Northvegr - Viga-Glum's Saga

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Viga-Glum's Saga

NOTES

PREFACE

1. See Grettir’s Saga, chap. xix. 40. [Back]

CHAPTER 1

1. It might have been better to keep the Icelandic term “Godi” in the text; for the civil duties of this functionary were more important than his priestly office. “One of the original priests” means one of the holders of a “Godord,” or “Mannaforrad,” from the time of the settlement of the island at the close of the ninths centry. On the nature of the Godi’s office, se Mr. Dasent’s Preface to the Nial’s Saga, p. xlvi., and Maurer’s “Enstehung des Isländischen Staats und seiner Verfassung” (München, 1852), ss. 82, 83, 89, etc. Compare also the subsequent note on the judicial proceedings. [Back]

CHAPTER 2

1. The date asigned for this voyage of Eyiolf is 918, at which time Hacon, the ward of Athelstan, had not succeeded to the throne, but Harold Hárfagr was still king. See Laing’s “Heimskringla,” vol. i. p. 314. It is very possible that these words may have been inserted by some transcriber. [Back]

CHAPTER 3

1. Ivar considers it an aggravation of the annoyance caused by Eyiolf that his brother had visited a place which he hated and which he had no wish to hear anything about, and so they had not the pleasure of telling one another how they had fared during their absence. [Back]

CHAPTER 4

1. It is hardly necessary to explain that the Berserkers were men who were ready to fight anybody, and who worked themselves into a frenzy by drugs or other means, as a North American savage does by his war-dance. They appear in some cases to have made a profession of challenging every one, to whose land, or wife, or sister they took a fancy. A story very similar to this is told in the Egil’s Saga, and in the Eyrbyggia Saga Styrr, the son of Thorgrim, gets rid of two of these men by the most unscrupulous treachery. They were probably such a nuisance to society that anything was thought fair against them. The “Holmgang” was so called because the parties used often to fight in a “holm,” or small island. Compare the preface to Mr. Dasent’s Nial’s Saga, and Maurer, Enstehung des Isländ. Staats, ss. 596, 599. Se also the story which follows in chapter vi. [Back]

2. That is to say to act as his second. See the story of Hermund, quoted by Maruer, from the Saga of Gunnlaug Ormstunga Enstehung des Isländischen Staats, s. 202. [Back]

CHAPTER 5

1. The second name of Eymund, which I have translated “Pirate,” may mean “the spoiler of ships,” or the “spoiler of acres,” according s it is written “Askaspillir,” or Akraspillir.” Myvatn, mentiond shortly afterwards, signifies “midge-water,” or “gnat water.” [Back]

2. Thorkel and his son claimed, of course, as representing the interest of Halfrida, the widow of Vigfuss, Glum’s brother. The other half of Vigfuss’s property, after the death of himself and his child, returned to his mother and brother. [Back]

3. The Icelandic word is “Skolbrunn,” and its meaning is uncertain. If, as has been supposed, it had to do with the brow, it would probably be written “Skolbrynn.” The senses given in the text is that suggested by my friend Mr. Vigfusson, the editor of the Eyrbyggia Saga (Leipzig, 1864.) [Back]

CHAPTER 8

1. Glum’s spear was probably a sort of halberd, with which he could either cut or thrust; such as is called “höggspiót,” in Chapter xxii. [Back]

2. The words of the text are that he saw the blood “I málunum,” which may mean in “the marks--letters--or ornaments of the weapon.” Runes or letters were sometimes engraved on the blade of a sword or spear. In the Edda, the sword which Sigurd lays on the bridal bed between himself and Brynhilda is called “mæki málfáinn,” which is interpreted “ornamented” (Sigurdarkvida iii. stanz 4), and again a similar epithet is applied to the sword which Skirnir shows to Gerda (Skirnismál, stanza 23). In both cases it may mean “bearing runes or letters chased on the blade.” [Back]

CHAPTER 10

1. As a general rule I have not attempted to translate the proper names, but in this case and in that of “the Tarns” I have given the corresponding English appelations. The shallow pieces of water in the Essex marshes are still called “Fleets,” and “Tarn” is well known in the north of England. [Back]

CHAPTER 11

1. Malt had to be imported into Iceland from Denmark or from England. See Laing, Heimskringla, i. p. 58. This malt apparently had been landed, and was waiting to be carried up the country. [Back]

CHAPTER 14

1. This sentence appears to be as sort of gloss introduced in one of the transcripts from the original MS, but I have inserted it in the text, as it is essential to the understanding of this strange story. It should be observed that there is a double pun in the Icelandic which cannot be represented in a translation. Not only was the man’s name Kálf, but he lived at Stocka-Hlad, and the calf which Ingolf was made to kill was in the hlada, or barn. [Back]

CHAPTER 16

1. I confess that I do not clearly understand the meaning of this stanza, unless Glum intends to say that any device was justifiable in getting away from Skuta in a country which offered such scanty means of escape. It may mean, however, that Skuta himself would have hard work to get away. [Back]

CHAPTER 17

1. See the Supplementary Note at the end of the book. [Back]

CHAPTER 18

1. The Icelandic word is Hreppr--and I have translated it by the word still retained in “The Rape of Bramber.” [Back]

CHAPTER 23

1. There are four other lines in the original text, but they are so corrupt and obscure that I cannot venture to paraphrase them. [Back]

CHAPTER 24

1. I believe that the word in the original “Fiörbaugsgardr’ occurs only twice in the sense of the verge or ring round the ground on which the Thing met. Mr. Dasent speaks of it as “an enclosed space near a court, a ‘verge’, or ‘liberty,’ within which the Fiörbaugsmadr (that is one liable to the lesser outlawry) was safe.” See preface to the Nial’s Saga, p. clxii. [Back]

2. The reason for this seems to be that the defendant was summoned to answer on a certain day, and when the sun rose again before he was formally called on, that day was over, and the whole proceedings were avoided. [Back]

CHAPTER 25

1. The Haust-thing, or autumn assembly, was the same as the Leid or Leet, and was held not earlier than fourteen days after the Althing, for the purpose of making known in each district what had been done at the general assembly. It had, like every other Thing, to be helgad, “consecrated,” or opened by the Godi. See Maurer, ss. 171-174; Dasent, Preface, p. lxvi. [Back]

2. The god probably means Thor. See Maurer, § 157. [Back]

3. It is impossible to represent this oath of Glum’s in English, or any other language, so as to make the point of the story clear; but it may thus be explained--There is in the Icelandic language, or rather there was, and enelitic negative at (sometimes abbreviated to a or t), which is attached to the verb. It occurs only in the ancient tongue, and there only in poetry and legal formulæ. Thus var ek or vark means simply “I was,” ek being the pronoun of the first person; but vark-at means “I was not.” So vák (or vá ek) means “I slew;” but vák-at means “I slwe not.” But at is also a preposition corresponding to our preposition “at,” and vark at, pronounced as two separate words (with the accent on at) would mean “I was at it.” the reader will thus see that the deceit practised by Glum consisted in so pronouncing the verb and the particle at, that his enemies took it for the negative and not for the preposition. The sense depended entirely on the question whether it was or was not an enclitic. Glum’s adversaries understood him to say, “I was not there; I slew him not there; I reddened not edge nor point on him there;” whereas his own construction of what he swore to was precisely the opposite and in fact expressly asserted his guilt. The whole of this story is most curious as illustrative of the manner and character of the people, and also in a philological point of view. The reader who wishes to know more of the extinct negative suffix may consult Grimm’s Grammar, b. iii. s. 715. Grimm is mistaken in saying that this form occurs only in the old poetry, as is sufficiently shown by this very Saga; but it is confined to the poetry and the laws. I may add that Grimm’s attempt, at p. 718, to explain the origin of this negative appears to me unsuccessful. I shall have occasion to remark hereafter that this oath of Glum’s was not in itself part of a judicial proceeding, but was imposed upon him as a special condition of an exceptional character, when his adversaries agreed to compound their suit. [Back]

4. See above, chapter vi. The parting with these gifts is the turning-point in Glum’s story. Henceforth his luck is departed. [Back]

CHAPTER 26

1. The last of the “flitting days”--Fardagar. They began on the Thursday after the expiration of six weeks of summer, which was reckoned to begin on the Thursday between the 9th and 15th of April. They fell therefore about the beginning of June. See the Glossary to the Grágás, and Dasent’s Preface, p. liv. [Back]

2. Maurer (s. 58) gives a translation of this curious passage, and remarks that it shows the hallowing of the land by fire as applicable not only to its first occupation, but also to a change of possession. [Back]

3. Some verses of Glum’s occur here, but the text is so doubtful that I cannot venture a translation of them. [Back]

CHAPTER 27

1. The caves must have been level with the ground and probably covered with turf or sod. [Back]

2. Because the slayer had not on the spot avowed the deed. [Back]

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE

1. See Grettir’s Saga, chap. xix. [Back]

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