CLASSIFICATION OF WORKS AND AUTHORS
CITED IN THIS DICTIONARY.
N.B.—The authors of most of the Icelandic Sagas are unknown; the works are therefore cited, not the authors, even where they are known.
A. POETRY.—Kviða generally denotes a narrative poem; mál a poem in dialogue or didactic; ljóð, söngr a lay, song; tal a genealogical, drápa a laudatory heroic poem; ríma a rhyme or rhapsody.
- I. Mythical Poems:—Völu-spá, Háva-mál (mythical-didactic), Grímnis-mál, Vafþrúðnis-mál, Skírnis-mál, Alvís-mál, Loka-senna, Harbarðs-ljóð, Vegtams-kviða, Þryms-kviða, Hýmis-kviða, Hyndlu-ljóð, Forspjalls-ljóð (mod.) 2. Poems in the form of a ‘drápa,’ but upon mythical subjects:—Haustlöng, Hús-drápa, Þórs-drápa, Ragnars-kviða.
- II. Heroical:—Fáfnis-mál, Sigrdrífi-mál, Hamðis-mál, Sigurðar-kviða (in three poems), Guðrúnar-kviða (in three poems), Brynhildar-kviða, Atla-kviða, Atla-mál, Völundar-kviða, Rígs-mál, Helga-kviða Hjörvarðs-sonar, Helga-kviða Hundings-bana (in two poems), Helreið Brynhildar, Oddrúnar-grátr, Guðrúnar-hefna, Grotta-söngr, Gró-galdr, Fjölsvinns-mál, Ynglinga-tal, Háleygja-tal, Bjarka-mál, Getspeki Heiðreks, and other poems in Hervarar Saga, Darraðar-ljóð. Most of these poems (in I. II) are contained in the old collection commonly called Sæmundar Edda: the various editions differ in the distribution of the verses; in this Dictionary references are made to the edition of Möbius, Leipzig 1860; that of Sophus Bugge, Christiania 1867. has now superseded all former editions, and is cited in special instances.
- III. Historical:—Höfuð-lausn, Sona-torrek, Arinbjarnar-drápa (all published in the Egils Saga), Hákonar-mál (published in Hkr. i) Vell-ekla, Darraðar-ljóð, Rekstefja. 2. Poems later than the middle of the 12th century:—Kráku-mál (published in Fas. i), Hugsvinns-mál (paraphrase of Cato’s Disticha) Sólar-ljóð (published along with Sæmundar Edda), Hátta-tal (published along with the Edda), Jómsvíkinga-drápa, Íslendinga-drápa, Merlinus-spá (an Icelandic metrical paraphrase of Geoffrey of Monmouth), Málshátta-kvæði (collection of proverbs in a MS. Cod. Reg. of Edda), Konunga-tal (published in Flateyjar-bók ii. 520 sqq.), Placidus-drápa, Harm-sól, Leiðar-vísan, Líknar-braut (religious poems, edited by Dr. Egilsson, published 1833 and 1844), Geisli (published in Fb. i. beginning), Guðmundar-drápa (published in Bs. ii. 187 sqq.), Lilja or the Lily (published in H. E. ii. 398 sqq.), both poems of the 14th century. 3. Ólafs-ríma (published in Fb. i. 8 sqq.), Skáld-Helga-rímur (published in Grönl. Hist. Mind. ii), Þrymlur, Völsungs-rímur (edited by Möbius), Skíða-ríma (a satirical poem of the 14th or 15th century), etc.
- IV. Poets cited:—Bragi (9th century); Hornklofi, Þjóðólfr Hvinverski (9th or 10th century); Egill, Kormakr, Eyvindr Skálda-spillur (all of the 10th century); Hallfreðr (born 968, died 1008); Sighvatr, Arnórr (both of the 11th century); Einarr Skúlason (12th century), etc.
B. LAWS.—The Icelanders and Norsemen first began to write their laws at the end of the 11th and the beginning of the 12th century; before that time all laws were oral.
- I. Laws of the Icelandic Commonwealth:—Grágás (vide that word), a collection of the laws of the Commonwealth, published in two volumes by the Arna-Magnaean Legate, Copenhagen, 1829. Parts or sections of the law are, Kristina-laga-þáttr, Þingskapa-þáttr, Vig-slóði, Bauga-tal, Tíundar-lög, Landbrigða-þáttr, Arfa-þáttr, Ómaga-bálkr, Festa-þáttr, Lögréttu-þáttr, Lögsögumanns-þáttr, etc. These laws are chiefly contained in two private collections or MSS. of the 12th century, called Konungs-bók (marked Grág. Kb.) and Staðarhóls-bók (marked Grág. Sb.); the new edition (Copenhagen 1853) is a copy of the Konungs-bók; but the Arna-Magn. edition, which is cited in this Dictionary, is a compilation from both MSS., having however Staðarhóls-bók as its groundwork. The Kristin-réttr Þorláks ok Ketils (K.Þ.K.) is cited from a separate edition (Copenhagen 1775).
- II. Laws of Norway contained in a collection of three volumes, called Norges Gamle Love (published by Munch and Keyser, Christiania 1846, 1847). The 1st vol. is most frequently cited, and contains the laws of Norway previous to A. D. 1263; the 3rd vol. contains Réttar-bætr or Royal Writs, cited by the number. The Gulaþings-lög or Lands-lög, = the Code of King Magnus (died 1281), is contained in the 2nd vol. of this collection, but is cited from a separate edition (Copenhagen 1817).
- III. Icelandic Laws, given after the union with Norway:—Kristin-réttr Arna biskups (published at Copenhagen in 1777); Járn-síða (Copenhagen 1847), the Law of Iceland from A. D. 1272-1280; Jóns-bók (Hólum 1709) is the Icelandic Code of Laws of A. D. 1280 (still in use in Iceland).
C. HISTORIES OR TALES OF A MYTHICAL CHARACTER.
- I. Edda or Snorra Edda:—In this Dictionary only the prose work of Snorri Sturluson (born 1178, died 1241) is cited under this name; the poems of the so-called Sæmundar Edda are all cited separately by their names (vide A). The Edda consists of three parts, the Gylfa-ginning or Mythical Tales (pp. 1-44), Skáldskapar-mál or the Poetical Arts and Diction (pp. 45-110). Hátta-tal (marked Edda Ht.) = a poem on the metres, and lastly, Þulur or Rhymed Glossary of the Synonymes (marked Edda Gl.) The edition cited is that of Dr. Egilsson, Reykjavík (1848) in one vol.; the Arna-Magn. (1848 sqq.) in two vols. (the third is still in the press) is now and then referred to. The Edda is chiefly preserved in three vellum MSS., the Konungs-bók (Kb.), the Orms-bók (Ob.), and the Uppsala-bók (Ub.), which is published in the Arna-Magn. Ed. ii. 250-396. 2. The prose parts of the Sæmundar Edda (here marked Sæm.)
- II. Mythical Sagas or Histories:—Fornaldar Sögur, a collection published in three volumes by Rafin, Copenhagen 1829, 1830: the 1st vol. contains Hrólfs Saga Kraka (pp. 1-109), Völsunga Saga (pp. 115-234, again published by Bugge, Christiania 1865), Ragnars Saga (pp. 235-299 and 345-360), Sögu-brotor Skjöldunga Saga (a fragment, pp. 363-368), Hervarar Saga (p. 411-533), Norna-Gests Saga (pp. 319-342): the 2nd vol. contains Hálfs Saga (pp. 25-60), Friðþófs Saga (pp. 63-100 and 488-503), Örvar-Odds Saga (almost wholly fabulous): the 3rd vol., Gautreks Saga (pp. 1-53): the rest are mere fables, and belong to G below. Hemmings-þáttr, from the Flateyjar-bók, 3rd vol., partly cited from MSS.; this tale contains a myth parallel to that of William Tell. 2. Ynglinga Saga by Snorri Sturlson, containing lives of the mythical kings of Sweden from Odin down to the historical time, cited from Heimskringla, 1st vol.
D. ÍSLENDINGA SÖGUR OR HISTORIES referring to the ICELANDIC COMMONWEALTH and the time following the union with Norway.
- I. Sagas or Histories of the General History of Iceland:—Landnáma or Landnáma-bók, a History of the Discovery and Settlement of Iceland, originally written by Ari Fróði (born 1067, died 1148), but worked out into its present form by Sturla Þórðarson (born 1214, died 1284); this important work is cited from the Copenhagen Ed. of 1843, where the figures are
