432. A Valkyrja.
433. Hedin’s cloth = armour. The dyed wand is the sword dripping with blood.
434. In Helgakvida Hundingsbana, sleep is called draum-thing (dream-meeting).
435. Halfdan dreamt of the greatness of his family, Halfdan the Black, c. 7. Sometimes there were different explanations of the same dream (Vatnsdæla, 42).
436. Laxdæla, 33; Atlamál, 14–25.
438. See Vol. II., Frontispiece.
439. There was no little hard pushing—meaning that there was a fight between the men and the bears jostling against each other.
440. One of Atli’s shapes, which he could change himself into.
441. Her husband.
442. Summon to join the dead.
443. Guardian spirits; Disir, the shapes of dead women. Cf. Gisli Súrsson.
444. Dreamstolen, meaning, that the ability of dreaming had been taken away from him.
445. Cf. also Sigrdrifumal.
446. Sacrifice to.
447. This passage seems to imply that those who believed in their own strength only made the sign of Thor.
449. Cf. also Gulathing’s Law, c. 29.
450. This refers to stealing the mead.
451. Frey and Freyja.
452. Olaf Tryggvason.
453. Buandi, plural buendr; bondi, plural bendr; bóandi, plural bóendr. These are different forms of the same name; the transition from buandi to bóandi and then to bondi is easily traced. The form to-day is bonde. The original meaning is a dweller; the verb to dwell is búa—bjó—búid.
455. The Frostathing’s Law says nothing about the deduction of one-fifth from the appraised value.
A new law enacted that the odalsman, in order to keep his right open, should make the usual announcement every tenth year; and the king was subject to the same regulations as other people.
456. Cf. also earlier Gulathing’s Law, 267; earlier Frostathing’s Law, vi. 4.
457. Baugryg means a woman who, being a single daughter, could pay and receive wergild.
458. A chalet.
459. All that was thrown up by the sea, whales, wreck, &c., belonged to the king (Gulath., 145).
460. Some great fishing-place in Hálogaland.
461. Cfr. also Heimskringla, 51, 52.
463. So named probably because accustomed to walk much.
464. Bond-woman.
465. In later times we see that the fire-place was in the middle of the floor.
466. Kind of head-dress.
467. Grandfather and grandmother.
468. Probably for fastening the door.
469. This peculiar head-dress is still found in Iceland and Normandy.
470. A kirtle trailing, long trailing dress.
471. In Volsunga Saga the same expression occurs.
472. The shield of linden tree.
473. Rings were of gold, and were used as money.
474. Perhaps this means the sea.
475. We are not told about the Hersir.
476. Kund—a son, a kinsman.
477. Kon-ung = Konung = Kung = King.
478. Everlasting runes, probably more powerful runes than ordinary—runes that may have been only known to few.
479. To calm the sea by spell.
480. Some people were supposed to understand the language of birds.
481. From this we see that the business of a young king was war.
483. Greyiom: this is the dative form which is grey in nominative; the form grey hund also occurs (Fornmanna Sögur xi. 10.)
484. The male line of Hákon Jarl the Great became extinct in his grandson, Hákon Eiríksson, in 1029.
485. Háleygjatal, in which Eyvind traces the family of Hákon. Cf. also the jarls of Mœri (Rögnvald, Mœra-jarl, who was the forefather of the jarls of Orkneys and Rouen in Normandy).
486. Herra = a lord, or master, was only used as a title after the year 1277, when knights and barons were first introduced into Norway. The word is derived from Her (host), thus meaning the lord, or perhaps at first the leader of a host.
487. Pl. Konir.
488. Rig seems to be a son of Rig Jarl, the hero of Rigsmál, whose name was otherwise Kon.
489. This custom of becoming an under-man is illustrated in several Sagas.
490. The word Viking has, of course, nothing to do with king.
491. Nafnbót = addition to the name, improvement of the name.
492. In the Danish laws the stipulation to be given by the king at his elevation was called Haand-fæstning (hand-fastening).
493. Cf. also Magnús the Good, c. 22 (Heimskringla).
494. Thrall was a male slave; ambátt, a female slave.
495. Here chief is = king. This meeting of kings seems like the meetings in our times of monarchs for alliance or treaties.
496. Cf. also Heimskringla, c. 58.
498. Cf. Gisli Súrsson.
499. Gulath., 66, 106, 296.
500. The redemption-sum of a leysingi.
501. Hereditary freeman.
502. This means, to take the slavery off.
504. Cf. also Njala, c. 36.
505. A man convicted of the lesser outlawry by paying a fine of one mark within a fixed period was safe within a certain space. If he neglected such payment he became a full outlaw.
506. Father’s and mother’s side.
507. Cf. also Laxdæla Saga, 12, 13.
508. Gulathing’s Law, 57.
509. Ostgöta Law, 6, § 2; Vestgöta Law, i. 22; Gotland Law, i. 28, § 6.
510. In the side.
512. Earlier Gulathing’s Law, 131.
513. After the introduction of Christianity, near a church.
514. Cfr. also Frostathing’s Law, i. 2.
515. Laws by King Magnus, A.D. 1263–1280.
516. Grágás, 56.
517. Islendingabók, c. 5.
518. Eyrbyggja, c. 10; Landnáma, ii. c. 12.
519. A Thing held on the plain.
520. The Saga was about Thorgeir Hávarsson, Thormod’s foster-brother, and his last fight, in which Thorgrim had fought against him. Thormod cleft Thorgrim’s head with his axe as he sat on the chair, and escaped.
521. Pitched a tent over the walls which remained standing.
522. The term “hundreds” means some value, perhaps of vadmal or of silver.
523. Twenty feet of vadmal were paid yearly by each bondi who did not go to the Thing to those who went to the Althing (Grágás, 77, 107).
524. Grágás, 23, 49, 51, 62, 67.
525. Every bondi had to belong to some Thing.
526. The country was parcelled out into Thing-districts, each being presided over by three godis, hence the word Thridjung-district.
527. Einmanud, last month of winter.
528. It is probable that this sign was the svastica, used in Iceland instead of the arrow used in Norway. (See p. 520.)
529. Thingmen of his district.
530. The high court of justice composed of 48 Godars, also held in the sacred precincts inside of the vebönd. See p. 534–538.
531. Each district has its name, e.g., Kjalnesinga district.
532. Landnáma, 1, c. 9; Islendinga Sögur, i. 336.
533. Grágás, 23, 43.
534. Grágás, 59.
535. Grágás, 23.
536. The old laws of Sweden were published during the years 1827–77 (the life-work of Schlyter), in Lund, in thirteen volumes; the thirteenth volume is a dictionary to the twelve volumes preceding it.
537. The Danish ell is a trifle more than two English feet.
538. Gulathing, so called from Gula or Guley (an island), where the Thing took place. Frostathing, from some local name. Our knowledge of the earlier laws of the Northmen is derived from the earlier Gulathing’s Law, almost completely preserved in writing from the latter half of the 12th century. The earlier Frostathing’s Law is almost completely preserved in a writing from the earlier part of the 13th century. Of the earlier Eidsifjathing’s Law, the earlier Borgarthing’s Law, and the earlier Bjarkeyjar Law, or town-law, there are only fragments left. Most of the Icelandic laws are comprised in the Grágás, which is completely preserved in writing not later than the year 1200.
The historical Sagas often show the effect of the laws in real life and how the latter were interpreted by the people.
539. Nefnd also = a body of men or arbitrators to give judgment in a case. In the old Swedish law it was composed of twelve members (see Schlyter). It is not found in the Icelandic laws, but the Görd is its equivalent.
540. Grágás, 211–217.
541. In the same Saga, c. 96, there is another account of the powers of the lawman.
In ch. 81, the king (of Sweden), the jarl of Vestr Gautland, and the lawman Thorgnýr are all three called höfdingjar = chiefs.
542. Eight aurar made a mark.
543. Indemnity to be paid in metal rings of silver or gold.
544. The reksthegn was a freeman descended from thrall kin, although his family might have been free for several generations. The rétt of the árborinn-madr was 12 aurar, that of the reksthegn one mark. The classes in the two other law districts were probably similar to those above, but it seems that the haulld and bondi were classified as one.
545. The laws on wounds are so minute and numerous that it is not possible to give them in full. Cf. also Gulath., 179–215; Frostath., iv. 42–53.
546. N. G. L., ii. 60.
547. Frostath., v. 20.
549. It was thought unmanly to be disgraced three times and take no revenge. Cf. also Gulath., 196; Addition to Frostath. Law, 36.
550. Baug-eid, or “ring-oath,” is mentioned in Havamál, stanza 110.
551. Cf. also Eyrbyggja, c. 4, 16, 44.
552. The sleeping room.
553. The stepson of Thor.
554. See also Kjalnesinga, 2.
556. Dulareid, an oath of denial.
557. Evening rider, night hag, witch, riding on wolves in the twilight.
558. Witnesses fetched at random when defendant could choose his co-swearers.
559. Witnesses called by a body of named men.
560. Séttareid, an oath of six; i.e., six compurgators.
561. Grima, a hood covering the face; grimueid, a kind of oath taken by six compurgators. The origin of the word is obscure; perhaps the compurgators had to appear in court with cowls or hoods on.
563. In the second song of Helgi, stanza 31, an oath upon a stone is mentioned; these holy stones may have meant hörgs.
564. This shows the large size of some of the halls.
565. Her brothers.
566. From stanza 2 we see that the kettle was consecrated. Stanza 5 shows the accuser had to go through the ordeal also.
567. They drowned her in a mire.
568. Einvigi Kormak, c. 10.
569. On Holmganga, Egil, 67.
570. Cf. also Gisli Sursson’s Saga.
571. Cf. Svarfdæla Saga.
572. Ingjald (another text).
573. Ingibjörg.
575. Cf. Sigurd Jórsalafari, Heimskringla, c. 20–21.
576. From the last paragraph we see that announcing a hostile invasion of one’s country was a redeemable case.
577. Cf. also Gretti’s Saga, c. 16.
578. Or any one under fifteen years of age.
579. I.e. Slaying which was not done in secret or against plighted faith or skill.
580. N. G. L., i. 122, 265.
581. Gulath., 132.
582. Cf. Fœreyinga Saga, c. 4, 5; Njala, 38, 122; Heidarviga Saga, c. 22; Björn Hitdœlakappi; St. Olaf’s Saga, 126, 132; Egil’s Saga, c. 24, 59, 60; Viga Styr, 4. N. G. L., i. 56, 60, 159, 167, 178.
583. Cf. also Kormak’s Saga, c. 16.
584. The text of Fornmannasögur says that he had 1200 ships.
585. In the song, which is very coarse, it is said that the king and Birgir were like stallion and mare. Cf. Vatnsdæla Saga, c. 33. Björn Hitdœlakappi’s Saga.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
- Moved the list of the author’s books from the beginning to the end.
- Changed “Lanfey” to “Laufey” and “Lanfeyjarson” to “Laufeyjarson” everywhere. “It is guessed that this was Loki Laufeyjarson” on p. 35 was already correct.
- Changed “ἐπενεχθείσῃς” to “ἐπενεχθείσης” on p. 10.
- Added missing footnote anchor after “slain Saxon” for fourth footnote on p. 12.
- Added footnote reference numbers to footnotes on pp. 60, 326, 333, 430, and 430.
- Changed “see p. .” to “see p. 368.” on p. 68.
- Corrected the footnote reference number for the 2nd footnote on p. 68.
- Changed “Fig. 26.” to “Fig. 126.” on p. 114.
- Changed “225.” to “Fig. 225.” on p. 142.
- Changed “237.” to “Fig. 237.” on p. 145.
- Added missing footnote anchor after “A halter-corpse” for second footnote on p. 162.
- Changed “2 real size” to “⅔ real size” on p. 281.
- Silently corrected typographical errors.
- Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.