Johannesson, 314-6; idem, Islendinga saga II (1958), 139-41, 172-3.

xlviii

INTRODUCTION

heard of these men.*^ Neither is support of kinsmen in
keeping with the set pattern of Ofeig's triumphs in thesaga — he wins all his victories single-handed.
As was said earlier, there is not a single sentence in M
which is not directly linked to the main action. In K on
the other hand a number of statements are introduced
that are irrelevant to the development of the story andsometimes evidently incorrect. The point just mentioned,
that Ofeigr took his kinsmen from Sk9rS with him toL9gberg, is one such superfluous addition. Another isthe list of ancestors of t>6rarinn LangdoelagoSi in ch. 4
in K, whose erroneous nature was demonstrated long ago
by GuSbrandur Vigfusson. ** A third instance is at the endof ch. I. M illustrates Odd's special luck as a sailor bysaying that he always made land between EyjafJ9rSr andHrutafJ9rSr — that is, never far from his home in MiSfj9rSr. K says that "he never came to land further north( = east) than in EyjafJ9rSr and never further west than in
Hvita, and most often in HriitafJ9rSr". Hvita in BorgarfJ9r3r is so far from Mi3fJ9rSr that as proof of Odd's good
fortune as a voyager K's statement is nonsensical. There isno mention of any landing in Hvita later in the saga either.
But the afterthought, "and most often in Hrutafi9rSr"(one of the K editor's "repairs", cf p. Iii), shows that theoriginal text, here modified, must have corresponded to
M.'
There are other serious mistakes in K. In ch. 9 Gellir ismade to offer completely garbled information about thechildren of E>orgils Arason and Stein|36rr a Eyri.** In ch.
' ' It is true that Ofeigr later uses the vioxA frcendr in addressing the confederates
in K (B 1976, 57/20, 24), but he clearly only means himself and perhaps Oddr;
cf. also 22/22.
-•^ Nyfelagsrit XVIII (1858), 158-9; cf / F V I I , 305, note i.
^' / F V I I , 339-40, notes; Studiar, 80-81.

INTRODUCTION

xHx

12 M tells US that a priest, unnamed, was fetched from
SiSumuli to minister to the dying Hermundr, who has
only been able to get as far as E>orgautsstaSir. In K thepriest is identified as E>6rSr S9lvason from Reykjaholt,
and he comes to Hermundr at Gilsbakki. E>6rSr S9lvason
is mentioned in other sources but he is nowhere said tohave been a priest. *^ When B was composed a church had
long stood at Gilsbakki, with a resident priest to serve it.
It seems unlikely that the author would have thoughtof fetching a priest there from elsewhere — least of allfrom a place as far away as Reykjaholt — but the change
in K may be associated with its editor's interest in western
Icelandic matters, cf. p. xliv. *'When Hermundr was stricken he had been to Hvammsleid. In M it says that this was in the autumn (i.e. after
the suit against Oddr at the Althing in the summer),which is what one would expect since the leid was theregular autumn meeting. But in K it says that he went toHvammsleiS "when spring began" (er vara tok), which
is obviously unacceptable.
Later in this same chapter, ch. 12, K reads, "Ithappened one morning when men went out of doors on
the farm where the case against Ospakr had been reift."
As we know, the verb reifa is used of the summing-up
which was an obligatory part of the procedure in a courtof law (cf pp. Ivi-lvii), and such courts normally functioned only at assemblies. Ospak's case had been heard at
the Althing, so the statement in K is absurd. This and thepreceding are only two among several errors that showthat the man responsible for the K redaction was very'" IF V I I , Lxxxii and 361, note i.
" Studiar, 103-5.

1

INTRODUCTION

ignorant of the way the law worked in the days of the
Icelandic commonwealth.''^Another mistake in K, though not quite so self-evident,
may be detected in ch. lo. Egill there maintains that thechieftain I^orgeirr Halldoruson had been beaten about
the head by a smallholder and had let himself be satisfied
with a ridiculously small compensation for the disgrace hehad suffered. In M this is said to have happened at
Rangarleid, in K at Arnessleid. The latter may appear
reasonable because Laugardalr, where E>orgeirr lived,
belongs to ArnessJDing, but such an affray could equallywell have happened at Rangarleid, the assembly for theneighbouring district to the east. The site given in Kmight then possibly be another reflection of the K editor'sinterest in shifting episodes and locations in a westerly
direction (cf p. xliv).
The sustained artistic economy of the M redactionneed not deter us from regarding the five stanzas attributed to Ofeigr as original in the saga. They are not in K
and many have thought them interpolated in M. But aswas shown above (pp. xix-xx), they all have an importantfunction in the structure of the narrative. Several scholars
have maintained that particularly strophe 3, the laststanza Ofeigr addresses to Egill, cannot belong where it
stands, because they think it is unnatural for anyone tospeak so offensively to a man he wishes to win over —"much too brazen to be suitable for the occasion". ^^But this response seems to depend on an outmoded andfar too unsubtle a view of saga "realism". Modern studies
5* See Studiar, 30 (on B 1976, 12/4, 20); 5 8 - 9 (on B 1976, 33/14-34/1, 33/24);
6 3 - 4 (on K, B 1976, 36/20: ok erpo nfkkur i eid hjalpin); 89 (on B 1976, 5 7 / 7 - 8 ,1 8 - 2 1 ) ; 102 (on B 1976, 7 1 / 4 - 5 , 1 6 - 1 7 ) ; 106 bottom (reift, cf B 1976, 72/8,
73/27)^'* Anne Holtsmark in Maal og Minne 1958, 7 5 - 6 .

INTRODUCTIONll

have made it clearer than before that fundamentallysaga literature follows artistic laws. The art of the sagas
does not aim first and foremost at imitation of real life
but at attaining the maximum aesthetic and psychologicaleffect on the audience, whether it be in accordance withnature or not. As a result saga authors can often introduce
strophes at moments in their narration where they must
appear quite absurd to anyone who expects the action ofa saga to be "natural".^"To a large extent the difference between the M and K
redactions lies in variation in narrative sequence. Where
the same material appears in different places in the two
versions it usually fits the context wefl in M but less wellin K. In K material tends to be introduced sooner thanit should be. An example of such "anticipation" is in ch. 5,
where in K Styrmir takes the trouble to explain a point oflaw to Porarinn, a chieftain who is himself well versedin the law. In M Styrmir offers his explanation in similarterms at a later point in the chapter, and here the man heis talking to is Oddr, naturally enough for it is part of theplot that Oddr should be ignorant of legal matters.
Another example comes in ch. 7. In M Ofeigr advises
Oddr to ready his ship while the assembly is in progress,
so that he can leave the country at a moment's notice.
In K Ofeigr advises him to leave the country while theassembly is held, though this conflicts with the narrative
later in K, since there, as in M, Oddr does nothing of thekind but only goes abroad when his father comes from theassembly and announces their victory. Ofeig's recommendation that Oddr should sail in K ch. 7 is an "anti-' On this see my article cited in note 4 above.

Iii

INTRODUCTION

cipation" of Ofeig's recommendation in M ch. ii.^'
The editor of the K redaction was naturally faced witha difficulty when, having already introduced material by"anticipation", he came to the point where it properly
belonged. He frequently tried to solve the problem by a"repair", rewriting the text to provide the necessary
continuity. *2
He was also moved to revise the text for other reasons.
As was mentioned above, he shows a striking predilection
for people and places in West Iceland, especially BorgarfJ9r3r, and he likes to add genealogical and topographicalinformation from this area (though his details are often
wrong). 63
Because of the many instances of error, abridgment anddisplacement of material in K, it is natural to prefer M
as the main text. Though by no means fault-free,
M appears to reproduce the original quite closely.
It omits words and shorter passages and sometimes has
obvious mistakes where K has a correct reading (cfthe select variant apparatus with the text below). But
errors in M can all be accepted as ordinary scribal
mistakes and reveal no tendency towards conscious
editorial reorganisation.
Reasons were advanced above (pp. xix-xx) for believing that not only Ospak's strophe in the last chapter but
also all of those attributed to Ofeigr are original in thesaga. Even if one accepts this, the question remains: who
composed them? As on so many other points, opinions"' This represents an alteration of my earlier view on this point, cf Studiar.
69-70.
^'^ O n " a n t i c i p a t i o n " and " r e p a i r " see further Studiar, 120-23, 307 -8.
••'K has: nordr i .Midfirdi isec p. xliv above!: Hvita (or Hriitafifrd'H^: Laxddlagoda
ihr Langdo^lagodi 6/28; Arnessleid for Rangarleid 32/28; and shows a special interestin H e r m u n d r Illugason. .See Studiar, 123, 308.

INTRODUCTION

liii

have been strongly divided. Probably very few people
now countenance the old simple view that the strophes
are "genuine" — i.e. that the historical Ofeigr SkiSason
composed the Ofeigr stanzas and the historical Ospakr
Glumsson composed the single Ospakr stanza. But even
if they are not genuine in this way, they might still beolder than the saga itself Particularly Ospak's strophe
has been seen in this fight. ^* But to the present editor it
seems much more likely that the author of the saga
composed all the verse himself. There are several reasonsfor this conclusion. Thus, neither Ofeigr nor Ospakr are
known as scalds outside B, and the verse attributed tothem is found only in B. It was shown above that in allprobability more or less the entire contents of B were
invented by the author, and no one has put forward
decisive arguments to prove that the verses are not in
the same case.^^ It was long ago understood that Ospak's
strophe could not be authentic, because in the supposed
circumstances it could not possibly have been learnt andpassed to anyone else.^^ In addition, this stanza contains
a striking echo of words uttered by Hrafn in Gunnlaugssaga (cf p. xxxix above). But there are other echoes ofGunnl. in B, and it is simplest to envisage the author of
B himself as the man responsible for all the similarities
to that saga that are to be found in his narrative.

" C f SigurSur Nordal in .VA"VIII: B (1953), 257: idem, Um islenzkarfornsHgur(1968), 148; Einar Ol. Sveinsson, Ritunartimi Islendingasagna (1965), 42.
" Anne Holtsmark, Maal og Minne 1958, 7 5 - 7 , thought discrepancies could bedemonstrated between the prose and strophes 3 and 4 and that the strophes
were older than the saga. Baetke i960, 45, also says that the verses are in pooraccord with the context, but thinks they are later than the saga and interpolated.
I have discussed these views in AJiF 81 (1966), 9 5 - 7 . — Einar Ol. Sveinsson,
loc.cit. (note 64 above), seems to imply that the Ofeigr stanzas are such poor
poetry that they are likely to be spurious lor that reason. Cf Studiar, 118.
' ' H e u s l e r 1913, XLV; Anne Holtsmark, Maal og Minne 1958, 7 6 - 7 ; Baetke'960, 45.

liv

INTRODUCTION
Early Icelandic law.

To comprehend the action of B some knowledge of
Icelandic law is essential. The following is an extremely
summary account (some points are amplified in the
General Notes). The day-dates given are those appropriate for the eleventh century.^'
The men who settled Iceland around A.D. 900 were
6/9,7/21,11/14-15, used to open-air assemblies (ping) at which matters of
17/17,17/29-18/6 public moment were discussed, disputes compounded,charges of wrongdoing substantiated and offenders
condemned. All free men might participate but headsof households had most say in affairs. Some of these wererecognised as chieftains, with varying degrees of social,
4/2IH9,5/25,6/5, military and religious authority. The title given such a
7/17-18,8/4^8 leader in Iceland was godi (chieftain; also referred to by
the less specific hqfdingi, leader or lord); his authority was
the godord (chieftaincy). When the Icelanders organised anational assembly (alpingi, Althing^ just before 930, thenumber of chieftaincies was fixed at 36, and each householder (bondi), and through him his dependents, con1/11,4/29^0. tracted himself as a follower (pingmadr, assembly man^ of
28/15-16 one chieftain. A chieftaincy was usually owned by one' ' S e e further Grdgds. IsUndernes Loibog i Fristatens Tid, udgivet . . . og oversat
af Vilhjalmur Finsen, 1852; Grdgds . . . Stadarholsbok, udgivet . . . [ved Vilhjalmur Finsen], 1879; Grdgds ... Skdlholtsbok ... udgivet . . . [ved Vilhjalmur
Finsen], 1883. These volumes were reprinted by Odense Universitetsforlag in
1974. There is a G e r m a n translation of the Codex Regius (i.e. Grdgds . . . 1852):
Islandisches Recht. Die Graugans. Ubersetzt von Andreas Heusler (Germanenrechte I X , 1937); and an EngUsh translation of Codex Regius with additions
from StaSarholsbok, prepared by A. Dennis, P. Foote and R. Perkins, is incourse of publication by Manitoba University Press. Grdgds . . . 1883 contains
an invaluable Ordregister. The most elaborate discussion otherwise is in
K o n r a d Maurer, Vorlesungen iiber AUnordische Rechtsgeschichte I V - V (1909-10;
reprinted 1966). There are numerous relevant articles in KL. An excellent
sketch is given in J o n Johannesson, 3 5 - 9 3 ; and cf also Olafur Larusson, Lov
og Ting (oversatt av K n u t Helle, i960).

INTRODUCTION

Iv

person but sometimes by more than one, and it could
be transferred temporarily or sold like other personal
property. Later some new chieftaincies were added to the36 "full and ancient" ones.
At the Althing the chieftains were voting members of
the Law Council (Iqgr'etta). They nominated the men who
acted as judges in any lawcourt (domr) that was established, and replaced them by others if litigants found goodcause to challenge those first nominated. They electedthe Lawspeaker (Iqgsqgumadr) who acted as president of
the whole assembly and chairman of the Law Council.
The Lawspeaker served for three years in the first instanceand could be re-elected. He had a particular seat at the
Law Rock (Lqgherg), the central place at the assembly 15/25-31
where announcements were made.
The Lawspeaker had to know the laws by heart andrecite them, one-third each year with annual repetitionof the section on conduct of Althing affairs. Some laws
are stipulatory but many envisage a precise practicalcase: if someone does something, the penalty is such-andsuch and the manner of prosecution is so-and-so; sometimes what constitutes an acceptable defence is included.
We know most about the legal system after it was
reorganised c. 960. Iceland was then divided into fourparts. The East, West and South Quarter (fjordungr) eachcontained three assemblies, the North Quarter four.
Each assembly had a named site and was the meeting- 28/34,32/28,
place of the men of three chieftaincies. There were thus 35/1-2
13 assemblies and 39 chieftains in all, and at the Althing
each of the other Quarters had three more representatives
added to balance the 12 chieftaincies from the North.
Separate Quarter Courts were then established at theAlthing (Nordlendingadomr etc.^, each to hear cases from 13/24-25,15/27
its own territory.

lvi

INTRODUCTION

At the local sites a spring assembly (varping) met for
4 nights and up to 7 days between 7 and 27 May. Suits
could be judged before a court there, and it was the lawfultime and place for various transactions. A chieftain
might there give his followers notice of attendance at the
11/11,17/30,18/5, Althing; he had to take at least one in nine of them with
26/2M9,2«/B-io. him, and he naturally took more if a show of force was
33/12-13 needed. Those who did not go contributed to the expensesof those who did; and it was the chieftain's responsibility
12/18.13/23,15/21-24 to housc hls mcu in his booth (biid) at the assembly.
The Althing itself was held for two weeks between 18
J u n e and 8 July, starting on a Thursday. There was then
6/16,7/22-jo an autumn assembly (leid, haustping), held for not lessthan one day and not more than two nights between
16 July and 23 August. It was chiefly intended to publicise
decisions of the Althing. No court was instituted at it.
6/17.7/29-30
All these assemblies were inaugurated by some kindof religious ceremony which established a special sanctity
within the bounds and for the duration of the meeting(at helga ping). The gods — superseded by the Almighty
14/19-23 in Christian times — otherwise figured in the oaths thateveryone had to swear before participating in any capacity
in legal procedures.
Some cases had to be first brought before a springassembly court; if undecided they could come to theappropriate Quarter Court of the Althing. Other cases
could be first brought before a Quarter Court. These
courts had no fixed sites but the judges (probably 36 foreach court, one nominated by each man acting in the
11/1S-16 "full and ancient" chieftaincies) were led out by the
Lawspeaker to the spot he picked for them on the flat
13/24,28/9 ground (vellir) of the assembly place. Here they sat in a
14/4-6 circle and listened to whatever suit was presented before
them, with one of their number selected to provide aINTRODUCTION

Ivii

s u m m a r y repetition (reifing; at reifa) of the p r o s e c u t i o n , 13/27,15/15,
one of the defence, at the end of the p l e a d i n g .
35/18
Before litigants got as far as the circle of j u d g e s , theyh a d m u c h to d o to p r e p a r e the case (at biia mal) in t h elocality (heiman) a n d at the assembly itself. W h e n a w r o n g
was d o n e it h a d to be formally p u b l i s h e d b y or on b e h a l fof the person w h o suffered it. ( I n t h e case of p e r s o n a l
injury it was also a n n o u n c e d by t h e m a n w h o h a d d o n e
it — essential after a killing if it was not to be c o u n t e dindefensible, cf. n o t e to 1 1 / 4 - 6 . ) T h e r e w e r e t h e n t w orecognised ways of m o u n t i n g a case. O n e w a y sometimes
prescribed was for the p r o s e c u t o r to call n e i g h b o u r i n ghouseholders (at kvedja heiman bua) to a t t e n d the assembly 11/12-14,13/2,1
to provide the formal m e a n s of p r o o f he n e e d e d to m a k e
his case before the court. T h e s e n e i g h b o u r s , five or n i n edepending on the nature of the suit, had to be thoseotherwise qualified who lived nearest the scene of theaction or nearest the home of the accused as the laws
specified. If the prosecutor had eye- or ear-witnesses tosupport his case, he called them to attend the Althing
as well. Then at the start of the assembly he formally
published his charges, and the pleading took place in due
course before the Quarter Court. The other way ofmounting a case was for the prosecutor to go to the homeof the man charged (or as near as he could without danger)
and formally summon (at fara stefnufpr; stefna) him to 16/29,17/4-6
answer for his act at law. Specific times were prescribed
for this summoning (stefnudagar). (A man who committed 10/24,17/2-3
certain offences automatically forfeited his right to attend
an assembly, but someone else could act for him, and the
conduct of cases could always be transferred.) The 18/11-12
prosecutor also called relevant witnesses to attend theassembly, but he did not provide himself with a panel ofneigiibours until he got to the assembly itself. Then heIviiiINTRODUCTION

took five or nine from those qualified who happened to bepresent.
Before the judges the prosecutor presented his eyeand ear-witnesses and put the facts of the case and of his
procedure (also substantiated by witnesses) to the panelof neighbours, who validated his points by majority
11/16-12/16,12/29 verdicts. The defence might also bring witnesses, and-13/2,i3/2i«i whatever grounds of defence (vqrn, varnir) were pleaded
also had to be validated by a panel verdict, either given
by all five of the prosecutor's panel or, if there were nine,by five of them selected by the defence. Defence might
hinge on a demonstration of legal right to do what had
been done — repossession, for example, or justifiable
12/12-14,13/M retaliation — or of procedural fault on the part of theprosecution. After the presentation, the selected men
summed up, and the judges gave their individual voices
12/27-29,14/14-16, as to whcthcr the defendant was under penalty (sekr) or
24-6,15/22,26 uot (syku). Thc judgment was announced in the court
by the man who summed up the prosecution if the charge
was upheld, by the man who summed up the defence if it
was not. As with all procedural matters this was done
15/23 formally with specific witnesses named in order toguarantee a correct record. A valid judgment needed amajority of at least 30 to 6. If this was lacking, further
procedures were prescribed, but it was a virtual deadlock,and it was perhaps particularly at such a juncture that
disputants resorted to duelling to obtain a decision.
But a court of final instance for undecided Quarter
Court suitSj with procedures allowing straight majority
verdicts, came into being soon after A.D. 1000 (and wassoon followed by abolition of duelling). This was theFifth Court (fimmtardbmr), which also acted as a court of
16/7-6,17/5-* sole instance for a variety of offences, including bribery
or attempted bribery in the courts.

INTRODUCTION

fix

When judgment had been given in a court and theresult afterwards published at the Law Rock, the sentence
seems generally to have been counted effective from theend of the assembly. The chief penalties (sekdir) stipulated 16/19,22/21
in the laws are: fines; loss of office if a godi was at fault;"lesser" outlawry (fjprbaugsgardr), banishment from
Iceland for three years with safeguards which gave theoutlaw a chance to get out of the country unmolested;and "full" outlawry (skbggangr), which deprived a manof all rights and was virtually a death-penalty. Various
intermediate penalties could be arranged by private
settlement (scett, salt; at scettask). Arrangements for the 18/28,27/17-18
terms (gord) to be imposed under private treaty varied 22/24,26/11,30/17
with circumstances, from one side's sole right to decide -31/5,32/23-30
the outcome (sjalfdcemi) to verdicts left to an agreed 16/20,22/21,27/1^22
third party.
Sentence of outlawry was not legally completed until
a court of confiscation (feransdbmr) had been held at theoutlaw's home. This had to be instigated by the prosecutor but was superintended by the local chieftain,
who took a fee from the estate. When goods had been set
aside for debts and maintenance of wife and dependents,
the remaining property was halved between the pro- 21/1-3,25/3-10
secutor and the men of the Quarter (fjordungsmenn), or
the men of the locality if sentence was passed at a springassembly court. Further action against the outlaw
remained the duty of the prosecutor, but anyone could
now help him with legal impunity, while anyone who 14/25
helped the outlaw in any way was liable to prosecution.
The present text.
The aim of the present edition is to introduce Bandamannasaga to students in a text as close as possible to what theIx

INTRODUCTION

author wrote. As explained above (p. Hi), M must be
the chief source, with occasional preference for thereading of K or other emendation.
The text has generally been normalised in accordancewith the practice of the editors of Islenzk fornrit. This
normalisation reflects the state of the Icelandic languagein the first half of the thirteenth century. It is a convenientconventional form for a student text, but a little archaic
for B, probably composed towards 1300.
The scribe of M often abbreviates forms of verbs ofspeech (segja, svara, mala) by writing only the first letter.
In such cases the full forms given here follow the expansions adopted in the edition in IF V I I .
For the abbreviations used in the textual notes andelsewhere see pp. x-xiii. Forms in quote-marks in the
textual notes are quoted literally from the manuscripts
but with silent expansion of abbreviations.

BANDAMANNA

SAGA'

I
Ofeigr het maSr er bjo vestr i MiSfirSi a Jjeim boe er at
Reykjum heitir. Hann var SkiSason, en moSir hans het
Gunnlaug; moSir hennar var JarngerSr^, dottir Ofeigs
JarngerSarsonar norSan or Sk9rSum. Hann var kvsentr
maSr, ok het E>orgerSr kona hans ok var Valadottir,
5
asttstor kona ok inn mesti kvensk9rungr. Ofeigr var
spekingr mikill ok inn mesti raSagorSamaSr. Hann var
i 9IIU mikilmenni, en ekki var honum fjarhagrinn hoegr,
atti lendur miklar en minna lausafe. Hann sparSi viSengan mann mat, en J36 var mJ9k a f9ngum Jjat er til 10
busins Jjurfti at hafa. Hann var JjingmaSr Styrmis fra
Asgeirsa er Jja {jotti mestr h9fiSingi vestr {)ar. Ofeigr atti
son viS konu sinni er Oddr het; hann var vaenn maSr okbratt vel menntr. Ekki hafSi hann mikia ast af feSr sinum;
engi var hann verklundarmaSr.
15
Vali het maSr er {^ar ox upp heima hja Ofeigi; hannvar vaenn maSr ok vinsaell. Oddr ox upp heima meS
feSr sinum JDar til er hann var tolf vetra gamall. Ofeigr
var falatr l9ngum viS Odd ok unni honum litit. Sa orSromr
lagSisk a at engi maSr {jar i sveitum vaeri betr menntr en 20
Oddr. Einn tima kemr Oddr at mali viS f9Sur sinn ok
beiSir hann fjarframlaga — ,,ok vil ek fara a brott heSan.
' Title inserted by the editor. M (fol. ii^ra) has in red Saga Ofeigs b a n d a kals. At
the top of fol. ii^r a seventeenth-century hand has written B a n d a m a n n a Saga hefst hierand the same hand has inserted B a n d a m a n n a Saga at the top of every recto thereafter
until the saga ends. K had no title but Bandamanna-Saga wai inserted by Jon Eir'iksson(died iy8y; cf. Islenzkar leviskrar III, ig^o, 10S--3). Chapter-division in the following
is as in M but with omission of the chapter-titles found there (they cannot be original in thesaga) and new chapter-numbering.
2 moSir hennar var JarngerSr] -=- K: cf. note.

2

5

10

15

20

25

30

B A N D A M A N N A SAGAEr a {ja leiS," sagSi hann, ,,at |)u leggr til min litla soemS;
em ek ok ekki nytsamligr ySru raSi." Ofeigr svarar: ,,Ekki
mun ek minnka till9g viS Ipik or Jivi sem Jau hefir til unnit;
mun ek ok \)vi nasst gera, ok muntu J)a vita hvert fuUting
Jjer erat Jjvi." Oddr sagSi at litt mattihann viS JjatstySjask
mega, ok skilja viS Jjat talit. Annan dag eptir tekr Oddr
vaS af Jjili ok 9II veiSarfoeri ok tolf alnar vaSmals. Hann
gengr mi i brott ok kveSr engan mann. Hann ferr ut a
Vatnsnes ok rezk jaar i sveit meS verm9nnum, })iggr at{jeim hagraeSi J)au sem hann {sarf nauSsynligast at lani okleigu. Ok er Ipeir vissu astt hans goSa, en var vinsasll sjalfr,{ja haetta Jjeir til |)ess at eiga at honum. Kaupir hann miallt i skuld ok er meS J)eim Ipau missari i fiskiveri, ok er
sva sagt at Jjeira hlutr vaeri i bezta lagi er Oddr var i sveit
meS. E>ar var hann JDrja vetr ok {jrjii sumur, ok var |3a
sva komit at hann hafSi Jja aptr goldit hverjum {)at er
atti, en Jjo haf^i hann aflat ser goSs kaupeyris. Aldri
vitjaSi hann f9Sur sins, ok sva lata Jjar hvarir sem engu
aetti viS aSra at skylda. Oddr var vinsasll viS sina felaga.
E>ar kemr at hann raezk i flutningar norSr til Stranda meS
farma ok kaupir ser i^ ferju; aflar Ipa sva fjar. Nii groeSirhann bratt fe Jjar til er hann a einn ferjuna, ok heldr nu
sva milli MiSfjarSar ok Stranda n9kkur sumur; tekr hannnu at hafa vel fe. E>ar kemr enn at honum leiddisk sja
ath9fn. Nii kaupir hann i skipi ok ferr litan ok er mi ikaupferSum um hriS, ok teksk enn vel til Jjessa ok liSmannliga; verSr honum mi gott* basSi til fjar ok mannheilla.
I>essa iSn hefir hann mi fyrir stafni Jjar til er hann a einnkn9rr ok mestan hluta ahafnar; er nu i kaupferSum okgerisk storauSigr maSr ok agaetr. Hann var opt meS
h9fl3ingjum ok tignum m9nnum titan lands ok virSisk
Ipar vel sem hann var. Nii gerir hann sva auSgan at hann'i] K,^ M.
* gott] K. H- M.

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

3

a tva kn9rru i kaupferSum; ok sva er sagt at engi maSr
vaeri |)ann tima i kaupferSum sa er jafnauSigr vaeri sem
Oddr. Hann var ok farsaefli en aSrir menn; aldri komhann norSar skipi sinu en a EyjafJ9rS ok eigi vestar en i
Hrutafi9r3.

II
E>ess er getit eitthvert sumar at Oddr kemr skipi sinu a
Hrutaf]9rS viS BorSeyri ok aetlar at vera her um vetrinn.
f>a var hann beSinn af vinum sinum at staSfestask her, ok
eptir been Jjeira gerir hann sva, kaupir land i MiSfirSi Jiat
er a Mel heitir. Hann eflir Jjar mikinn biinaS ok gerisk lorausnarmaSr i buinu, ok er sva sagt at eigi J)6tti um Jjat
minna vert en um ferSir hans aSr, ok mi var engi maSr
jafnagaetr sem Oddr var fyrir norSan land. Hann var
betri af fe en flestir menn aSrir, goSr orlausna viS pa erhans {)urftu ok i nand honum varu, en f9Sur sinum gerSi 15
hann aldri hagraeSi. Skip sitt setti hann upp i HrutafirSi.
E>at er sagt at engi maSr vaeri jafnauSigr her a Islandi sem
Oddr, heldr segja menn hitt at hann hafi eigi att^ minna
fe en jsrir Jjeir er auSgastir varu. I 9IIU lagi var hans fe
mikit, gull ok silfr, jarSir ok ganganda fe. Vali, fraendi hans, 20
var meS honum, hvart sem hann var her a landi eSa litan
lands. Oddr sitr mi i biii sinu meS slika soemS sem nu er
fra sagt.
MaSr er nefndr Glumr; hann bjo a SkriSinsenni; {jat er
mini Bitru ok KollafjarSar. Hann atti \)a konu er Cordis 25
het; hon var dottir Asmundar haerulangs, f93ur Grettis
Asmundarsonar. Ospakr het sonr {jeira. Hann var mikill
maSr vexti ok sterkr, odaell ok uppiv9zlumikill, var bratt i*att] H- M, added by H.Fr. following paper MSS.

4

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

flutningum miUi Stranda ok norSrsveita, gerviligr maSr
ok gerisk rammr at afli. Eitt sumar kom hann i Mi3fi9rS
ok seldi fang sitt. Ok einn dag fekk hann ser best ok reiS
upp a Mel ok hittir Odd. I>eir kv9ddusk ok spurSusk
5 almaeltra tiSenda. Ospakr maelti: „A JDa leiS er, Oddr,"
sagSi hann, ,,at goS frett ferr um ySvart raS; ertu mJ9k
lofaSr af m9nnum, ok allir Jjykkjask jaeir vel komnir er
meS \)er eru. Nu vaenti ek at mer muni sva gefask; vilda
ek hingat raSask til j^in." Oddr svarar: ,,Ekki ertu mJ9k
10 lofaSr af m9nnum ok eigi ertu vinsccll; {jykkir J)u hafa
br9g8 undir briinum, sva sem {jii ert aettborinn til." Ospakr
svarar: ,,Haf viS raun J)ina en eigi S9gn annarra, {jvi atfatt er betr latit en efni eru til. BeiSi ek {)ik ekki gjafar at;
vilda ek hafa hus Jiin en foeSa mik sjalfr ok sja })a hversu
15 J)er gezk at." Oddr svarar: ,,Miklir eru Jaer fraendr ok
torsottir ef ySr bySr^ viS at horfa, en viS Jaat er J)u skorar a
mik til viSt9ku, J^a megu vit a J)at haetta vetrlangt." Ospakr
tekr }jat meS J59kkum, ferr um haustit a Mel meS feng sinn
ok gerisk bratt hollr Oddi, syslar vel um biiit ok vinnr sem
20 tveir aSrir. Oddi likar vel viS hann. LiSa Jjau missari, ok
er varar, bySr Oddr honum heima at vera ok kvezk sva
betr Jaykkja. Hann vill mi ok jaat; annask Ospakr um
biiit, ok ferr J)at storvel fram. E>ykkir m9nnum mikils um
vert hversu JDCSsi maSr gefsk. Hann er ok vinsaell sjalfr, ok
25 stendr mi biiit meS miklum bloma ok Jjykkir einskis manns
raS virSuligra vera en Odds. Einn hlut Jjykkir m9nnum at
skorta at eigi se raS hans meS allri soemS, at hann er maSr
goSorSslauss. Var J>at pa. mikill siSr at taka upp ny goSorS
eSa kaupa, ok mi gerSi hann sva. S9fnu3usk honum skjott
30 {iingmenn; varu allir til hans fusir. Ok er mi kyrrt um hriS.

' b y S r ] correction for ,,bitr" M.

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

III
Oddi hugnar vel viS Ospak, let hann mJ9k raSa fyrirbiiinu. Hann var baeSi hagvirkr ^ ok mikilvirkr ok Jjarfr
buinu. LiSr af vetrinn, ok hugnar Oddi nu betr viS Ospaken fyrr, Jjvi at mi hefsk hann at fleira. A haustum heimtir
hann fe af fj^-Hi, ok ur3u goSar heimtur, missti einskis
sauSar. LiSr mi af vetrinn ok varar. Lysir Oddr pvi athann aetlar litan um sumarit, ok segir at Vali, fraendi hans,skal taka jaar viS biii. Vali svarar: ,,Sva er hattat, fraendi,
at ek em ekki Jjvi vanr, ok vil ek heldr annask um fe okkart
ok kaupeyri." Oddr snyr mi at Ospaki ok biSr hann takaviS bui. Ospakr svarar: ,,E'at er mer ofraS, {)6 at mi flytisk
fram er J)ii ert viS." Oddr leitar eptir, en Ospakr ferr
undan ok er Jjo oSfusi til; ok JDar kemr at hann biSr Odd
raSa, ef hann heitr honum sinni asja ok trausti. Oddr segir
at hann skal sva fara meS hans eign sem hann verSr mestr
maSr af ok vinsaelstr, sagSisk {^at reynt hafa at eigi mun
annarr maSr betr kunna ne vilja hans fe varSveita. Ospakr
biSr nil a hans valdi vera. Liika mi sva talinu. Oddr byr
mi skip sitt ok laetr bera V9ru til. E>etta frettisk ok er
margtalat um. Oddr Jjurfti eigi langan bunaS. VaU ferrmeS honum. Ok JDa er hann er albiiinn, leiSa menn hanntil skips. Ospakr leiddi hann i lengra lagi; attu |)eir martat tala. Ok er skammt var til skips, Jsa maelti Oddr: ,,Nu
er sa einn hlutr er oskilat er." ,, Hvat er Jjat ?" sagSi Ospakr.
„Ekki er set fyrir goSorSi minu," sagSi Oddr, ,,ok vfl ek at
JDU takir viS." ,,A J)essu er engi gegning," segir Ospakr,,,em ek ekki til |)ess foerr. Hefi ek p6 meira a hendr tekizk
en likligt se at ek valda eSa vel leysa. Er J)ar engi maSr

' hagvirkr] K, harSvirkr M.

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25

b

BANDAMANNA SAGA

jafnvel til fallinn sem faSir J^inn; er hann inn mesti
malamaSr ok forvitri." Oddr kvezk eigi mundu honum ihendr fa — ,,ok vil ek at J)u takir viS." Ospakr ferr undanok vildi |)6 feginn. Oddr segir a reiSi sina ef hann tekr
5 eigi viS, ok at skilnaSi Jjeira tekr Ospakr viS goSorSinu.
Ferr Oddr nu utan, ok teksk vel hans ferS, sem vanSi hansvar til. Ospakr ferr heim, ok var margtalat um Jjetta
mal; |)ykkir Oddr mikit vald hafa {jcssum manni i hendr
fengit. Ospakr riSr til {)ings um sumarit meS flokk manna,lo ok teksk honum JDat vel ok hSmannliga; kann }3at allt vel
af h9ndum at leysa er hann skylda l9g til; riSr af Jiingi meS
soemS. Hann heldr kappsamliga sina menn, ok lata hvergi
sinn hlut, ok er ekki mJ9k a JDa gengit; hann er goSr ok
greiSr viS alia sina nagranna. Hvergi Jjykkir mi minni
15 rausn ne risna a biiinu en aSr. Eigi skortir umsyslu, ok fara
raSin vel fram. LiSr mi a sumarit. RiSr hann til leiSar ok
helgar hana; ok er a leiS haustit, ferr hann a fjall er menn
ganga at geldfe, ok verSa heimtur goSar; er rikt fylgt, ok
missir einskis sauSar hvarki fyrir sina h9nd ne Odds.

IV
20 Sva bar til um haustit at Ospakr kom norSr i ViSidal a
Sv9lustaSi; Jiar bjo kona sii er Svala het. E>ar var honum
veittr beinleiki. Hon var vaen kona ok ung. Hon talar til
Ospaks ok biSr hann sja um raS sitt — ,,hefi ek Jiat frett,at Jju ert bumaSr mikill." Hann tok J)vi vel, ok tala Jjau
25 mart; fellsk hvart 9Sru vel i geS, ok lltask Jjau vel til ok
bliSliga. Ok Jjar kemr tali Jjeira at hann spyrr hverr raSa
eigi fyrir kosti hennar. ,,Engi maSr er mer skyldri," segirhon, ,,sa er n9kkurs er verSr, en E>6rarinn LangdoelagoSi
inn spaki." SiSan riSr Ospakr til fundar viS E>6rarin, ok er

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

7

Jjar tekit viS honum vel at eins. Hann hefir mi uppi sitt orendi ok biSr SV9IU. E>6rarinn svarar: ,,Ekki kann ek at girnask til Jjins maegis; er margtalat um Jjinar meSferSir. Kann
ek J)at sja at ekki ma i tveim^ h9ndum hafa viS slika menn,
verSr^ annathvart at taka upp bii hennar ok lata hana fara 5
hingat, ella munu Jjit gera sem ykkr likar. Nii mun ek mer
engu af skipta, ok kalla ek ekki Jjetta mitt raS." Eptir Jjetta
ferr Ospakr a brott ok kemr a Sv9lustaSi ok segir henni sva
buit. Nii gera Jjau raS sitt, ok fastnar hon sik sjalf, ok ferr
hon meS honum a Mel, en Jjau eigu bii a Sv9lust9Sum ok 10
fa menn tfl fyrir at vera. Nii er Ospakr a Mel ok helt rausn
i biiinu; hann Jjotti p6 vera odaeldarmaSr mikill.
Nii liSr af vetrinn, ok um sumarit kom Oddr lit i
HrutafirSi; hafSi honum enn orSit gott til fjar ok mannheilla; kemr heim a Mel ok litr yfir eignir sinar, Jjykkir vel
varSveizk hafa ok gezk vel at. LiSr nu a sumarit. E>at er eittsinn at Oddr vekr til viS Ospak at vel muni fallit at hanntoeki viS goSorSi sinu. Ospakr sagSi: , J a , " segir hann,,,Jjar er sa hlutr er ek var ofiisastr til meS at fara ok sizt til
foerr; em ek Jjess ok albuinn, en Jjat setla ek m9nnum Jjo
tiSast at Jjat se g9rt annathvart a leiSum eSa J)ingum."
Oddr svarar: ,,E>at ma vel vera." LiSr mi a sumarit atleiSinni fram. Ok leiSarmorgininn er Oddr vaknar, litask
hann um ok ser fatt manna i skalanum, hefir hann sofit fastok lengi, spratt upp ok veit at menn eru g9rsamliga orskalanum. Honum Jjotti Jjetta undarligt, ok talar JJO fatt;hann bysk um ok n9kkurir menn meS honum'", ok riSa
nu til leiSarinnar. Ok er Jjeir komu Jjar, Jja var J)ar martmanna fyrir, ok varu Jja mJ9k brott biinir, ok var helguS
leiSin. Oddi bregSr nu i brun, J)ykkir undarlig J)essi tiltekja.
' tveim] JS begins with this word.
" verSr] K, ~ M and JS.
'"meS honum] 4-botti jDctta undarligt M; doubtless the result of dittography, cf.
line 26 and B igy6, / j , note i to the M text.

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O

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B A N D , M A N N A SAGA

Fara menn heim, ok liSa JjaSan n9kkurir dagar. E>at var
enn einn dag er Oddr sat undir borSi ok Ospakr gegnt
honum, ok er minnst varir, hleypr Oddr undan borSinu
ok at Ospaki ok hefir reidda oxi i hendi ser, biSr hannmi laust lata goSorSit. Ospakr svarar: ,,Eigi muntu Jjurfa
meS sva miklu kappi at soekja; Jjegar hefir Jjii goSorS er
Jju vill, ok vissa ek eigi er Jjer vaeri alvara viS at taka."
Retti hann Jja fram h9ndina ok fekk Oddi goSorSit. Varmi kyrrt um hriS, ok heSan" gerisk fatt meS Jjeim'^ Oddi
ok Ospaki. Er Ospakr heldr ygr viSskiptis. Grunar mennum at Ospakr myndi hafa aetlat ser hafa goSorSit en eigi
Oddi, ef eigi hefSi verit kiigat af honum at hann maetti
eigi 13 undan komask. Nii verSr ekki af biisumsyslunni;
Oddr kveSr hann at engu, maeltusk Jjeir ok ekki viS. t>at
var einn dag at Ospakr byr ferS sina. Oddr laetr sem hannviti Jjat eigi; skiljask Jjeir sva at hvarrgi kveSr annan.
Ospakr ferr mi a Sv9lustaSi til biis sins. Oddr laetr mi sem
ekki se at orSit, ok er mi kyrrt um hriS.
t e s s er getit at um haustit fara menn a fjall, ok skaut
mJ9k i tvau horn um heimtur Odds fra Jjvi er verit hafSi.
Hann skorti at haustheimtu fjora tigu geldinga ok Jja alia
er beztir varu af fe hans; er mi viSa leitat um fJ9ll ok
heiSar, ok finnask eigi. Undarligt Jjotti Jjctta vera, J)vi at
Oddr J)6tti feauSnumaSr meiri en aSrir menn. Sva mikill
atrekandi var g9rr um leitina at baeSi var leitat til annarra
heraSa ok heima, ok gerSi eigi. Ok um siSir dofnar enn
yfir Jjessu, ok var Jjo margroett um hverju gegna myndi.
Oddr var ekki glaSr um vetrinn. Vali, fraendi hans, frettihann hvi hann vaeri oglaSr — ,,eSa hvart Jjykki J)er sva
mikit geldingahvarfit? Ok ertu eigi Jja mikill borSi ef'heSan] „he8"
M,he\6rJS.
' meS {jeim] JS; omitted at a line-end in M.
' eigi] -^ M and JS; suggested by Cederschiold, AjVF V (r88gj,

1^2.

BANDAMANNA SAGA

9J)ik hryggir slikt," Oddr svarar: ,,Eigi hryggir mik geldingahvarfit, en hitt J)ykki mer verra er ek veit eigi hverrstolit hefir." ,,E>ykki Jjer J)at vist," segir Vali, ,,at Jjat mun
af orSit, eSa hvar horfir Jjii helzt a ? " Oddr svarar: ,,Ekki
er Jjvi at leyna at ek aetla Ospak stolit hafa." Vali svarar: 5„Fersk mi vinatta ykkur fra Jjvi er Jjii settir hann yfir allt
J)itt goz." Oddr kvaS Jjat verit hafa it mesta glapraeSi okvanum betr tekizk hafa. Vali maelti: ,,Margra manna
mal var Jjat at Jjat vaeri undarligt. Nii vil ek at Jjii sniiir
eigi sva skjott malinu til afellis honum; er Jjat haett viS 10
orSi at omerkiliga J)ykki verSa. Nii skulu vit J)vi saman
kaupa," sagSi Vali, ,,at Jjii skalt mik lata fyrir raSa hversu
at er farit, en ek skal verSa viss ins sanna." Nu kaupa J)eir
Jjcssu. Vali byr mi ferS sina ok ferr meS varning sinn, riSr
lit til Vatnsdals ok Langadals ok selr varninginn; var 15
hann vinsaell ok tillagagoSr. Hann ferr mi leiS sina Jjar
til er hann kemr a Sv9lustaSi, ok fekk J)ar goSar viSt9kur.
Ospakr var allkatr. Vali bjosk JjaSan um morgininn.
Ospakr leiddi hann or garSi ok fretti margs fra Oddi.
Vali sagSi gott af hans raSi. Ospakr let vel yfir honum ok 20
kvaS hann vera rausnarmann mikinn — ,,e3a er hannfyrir sk9Sum orSinn i haust?" Vali kvaS J)at satt vera.
,,Hverjar eru getur a um sauSahvarfit? Hefir Oddr lengi
fegefinn verit her til." Vali svarar: ,,Eigi er Jjat a eina leiS;sumir jetla at vera muni af manna V9ldum." Ospakr segir: 25,,Oaetlanda er slikt, ok er eigi margra br9g3." ,,Sva'*
er ok," segir Vali'^. Ospakr maelti: ,,Hefir Oddr n9kkurar
getur a ? " Vah maelti: ,,Fatala3r er hann til, en Jjo er
fj9lroett um af 93rum m9nnum hverju gegna muni." ,,E>at
er eptir vanum," sagSi Ospakr. ,,A J)a leiS er," sagSi 30
Vali, ,,er J)6 h9fu vit J)etta talat, at J)at vilja sumir"Sva] „Su"
M,^JS.
'^ segir Vali] omitted at a line-end in M. ~ JS: inserted by H.Fr. following paper MSS.

IO

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kalla eigi ovaent at vera muni af Jjinum V9ldum; dragamenn Jjat saman er Jjit skilduS stuttliga en hvarfit varS eigi
miklu siSar." Ospakr svarar: ,,Eigi varSi mik at pit myndir
slikt maela, ok ef vit vaerim eigi slikir vinir, Jja mynda ek
Jjessa sarliga hefna." Vali svarar: ,,Eigi Jjarftu Jjessa atdylja eSa sva oSr viS at verSa. Eigi mun J)etta af J)er bera,
ok hefi ek set yfir raS Jjitt, ok se ek Jjat at miklu hefir JJU
meiri f9ng en likligt se at vel muni fengit." Ospakr svarar:,,Eigi mun sva reynask, ok eigi veit ek hvat tala fjandmenn
varir er slikt tala vinirnir." Vali svarar: ,,E>etta er ok ekki
af fjandskap maelt af mer viS Jjik, er Jjii heyrir einn a. Nii
ef Jjii gerir sva sem ek vil ok gangir viS fyrir mer, Jja mun
Jjer lett falla, Jjvi at ek skal setja raS til J)ess. Ek hefi seldan
varning minn viSa um sveitir; mun ek segja at J)ii hafir viS
tekit ok keypt Jjer meS slatr ok aSra hluti; mun J)at engi
maSr mistriia. Skal ek sva til haga at J)er verSi engi osoemSat Jjessu, ef JJU fylgir minu raSi at." Ospakr sagSisk eigi
mundu viS ganga. ,,153 mun fara verr," segir Vali, ,,ok
veldr JJU sjalfr." SiSan skiljask Jjeir, ok ferr VaU heim.
Oddr spyrr hvers hann hefSi viss orSit um sauSahvarfit.
Vali let ser fatt um finnask. Oddr maelti: ,,Nii J)arf eigi viS
at dyljask at Ospakr'^ hefir stolit, Jjvi at Jjii myndir hanngjarna undan bera ef JJU maettir." Er mi kyrrt um vetrinn.
Ok er varaSi ok stefnudagar komu, Jja ferr Oddr meS
tuttugu menn Jjar til er hann kom mJ9k at garSi a SV9IUst9Sum. f>a maelti Vali viS O d d : ,,Nu skulu J)er lata takaniSr hesta ySra, en ek mun riSa til hiiss ok hitta Ospak okvita at hann vili saettask ok J)urfi malit eigi fram at hafa."
Nii gera Jjeir sva. Vali riSr heim. Ekki var manna uti;
opnar varu dyrr; gengr Vali inn; myrkt var i hiisum. Ok
er minnst varir, hleypr maSr or setinu ok hoggr milU herSa
Vala sva at hann fell Jjegar. E>at var O s p a k r " Vali maelti:" Ospakr] JS ends with this word.
' ' t>at var Ospakr] K, -i- M; cf. 12123-24, 36J2 and Studiar, 44, 233.

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

I I,,ForSa J)er, vesall maSr, J)vi at Oddr er skammt fra garSi
ok aetlar at drepa Jjik. Send konu Jjina a fund Odds, oksegi hon at vit sem sattir ok hafir J)ii gengit viS malinu, en
ek se farinn at fjarreiSum minum iit i dali." I^a maelti
Ospakr: „f>etta erit versta verkorSit; hafSa ek Oddi J)etta 5
aetlat en eigi Jjer." Svala hittir nu Odd ok segir Jja satta,
Ospak ok Vala — ,,ok baS Vali Jjik aptr hverfa." Oddr
truir Jjessu ok riSr heim. Vali let lif sitt, ok var flutt lik hansa Mel. Oddi Jjottu Jjetta mikil tiSendi ok ill. Faer hann afJ)essu ovirSing, ok Jjotti slysliga tekizk hafa. Nii hverfr 10
Ospakr a brott, sva at eigi vitu menn hvat af honum verSr.

V
Nu er fra Jjvi at segja at Oddr byr mal Jjetta til Jjings ok
kveSr heiman bua. E>at verSr til tiSenda at maSr andask or
kv93inni. Oddr kveSr annan i staSinn. Fara menn mi tilJ)ings, ok er Jjar kyrrt framan til doma. Ok er domar faralit, hefir Oddr fram vigsmalit, ok teksk honum Jjat greitt,ok er nu boSit til varna. Skammt i brott fra domunum satu
J)eir h9fiSingjarnir, Styrmir ok E>6rarinn, meS flokk sinn.
E>a maelti Styrmir viS Porarin: ,,Nii er til varna boSit um
vigsmalit; eSa vill J)ii n9kkur andsv9r veita Jjessu mali?"t>6rarinn svarar: ,,Engu mun ek mer J)ar af skipta, Jjvi at
mer synisk Odd nog nauSsyn til reka at maela eptir slikanmann sem Vali var, en sa fyrir hafSr at ek setla at se innversti maSr." , J a , " sagSi Styrmir, ,,eigi er maSrinn goSr
vist, en J)6 er Jjer n9kkur vandi a viS hann." ,,Ekki hirSi ek
Jjat," sagSi I>6rarinn. Styrmir maelti: ,,A hitt er at lita at
ySvart vandraeSi m^un verSa, ok Jja miklu meira ok torveldra, ef hann verSr sekr, ok synisk mer asjamal vera, ok
leitum i n9kkurra raSa, Jjvi at sja vit baSir v9rn i malinu.",,Fyrir l9ngu sa ek J)at," segir E>6rarinn, ,,ok lizk mer J)6

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eigi raSligt at seinka malit." Styrmir maelti: ,,Til Jjin kemr
JJO mest, ok Jjat munu menn tala at J)er verSi litilmannliga
ef fram ferr malit en v9rnin se bryn. Er Jjat ok mala sannast
at vel vaeri J)6tt Oddr vissi at fleiri eru n9kkurs verSir en
5 hann einn; treSr hann oss alia undir fotum ok Jjingmenn
vara, sva at hans eins er getit; sakar eigi at hann reyni
hversu l9gkcenn hann er." E>6rarinn svarar: ,,E'ii skalt
raSa, ok Jjer mun ek at veita; en eigi er Jjetta goSvaenligt
ok mun illan enda eiga." ,,Ekki ma at J)vi fara," sagSi
10 Styrmir, sprettr upp ok gengr at domum, spyrr hvat Jjar
fari fram malum manna. Honum er Jjat sagt. Styrmir
maelti: ,,Sva er hattat, Oddr, at varnir eru fundnar i maliJ)inu, ok hefir Jjii rangt til biiit malit, kvatt heiman tiu biia;
er Jjat l9gleysa; attir Jjii Jjat a J)ingi at gera en eigi i heraSi.
15 Ger mi annathvart, gakk fra dominum viS sva buit, eSa
ver munum foera fram V9rnina." Oddr Jjagnar ok hugsar
malit, finnr at satt er, gengr fra dominum meS flokk sinn
ok heim til buSar. Ok er hann kemr i biiSarsundit, Jja
gengr maSr i mot honum; sa er viS aldr. Hann var i svartri
20 ermakapu, ok var hon komin at sliti; ein var ermr akapunni ok horfSi sii a bak aptr. Hann hafSi i hendi stafok brodd i, hafSi siSa hettuna ok rak undan skyggnur,
stappaSi niSr stafnum ok for heldr bjiigr. E>ar var kominn
Ofeigr karl, faSir hans. E>a maelti Ofeigr: ,,Snimma gangi
25 Jjer fra domum," sagSi hann, ,,ok er ySr eigi einn hlutr
vel gefinn at sva er allt snarligt ok sn9furligt um ySr; eSa
er hann sekr, Ospakr?" ,,Nei," sagSi Oddr, ,,eigi er hannsekr." Ofeigr maelti: ,,Eigi er J)at h9fSingligt at ginna mik
gamlan; eSa hvi myndi hann eigi sekr? Var hann eigi
30 sannr at S9kinni?" ,,Sannr vist," segir Oddr. ,,Hvat er
Jja?" segir Ofeigr, ,,ek hugSa at hann maetti bita S9kin;
eSa var hann eigi banamaSr Vala?" ,,Engi maelir Jjvi imot," sagSi Oddr. Ofeigr maelti: ,,Hvi er hann Jja eigi
sekr?" Oddr svarar: ,,V9rn fannsk i malinu, ok fell niSr."

BANDAMANNA SAGA

13

Ofeigr maelti: ,,Hvi myndi v9rn finnask i mali sva auSigs
manns?" ,,E'at k9lluSu Jjeir at rangt vaeri heiman buit,"
segir Oddr. ,,Eigi mun Jjat vera, er Jjii fort meS malit,"
sagSi Ofeigr, ,,en vera kann at Jjer se meir lagiSr fesniiSr
ok ferSir en algott tilstilli um malaferli. En J)6 aetla ek at 5
Jjii berir nu eigi satt upp fyrir mik." Oddr svarar:,,Ek hirSi
aldri hvart Jjii tniir eSa eigi." ,,Sva kann vera," sagSi
Ofeigr, ,,en Jjegar vissa ek, er Jjii fort heiman or heraSi, at
rangt var til buit malit; en Jjii J)6ttisk Jjer oerinn einn okvildir engan mann at spyrja; mi muntu ok vera J)er nogr 10
einn um J)etta mal. Er mi baeSi at J)er mun vel takask, enda
er slikum allvant um, er allt Jjykkir lagt hja ser." Oddr
svarar: ,,E'at er Jjo synna at eigi verSi at J)er gagn." Ofeigr
maelti: ,,Sii ein er nu hjalpin i Jjinu mali, ef Jjii nytr min
viS; eSa hversu fesparr myndir Jjii mi vera, ef n9kkurr 15
leiSretti m a h t ? " Oddr svarar: ,,Ekki sperSa ek fe, ef
n9kkurr vildi ganga i malit." Ofeigr maelti: ,,f>alattukoma
i hendr karli Jiessum sjoS n9kkurn digran, Jjvi at margra
manna augu verSa feskjalg." Oddr faer honum mikinn
fesjoS. E>a spurSi Ofeigr: ,,Hvart var fram foerS l9gv9rnin 20
eSa eigi?"'^ ,,Fyrri gingu ver fra domunum," sagSi Oddr.
Ofeigr svarar: ,,E>at eina heldr fram, er JjiigerSirovitandi."
Nii skiljask Jjeir, ok gengr Oddr heim til buSar sinnar.

VI
Nii er Jjar til at taka at Ofeigr karl gengr upp a V9lluna
ok til domanna, kemr at NorSlendingadomi ok spyrr 25
hvat Jjar fari fram malum manna. Honum er sagt at sum
varu doemS en sum biiin til reifingar. ,,Hvat liSr um mal
Odds, sonar mins, eSa er Jjvi lokit mi?" ,,Lokit sem mun,"" e i g i ] -I- M; added by H.Fr. following a paper .MS.

14

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BANDAMANNASAGA

s9gSu Jjeir. Ofeigr maelti: ,,Er hann sekr orSinn, Ospakr?",,Nei," segja J)eir, ,,eigi er J)at." ,,Hvat veldr Jjvi?" sagSi
Ofeigr. ,,V9rn fannsk i mafinu," s9gSu Jjeir, ,,ok var rangt
til biiit." ,,Ja," sagSi hann Ofeigr, ,,munu J)er lofa mer at
ganga i d o m i n n ? " E>eir jata J)vi. Hann gengr i domhringinn ok sezk niSr. Ofeigr maelti: "Hvart er doemt mal
Odds, sonar mins?" ,,Doemt er Jjat sem mun," segja Jjeir.
,,Hvi gegnir Jjat?" segir Ofeigr, ,,er villt upp borit um
S9kina a hendr Ospaki? Drap hann eigi Vala saklausan?
Nam Jjat viS at eigi vaeri malit brynt?" E>eir segja: ,,V9rn
fannsk i malinu, ok fell niSr." ,,Hvern veg er V9rn sii?"
sagSi Ofeigr. E>a var honum sagt. ,,Sva vist," segir hann —,,synisk ySr Jjat meS n9kkurum rettendum at gefa gaum atsliku er einskis er vert en dcema eigi inn versta mannsekjan, Jjjof ok manndrapsmann ? Er Jjat eigi abyrgSarhlutr
mikill at doema Jjann syknan er draps er verSr, ok doema
sva i moti rettendum?" E>eir S9g3u at Jjcim Jjoetti Jjat eigi
rettligt, en JJO S9gSu Jjeir Jjat fyrir sik lagt. ,,Sva ma vera,"
sagSi Ofeigr. ,,Unnu J)er eiSinn?" segir Ofeigr. ,,At visu,"
S9g3u Jjeir. ,,Sva mun verit hafa," sagSi hann, „e3a hversu
kvaSu Jjer at orSi? Eigi svana, at J)er skyldiS J)at doema at
Jjer vissiS sannast ok rettast '^ ok helzt at l9gum ? Sva myndiJ)er maela." E>eir kvaSu sva vera. E>a maelti Ofeigr: ,,Enhvat er sannara eSa rettara^o en doema inn versta mannsekjan ok draepan ok firrSan allri bJ9rg, Jjann er sannreyndr
er at stulS ok at Jjvi at hann drap saklausan mann, Vala?
En J)at it JjriSja er at fellr eiSrinn, ma kalla n9kkut sveigt.
HyggiS mi at fyrir ySr hvart meira er vert, J)essi tvau orSin
er saeta sannendum ok rettendum, eSa hitt eitt er vikr til
laganna. Sva mun ySr synask sem er, Jjvi at Jjer munuS sja
kunna at J)at er meiri abyrgS at doema J)ann frjalsan er"ok rettast] -=- M. but cf. I4l2g. i^jy;"eSa rettara] K, -h M.

Khas rettast ok sannast.

BANDAMANNA SAGA

I5

makligr er dauSans, en hafa aSr svarit eiSa at Jjer skyldiS
sva doema sem Jjer vissiS rettast. Nu megi sva a lita at
Jjetta mun ySr Jjungt falla ok undan Jjessi abyrgS varla
komask." Ofeigr Isetr stundum siga sjoSinn niSr undan
kapunni, en stundum kippir hann upp. E>at finnr hann atJ)eir renna augum til sjoSsins. Hann maelti Jja til J)eira:,,E>at vaeri raSligra at doema rett ok satt, sem Jjer hafiSsvarit, ok hafa Jjar i mot Jj9kk ok aufusu hygginna manna
ok rettsynna." Hann tok siSan sjoSinn ok steypSi or silfrinu
ok talSi fyrir J)eim. ,,Nu vil ek lysa vinattubragS viS ySr,"
sagSi hann, ,,ok se ek J)6 meir fyrir ySr i J)essu mali en fyrirmer; ok geri ek Jjvi sva at Jjer eruS sumir vinir minir ensumir fraendr, ok J)6 J)eir einir at nauSsyn heldr til athverr gaeti sjalfs sins. Vil ek gefa hverjum manni eyri silfrs
er i domi sitr, en Jjeim halfa m9rk er reifir malit, ok hafi
Jjer Jja baeSi feit ok firrSa ySr abyrgS, en spilliS eigi soerum
ySrum er Jjo liggr mest viS." E>eir hugsa malit, ok lizk
sannligt vera viS umt9lur hans, en Jjykkir aSr komit i illt
efni um eiSabrigSin, ok kjosa J)eir J)ann kost af er Ofeigr
bauS J)eim. Er J)a J)egar sent eptir Oddi, ok kemr hannJ)ar, en h9fSingjarnir eru Jja heim gengnir til buSa. Nii erJ)egar fram haft malit ok er Ospakr sekr g9rr ok siSan
nefndir vattar at domsorSi vaeri a lokit. Nu fara menn heim
til biiSa sinna viS sva buit. Engi frett for af Jjessu um
nottina; en at L9gbergi um morgininn stendr Oddr upp
ok talar hatt: ,,Her varS maSr sekr i nott, er Ospakr heitir,i NorSlendingadomi um vig Vala. En Jjat er at segja til
sekSarmarka hans at hann er mikill vexti ok karlmannligr;
hann hefir brunt har ok stor bein i andliti, svartar brynn,
miklar hendr, digra leggi, ok allr hans V9xtr er afburSarmikill, ok er maSr inn gloepamannligsti." Nii bregSr
m9nnum i briin mJ9k. Margir h9fSu aSr enga frett af
haft. E>ykkir m9nnum Oddr fast fylgt hafa ok giptusamliga
til hafa tekizk, sva sem komit var malinu.

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B A N D A M A N N A SAGAVII
Fra J)vi er sagt at Jjeir Styrmir ok I>6rarinn talask viS.
Styrmir maelti: ,,Mikla sneypu ok svivirSing h9fu vit af
Jjessu mali fengit." E>6rarinn segir Jjat eptir likendum —,,ok munu her vitrir menn hafa um veit." , J a " , sagSi
5 Styrmir, ,,ser Jju n9kkut mi til leiSrettu?" ,,Eigi veit ek
at Jjat megi bratt verSa," segir E>6rarinn. ,,Hvat helzt?"
segir Styrmir. E>6rarinn svarar: ,,Vaeri S9kin viS Jja er fevar borit i dom, ok sii mun bita." ,,I>a er vaent um, ef verskulum rettask^'," segir Styrmir. Ganga J)eir Jja i brottlo ok heim til biiSa. E>eir heimta mi saman vini sina oktengSamenn a eina malstefnu. E>ar var einn Hermundr
Illugason, annarr Gellir E>orkelsson22, JjriSi Egill Skulason,
fjorSi Jarnskeggi Einarsson, fimmti Skegg-Broddi Bjarnason, setti E>orgeirr Halldoruson, ok Jjeir Styrmir ok E>6rar15 inn. E>essir atta menn ganga nu a tal. Segja Jjeir Styrmir
ok E>6rarinn malav9xtu ok hvar Jja var komit, ok hversu
mikill sloegr til var fjarins Odds, ok Jjat at allir munu Jjeir
fullsaelir af verSa. t>eir raSa mi til fasta meS ser at veitask
allir at malinu, sva at annathvart skyli fyrir koma sekSir
20 eSa sjalfdoemi. Ganga mi siSan i b9nd ok eiSa ok hyggja
mi at Jjessu megi ekki bregSa ok engi muni traust a beraeSa kunnattu i moti at risa. Skilja at sva maeltu, ok riSa
menn heim af J)ingi, ok ferr Jjetta fyrst af hljoSi. Oddr
unir mi vel viS sina JjingreiS, ok er mi fleira i fraendsemi
25 meS Jjcim feSgum en verit hafSi; sitr mi um kyrrt Jjau
missari. Ok um varit hittask Jjeir feSgar viS laug, ok spyrr
Ofeigr tiSenda. Oddr lezk engi fretta ok spyrr a moti.
Ofeigr segir at Jjeir Styrmir ok E>6rarinn hafa safnat liSi okaetla at fara a Mel stefnuf9r. Oddr frettir hver S9k til Jjess
30 se. Ofeigr segir honum alia aetlan Jjeira. Oddr svarar:
2'vaent um, efver skulum rettask] K. H- M; cf Studiar, 64.
22 Porkelsson] K, E>6rSarson M.

BANDAMANNA SAGA

I7,,Ekki lizk mer Jjetta Jjungt." Ofeigr segir: ,,E>at ma vera
at ySr verSi Jjat ekki um afl." LiSa mi stundir at stefnud9gum, ok koma J)eir Styrmir ok E>6rarinn a Mel meS
fJ9lmenni. Oddr hafSi ok mart manna fyrir. E>eir h9f3u
fram mal sin ok stefna Oddi til aljjingis fyrir Jjat er hann
hafSi latit bera fe i dom at 6l9gum. VerSr Jjar ekki fleira
til tiSenda, ok riSa Jjeir i brott meS flokk sinn. Sva berr
enn til at J)eir feSgar hittask ok talask viS. Spyrr Ofeigr
hvart honum Jjykki enn einskis um vert. Oddr svarar:,,Eigi lizk mer Jjetta mal J)ungHgt." „Eigi synisk mer sva,"
segir Ofeigr, ,,eSa hversu g9rla veiztu i hvert efni komit
er?" Oddr lezk vita Jjat er Jja var fram komit. Ofeigr
svarar: ,,Meira sloSa mun draga, at J)vi er ek hygg, Jjvi at
sex h9fi5ingjar aSrir, J)eir at mestir eru, hafa gengit i malit
meSJ)eim." Oddr svarar: ,,Mikils Jjykkir Jjeim viS Jjurfa."
Ofeigr maelti: ,,Hvertmun Jjitt r a S m i v e r a ? " Oddr svarar:,,Hvat nema riSa til Jjings ok biSja ser liSs?" Ofeigr
svarar: ,,E>at synisk mer ovaent at sva f9llnu mali, ok mun
eigi gott at eiga sina soemS undir liSi flestra." ,,Hvat er Jja
til raSs?" segir Oddr. Ofeigr maelti: ,,E'at er mitt raS at
Jjii biiir skip J)itt um Jjing, ok ver biiinn meS allt lausagozJ)itt aSr menn riSa af Jjingi. ESa hvart Jjykki Jjer betr
komit J)at fe er J)eir taka upp fyrir Jjer, eSa hitt er ek hefi?",,E>at Jjykki mer illskainn at J)ii hafir." Ok nu faer Oddr
f93ur sinum einn digran fesjoS fullan af silfri ok skiljask atJ)vi. Oddr byr mi skip sitt ok raeSr menn til. LiSr mi framat J)inginu, ok ferr J)essi raSagorS af hIjoSi sva at fair
verSa visir.

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VIII
Nii riSa Jjeir h9fSingjarnir til J)ings ok fJ9lmenna mJ9k.
Ofeigr karl var i flokki Styrmis. E>eir bandamenn maeltu 30

IB

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BANDAMANNASAGA

mot meS ser a BlaskogaheiSi, Egill ok Gellir^^ ok Styrmir
ok Hermundr ok I>6rarinn; riSa mi allir saman suSr til
vallarins. I>eir riSa austan, Skegg-Broddi ok I^orgeirr
Halldoruson or Laugardal, en Jarnskeggi norSan, ok
hittask hja ReySarmiila. RiSa mi allir flokkarnir ofan a
v9lluna ok sva a Jjing. E>ar er mi flest um talat sem mal
Odds eru. E>ykkir Jjat 9llum m9nnum vist vera at her mun
engi fyrir svara; aetla Jjat at fair J)ori, enda geri engum,
slikir h9fSingjar sem til mots eru. E>ykkir Jjeim ok allvaent
um sitt mal, ok brasta allmikit. Engi er sa er i moti Jjeim
kasti einu orSi. Oddr hefir engum manni um sitt mal
boSit; byr hann skip sitt i HriitafirSi Jjegar menn varu til
Jjings farnir. E>at var einn dag er Ofeigr karl gekk fra biiS
sinni ok var ahyggjumikit; ser enga liSveizlumenn sina, en
Jjotti viS Jjungt at etja; ser varla sitt foeri einum viS slika
h9f3ingja, en i mali varu engar verndir; ferr hoekilbjiigr,
hvarflar i milli buSanna ok reikar a fotum; ferr J)annig
lengi; kemr um siSir til biiSar Egils Skiilasonar. P a r varu
Jja menn komnir til tals viS Egil. Ofeigr veik hja biiSardurunum ok beiS Jjar til Jjess er menninir gengu i brott. Egill
fylgSi J)eim lit, en er hann aetlar inn at ganga, Jja snyr
Ofeigr fyrir hann ok kvaddi Egil. Hann leit viS honum ok
spurSi hverr hann vaeri. ,,Ofeigr heiti ek," sagSi hann.
Egill maelti: ,,Ertu faSir O d d s ? " Hann kvaS sva vera. ,,Pa
muntu vilja tala um mal hans, en J)at Jjarf ekki viS mik attala; miklu er Jjvi meir fyrir komit en ek mega Jjar neitt til
leggja. Eru ok aSrir meir fyrir J)vi mali en ek, Styrmir ok
E>6rarinn; lata J)eir mest til sin taka, p6 at ver fylgim J)eim
at." Ofeigr svarar, ok varS staka a munni:

30(I) Fyrr var soemra
til sonar hugsa;" ok Gellir] K. ~ M.

BANDAMANNA SAGA

get^* ek aldregi
Odds at sinni;
sa kann^^ litit
til laga, gassi,
Jjott fjar hafi
fullar gnottir.

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5

Ok enn kvaS h a n n :(2) t>at er mi g9mlum
gleSi heimdragaat spjalla helzt
viS spaka drengi;
muntu eigi mermals of synja,
Jjvi at virSar Jjik
vitran kalla.

10

15,,Mun ek fa mer annat til skemmtanar en tala um mal
Odds; hefir Jjat verit rifligra en mi. Muntu eigi vilja
synja mer mals; er J)at mi helzt gaman karls at tala viS J)ess
hattar menn ok dvelja sva af stundir." EgiO svarar: ,,Eigi
skal varna Jjer mals." Ganga Jjeir mi tveir saman ok 20
setjaskniSr. E>a tekr Ofeigr til orSa: ,,ErtubiimaSr, Egill?"
Hann kvaS sva. ,,Byr Jjii Jjar at Borg?" ,,1'at er satt,"
segir Egill. Ofeigr maelti: ,,Vel er mer fra J)er sagt ok
skapfelldliga; er mer sagt at Jju sparir viS engan mann
mat ok ser rausnarmaSr ok okkr se ekki olikt farit, hvarr- 25
tveggi maSrinn aettstorr ok goSr af sinu, en ohoegr fjarhagrinn; ok Jjat er mer sagt at Jjer Jjykki gott vinum J)inumat veita." Egill svarar: ,,Vel Jjoetti mer at mer vaeri sva" g e t ] correction for ,,geck" M.
2*kann] correction by H.Fr.. hann M.

20

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

farit at frett sem J)er, J)vi at ek veit at J)ii ert aettstorr ok
vitr." Ofeigr maelti: ,,E>at er Jjo olikt, Jjvi at Jjii ert h9f3ingi
mikill ok ottask ekki, hvat sem fyrir er, ok laetr aldri J)inn
hlut viS hvern sem Jjii att, en ek litilmenni; en skaplyndi
5 kemr saman helzt meS okkr, ok er J)at harmr mikill erslika menn skal n9kkut fe skorta, er sva eru miklir borSi."
Egill svarar: ,,1'at kann vera at Jjat skiptisk bratt, at
hoegisk raSit." ,,Hversu kemr Jjat til?" kvaS Ofeigr.
,,f>annig hyggsk mer," sagSi Egill, ,,ef undir oss berr feit
10 Odds, at Jja muni fatt skorta, J)vi at oss er J)ar mikit af sagt
auS Jjeim." Ofeigr svarar: ,,Eigi mun Jjat aukit, p6 at hannse sagSr rikastr maSr a Islandi; en Jjo mun Jjer forvitni
a hverr J)inn hlutr verSr af fenu, Jjvi at JJU ert J)ess mJ9k
Jjurfi." ,,E>at er satt," kvaS Egill, ,,ok ertu goSr karl ok
15 vitr, ok muntu vita g9rla um fe Odds." Hann svarar: ,,E>ess
vaenti ek at Jjat se eigi 98rum kunnigra en mer, ok kannek Jjat at segja Jjer at engi segir sva mikit fra at eigi se JJO
meira. En J)6 hefi ek hugsat um aSr fyrir mer hvat J)ii
munt af hljota." Ok varS honum visa a munni:
2025(3) Satt er at soekir atta
seims agirni beima^^,orS gerask auSarnJ9rSum
omaet^', ok ranglaeti;
ynnak ySr fyrir m9nnum
ISja hlatr at lata,
Jjundum Jjykkra randa
Jjeys, ok soemSarleysis.
,,Hvat?28 Myndi Jjat olikhgt," segir Egill, ,,ok ertu skald^•^ beima] correction by Gudni Jonsson following paper M.SS; heima M.
^^omast] correction by H.Fr. following paper MSS; mast .M.
"'^Hvat?] H.Fr. and others read H r a t t ; th^ abbreviated spelling in .\d ,,/?*^/" can be
expanded in both ways; cf. B igy6, 44. note i to the M text.

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

2I

gott." Ofeigr maelti: ,,Ekki skal J)at draga fyrir Jjer hverja
fullsaelu J)ii munt upp taka, en Jjat er inn sextandi hlutr
or Melslandi." ,,Heyr a endemi," sagSi Egill, ,,eigi er J)afeit jafnmikit sem ek hugSa; eSa hversu ma J)etta vera?"
Ofeigr svarar: ,,Eigi er Jjat, allmikit er feit; en Jjess vaentir
mik at Jjessu naest munir J)ii hljota. Hafi Jjer eigi sva talatat Jjer skyldiS hafa halft fe Odds, en fjorSungsmenn halft?
I'd telsk mer J)annig til, ef Jjer eruS atta bandamenn, atJ)er muniS hafa inn sextanda hlut or Melslandi ^^; J)vi at
sva munu J)er til aetla ok sva maelt hafa — JJO at Jjer hafiSJ)etta meS fadoemum upp tekit meirum en menn viti doemitil, J)a munu J)er J)essi atkvaeSi haft hafa. ESa var ySr
n9kkur van a J)vi at Oddr, sonr minn, myndi sitja kyrr fyrir
geisan ySvarri, er Jjer riSiS norSr Jjangat? Nei," sagSi hannOfeigr, ,,eigi verSr ySr hann Oddr raSlauss fyrir, ok sva
mikla gnott sem hann hefir til fjar, Jja hefir hann Jjo eigi
minni gaefu til vitsmunanna ok til raSagorSa, Jjegar hann
Jjykkisk Jjess viS Jjurfa. Ok Jjat grunar mik at eigi skriSr at
siSr kn9rrinn undir honum um Islandshaf, p6 at J)er kalliShann sekjan. En Jjat ma eigi sekS heita er sva er rangliga
upp tekit, ok mun a Jja falla er meS fara, ok Jjess vaentir mik
at hann muni mi i hafi meS allt sitt nema landit a Mel —Jjat aetlar hann ySr. Frett hafSi hann J)at at eigi var l9ng
sjavargata til Borgar, ef hann koemi a BorgarfJ9r3. vNu
mun Jjetta sva setjask sem upp var hafit, at J)er munuS fa
af sk9mm ok svivirSing, ok gengr JJO at makligleikum, ok
Jjar meS hvers manns amaeh." iJa sagSi Egill: ,,lJetta munvera dagsanna, ok eru mi br9gS i malinu. Var J)at miklu
likara at Oddr myndi eigi sitja raSlauss fyrir, ok mun ek
eigi at J)essu telja, Jjvi at eru Jjeir sumir i malinu er ek ann
vel svivirSingar af ok mest oesa malit, sva sem er Styrmir^'inn sextanda hlut or Melslandi] emended; halft Melsland M. inn sextanda hlut
i Melslandi K. Prosecutors got half an outlaw's property (cf. p. lix) ; with eight of them
involved, each would get one-sixteenth.

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B A N D A M A N N A SAGAeSa E>6rarinn ok Hermundr." Ofeigr maelti: ,,1'at mun
fara sem betr er; en J)at mun fara sem makligt er, at Jjeir
munu fa margs manns amaeli af J)essu. En Jjat Jjykki mer
ilia er Jjii hefir eigi goSan hlut af, J)vi at J)ii fellsk mer vel i
geS ok bezt af ySr bandam9nnum." Laetr hann mi siga
fesjoS einn digran niSr undan kapunni. Egill bra til augum.
Ofeigr finnr Jjat, kippir upp sem skjotast undir kapuna
ok maelti: ,,A Jja leiS er, Egill," segir hann, ,,at mik vaentir
at Jjvi naer skal fara sem ek hefi sagt J)er. Nii mun ek gera
Jjer soemS n9kkura" — vindr mi upp sjoSnum ok steypir orsilfrinu i skikkjuskaut Egils; J)at varu tvau hundruS silfrs
Jjcss er bezt kunni verSa. ,,E>etta skaltu Jjiggja af mer ef J)ii
gengr eigi i moti malinu, ok er Jjetta n9kkurr soemSarhlutr."
Egill svarar: ,,E'at aetla ek at Jjii ser eigi meSalkarl vandr;er J)er engi J)ess van at ek muna vilja rjiifa soeri min."
Ofeigr segir: ,,Eigi eru J)er J)6 slikir sem J)er J)ykkizk; viliS
heita h9fSingjar en kunnuS ySr engan f9gnuS Jjegar J)er
komiS i n9kkurn vanda. Nii skaltu eigi sva meS fara, heldrm u n e k h i t t a J)atraS at JJU munt halda soeri Jjin." ,,Hvert erJ)at?" sagSi Egill. Ofeigr maelti: ,,Hafi J)er eigi sva maelt at
Jjer skyldiS hafa sekSir eSa sjalfdoemi ?" Egill kvaSsva vera.
,,E>at kann vera," sagSi Ofeigr, ,,at oss fraendum Odds se
Jjess unnt at kjosa hvart vera skal. Nii maetti sva til bera atundir Jjik koemi gorSin; vil ek Jja at J)u stillir henni."
Egill svarar: ,,Satt segir Jjii, ok ertu sloegr karl ok vitr, enJ)6 verS ek eigi til J)ess biiinn, ok hvarki hefi ek til mattne liSsafla at standa einn i mot J)essum h9fBingjum 9llum,J)vi at fjandskapr mun fyrir koma ef n9kkurr riss viS."
Ofeigr maelti: ,,Hversu mun ef annarr kemr i malit meS
Jjer?" ,,Pa mun naer fara," sagSi Egill. Ofeigr maelti:,,Hvern vill J)u helzt til kjosa af bandam9nnum? Lattu sva
sem ek eiga a 9llum V9I." ,,Tveir eru til," sagSi Egill,,,Hermundr er mer naestr, ok er ilia meS okkr, en annarr erGellir, ok hann mun ek til kjosa." ,,E>at er mikit til at

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

23

vinna," segir Ofeigr, ,,J)vi at 9llum ynna ek ills hlutar af
Jjessu mali nema J)er einum. En hafa mun hann vit til
Jjess at sja hvart betra er af at kjosa, at hafa fe ok soemS eSa
missa fjar ok taka viS ovirSing; eSa vill Jjii mi ganga imaht, ef undir Jjik kemr, tfl J)ess at minnka gorSina?",,E>at aetla ek vist," sagSi Egill. „Pa skal Jjetta vera fastmeS okkr," sagSi Ofeigr, ,,Jjvi at ek mun koma hegat til
Jjin af annarri stundu."

IX
Nii ferr Ofeigr i brott, ok skilja J)eir Egill. Reikar Ofeigr
mi milli buSanna ok er allhaeldreginn; er J)6 eigi sva dapr
meS sjalfum ser sem hann er hrumr at fotunum, ok eigi
sva laustoekr i malunum sem hann er lasmeyrr i g9ngunni.
LIm siSir kemr hann til biiSar Gellis iJorkelssonar^" oklaetr hann lit kalla. Hann kemr lit ok heilsar fyrr Ofeigi,J)vi at hann var litillatr, ok spyrr hvert orendi hans er.
Ofeigr svarar: ,,Hingat varS mer mi reikat." Gellir maelti:,,I>ii munt vilja tala um mal Odds." Ofeigr svarar: ,,Ekki
vil ek J)ar um tala, ok segi ek mer J)at afhent, ok mun ek
fa mer aSra skemmtan." Gellir maelti: ,,Hvat vill Jjii Jja
tala?" Ofeigr maelti: ,,f»at er mer sagt at pit ser vitr maSr,
en mer er J)at gaman at tala viS vitra menn." 3' E>a settusk
Jjeir niSr ok taka tal sin i milium. E>a spyrr Ofeigr: ,,Hvat
er ungra manna vestr Jjar i sveitum, Jjat er Jjer Jjykki
likligt til mikilla h9fSingja?" Gellir sagSi at goS V9I varu
Jjar a J)vi, ok nefnir til sonu Snorra goSa ok Eyrarmenn.
,,Sva er mer sagt," kvaS Ofeigr, ,,at vera muni, enda em^ t^orkelssonar] correction for t^orSarsonar M. cf. 16I12.
' menn] -(- Gellir segir: ,,Ek vil eigi synja \>tx viStals, Ofeigr" K.

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BANDAMANNA SAGA

ek nil vel til frettar kominn er ek tala viS J>ann manninn er
baeSi er sannorSr ok gegn, ESa hvat er kvenna J)eira vestr
Jjar er beztir kostir e r u ? " Hann nefnir til doetr Snorra
goSa ok doetr SteinJ)6rs a Eyri. ,,Sva er mer sagt," kvaS
5 Ofeigr, ,,eSa hversu er, attu eigi doetr n9kkurar?" Gellir
kvazk eiga vist. ,,Hvi nefnir J)ii eigi J)aer?" sagSi Ofeigr,,,engar munu friSari en Jjinar doetr, ef at likendum skal
raSa; eSa eru Jjaer eigi giptar?" ,,Eigi," sagSi hann. ,,Hvisaetir Jjat?" sagSi Ofeigr. Gellir segir: ,,E>vi at eigi hafa
10 Jjeir til boSizk at baeSi se storauSgir ok hafi staSfestur
goSar, kynrikir ok vel mannaSir .sjalfir, en ek em J)6 ekki
femikilP^, en Jjo mun ek mannvandr sakar kynferSis ok
virSingar. En skal nu eigi spyrjask lata alls. Hvat er J)eira
manna norSr Jjar er vaenir se til h9fSingja?" Ofeigr svarar:
15 ,,E'ar er gott mannval; tel ek J)ar fyrstan Einar, son
Jarnskeggja, ok Hall Styrmisson. Maela J)at ok sumir menn
at Oddr, sonr minn, se mannvaenligr maSr, enda skal nii
koma orSum Jjeim er hann bauS mer, at hann vildi
maegjask viS Jjik ok fa dottur Jjinnar J)eirar er RagnheiSr
20 heitir." ,,Ja," sagSi hann Gellir, ,,var Jjat er Jjvi myndi vel
svarat, en at sva bunu get ek at J)at frestisk." ,,Hvat kemr
til J)ess?" sagSi Ofeigr. Gellir maelti ,,Dimmu Jjykkir adraga raSit Odds, sonar Jjins, at sva bunu." Ofeigr svarar:,,Ek segi J)er meS S9nnu at aldri giptir J)u hana betr en
25 sva, Jjvi at einmaelt mun Jjat at hann se menntr sem sa erbezt er, enda skortir hann eigi fe ne aett goSa; en J)u ert
mJ9k fejjurfi, ok maetti sva verSa at J)er yrSi styrkr athonum, Jjvi at maSrinn er storlyndr viS vini sina." Gellir
segir:,, A Jjetta myndi litit, ef eigi stoeSi malaferli Jjessi yfir.''
30 Ofeigr svarar: ,,Gettu eigi vafrleysu Jjeirar er einskis er
verS, en Jjeim osomi i ok 9II folska er meS fara." Gellirsvarar: ,,Eigi er Jjat p6 minni van er at 9Sru gefisk, ok vil ek
32 femikill] K, fe M.

BANDAMANNA SAGA

25

eigi J)essu jata; en ef Jjetta maetti leysask, Jja vilda ek J)at
gjarna." Ofeigr svarar: ,,E>at kann vera, Gellir, at Jjer
takiS her allir fullsaelu upp; en Jjo ma ek segja Jjer hverrJ)inn hlutr mun af verSa, Jjvi at Jjat veit ek g9rla, ok mun
Jjat at bezta kosti at J)er atta bandamenn hljotiS halft
Melsland. VerSr Jja JJO eigi goSr Jjinn hluti, faer litit af fenu,
en hefir latit daSina ok drengskapinn, at Jjii vart aSr
kallaSr einnhverr beztr drengr a landinu." Gellir spurSi
hvi sva maetti verSa. Ofeigr svarar: ,,E»at J)ykki mer likast
at Oddr se mi i hafi meS allt sitt nema landit a Mel. Eigi^^
var ySr Jjess van at hann myndi raSlauss fyrir ok lata ySr
kjosa ok deila ySvar i milium. Nei," sagSi hann Ofeigr,,,heldr maelti hann hitt, ef hann koemi a BreiSafJ9rS, at
hann myndi finna boe J)inn ok maetti Jja kjosa ser kvanf9ng
or J)inum garSi, en sagSisk hafa nog eldsvirki til at brennaboe Jjinn ef hann vildi. Sva ok, ef hann koemi a BorgarfJ9rS,
J)a hafSi hann frett at eigi var l9ng sjavargata til Borgar.
Gat hann ok, ef hann koemi a EyjafJ9rS, at hann myndi
finna boe Jarnskeggja. Slikt it sama, ef hann koemi i
Austfj9rSu, at hann myndi hitta byggS Skegg-Brodda.
Nii liggr honum ekki a, Jjo at hann komi aldri til Islands,
en Jjer munuS hafa af Jjessu makligan hlut, en Jjat er
sk9mm ok svivirSing. Nii J)ykki mer Jjat illt, sva goSr
h9fSingi sem Jjii hefir verit, er J)ii hefir sva J)ungan hlutaf, ok sperSa ek Jjik til Jjess." Gellir svarar: ,,f>etta munvera satt, ok tel ek litt at, JJO at n9kkut undanbragS verSi
um fjarupptakit; let ek Jjetta leiSask eptir vinum minum,
meir en mer vaeri J)etta sva staSfast i skapi." Ofeigr maelti:,,Sva mun Jjer litask, J)egar eigi er ofmikit ras a Jjer, at sa
se hlutinn virSuligri at gipta Oddi, syni minum, dottur
Jjina, sem ek sagSa i fyrstu. Se her feit er hann sendi Jjer, ok
kvazk sjalfr mundu hana heiman gera, J)vi at hann vissi^^ eigi] error for eQa? — cf. 21112 and Studiar, 2ig~2o.

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vanefni Jjin; ok eru J)etta tvau hundruS silfrs Jjess er varlafaer slikt. HyggSu nu at hverr J)er bySr slikan kost, at gipta
slikum manni dottur Jjina, ok geri hann hana sjalfr heiman,
ok Jjat likast at aldri se forverkum g9rt viS Jjik, en dottir Jjin
falli i fullsaelu." Gellir svarar: ,,Mikit er J)etta, sva at J)at er
torvirt, en J)at vinn ek til einskis at svikja Jja er mer triia;
en se ek at ekki faesk af malinu nema hrop ok haSung."
Pa svarar Ofeigr: ,,FurSu horskir^'* eru Jjer, h9f^ingjarnir.
Hverr fysti Jjik at J)ii skyldir svikja Jja er J)er triiSu, eSa
ganga a eiSa Jjina? Hitt ma vera at sva beri til at undir J)ik
koemi gorSin, ok megir J)u Jja minnka, ok heldr J)u J)6
soeri J)in." Gellir sagSi: ,,Satt er J)etta, ok ertu mikill
bragSakarl ok furSu sloegr, en Jjo ma ek eigi einn ganga Ifang Jjessum 9llum." Ofeigr maelti: ,,Hversu mun Jja ef ek
fae til annan, villtu J)a viS hjalpa malinu?" ,,E>at vil ek,"kvaS Gellir, ,,ef Jjii kemr Jjvi viS at ek skyla um mjela."
Ofeigr maelti: ,,Hvernkyss J)utilmeSJjer?3^" Gellir svarar:,,Egil mun ek kjosa; hann er mer naestr." Ofeigr svarar:,,Heyr a endemi, kyss Jjann sem verstr er af ySru liSi, ok
Jjykki mer mikit fyrir at fa honum soemSarhlut, ok veit ek
eigi hvart ek vil Jjat til vinna." ,,Pu raeSr mi," kvaS Gellir.
Ofeigr maelti: ,, Villtu pa i ganga malit, ef ek kem honum
til meS Jjer? E>vi at sja mun hann kunna hvart betra er, athafa n9kkura soemS eSa enga." ,,Sva mikit sem mer kaupiski," sagSi Gellir, ,,J)a aetla ek at ek muna til haetta." Pa
maelti Ofeigr:,, Um h9fu vit Egill talat aSr, ok synisk honum
eigi torveldligt malit, ok er hann i kominn. Nii mun ek
gefa raS til hversu meS skal fara. Flokkar ySrir bandamanna eru mJ9k allir saman i g9ngu; mi mun Jjat engi
maSr gruna, p6 at Jjit Egill talizk viS J)a er Jjit gangiS til
aptans9ngs slikt er ykkr likar." Gellir tekr viS fenu, ok er" h o r s k i r ] ,,heskir" .M; hoskir (= horskirj H.Fr. following paper ,MSS : heimskir
Gudni Jonsson.
'•'' me6 Jjer] + Lattu sem ek eiga allra V9I K, cf. 22I31-32.

BANDAMANNA SAGA

27J)etta raSit mi meS Jjcim. SiSan ferr Ofeigr mi i brott ok
til biiSar Egils ok hvarki seint ne krokott ok eigi bjiigr,
segir mi Agli hvar komit er. Likar honum mi vel. Eptir
um kveldit ganga menn til aptans9ngs, ok talask J)eir
Egill ok Gellir viS ok semja J)etta i mifli sin. Grunar Jjetta
engi maSr.

Nii er fra J)vi sagt at annan dag eptir ganga menn til
L9gbergs, ok var fj9lmennt. E>eir Egill ok Gellir safna at
ser vinum sinum. Ofeigr safnaSi ok meS Jjeim Styrmi ok
iJorarni. Ok er menn varu komnir til L9gbergs, Jjeir semJ)agat var van, J)a kvaddi Ofeigr ser hljoSs ok maelti: ,,Ekhefi verit ohlutdeilinn um mal Odds, sonar mins, her til,J)6 at J)etta hafi meS meirum fadoemum upp hafit verit^^
en menn viti doemi til ok sva fram farit ok eigi olikligt at
meS J)vi endisk^', en Jjo veit ek at mi eru Jjeir menn her atmest hafa gengit at J)essu mali. Vil ek fyrst kveSja at Jjessu
mali Hermund. Nii vil ek Jjess spyrja hvart n9kkur saett
skal koma fyrir malit." Hermundr svarar: ,,Ekki vilju
ver taka utan sjalfdoemi." Ofeigr maelti: ,,Til Jjess munu
menn trautt vita doemi at einn maSr hafi selt atta m9nnum
sjalfdoemi a einu mali, en til J)ess eru doemi at einn maSr
seh einum manni. Alls J)6 hefir Jjetta meS meirum fadoemum gengit heldr en hvert annarra, J)a vil ek bjoSa attveir geri af ySrum flokki." Hermundr svarar: jjPvi vilju
ver vist jata ok hirSum eigi hverir tveir gera." „E>a munuJ)er unna mer Jjess," sagSi Ofeigr, ,,at ek hafa J)a vegtyllu"•verit] inserted by H.Fr. following paper .MSS, H- M.
" endisk] the following en\>6 . . . Hermund comes after her til at 2yli2 in M.

lo

15

20

25

28

BANDAMANNA SAGAat ek kjosa af ySr bandam9nnum J)a tva er ek vil." „Ja,
j a , " sagSi Hermundr. E>a maelti f>6rarinn: „Ja Jjii mi
Jjvi einu i dag er Jjii iSrask eigi a morgin." ,,Eigi skal miaptr maela," sagSi Hermundr. Nii leitar Ofeigr borgunar5 manna, ok varS J)at auSvelt, J)vi at fjarstaSr J)6tti viss.
Nii takask menn i hendr, ok handsala J)eir fegJ9ld slik sem
Jjeir vilja g9rt hafa er Ofeigr nefnir til, en bandamennhandsala niSrfall at S9kum. Nii er sva aetlat at bandamenn
skulu ganga upp a V9IIU meS flokka sina. Flokkar Jjeira
10 Gellis ok Egils ganga baSir saman; setjask niSr i einn staS i
hvirfing; en Ofeigr gengr i hringinn, litask um ok lyptir
kapuhettinum, strykr handleggina ok stendr heldr keikari;hann titrar augunum ok talaSi siSan: ,,E>ar sitr Jjii,
Styrmir, ok mun m9nnum J)at undarligt J)ykkja ef ek
15 laet J)ik eigi koma i Jjat mal er mik tekr henda, J)vi at ek em
i Jjingi meS Jjer ok a ek Jjar til trausts at sja er Jjii ert, ok p\ihefir margar goSar gjafar af mer Jjegit ok allar illu launat.
Hyggsk mer sva at sem Jjii hafir um J)enna hlut fyrstr
manna fjandskap synt Oddi syni minum, ok valdit mest er
20 malit var upp tekit, ok vil ek Jjik fra taka. I>ar sitr pxi,
f>6rarinn," sagSi Ofeigr, ,,ok er vist at eigi mun J)at her
til bera at eigi hafir p\i vit til at doema um Jjetta mal, en J)6
hefir Jjii Oddi til ojjurftar lagt i Jjessi grein ok fyrstr manna
meS Styrmi tekit undir Jjetta mal, ok vil ek Jjik fyrir
25 J)vi fra kjosa. iJar sitr Jjii, Hermundr, mikill h9fSingi, ok
Jjat aetla ek at Jja myndi vel komit, p6 at undir Jjik vaeri
vikit malinu, en JJO hefir engi maSr verit jafnoestr, siSanJ)etta hofsk, ok J)at lyst at Jjii vildir osomann lysa. Hefir Jjik
ok ekki til dregit nema osomi ok agirni, J)vi at J)ik skortir
30 eigi fe, ok kys ek Jjik fra. E>ar sitr Jjii, Jarnskeggi, ok skortir
Jjik eigi metnaS til at gera um malit, ok eigi myndi Jjer ilia
Jjykkja Jjo at undir Jjik koemi Jjetta mal. Ok sva var
metnaSr Jjinn mikill at Jjii lezk bera merki fyrir J)er a
V9SlaJ)ingi sem fyrir konungum. Nii skil ek eigi hvar koma

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

29

mun metnaSi J)inum ef Jjii hefir af Jjessu virSing^* ok kys
ek Jjik fra." Nii litask Ofeigr um ok maelti: ,,E'ar sitr Jjii,
Skegg-Broddi, en hvart er Jjat satt at Haraldr konungr
SigurSarson maelti Jjat, pa er Jju vart meS honum, athonum Jjoettir Jjii bezt til konungs fallinn Jjeira manna er 5
ut her e r u ? " Broddi svaraSi: ,,Opt talaSi konungr vel til
min, en eigi er J)at raSit at honum Jjoetti allt sem hanntalaSi." Pa maelti Ofeigr: ,,Yfir 9Sru skaltu konungr en
Jjessu mali, ok kys ek Jjik fra. iJar sitr Jjii, Gellir," sagSi
Ofeigr, ,,ok hefir Jjik ekki dregit til J)essa mals nema ein 10
saman fegirni; ok er Jjat Jjo n9kkur varkunn er Jjii ert
fevani en hefir mikit at raSi. Nii veit ek eigi J)6 at mer
J)ykki allir ills af verSir, nema n9kkurr verSi virSing af at
hafa J)essu mali, J)vi at mi eru fair eptir, en ek nenni eigi at
kjosa J)a til er aSr hefi ek fra visat; ok Jjvi kys ek J)ik til at 15
JJU hefir ekki aSr at ranglaeti kenndr verit. E>ar sitr Jjii,t>orgeirr Halldoruson," segir Ofeigr, ,,ok er Jjat synt, at
Jjat mal hefir aldregi komit undir Jjik er malskipti liggja
viS, J)vi at Jjii kannt eigi mal at meta ok hefir eigi vit til
heldr en oxi eSa asni, ok kys ek J)ik fra." Pa litask Ofeigr 20
um, ok varS staka a munni:(4) Illt er ytum
elli at biSa,
tekr hon seggjum fra
syn ok vizku;
atta ek naesta V9I
nytra drengja;
mi er lilfs halieinn a kroki.
^^nii skil ek eigi hvar koma mun metnaSi binum ef bu hefir af bessu virSingJ K,
en bo skaltu eigi konungr yfir jjessu mali vera M. Preference for K is justified by
the emphasis on metnaSr as characteristic of Jarnskeggi. cj. 28I31 and 33, while thereading of M looks like a misplaced doublet of the entirely appropriate reply by Ofeigr
to Skegg-Broddi af 2yl8; cf. .Studiar, g3.

25

30

5

10

15

20

25

30

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA,,Ok hefir mer farit sem varginum; Jjeir etask J)ar til er athalanum kemr ok finna eigi fyrr. Ek hefi att at velja um
marga h9fSingja, en mi er sa einn eptir er 9llum mun
J)ykkja ills at van ok sannr er at J)vi at meiri er ojafnaSarmaSr en hverr annarra, ok eigi hirSir hvat til fjarins vinnr
ef hann faer J)a heldr en aSr; ok er honum J)at varkunn Jjo
at hann hafi her eigi verit hlutvandr um, er sa hefir margr
i vafizk er aSr var rettlatr kallaSr ok lagt niSr daSina ok
drengskapinn en tekit upp ranglaeti ok agirni. Nii mun
engum Jjat i hug koma at ek muna Jjann til kjosa er 9llum er
ills at van, Jjvi at eigi mun annarr hittask sloegri i ySru liSi,
en JJO mun Jjar mi niSr koma, er JJO eru allir aSrir fra
kornir^^." Egill maelti ok brosti viS: ,,Nii mun enn sem
optar at eigi mun virSing fyrir J)vi her niSr koma at aSrir
vildi Jjat; ok er Jjat til, Gellir, at vit standim upp okgangim i brott ok talim meS okkr malit." E>eir gera misva, ganga i brott J)aSan ok setjask niSr. E>a maelti Gellir:,,Hvat skulu vit her um tala?" Egill maelti: ,,lJat er mittraS at gera litla fesekS, ok veit ek eigi hvat til annars kemr,
er JJO munu vit litla vinsaeld af hljota." ,,Mun eigi fullmikitJ)6 at vit gerim Jjrettan aura ovandaSs fjar?" sagSi Gellir,,,Jjvi at malaefni eru meS miklum rangendum upp tekin,ok er J)vi betr er pen una verr viS. En ekki em ek fiiss atsegja upp gorSina, Jjvi at mik vaentir Jjess at ilia muni
hugna." ,,Ger hvart er J)u vill," sagSi Egill, ,,seg upp
saettina eSa sit fyrir sv9rum." ,,E>at kys ek," sagSi Gellir,,,at segja u p p . " Nu ganga J)eir a fund bandamanna. I^amaelti Hermundr: ,,St9ndum upp ok heyrUm a osomann."t>a maelti Gellir: ,,Ekki munu vit siSar vitrari, ok mun allt
til eins koma, ok er Jjat gorS okkur Egils at gera oss til
handa, bandam9nnum, J)rettan aura silfrs." iJa segir
Hermundr: ,,Hvart skilSisk mer rett, sagSir Jjii Jjrettan
3' kornir] + ok verS ek at kjosa [jik, Egill in some paper MSS, cf. Studiar, 95-6'.

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

3 I

tigu aura silfrs?*"" Egill svarar:,, Eigi var Jjat, Hermundr,er J)u saetir mi a hlustinni er Jjii stott upp. Vist J)rettanaura, ok Jjess fjar er engum se viStoekt oveslum; skal Jjetta
gjaldask i skjaldaskriflum ok baugabrotum ok i 9IIU Jjvi
orifligast faesk til ok Jjer uniS verst viS." P a maelti Hermundr: ,,Svikit hefir Jjii oss mi, Egill." ,,Er sva?" segir
Egjll, ,,Jjykkisk J)u svikinn?" ,,Svikinn Jjykkjumk ek, ok
hefir J)ii svikit mik." Egill svarar: ,,E'at J)ykki mer vel at ek
svikja J5ann er engum triiir ok eigi heldr sjalfum ser, ok
ma ek finna S9nnur a minu mali um J)etta. iJii fait fe Jjitti sva mikilfi J)oku at JJU jetlaSir, JJO at Jjer skyti Jjvi i hug
at leita J)ess,"'at Jjii skyldir aldri finna." Hermundr svarar:,,E>etta er sem annat Jjat er Jjii lygr, Egill, J)at JJU sagSir avetri er pii komt heim ofan, J)aSan er ek hafSa boSit J)er
heim or hrakbiiinu um jol, ok vartu Jjvi feginn, sem van
var at. En er uti varu jolin, Jja ogladdisk Jjii, sem van var,ok hugSir illt til at fara heim i sultinn, en er ek fann J)at,
J)a bauS ek J)er at vera J)ar meS annan mann, ok J)attu J)at
ok vart feginn. En um varit eptir paska, er J)u komt heim
til Borgar, sagSir JJU er dait hefSi fyrir mer Jjrir tigir klakahrossa ok hefSi 9II etin verit." Egill svarar: ,,Ekki aetla ek
at ofs9gur maetti segja fra vanh9ldum J)inum, en annathvart aetla ek at etin vaeri af J)eim fa eSa engi. En vitu Jjat
allir menn at mik ok folk mitt skortir aldri mat, Jjo at
misjafnt se fjarhagr minn hoegr, en J)au ein eru kynni
heima at Jjin er Jjii Jiarft ekki at taka til orSs a." ,,E>atmynda ek vilja," segir Hermundr, ,,at vit vaerim eigi baSira J)ingi annat sumar." ,,Nu mun ek Jjat maela," segir Egill,,,er ek hugSa at ek mynda aldri tala, at JJU luk heill munni
i sundr, Jjvi at Jjat var mer spat at ek mynda ellidauSr
verSa, en mer Jjykkir Jjvi betr er fyrr taka troll viS Jjer."
E>a maelti Styrmir: ,,Sa segir sannast fra Jjer, Egill, er verst*" jjrettan tigu aura silfrs] brjati,?' aura hundraSa [sic] K.

5

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25

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32

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

segir ok Jjik kallar prettottan." ,,Nu ferr vel at," sagSi
Egill, ,,Jjvi betr Jjykki mer er pu lastar mik meir ok JJU
finnr fleiri S9nnur a J)vi, ok af Jjvi at mer var J)at sagt atJ)er h9fSuS Jjat fyrir 9lteiti at Jjer tokuS ySr jafnaSarmenn,
5 ok toktu mik til jafnaSarmanns Jjer. Nii er Jjat vist," sagSi
hann, ,,at Jjii hefir n9kkur storklaeki meS Jjer, Jjau er eigi
vitu aSrir menn, ok mun J)er kunnigast um Jjinn hag. En
JJO er J)at olikt meS okkr, hvarrtveggi heitr 9Srum liSi, ok
veiti ek Jjat er ek ma ok spari ek ekki af, en Jjii rennr J)egar
10 svartleggjur koma a lopt. I>at er ok satt at ek a jafnan
ohoegt i biii, ok spari ek viS engan mann mat, en Jjii ert
matsinkr, ok er J)at til marks at Jjii att bolla J)ann er
Matsaell heitir, ok kemr engi sa til garSs at viti hvat i er
nema Jjii einn. Nii samir mer at hjon min hafi J)a hart er
15 eigi er til, en J)eim samir verr at svelta hjon sin er ekki
skortir, ok hygg J)ii at hverr sa er." Nii Jjagnar Styrmir. E>astendr upp t>6rarinn. I^a mtelti Egill: ,,E*egi Jjii, E>6rarinn,
ok sezk niSr ok legg eigi orS til; Jjeim brigzlum mun ekJ)er bregSa er Jjer mun betra Jjagat. En ekki J)ykki mer
20 Jjat hloegligt, J)6 at Jjeir sveinar hlaei at Jjvi, at Jjii sitir
mjott ok gmiir saman laerum J)inum." E>6rarinn svarar:,,Hafa skal heil raS, hvaSan sem koma," sezk niSr ok
Jjagnar. E>a maelti Porgeirr: ,,E>at megu allir sja at gorS
Jjessi er omerkilig ok heimsklig, at gera Jjrettan aura silfrs
25 ok eigi meira fyrir sva mikit mal." ,,En ek hugSa," segir
Egill, ,,at J)er skyldi sja gorS Jjykkja merkilig, ok sva munvera ef pit hyggr at fyrir Jjer, Jjvi at Jjat muntu muna a
RangarleiS at einn kotkarl markaSi J>rettan kulur i h9f3i
Jjer, ok toktu J)ar fyrir J)rettan lambaer, ok jetlaSa ek at
30 Jjer skyldi Jjessi minning allgoS J)ykkja." iJorgeirr JjagnaSi,
en Jjeir Skegg-Broddi ok Jarnskeggi vildu engum orSum
skipta viS Egil. E>a maelti Ofeigr: ,,Nii vil ek kveSa ySr
visu eina, ok hafa Jja fleiri at minnum Jjing Jjetta ok malalok Jjessi er her eru orSin:

B A N D A M A N N A SAGA

33(5) Flestr mun, Ams ok Austra
ek vatta Jjat sattum*',
malmarunnr um minna,
mik goelir'*^ J)at, hoelask;
gat ek h9f8ingjum hringa
hattar land, en sandicest i augun kastat,orikr vafit flikum."5

Egill svarar: ,,Vel mattu hoelask um Jjat at engi einn maSr
mun meir hafa siglt a veSr jafnm9rgum h9f3ingjum." Nii lo
eptir J)etta ganga menn heim til buSa sinna. E>a maelti
Gellir til Egils: ,,E*at vil ek at vit sem baSir saman viS
okkrum m9nnum." E>eir gera nu sva. Nu eru dylgjur
miklar Jjat er eptir var J)ingsins, ok una bandamenn allillaviS Jjessi malalok. En fe Jjetta vill engi hafa, ok reksk Jjat 15
J)ar um V9lluna. RiSa menn mi heim af J)inginu.

XI
Nii finnask Jjeir feSgar, ok var Oddr J)a albiiinn til hafs.
E>a segir Ofeigr Oddi at hann hefir selt Jjeim sjalfdoemi.
Oddr svarar: ,,Skilsktu manna armastr viS mal!" Ofeigr
svarar: ,,Eigi er enn 9IIU skemmt, fraendi" — innir mi 20
allan malav9xt ok segir at honum er konu heitit. P a Jjakkar
hann honum liSveizluna, ok J)ykkir hann langt hafa fylgt
um fram J)at er honum kom i hug at vera maetti, ok segirnu at hann skal aldri skorta fe. ,,Nu skaltu fara," sagSi*' sattumj correction made by Finnur Jonsson. Den nonk-islandskc skjaldedigtning B I(igi2), 3y6; „ s a t t a r " M.
''^goelir] ,,gehr" .M.

34

BANDAMANNA SAGA

Ofeigr, ,,sem Jjii hefir aetlat, en brullaup J)itt skal vera a
Mel at sex vikum." Eptir Jjat skilja Jjeir feSgar meS kaerleikum, ok laetr Oddr ut, ok gefr honum byr norSr a
E>orgeirsfJ9rS, ok liggja Jjar kaupmenn fyrir aSr. Nii tok
5 af byr, ok liggja J)eir Jjar n9kkurar naetr. Oddi J)ykkir seint
byrja, ok gengr upp a eitt hatt fjall ok ser at annat veSrfall
er fyrir litan, ferr aptr til knarrarins ok baS Jja flytjask lit
or firSinum. Austmenn spotta Jja ok kvaSu seint mundu atroa til Noregs. Oddr segir: ,,Hvat megi til vita, nema J)er
lo biSiS var h e r ? " Ok er Jjeir koma ut or firSinum, Jja er
Jjegar byrr hagstoeSr; leggja J)eir eigi segi fyrr en i Orkneyjum. Oddr kaupir Jjar malt ok korn, dvelsk Jjar n9kkura
hriS ok byr skip sitt, ok Jjegar hann er biiinn, J)a koma
austanveSr ok sigla Jjeir; gefr Jjeim all vel ok koma a
15 lJorgeirsfJ9rS, ok varu kaupmenn J)ar fyrir. Siglir Oddr
vestr fyrir landit ok kemr a MiSfJ9rS; hafSi hann Jja i
brott verit sjau vikur. Er mi biiizk til veizlu, ok skortir eigi
goS tilf9ng ok gnog. Par kemr ok mikit fJ9lmenni; Jjar kom
Gellir ok Egill ok mart annat stormenni. Ferr veizlan vel
20 fram ok sk9ruliga; Jjottusk menn eigi betra brullaup J)egit
hafa her a landi. Ok er veizluna J)raut, Jja eru menn ut
leiddir meS st6rgJ9fum, ok var Jjar mest fe fram lagit er
Gellir atti i hlut. Pa maelti Gellir viS O d d : ,,Pat vilda ek
at viS Egil vaeri vel g9rt, J)vi at hann er Jyess makligr."
25 ,,Sva Jjykki mer," sagSi Oddr, ,,sem faSir minn hafi g9rt
vel viS hann aSr." ,,Boettu JJO um," segir Gellir. RiSr
Gellir mi i brott ok hans folk. Egill riSr i brott, ok leiSir
Oddr hann a g9tu ok J)akkar honum liSveizlu — ,,ok mun
ek eigi sva vel gera til J)in sem vera aetti, en reka let ek i
30 gaer suSr til Borgar sex tigu geldinga ok yxn tvau; mun
Jjat heim.a Jjin biSa, ok skal aldri forverkum viS J)ik gera
meSan vit lifum baSir." Nii skiljask Jjeir, ok likar Aglistorvel, ok binda sitt vinfengi. Ferr Egill heim til Borgar.

BANDAMANNA SAGA

35

XII
Petta haust it sama safnar Hermundr liSi ok ferr ut til
HvammsleiSar ok aetlar til Borgar at brenna Egil inni.
Ok er Jjeir koma lit meS Valfelli, Jja heyra Jjeir sem strengr
gjafli upp i fellit, ok J)vi naest kennir Hermundr ser sottar
ok stinga undir h9ndina, ok verSa Jjeir at vikja aptr 5
ferSinni, ok einar honum*^ sottin. Ok er J)eir koma fyrir
PorgautsstaSi, Jja verSr at hefja hann af baki; er Jja farit
eptir presti i SiSumula, ok er hann kemr, Jja matti Hermundr ekki maela, ok var prestr Jjar hja honum. Ok einntima er prestr lytr at honum, Jja laetr i V9rrunum: ,,Tvau lo
hundruS i gili, tvau hundruS i gili." Ok siSan andask hann,ok lauk sva hans aevi sem her er mi sagt.
Oddr sitr mi i biii sinu meS mikilli rausn ok unir vel
konu sinni. Alia Jjessa stund spyrsk ekki til Ospaks. Sa
maSr fekk SV9IU er Mar het ok var Hildisson ok rezk til 15
biis a Sv9lustaSi. Bjalfi het broSir hans, halfafglapi okrammr at afli. Bergjjorr het maSr er bjo i B9Svarsh61um;
hann hafSi reift malit Jja er Ospakr var sekr g9rr. Sva bar
til eitt kveld i B9Svarsh61um, Jja er menn satu viS elda, atJ)ar kom maSr ok drap a dyrr ok baS bonda ut ganga. 20
Bondi verSr Jjess varr at Ospakr er J)ar kominn ok sagSisk
eigi mundu ut ganga. Ospakr eggjar hann mJ9k iit at
ganga, en hann ferr eigi J)vi heldr lit ok bannar 9llum
m9nnum lit at ganga, ok skilr sva meS Jjeim. En um
morgininn er konur koma i fjos, J)a eru Jjar saerSar niu kyr 25
til bana. Petta frettisk viSa. Ok enn er fram liSa stundir,
berr sva til at maSr gengr inn a Sv9lust9Sum ok i hus Jjat er
Mar hvilir i; Jjat var snimma um morgin. Sa maSr gengr"^^ honum] correction by H.Fr. following paper .VISS. hann .M.

36

BANDAMANNA SAGAat saenginni ok leggr Ma meS saxi, sva at J)egar gekk a hoi.
Petta var Ospakr. Hann kvaS visu:

510(6) Bra ek or sliSrum
skalm nybryndri,
J)eiri let ek Mavia maga hvatat**;unna ek eigi
arfa Hildis
fagrvaxinnar
faSmlags SV9IU.

Ok i Jjvi er hann snyr til duranna, hleypr hann upp Bjalfi
ok rekr a honum talguknif Ospakr gengr til J)ess boejar erheitir a Borgarholi ok lysir J)ar viginu, ferr siSan a brott, ok
spyrsk mi ekki til hans um hriS. Vig Mas frettisk viSa ok
15 maeltisk ilia fyrir. Pat bar til nylundu at stoShross in beztu
er Oddr atti, fimm saman, fundusk dauS 9II, ok setluSu
menn Ospaki Jjat verk. Nii er J)at langa hriS at ekki spyrsk
til Ospaks. Ok um haustit at menn gengu at geldingum,
fundu J)eir belli i h9mrum n9kkurum ok Jjar i mann
20 dauSan, ok stoS hja honum mundlaug full af bloSi, ok varJ)at sva svart sem tjara. P a r var Ospakr, ok hugSu mennat sarit myndi hafa grandat honum, J)at er Bjalfi veitti
honum, enda farit siSan af bjargleysi; ok lauk sva hansaevi. Ekki er Jjess getit at eptirmal yrSi um vig Mas ne um
25 vig Ospaks.
Oddr byr a Mel til elli ok Jjotti inn mesti agaetismaSr.
Eru MiSfirSingar fra honum komnir, Snorri Kalfsson okmart annat stormenni. Jafnan siSan helzk vinatta J)eira
feSga meS goSri fraendsemi. Ok lykr Jjar Jjessi S9gu.

"hvatat] ,,huata3" .M, „huotad" K.

GENERAL NOTESFor topographical information readers should consult
Maps A-C and Kalund, Beskrivelse. Head references in
the following are to page and line. For abbreviations see
pp. x~xiii above.
i/i Ofeigr SkiSason is mentioned only in B and Odds
pattr Ofeigssonar. For conjectures about his family see
IF WW 293 note i.
1/2 In the tenth century Reykir was the home of thefamous chieftain MiSfjarSar-Skeggi, son of the settler
Skinna-BJ9rn; c£ IFl 212 and 213.
1/3 The reference to Ofeig's grandmother JarngerSr isdubious. It is only in M and makes chronology awkward,
since the Ofeigr JarngerSarson given as her father
flourished in the first quarter of the eleventh century,
while the Ofeigr SkiSason given as her grandson was
already elderly by the middle of the same century.
1/3 Ofeigr JarngerSarson of Sk9rS is mentioned in
Ljbsv., Reykdcela saga and Vdpnfirdinga saga. His father'sname was Qnundr, but metronymics seem not uncommon
in early Iceland, probably used especially when a father
died young or was less notable for other reasons; cf. NK
VII (1948), 279.
I /9-1 o

sparSi viS engan mann mat — cf 19/24-5, 32/11.

i / i i Styrmir is called Porgeirsson in K. His family is
mentioned in Landn. (IF I 230) and Sturl. (1911, I 8, 44;
1946, I 13, 49). For discussion of Styrmi's godord see
IF Vll 294 note i.
1/16 The name Vah may possibly be Vali; cf. Studiar,
153 note 23; Skirnir 1977, 104-5 ^"d note 42.
37

38

GENERAL NOTES

1/18 In Sagas of Icelanders the hero is often twelve
when he performs his first feat. The age corresponds bothto folktale motif and to the facts of life, since in the early
period twelve was the recognised age of majority for boys.
Cf. Vera Lachmann, Das Alter der Hardarsaga (Palaestra
183, 1932), 118-9; Verzeichnis, type 301; Grdgds la 6,
166, 168, 194,
1/22 O d d r says nothing of wanting to go abroad. A sonof twelve asks his father for goods in order to travel abroadin Gunnl., ch. 4, and Egils saga, ch. 40.
2/2 Ofeigr replies ironically. Since Oddr hasn't earned
anything, Ofeigr won't reduce what he gives him (nothing
beyond his keep) and he'll carry on that way.
2/7 af Jjili — main walls were usually built of turf andstone; in better-class houses they were timber-clad
internally and other partitions might also be of wood;
AX X V I I I (1974), 309-14.
2/7 On fishing gear cf KL IV (1959), 324-7. — The
early Icelandic eh was 49 cm (18.4 inches), KL X X I(1977), 82—3. — The homespun cloth vadmdl, woven toa two-ell width, was the commonest form of currency
in Iceland through the greater part of the Commonwealthperiod. 12 ells made 2 Iqgaurar ("legal ounce-units").
See J o n Johannesson, 329-33; KL X I X (1975), 409-12.
Cf Odd's self-payment with wages prescribed in Grdgas
la 129: "If a man does farm work he is not to take more
pay than halfa mark in six-ell ounce-units [ = 24 ells] inthe period up to midsummer, and from midsummer he is
to work for his householder right on to winter and do
whatever he wants him to except shepherding. He is tomake one mountain trip for sheep gathering and take partin slaughtering and go on journeys with the master of theGENERAL NOTES

39

house and spread dung in spring and repair homefieldwalling. He shall do that to earn his food."
2/9 On seasonal fishing and fishing places in Icelandsee KL IV (1959), 305-6, 312-16.
2/14 Hlutr is the technical word for the share of the catchallotted by fixed rules to each member of the fishing crew;
cf. Jon Johannesson, 305; KL IV (1959), 305-6; Blondal,
s.v. hlutur B I. i.c-d.
2/21 The word ferja "carrier" is used both of coastal
vessels, as here, and of ferries maintained at fixed points
for crossing rivers and fjords; KL IV (1959), 223—6.
2/25, 29 On types of ships, including the ocean-going
knqrr, see KL XV (1970), 482-93.
2/30-31 On Odd's link with the court of King Haraldr
SigurSarson cf. Intro, pp. xxxvii-xxxviii.
3/3-5 This illustrates Odd's unusual good fortune as avoyager; for other evidence see 34/2-17. Cf. e.g.
Gunnl., ch. 10, where the hero just catches the last ship of
the sailing season from Norway and then makes land not
in BorgarfJ9r3r in the midwest, where he wants to be,
but on Melrakkasletta in the far northeast.
3/6-7 Merchants trading to Iceland usually wintered
there in order to sell their goods and collect Icelandic
products in return; cf Jon Johannesson, 323. BorSeyrr(see Map B) was a well-known harbour from the earliest
times.
3/10 Melr (modern MelstaSur) is west of MiSfjarSara,
almost directly opposite Reykir (see Map B). The homeof a line of chieftains in early times, it later became an
important church-farm and parsonage and remains animpressive establishment to this day.

40

GENERAL NOTES

3/24 On Gltimr Ospaksson see Intro, p. xxxvi. — SkriSinsenni is now SkriSnesenni.
3/25 Bitra is modern BitrufjorSur; Bitra is otherwise
known as a farm-name.
3/26 Asmundr Porgrimsson haerulangr is known from
Landn. and other sources; K gives him the wrong nickname, (edikollr.—On Grettir see Intro, pp. xxv, xxxvi.
4/1 norSrsveitir — probably the coastal region east of
HriitafJ9rSr is meant.
4/6 ySvart — probably the "polite" pi. rather than theso-called pluralis sociativus (i.e. Oddr seen as representing
a group). The "polite" pi. usage started in late classicaltimes on the Continent and spread to Scandinavia in theearly middle ages. In Konungs skuggsjd the son says per
to his father, but is addressed by him as pA; in Barlaams
saga and Heimskringla kings are addressed now with per,now with pu. Here in B Ospakr uses the pi. at the start ofthe conversation (in both M and K ) ; cf. a similar shift
in Ofeig's conversation with Oddr at 12/24-13/6. See
Per Tylden, "Fleirtalsform i hofleg tiltale (pluralis
reverentiae)", Det Kongelige Norske Videnskabers Selskabs
Forhandlinger X X X V I I (1964), 3 3 * - 4 3 * ; Helgi GuSmundsson, The pronominal dual in Icelandic (University of
Iceland Publications in Linguistics 2, 1972), 16.
4/13 fatt er betr latit en efni eru til — see Glossary s.v.
lata; proverbial, cf. Malshattasafn, 103, and the similarsentiment in Grettis saga, ch. 46 {IF VII 146): "jafnan er
halfsqgd saga, ef einn segir, pvi at fleiri eru pess fu.sari, at faera
pangat, sem eigi berr betr, eftvennt er til."
4/13— 14 People normally worked for board and lodging
with only small-scale cash wages in addition (cf note to2/7). Ospakr apparently offers to work in return for
lodging only.

GENERAL NOTES

4I

4/14 ok sja — sja is probably inf, governed like hafa by
vilda ek; but it might be imp. sg., an alternative form tose (used at 25/31); cf. A. Heusler, Altisldndisches Elementarbuch^ (1931; ^^^d reprinted), § 346.
4/28-30 When Iceland was divided into Quarters(see Intro, p. Iv) three new godord were created. One ofthem was the Melmannagodord (as it is called in Njals
saga). This was long before the events described in B,
whose author evidently did not know when that chieftaincy came into being. So he refers to independent foundationand purchase as the alternative ways of acquiring agodord without saying which Oddr used. Cf IF VII 301
note I, X I I 246 and note 4; J o n Johannesson, 59—60.
5/4 a haustum — though the pi. is used, the writer seems
to be thinking only of the first autumn in which Ospakr
was in charge of Odd's farm. West-coast Norwegian
dialects could also use pi. haust in a singular sense (cfIvar Aasen, Norsk Ordbog, s.v.).
5/4-5

Cf. the text quoted in the note to 2/7.

5/6-8 According to Grdgds la 141, a godi who intended
to go abroad should announce at the spring assembly
who was to act in the chieftainship (fara med godord) in
his absence. It is evidence of Odd's ignorance of law that
he has neglected to do this.
5/18

Cf note to 8/8.

5/20 In saga narrative reference to much talk is usuallyominous; cf 6/7, 7/3.
6/5 Oddr transfers the chieftainship to Ospakr inirregular fashion. It should properly be done at an
assembly and in the presence of witnesses, cf 7/21 andnote to 7/29.
6/9 til J)ings um sumarit — doubtless the Althing,though the spring assembly also fell in the half-year42

GENERAL NOTES

called summer. Summer began on the Thursday thatfell 9-15 April, winter on the Saturday that fell 11-17
October. Cf. Intro, p. lvi; KL V (i960), 138-40.
6/17-19 "Sheep seem to have been fewer in proportion
to cattle than in later centuries. Ewes were relatively few
in number, but wethers, on the other hand, were quite
numerous. As a rule the ewes were penned in a special
fold near the pasture and the lambs weaned from them.
The lambs were driven to the mountain pastures, andwherever it was feasible, the evves were kept in areas
surrounding the shielings" (Jon Johannesson, 290-1).
Sheep were driven down from the mountains in theautumn; it would be unusual good fortune if disease, badweather and straying had not taken some toll on their
number.
6/21 The farm at Sv9lustaSir has long been abandoned
but the site is still visible (Kalund, Beskrivelse II 24), —Svala may be the birdname, "Swallow", or it may bederived from svalr a. "cool, cold"; cf. Mageroy, art. cit.
Intro, p. xxxii, note 15, 3 0 5 - 9 ; Skirnir 1977, 104-5.
6/22 Svala takes the initiative, not her relatives; cf.
HallgerSr on meeting Gunnarr in Njals saga, ch. 33;
marriage and misfortune are the outcome of the encounters in both sagas.
6/23

sja um raS sitt — Glossary s.v. sja and cf Studiar, 31.

6/24-25 Long and engrossing conversation between two
people is usually ominous in saga narrative. Cf. HallgerSr
and Gunnarr in Njals saga, ch. 33.
6/28-29 Porarinn LangdoelagoSi inn spaki has been
identified with the Porarinn Porvaldsson inn spaki
mentioned in Landn. — An unmarried woman under 20
could not legally betroth herself A widow could do soGENERAL NOTES

43

if she had no father to act for her, and so could an unmarried woman of 20 or over in special circumstances.
But consent of kinsmen was always essential. See Grdgas
la 226, l b 29-30, II 156, 162; KL I I I (1958), 685, IV(1959), 236-40. Kinship or marriage ties were supposed
to decide who acted as the woman's sponsor (Grdgas I I I
647, s.v. logradandi). Svala names the highest in rank ofher kinsmen, but Porarinn can hardly have been a close
relation, since he refuses to have anything to do with her
marriage and later, in ch. 5, is unwilling to help her
husband Ospakr.
7/3

margtalat — cf. note to 5/20.

7/4 viS slika menn — "with such people", i.e. Ospakr
and Svala.
7/9-10 See note to 6/28-29. Nothing is said to suggestthat Svala — described as young — was a woman legallypermitted to undertake her own betrothal. Presumably
the author considered her action illegal. — Svala moves
to Melr with Ospakr, but M makes no mention of a
wedding (brudhlaup, brullaup), an obligatory occasion if
a marriage was to have legal status; cf KL IV (1959),
236-40. K says that their wedding took place, but this isprobably not original — a bridal would need participation of kinsfolk and the author must obviously havecounted on Porarin's absence; cf KL II (1957), 306-17.
7/21

a leiSum eSa Jjingum — cf. note to 6/5.

7/24

The skdli was the main dwelling house; KL X V I(1971), 57-97/27-30 Cf Intro, p. lvi. The Althing was inaugurated
by the man acting in the godord of the family of Ingolfr,
Iceland's first settler; he was called allsherjargodi. One of
the three chieftains at each local assembly saw to the44

GENERAL NOTES

ceremony there, but we do not know how the choice wasmade or whether they took turns. Chieftains had toarrive at an assembly by a fixed time (other "assembly
participants" had more latitude) and spring assemblies(doubtless the Althing also) were inaugurated on theevening of the day they foregathered. An autumn assembly might last only one day and could doubtless beinaugurated in the morning.
7/27-28 The leid should last not less than one day (i.e.
the daylight hours) and not more than two nights.
Pingeyrar was the assembly place for the Hiinavatn
region (cf Jon Johannesson, 82-3, 78). Since it is about
36 km from Melr as the crow flies (Map B), and a gooddeal further by the customary bridle paths, Oddr wasbound to be late.
7/29 The use of helgud (in M, J S and K) is puzzling,
since the formal inauguration of a meeting naturally took
place at its outset and we have just been told that by thenpeople were preparing to leave. This could conceivably
result from scribal error at an early stage in the transmission. The original might have read like this forexample: pa var mart manna fyrir ok var helgud leidin ok
varu pa mjqk brott biinir. Cf the confusion in the clause-orderin M at 27/13-17. The author also makes use of the verb
helga with reference to a leid meeting at 6/17. — In Porsteinssaga Sidu-Hallssonar, ch. 3, it says that someone acting ina chieftaincy should return it to its rightful owner at an
assembly "before the legal business takes place" {IF XI
304-5). This is not found elsewhere, but of two men
owning one godord and taking it in turns (by law) to
act in the chieftaincy Grdgds la 141 says that one of themshould act for three assemblies, spring, Althing andleid, and it continues, "They are then to change overafter the autumn meeting has been held (had) — an

GENERAL NOTES

45

autumn meeting has been held (had) when the announcements have been made. It is also lawful if men transfer achieftaincy . . . at an assembly after the courts have been
held (at hadum dbmum)." It would thus have been properfor Oddr to resume the godord after the announcements
and before the formal end of the leid meeting. The
author, who doubtless wished to give the impression that
Ospakr was unusually smart in executing leid businesswith a view to keeping Oddr out of things, had a different
scene in mind for the return of the godord, more dramaticand more complimentary to Oddr, see 8/1-8.
8/3-8 Though the return of the chieftaincy takes placewith a handshake, it otherwise appears as informal as its
transfer (5/25-6/5) and at some odds with custom andlegality. There is a similarly informal return in Porsteinssaga Sidu-Hallssonar {IF X I 305-6).
8/8 handa(r) band, handsal — many transactions had
to be sealed with a handshake to be legally binding, andwitnesses would normally be invoked to ensure a formal
record; KL VI (1961), 113-4.
8/14-16 Leaving service in this way before the end of
the contracted period was forbidden by law, see Grdgds
la 133. It was also thought to reflect on the good name of
the master of the house, cf IF X 130.
8/26-27 dofnar enn yfir J)essu — i.e. they stopped
trying to find the lost sheep; differently Baetke i960, 38,
hutd.ANFSi(1966), 91.
9/10-11 er Jjat haett viS orSi, at omerkiliga Jjykki
verSa — so M and J S . It appears to mean " T h e danger
with words is that they may be found to prove not reliable(or not seriously meant)." — Vali advises Oddr not to go
to the opposite extreme in his attitude towards Ospakr, atleast not publicly, because he might after all have cause

46

GENERAL NOTES

to change his mind again. — Adv. vel is commonlyused predicatively after ver(d)a, and other advs. occasionally; cf also 12/2 at per verdi litilmannliga.
9/18 Cheerfulness of this kind comes as hectic andunnatural, not corresponding to the character's trueframe of mind; cf HallgerSr in Njals saga, chs. 10-11{IF X I I 3 1 - 5 , especially 32).
10/11-16 Vali behaves in character as a man goodnatured and tillagagbdr {gjiG). People would know that
Ospak's stores were more than he owned or had the means
to buy in normal circumstances; but he could have boughtthem if he had taken over goods from Vah cheaply or on
credit.
10/24-25 The summoning days were two weeks before aspring assembly, four weeks (or less in certain circumstances) before the Althing. According to Grdgds la 58,
at least 20 men should hear an ordinary summons or
publishing at an assembly, and the same rule probably
applied to summoning at home as well. A group of 20
followers is found on a summoning journey in Ljosv.,
ch. 6 {IF X 29); but there could be many more, c£Heusler, Strafrecht § 64.
10/25 The homefield (tiin) was surrounded by a wall
(gardr) of stone and turf; KL VI (1961), 291-2; Jon
Johannesson, 294-5.
10/27-28 Vah's proposal accords with the summons
procedure laid down in Jdrnsida and Jbnsbbk, the postcommonwealth law codes, cf Intro, p. xxxiv.
10/31 The set was the raised flooring running along thelong walls of a building; people had their sleeping places
on it; KL I (1956), 458-60.
11/4

dali — ace. pi.; cf. 9/15 til Vatnsdals ok Langadals.

GENERAL NOTES

47

11/4-6 Since he makes no announcement of Vali's
killing, Ospakr is guilty o^ mord "secret slaying"; Grdgds
la 154, III 652; cf also KL XI (1966), 27-8, 690-2.
11/8-9 Since Vali's home was with Oddr at Melr, hisbody (night well be taken there, but presumably theauthor also believed that there was already a church andchurchyard at Melr at this time (in the 1050s). First
documentary evidence of a church there refers to the timeabout 1270; a priest is then said to have been householder
at MelstaSur (Diplomatarium Islandicum V 335J. In
Hemings pattr Aslakssonar (ed. Gillian Fellows Jensen,
Editiones Arnamagnaeanae B 3, 1962, 30) we are toldthat Oddr built a church there, dedicated to St Stephen.
On MelstaSur see Prestatal, 2 1 8 - 9 ; on church burial KL I
(1956), 415-711/12-14 On the legal procedure see Intro, p. Ivii. Odd's
mistake was to replace the dead member of the neighbours' panel by another man called in the locality, when
the number should have been made up after he got to theassembly, see 12/13-14. This specific instance is not foundin the law texts but the rule can be deduced from analogous regulations; c£ Grdgds la 61, 69, 178—9, I I I 632,
677. — Ospakr cannot attend the assembly (cf. Intro,
p. Ivii) and has no one to act for him. Obviously he had no
defence to offer and if the case failed it could only bethrough procedural fault, and even then only if someone
was prepared to bring it up.
11/15 The courts sat on the first Monday of the Althing(22-28 June) and thereafter as necessary. They started
at about 1400 and cases were heard on into the night(cf. 15/26). At midsummer the sun sets about 2300 on
the latitude of Pingvellir but it leaves the assembly grounditself at about 2030 because of intervening highland. It

48

GENERAL NOTES

rises about 0200 and shines on Pingvellir about 0230.
There is of course no real darkness meanwhile. See
Matthias PorSarson, Arbbk hins islenzka fornleifafelags
1911, 4 a n d 15.
11 /18 meS flokk sinn — the sg. implies that their followings were combined into one; cf. 26/28-29.
11/19-20 In this situation anyone who wished could
offer a defence; Grdgas la 47, II 376.
11 /25 Porarinn has some obligation to Ospakr becauseof Svala. If Ospakr were outlawed, his property would be
confiscated (cf. Intro, p. lix), and although the wife ofan
outlaw took a share, Svala would probably be left on
Porarin's hands. An outlaw in the family was bound tocause trouble: enmity and prosecution if he was protected
and probably blame if he was not helped or if his subsequent killing was ignored without retaliation.
12/5-6

Cf. 4/28-30.

12/7—9reply.

Note the rhythm and alliteration of Porarin's

12/13 tiu biia — perhaps an error for inn tiunda btia
"the tenth neighbour", cf Studiar, 50. K is clearer: kvatt
par biia heiman br heradi i stad pess er andadisk, en hann atti pata pingi at gera "called a neighbour there from the locality
in place of the one who died and he should have done thatat the assembly".
12/15 Styrmir seems content with a kind of stalemate,giving Oddr the choice of abandoning the case by leaving
the court or facing certain defeat if he stayed. To get aformal "clearing verdict" for Ospakr, Styrmir would
need a panel of five of the nine neighbours called by Oddr
(cf. Intro, p. Iviii). Presumably when Oddr left the court,
the men he had brought in support of his case left withhim.

GENERAL NOTES

12/16

49

ver — prohahly pluralis sociativus, cf note to 4/6.

12/18 "The people who came to the Althing lived forthe duration of the session in booths. These were sheltersof turf and stone built around a framework of timber androofed and decorated with homespun cloth" (Jon Johannesson, 43; see further Kalund, Beskrivelse I 96-109).
This lane between booths (biidarsund) must have led to
Odd's booth, Ofeigr confronts his son in a place where
he could not avoid him and where it was hard to overhear
their talk.
12/19-21 The cape described was doubtless of homespun (vadmdl). This material was often left in the colourof its natural wool. Dyed stuffs were counted finer andcost more. Black was probably the commonest dyedcolour, as in more recent times in Iceland, cf Isl.pjbdhettir,
24-6. Mention of only one sleeve need not imply that theother was torn off: the cape may have been made like that,with a side opening for the other arm (Hj. Falk, Altwestnordische Kleiderkunde, 1919, 186). A cape usually had anattached hood {hetta, hqttr, cf. 12/22, 28/12).
12/21 -22 Staves with metal points were in common use,
specially made and of some value. With his broddstafr
and his dyed cape Ofeigr has remnants of prosperity
about him.
12/22

skyggnur — here of open, investigating eyes.

12/25 l^cr — "polite" pi., cf note to 4/6; at 13/3 Ofeigr
drops the flattering formality and uses the naturalpii.
13/18—19 margra manna augu verSa feskjalg — probably proverbial.
13/24 a V9lluna — NeSri Velfir, inside the Althingbounds, see Map C and cf. Kalund, Beskrivelse I 111,

50

GENERAL NOTES

114-5; Pingvollur, 255; Einar
Alpingis (1945), 81.
13/25-26

Arnorsson, Rettarsaga

Cf 12/10-11.

14/5-6 Cf Intro, p. lvi, and on lawcourt circles ingeneral KL III (1958), 165-7.
14/19 On the full form of the oath taken by men nominated as judges see Studiar, 58.
14/30-15/2 "for you will be able to see that it is a greater
responsibility to judge not guilty someone who deserves
death and yet to have previously sworn oaths that you
would judge in accordance with what you knew to be
most just" — i . e . the responsibility will seem greater than
it would if no oaths had been sworn.
15/13—14 "and yet only such men as need makes eachtake care of himself' — i.e. only men who are related to
Ofeigr in such a way that they are under no obligation tosacrifice self-interest on that account.
15/15 The mark of 8 aurar weighed c 214 grams. Twokinds of silver were recognised, refined (brennt silfr "burnt
silver"/* and ordinary (bleikt silfr "pale silver"/), the former
twice the value of the latter; Jon Johannesson, 328-33.
15/20—21 Oddr remains the principal in the case andhis presence is essential for its continuation. By hqfdingjarnir
must be meant Styrmir and Porarinn.
15/23 As usual, steps in procedure had to be put onrecord by naming witnesses. Those here became domsuppsqguvdttar "witnesses of announcement of judgment";
cf. Grdgds III 696-8. The announcement of the judgment
was made by BergJ)6rr of B9Svarsh61ar, see 35/17-18,
and cf Intro, p. Iviii. The prosecutor then published theoutlawry at the Law Rock {Gragds la 78, 108, II 191;
I I I 644), and would normally describe the outlaw inGENERAL NOTES

5I

enough detail to leave no doubt of his identity. The
description of Ospakr given here is the earliest Icelandic
example we have of such a "wanted" notice, cf IF V I I
325 note 2. More-or-less detailed descriptions of important
people are frequent in saga narrative (cf. Ofeigr, 12/1924), but this description of Ospakr differs from all others
in saga literature.
15/33-34

Cf. 11/9-10.

16/7-8 Bringing money into court, i.e. offering a bribe,
was of course illegal. At the Althing it was a case to beprosecuted in the Fifth Court (Grdgds la 78J, and presumably that is where the chieftains propose to prosecute Oddr, though the saga does not say so.
16/10-11 On marriage ties (tengdir) between thesechieftains see / F V I I LXXXI-LXXXII.
16/11-14 The list starts with leaders in West Icelandand moves clockwise round the country. Hermundr lived
at Gilsbakki and Egill at Borg in BorgarfJ9rSr, Gellir at
Helgafell on Snaefellsnes, Styrmir at Asgeirsa and Porarinn in Langadalr, both south of HunafJ9r3r, Jarnskeggi
at Pvera in Eyjafj9r3r, Skegg-Broddi at Hof in VapnafJ9rSr, Porgeirr at Laugardalr. Cf 17/30-18/5, and see
Map A.
16/14 Porgeirr Halldoruson — on metronymics seenote to 1/3.
16/15 In Qlkofra pattr six men prosecute Qlkofri. In B
the prosecutors number eight, with a corresponding
reduction in the share each will get of the loot after
prosecuting Oddr — this "sixteenth part of Melsland"(21/2-3, 25/5-6) is so small that it can make a major impact in Ofeig's persuasion of Egill and Gellir to accept his
offers instead. Eight is not a usual "epic number" but52

GENERAL NOTES

occurs occasionally in Norse literature, cf especiallyPrymskvida, vv. 8, 24, 26, 28, Grimnismdl, v. 23.
16/22-23 I"^ Njals saga, ch. 144, a case of bribery isprosecuted forthwith at the same Althing, but here theconfederates postpone the suit for a year, presumably toensure as big a following as possible (cf 17/29).
16/23-26 Though nothing is said here of the obligatory"court of confiscation" (cf. Intro, p. lix), we must presume it was held.
16/26 It is natural to think that this was at the hotspring still to be found below Ofeig's farm at Reykir;
its water has long been used for bathing.
17/2

ySr — prohahly pluralis sociativus, cf. note to 4/6.

18/1—5 The men from the east probably travelled by
way of Sandr, those from the north by way of KJ9lr; see
M a p A. ReySarmiih is now called ReySarbarmur.
18/6 a V9lluna — doubtless Efri Vellir which wereoutside the boundaries of the assembly; see Map C;
Pingvdllur, 101-4.
18/13-14 fra biiS sinni — not from the booth that belonged to him but from the booth he belonged to — presumably that of his godi, Styrmir.
18/29 Stanzas in fornyrdislag are called staka here and at
29/21, visa at 36/2; drottkvatt stanzas are called visa at
20/19 and 32/33.
20/20-27 Satt er at agirni seims ok ranglaeti soekir
atta beima. OrS gerask au3arnJ9rSum omaet. Ynna ek
ySr, J)undum Jjykkra randa J)eys, at lata fyrir m9nnum
ISja hlatr ok soemSarleysis. — On sg. saikir with morethan one subject see Nygaard § 70 a.
ord, solemn
promises of the confederates; cf Vqluspd 26: eidar, ord ok
sceri. — audarnjqrdum, the same kenning also in Haukr

GENERAL NOTES

53

Valdisarson's Islendingadrdpa i i (13th century?). Words
meaning "gold" in connection with the name of the godof wealth NJ9rSr often form kennings for " m a n " . —fyrir
mgnnum may also be construed with scemdarleysis, "dishonour in men's eyes". — Idja hlatr, gold. In Snorra Edda,
Skdldskaparmal ch. i (4), we are told that the giant ISi
and his two brothers divided the gold that they inheritedfrom their father by filling their mouths with it eachequally many times. Therefore gold in poetry is called thegiant's mal, ord or tal. An analogous (comical?) kenningis then "the giant's laughter". (The same circumlocution
by means of other words for "giant" also in a poem ofEinarr Gilsson; 14th century.) The name Idi is frequently
used in kennings for gold. — pundum, from Pundr, one of
OSin's many names; randapeyr, battle; pundum randapeys,
warriors. — On the kennings see R. Meissner, Die
Kenningar der Skalden (1921), 261-2, 263, 182, 227-8.
— "It is true that greed for gold and injustice visit
eight men. Solemn words become worthless to men. I
would cheerfully see you, warriors, lose at men's (our)hands gold and get dishonour."
21/7 By law the property of Oddr as a convicted outlaw
should be divided as Ofeigr says. It is hard to believethat the confederates were ignorant of this but there may
be an implication that they had overlooked (or intended
to overlook) the claims oi the fjbrdungsmenn. In any case,just as in approaching the judges in ch. 6, Ofeigr seizes
the dialectical initiative by assuming they have worked
it out from first principles and borne in mind the law's
demands.
22/11 tvau hundruS silfrs — cf note to 15/15. Money
values fluctuated and we cannot say what the precise
value of this was — the author's main concern was
doubtless to convey the fact that it was silver in great

54

GENERAL NOTES

quantity and of high quahty. Cf IF VII 336 note i; KL
VII (1962), 8 3 - 7 ; Jon Johannesson, 329.
22/13 Note that the word mal here and in several later
contexts (22/29, 23/5, 26/15, 22, 27) refers to Ofeig's
counter-plot, not to any lawsuit as such.
22/22 There is no reference to other kinsmen of Oddr at
the assembly; but the innuendo of great family support
is in Ofeig's style.
22/31-34 We may assume that Ofeigr has calculated
that if Egill has to face hostility from the other confederates he will choose an ally who lives near his own home
and that of the two who live closest it will be Gellir, not
Hermundr. Gellir is a man to whom Ofeig's marriage
proposal on Odd's behalf is likely to make an attractive
douceur (pp. 24-5). At 26/18 Gellir also says that hechooses Egin because he lives nearest. We know of no
marriage ties between these two such as existed between
Gellir and Jarnskeggi and Skegg-Broddi. Cf IF VII
Lxxxi-Lxxxii; Studiar, 79.
23/25 Snorri goSi Porgrimsson, died 1031, best known
from Eyrbyggja saga, is recorded as having 4 sons by his
first wife, 6 by his third, and 2 illegitimate; IF IV 185-6.
23/25 Eyrarmenn — K adds synir Steinpbrs, but otherwise
we know of only one son of Steinjjorr (who also figureslargely in Eyrbyggja saga); cf IF VII 339 note i.
23, note 31 Gelli's answer in K parallels Egil's answer
in M 19/19--20.
24/3-4 Snorri goSi had 2 daughters by his second wife,
7 by his third, i illegitimate; IF IV 185-6. Nothing is
known of daughters of Steinjiorr.
24/5-6

Nothing is known of daughters of Gellir.

GENERAL NOTES

55

24/15 Einarr Jarnskeggjason also figures in Ljbsv. andHeidarviga saga.
24/16

Hallr Styrmisson is known from Landn. and Sturl.

25/12 kjosa ok deila — when sharing something
between two it was customary for one to make the divisionand the other to have first choice.
25/12-20 The names of those likely to suffer from Odd's
retaliation are chosen with some care by Ofeigr — Gellir
himself and Jarnskeggi and Skegg-Broddi (both related
to Gellir by marriage); these are also represented in amore favoarable light than the other confederates.
Cf Intro, p. xxix.
25/27 let ek Jjetta leiSask — this expression, which isfound elsewhere {IF III 32, XI 36), appears to equal
let ek til pessa leidask "I let myself be led into this"; petta
may be adv. a c e , cf Nygaard § 92.
26/16 at ek skyla um maela — um mala must here mean
"decide the terms", not "declare the terms"; cf 30/18,
and Gelli's words at 30/23-24.
26/18

See note to 22/31-34.

26/19-21 Cf. Ofeig's words about Egill at 3 0 / 9 - 1 1 ;in neither case to be taken completely seriously (but notcompletely unseriously either).
26/25 It was entirely legal for Gellir to betroth hisdaughter without consulting her. It was customary to fix
the wedding at the time of betrothal. It is not mentioned
here but Ofeigr can tell Oddr about it at 34/1-2. See KL
IV (1959), 233-40.
26/31, 27/4 Snorri Sturluson says that St Olafr Haraldsson (died 1030) gave the Icelanders timber and a big bell
for the church at Pingvelhr, IF X X V I I (1945), 214; he

56

GENERAL NOTES

also says that Haraldr SigurSarson (died 1066) sent a bell
for the church there, IF X X V I I I (1951), 119. Hungrvaka,on the other hand, says that King Haraldr sent the timber,
Byskupa sqgur, udg. . . . ved Jon Helgason, i (1938), 91.
See J o n Johannesson, 43.
27/9 Ofeigr behaves like a loyal follower of his godi;
cf. i / i i , 17/30.
27/10—II ok er menn . . . var van — K reads Ok ermenn hqfdu melt malum sinum "And when men had said
their pieces", i.e. when the formal business was over.
This may be nearer the original. The expression in K isparalleled in Qlkofra pattr, ch. 3 (77^X1 90), Gunnl., ch. 11{IF III 92), Egils saga, ch. 82 {IF II 287). Cf further
Gragas l a 209; Studiar, 88.
27/11 Ofeig's intervention at this point matches that of
Styrmir in ch. 5.
27/17-18 In what follows it is assumed throughout thatpenalties imposed after yielding the right of judgment tothe confederates would not include outlawry. Thisaccords with the laws which say a man can only be outlawed by private settlement if, at the time he yields rightof jjidgment, "he formally guarantees to accept outlawryor formally agrees that the man he deals with may impose
outlawry on him if he wishes". Still more formalities had
to be observed to make such a penalty legally binding.
Cf. Grdgas la 108-9.
28/2-3 J a . . . a morgin — proverbial; see Malshattasafn,
87; borrowed from Icelandic into Danish, cf Aage
Hansen, Peder Syvs danske Ordsprog (1944), 224.
28/8-9 The agreement on the way the dispute is to besettled is made at the Law Rock. The announcement of theterms could be made anywhere, but here they move out tothe vellir (cf. note to 13/24). This is perhaps because thisGENERAL NOTES

57

is where courts usually sat but there may be anotherreason. M does not explain why they moved but in
K it is Ofeigr who tells them to do this. Later on he recites
two insulting stanzas (pp. 29, 33) — and this was
something he could not do at the Law Rock without risk:"If a man recites insulting verse (nid) about someone at
the Law Rock, the penalty is outlawry and moreover hemay be killed by him without legal redress up to theAlthing next following" (Grdgds l b 184, II 393/).
28/10 The subject of setjask is probably bandamenn . . .
medflokka.nna and not simply flokkar peira Gellis ok Egils. —On Gellis ok Egils cf note to 34/19.
28/1 i - i 3 Cf the description at 12/19-23. See also
Glossary s.v. handleggr.
28/13 The exact import oihann titrar augunum escapes us;
usually translated with verbs like wink, twinkle, blink,though perhaps one might rather expect Ofeigr to have a
sharp look at this moment.
28/17 Acceptance of a gift meant acceptance of theobligation to repay it, a moral obligation given legal
sanction in Germanic and Norse society; KL V (i960),
653-63.
28/30-29/1

Cf. the textual note ad loc.

'29l3~^ The friendliness of Haraldr SigurSarson inn
harSraSi (ruled 1046-66) towards Icelanders is wellknown; he especially favoured Icelandic poets; cf e.g.
G. Turville-Petre, Haraldr the Hard-ruler and his poets(1968). According to Hungrvaka he is supposed to havesaid much the same of Gizurr Isleifsson (later bishop of
the Icelanders, 1082-1118) as he is here alleged to havesaid of Skegg-Broddi {Byskupa sqgur, udg. . . . ved Jon
Helgason, i, 1938, 83); and in Brands pattr qrva {IF IV
189) PjoSolfr Arnorsson uses just the same words

58

GENERAL NOTES

as in B to describe his friend Brandr to King Haraldr.
29/14-16 Note how Ofeigr dismisses five of the eightchieftains before choosing Gellir, and then dismisses
Porgeirr, the most stupid and despised of the confederates, before finally taking Egill as his second arbiter.
Thus he makes Porgeirr first especially hopeful andafterwards especially disappointed.
29/20 oxi eSa asni — a fixed alliterative phrase derived
from Christian texts; cf especially the Tenth Commandment.
29/28—30/2 The word krbkr seems here to mean a hookused for hanging things up by, including meat and otherstores. All that is left in the larder is a wolfs tail, the worst
food one can think of The expression may be proverbial
in the same way as the following maxim about the wolves
who eat each other without noticing it until they reacheach other's tail must also be. There were no wolves in
Iceland but they are the classic Norse embodiment offierce savagery, even to their own kind; cf Hamdismdl, v.
2930/21 Jjrettan aura - the number 13 was probably initself degrading. It was (and is) associated with bad luck
and witchcraft, though such ideas about it probably only
spread to the North after the arrival of Christianity there.
Cf. Studiar, 287 and note 34 there.
30/28 osomann — Hermundr presumably means thedishonour he thinks will now be heaped on Oddr; or has
he some inkling of what is in store?
30/29 ekki munu vit siSar vitrari — the same introduction to an announcement of terms occurs in Fcereyinga
saga (ed. Olafur Halldorsson, 1967, 98).

GENERAL NOTES

59

31/2 Note the burlesque antithesis between the figurative er pu sditir nu a hlustinni and the literal er pu stbtt upp.
31/10-12 To hide wealth in the ground was punishable
by law, Grdgds lb 75. It meant robbing one's own family.
Skallagrimr Kveld-Ulfsson and his son Egill are both
said to have hidden treasure in their old age, Egils saga,chs. 58, 85 {IF II 174, 297-8); c£ also Grettis saga, ch. 18( / F V I I 60).
31/13 Judging by what he is reported to have said on his
deathbed (35/1 o - i i ) Hermund's denial is itself a he.
31/16 The Christmas season was usually counted overwith Epiphany (Twelfth Night; prettdndi dagr jbla; 6
January).
31/18 meS annan mann — with one companion, meagre
attendance for a great chieftain, reflecting both Hermund's meanness and Egil's poverty.
31/20-21 Horses were mostly left to fend for themselves
through the winter, sometimes with heavy losses. C£
Isl. pjbdheettir, 149; KL VII (1962), 2 7 2 - 7 ; X I X (1975),

376-931/21 Christians were forbidden to eat horse-meat fromlate classical times onward. Icelanders were at firstallowed to eat it after their acceptance of Christianity
but this and other indulgence of pagan customs wereabolished a few years later. Cf Jon Johannesson, 1 4 0 - 1 ;KL V I I (1962), 2 8 0 - 1 ; Dag Stromback, The Conversionof Iceland (1975), 17 and note i, 29 and note 2. — Hermundr accuses Egill of slanderously and ungratefully
suggesting that not only had they lived on forbidden
horse-flesh (and from beasts that had died of starvation)
but also had done this during Lent when every kind ofmeat was banned; cf KL IV (1959), 182-91. In reply.

60

GENERAL NOTES

31/22-23, Egill reckons that few or none of the horses
were eaten — Hermundr was too mean even for that.
32/4

jafnaSarmenn — s e e KL XI (1966), 325-6.

32/10 The picturesque name svartleggja for battle-axe
occurs elsewhere in thirteenth-century prose and once inan early twelfth-century verse, c£ Fritzner, s.v., andFinnur Jonsson, Lexicon poeticum^ (1931), s.v.
32/20-21 The implication seems to be that Porarinn
has some perverse sexual habit; R. Heinzel (Beschreibung
der isldndischen Saga, 1881, reprinted 1977, 16I/) queries
whether it may not be an accusation of self-abuse.
32/22 Hafa skal heil raS, hvaSan sem koma — proverbial couplet; Malshattasafn, 133.
32/28-29 A comical compensation for a comical injury;
on the number 13 cf note to 30/21.
33/1-8 Flestr malmarunnr mun hoelask um minna. Ek
vatta Jjat Ams ok Austra sattum. Mik goelir J)at. Gat ek,
hringa orikr, h9f3ingjum vafit hattar land flikum ensandi oest i augu kastat. — Amr ("the dark one"), giant
name; Austri, dwarf name; on poetry as "the giant's
and dwarfs reconciliation" c£ Snorra Edda, Skdldskaparmal ch. I (5), where we learn that two dwarfs werereconciled with the giant Suttungr by giving him themead of poetry. —; malmarunnr: mdlmr, metal, iron;runnr, young, slender tree; both words are common in
kennings for "warrior", " m a n " . Flestr malmarunnr isconstrued in the sg. — hringa (gen. pi.) drikr: adjectives
meaning "lacking" go with nouns in the genitive, Nygaard § 136 b. — hqttr hat, often used in kennings for" h e a d " . — vaflt pp. oivefja, wrap. — On the kennings cf.
R. Meissner, Die Kenningar der Skalden (1921), 428, 266,
269, 127. — For the last sentence c£ the common English

GENERAL NOTES

6I

expressions "hoodwink" and "throw dust in someone'seyes". — "Most men will praise themselves for less. I
testify to it in poetry. That gladdens me. Not mighty inmoney I was able to wrap cloths round the heads ofchieftains and busily throw sand into their eyes."
34/1-2 The Althing ended between i and 7 July.
Ofeigr meets Oddr at his ship perhaps 3-4 days later.
The wedding was to be held when six weeks of summer
were left, that would normally be in the week beginning
Thursday 27 August — 2 September. (Autumn, whenmeat, malt and merchandise were in good supply, wasfavoured as a time for big parties like bridals. Cf. Kr.
Kalund, Aarbeger 1870, 307.) Oddr thus had about
seven weeks for his voyage (cf 34/16-17). — Weddings
were usually at the bride's home but they could be at thegroom's, especially if his standing was distinctly higher(cf Laxdcela saga, ch. 45; IF V 138). Having the feast atMelr saves Gelli's pocket but also enhances Odd'sprestige. Cf KL II (1957), 306-17.
34/4 PorgeirsfJ9r3r is a little fjord east of the entrance of
EyjafJ9r8r; it is not more than 2.5 km long and open to thesea. That shipmen lying there would not know what
conditions»were like outside the fjord is hardly credible.
Presumably sheer ignorance on the author's part.
34/8, 15 The terms kaupmenn (merchants) and austmenn(Norwegians) are used synonymously (for obvious reasons).
34/11-12 Oddr may sail to Orkney in preference to
Norway because it is a somewhat shorter voyage andgrain usually easier to come by there (cf IF V I I c). But
according to Odds pattr Ofeigssonar and Hemings pattr,
Oddr and King Haraldr SigurSarson were on bad terms,

62

GENERAL NOTES

and this may have weighed with the author in making
Orkney the destination.
34/12 Malted grain for brewing was always an importin Iceland, as was much of the other grain needed there
for food and seed. But some grain was grown in early
Iceland, even in the north of the country. See KL XI(1966), 3 0 5 - 8 ; Jon Johannesson, 296; Saga Islands I
38-40, 117, II 12.
34/16-17
34/1-2-

Oddr has filled his time nicely, cf note to

34/19 Note that in this context (and 28/10) Gellir isnamed before Egill; earlier (18/1, 27/5) it has been theother way round,34/21-22 Farewell gifts, calculated according to therank of the recipient and his relations with the host, were
customary among early Scandinavian (and Germanic)
people; cf KL V (i960), especially 658-9.
34/30 "Oxen were used as draught animals. They wereused in pairs to pull sleighs and frame carriers, and, aslong as cereals were grown, oxen were yoked to theancient plough called the ardr. Old oxen were greatly
prized" (Jon Johannesson, 290).
35/2 The site of HvammsleiS (so in M and K) has been
identified as Hvammr in NorSrardalr (Kalund, Beskrivelse
I 361; Jon Johannesson, 82), but there is no evidence
otherwise that an assembly was held there. It would infact seem odd for the people of BorgarfJ9r3r to havetheir meetings at such a remote spot. Use of adv. iit in ut
til Hvammsleidar is also strange in describing a journeyfrom Gilsbakki to Hvammr. It is conceivable that theauthor, probably a Northerner, was simply unfamiliar
with local conditions in BorgarfJ9r8r. See further Studiar,

GENERAL NOTES

63

102. — Burning a home with the people in it, as Hermundr now intends at Borg (cf 31/26-28), is the mostdrastic and impressive form of vengeance known in
eddaic poems and sagas.
35/3 ^^ presumably here means from HvammsleiS,
towards the sea (and Borg), which is natural local usage(unlike iit at 35/1). — The name Valfell occurs otherwise
only in Gunnl., ch. 2. It has been identified as the mountainnow called Kambur. Cf IF VII 360 note 2 and III 53
note 2. — It may be more than a coincidence that thefatal "shot" comes from Valfell, since the first elementin this name might have been interpreted as from valr
m. "the slain" (cf. Valhqll) as well as from its homonym
valr m. "falcon". Because of this it has been suggested that
Valfell was once popularly regarded as a "totenberg",
where the dead had their abode (E. Mogk, Paul und
Braune, Beitrdge zur Geschichte der deutschen Sprache und
Literatur XVI, 1892, 539; Heusler 1897, XLIX, 1913, L).
35/3-5 The notion is that Hermundr is hit by a supernatural missile, perhaps as the victim of the trolls (ordevils) Egill consigns him to at 31/31. The word "shot"
is used in Scandinavia of various forms of sudden pain or
acute sickness. The "shot", often thought of as an arrowfrom a bow, darts into the body leaving no trace. Cf I.
Reichborn-Kjennerud, Var gamle trolldomsmedisinl (1928),
88; Nils Lid, Trolldom (1950), 7 - 9 ; Lauri Honko,
Krankheitsprojektile (Folklore Fellows Communications
178, 1959), 4 1 - 3 , 75-7; 1 2 0 - 1 ; C. C. Matthiessen,
Skuddet i dansk sygdomstro (Danmarks Folkeminder 77,1967), especially 19.
35/7-8 See Map A. Earliest mention of a church at
PorgautsstaSir is from c. 1600. SiSumiih had an earlychurch, and a priest was householder there c. 1250; cf

64

GENERAL NOTES

Kalund, Beskrivelse I 347; Prestatal, 130. K has quite
different farm-names at this point — cf Studiar, 103-5,
and Intro, pp. xlviii-xlix.
35/7-11 A priest (normally the priest of the parish) is
fetched to someone mortally ill to hear confession, observe
contrition and give absolution. Afterwards the dying
receive communion and extreme unction (usually in thatorder). KL II (1957), 181-8, XV (1970), 303-5, X V I(1971), 361-6. — Hermundr is too ill to make a proper
confession, though he seems to have tried and in doing so
confirms his avarice. In the circumstances a priest would
hardly deny him the last rites, but we are left in doubt.
35/10-11 tvau hundruS i gih — cf 31/10-12 and notethat the sum is the same as the bribes Ofeigr gave to
Egill and Gellir. The gil referred to by Hermundr was
most probably the large gulley at Gilsbakki from which
the farm takes its name. Cf Kalund, Beskrivelse I 346-7.
(Jon SigurSsson, in Gustaf J. Chr. Cederschiold, Bandamanna saga, 1874, 24, and Baetke i960, 111, thought
the gil to be Haukagil in HvitarsiSa.)
35/12 ok lauk sva hans aevi — the same phrase comes
like a dismal refrain after the death of Ospakr is described,
36/23-2435/14-15 The author gives no information about
Svala's divorce from Ospakr, and the position is further
complicated by the uncertain status of their marriage
in the first place (cf. note to 7/9— i o). We can consequently
have little idea of how far he believed her behaviour was
sanctioned by society, law and church. What is certain isthat Svala deserted Ospakr and that the church frowned
on divorce. Cf KL XV (1970), 505-9.
35/17-18

Cf 15/14-15-

GENERAL NOTES

65

35/19 Fires were "long fires", made in hearth-pits inthe floor of stamped earth which made a central aisle along
the length of the room; KL V I I (1962), 348.
35/20-26 Ospakr behaves like an aptrgqngumadr, one of
the living dead of Norse folklore — "Das abendliche
Klopfen, das Verbot hinauszugehen und das Toten desViehs konnte geradeso in einer Trollen- oder Wiedergangererzahlung stehen" (H. Dehmer, Primitives Erzahlungsgut in den Islendinga-Sbgur, 1927, 80-81).
35/25 Nine is a common "epic number" but here it may
also be considered factually in relation to the size ofherd generally wintered on Icelandic farms. The four
tenth- and eleventh-century byres so far excavated in
Iceland had room for some 30, 24, 20 and 15 beasts
respectively; cf Saga Islands I 116-7. Cattle-sheds usually
stood close to the dwelling-house. See Jon Johannesson,343-4; KL IV (1959), 400-401.
35/26-28 K has einn morgin er pau Mar ok Svala Idgu i
rekkju sinni. Possibly M should be corrected to readi hus pat er pau Mar hvila i. A fata! attack on a husband in
bed beside his wife is a motif known in eddaic poems
and other sagas (Sigurdarkvida in skamma, Droplaugarsona
saga, Gisla saga).
36/1 The bed of the master and mistress was often
separated from the rest of the set (cf note to 10/31) bypartitioning (cf. note to 2/7), sometimes made into achamber that could be locked from the inside (lokrekkja) ;A Z X V ( i 9 7 o ) , 130-1.
36/1 The sax seems to have been a big, heavy knife,
not reserved for use as a weapon but a general implement;
A-L X V I I (1972), 512-5.
36/3-4

M and K both have the alliterative error

66

GENERAL NOTES

slidrum / skdlm — it can be made good by substituting
skeidum for slidrum (they mean the same). Aslak Liestol{KL X V I I , 1972, 516-7) notes of the skdlm (older skqlm)
that it is not accorded much respect in our sources, though
it can be dangerous enough; that it belongs in tales of thesupernatural, most often wielded by ogresses; and thatsaga-writers must have thought of it as a sharp-pointed
one-edged weapon of a cruder make than the sax or mcekir.
36/13 Borgarholi is named only here and its site is
unknown; Kalund, Beskrivelse I 24.
36/13 lysir J)ar viginu — cf note to 11/4-6 and Intro,
p. Ivii. Though already an outlaw, Ospakr here publishes
his killing (cf Grettis saga, ch. 48; IF VII 155); but thedifferent circumstances, compared with his killing ofVali in ch. 4, should be noted.
36/15 Studhorses were select mares pastured in thecompany of a stallion. Horses were specially bred as
mounts and fighters.
36/20-21 It is common folk-belief that blood represents
a person's vital powers and can reveal his essential nature.
Black is significant of death, devilry and witchcraft. That
Ospakr collected his blood in a basin may be linked withmagic ideas: one should treat blood with care and one
might drink one's own blood as an antidote against
sickness and spells. Cf I. Reichborn-Kjennerud, Vargamle trolldomsmedisin I (1928), 92, 196-7.
36/23-24

Cf note to 35/12.

36/24-25 Since Ospakr was an outlaw, no ordinarycase could be brought against him for killing Mar nor
against Bjalfi for killing him. Ma's family might haveclaims on Ospak's family for the wergild that was payableirrespective of successful legal process (Grdgds la 194-5J.

GENERAL NOTES

67

The specific statement that no suits followed these deaths
may be a scribal addition. If it is original, it may be there
because the author thought his audience would expect akilling to have this sequel. The sound legal knowledge
displayed elsewhere in the M text suggests it was not
simply a slip.
36/27 The Midfirdingar are the family at Melr, owners of
the Melmannagodord (cf note to 4/28-30). Snorri Kalfsson,
married to a daughter of the well-known Porgils Oddason(oiPorgils saga ok Haflida), was a leading man in his day;annals record his death in 11 75. On the Melr family see
Bjorn Magmisson Olsen, Timarit hins islenzka bbkmentafelagsll(1881), 1 6 - 2 2 .

GLOSSARY
All words in the text are glossed with the exception of theordinary article and most common pronouns, but only
select references are given. The sense of prepositions usedabsolutely is often to be sought in the entry on the word orwords they are associated with in the text.
Principal parts of strong, preterite-present and anomalous verbs are quoted in third-person forms; present
singular forms are included when the vowel differs fromthat of the infinitive. The preterite formation of weakverbs is indicated but the past participle is cited only when
it cannot be deduced from the preterite. Rare verbal forms
that occur in the text (some imperative and subjunctive
forms, for example) are normally included. Middle voice
forms are classified (where possible) as reflexive, reciprocal or passive.
Words in the stanzas are glossed; translations of thedrottkvatt stanzas are also given in the notes to 20/20-27
and 33/1-8.

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE GLOSSARY
a.
abs.
ace.
adv.
art.
aux.
comp.
conj.
dat.

def
demon.
e-m
e-n

adjective
absolute (ly)accusative
adverb(ial)articleauxiliarycomparative
conjunction
dativedefinitedemonstrative
cinhverjum
einhvern

e-s
e-t
e-u

f
gen.

imp.
impers.
indecl.

inf.
inter j .
interr.
intr.

68

einhvers
eitthvert
ein hverju
feminine
genitive
imperativeimpersonal ((or subjectlcss)
indeclinableinfinitive
interjection
interrogative
intransitive

69

GLOSSARY
lit.
m.
md.
n.
neg.
nom.
num. (a.)
ord.
o-selfPpass.
Pl.

pp.
prep.

literally
masculine
middle voiceneuternegativenominative
numeral (declinable•)ordinal numeral
oneself
past
passivepluralpast participle
preposition{al)(i) SLprep, to, towards, on, onto, in,into, at; with ace. a lopt aloft, inthe air; a brott away; a bak aptr
backwards; a morgin tomorrow;with dat, a landinu in the country;
a pingi at the assembly: a vetri
31/13-14 in the winter, last
winter; lida a to pass on (of time)(2) a see eigaa b y r g S / . responsibilitya b y r g d a r U u t r m. matter or thing
involving responsibility
aSr conj. before, until; adv. before,
previously, already; heldr en ddr
30/6 any more than beforea£prep, with dat. from, olT, of, because
of, by, a b o u t ; godr affe generous
with money; segja tife-u speak of,tell about s-thing; bedinn af vinum
asked by friends; verdr ekki af e-u
811 ^ nothing comes of s-thing; hvat
af honum verdr i i/i i what becomesof him; rida af pingi ride from theassembly; af annarri stundu in alittle while; often used abs. e.g.
mun ek mer engu af skipta jjf^-'j I
shall not concern myself about it
at all; at pat mun afordit that that iswhat has become of it; spari ek ekki
afl hold nothing back; tok af byr(ace.) 34/4-5 the wind dropped;af pvi at conj. becausepres. (p.)
pret.pres.
pron.
recipr.
rejl.
rel.
sg.

s-one
s-thingsubj.
suhst.
sup.
tr.
vb.

present (participle)
preterite-present verb
pronounreciprocal
reflexive
relativesingularsomeonesomethingsubjunctive
substantive
superlativetransitiveverb

a f b u r d a r m i k i l l a. outstandingly
bigafelli n. condemnation, d a m n i n gchargea f h e n d r a. out of one's h a n d s ; segi
ek mer pat afhent I declare it is off
my hands, I renounce responsibility for it
afl n. strength, power; e-t verdr e-m
um ~ s-thing becomes too muchfor s-one
afla (ad) with gen. procure, get
a g i r n i y . and n. greed, avarice
agaetismadr m. outstanding man
agaetr a. excellent, outstanding,famousa h y g g j u m i k i l l a. having great
worry; e-m er ahyggjumikit s-one
has much on his mind

ah9fn/, cargoa l b u i n n a. all ready (e-s for something) ; ~ til hafs all ready for sea
a l d r m. age, life, old age; vera vid ~be advanced in years
a l d r e g i see aldria l d r i (aldregi) adv. never; ek hirdi —I don't care at alla l g o 6 r a. perfecta l i n / . (= gin), pl. alnar ell, cf. note
to 2/7allhaeldreginn a. very heel-dragging, shuffling

70

GLOSSARYa l l i l l a adv. very badly
a l l k a t r a. very cheerful
a l l m i k i l l a. very big; n. as adv.
allmikit very mucha l l r a. all, the whole (of); as subst.
allt everything; med allt sitt 21/22,
2^JJ0 with all his possessions; allir
everybody; conj. alls since, seeingthat
a l l s see allr
allt see allra l l v a n d r a. very difficult; er slikum
allvant am 13/12 it is a very difficult
situation for such men (as you)a l l v e l adv. very well
allvsenn a. very promising, hopeful;pykkir peim ok allvant um sitt mal andtheir case seems to them very
promisinga l m s e l t r a. universally saida l v a r a / . seriousness, sincerity
alf>ingi n. 17/5 the Althing, General
Assembly, see Intro, pp. liv-lvi
amseli n. blame, reproacha.n prep, with gen. withouta n d a s k (ad) die; madr andadisk or
kvqdinni a man died "from thepanel", one member of the panel
died; d. Intro, p. Ivii
a n d l i t n. facea n d s v a r n. (often inpl.) answer,
defence; andsvgr veitapessu mali
11/20 give an answer to this case,offer a defence
a n n a r r a., pron. and ord. another, theother, the second, the next; med
annan mann with one companion;
annat sumar next summer; annan
dag eptir next d a y ; af annarri .stundu
23/8 in a little while; eigi er pat pb
minni van er at gdru gefsk 24/32 it ison the other h a n d no less likelythat it will turn out differently;
hverr annarra 27/23, 30/5 any other;annarr . . . annarr the one . . . theother; annarr hvarr one of two;annat hvart . . . eda (ella) either . . .
ora n n a s k (ad) take care of, be busy
about {e-t or um e-t)

a p t a n s 9 n g r m. evensong
a p t r adv. back; m<sla -^ take backone's words
arfi m. heira r m r a. wretched, miserable, vile;
skilsktu manna armastr vid mal 33/19
what the vilest of men you are toleave the case like that!
a s j a / help, supervisiona s j a m a l n. a matter for considerationa s n i m. ass
a s t / love, affection(i) sLtprep. with dat. at, in, to, towards, according to, for, from;
piggja at e-m receive from s-one;
spyrja at e-u ask about s-thing; ekki
md at pvi fara i2Ji^ one (we) can't
act in accordance with that; at
Iggum in accordance with law; atfrett by report; at per gagn 13/13
help from you; skiljask at Pvi
17/25-26 they part with t h a t ;styrkr at honum 24/27-28 source ofstrength in him; at gdru see
annarr; pit . . . hefir mikit at rddi
29/11 - 1 2 you have much in
the way of household responsibihty; hafa e-t at minnum see minni(2); at rangleeti kenndr 29/16 known
for injustice; van e-s at e-m likelihood of s-thing from s-ono; at sex
vikum when there are six weeks towinter; in abs. pp. constructions at
sva maltu 16/22 when this had beensaid; at svafgllnu mali 17/18 theway the case has turned out; at
sva hunu 24/21 the way things are;followed by gen. at eins merely,
only; heima at pin home at yourhouse(2) a t adv. (in comp. constructions)at heldr the more
(3) a t inf. particle to(4) at conj. (introducing indirectspeech) that
(5) a t conj. (introducing temporal or
causal clause) when, since, in that;ef eigi hefdi verit kiigat af honum athann matti eigi undan komask 8/12-13

GLOSSARY

if it had not been forced from him(in a situation) when he could not
get out of it; at sva er allt snarligt ok
snqfurligt 12/26 when everything isthus swift and decisive; um haustit
at menn gengu in the a u t u m n when
men went(6) at rel. particle who, which, that(cf. er 2, sem 2 ) ; sd, peir . . . at he,they . . . who; /«( . . . at that. . . which, whata t h p f n / . activity, occupation
atkvaedi n. expression, form ofwords, decisiona t r e k a n d i m. pressing efforts,
exertion
atta num. eight
atta, atti, a t t u ( = att pii) see eiga
audarnirSir m. pl. (in poetry) godsof wealth, (rich) men, cf. note to
20/20-27
audigr a. richaudr m. wealthauSveldr a. easya u f u s a / . gratitude, gratificationa u g a n. eye
a u k a (eykr.jok.joku, juku. aukinn) increase, add to; eigi mun pat aukit
20/11 it will not be exaggerated
aurar see eyrira u s t a n adv. from the east
austanveSr n. sg. anrf/i/. easterlywinda u s t m a d r m. a Norwegianbadir (bddar, badi) a. and pron. b o t h ;biedi. . . ok both . . . a n d ; biedi. . .
enda both . . , and (and indeed, inany case)bak n. back; horseback; a ~ aptr
backwards; hefja af baki lift fromhorseback, lift from the saddleb a n a m a d r m. killerb a n d f'pl. b^nd) n. band, bond;ganga i bgnd enter an agreementb a n d a m a S r m. confederatebani m. death; what causes death,killerb a n n a (ad) forbid [e-m at gera e-t
s-one to do s-thing)71

b a u 3 see bjoda
b a u g a b r o t n. ring fragment, bit ofhack-silver
beiS see bidabei3a (dd) ask [e-n e-s s-one for sthing); beidi ek pik ekki gjafar at
4/13 I a m not asking you to makea gift of itb e i m a r m. pl. (in poetry) men
b e i n n. bone, leg
b e i n l e i k i m. hospitalityb e r a (bar, baru, borinn) bear, carry;^ traust a have the confidence; ~a/reject a charge, find not guilty(impers. 10/6); ~ fe i dom bringmoney into court, use bribery;
berr til (impers.) h a p p e n ; pat bar
til nylundu at 36/15 it happened(by way of novelty) t h a t ; eigi mun
pat her til ~ 28/21-22 it will not be
a matter of that in this case; ^undan 10/23 ^^^ ^ot guilty; ef undir
oss berr [impers.) feit (ace.) 20/g if
the money falls to us, comes under
our control; ^ upp bring up,report; ~ satt upp bring up thet r u t h ; er villt upp borit:' 14/8 is it
wrongly reported?
b e t r comp. adv. better; pvi ~ er . . .
verr (fyrr, meir) the better , . . theworse (the sooner, the more)b e t r i comp. a. better; ~~ affe moregenerous (with money; cf. godr);
n. as adv. betra betterb e z t r sup. u. best; n. as adv. bezt
bestbida (beid, bidu, bedinn) wait [e-s for
s-thing); ~ elli live to old age
biSja (bad, hddu, bedinn) bid, ask (e-ne-s s-one for s-thing); bidr SVQIU(gen.) asks for Svala's h a n d ; ~lids ask for supportb i n d a (batt, bundu, bundinn) bind,tie; ~ sitt vinfengi 34/33 bindthemselves in friendshipb i t a (beit, bitu, bitinn) bite; sgk bitr(e-n) 12/31, 16/8 a lawsuit bites(s-one), is valid
bjargl'eysi n. lack of help, want
bjo see bita

72

GLOSSARY

bjoda (bydr, baud, budu, bodinn) offer,invite, ask, propose; ^ e-m heim
invite s-one h o m e ; ~ e-m um sittmal 18/11 - 1 2 ask s-one to lookafter one's case at law; koma ordum
peim er hann baud mer 24/18 deliver
the message he asked me to deliver; er nu bodit til varna iijiy, 19
defence (at law) is now invited; ef
ydr bydr (impers.) vid at horfa 4/16
if it suits you to turn against anyone; eigi hafa peir til bodizk 24/9-10
they have not presented themselves (as suitors)
b j u g r a. bowed, bent
hjfrgf. sustenance, help (given to aperson under penalty)
bliSliga adv. kindly, in a gladsome
way

bl63 n. bloodb l o m i m. flourishing state, prosperity
bolli m. bowl
b o n d i m. ('pl. bandr) householder,master; husband
borS n. board, table; (ship's) side;
sitja undir bordi sit at table; hlaupa
undan bordinu]urci\t up from table;vera mikill bordi 8/30, 20/6 have ahigh freeboard, be a man of meansor strength, cf. Halldor Halldorsson I 80.
b o r g a n a r m a d r m. guarantorb o r i n n see bera
bragd n. (p\. brqgd) a quick movement, trick, deceit; er eigi margra
brggd 9/26 there are not m a n ycapable of such tricky actions; hafa
brqgd undir briinum 4/10—11 havetricks under the eyebrows, lookdeceitful; eru nil br^gd i malinu 21 /28 now there is craftiness in thecase; cf. vindttubragdb r a g S a k a r l m. crafty m a nb r a s t a (ad) bluster, act big
b r a t t adv. soon, quickly
b r e g S a (bra, brugdu, brugdinn) move(e-u s-thing), usually with the ideaof a b r u p t or sudden movement;

Egill bra til augum 22/6 E. at once
fastened his eyes on it; bra ek . . .
skalm I drew a blade; hyggja nit at
pessu megi ekki ~ 16/20-21 thinkthat this (agreement) cannot be
broken; peim brigzlum mun ek per ~32/18-19 I shall produce such
shameful charges against you;bregdr (impers.) e-m i britn 7/30,• 5 / 3 ' '32 the set of s-one's eyebrows is altered, s-one is surprisedb r e n n a (nnd) burn (tr.): ^ e-ninni burn s-one in his houseb r i g z l i n. reproach, shameful chargeb r o d d r m. spike, pointb r o s a (st, -at) smile; Egill rruelti ok
brosti »y 30/13 Egill spoke andsmiled (as he did so)
b r o t t , i brott, a b r o t t adv. away;~ bitinn ready to leaveb r u l l a u p n. wedding
briin (pl. brynn) f. eyebrow; cf.
bregdab r u n n a. brownb r y n n a. whetted; obvious, indisputablebii n. household, farm, farmingbiia (byr, bjo, bjoggu, hjuggu, bitinn)
live, be a householder; prepare,make ready; ~ ferd make preparations for a journey (voyage); ~mal (til pings) prepare a case (foran assembly) (cf. Intro, p. Ivii);
hefir pit rangt til biiit malit 12/13 you
have prepared the case wrongly;
md. pass, er nil biiizk til veizlu 34/17
preparations are now made for the
feast; md. refl. hann bysk um hemakes (himself) ready; Vali bjosk
padan V. got ready to leave (fromthere); pp. bitinn ready (e-s or til
e-s for s-thing); brott biiinn ready toleave; vid sva biiit 12/15 withmatters standing thus; segir henni
sva biiit 7/8-9 tells her how things
stand; at sva bitnu 2i^l'Z i the way
things areb u S / . booth, temporary dwelling;see Intro, p. lvi and note to 12/18

GLOSSARYb u S a r d y r r / . pl. booth-entranceb u S a r s u n d n. passage-space
between booths
bui m. householder, neighbour;member of a panel: see Intro, p. Ivii
biiinn see bitab u m a S r m. farmer, farm manager
bunaSr m. preparations; farmingb u s u m s y s l a / farm managementb y g g S / . dwelling place, settlementb y i j a (ad) impers. blow (of fairwind); Oddi pykkir seint ^ O .
thinks a fair wind slow in coming
byrr m. (fair) wind; e-m gefr byr(ace.) s-one gets a fair wind;tekr afbyr (ace.) the wind drops
baeSi see bddir
been/, request, petitionbeer m. farm, steadingbceta (tt) improve, make good;bcettu (= beet pii i m p . j po um 34/26
nevertheless improve on itb 9 n d see bandi l a S / . noble act; virtue, honestyd a g r m, d a y ; i dag today; annan dag
eptir next d a y ; einn dag on a certain
day, one day
d a g s a n n a y . s-thing as true as day
dait see deyja
dalr m. valleyd a p r a. dejected
dauSi m. death
dauSr a. deaddeila (Id) divide
deyjsL (do, do(u), ddinn) die
digr a. stout, thick; ~ sjddr abulging money-bag
d i m m a / . darkness, shadow; cf.
draga
dofna (ad) die down, relax; dofnarenn yfir pessu this tailed off again
d b m h r i n g r m. circle in whichjudges sit
d o m r m. court; framan til doma iiji^
until the courts sit (cf. Intro, pp.
Ivi-lviii)
d o m s o r S n. judgment, verdict;
nefndir vattar at domsordi vteri a73

lokit 15/23 witnesses named
to witness that a verdict had been
given (Intro, p. Iviii)
d o t t i r / . (pl. d(£tr) daughterd r a g a (dregr, drb, drbgu, dreginn)d r a w ; dregr (impers.) dimmu a e-t
24/22-23 a shadow is cast over sthing, it looks black for s-thing;^ e-t fyrir e-m 21/1 d r a w s - t h i n g
out for s-one, prevaricate, holdback; ~ saman 10/1-2 make aconnection between; ^ sloda leavea trail; meira sloda mun ~ 17/13
there will be more to it; ~ e-n til
28/29 draw s-one on
d r a p n. killing, executiond r e n g r m. m a n (often with implicadon of valour and magnanimity)d r e n g s k a p r m. honour, honesty,
qualities of st gcidr drengrd r e p a (drap, drdpu, drepinn) strike,kill; •^ a dyrr knock on the door
draepr a. who may be killed with
impunityd v e l j a (dvaldi, dvaldi) delay; dveljask
stay, r e m a i n ; ok ~ sva a / ( a b s . )stundir 19/19 and so pass the timed y l g j a / . hostility (but not open
conflict)dylja (duldi, duldi) conceal, deny(e-s s-thing); dyljask vid (e-t) refuse
to admit (s-thing)d y r r / . pl. doorway, entrance
doema (md, md) j u d g e (e-t or ume-t) ; '^ e-n give a verdict againsts-one; sum (mil) varu dcemd 13/2627 some (cases) had been j u d g e d ;dwmt er pat sem mun 14/7 it has been
judged as far as it is going to be
doemi n. example, parallel (til e-s
to, for s-thing)
doetr see dottir
eSa conj. or; but (introducing directquestion)
etconj. if, whether
efla (Id) found, establish, build; ~mikinn bitnad start farming on a big
scale

74

GLOSSARYe f n i n. material, matter, cause, state;
betr en ~ eru til 4/13 better thanthere is cause for; komit i illt ~15/18-19 come into a bad state;! hvert ~ komit er 17/11-12 whatstate it has got into
eggja (ad) urge, incite
eiSabrigSi n. ig. and pl. oath-breaking
eiSr m. o a t h ; . inna eid swear an o a t h ;ganga a eida break oaths; ganga ieida enter on a sworn compact(i) e i g a (a, attu = att pit, dtti, dttr)
have, possess; ~ konu be married
to a w o m a n ; ^ at gera e-t have to
do something; sem vera atti (impers.) 34/29 as it ought to be; ekhefi att at velja 30/2 I have had theright to choose, opportunity ofchoosing; ~ at e-m 2/12 give s-one
credit; ~ i hlut 34/23 have a sharein; ~ ithcBgt i biti'^2)10-1 \ havedifficulty in maintaining one's
household; hann spyrr hverr rdda
eigi (pres. %\ib'].) fyrir kosti hennar
6/26-27 he asks who had the rightto arrange her marriage; ~ sinn
scemd undir lidifiestra 17/19 have
one's honour dependent on the
support of most other people: ~vid e-n have to do with s-one: . id
hvern sem pit att 20/4 whoe\'cr you
have to deal with
(2) e i g a / property, possessions
eigi adv. not; ~ pvi heldr none themore for thate i g n / property, possessions
einmaeltr a. unanimously spoken
e i n n (ein, eitt) num. a. and pron. one,a certain; single, alone; sometimes
to be translated by indefinite art.,e.g. it eina malstefnu 16/11 to acouncil; einn digran fesjbd 17/25 abulging money-bag; itlfs hali ~ akroki 29/28-9 only a wolPs tail on
the hook; engi (eigi) ~ no single;
pat eina (weak n.) . . . er 13/22 onlythat . . . which; ok po peir einir at
15/13 and yet only such men as;

pau ein . . . er 31/25-26 only such
. , . t h a t ; a eina leid one way; at eins
only, merely (cf. vel); mun allt til
eins koma 30/29-30 it will all cometo the same thinge i n n h v e r r (einhver, eitthvert) pron.
one, some, a certain; ^ beztr
drengr one of the finest men
e i n s a m a n adv. alone, by itself (oself)
e i n s k i s see engi
eitt see einn
e i t t h v e r t see einnhverre k k i (n. of engi) adv. not, not at all,by no meanse l d r m. firee l d s v i r k i n. means of kindling fireella conj. and adv. or, or else, else,
otherwisee l l i / . old age
ellidauSr a. dead of old age: verda~ 31/30-31 die of old age
e i n a (ad) grow more raging (of illness) ; einar honum sottin his sickness
grows worsee n conj. but, ande n particle after comp. thane n d a conj. and, and in any case;moreovere n d a (nd) end; endask end, be
ended
e n d e m i n. something uniquely
shameful or monstrous; heyr a ^21/3 listen to the outragee n d i m. end
e n g i (n. ekki, m.n. gen. sg. einskis) a.
and pron. no one, none, n o ; kemr
~ sd til gards at viti hvat i er nema pit
einn 32/13-14 nobody comes toyour house who gets to know what
is in it except you a.lone; pat vinn ek
Id einskis 26JS for nothing (on no
account) will I do that; engu mun
ek mer par qf skipta 11/21 I shall notconcern myself about it at all; ekki
var manna uti 10/29 there was noone outside
e n n adv. still, yet, again
eptir prep, with ace. after; miela ~ e-nGLOSSARY

bring a case after s-one's d e a t h ;with dat. in accordance with,following, for; ~ bisn peirra according to their request; ~ vanumin accordance with expectations,
as is to be expected; er pa farit ~presti 35/7-8 a priest is thenfetched; adv. afterwards, behind;annan dag ~ next day; vera ~remain, stay behind ; ^ a ; ^ r ^ var
pingsins 33/14 for what of the assembly was left, during the rest of
the assembly
e p t i r m a l n. case brought afters-one's death(1) er conj. when, since, seeing that(cf. at 5)(2) er rel. particle who, which, that(cf. at 6, sem 2)(3) er see vera
erendi see erendi
e r m a k a p a / sleeved capee r m r / sleevee r t u = ert pit, see veraeta (at, dtu, etinn) eat; md. recipr.
etask devour each otheretja (atti) incite, goad; contend;
potti vid pungt at ~ 18/15 thought
he had heavy opposition to contend witheyrir fpl. aurar) ounce, cf. notes to
2/7, i 5 / ' 5
fa (fter, fekk, fengu, fenginn) get, procure, provide; -^ e-m e-t gives-one s-thing; ~ ser e-t get sthing for o-self; ~ e-t til provide,
supply s-thing; efekfe til annan
26/14-15 if I get another (chieftain) to join in; '^ e-m-e-t i hendr
hand over, transfer s-thing to s-one;
tvau hundrud silfrs pess er varla fizr
slikt 26/1-2 two hundred in silverof such quality as is hardly to befound; with gen. 24/19, 35/15 taketo wife; md. pass, ekkifusk af
malinu 26/7 nothing is to be got
from the case; i (llu pvi orifligast
fusk til 31/4-5 in everything of the75

shabbiest that can be got for it
faSir m. father
f a S m l a g n. embracef a d c e m i n. s-thing almost unexampled, scandalous; med
fadcemum . . . meirum with more
scandalous behaviourf a g r v a x i n n a. of beautiful formf a l a t r a. taciturn, quiet
falla (fell, fellu, fallinn) fall; (e-t)
fellr e-m lett (pungt) 10/13, 15/3
(s-thing) turns out easy (hard) fors-one; ~ at fall towards, result in;en pat it pridja er at fellr eidrinn 14/27
but for the third thing which theoath covers; ~ ifullsielu 26/5 fall
into the lap of luxury; ^ nidr falldown, (of lawsuits) collapse, be
void; at vel muni fallit at hann tceki
vid godordi sinu yliy-iH that it will
be appropriate for him to takeover his chieftaincy; bezt til
konungs fallinn 29/5 best suited tobe king; at svafgllnu mali 17/18 theway the case has turned out;
einnhverr fellsk e-m vel i ged 6/25,
22/4-5 s-one pleases s-one (e-m),s-one (e-m) likes s-one
fait seefela
f a n g n. grasp, e m b r a c e ; wrestlingbout; ganga e-m i ~ 26/13-14
wrestle with, oppose s-one, cf.
Halldor Halldorsson I 133; var
mjgk afgngum pat er til busins purfti
it was much of a struggle to getwhat was needed for the household; pl.fgng catch, 10/8 supplies
f a r a. few, meagre; as s u b s t . / a «manna few men;/azV few men; fatt
few things; talar fatt says little;
gerisk fatt med peim 8/9 things growcool between them; Vdli let ser
fatt um finnask 10/21 V. made littleof it, said little about itf a r a (ferr, for,firu, farinn) go, come,travel, move; hann ferr leid sina hegoes on his way; ~ stefnufgr go to
make a summons; ^ a fjall go
onto the highland, go to collect

76

GLOSSARY

sheep; -^ afhljodi i^j'i'^, 17/27 be
kept confidential; '^ atfjarreidum
11/4 go about money matters;
hversu at er farit 9 / 1 2 - 1 3 how it isgone about it; ekki ma at pvi -^12/9 one (we) can't act in accordance with t h a t ; nuferr vel at
32/1 now it goes nicely; ~ eptir
e-m go for (fetch) s-one; ^ framadvance, prosper; '^ med eign \oo\iafter property; ~ med godord act ina chieftainship; '^ med mal conduct a lawsuit; ~ undan d r a w
back, be reluctant; domar ~ ut
the courts go out (cf. note to
11/15); impers. hefir mer farit sem
varginum ^oji it has gone with me
as with the wolf; e-m er farit one isof a given character; okkr se ekki olikt
farit 19/25 we are not unlike
in character; velp&tti mer at mervari sva farit at frett sem Per 19/2820/1 I would be well pleased if
report gave me such a character as
it does you; pp. farinn overcome;impers. enda farit sidan af bjargleysi
36/23 and then perished fromw a n t ; md. farask come to an end,
dwindle, perish;/^r5A- nil vinatta
ykkur fra Pvi er 9/6 your friendshipdeclines now compared to the timewhen
f a r n i r m. cargofarssell fz. (comp. far sa Hi) lucky inseafaringf a s t n a (ad) betroth (cf. notes to
6/28-29, 7/9-10)
f a s t r a. firm; n. as adv. sofa fast
sleep soundly ;fylgja fast support
with determination; ^Wr rdda nu
til fasta med ser 16/18 they now
agree definitely
f a t a l a 3 r a. saying httle; ~ er hanntil 9/28 he says little about it
fatt see far
fe n. farm stock (also ganganda fe),sheep; goods, property, money;
e-m verdr gott til fjar 7/14 it turns
out profitably for s-one

f e a u d n u m a d r m. a man whose
livestock thrives
fedgar m. pl. father and son
f e g e f i n n a. one whose animals thrivef e g i n n a. glad [e-u at s-thing); ok
vildi po ~ but would have done so
willinglyf e g i r n i / avarice
fegjald n. (cash) payment
fekk s e e / afela (fal,fdlu,f6lginn)
hidefelagi m. partner, comrade, friend
fell n. hill, mountain (cL fjall);/>//?7 the fell - Valfell (note to 35/3)
f e m i k i l l a. richfengit s e e ^f e n g r m. goods, catchf e r Q / journey, voyage
f e r j a / ferry, coastal cargo vessel;
see note to 2/21
f e s e k S / money penalty; gera -^impose a money penalty
fesjodr m. money bag
f e s k j a l g r a. squinting after moneyf e s n u d r m. turning pennies, moneymaking
f e s p a r r a. careful, sparing of moneyf e v a n i a. short of moneyfe|>urfi a. in need of money
fimm num. five
fimmti ord. fifth
finna (fann, fundu, funnu,fundinn,funninn) find; perceive: md.finnask(pass.) be found; (recipr.) findeach other, meet; Vdli let ser fattum finnask 10/21 V. made little ofit, said little about it
firra (rrd) put at a distance, remove ;/rr^an allri hjgrg 14/25
deprived of all sustenance; hafi
per . . .firrdaydr (ace.) abyrgd (dat.)
15/15-16 you have rid yourselvesof responsibility
fiskiver n. (seasonal) fishing place
fjall n. (pX.fjgll) mountain(s),highlandf j a n d m a d r m. enemy
f j a n d s k a p r m. enmity
fjar secfe

GLOSSARY
f j a r f r a m l 9 g n. pl. laying out ofmoney, cash contribution
fjarhagr m. financial state
f j a r r e i S u r / pl. money mattersfjarri adv. far, far away
fjarstaSr m. where one has money
invested or on loan; ~ pittti vissthe money was thought securely
placedfjarupptak n. confiscation ofproperty
fjorSi ord. fourth
fjorSungsmaSr m. a man of thesame Quarter; cf. Intro, pp. Iv, lix
fjorir (fjorar,fjqgur) num. a. four
fjos n. byre, cowshed
f j ^ l m e n n a (nnt) assemble manymen
fJ9lnienni n. large company, crowd
fJ9lmennr a. with many followers;
varfjglmennt it was crowded
fJ9lroeSr a. much discussed; en po er
fjglrwtt um afgdrum mgnnum but it ismuch talked about by others
fJ9rSr m. fjord, firth
fleiri comp. a. more (in n u m b e r ) ; er
nit fleira ifriendsemi med peimfedgum
16/24-25 there is now a closer
relationship between father andsonflestr sup. a. most (in n u m b e r ) ; assuhn. flest (n. sg.) most things;
flestir most people
flik/ rag, piece of clothflokkr m. body of men, following
flutning/
cargo-carrying, ferrying
flytja (flutti) move; md. refl. ok bad
pdfiytjask itt brfirdinum 3 4 / 7 - 8 andsaid they should move (themselves) out of the fjord; md.
impers. pass, po at nit flytisk fram er
pit ert vid 5/11-12 although things
go along well while you are on thespotfolk n. people; members of a householdf o l s k a / . folly
for see fara
forSa (ad) with dat. save, get away77

f o r v e r k n. work done for s-one else,
reluctant or careless work; gera
aldri forverkum vid e-n 26/4, 34/31
never be niggardly in supportings-one
f o r v i t n i n. curiosity (a e-u abouts-thing)f o r v i t r i a. very wise
fotr m. (pl. fretr) foot, leg
f r a prep, with dat. from, about, concerning; segja ^ e-u tell abouts-thing,/r«Ka ~ e-u hear abouts-thing; ~ pvi er verit hafii from(compared to) what had been; ~pvi er pit settir hann yfir allt pitt goz
9 / 6 - 7 from (compared to) thetime when you put him in chargeof all your property; abs. kjitsa ~reject, not choose
f r a m adv. forward, o n w a r d ; / a r a ~advance, prosper; lidr nit ~ atpinginu 17/26-27 time now passes
on until the assembly; at leidinni~ 7/22-3 on to (the time of) thea u t u m n assembly; um ~ 33/23(prep, phrase with ace.) beyond
f r a m a n adv. from the front; ~ til(prep, phrase with gen.) up to,
until
f r e s t a (ad) postpone; md. pass.
frestask be put off
f r e t t / report, news (af e-u of something) ; a( ~ by report; enda em
ek nit vel til frettar kominn 2 3 / 2 6 24/1 and indeed I am now wellplaced to get news
f r e t t a (tt) ask, hear about (e-s sthing); md. pass, frettask become
known
friSr a. handsome
f r j a l s a. freefrsendi n. (pl. frendr) kinsman
f r a e n d s e m i / family relationship,
kinshipf u l l m i k i l l a. quite enoughfuUr a. fullf u l l s a e l a / state of wealth or bliss
fuUsaell a. very wealthy, very well
ofT

78

GLOSSARYf u l l t i n g n. help, support
f u n d r m. meeting; rida til fundar vid
e-n ride to meet s-one; send konu
pina a fund Odds 11/2 send yourwife to O d d r
f u r S a / a marvel; gen. as adv.
furdu wonderfully
f u s s a. wilhng, eager, desirous; varu
allir til hans fusir 4/30 all were
eager to join him [join his following)
fylgja (gd) with dat. accompany,
follow, follow up, pursue; ^ e-m
iit see s-one off; efpu fylgir minu
rddi at 10/17 if you follow myadvice in the matter; ~ fast
support with determination; errikt fylgt 6/18 it (the sheep-gathering) was energetically pursued; poat ver fylgim peim at 18/28—29
though we support them in them a t t e r ; ok Pykkir hann langt hafa
fylgt umfram pat er honum kom i hug
at vera matti 33/22-23 and heseems to him to have carried thematter far beyond what had
occurred to him would be possible
tyrir prep, before, in front of, for;with ace. "^ hgnd e-s on s-one's
behalf; stefna e-m '^ e-t summon
s-one for s-thing; hafa e-t •^ glteiti
have s-thing as a party g a m e ; pii
berir nu eigi satt upp ~ mik you are
not now bringing^ up the truth
before m e ; snyr Ofeigr ^ hann O .
steps across in front of h i m ; sigla'^ landit sail a r o u n d the coast;
Peir koma -^ Porgautsstadi theycome by t»orgautssta9ir; with dat.
•^ pvi because of t h a t ; vera ~ e-u
be in charge of s-thing; verda —skgdum suffer losses; sitja '^ svgrum
sit to outface the answers, bespokesman; efpu . . . gangir vid •^m^r if you confess to m e ; taldi ~peim counted it under their eyes;
pd I'ezt bera merki •^ per you had astandard borne before you; at Oddr
. . . mundi sitja kyrr ~ geisanydvarrithat O. would sit still in the face ofyour aggression; hugsa, hyggja '^ser think to o-self; patfe er peir taka
upp -^ per that property they
confiscate from you (to yourh u r t ) ; dait hefdi ~ mer prir tigir
klakahrossa 30 horses left out towinter had died on my hands (tomy loss); lata Idja hlatr ~ mgnnum
lose gold at men's (our) hands (cf.
note to 2 0 / 2 0 - 2 7 ) ; ~ Igngu longago; often used abs. vera ^ be,exist; hvat sem '^ er whatever liesa h e a d ; eigi verdr ydr hann 0. rddlauss-^ he will not be shiftless against
you; liggja Par kaupmenn -^ ddrmerchants are lying there already;Oddr hafdi ok mart manna '^ O. also
had many men waiting there;
fjandskapr mun '^ koma enmity will
come in return; at her mun engi ~svara that in this no one will offer
a defence; adv. phrase '^ utan on
the outside
f y r r comp. adv. before, rather; conj.
•^ en before; '^ eni Orkneyjum
until they are in the Orkneys
fyrri adv. before, sooner
f y r s t a / beginning; ifyrstu at firstf y r s t r sup. a. first; -^ manna first of
anybody; n. as a.dv. fyrst at firstf y s a (st) urge, incite
fceda (dd) feed; vilda ek . . . •^ mik
sjalfr I would see to my own board(cf. note to 4/13-14)
foera (rd) carry, bring; '^ fram vgrn
bring forward a defence
foeri n. opportunity, ability to matchor manage s-thing; ser varla sitt ~einum vid slika hgfdingja 18/15—16
he can hardly see any way for him
on his own to contend against
such leaders
foerr a. capable, able [til e-s of sthing, to do s-thing)
Cpgnudr m. delight; advantage;
kunnudydr engan fggnud you have noidea of what is of profit to you
fpng see fang

GLOSSARYg a g n n. help, profit
g a k k see ^a«.^a (i)g a m a l l a. old
g a m a n n. pleasure, amusement(i) g a n g a (gakk imp. sg., gengr, gangi
per 12/24-25, gengu, gingu, gingu
ver 1^)21, genginn) go, walk; ~ ae-n tread on s-one; er ekki mjgk a pit
gengit 6/13 they are not much
trodden on, not many act aggressively against t h e m ; ~ a eida
trample on, break, oaths; ~ a tal
go to talk; ~ at geldingum (go to)collect wethers; ~ at mali pursue
a case; ^ ?'<?-/enter on s-thing; ^e-m ifang wrestle with, oppose
s-one, see/oRg; -^ vid (e-u) \0j12.
11/3 confess (s-thing)(2) g a n g a / walking, procession;vera saman i gQngu keep together inmoving aboutg a n g a n d i pres. p. walking; ganganda
fe "walking properly", livestock
garSr m. fence, enclosure; farm,home
g a s s i m. gander; foolish impetuous
persong a t a / way, roadg a u m r m. heed, attention; gefa
gaum at e-u pay attention to s-thinggeS n. mind, mood, favour; svi'falla
gefa (gaf, gdfu, gefinn) give; mun ek~ rad til hversu 26/27-28 I shallprovide a plan as to how; impers.
gefr e-m byr s-one has a favourable
wind; gefr peim allvel ('scil. byr)
34/14 they have a very goodvoyage; rnd. turn out, prove to b e ;at mer muni sva gefask 4/8 that it
will turn out so for me; hversu
pessi madr gefsk 4/24 how this m a nturns out; erydr eigi einn hlutr vel
gefinn 12/25-26 it is not only one
talent that has been bestowed onyou(1) g e g n a. ready, obliging(2) ge^ prep, with dat. againstg e g n a (nd) go against, encounter;signify; hverju ~ mundi what would

79

be the cause; hvi gegnir pat what isbehind thatg e g n i n g / reason, sense; a pessu er
engi ^ there is no sense in thisg e g n t prep, with dat. opposite
g e i s a n / turbulence, aggressiong e l d f e n. sheep that do not give milkg e l d i n g a h v a r f n. disappearance of
wethersg e l d i n g r m. wether
g e r a (rd; gerdr, gerr, ggrr) do, m a k e ;~ e-n sekjan get s-one outlawed;~ fesekd impose a money penalty;~ e-t e-m iii handa award s-one
s-thing; ~ (um mal) 27/24, 25
decide terms (of settlement in acase); ~ konu heiman provide a
woman with a dowry; ~ pau radsitt 7/9 they make their own
m a r r i a g e - m a t c h ; ^ e-m seemd io
s-one honour, make s-one anhonourable present; ~ vel (vid e-n,til e-s) behave well (towards
s-one); ~ forverkum see forverk; impers. gerir e-n audgan 2/32 s-one becomes rich; ok gerdi eigi 8/26 and it
did no good, achieved nothing;enda geri engum 18/8 and in any
case it would be no use for anyone(to t r y ) ; md. gerask become; gerisk
storaudigr-madr becomes a very richm a n ; gerisk rammr at afli becomes am a n of mighty strength; impers.
gerisk fatt med peim Sjg things growcool between themgerS see g0rd
g e r l a see ggrg e r r see gerag e r s a m l i g a see ggrg e r v i l i g r see ger(1) g e t a (gettu = get pu imp., gat,
gdtu, getinn) get; with gen. mention,r e m a r k ; opine, guess; pess er getit
it is said; sva at hans eins er getit 12/
6 so that he alone is talked of; gathann . . . at hann myndi 25/18 heremarked that he would; get ek at
pat frestisk 24/21 I reckon that will
be put off; with pp. of another vb.

8o

GLOSSARY

33/5-8 be able to; e-m gezk at e-us-one feels about s-thing (normallywith approval, sometimes confirmed by adv. vel)(2) g e t a / guess, conjecture; getur ae-u conjectures about s-thing
gil n. gully, gillg i n g u see ganga (i)g i n n a (nnt) deceive, fool, dupeg i p t a (pt) give in marriage
g i p t u s a m l i g a adv. fortunately
g i r n a s k (nd, nt) desire (til e-s sthing)g j a f a r , gjafir see gjgf
g j a l d a (geldr, gait, guldu, goldinn)pay; md. pass, gjaldask be paid
gjalla (gellr, gall, gullu, gollit)
scream; twang
g j a r n a adv. willingly

mff

gift

glaSr a. glad
glaprseSi n. blunder, piece of follyg l e S i / pleasureg l o e p a m a n n l i g r a. criminal-looking
g n o g r , n b g r a. sufficient: muntu . . .
ok vera per ~ einn um petta mal
13/10-11 you will be self-sufficient in this case too
g n o t t / sufficiency, ample supply;
fullar gnottir fjar 19/5-6 full storesof wealth; sva mikla ~ sem hannhefir til fjar 21/15-16 such great
store as he has of wealthg n u a (gnyr, gneri, gnitinn) r u b (e-uwith s-thing)
goSi m. chieftain; see Intro, p. liv
goSorS n. chieftaincy; see Intro,
p. hv
g o S o r S s l a u s s a. without a chieftaincy
goSr a. (n. gott) good; ^ affe
generous with money; ~ af sinu
19/26 generous with his goods; ~vid ncigranna 6 / 1 3 - 1 4 good towards
neighbours; '^ orlausna (vid e-n)good at helping (s-one) out ofdifficulties; verdr honum gott til fjar
2/27 it turns out profitably forhim, cf. 7/14

gbSvaenligr a. from which good islikely to comegott see godrg o z n. goods, property
g r a n d a (ad) harm (e-m s-one)
greiSr a. helpful (vid e-n to s-one);n. as adv. greitt easilyg r e i n / matter, disputeg r e i t t see greidrg r u n a (ad) suspect; mun pat engi
madr "~ no one will suspect it;
impers. grunar menn (ace.) um
people suspect; pat grunar mik I
suspect
groeSa (dd) make grow; ~ ^f makemoney
g u l l n. goldg s e f a / luck, good fortune, natural
blessing; hefir hann .. . eigi minnig^fu til vitsmunanna 21/16-17 he is
no less well endowed with intelligencegaer (only in adv. phrase) i giEryesterday
gaeta (tt) with gen. look after, takecare ofg o r S / settlement, decision, arbitration award
g e r v i l i g r a. able, accomplishedgoela (Id) soothe, pleaseg 9 r l a adv. clearly, completely
g 9 r r see gera
g 9 r s a m l i g a adv. completely
h a S u n g / mockery, scorn
h a f n. ocean; i hafi al sea
h a f a (haf imp. sg., hefir, hgfu vit 9/31,
hafi per 15/15-6, hafdi, hafdr)
have, take, accept; ~ heil rad
accept sound advice; ~ hart 32/14
have a hard time; ^ at minnum see
minni (2); ~ fram 10/28, 11/16,
15/22 bring forward; ^ e-nfyrir
fscil. sgkum) 11/23 make s-one theobject of an accusation; -^ e-t til
22/26, 28/22, 29/ig have s-thing(available); hann hefir . . . uppi sitt
erendi he makes known his purpose; ~ e-t vid use s-thing, bringGLOSSARY
impers. sva er hattat it is like this,s-thing to bear; haf vid raun pina
the situation is
4/12 apply your experience, decide
h a t t a r see hgttr
in the light of your experience; ~h a t t r m. m.anner, kind; pess hattar ofi tveim hgndum vid see hgnd; md.
that kindrefl. hafask at e-t 5/4 occupy o-self
h a u s t n. a u t u m n ; a haustum in thewith, undertake, s-thinga u t u m n ; i ~ this a u t u m nhaga (ad), ^ til arrange, contrive,h a u s t h e i m t a / a u t u m n sheepfix
gatheringhagr m. state, situationh e S a n adv. hence, from here; hencehagraeSi n. sg. and pl. service, help
forth
hagstoeSr a. favourable
hefja (hof hofu, hafinn) lift; ^ e-t
h a g v i r k r a. skilful, handy
upp 21/25 start s-thing; md. pass.
h a l d a (heldr, helt, heldum, haldinn)hefjask 28/28 be begun, begin
hold, keep, maintain; pursue ah e f n a (nd) avenge (e-s s-thing)course; with ace. hann heldr . . . sina
h e g a t (higat, hingat) adv. hither, tomenn 6/12 he supports his m e n ; ~hererausn maintain a grand style; ^soeri keep oaths; naudsyn heldr e-n
h e t S r / highland(til e-s) 15/13 need makes s-one
h e i l l a. well, whole; in a state of(do s-thing); with dat. ~ skipi
good health or well-being; at pit
steer a ship; ~ fram move onluk (imp.) heill munni i sundr 31/29wards; pat eina heldr fram. er pit
30 be blessed for opening yourgerdir ovitandi 13/22 only what you
mouth to say that, well said! (i.e.
did in ignorance is a step forward,
you have said just what I wanted
is of use; md. pass, haldask be
to hear)maintained; helzk vinattapeirah e i l s a (ad) with dat. greet, salute
fedga 36/28-29 friendship between
h e i m adv. home, backfather and son continued
h e i m a adv. at home, on the farm,halfafglapi m. half an imbecile
locally
halfr a. half
h e i m a n adv. from h o m e ; locally, inthe locality; kvedja ~ bua callhali m. tail; cf. note to 29/28-30/2
neighbours in the locality, (seeh a m a r r m. h a m m e r ; crag, rock
Intro, p. Ivii; at rangt vcEri (malit)
handleggr. m. a r m ; strykr handlegg~ biiit 13/2 that it (the case) was
ina 26 j 12 he strokes his arms
wrongly prepared in the locality;(probably means that he pushes
gera (konu) ~ provide (a woman)up his sleeves to the elbow so thatwith a dowry
he can point and gesticulate
freely)h e i m d r a g i m. stay-at-home
h a n d s a l a (ad) agree, contract (byh e i m s k l i g r a. silly, foolish
handshake); cf. note to 8/8(r) h e i m t a / gathering, sheep:) har n. hairgathering;) har ,3. high, loud; n. as adv. hatt(2) h e i m t a (mt) gather, collect; ~loudlysaman 16/10 call together
harSr a. h a r d ; hafa hart have a hardh e i t a (heitr, het, hetu, heitinn) tr.
time
promise, threaten (e-m e-u s-one
s-thing); honum er konu heitit 33/21
h a r m r m. grief, pain, hurt
he has a wife promised him; intr.
h a r t see hardr/'pres. sg. heitir) be called, named
hatt see har (2)hatta (ad) arrange, contrive;h e l d r comp. adv. rather, (any) more82

GLOSSARY{en t h a n ) ; '^ en ddr any more than
before, rather than not; eigi pvi ^none the more for thath e l g a (ad) consecrate, inaugurate;
cf. note to 7/29
h e l l i r m. cave
heixt sup. adv. most, mostly, chiefly
h e n d a (nd) catch; with ace. of person
happen to, concern; er mik tekr ^which (chance to) concern me
h e n d r see hgnd
h e r adv. here; -^ til hitherto, up tonow; ~ um about thish e r a 9 n. districth e r Q r / shoulder
h e s t r m. horse; stallion
h e t see heita

h e t t a / hoodh e y r a (rd) hear, listen (A to); ^peir sem strengr gjalli upp i fellit 35/
3 - 4 they hear a noise up towards
the fell (i.e. from the fell) as if abowstring twangs
h i g a t see hegat, hingat
h i n g a t adv. hither, to hereh i n n (hin, hitt) pron. demon, theother, that other; heldr segja menn
hitt fl/ . . . 3/18 rather people sayanother thing, namely that. . .; enhitt pykki mer verra er ek veit eigi
hverr stolit hefir 9 / 2 - 3 but the otherthing, the fact that I don't know
who stole them, upsets me more
hirda (rd) care about, look after
hitt see hinn
h i t t a (tt) hit, hit upon, find; md.
hittask (recipr.) meet (each other);(pass.) be foundh.ya. prep, with dat. by, beside; compared toh j a l p / help
h j a l p a (ad) with dat. help; villtu pa
vid ^ malinu 2^11^ will you thenhelp in the caseh j o n n. pl. householdh l a t r m. laughter; Idja ^ (in poetry)
ISi's laughter, goldh l a u p a (hleypr, hljop, hljopu. hlupu.
hlaupinn) leap, r u n ; hleypr Oddr

undan hordinn ok at Ospaki 8/3 4 O.
j u m p s up from the table and at O.
hljod n. sound; silence; a hearing;
kvedja ser hljods call for silence; afhljodi quietly, secretly, confidentiallyh l j o p .see hlaupa
h l j o t a (hlytr, hlaut, hlutu, hlotinn) get,get as a shareh l u s t / ear, means of hearing; sitja
a hlustinni "sit on one's ear", turna deaf ear
hluti m. part, lot, shareh l u t r m. part, lot, share; outcome,result; thing; ok lata hvergi sinn hlut
6/12 13 and they nowhere lose
their due, are never worsted; er
Gellir dtti i hlut 34/22 -23 in which
G. had a share, which G. had as
his shareh l u t v a n d r a. careful, scrupulous
hlaeja (hid, hldgu. hleginn) laugh [ate-u at s-thing)hlcegligr ^. ridiculous
h o f s k see hefja
h o i n. hollow, cavity; sva atpegar
gekk a ^ in such a way that it atonce wenl into a body cavity,
went in deep
h o l l r a. loyal, favourable
h o r f a (fd) look (d e-t at s-thing);
hvar horfir pd helzt a 9/4 where are
you chiefly looking, whom do you
most suspect; turn, be turnedin a certain direction; horfdi su a
bak aptr it was pointing backwards; ^ vid (e-m) turn against,
oppose fs-one), see bjoda
h o r n n. horn; corner; skaut mjgk itvau -^ see skjdta
h o r s k r a. wiseh r a k b u n. a ruinous, impoverishedfarm
h r i S / time, a while; um ^ for ^time; langa ^ for a long time
h r i n g r m. ring (of precious metal);pl. (in poetry) wealth; 28/11 circle(of men), cf. domhnngr
h r o p n. derision, scorn

GLOSSARYh r u m r a. decrepit; ^ at fotunum
tottery on one's legs
hryggja (gd) sadden
h u g n a (ad) please; e-m hugnar vel(ilia) (vid e-n) ^ji, 30/24-25 s-one
is well (ill) pleased (with s-one)hugr m. mind; e-t kemr e-m i hug sthing comes into s-one's m i n d ;e-u skytr e-m i hug see skjdta
h u g s a (ad) think, ponder; hefi ek
hugsat fyrir mer 1 have thought tomyself, considered; hugsa til e-s
think about s-thing
hundrad n. a hundred (— 120); -^.silfrs a hundred in silver; see notes_to 15/15, 22/ir
h u s n. building; pl. farm, h o m e ;vilda ek hafa ^ pin I should like to
use your accommodation, be
under your roof
hvaSan adv. interr. whence, from
where; ^ sem koma 32/22 whereever they come fromhvar adv. interr. where; ^ pd var
komit 16/16 what the position thenwash v a r f K. disappearance
hvarfla (ad) wander, meanderhvar(r)gi/'ron. neither; n. as adv.
hvdr(t)ki . . . ne neither . . . nor
hvTLTT pron. which of two, each oftwo, both; fellsk hvart gdru vel i gedeach liked the other; n. as adv.
hvdrt sem . . . eda either . . . or;
hvdrt (as interr. introducing directquestion) hvdrt er d(emtmdl? is thecase judged? hvdrt er pat satt? isthat true?
hvarrtveggi, h v a r r t v e g g j a pron.
each of two, both; each one (i.e.
of us); ^ madrinn 19/25-26
hva.tpron. interr. what; -^ er ungra
manna 23/22-23 what (sort of)young men; ^ malum 12/ro 11
what (manner oi) lawsuits; ^ .sem
whateverh v a t a (ad) drive [e-u a e-t s-thing
into s-thing)h v e adv. interr. how83h v e r f a (hvarf hurfu, horfinn) turn,vanish; -^ aptr lurn back; ~^ abraut go away (to an unknown
destination), disappear
h v e r g i adv. nowhere; in no way;never
h v e r j u ( n i ) see hverr
h v e r n i g (< hvern veg) adv. interr.
how, cf. hverr
h v e r r j&roH. each, every; ^ sem whoever; ^ annarra 27/23, 30/5 anyother; interr. who, which, w h a t ;hvern veg 14/1 r how, see hvernig
h v e r s u adv. interr. how, how far
h v i adv. interr. why
h v i l a (Id) rest, sleep
h v i r f i n g / circle (of people)
h y g g i n n a. prudent^ySSi* (^JSS^^ — h'K.^P^ imp.,
hugdi, hugat) think; ^ at (e-u)
consider (s-thing); ~ at fyrir ser
think to o-self; ^ til look forward
to; md. impers. hyggsk mer 20/9,
28/18 it looks to me, I thinkhaerulangr a. with long grey hair
haetta (ii) risk, venture {a e-t, tile-s)heettr a. dangerous; er hatt vid e-u
there is danger in or from s-thing;er pat hatt vid ordi at omerkiliga Pykki
mda see note to t)/io 11
hoegja (gd) relieve, improve; at
hcBgisk rddit that the situation will
be eased
hcegr a. easy, convenienthoekilbjugr a. bent at the knees
hoela (M) praise; md. refl. hcelask um)•-/ praise o-self for s-thing
h9f5ingi m. leader, lord : — godi e g.
11/18, 15/21
h 9 f 3 i n g l i g r a. lordly
h9fud n. head; i hgfdi per on yourheadhggg(v)inn) strike (with s-thing
sharp), cut
h ^ n d / hand, a r m ; undir hgndina in
the armpit ;/(7 e-m i hendr put intos-one's h a n d s ; takask (recipr.) i84

GLOSSARY

hendr shake h a n d s ; takask (refj.) e-t
a hendr undertake s-thing; (sgk)a hendr e-m (case) against s-one;
leysa af hgndum discharge, perform;
fyrir ^ e-s on s-one's account; hafa
ekki i tveim hgndum vid e-n 7/4 not
fumble in dealing with s-one, cf.
Halldor Halldorsson I 293; gerae-m til handa award to s-one
h 9 t t r m. hood, h a t ; hattar land (inpoetry) "hood's l a n d " , headi prep, with ace. and dat. in, into, to;
upp i fellit see heyra; i hafi at sea;in numerous prep, and adv.
phrases: i brott away; ifyrstu at the
beginning; i dag today; i gieryesterday; i nott this (last) night;
i milli (milium) between, among(e-s) ; i mot (i) towards, against(e-u) ; i sundr asunder, in t w o : ipvi er at the moment when, asi S n / occupationi S r a s k (ad) with gen. repent
ilia adv. bad, badly; pat pykkir mer ^it seems to me a bad thing; er ~med okkr we are on bad terms
i l l r a. bad, evil; n. as adv. pit hugdir
illt til at fara 31/16-17 you looked
forward dismally to going; as
subst. ills . . . van 30/4 expectationof evil; allir ills af verdir 29/13 alldeserving of a bad outcome from it
i l l s k a i m. the lesser of two evils
i n n adv. in, inwards
i n n a (nnt) rehearse, relate(1) j a inter), yes(2) j a (d) say yes (e-u to s-thing)j a f n a S a r m a S r m. equal m a t c h ;s-one taken for comparison witho-self or s-one else (as a pastime);
cf. note to 32/4
jafnagaetr a. equally fine or famous
j a f n a n adv. always
j a f n a u S i g r a. equally richj a f n m a r g r a. an equal n u m b e r of,so many
jafnmifcill a. equally big, as big

j a f n v e l adv. as well, equally well
jafnoestr a. equally excited, as
carried away
jarSir see jgrd
j a t a (tt and ad) say yes, consent (e-uto s-thing)j o l n. pl. Yule, Christmas
J 9 r S / . earth, land, farm-estate; pl.
jardir landed property
k a l l a (ad) call; count, claim, maintaink a n n see kunna

h a p a / capek a p p n. ardour, pugnacity, vehemencek a p p s a m l i g a adv. impetuously,
powerfullyk a p u h 9 t t r m. cape-hood
k a r l m. man, old m a n ; Ofeigr karlold 6 .
k a r l m a n n l i g r a. manly, like a man
k a s t a (ad) throw (e-u s-thing)k a u p a (keypti, keyptr) buy; make abargain; ^ (saman) (!-w 9/11-12
agree (together) on s-thing; ^(ser) i ferju (skipi) 2/21, 25 buy(o-self) a share in a ferry (ship);~ t,ttoW 2/12-13 buy on credit;
sva mikit sem mer kaupisk i 26/24-25
so much as I stand to gain by it
k a u p e y r i r m. trade goods
k a u p f e r S / trading voyage; vera ikaupferdum make trading voyages
k a u p m a S r m. merchant, traderk e i k r a. upright, shoulders back;stendr heldr keikari 28/12 stands
rather more erectk e n n a (nnd) know; feel; ~ Kr sottar(gen.) 35/4 to feel one is ill; kenndr
at e-u known for s-thingk i p p a (ppd.ppt) pull, snatch (e-us-thing)k j o s a (kystu = kys pit imp., kyss,
kaus, koru, korinn) choose; ~ afchoose (from what is available);~ / r a reject, not choose; ^ tilchoose, select; ~ ok deila 25/12
choose and divide, have a free hand

GLOSSARYk l a k a h r o s s n. horse wintered out of
doors
knprr m. ocean-going shipk o m a (kemr, kemr, kom, kvdmu.
komu, kominn) intr. come; '^ atmali vid e-n speak to s-one: ^fra e-m come, be descended, froms-one; ~ / r a m come about,happen; -^ fyrir e-t come as
response to s-thmg; fjandskapr
mun fyrir '^ 22/28 enmity will
come in reply; hvdrt nqkkur sattskal '^ fyrir mdlit 27/17-18
whether any (offer of) settlement
may answer the case; ~ i e-t enter
on, join s-thing; -^ m'^r settle,
land; '^ saman come together,correspond; til pin kemr pd mest
12/1-2 but it is chiefly yourresponsibility; hversu kemr pat til
20/8 how does that come a b o u t ;hvat kemr til pess 24/21-22 what is
the reason for that; hvat til annars
kemr 30/19 what reason there is foranything else; ^ undir e-n fdW tos-one, come to depend on s-one;-^ ut come to Iceland; vera kominn
be placed; vel til frettar kominn 24./1
well placed to get news; hvdrt
Pykki per betr komit pat fe 17/22-23
do you think that money in better
hands; at pd myndi vel komit 28/26
that it would be in good hands;
impers. with dat. par kemr talipeira 6/26 their talk comes to thepoint; sva sem komit var malinu
15/34 given the point the case hadreached; hvar •^ mun metnadi
pinum 28/34-29/1 where yourpride will end; var pd svd komit at
2/15-16 it had got to the point
where, the position was; segir . . .
hvar komit er tells . . . what theposition is; tr. with dat. bring;skal nu ->- ordum peim 24/17-18 (I)shall now deliver the message; ^skipi bring a ship; ef ek kem honumtil 26/22-23 if I bring him to it;~ e-u fyrir make arrangements85

for s-thing; miklu er pvi meir
fyrir komit en ek mega par neitt til
leggja 18/26-27 far too much has
been done about it for me to makeany proposal; ~ e-u vid 26I16 fix,arrange s-thing; md. komask undan
get away, escapek o n a / (gen. pl. kvenna) w o m a n ;wife
k o n u n g r m. kingk o r n n. corn, grain
k o s t r m. condition, terms, choice;marriage, marriage m a t c h ; atbezta kosti at best
k o t k a r l m. cotter, smallholder
k r o k o t t r a. crooked; n. as adv.
'krokott waveringly
k r o k r m. hook; cf. note to 2 9 / 2 8 30/2
k u g a (ad) force, extort {e-t af e-ms-thing from s-one)
k u l a / knob, b u m p
k u n n a (kann, kunni, kunnat) know;
kann litit til laga 19/3-4 knows
little of the law; know how to,have the sense to, be able to ([a/]gera e-t to do s-thing); '-^ ser
fggnud seefggnudr
k u n n a t t a / knowledge, acquaintancekuusiigr a. known; knowledgeable;
eigi gdrum kunnigra en mer not better
known to others than to me
k v a n f a n g n. wife-taking, marriagem a t c h ; wifek v a t t see kvedja
kveda (kvad, kvddu, kvddu per \^J2i22, kvedinn) say, declare; speak( i n v e r s e ) ; -^ at ordi 14/21 formulate, say in precise terms; withace. and inf., often with ellipsis ofvera: kvad hann vera said he was;hann kvad svd he said it was so; md.
containing subject of following inf.
kvezk eigi mundu says he would not;kvezk sva betrpykkja 4/21-22 says it
will please him better so
kveSja (kvaddi) greet; bid farewell;^ e-n (at e-u) 8/14, 27/16-17 call86

GLOSSARYon s-one (for, in s-thing); ^ bua(heiman) call neighbours (locally)
to act as members of a panel (seeIntro, p. Ivii) ; ^ ser hljods call forsilence; md. recipr. kvedjask greet
each otherk v e l d n. eveningk v e n n a see kona
k v e n s k 9 r u n g r m. outstanding
woman
kvsentr a. married, having a wifek v 9 S / calling (to serve on a panel);panel, panel-members
kynferSi n. family, descentk y n n i n. domestic conditions
k y n r i k r a. of mighty kin

some way; '^ (svd) sem act as if;^ vel yfir e-u approve of s-thing;speak, say; md. containing subj.
of following inf. lezk engi fretta said
he had heard none; lezk vita said
he knew;/(7^^ er betr Idtit en efm eru
til few things are better reported
than there is cause for them to befcf. note to 4/13); latr i vgrrunum
35/10 there is a sound on his lips,
his lips make the words; with inf.
^ gera e-t have s-thing done; with
pp. let ek . . . hvdtat 36/5-6 I let(be) driven, I drovel a u g / bath fed from a source of
natural hot waterl a u n a (ad) repay, reward [e-m e-t
k y r / cow
e-u s-one for s-thing with s-thing)k y r r a. quiet, still, uneventful; sitja
um kyrrt sit still, be inactive
l a u s a f e n. goods, chattels, cash
kserleikr m. (p\. karleikar)l a u s a g o z n. goods, chattels, cash
aflectionl a u s s a. loose, freek e r n i r see kjosalaustoekr a. uncontrolled
lau t see luta
leggja (lagdi, lag\i\dr) lay, place,
la see liggja
put; ~ i^^^/lower sail; ^ / m m put
l a g n. layer, state, situation; i bezta
forward, lay out; sggdu peir pat
lagi among the best; i gllu lagi infyrir .sik lagt 14/18 they said thatevery kind; i lengra lagi 5/22 over awas incumbent upon them; -v, e-ngreater distance, farther than mostmed e-u 36/1 stab s-one with sl a g a see Igg
thing; -- e-t nidr put s-thing down,
lagSr see leggjaa b a n d o n ; ^ £-^/iV contribute,l a g r a. low; er allt pykkir lagt hjd seradd, suggest, propose s-thing; —who thinks everything inferior
e-m til dpurftar 28/23 make procompared to himself
posals to s-one's hurt; md. pass.
l a m b a e r / ewe with lambleggjask be placed; sd ordrdmr
Ian n. loan
lagdisk a I jig 20 that publicl a n d n. land; landed property;
opinion became established; athattar -^ (in poetry) " l a n d of theper se meir lagidr fesnudr 13/4 thathood", headmoney-making comes morel a n g r a. long; Iqngum for longnaturally to you
periods, mostXy; fyrir Igngu longl e g g r m. leg
ago; n. as adv. a long way, far;langt . . . umfram far beyondl e i Q / way; a pd ^ er it is that way,
it is like this; eigi er pat a eina '^ itl a s m e y r r a. weak, feeble
does not all go one way; autumn
l a s t a (ad) blame, reproachassembly (see Intro, p. lvi)
l a t a (latr, let, I'etu, Idtinn) let, allow;^ e-t leidask see leida ( i ) ; lose, part (i lei3a (dd) lead, conduct; '^ e-n
with, let slip; ^ e-t laust let go ofut set s-one on his way, see s-one
s-thing, give s-thing u p ; ^ u/ putoff"; '^ e-n d ggtu accompany s-one
to sea; speak, act, express o-self in
on his way; md. pass, leidask be

GLOSSARY

conducted, be taken forward; letek petta leidask eptir vinum minum seenote to 25/27(2) leida (dd) make dislike, makeweary; e-m ieidisk e-t s-one grows
tired of s-thingl e i d a r m o r g i n n m. the morning of
the autumn assembly(i) lei5retta (tt) put right, correct( 2 ) l e i 3 r e t t a / . redress, correctionl e i g a / hire, rentl e i t / searchleita (ad) look, search for [e-s sthing); leitum i ngkkurra rdda 11/29
let us look for some steps to take init; -- eptir e-u seek for, follow up,press s-thingl e n d a / land; lendur miklar muchlandlengi adv. for a long timelettr a. light, easy; n. as adv. lightly,
easilyl e y n a (nd) hide [e-u- s-thing); ekki
er pvi at ^ that is not to be concealedl e y s a (si) free, release, let go; ~ a /hgndum discharge, perform; md.
pass, leysask be solved
l i s n. following of men; support
liSa (leid, lidu, lidinn) go, pass (oftime); ^ a pass on; ^ a/pass by;'^ fram pass on, elapse; lidr nu dsumarit (ace.) at leidinni fram thesummer now passes on to (thetime of) the autumn assembly;
hvat lidr um mdl i'^J2'j how does it
go with the casel i d m a n n l i g a adv. adroitly, ably
lidsafli m. force (of men)l i S v e i z l a / helpl i d v e i z l u m a d r m. helper, supporter;
ser enga lidveizlumenn sina sees no
one to support him
lif «. life
Ufa (fd, -at) live
liggja (Id, Idgu, leginn) lie, be in aplace ( ^ fyrir) ; liggr honum ekki
a 25/21 it is by no means an imposition, does not matter at all to87him; ^ vid 15/17, 29/18-19 be atstake, be involved
l i k n. corpse
Ilka (ad) like; impers. e-m likar vel(vid e-n) s-one is well pleased(with s-one)l i k e n d i n. pl. likelihood; eptir (at)likendum according to probability,
judging by appearancesl i k l i g r a. likely; pat er per pykki
likligt til mikilla hgfdingja such asseem to you likejy to become great
leadersl i k r a. like, similar; likely
l i t a (ad) look, see; md. refl. litask um
look about (one)l i t a (leit, litu, litinn) look, see; ~ alook at, consider; -^ vid e-m looktowards s-one; md. recipr. litask
vel til look favourably at eachother; md. impers. lizk mer il
appears to me
litill a. little, small
l i t i l l a t r a. modest, humble
l i t i l m a n n l i g a adv. meanly, feebly
l i t i l m e n n i n. m a n of low estate,
man of humble expectations
litt adv. litde
lizk see lita
Ijuga (lygr, laug, lugu, loginn) lie, tella lie(i) lofa (ad) allow, permit {e-m e-t
s-one s-thing)(2) lofa (ad) praisel o p t n. air; koma d -- 32/10 comealoft, are raised
liika (luk imp. sg., lykr, lauk, luku,
lokinn) shut (usually with d a t . ) ;end, finish (with dat., often
impers.); ~ i sundr open (seeheill); er pvi lokit nii ? Lokit sem mun
13/28 is it finished now? Finishedas far as it is going to be; lauk svd
hans avi so his life e n d e d ; lykr par
pessi sggu there this saga ends
l u t a (lytr. laut, lutu, lotinn) intr.
bend, bowl y p t a (pt) lift (^e-u s-thing)l y s a (st) publish, declare [^e-uGLOSSARY

s-thing); display, show (e-t sthing)laer n. thighIsetr see latal 9 g n. pl. laws, the law
l9gkeBnn a. skilled in law
l 9 g l e y s a / lawlessness, legal errorl 9 g V 9 r n / . legal defencel 9 n g u ( m ) see langrm a see megam a S r m. man, person; gen. pl. withn. a. or pron. hvat manna what(sort of) men; ekki manna nobody;mart manna many men
m a g i m. belly
m a k l i g l e i k r m. what is fitting; atmakligleikum according to deserts,
deservedly
m a k l i g r a. fitting, deserving (e-s ofs-thing)m a l n. speech, words, utterance:thing, matter; suit, case at law;plan, cf. note to 22/13; er pat okmala sannast 12/3 it is also thetruest of words, it is indeed true
m a l a e f n i n. cause or substance of asuit
m a l a f e r l i n. sg. and pl. litigation,legal proceedings
m a l a l o k n. conclusion of a lawsuit
n i a l a m a S r m. lawyer, a taker up of
lawsuits
m a l a v p x t r m. ('pl. mdlavextir)
state of a casem a l m a r u n n r m. (in poetry) "treeof metal things" (i.e. of weapons),
warrior, man
m a l s k i p t i n. pl. matters, decisionsof weight
m a l s t e f n a / meeting (for discussion)m a l t n. maltn i a n see munam a n n a see madr
m a n n a S r a. manly; vera vel ^have manly accomplishments
m a n n d r a p s m a S r m. killer
m a n n h e i l l / and n. good report,

popular approval; good fortune;
hafdi honum enn ordit gott til fjar ok
mannheilla 7/14-15 it had once
more turned out well for his profit
and reputation
m a n n v a l n. choice of men
m a n n v a n d r a. particular in choosing a m a n (husband)
mannvaenligr a. promisingm a r g r (n. mart) a. many, a lot of;as subst. mar* manna many men;sd margr many a one; er eigi margra
brggd 9/26 it is not the tricks ofmany, not many men are capableof such irieks; fretti margs fra Oddi
he asked many a thing, much,about O.
m a r g r c e d d r a. much discussed
m a r g t a l a S r a. much discussed
m a r k n. sign, mark; er pat til marks
32/12 it is a token (ofit)m a r k a (ad) markm a r t see margr
m a t r m. foodm a t s i n k r a. mean with foodm a t t , m a t t u see megam a t t r m. strength, powermi^prep, with, by, among, between;with ^ee. fara ^ tuttugu menn gowith (at the head of) 20 men; satu
peir . . . ~ flokk sinn they sat with
their following; ~ annan mannwith one companion; with dat. ^sir among themselves; ~ peim
between them; eigi sva dapr -^sjalfum ser not so downcast insidehimself; pit hefir ngkkur stbrklaki ~per you have some great blemishes in you; itt ~ Valfelli out byV.
m e S a l k a r l m. ordinary m a n ; eigi
^ vandr a man not averagely
wicked, an extraordinary villainm e S a n ronj. whilem e S f e r S / conduct, activity
m e g a (md. mattu = matt pit, matti,matt) be able to, may, be possible
iTieir comp. adv. more, betterm e i r i , comp. a. bigger, more

GLOSSARYm e n n t r a. able, accomplishedm e r k i n. standard, bannerm e r k i l i g r a. meaningful, noteworthym e s t r sup. a. biggest, most; n. as
adv. mest most(ly)m e t a (mat, mdtu, metinn) estimate,value, judgem e t n a d r m. pride, self-esteemm i k i l l a. big, great, mighty, outstanding; n. as subst. mikit a greatthing, a lot, m u c h ; -^ vexti big in
stature; '^ bordi with high freeboard, outstanding, see bord;
pykki mer mikit fyrir 26/20 I amvery reluctant; e-m pykkir mikils um
vert 4/23-24 s-one is impressed;
n. dat. with comp. miklu m u c h ;miklu sidar much laterm i k i l m e n n i n. great man
m i k i l v i r k r a. one who gets a lot
done
m i l l i , i m i l l i prep, with gen. between, among
millnzn, i m i l i u m prep, with gen.
between, amongm i n n k a (ad) reduce(i) m i n n i comp. a. smaller, lesser(2) m i n n i n. memory, memorial;hafa at minnum have as memorials,
rememberm i n n i n g / reminder
m i n n s t r sup. u. least, smallest; n. as
adv. least; er minnst varir whenleast expectedm i s j a f n a. unequal, various; n. as
adv. misjafnt hmgr not always easym i s s a (sst) lose {e-s s-thing);
impers. missti einskis saudar 5/5-6
no sheep was missing (lost)m i s s e r i n. season, half-year;/?/,
year, winter (one season to thenext)
m i s t r u a (d) mistrust, disbelievem j o r a. slender, narrow; n. as adv.
sitja mjott sit with knees together
mJ9k adv. much, very, pretty well,almostm 6 9 i r / . mother89

m o r g i n n m. morning; a morgin
tomorrowm o t n. meeting, encounter; slikir
hgfdingjar sem til mots eru 18/9 suchchieftains as have to be faced;prep, phrase with dat. a mdt(i), i
mdt(i) towards, against; abs. ok
spyrr a moti 16/27 ^^^ ^^^^ (^'^'"news) in return; risa i moti 16/22
opposem u n a (man, mundi, mundi, munat)
rememberm u n d l a u g / basin
m u n n r m. m o u t h ; vard (honum) staka
d munni a verse sprang to his lips,
a verse tripped off^his tongue
m u n u (muntu = munt pu, munu Per
27/25-26, nd) u.sual future aux.
shall, will, must, will prove, is probably, often with eUipsis of vera
(verda) ; hvi mundi hann eigi sekr?
why should he not be outlawed?
lokit .sem mun finished as far as it isgoing to b e ; einmalt mun pat everyone will say; ekki munu vit sidar
vitrari we shall not be any wiser
later onm y r k r a. darkmsegi n. relationship by marriage
maegjask (gd) become related {vide-n to s-one) by marriage
msela (It) speak, say; -^ mot fix a. meeting; ~ aptr take back one's
words; '^ eptir e-n bring a caseafter (for) s-one's d e a t h ; -^ i mot
e-u speak against, contradict sthing; -^ um decide (cf. note
26/16); md. recipr. malask vid
speak to one another; md. impers.
maltisk ilia fyrir it was spoken ofwith disapproval; at svd maltu withthis said
maetti see megam 9 r k / weight of 8 aurar (see eyrir),h a l f a p o u n d ; see note to 15/15
n a g r a n n i m. neighbourn a n d / nearness, neighbourhood;i ~ e-m in s-one's vicinity

90

GLOSSARYn a u S s y n / need, necessity, needfulcause
n a u S s y n l i g r a. necessary; n. sup. asadv. naudsynligast most pressinglyn e conj. norn e f n a (nd) n a m e ; ^ til mention,
nominaten e i interj. non e i n n (nein, neitt) pron. anything (atall)(i) n e m a (nam, ndmu, numinn) take;^ vid impede(2) n e m a conj. unless, except (that),save (that); hvat ^ rida what else
but ride; med allt sitt ^ landit
with all his possessions except
the land; ~ per einum except toyou alonen e n n a (nnt) have a mind, careni6r adv. down; cf. falla, koma, takaniSrfall n. fall, dropping, collapse:^ at sgkum dropping of charges
njbta (nytr, naut, nutu, notit) with gen.
enjoy, benefit from; ef pii nytr
min vid if you have my help in it
n o g r see gnogr
n o r d a n adv. from the north; in N.
Iceland — from the east (cf. Intro.
p. xliii, note 41); prep, phrasewith 'a.ce. fyrir ^ in the north ofn o r S a r adv. farther north, more
northerly; in N. Ireland = farther
east
norSr adv. north(ward), in the northn o r S r s v e i t i r / / ) / . northern districts
coastal region in N. Iceland (eastof Strandir, cf. M a p A)
n o t t / (p\. ruetr) night; / — tonight,
last nightn u adv. no^Yn y b r y n d r a. newly sharpenedn y l u n d a / new event, novelty
n y t r a. able, goodn y t s a m l i g r a. useful, profitable(i) nsbr adv. near(ly), c\ose{\y] ; pvi-^ skal fara sem ek hefi sagt per 22/9
it will go more or less as I havetold you(2) naer comp. adv. nearer, closer; pd
mun -- fara 22/30 then it will comecloser (to an agreement between
us)naesta adv. newly, just now
naestr sup. a. next, nearest, closest;
II. as adv. mest: mun ek ok pvi nast
gera 2/4 (cf. note to 2/2) I shall doit too in closest correspondence tot h a t ; pess vantir mik at pessu nest
munir pu hljota 2 1 / 5 - 6 I expect that
this is more or less exactly what
you will get; pvi nasi (of time)
next, thereupon
nsetr see nott
n9kkurr/iron, and a. a certain, some,any; s-one, s-thing; n. as adv.
ngkkut rather, somewhat
oSfusi a. madly eager {til e-s for
s-thing)o^T a. wild, fierce
o d s e l d a r m a S r m. man difficult todeal withodaell a. difficult to deal with(i) o£ expletive particle (in verse);
muntu eigi . . . of synja 19/12-13
you will not deny(2) of adv. too, excessivelyo f a n adv. from above, downo f m i k i l l a. too big
ofraS n. too big an undertakingo f s a g a / too much of a tale; segja
ofsggurfrd e-u exaggerate s-thingo f u s s a. unwilling, not eager [til e-s
for s-thing)oglaSr a. depressed
ogleSja (ogladdi) make sad; md.
dgledjask become depressedo h l u t d e i l i n n a. not interfering,inactive {um e-t in s-thing)ohoegr a. difficult; eiga dhwgt i bui
find it hard to provide for one's
householdo j a f n a S a r m a S r m. unjust man,overbearing man
o k conj. a n d ; adv. also, too
61ikligrf2. unlikely
o l i k r ^. unlike, different; n. as adv.
dissimilarly
6 l 9 g n. pl. s-thing illegal, lawlessness;at blggum illegally

GLOSSARYo m e r k i l i g a adv. unreliably, without
serious meaning; see note to 9 / 1 0 I I

o m e r k i l i g r a. meaninglessomaetr a. valueless, invalid
opinn a. open
opt adv. often; comp. optar more
often, on other occasions
or prep, with dat. out of, away from;inn sextdndi hlutr or Melslandi a sixteenth part of Melsland; minnka. . . dr pvi .sem pii hefir til unnit 2/3
reduce . . . from what you haveearnedorS n. word, speech; kveda at ordi
formulate, say precisely; cf also
note to 20/20-27
orSit see verdao r S r o m r m. general talk, public
opinion
6rifligrf7. shabby, pooro r i k r a. pooro r l a u s n / help, solution of difficulty
oskilaSr/j/i. not settled, not handed
over; impers. einn hlutr er oskilat er
one thing which is hot fixedo s o m i m. dishonour, disgrace; unfitting, despicable behaviour or
actionosoemS (md) f. dishonour, disgraceo t t a s k (ad) fear
ovandaSr a. not carefully made or
selected, of poor quality
bvesall a. not poor; er engum se
vidtcBkt oveslum which is acceptable
to no one not poor, to no respectable man
o v i r S i n g / dishonour, shameovitandi pres. p. not knowing, inignorance
6vaenn a. unexpected, unlikely;
unpromisingo x see vaxa
oxi m. ox
o j i u r f t / hurt, harmoaetlandi a. unthinkablep a s k a r m. pl. Easterp r e s t r m. priest
prettottr a. crafty, underhand

91

raS n. advice, plan, proposal; state,condition; (economic) circumstances, stores, household affairs
or responsibility; marriage; hvat er
pd til rdds 17/19-20 what is to bedone then; bidr hann sjd um ^ sitt
6/23 asks him to oversee her
affairs; hafa mikit at rddi 29/12 havemuch in the way of household
responsibility; kalla ek ekki petta
mitt '^ 7/7 I do not at all count it
as a marriage for which I am
responsible
raSa (radr, red. redu, rddinn) advise;decide; procure; eigi er pat rddit
29/7 it is not certain ; ~ fyrir (e-u)
5/1, 6/26 7 be in charge, havecontrol (of s-thing); ^ menn til
17/26 get men (as a crew); md.
rddask move, go; rezk Par i sveit
med vermgnnum 2/9 and there joineda group of seasonal fishermen;
rezk til bus 35/15-16 moved into
the farmr a S a g o r S / plan, undertaking
r a S a g e r S a m a S r m. m a n of stratagems
raSligr a. advisabler a m m r a. strongr a n d a see rgnd
r a n g e n d i n. pl. wrong, injusticer a n g l i g a adv. wrongly
ranglaeti n. injustice, iniquity
r a n g r a. wrong; n. as adv. rangt
wronglyr a s n. rush, frenzy; pegar eigi erofmikit -^ d per as soon as there is
not too much hastiness in you
r a u n / test, experiencer a u s n / magnificence, a grandstyle of livingr a u s n a r m a S r m. man who lives in
style
reiSa (dd) wield, swing, raise; hefir
reidda (f. sg. ace. agreeing with
object) 0xi has an axe raisedr e i S i / anger
reifa (fd) sum up (see Intro, pp. Ivi-lvii)
r e i f i n g / summing up (see Intro,
pp. Ivi-lvii)

92

GLOSSARY

poetry) "thawing wind of shields"r e i k a (ad) wander irresolutely;
hingat vard mer nit reikat 23/16 I justbattlechanced to wander in this direction; ~ a fotum 18/17 be uncertain (i) s a (sit, pat) demon, pron. (somein one's gaittimes used without particle in rel.
constructions); i gllu pvi orifligastr e k a (rak, rdku, rekinn) drive, impel;
ftBsk til 3 1 / 4 - 5 in everything of themake move; mer synisk Odd nog
shabbiest that can be got for it;
naudsyn til ~ 11/22 need enoughpat pit sagdir a vetri 31 / 1 3 - 4 what
seems to me to drive O . to (underyou said in the wintertake) it; hann . . . rak undan skyggnur(2) s a see sjd
12/22 (cf. note) he peered fromunder it (the h o o d ) ; ~ geldingas a f n a (ad) with dat. gather, collect;drive wethers; rekr a honum talgumd. refl. sgfnudusk honum skjott
knif •^6)12 drives a whittling knife
pingmenn assembly men soon
into h i m ; md. reksk pat par um
flocked to join him
vglluna 33/15-16 it gets scattereds a g a / story
about over the assembly grounds a g t see segjas a k a (ad) h a r m ; impers. sakar eigi(1) r e n n a (rann, runnu, runnit) intr.
it does no harmrun(2) r e n n a (nnd) tr. with dat. run,s a k a r , s a k i r (and fyrir ~) prep,
make r u n ; peir ~ augum tilwith gen. because of; cf. sgk
sjddsins 15/6 they cast their eyes ons a k l a u s s a. innocent
the money-bag
s a m a (md, md, -at) be fitting;impers. samir e-m it is fitting forr e t t see rettrs-one
r e t t a (tt) put right; ~ fram hgndina
stretch out one's hand (to shakes a m a n adv. together
h a n d s ) ; md. pass, rettask be put
s a m r a. (mostly used in the weakright, made good, redressedform) (the) same; slikt it sama thesame (thing), similarlyr e t t e n d i n. pl. justicer e t t l a t r a. justs a n d r m. sandr e t t l i g r a. just, propers a n n a see sgnnur
r e t t r a. right, j u s t ; n. as adv. justly,s a n n e n d i n. pl. truth
rightlys a n n l i g r a. probablerettsyjon a. taking a just view, justs a n n o r S r a. truthfuls a n n r (sgnn, .^att) true, just; ~ at e-u
r e y n a (nd) try, put to the test,
guilty of s-thing; as subst. verda vissdiscover from experience; md.
ins sanna get to know the t r u t h ;pass, reynask be proved, turn out,
med sgnnu with truth, truly; n. as
prove true
adv. satt truly; bera satt upp reportriSa (reid, ridu, ridinn) ride
truly, bring u p the truth
rifligr a. fine, primer i k r a. powerful, rich; n. as adv.
s a n n r e y n d r a. truly proved (at e-u
forcefully, energeticallyguilty of s-thing)r i s a (reis, risu, risinn) rise, get u p ;s a r n. wound~ ! moti, ~ vid rise up in cons a r l i g a adv. sorely, bitterly
tention, opposes a t see sitja
r i s n a / munificences a t t see sannrt^ufa (ryfr, rauf, rufu, roflnn) breaks a t t i r / pl. peace settlement, rerba (rmr, reri, roinn) row
conciliation ; sattir Ams ok Austrar^ndf. rim, shield; peyr randa (in(in poetry) "settlement of Amr

GLOSSARY93

j u d g m e n t in a dispute to oppoand Austri" (i.e. of giant andnent's sole decision
dwarf), the mead of poetry,
poetry(1) s e m conj. as, as if; ~ skjotast as
fast as possible
s a t t r a. at peace, reconciled(2) s e m rel. particle who, which, thats a t u see sitja
s a u S a h v a r f n. disappearance of(cf. at 6, er 2); par ~ where,
sheep
whereass a x n. a kind of big knife (see notes e m see vera
to 36/1)
s e m j a (samdi, samdi) agree, arranges e n d a (nd) send; ~ eptir e-m sends e , see sjd, veras e g g r m. (in poetry) man
for s-one
segja (seg imp. sg., sagdi, sagdr)
s e r see sjd
say, tell (fra e-u about s-thing);s e t n. raised flooring, see note toOddr segir a (abs.) reidi sina 6/4 O.
10/31
says his anger will fall on him; segi
setja (tt) set, p u t ; ~ rad til e-s
hon at vit sem sattir 11 /3 let her
arrange, set up a plan for s-thing;
say that we are agreed; ~ af e-u-^ upp skip lay up a ship: md. refl.
speak, tell of s-thing; ~ til sekdarsetjask seat o-self: md. pass, setjask
marka describe outlawry-marks,
be settled, end
i.e. the tokens by which an outlaw
s e t t i ord. sixth
may be recognised; ~ upp gerds e x num. sixannounce terms of settlement; pt)s e x t a n d i ord. sixteenthat hann se sagdr rikastr madr as i S a n conj. after; adv. afterwards
Islandi 20/11-12 even if he is said
siSar comp. adv. later
to be the richest man in I.; with
siSir (only in adv. phrase) um sidirace. and inf. (often with ellipsis of
finallyvera) segir pd satta 11/6 says theysiSr m. custom; mikill ~ s-thing
are agreed; md. containing subject
very commonof following inf. sagdisk pat reynt(1) siSr a. wide, long; hafdi sida hetthafa 5/16 said he had found by
una 12/22 he wore the hood low
experience(drawn over his face)s e g ] n. sail(2) siSr comp. adv. less; eigi. . . at ^s e i m r m. (in poetry) gold
none the lesss e i n k a (ad) delay, hinders i g a (seig, se, sign, siginn) sinks e i n n a. slow ;n. as adv. slowly;
down, sUp, slide (usually imphes
kvadu seint mundu at roa til Noregs
slow motion)
34/8-9 said it would be a slow
s i g l a (Id) sailbusiness rowing to N.
s i l f r n. silvers i n n n. time, occasion; at sinni thiss e k S / penalty, outlawry (see Intro,
time, for now
p. lix)sitja (sit imp. sg., sat, satu, setitjs e k S a r m 9 r k n. pl. description o f a nsit: er pit sistir (p. subj.) a hlustinni
outlaw
see hlust; ^ um kyrrt stay quiet,s e k r a. condemned, under penalty,
be inactive; •^ kyrr, rddlauss
outlawed (um e-t for s-thing); seefyrir see fyrir; ^ fyrir svgrum sit toIntro, pp. Iviii-lix
outface the answers, be spokesman
selja (Id) sell, deliver, hand over; ek
hefi seldan (m. sg. ace. agreeing
sizt,!«/?. adv. least; ~ tilfmrr 7/19-20
with object) varning minn I haveleast capable of (acting in it)
sold my wares; ~ sjalfdwrni yieldsja (se imp. sg., cf. note to 4/14, ser.

94

GLOSSARYsjd vit 11/29, sd[u\, senn) see;^ fyrir e-u ^l2^, 15/11 make arrangements for, have an eye tos-thing; bidr hann •^ um rdd sitt
6/23 asks him to oversee herhousekeeping, manage her affairs;
hefi ek .setyfir rdd pitt 10/7 I havelooked over, inspected, the state ofyour stores; d ek par til trausts at ^er pu ert 28/16 I am supposed tolook for support there where youare, look to you tor support
sjalfdoemi n. sole right of j u d g m e n t(d mali in a case); cf. Intro, p. lix
sjalfr a. self
s j a u num. sevens j a v a r g a t a / path by which one
gets to the sea
sjoSr m. money-bag. purse
skaSi m. damage, losss k a l see skulu
s k a l d n. poets k a l i m. main living room; sleepingrooms k a l m / crude big knife, see noteto 3 6 / 3 - 4
s k a m m r a. short; n. as adv. a shortway
s k a p n. mind, temperaments k a p f e l d l i g a adv. agreeably,
attractivelys k a p l y n d i n. temperament, dispositions k e m m a (mmd. mmd) with dat.
damage, destroys k e m m t a n / amusement, entertainments k i k k j u s k a u t n. skirt of a cloak
skilja (Id, Id) part, separate; ^ talit
end the conversation; impers.
skilr med peim they p a r t ; md.
recipr. .skiljask leave each other,
separate; refl. skiljask vid e-t leave,
give over s-thing; skilsktu 33/19 —skilskpd, imp. sg., see armr; understand ; md. impers. mer skilsk I
understands k i l n a S r m. partings k i p n. ship, boats k i p t a (pt) with dat. change, divide;'-'- ordum vid e-n exchange words
with, talk to s-one; ^ ser engu af
e-u not concern o-self abouts-thing; md. pass, skiptask bechangedskjaldaskrifli n. pl. battered oldshieldss k j o t a (skytr, skaut, skutu, skotinn,
skyti p . subj.J shoot; impers. e-m
skytr e-u i hug 31/11 s-thing occurs
to s-one; skytr i tvau horn 8/19-20"it shoots into two corners", there
is a difference, cf. Halldor
Halldorsson I 261-62
s k j o t r a. swift; n. as adv. quickly,
fast; sem skjotast as fast as possibles k o r a (ad) challenge, encourage,
call on {d e-n til e-s [on] s-one todo s-thing)s k o r t a (rt) lack; ^ at (abs.) 4/26-7
be deficient; impers. with doubleace. .skortir e-n e-t 8/21 s-one lackss-thingskriSa (skreid, skridu, skridinn) slide,slip, glide (of a ship's way throughwater)
s k u l d / debt; kaupa i "- buy on
credits k u l u (skaltu = skalt pu. skal. skyldi)
be obliged to; ek .skal I shall, must,
am to; (with ellipsis of vera) yfir
gdru skaltu konungr en pessu

mdli

2 9 / 8 - 9 you shall be king overs-thing other than this cases k y g g n a / glance, look;/)/, eyes (cfnote to 12/22)
s k y l d a (ad) oblige, require; er hann•^ Igg til 6/11 which the law requires of him; svd Idta par hvarir
sem engu atti vid adra at ^ 2/18-19
both behave in that as if they had
no obligations to anybody elses k y l d r a. relateds k y t i see skjotas k p m m / shames k 9 r u ( g ) l i g a adv. nobly, splendidlys l a t r n. fresh meat, slaughterings l i S r a r / pl. sheath, scabbard

GLOSSARYs l i k r a. such; as subst. slikt such athing; gefa gaum at sliku pay
attention to such a thing; .slikt it.sama the same (thing), similarly
slit n. wear; hon var komin at sliti it(the cape) was threadbare
sloSi m. s-thing trailed, trail, track;consequences l y s l i g a adv. unfortunately, disastrouslys l o e g S / cunning, slyness(i) slcegr a. cunning, sly(2) sloegr m. profit [til e-s in s-thing)s n a r l i g r a. quick, swift
s n e y p a / disgraces n i m m a adv. soon, earlysniia (snyr, sneri, snuinn) with dat.
when tr. t u r n ; .snyr Ofeigr fyrir hann
18/21-22 O. steps across in frontof him; vil ek at pu .snuir eigi
svd skjott mdlinu til dfellis honum
9/9-10 I wish you would not be soquick in turning the affair into adamning charge against him
s n 9 f u r l i g r a. decisive, deft, quick
sofa (sefr, sefr, svaf svdfu, sofinn)sleep
s o n r m. sons o t t / sickness
spa (d) foretell, prophesy [e-t e-ms-thing for s-one)s p a k r a. wises p a r a (rd) save, be sparing; '^ vid
engan mann mat 1/9--10, 19/24-25,
32/11 refuse food to no one; oksperda (p. subj.) ek pik til pess 25/25
and I would save you from t h a t ;.spari ek ekki (2/32/9 I hold nothingbacks p e k i n g r m. wise man
sperSa see spara
spilla (lit) with dat, spoil, destroy;'^ s(erum break oaths
spjalla (ad) chat, converses p o t t a (ad) mock, ridicules p r e t t a (.spratt, spruttu. sprottinn)
start, spring
spyrja (spurdi) ask (with gen.) \md. pass, skal nu eigi spyrjask lata

95

alls 24/13 I shall not let myself be
asked all the questions; recipr.
peir . . . spurdusk almaltra tidenda
4 / 4 - 5 they asked each other about
everyday news; learn, get toknow; md. pass, spyrsk ekki til
Ospaks nothing is heard of O.
s t a S f a s t r a. firms t a S f e s t a / fixed place to live,
homestead
StaSfestask (st) settle down to live
staSr m. place; i stadinn insteads t a f n m. stem (prow or stern of aship); hafa e-t fyrir .stafni haves-thing as an aim, be engaged ins-things t a f r m. stick, staff
s t a k a / ditty, a stanza which stands
on its own
s t a l see stelas t a n d a (stendr, stott 2nd person p.
sg., stbd, stbdu, stadinn, stredi p. subj ystand; stendr nu buit med miklum
bldma the farm is now very
flourishing; ef eigi stcedi mdlaferli
pessi yfir 24/29 if this litigation
were not going ons t a p p a (ad) thrust, j a b {e-u withs-thing); stappadi nidr .stafnum
j a b b e d his stick down (for firm
support as he walked)s t e f n a (nd) summon [e-m s-one)s t e f n u d a g a r m. pl. summoning days
(cf Intro, p. Ivii)
s t e f n u f p r f. a journey to make asummons 1 sec Intro, p. Iviii
s t e l a (stal, stdlu, stolinn) steal, rob[e-n e-u s-one of s-thing)s t e n d r see .standas t e r k r a. strongs t e y p a (pd, pt) with dat. overturn,pour out; steypdi or (abs.) silfrinu
poured the silver out ofits t i l l a (lit) with dat. moderates t i n g i m. stabbing pain
S t o S h r o s s n. stud-horse
StorauSigr a. very richs t o r g j p f / large giftstorklaeki n. great blemish, vice96

GLOSSARYs t o r l y n d r a. magnanimous, munificents t o r m e n n i n. great, outstandingmans t o r r a. big, greats t o r v e l adv. extremely wells t o t t see standas t r e n g r m. string, bowstring
strjiika (strykr, strauk, struku,
strokinn) rub, stroke; strykr handleggina 28/12 cf. handleggrs t r p n d / shore, coast
stulSr (stuldr) m. thefts t u n d / time, period of time; lida nu
stundir now time passes; af annarri
stundu in a little while; dat.
pl. as adv. stundum sometimess t u t t l i g a adv. shortly; coldly
stySja (studdi) prop, support {e-ts-thing); md. refl. stydjask vid e-tlean, rely on s-things t y r k r m. strength, source ofstrength {at e-m in s-one)
stoeSi see standas u 3 r adv. south(ward), in the souths u l t r m. starvation ;/«ra heim i .sultinn
go back to the hungers u m a r n. summers u m r a. some; as subst. sumir somepeoples u n d r , i s u n d r adv. a p a r t ; luka i -^open
s v a adv. so, thus; cf. bua; conj. ~sem as; conj. "^ at so thats v a n a adv. so, thuss v a r n. answer; see sitja
s v a r a (ad) answer [e-m e-u s-one
with s-thing); '^ fyrir offer adefences v a r t l e g g j a / "black-ieg", battleaxe, see note to 32/10
s v a r t r a. black, darks v e i g j a (gd) b e n d ; md kalla ngkkut
svejgt 14/27 one may call it rather
bent, out of trues v e i n n m. boy, lads v e i t / company, following; districts v e l t a (It) tr. starves v e r j a (sdr, .sdru, svarinn) swear

s v i k j a (.sveik, .sviku, svikinn) betray,cheats v i v i r S i n g / dishonours y k n a. not under penalty, guiltless(see Intro, p. Iviii)
s y n / sights y n a (nd) show, reveal; md. pass,(impers.) e~m synisk it appears tos-one
s y n j a (ad) deny, refuse [e-m e-s s-one
s-thing)s y n n a. clear, obvious; n. comp.
synna very evident, more thanclear
s y s l a (ad) be busy, see to, dos a e n g / bedssera (rd) woundsseta (tt) with dat. amount to, belinked with (as cause and effect),
imply; hvi satirpat what accounts
for thatssetir see sitja and hlusts s e t t / reconciliation, peace, agreement (cf. note to 33/1-8)
ssetta (tt) reconcile; md. sattask bereconciled, come to terms
soekja (sdtti) seek (to get), fetch;
visit; pursue, demand, attack
scemS (scemd) f. honour, distinction;
gexi e-m ^ see iieui
soemSarhlutr (scemd-) m. honourable part, honourable present;
what bestows honour
soemSarleysi (s(Emd-) n. dishonour
soemr a. honourable, fitting
soeri n. oathS 9 g n / . saying, reports p k / matter, cause [til e-s of sthing); offence, accusation, case{a hendr e-m, vid e-n against s-one);cf. sakar, sakirs p n n u r / pl. proofs {a e-u of sthing)t a k a (tekr, toktu — tdktpu, tok, tdku,
tekinn) take, take hold of, begin;hann tok pvi vel he responded
amicably; er mik tekr henda which(chance to) concern m e ; '~^ tal

GLOSSARY
Start talking, talk; tekr at hafa vel
fe 2/23-24 begins to have money
in good measure; tok af byr (ace.)
the wind dropped; "^ fra 28/20
subtract, reject; ~ nidr (of animals) graze; nu er par til at ^ at
now the story is to be taken up
where; •^ til ords (orda) start
speaking, speak [a about i t ) ; lata
peir m^est til .sin ^ 18/28 they makeit mostly their concern; •— undir e-t
28/24 support s-thing; ~ upp 7/5,
17/23, 21/2 take over, confiscate,pick u p ; 4/28, 21/11, 21, 28/20,
30/22 start, initiate, found; --^ vid
e-m receive s-one, take s-one in; •-'vid (e-u) receive, accept, takecharge of (s-thing); md. e-m teksk
e-t vel 6/6, 10 s-thing goes well,succeeds for s-one; (honum) tekskenn vel til pessa 2/26 he again
succeeds well in it; slysliga tekizt
hafa 11/10 had turned out disastrously; md. refl. takask e-t dhendr undertake s-thing; recipr.
takask i hendr take each other by
the hand, shake hands
tal n. talk, conversation; ganga d •^go to talk; vdru pd menn komnir tiltals vid Egil men had come to talkto E. thentala (ad) talk, speak {vid e-n um e-t
with s-one about s-thing); opt
taladi konungr vel til min the kingoften spoke graciously to (or of)me; md. recipr. talask vid talk toeach othertalguknifr m. whittling knife
telja (taldi, taldi) count; -^ a/findfault with; md. impers mer telsk til
I work it out, calculatet e n g S a m a S r m. s-one connected bymarriagetiSendi n. pl. event; news; pat verdr
til tidenda it happens
taSr a. usual, commont i g i n n a. of titled rank
tigr m. decade, a ten; hann (ace.)skorti . . .fjora tigu (ace. pl.)97

geldinga (gen. pl.) 8/21 he waslacking 40 wethers
til prep, with gen. to, for, in order
to, by way of; ^ pess at minnka
gerdina in order to reduce thea w a r d ; gnott '^ fjdr 21/16 great
store of wealth; er Pat -^ marks it isa token o f i t ; hvat er -^ rdds what is
to be done; -^ skemmtanar foramusement; hafa mun hann vit '^pess at sjd he will have wit enoughto see; conj. -^ pess er until
tilfpng n. pl. suppliest i l l a g n. contribution, addition
tillagagoSr a. helpful, one who
makes constructive suggestions
t i l s t i l l i n. mianagement {um e-t of, ins-thing)t i l t e k j a / activity, behaviourt i m i m. time, occasion; einn timaonce
t i t r a (ad) shake, shiver; cf. note to
28/13
t i u num. tent j a r a / tar, pitch
tolf num. twelvet o r s b t t r a. difficult to overcome or
make headway againstt o r v e l d l i g r a. difficultt o r v e l d r a. difficult
torvirSr a. difficult to assesst r a u S r a. reluctant; n. as adv. trautt
hardly, scarcely
t r a u s t n. support; confidence; '^ dbera 16/21 have the confidence
troSa (tredr, trad, trddu, trodinn)tread; ~ undir fotum trample ontroll n. troll, devilt n i a (d) mostly with dat. believe,
trust, put faith int u t t u g u num. twentyt v e i r (tvar, tvau) num. a. two
ulfr m. wolf
um prep, with ace. about, a r o u n d ;over; beyond (= umfram); in,during (of time or occasion); um
ping during the assembly; umsidir finally; um vert see verdr;

98

GLOSSARY

dcema wm j u d g e ; velja um chooseamongu m s y s l a / management, careu m t p l u r / pl. persuasions, arguments
u n a (nd) be content {e-u or vid e-t
with s-thing)\xnd2k.Tkprep, with dat. from under;adv. away; komask ^ escapeu n d a n b r a g S n. a device to escapes-thing; p6 at ngkkut --^ verdi um
fjarupptakit even though sometrick to minimise the confiscationis triedu n d a r l i g r a. strange, wonderful
undir prep, with ace. (sense of goingunder) and dat. (sense of being under)
under; depending on; vera vikit,
koma ^ e-n 28/26-27, 3^ ^le submitted to s-one (s-one's decision):~ lidifiestra sec eiga; taka '^ e-t
support s-thing; sitja ^ bordi sit attable
u n g r a. young
u n n a (ann, unni, unnt, unnat,ynni p.
subj.J grant, allow, not begrudge[e-m e-s s-one s-thing); be willingfor s-one (e-m) to get (have) sthing (e-s); ^ cfi^z begrudge;
ynnak ( — ynna ek) ydr . . . Idja hlatr
at Idta . . . ok swmdarleysis 20/24 27
I would cheerfully see you lose
gold and get dishonouru n n i t see vinna
u p p adv. up, u p w a r d ; upp i fellit seeheyra
u p p i adv. (sense of rest) up, upon, on
top; hafa ^ make known, revealu p p i v p z l u m i k i l l a. assertive,
insolent, turbulent
lit adv. out, outwards; ->-' her out
here, in Iceland; Idta •^ put tosea; leida e-n ^ see s-one off"; cf.
note to 35/3
u t a n prep, with gen. on the outside of;•^ lands a b r o a d ; prep, phrase withiicc. fyrir ^ outside; adv. fromoutside; on the outside;/flrf7 ^ goabroad (from Iceland!; as conj.

after neg. (= nema) 27/19 except
u t i adv. (sense of rest) out, outside;
finished; er ^ vdru jolin when
Christmastide was over*v a S m a l n. wadmal, homespun
cloth; cf note to 2/7
vaSr m. fishing line
vafizk see vefja
v a f r l e y s a / nonsensev a k n a (ad) wake up
v a l n. (and pl. vgl) choicev a l d n. power, authority; cause,
agency, doing; Ospakr bidr nu ahans valdi vera O. bids it now be inhis (Odd's) hands, says he leaves
it to him to decide; af manna
vgldum of men's doing (i.e. notnatural or accidental)
v a l d a (veldr, olli, valdit) with dat.
cause, be responsible forv a l l a r see vgllr>
v a n / hope, expectation, likelihood;
eptir vanum according to expectadon, as expected; ~ a e-u or e-s
expectation of something [at e-mfrom s-one); nu er .sd einn eptir er
gllum mun pykkja ills at ^ 30/3-4
now only that man is left fromwhom everyone will think there
is likelihood of evil; vdnum betr
better than expected; peir sem
pangat var '^ those who were
expected there
vanSi (vandi) m. custom (6/6)
v a n d i m. difficulty; obligation; koma
i vanda get into trouble; pd er per
ngkkurr ^ a vid hann yet you havesome duty towards him
v a n d r a. bad, wicked
vandraeSi n. difficulty, trouble
v a n e f n i n. pl. lack of meansv a n h p l d n. pl. impoverished housekeeping; neglect, failure to keep
farmstock alivev a n r a. used, accustomed {e-u tos-thing)v a r n. spring1) v a r a / wares, goods

GLOSSARY(2i vara (rd) impers. er minnst vanrwhen least expected; eigi vardi mik
I did not expect
vara (ad) became spring
varSveita (tt) preserve, take careof; md. pass, vardveita.sk be lookedafterv a r g r m. wolfv a r k u n n / excuse
varla adv. hardly, scarcely
varna (ad) refuse [e-m e-s s-one
s-thing)v a r n i n g r m. merchandise
varnir see vgrn
varr a. aware {e-s of s-thing)vatta (ad) testify, bear witness
vattr m. witnessv a x a (vex. ox, oxu. uxu. vaxinn)
grow
veSr n. weather, wind; .sigla e-m d •^sail on s-one's weather side, takethe wind from s-one's sails, trick;cf. Halldor Halldorsson II 2 3 9 40.
veSrfall n. wind direction
vefja (vafdi, vafit) wrap {e-u e-ts-thing round s-thing); md. pass,or refl. vefjask i become involvedinvegr m. way; hvern veg 14/11 how, cf.
hvernigv e g t y l l a / trumpery honour
veiSarfoeri n. pl. fishing gear
veita (tt) grant, give; help; entertain; md. recipr. veitask help eachotherv e i z l a / feast, party
vekja (vakdi, vakti) wake; broach;Oddr vekr til vid Ospak at vel muni
fallit 7/17 O. takes up the pointwith O. that it would be appropriate
vel adr. well, favourably, willingly;
hafa ^ fe 2/24 have monev ingood measure, be well off; nl •-muni fengit 10/8 that it has beenhonestly come by; er par tekit vid
honum -^ at eins 6J2C)-'jl \ he wasreceived "only well", i.e. with no99

more than common civility
vela (It) trick; -- um manage, deal
withvelja (valdi, valdi) chotxse
vellir see vgllr
v e r a (er, ver imp. sg., ertu = erf pd,
var. vdru, verit; se pres. subj., V(srip.subj.j be, exist, stay, live; nu er
at segja now is to be told; var pat er
pvi myndi vel .svarat 24/20-21 there
was a time when it would havebeen favourably answered; ^ eptir
29/14, 30/3, 33/14 be left, remain ;^ fyrir be, be present; 20/3 lieahead; '^ fyrir e-u 7/11, 18/27 ^^in charge ol's-thing; -- ^z7 22/32,
32/15 be, exist, be at h a n d ; er pat
til. Gellir. at vit standim upp 30/15
it is for us, G., to stand u p ; ^ vid
5/12 be present, at hand, on the
spot
verSa (vard. urdu. ordinn,yrdi p. subj.^
become, be; occur, h a p p e n ; turnout, prove; have to, must [atgera
e-t do s-thing); petta er it versta verk
ordit 11/5 this has turned out to be
the worst of deeds; silfrs pess er
bezt kunni -- 22/11-12 silver of thebest quality that could occur (befound); nema ngkkurr verdi virding af
at hafa pessu mdli 29/13- 14 exceptthat s-one must ^et honour fromthis case; impers. verdr e-m it turns
out for s-one, s-one acts; at per
verdi litilmannliga 12/2 that you
behave feebly; hingat vard mer
nil reikat '2'i,l\^ I chanced towander this way; e-t verdr af e-u
8 / 1 3 , 9 / 3 - 4 , 1 i / i I s-thing comes(becomes) of s-thing; ^ A^ happen(about s-thing); Oddr latr nu sem
ekki .se at ordit 8/17-18 O. behaves
as if nothing had happened (in them a t t e r ) ; ^ fyrir e-u get in the wayof s-thing; '^ fyrir skgdum 9/22 suffer
losses; pat verdr til tidenda it occurs
in the way of news, it happens;^ vid respond, react; eigiparftu. . . svd ddr vid at verda 10/5-6 you

100

GLOSSARY

do not need to get so furious at it
verSr (n. vert) a. worth, worthy,
deserving (e-s of s-thing); ngkkurs~ 6/28, 12/4 of any value; (e-m)
pykkir mikils (einskis, minna) um(pat) Mr< 3/11-12, 4/23-24, 17/9
it seems (to s-one) very (not at all,less) impressive, of (great etc.)
momentv e r k n. deed, actionv e r k l u n d a r m a S r m. a worker, aman with a mind for workv e r m a S r m. seasonal fishermanv e r n d i r / . pl. (legal) defencev e r r comp. adv. worse, lessv e r r i comp. a. worsev e r s t r sup. a. worst; n. as adv. worst,
leastv e s a l l a. wretched, unfortunatev e s t a r adv. further westv e s t r adv. west(ward); in the westv e t r m. winter; a vetri 31/13—14 in
the (last) winterv e t r l a n g t adv. over the winterv e x t i see vgxtr
viS prep, with ace. at, to, towards,
against: with; over against; •^umtglur hans 15/18 by means of,set beside, his a r g u m e n t s ; conj. ~pat er since, because; prep, with dat.
to, towards, with; er pat hett ~ ordi
a/ . . . 9/10-11 the danger withwords is that . . . ; hann leit ~honum he looked at him.; at vit sem
bddir saman ^ okkrum mgnnum 33/
12-13 that we both keep togethera m o n g our own men
v i S s k i p t i n. dealing(s)v i S t a k a / . (and pl. vidtgkur)
reception
viStoekr a. acceptablev i g n. kilUng
v i g s m a l n. case arising from akillingv i k a / . week; at sex vikum six weeks
before wintervikja (veik, viku, vikinn) with dat.
when tr. turn, move aside, move;
Ofeigr veik hjd bitdardurunum 18/19-

20 6 . moved aside by (from) thebooth-entrance; ok verda peir at ~aptrferdinni 3 5 / 5 - 6 and they haveto turn the journey back, they areforced to turn back; ~ e-u undir
e-n see undir; ^ til turn to, referto; eda hitt eitt er vikr til laganna
14/29-30 or merely that which
concerns the (letter of the) law
vilja (vilju ver 27/24-25, vildi, viljat)
will; be wilhng; tryv i l l r a. astray, lost, wild; n. as adv.
wronglyv i n a t t a / . friendshipv i n a t t u b r a g S n. friendly act (vid e-n
toward s-one), token of friendshipv i n d a (vatt, undu, undinn) with dat.
wind, hoist; vindr nit upp sjodnum
now hauls up the money-bag
v i n f e n g i n. friendshipv i n n a (vann, unnu per 14/19, unnu,
unninn) work, perform; ~ eid
swear an o a t h ; ~ til work for,achieve, earn, deserve; /a< er mikit
til at ~ 22/34-23/1 that is a greatthing to do in order to achieve it,that is asking a lot; veit ek eigi
hvdrt ek vil pat til ~ 26/20-21 I do
not know whether I will do that toachieve it; ok eigi hirdir hvat til
fjarins vinnr 30/5 and he does notcare what he does for the money;
pat vinn ek til einskis at svikja pd
26/6 for no gain will I betray
those menv i n r m. friendv i n s s e l d / . popularity
vinsaell a. popular (vid e-n withs-one)
virSa (rd) value; md. pass, virdask beesteemed
virSar m. pl. (in poetry) men
v i r S i n g / honour, esteem
virSuligr a. honourable(i) v i s a / verse, stanza(2) v i s a (ad) direct, point (e-ms-one); ~ (e-m)fra turn (s-one)
away, rejectv i s s a. certain; known; verda ~ (e-s)

GLOSSARY

get certain knowledge (of s-thing);
at visu certainly, for sure; n. as adv.
certainly; svd vist so indeed, yescertainlyv i s s i see vita
vit n. wit, intelligencevita (veit, vissi, vital) know, get toknow, realise; ek mun . . . ^ athann vili sattask 10/27-28 I shallfind out whether he is willing tocome to terms; ~ til know, be
conscious of; point towards; hvat
megi til vita, nema per bidid var hsr?
34/9-10 what can one know butthat you will be waiting for us here?
vitja (ad) with gen. visit
vitr a. wisev i t s m u n i r m. pl. intelligencev i z k a / wisdom, understandingvsenn a. promising (til e-s to becomes-thing); handsome, beautiful;
pd er vient um i6/8 then it is apleasant prospect
vsenta (nt) with gen. expect, hopefor; impers. pess vantir mik I expect
vpl see val
V9llr fgen. vallar. pl. nom. vellir, ace.
vgllu) m. field, plain; flat g r o u n d ;with def. art. 18/3 = t>ingV9llr;
pl. (with def. art. 13/24, 18/6,
33/16, without 28/9) the grounds
at t>ingv9llr, cf. M a p C
v p r n / (and pl. varnir) defence (atlaw); cf. Intro, p. Iviii
V9rr/. lip
V9xtr fdat. vexti) m. growth, stature
y&r prep, with ace. (of movement) anddat. (of rest) overy g r a. fierce, savage (vidskiptis indealings with people)ynna(k) see unna
yrSi see verda
y t a r m. pl. (in poetry) men
y x n n. pl. oxen{>a adv. then; conj. ~ er when
fiaSan adv. thence, from there; from
then

lOI

{>agat seepegja
••' •
' '
'
f^agna (ad) fall silent, be silent|>akka (ad) thank (e-m e-t s-one fors-thing)
fiangat adv. thither, to there, theref>annig ( < pann veg) thus, in thatway{>ar adv. there; ~ var Ospakr it was
O . ; ^ i 36/19 therein, in it; ~ imot 15/8 in return ; ~ med 21/27
therewith, along with it; ekki vil
ek ~ um tala I will not say anything about it; ~ . . . sem (er)there . . . where, where, wherever;^ er nii flest um talat sem mdl Odds
eru 18/6-7 i ' is O-'* affairs that are
chiefly talked a b o u t ; a ek ~ tiltrausts at sjd sem pu ert 28/16 I am
supposed to look to you forsupport; virdisk ^ vel sem hann var
2/31-32 was well esteemed whereever he was (everywhere); conj. —'til er until{>arfr a. useful, helpful]>attu see piggja{legar adv. at once, straightway;
conj. ^ (er) as soon as}jegit see piggjaf>egja (pegipit imp., pagdi, pagat) besilent, keep silent a b o u t ; er per mun
betra pagat which will be better foryou unsaid{)eyr m. thaw, thawing wind; ~pykkra randa (in poetry) "wind of
stout shields", battle|)iggja (pd,pdttu — pdttpii, pdgu,
peginn) receive, accept; ~ brullaup
be guest at a wedding
Jiili n. partition, cladding (on insidewall)
fling n. assembly; vera ipingi med
goda be the assembly m a n of achieftain (see Intro, p. liv)f>ingniaSr m. assembly m a n (seeIntro, p. liv)
j j i n g r e i S / assembly journey,assembly attendance|>j6fr m. thiefj>6 adv. though, however, after all.

102

GLOSSARY

moreover; conj. pb at,pottalthough, even if, if{>oka/. mist, fog{>ora (rd, -at) dare, risk{>6tt see po and pykkja{>6tti see pykkja{irettan num. thirteen{>riSi ord. third ; pat it pridja er . . . thethird thing which . . .
{>rir (prjdr, prju) num. «. threefirjota (prytr, praut, prutu, protinn)
impers. with ace. of person and thing
come to an end, be short of; erveizluna praut when the feast was
overf>undar m. pl. (in poetry) gods; ~pykkra randa Peys gods "of the windof stout shields" (i.e. of battle),
warriors, men|>ungligr a. heavy, difficult}>ungr a. heavy, difficult, b a d ; n. as
suhst. a difficult thing; see etja; n.
as adv. heavily, with difficulty
fiurfa (purfti. purft) need {e-ss-thing); be necessary; impers. pat
Parf ekki vid mik at tala 18/25-26
there is no need to talk to me
about t h a t ; ^ vid need (at aparticular j u n c t u r e ) ; mikils pykkir
peim vid '^ 17/15 much seems tothem necessary in this{)urfi a. needing [e-s s-thing)
J>vi (n. dat. of sa demon.) adv.
therefore; conj. i -^ er at the
moment when, as; conj. ~...
at because; with comp. adv. see
betr, heldr(>vilikr a. such}>ykkja (potti, pott, pcetti p. subj. jseem, appear [e-m to s-one; oftenwith ellipsis of dat, p r o n . ) ; bethought; Pykkir vel vardveizk
hafa 7/15-16 it seems (tohim) well looked after; eigi er Pat
rddit af honum pcetti allt sem hanntaladi 2 9 / 7 - 8 it is not certain that
he meant all he said; e-m pykkir
mikit fyrir (at gera e-t) 26/20 s-one
finds a great obstacle in the way(of doing s-thing), s-one is very
reluctant (to do s-thing); er pd
potti mestr hgfdingi vestr par 1/12
who was then thought the greatest
leader there in the west; Pykkir pu
hafa brggd undir brunum you arethought to have a deceitful look(^cf bragd) ; potti slysliga tekizk hafa
11 /1 o it was thought to haveturned out disastrously (for h i m ) ;md. containing subject of following inf. (often with ellipsis of vera)
allir Pykkjask peir vel komnir er med
per eru 4 / 7 - 8 all who are with you
think they are happily placed;pegar hann pykkisk pess vid purfa
21 / 1 7 - 1 8 as soon as he thinks heneeds it; pu pdttisk per cerinn einn
13/9 you thought yourself amply
self-sufficient
fiykkr a. thick, stoutI^oetti see pykkja
J > 9 k k / thanks, gratitude
aetla (ad) think, reckon, intend; ^e-t e-m intend s-thing for s-one,
attribute s-thing to s-one; til ^have as an object or destination,
aim towards; with ellipsis of vb. of
motion hann atlar utan he means togo a b r o a d ; atlar til Borgar intends
to go to B.; with ace. and inf ek
atla Ospak stolit hafa I think O.
stole thema e t l a n / plan, intentiona e t t / family, lineage
aettborinn a. born of a (notable)family; ^ til e-s born (of a familywith a tendency) to s-thing
aettstorr a. of great familya e v i / lifee r e n d i (erendi) n. errand, errand's
purpose or resulto x / axe
oerinn a. ample, amply sufficient;pu pdttisk per ~ einn 13/9 youGLOSSARY
thought yourself amply selfsufficientoesa (st) urge on, incite; -^ mdlit
press on with the caseflestr a. excited, strongly moved; n.
as adv. energetically103

9 S r u ( m ) see annarr
9II see allr
9 l n see alin
9 l t e i t i / ale-jollity, party gameI N D E X OF NAMESIN T H E SAGA T E X T
PERSONAL NAMES
A m r (giant) 33
Asmundr h s r u l a n g r 3
Austri (dwarf)
33
Bergf?6rr at B93varsh6lar 35
Bjalfi Hildisson 3 5 - 3 6
Broddi, see Skegg-Broddi
Egill Skulason
16,18-23,26-28,

6-7, 11-12, 16-18, 22, 27-28, 32
J>6rdis Asmundardottir 3I^orgeirr Halldoruson 16, 18,29,
32t>orgerSr Valadottiri

G R O U P NAMES
Austmenn 34
Eyrarmenn 23
MiSfirSingar 36

30-35
Einarr Jarnskeggjason
24
Gellir E>orkelsson i6, 1 8 , 2 2 - 3 0 ,PLACE-NAMES
Asgeirsa i
AustfirSir 25
Bitra 3
BlaskogaheiSr 18
BorSeyrr 3
Borg
19,21,25,31,34-35
BorgarfJ9rSr 21, 25
Borgarholi 36
BreiSafJ9rSr 25
B^Svarsholar 35
EyjafjgrSr 3, 25
Eyrr 24
Hrutafi9rSr' 3, 7, 18
HvammsleiS 35
Island 3, 20, 25
Islandshaf 21
KollafJ9r3r 3
Langadalr 9
Laugardalr 18
LQgberg 15, 27
Melr 3-4, 7, I I , 16-17, 21, 25,

33-34
Gltimr at SkriSinsenni 3
Grettir Asmundarson 3
Gunnlaug d. of J a r n g e r S r Ofeigsdottir I
Hallr Styrmisson 24
H a r a l d r SigurSarson 29
H e r m u n d r Illugason 16, 18, 22,
2 7 - 2 8 , 3 0 - 3 1 , 35
Hildir 36
ISi (giant) 20
JarngerSr Ofeigsdottir i
Jarnskeggi Einarsson 16, 18, 25,
28, 32
M a r Hildisson 3 5 - 3 6
O d d r Ofeigsson 1-25, 2 7 - 2 8 ,, 33-36
Ofeigr JarngerSarson i
Ofeigr SkiSason i, 2, 12-29, 3^-34
Ospakr Glumsson 3-12, 14-15,
35-36
RagnheiSr Gellisdottir 24
Skegg-Broddi Bjarnason 16, 18,25,
29. 32
Snorri goSi (t>orgrimsson) 23-24
Snorri Kalfsson 36
Steinjjorr (Porlaksson) at Eyrr 24
Styrmir (I^orgeirsson) at Asgeirsa
I, 11-12, 16-18, 21, 27-28, 31-32
Svala 6-7, I I , 35-36
Vali, kinsman of O d d r Ofeigssoni,3, 5, 8-12, 14-15
P o r a r i n n LangdoelagoSi inn spaki

34> 36
Melsland 21, 25
MiSfjprSr
1-4, 34
Noregr 34
Orkneyjar 34
RangarleiS 32
ReySarmiili 18
Reykir i
SiSumuli 35
SkriSinsenni 3
Sk9r3 I104INDEX
Strandir 2 , 4
Sv9lusta8ir 6-10, 35
Valfell 35
Vatnsdalr 9
Vatnsnes 2
veUir(nir) (at t>ingv9llr)
28, 33
ViSidalr 6
V931a]Ding 28

V9llr(inn) (&ingV9llr) 18
t>ingv9llr, see v9llr, vellir
torgautsstaSir 35
I>orgeirsfJ9rSr 34
13,18,O T H E R NAMES
alJDingi 17
Matsaell, a bowl 32
NorSlendingadomr
13, 15105

Based on the map made by Samuel Eggertsson published in
Matthias E>6r3arson, Pingvollur. Alpingisstadurinnforni (1945).

Map C. Pingifl/r.