oc licþra oc oþa þa grøddi hann med orði sino” (“And many men, whom I have
made blind, lame, leper and mad, He healed with His word”). The set of Christ’s
miracles is referred to once in the Acta Pilati – T 92r/20–21 “Iste autem claudos
et surdos curuos et paraliticos cecos et leprosos et demoniacos curauit” (“He has
cured the lame, the deaf, the crippled, the paralytics, the blind, the lepers and the
possessed”) – and once in the Descenus Christi ad inferos – T 99v/17–19 “Et
multos quos ego cecos claudos curuos leprosos et uexatos feci ipse uerbo suo
sanauit” (“And many, whom I have made blind, lame, crippled, leprous, and mad,
He healed with His word”).
21 Jarteinabók Þorláks byskups ǫnnur, 249/30–250/5.
22 Ibid., 247/23–8.
23 For a detailed description of medieval stone traps for foxes in Iceland and
Greenland, see especially Þór Magnússon, “Hrafnahrekkurinn.”
24 Ibid., 247/32–248/10.
25 On the legendary adoption of Christianity in Iceland, see Jón Hnefill Aðalsteinsson,
Under the Cloak. For a historical overview of the event, see Strömback, The
Conversion of Iceland.
26 Extant in Reykjavík AM 386 4to I, consisting of three leaves. See Þórlaks saga
byskups in elzta and Latínubrót um Þórlaks byskups.
27 On the composition of the text, see, most recently, Wellendorf, “Whetting the
Appetite,” 123–42.
28 Hungrvaka, 42/5–43/4.
29 See the discussion in K. Wolf, “Pride and Politics,” 249–50.
128 Notes to pages 94–6
30 John 2:1–11. See Ásdís Egilsdóttir, “The Beginnings of Local Hagiography,” 129.
31 Hungrvaka, 2/12–15.
32 Páls saga byskups relates that 220 churches and 190 priests were counted; see Páls
saga byskups, 313. The affluence of Icelandic students at foreign universities in the
Middle Ages is surveyed in Jónas Gíslason, “Island (til 1700).”
7 Conclusion
1 Magnús Már Lárusson, “Um Niðrstigningarsögu,” 167.
Texts and Translations
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Texts
Editorial Procedure
ICELANDIC TEXTS: SIGLA
A Copenhagen, Den Arnamagnæanske Samling, AM 645 4to, 51v–55v
(s. XIII2/4)
B Copenhagen, Den Arnamagnæanske Samling, AM 623 4to, 10r–14v
(s. XIV1/4)
C Copenhagen, Den Arnamagnæanske Samling, AM 233 a fol., 28r–v
(s. XIV3/4)
D Reykjavík, Landsbókasafn Íslands, JS 405 8vo, 2r–10v (1780–91)
E Copenhagen, Den Arnamagnæanske Samling, AM 238 fol. V (s. XV)
The base texts of the two redactions of Niðrstigningar saga are those of A,
representing the oldest surviving witness and the only complete medieval man-
uscript transmitting the older redaction, and that of E, the sole surviving wit-
ness of the younger redaction. In the apparatus criticus to the text of A, all the
variant readings of the other three manuscripts pertaining to the older redac-
tion, B, C and D, are provided. The text of A and E, presented here in a semi-
diplomatic transcription, are divided into chapters and paragraphs used by
Hack C. Kim for his edition of the Codex Einsidlensis.
Lost or corrupted readings of A, either through physical damage of the man-
uscript or through obvious scribal errors, are restored and conjectured on the
basis of C, identified in chapter 3 as the closest surviving manuscript to the
archetype. In those cases in which A transmits ostensibly corrupted readings
and the readings of C are missing, the errors of A are conjectured on the basis
of B and D when these are in agreement and when its Latin counterpart is
132 Niðrstigningar saga
attested in T. Text supplied by the editor is indicated with open angle brackets
⟨ ⟩. Barely legible words due to wear of the parchment are placed in square
brackets [ ]. Secondary scribal insertions, superscripted, subscripted, or added
in the margins of the manuscripts, are all indicated with insertion characters ⸌ ⸍.
Abbreviations are expanded according to the spelling of the respective scribes.
Geminates indicated in the manuscript with single majuscule letters are tran-
scribed as digraphs in the edited text, as in “Terra” for A 52r/1 “Tera”. Gemi-
nates are indicated in the transcription also when they are found as single
consonants in the manuscripts, as in “upp” for A 51v/24 “vp”. Broken ł has
been transcribed as a digraph ll as in “alla” for 51v/24 “ała” or “upphalldit” for
51/24–5 “vp hałdit”. The letter v has been replaced with u when it has a syl-
labic value, as in “Guþi” for A 51v/34 “gvþi”. Consequently, u has been tran-
scribed as v when it represents a consonant, as in “vorum” for A 51v/27
“uorum”. In B, C, D, and E, the acute accent denoting vowel length is kept only
when etymological, as in B 12r/21 “góþr”. It is omitted when it simply consti-
tutes a paleographical variant of the same letter, as in “englom” for B 12v/22
“énglom”. Compound words are set together when they are found disjointed in
the manuscript, as in “þocusamt” for A 51v/29 “þocv samt”. All place names,
proper names, titles of texts, and the first word of each sentence have been
capitalized according to modern practice. Manuscript punctuation has been
normalized. Full stops have been preserved at the end of each sentence, omit-
ted when redundant, and supplied where necessary. All editorial interventions
are highlighted in the apparatus in the first person ( conieci, expunxi, etc.)
Direct literal quotations from the Scriptures are highlighted in italics; echoes
or allusions to scriptural passages are noted in the footnotes. For sake of con-
sistency, the orthographic conventions of the variant readings of B, C, and D in
the apparatus and the text of E have been partially adapted and conformed to
those of A.
List of Abbreviations
ante corr. = ante correctionem; add. = addidit; bis scr. = bis scripsit; cod. =
codex; corr. = correxit; lect. dub. = lectio dubita; em. = emendauit; eras. =
erasit; ex. grat. = exempli gratia; exp. = expunxit; in marg. = in margine; iter.
= iterauit; praem. = praemisit; sub l. = sub linea; sup l. = supra linea.
Texts 133
Niðrstigningar saga
The Older Redaction
(A Copenhagen, Den Arnamagnæanske Samling, AM 645 4to)
PROLOGUE
[51v] Niþrstigningar saga.1 Karinus2 oc3 Leutius4 fratres5 syner Simeonis ens
51v
Gamla6 7 segia sva8 fra niþrstigningo Crisz9 til helvitis a10 boc þeire er ⟨þeir⟩
gørðo11 of12 þat hverso13 Cristr14 hafði15 þa Adam ⟨leyst16 oc⟩17 alla saman fra18
helviti.19 Enn þo at þvi se20 varla21 sva upphalldit er22 of23 þetta er gørt24 sem
øþrom25 helgom ritningom þa26 er27 ecki28 þess29 sact30 fra31 þvisa32 er of33 tor-
tryggva megi.34 Boc35 su er cøllot36 Verk Grøðarans.37 Segia menn38 samsett
hava39 Nichodemus40 lerisveinn41 Drottens.42
1 rubrica om. D 2 post Karinus add. er madr nefndr annar D 3 oc] om. D 4 Leutius pro Leucius 5 fratres] om. D 6 ens Gamla] om. D 7 Simeonis ens Gamla] Simeon senex cf. ex.
grat. Aug. In Ioh. Ev. tract. CXXIV
(CCSL 36, 449) trans. post cap. XVI.1, magnus sacerdos
Symeon T K cf. Lc. 2:25 8 sva] er D 9 Crisz] Drottins D post Drottins add. Vors Jesu Kristi D 10 a] i D 11 gørðo] eras. et corr. þørðo 12 of] um D 13 hversu] hvad D 14 Crists]
Kristus 15 hafði] gjỏrde D 16 leyst] leyste D 17 post oc add. þa D 18 fra] úr D 19 hverso Cristr hafði þa Adam ⟨leyst oc⟩ alla saman fra helviti] praem. cap. XXIV.2 tenens manum dex-tram Ade ascendit ab inferis ad superos et omnes sancti secuti sunt eum T 20 post se add. nu
D 21 varla] ei D 22 er] þa D 23 of] om. D 24 gørt] rædt D 25 sem øþrom] i D 26 þa]
þar D 27 er] ad D 28 ekki] ei D 29 þess] þessu D ante þessu add. so i D 30 sact] mále D 31 fra] oc D 32 þvisa] meþ D 33 er of] om. D 34 megi] má D 35 ante boc add. Þvi ad D 36 cøllot] heitir D 37 Verk Grøðarans] Gesta Salvatoris D 38 menn] þeir D ante þeir add.
er D 39 post hava add. verit D 40 Nichodemus] emendavi Nichodemum post Nichodemus add.
oc Ioseph D 41 lerisveinn] lærisveinar D 42 post Drottens add. Vors er grófu lík Drottins hverk hans ⟨…⟩ Af þeim verkum munum vier fá hlute D
XVIII.1
Ver vorom þar stadder sogdo1 þeir2 er sva þotti3 sem vꜵll⟨r⟩4 vere. Þar var Adam
oc aller hofuðfeþr oc spamenn. Þaðra5 var þocusamt6 oc myrcr7 vant at vera. Þa
gørþisc þat8 minnilict9 oc merkilict10 at nęsta vaveifes11 s[cei]n þar12 lios13 fagrt
oc biart sicut14 af solo15 iver oss16 alla. Þa toc17 Adam f[aþer] allz mannkyns18 oc
aller høfotfeðr19 oc spamenn20 at fagna miog21 [oc] męla22 sva.23 Lios þetta mon
scina af Guþi24 er oss hefir heitet at senda25 lios26 sitt. Þa callaþi27 Ysaias spamaþr
oc męlti sva.28 Þetta lios er af Guþi sicut ec sagda þa er ec var lifs a iorþo oc
męlta ec sva.29 [52r] Terra Zabulon et Terra Neptalim trans Iordanis via maris
52r
Mt.
4:15–16
Galilee ge[ ntium].30 Populus 31 qui sedebat in tenebris lucem uidit magnam.32
134 Niðrstigningar saga
Habitantebus in regionibus umbre mortis lux orta est eis.33 Nu er lios þat34 com-
et iver oss er ec spaða þa35 at coma mundi þviat sønno sitiom ver i heliar myr-
crom. Enn nu megom ⟨ver sia oc⟩ mioc of36 fagna aller37 liose þvisa.38Mt. 4:15–16
1 sogdo] segia D 2 post þeir add. Karinus oc Leusius D 3 þotti] var D 4 post vꜵll⟨r⟩ add.
nockr D 5 Þaðra] Þar D 6 þocusamt] þocusamlegt D 7 myrcr] myrkt D 8 þat] þar D 9 minnilict] minnilegir D 10 merkilict] merkeligir ante merkeligir add. miỏg post merkeligir add.
hluter D 11 nęsta vaveifes] ofarlega D 12 þar] om. D 13 post lios add. mikit D 14 sicut] sem D 15 post solo add. kunne ad verda D 16 oss] þá D post þá add. er þar voru inne D 17 toc]
om. D 18 faþer allz mannkyns] om. D 19 høfotfeðr] forfedur D 20 oc spamenn] om. D 21 at fagna miog] fagnade D 22 męla] mælte D 23 sva] om. D 24 post Guþi add. Almáttugum D 25 senda] bod D 26 lios] om. D 27 post calladi add. upp D 28 sva] om. D 29 Þetta lios er af Guþi sicut ec sagda þa er ec var lifs a iorþo oc męlta ec sva] om. D 30 Terra Zabulon
et Terra Neptalim trans Iordanis via maris Galilee gentium] om. D 31 Populus] emendavi
Populis 32 Populis qui sedebat in tenebris lucem vidit magnam] Lydr sá er sat í myrkrunum sá
liós mikid þar inne D 33 Habitantebus in regionibus umbre mortis lux orta est eis] Heriade hann
i daudans skugga. Liós þad rann upp fyrir þeim D 34 er lios þat] om. D 35 þa] om. D 36 of]
om. D 37 aller] om. D 38 þvisa] þessu D
XVIII.2Lc. 2:29
Þa com þar at1 gangande2 faþer ockar Simeon er fiolþinn3 var allr4 saman co-
menn oc męlti þa5 allglaþliga6 við Guþs vine.7 Gøret8 dyrð Domino Nostro9 Ieso
Christo10 af þvi at ec toc hann i faþm mer þa er11 ⟨hann⟩ var barn oc barc12 hann13
i kirkio oc var ec þa kvøcþr14 af Helgo⟨m⟩ Anda oc søng15 ec þetta.16 17 Nunc Lc. 2:29
dimittis 18 usque in finem.19 Þvisa20 ørendi21 føgnuþo miog22 aller Guþs helgir.23
1 þar at] þángad D post þángad add. at segia þeim Karinus oc Leusius D 2 gangande] om.
D 3 fiolþinn] mannfiỏldinn D post mannfiỏldinn add. sat oc D 4 allr] mestr D 5 þa] om.
D 6 allglaþliga] glaþliga D 7 vine] líd D 8 Gøret] Giỏre D post Giỏre add. þier D 9 Domino Nostro] Drottne Varum D 10 post Christo add. seger hann D 11 er] ad D 12 barc] bar eg D 13 hann] om. D 14 kvøcþr] knúdr D 15 søng] mælti D 16 þetta] einn lofsỏng D post lofsỏng add. vid Drottin D 17 ec toc hann … / … søng ec þetta] cf. Lc. 2:25-28 18 Nunc dimittis] dimitis in cod., om. D 19 usque in finem] allt til enda D cf. Lc. 2:29-32 20 Þvisa] Af þessu D 21 ørendi] mále D 22 miog] om. D 23 post helgir add. menn D
XVIII.3
Þa com þar at gangandi maþr1 sa er þeir kendo eigi.2 Sa maþr var3 gørvilegr4 oc5
a þann veg buenn6 sem af7 eyðimorc8 væri comenn.9 10 Þeir11 spurðo þann mann
at namni12 eþa13 hvat hann cynni nytt at segia. Hann lezt14 Iohannes heita15 oc
vasc16 rodd17 callandi av18 ayþimorc oc fyrerrennere Sunar Guþs a iarþriki19
oc20 at segia monnom deili a þvi at21 sa er22 Sonr23 Guþs er þa var þangat co-
menn at høndom þeim til þess at hialpa þeim er þat villdo þiggia.24 Oc25 þa er26
ec sa hann coma at27 finna mic þa28 knuþi mic enn Helgi Andi oc29 męlta30 ⟨ec⟩31
Texts 135
Io. 1:29
þetta. Ecce Agnus Dei 32 usque in finem.33 Ec34 scirþac35 hann þa36 i onne Iordon
Mt.
enn þa37 sa ec38 Anda Helgan coma 39 iver ⟨ hann⟩40 i dufolike oc heyrða ec þa 41
3:16–17
rødd af hi⟨ m⟩ nom 42 męla.43 Hic est Dilectus Meus in quo mihi complaqui.44
Enn nu kann ec þetta45 yðr at segia46 at ec ⟨hevi⟩47 nu48 fyrer honom faret49 hin-
gat þess eyrendis at boþa yðr sva50 at nu mun vera51 allscamt52 til ⟨þess⟩ unz53
I[ps]e54 Filius Dei55 mun her coma56 ovan af himnom at vitia var57 þeirra58 man-
na er her sitia59 i heliar myrcrom.60Io. 1:29Mt. 3:16–17
1 ante maþr add. einn D 2 sa er þeir kendo eigi] om. D 3 Sa maþr var] om. D 4 gørvilegr]
almennelegr D 5 oc] om. D 6 veg buenn] hátt D 7 af] om. D 8 eyðimorc] eydemarkar D 9 væri comenn] svín oc uxe D 10 sem af eyðimorc væri comenn] cf. Mt. 3:1 11 Þeir] Aller
menn D 12 namni] emendavi nanmi 13 þann mann at namni eþa] om. D 14 lezt] svarade D 15 heita] heiti D post heiti add. eg ad nafne D 16 vasc] var eg D 17 ante rodd add. einn D 18 av] in D 19 Sunar Guþs a iarþriki] om. D 20 post oc add. kallande D 21 deili a þvi at]
om. D 22 sa er] om. D 23 Sunar] miskunn D 24 oc fyrerrennere Sunar Guþs … / … villdo þiggia] cf. Lc. 1:76-77. 25 Oc] om. D 26 er] om. D 27 at] oc D 28 ante þa add. oc D 29 oc]
ad D 30 męlta] mæla D 31 ⟨ec⟩] om. D 32 Ecce Agnus Dei] Sie her Lamb Guds D 33 usque in finem] er burttekr syndir heimsins D 34 Ec] Ecc in cod., ante ec add Oc D 35 scirþac]
skírdi D 36 þa] om. D 37 þa] oc D 38 ec] om. D 39 ante coma add. ovan D 40 coma iver
⟨hann⟩] conieci descendentem super eum T 41 þa] om. D 42 post hi⟨m⟩nom add. ofann til hans D 43 męla] so mælande D post mælande add. á þessa lund D 44 Hic est Dilectus Meus in quo mihi complaqui] Sá er Sonur Minn Kiæraste vid hann líkar mier vel D 45 þetta] om. D 46 post segia add. ỏllum D 47 ⟨hefi⟩] em D 48 nu] om. D 49 faret] komin D post komin add. framm D 50 sva] siá D ante siá add. ad D 51 mun vera] er D 52 allscamt] skamt D 53 unz] om.
D 54 Ipse] eras. 55 Ipse Filius Dei] Siálfr Guds Son D 56 post coma add. stigin D 57 post var add. oc D 58 post þeirra add. allra D 59 post sitia add. nú D 60 ec ⟨hevi⟩ nu … / … i heliar myrcrom] cf. Lc. 1:76–9
XIX.1
Þa var þa1 er2 Adam3 fyrstscapaðr4 faþer varr5 heyrþi6 sact fra þvisa7 at Iesus
var8 scirþ
r i Iordon er9 sa maþr10 Iohannes11 for12 af heimenum at13 hann14 varþ
allcatr viþ15 oc hallaþiz ða16 at17 syni18 sinom19 oc męlti sva viþ hann. Seth
sunr20 segðu21 fra þvi patriarchis oc prophetis22 er þu ⟨heirþir⟩23 Michaele⟨m⟩
hofuðengil24 25 þer segia26 þa er ec senda þic til paradisar at leita oc at qveðia27
Drotten Varn28 þess29 ef hann30 myndi vilia31 engil sinn senda32 at føra þer33
þaðan viþsmior þat er þar34 getr af35 viþsmiorstre36 miscunnar37 at mætti með
ðvi38 smyria licam minn39 þa er ec var40 siúcr at ec41 of finga42 heilso. Þa43 hefir
Seth þangat til gengit44 er45 høfutfeþr oc spamenn voro.46 Þa spurþi hann47 [oc
toc sva48 at] męla. Þat var qvat49 Seth50 þa51 er ec for eyren⟨dis⟩ foþor mins at ec
com [of52 siþir]53 til paradisar hliþs. Þar var tvennt fyrer54 at þar var elldr
brenna⟨n⟩di [at banna] manni55 hveriom at⟨gøngo paradisar⟩56 57 58 enn englar59
at veria øllom60 dioflom61 oc øndom62 synðogra63 [manna].64 65 Enn þa er viðtoc
at nema of66 for67 mina68 þa69 nam ec staþar oc baþc70 [til Drottens71 [52v] oc72
52v
136 Niðrstigningar saga
syndisc73 mer þa þar]74 Michael hofuðengill [oc męlti sva viþ mic.75 Ec emc
sendr til þin76 af Drottni].77 78 Ec em79 til þess80 setr at sia81 um82 hvers mans
[hag83 84 enn85 sva86 er þer at] segia Seth.87 Eigi88 þarftu meþ tarom89 viþsmiors90
[þess at biþia er] getr91 i paradis⟨o⟩ til handa føþur þinom þo at92 [hann] se all-
siucr93 af94 þvi at viþsmior95 mun hann96 ⟨allz⟩ ecki97 þaþan hava98 fyrr [enn]
liþner verþa99 heþan100 VMCCCC101 ara. Þa102 mun coma a iarþriki ynnelegr
Guþs Sunr103 sialfr Cristr oc mun þa gøra heila104 marga siuca menn105 enn
suma reisa af dauþa106 oc107 þa mun sialfr108 Christus109 verþa scirþr i onne110
Iordon.111 Oc þa er hann stigr112 or vatneno þa113 mon hann meþ viþsmiorve
miscunnar ⟨sinnar⟩114 smyrva lata115 þa116 alla er a hann trua oc man117 þat mis-
cunnarsmior118 þeim er endrgetasc119 af vatne oc Helgom120 Anda verþa121 en-
drgetnaðr122 123 at124 eilifre125 sælo. Þat mon oc þa verþa at enn astsame126 Guþs
Sonr Iesus Christus mon stiga niþr vilia127 under iarþrike128 oc mon hann129
Niorstigningar Saga Page 22