150. This means actually 1,440, as every hundred was equal to 120.
151. Unfortunately some of the facts which we would like to know are missing in the Northern records in regard to the size of the fleet which came to England, with the son of Ragnar Lodbrok; but from what old English chronicles tell us, and from the depredations committed by them, we may assume that their number must have been very great. The same may also be said about the fleets of Svein and Knut.
152. Cf. also Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga, i. 89; Fornmanna Sögur.
153. They were called Stafnbúar, stem or prow men.
154. East voyage = voyage in the East Baltic (Russia, &c.).
155. Cf. also Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga, c. 115.
156. The narrow room, the third room or space from the stern.
157. Cf. also St. Olaf, 185, 186; Njala, c. 30.
158. Svein Ulfsson was the son of Ulf jarl and Astrid, the sister of Knut the Great. He carried on long war against King Magnus the Good, and at last was acknowledged as King of Denmark. This was about the middle of the 11th century.
159. This refers to a general superstition.
160. The Serpent glided past the point of the island slowly.
161. Sacrifice lasted longer in Sweden than in Norway or Denmark.
162. As a rule the foreroom (fyrirrúm) seems to have been before the mast, but on the Long Serpent this was not the case, as we can see from the above sentence, for there it was immediately in front of the lypting (poop).
163. Part is here omitted, referring to the sacrifice of Hakon’s son. See Vol. 1., page 367, “Sacrifices.”
164. A man who can see supernatural beings.
165. This practice was probably due to their not using a block; so that the head was held for the blow as described in the Saga.
166. Allusion to an incident when Björn after a fight in King Svein’s hall went in alone again to fetch one of his men who had been left inside.
167. Cf. also Ólaf Tryggvason, Fornmanna Sögur, i.
168. Cf. St. Olaf, c. 143.
169. Stigandi = the stepping one.
170. Cf. Hróa Thátt; Flateyjarbók, ii.; Landnamabók, iii.
171. Cf. Gretti’s Saga, c. 98.
172. Kufa, as we know, was situated on one of the branches of the Euphrates, south of Bagdad, and was for a while the seat of the Caliphs.
173. Among the English coins found in Sweden, and now in the royal collection in Stockholm, are of—
English coins found in Norway of—
174. Among the great finds of coins are those of Findarfoe, in Götland, which had more than 3,000 German coins, besides English and others. Another in Johanneshus, in Blekinge, Sweden, which, besides a mass of ornaments and jewels of silver, contained over 3,400 German coins of the tenth and eleventh century. The German coins had been struck for German emperors, kings, princes, archbishops, bishops, &c., &c., and belong to Bohemia, Bavaria, Swabia, Lorraine, Franconia, the modern Saxony, Frisia, the Netherlands, &c. There are also coins of cities, those of Cologne being the most numerous, and even coins for Northern Italy. Most of these coins are derived from places along the rivers of Germany, especially the Rhine. The most common are those of Otto III. and his grandmother Adelheid, who reigned during the minority of her grandson (991–995).
175. Among the coins were nine Kufic, eight of which were of gold, and one of silver, all of Abbasides Caliphs, from 760 to 840; four Byzantine coins of gold, of Valens, Mauricius, Constantine, Copronymus, and Michael III.; a gold coin of Louis le Debonnaire; two coins of silver-gilt of his sons Lothair and Pepin, a silver-gilt coin of Archbishop Wulfred, of Canterbury, 803–829. With these was a large treasure of gold and jewels, among which were two neck-rings, three bracelets, rings, charms, and an object, probably a reliquary, having a Christian inscription in Greek, numerous charms and ornaments, one of which was ornamented with an antique gem, and others with garnet beads, &c., &c., all of gold; some objects were silver-gilt; gold chains, &c., &c.
176. Baug.
177. A place for provisions, still common in Norway. See ‘Land of the Midnight Sun,’ vol. i, p. 419.
178. Cf. also Frostath. xiv. 12, 13.
179. Literally a man of turf and tar; i.e. equivalent to one who was tarred and feathered.
180. Cf. also Gulath. 253; Frostath. xii. 12.
181. An oath.
182. The law term for plundering another man’s property.
183. Frostath. Law, x. 46, applies this to other cattle also.
184. Bœr or Bu, meant a dwelling-place occupied by a single family.
185. The name gard, gaard, still signifies all the buildings of a farm.
186. Hrolf Kraki, 34, 40; Jomsvikinga Saga, 5, 22; Volsunga, 3; Half’s Saga, 12; Egil, 8.
187. The sal is also called Disarsal, a building for sacrifices to the Disir.
188. Cf. also Heimskringla.
189. “The land-owner shall pay the value of the land at the Karldyr (men’s door).” Gragas ii.
190. Bodyguard.
191. Cf. also Njala, 117.
192. The banqueting halls were called veitsluskali.
193. Njala 120; Fornmanna Sögur.
194. The skali is often called the drinking or the sleeping skali. Orkneyinga, 18, 70, 115; Gisli Sursson, 29; Droplaugarsona Saga, 18, 28; Fornmanna Sögur, i. 288, 292; Kormak, 58; Fostbrœdra, 13; Njala, 78; Gunnlaug, XI.
The eldhús meant a hall or chief room, where fires were kept. Gisli Sursson, 14, 15, 97; Eyrbyggja, 98; Laxdæla, 54.
195. Dyngja—cf. Egil, 159; Gisli Sursson, 15; Njal, 66; Kormak, 10; Bjorn Hitdk, 68. Skemma—Fœreyinga, 259; Gisli Sursson, 7; Kormak, 228; Islendinga Sögur, ii. 28. Herbergi seems to have been a general term for any kind of room.
196. Harald Hardradi, 70.
197. Fœreyinga, 41; Islendinga Sögur, ii. 250; Fostbrœdra, 164. A bad-stofa, or bath room, is mentioned. Eyrbyggja, Forn. Sögur, xiii. In St. Olaf’s Saga, 82, the stofa is said to be in the loft.
198. A house of the latter kind was also called málstofa (speaking-house) (Harald Hardradi’s Saga, c. 45).
199. Ingi’s Saga, 28; Egil’s Saga, 236; Njal,, 114, 199; Fms., 85; Ynglinga, St. Olaf, 116.
200. Magnus the Good’s Saga, c. 13.
201. Yngl. Saga, c. 14.
202. Ynglinga Saga, 34.
203. Pet name of Bödvar.
204. Cf. also Landnama, Part ii. 6.
205. Here the word möttul = mantle, the same garment which elsewhere is called skikkja.
206. Laxdæla, 46.
207. Fornmanna Sögur; Harald Hardradi.
208. Magn. Baref., 8.
209. Flateyjarbok, i. 481.
210. In the time of Olaf Kyrri, before 1100, very tight hosur were used. Blue trousers and blue and grey hosur are mentioned.
211. Baldakin, stuff or skin from Bagdad.
212. It seems to have been the custom to fold up the edges of the skikkja (Magnus Erlingson, ch. 13, 37; Magnus Barefoot, 8; Flateyjarbók, iii.).
213. Brooches = fibulæ.
214. Cf. also for cloaks.—Egil’s Saga, c. 77; Eyrbyggja, c. 37; Vigaglum’s Saga, c. 6; Ljosvetninga Saga, c. 17.
215. Valaskikkja = Welsh (foreign) cloak.
216. Cf. also Eyrbyggja Saga, c. 43.
217. Cf. Svarfdæla Saga, c. 5, and Magnus Barefoot, c. 8.
218. The hird or hirdmen were so called because they guarded their lord or king; the word being derived from hirda, to guard or preserve. The hird of a king was often very considerable: King Harald Fairhair sometimes had a hird of 400 men.
219. Fignarklœdi = dignity-clothes; clothes of highborn men.
221. The name of Ælgyva, mentioned on the tapestry, is evidently the same as the Northern Alfifa.
“Svein, son of King Knut and Alfifa, daughter of Alfrun jarl, had been put in Jomsborg to rule Vindland” (St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 252).
222. Hlad seems to mean band rather than lace, as it is sometimes translated; the finds show that gold bands or diadems were worn.
223. Among the objects made of gold were spurs, see Völsunga Saga, c. 27; gold chairs, Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, c. 18; gold chests, Fornmanna Sögur, vii.; gold horse-shoes, Fornmanna Sögur, vii.; gold dog-collars, Gautrek’s Saga, c. 9; gold ring-coats of mail, Sigurdarkvida, iii.; gold tablets, Orvar Odd’s Saga, c. 26; cows’ horns occasionally seem to have been covered with gold, as we see from Thrymskvida, st. 23, Helgakvida Hjörvardssonar.
224. Cf. Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, c. 10–12.
225. This was probably given him as an amulet to protect him in the fight.
226. Some magnificent works have been published on bracteates, the finest being ‘Atlas for Nordisk Oldkyndighed,’ Copenhagen, 1857; but since then many valuable additions have been discovered.
227. We find constant mention of the numbers 3 and 7, 9 and 12, which seem to have been holy:—
Heimdall had ix sisters for his mothers.
Ægir had ix daughters.
In Helgi Hundingsbani, ii., ix Valkyrjas help Helgi in a storm and save his ships.
Halfdan the old had ix + ix sons, of which ix were born first, and ix after.
Dag, one of Halfdan’s sons, had ix sons, and from all Halfdan’s sons there are ix generations to Harald Fairhair.
Draupnir begets 8 rings every ix night, and is itself the ix. The ring did not get this quality before going through the fire on Baldr’s pyre.
The following will show the frequent occurrence of the number Nine in the literature of the North:—
With Harald Hilditönn were ix Scalds (Sögubrot, c. 8).
IX nights had Frey to wait for Gerd.
Njörd and Skadi watched in turns every ix nights by the sea or on mountains (S. E. i. 92, 94).
IX days at a time were Sigmund and Sinfjötli in wolves’ shapes.
IX nights in succession comes King Siggeir’s mother as a she-wolf and kills ix Volsungas (Volsunga, c. 5).
IX nights did Odin hang on the windblown tree (Hávamál, 138).
IX nights did Hermod ride through deep and dark valleys without any sun, when he was going to Helheim.
IX days lasted the battle on Dunheath.
IX times 60 doors there are in Valhalla.
IX times 60 halls in Bilskirnir.
IX paces did Thor go from the Midgard’s serpent and die.
IX paces are red-hot irons carried (Fornmanna Sögur, i.).
IX red-hot plough-shares are stepped upon (Fornmanna Sögur, vii. 164, x. 418).
228. The S sign is also common, especially in the bronze age.
229. A kind of trinity of the higher deities is represented in Persia, India, Chaldæa, and other countries.
230. Cf. also Njala, cc. 44, 53.
231. Cf. also Njala, cc. 44, 53, 111; Ragnar Lodbrok.
232. Cf. also Vatnsdæla, c. 22.
233. Orkneyinga Saga.
234. Cf. also c. 21.
235. Forests then existed in Iceland.
236. Din-bells = dyn-bjöllur.
237. Cf. also Gisli Sursson’s Saga, p. 47.
238. Extracted much iron out of iron-ore—haematite.
239. Cf. also St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 234.
240. Among the objects belonging to that find which are preserved in the Old-northern Museum of Copenhagen, were:—
A small (2¾ inches long) anvil of iron of the shape common at the present day.
A heavy iron hammer, 6 inches long, of similar shape to those now in use.
A pair of iron shears, 10 inches long, like those used for cutting of metal plates.
Three iron files, from 7¼ to 8¾ inches long. The cutting of the files being straight across the length of the file. Similar files have been found in the Vimose bog find.
An iron chisel, 5½ inches long.
Soldering spoons of iron, containing remains of a very hard melted metal, which, on examination, has been found to be a whitish alloy of base metals.
Seven fragmentary pieces of scales.
Two bronze bells.
An iron axe, 6 inches long.
A 4½-inch long iron point for an arrow or spear.
An iron spike, 7½ inches long, with head.
An iron key, 5 inches long.
An iron buckle, in which the pin is wanting.
A mass of fragments of iron mountings.
Several fragments of bronze plates covered with thin silver-foil, and of bronze mountings, and thin bronze wire; also lumps of melted bronze.
Three small fragments of bone; the largest piece has snake ornaments engraved on it.
241. In N. G. L. ii. 145, tar work on the place where tar is made is mentioned.
242. By Sudrriki seems to be meant the south of Europe.
243. Cf. also Fridthjof’s Saga, c. 11.
244. Hábrók is mentioned in the earlier Edda Grimnismal, 44, as “the best of hawks.”
245. Cf. also c. 44, ibid.
246. They had many kinds of dogs, some of which were very fierce. Irish sheep-dogs were known, and their value appreciated at a very early time by the Northmen, and there were penalties for killing dogs.
247. Lit. a strand-raid.
248. At the two ends of the cow-stall.
249. Cf. Kormak, c. iii.; Hörd’s Saga, c. 21.
250. Cf. Hervarar Saga, 15.
251. Lysigull (bright gold) probably meant yellow gold, and we find that red gold is also often mentioned.
252. Tungli has the same meaning as Mani, namely moony; tungl = máni = moon.
253. “Players” seems to mean jesters, fools.
254. Cf. also Njala, c. 59.
255. Öfundarbót = indemnity paid for intentional outrage.
256. Ragnar Lodbrok’s Saga.
257. This valuable piece of work contains 72 distinct scenes, 623 persons, 202 horses and mules, 55 dogs, 505 divers animals, 41 ships and boats, 49 trees—in all, 1,512 distinct objects. And well worth while, indeed, is a journey to Bayeux for the special object of seeing it. The historical part does not take up more than 11 inches; in the space above and below there is a border, where lions, birds, dragons and fantastic objects are represented. The most accurate work on it that has been published is ‘La Tapisserie de Bayeux, reproduction d’après nature en 79 planches photographiques, avec un texte historique, descriptif et antique, par Jules Comte, conservateur du dépôt légal au ministère de l’instruction publique et des beaux arts. Paris. J. Rothschild, éditeur, 13, Rue des Saints-Pères. 1878.’
258. Eyrbyggja, 51.
259. Such expressions as “She was well versed in all kinds of accomplishments that belonged to women” are often used. (Heidarviga Saga, 21; Viglund, 17.)
260. 1 ell = 2 feet.
261. Half’s Saga, i.
262. Implies that her linen lay bleaching.
263. She was with child.
264. Looms can be seen in the Museum of Christiania, and were still in use a short time since in the neighbourhood of Bergen.
265. In the famous Bravalla and Dunheath battles, and in other cases, Amazons are mentioned; they are called Shield-maidens (Skjald-mær, pl. Skjald-meyjar).
266. Angantyr and his brothers were all very fierce tempered.
267. Cf. also Sturlunga, i. c. 9; Orkneyinga, c. 18; Njala, c. 120, 145; Færeyinga, c. 37.
268. Cf. also Gretti’s Saga, c. 78.
269. Cf. also Liosvetninga Saga, c. 9; An’s Saga Bogsveigis, c. 4; Gunnlaug Ormstunga’s Saga, c. 10.
270. He had been brought up in Ireland.
271. Their foot-gear was made of undressed ox-hide.
272. Cf. also Göngu Hrolf’s Saga, ix.
273. Cf. also Egil’s Saga, c. 40; Gisli Sursson’s Saga.
274. Cf. also Gretti, 77; Ingi’s Saga, 11; Olaf Tryggvason, vol. ii., c. 160; Fornmanna Sögur.
275. A piece belonging to a chess board.
276. Cf. also Fœreyinga Saga, c. 13; St. Olaf’s Saga, c. 112.
277. Odin = poetry.
278. Skaldskap = scald-ship, derived from skald, a poet.
The leading poets were:—
Bragi Boddason the old (about 800). The earliest who appears within historical periods.
Thjodolf of Hvin and Thorbjörn Hornklofi, Harald Fairhair’s scalds.
Eyvind Skaldaspillir, Hakon the Good’s greatest poet.
Egil Skallagrimsson.
Kormak Ogmundsson, famous for love songs.
Hallfred Vandrœdaskald, the troublesome scald, Olaf Tryggvason’s greatest poet.
Sighvat Thordarson, St. Olaf’s greatest scald.
Thjodolf Arnorsson, Harald Hardradi’s scald.
The scalds who made songs on Knut the Great were: Thord Kolbeinsson, Sighvat Thordarson, Ottar the black, Thorarin Loftunga (praise-tongue), Hallvard Harekublesi, Bersi Skaldtorfuson.
The greatest masterpiece of scaldic art was composed in 1222–23 by Snorri Sturluson on Hakon Hakonsson, King of Norway, and the jarl Skuli, Bard’s son. Hattatal (the list of metres) is its title, and of the 102 strophes each one is in a different metre.
279. Cf. mixing blood in foster-brotherhood.
280. Cf. Flateyjarbók, iii.
281. The harp is also mentioned in Atla Kvida, 31; Oddrunargrat, 29; Atlamal, 62; Bard’s Saga.
282. Hersir is called here a bondi.
283. One who subdues words—an eloquent man—for every chief was trained to be a good speaker.
284. These two lines, which are repeated in every stanza in the original text, are omitted in subsequent stanzas here.
285. These three lines are repeated at the beginning of each stanza, but are omitted in subsequent stanzas.
286. Rin = Rhine river, fire of Rhine = gold, because hidden in the river.