Niorstigningar Saga
Page 27
upp lyd hans Gydinga flock med ofurkappe ok reidi i mot honum. Hvesta eg
spiot ok frameggia [1v] di eg at legia a sidu honum gallsuro blandada eg at gefa
honum i þosta dryck.3 Eg bio tre at krossfesta hann ok nu er miog nalægur
daudi hans ok mun eg leida hann til þin ok min yfirkomin.
156 Niðrstigningar saga
1 ⸌madur⸍] add. in marg. 2 hrædaz] bis scr. hræddan hrædaz 3 Gallsuro … / … i þosta dryck cf. Mt. 27:34
XX.3Ap. 19:11–17
Þa svarade helvíti ok mælti. Þu sagdir mier at þessi er sa sialfur er dauda menn
dro fra mer. Enn margir eru þeir er eg hiellt i valldi er fra mer voru gripnir af
þeir1 lifdo ꜳ jordu er hver er þersi Jesus er med ædi sínu ok gudligom bænum
kallar dauda menn til lifs almattigur er hann er sa er dro ⸌af⸍2 mier dauda menn
þa er eg hugdumz mattuliga hallda mundo undir minu vallde. Mun eigi þessi sa
vera er leysti Ladarum3 sa er i grauf la IIII daga þann er eg hellt daudan i mino
vallde ok gallt hann lifanda firir ord síns almattar.4 Þa svarar Satan hofdíngi
dau⸌d⸍ans5 ok segir sva. Þersi sialfur er sa Iesus ok þa er hann sagdi þetta hey-
rde helviti ok sagdi til hans. Særi eg firir krapta þina ok mina at eigi leidir þu
hann híngat til min þviat þa er ek heyrda styrkan matt ordz hans þa vard ek
miog gagnhræddur med skialfanda otta ok allir helvitis þionar med mier urdo
skialfir. Ok eíge matta ek hallda Ladarum6 med aullum styrk ok fliotleik mínum
ok spratt hann upplifandi ok heill ok sialf jord su er hiellt daudligan likama
Ladari7 gallt hann lifanda ok firir þvi veit ek at sa madur er þessa alla hluti matti
giora hann er styrkur i valldi mattugur i manndomi grædari allz mannkyns ok
hann mun leysa þa er byrgdir eru i grimre myrkvastofu ok stridligum synda
baundum ok leida til lífs sins guddoms. Þar var ok i þat mund dægra ok þen- Ap.
nan tíma at himenn opnadiz. Þa kom fram fyst hestur hvitur enn sa kongur er 19:11–17
reid hesti þeim er maurgum hlutum er fridari ok fegri enn allir adrir ok tigo-
legri. Augu hans voru sem eldz loge. Hann hafdi koronu þa áá hofdi er morg
sigurmerke synde. Hann hafdi þat klædi um onnur utan er blodstocket 8 var. ÁÁ
kledi hans yfir miodmenne voru þessi ord ritud. Kongur konga ok Drottinn
drottna. Hann leiddi med sier her hinn mesta. Þeir ⟨ er⟩ honum fylgdu ridu
hvitum hestum ok voru klæddir silke hvito liosir hardla. Sa hinn rikazti allvall-
dur leit þa til Jo⟨r⟩salaborgar ok mælti. Gilldra su er at Jorsolum er ⟨gorr⟩ verdi
Midgardzorme at skada. Hann fal aungul sin i æzlíno þvi er i gilldruna var lagt
ok sva gat hann vadinn folginn at eigi matti um sia. Þa baud hann nockrum si-
num elskuligum vínum at þeir skyllde fyrir fara ok boda til kvomo hans.
1 af þeir] pro er þeir 2 ⸌af⸍] add. in marg. 3 Ladarum] pro Lazarum 4 er leysti Ladarum … /
… ord sins almattar cf. Io. 11:38-43 5 ⸌d⸍] add. in marg. 6 Ladarum] pro Lazarum 7 Ladari]
pro Lazari 8 blodstocket] emendavi blodstocken
Texts 157
XXI.1Ps. 24 (23):7
Enn þa er þau tauludo med sier sem firir sagt Satan hofdingie ok helvíte þa vard
hvell rodd mikellar reidar þrumo ok andlekt kall sva mælanndi. Heyrit hofdín-
giar helvítes. Lukit upp hlid: Ydur ok hefiz upp eilif hlid ok mun i
Ps. 24
⟨ nn⟩ ganga
(23):7
Kongur Dyrdar. Ok þa er helvite heyrdi þess ord þa sagdi þad til Satans hofdin-
gia sins. Far þu brott heidan ok fly skiott ut af mínum sætum. Enn ef þu ert
mattugur bardaga madur þa berstu vid Dyrdar Kongín þviat hvat áá eg at skyll-
da med honum. Ok eptir þat rak þad Satan hofdíngia sinn ut af sætum sinum.
Enn þa er Satan var brott rekinn leit hann utalligan fiolda himnesks folks ok
herlids enn eigi sa hann þa Dyrdar Kongin þar kominn ok villdi hann þo eigi
moti þeim ganga. Helldur hneigdi hann sik fra augliti þeira. Þa likti hann sik i
mynd ogurligs dreka þeim er jafnat er at mikeleik vid Midgard⟨z⟩orm sa er sagt
⟨er⟩ at ligi um allan heiminn.1 Hann sa þa takn þau er voru i Jorsalaborg ⟨at⟩
Drottinn Varn ⟨var⟩ i andlati ok jamskiott.2
1 þa likti hann … / … um allan heimin cf. Ap. 12:9 2 desinit E
TRANSLATIONS
Niðrstigningar saga
The Older Redaction
(A Copenhagen, Den Arnamagnæanske Samling, AM 645 4to)
PROLOGUE
“The Story of the Descent.” The [two] brothers Carinus and Leucius, sons of
Simeon the Elder, relate about Christ’s Descent into Hell in their book that they
wrote on how Christ had freed Adam and all the others from Hell. And al-
though this is scarcely considered in comparison to what is written about it in
other holy writings, there is nothing related here, which may be doubtful. The
book is called “The Deeds of the Saviour.” People say that Nicodemus, the
disciple of the Lord, composed it.
XVIII.1
“We had been placed,” they said, “in a place that seemed like a field. There was
Adam and all the patriarchs and prophets, and it was misty and dark as usual.
Then something memorable and remarkable occurred: suddenly there shone
over us all a fair and bright light as if from the sun. Then Adam, the father of
all mankind, and all the patriarchs and prophets began to rejoice greatly and
said this: ‘This light shines from God, who has promised us that He would
send His light.’ Then the prophet Isaiah called out and said, ‘This light is from
God, just as I said when I was alive on earth and said this: “Land of Zabulon Mt.
and land of Nephtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the 4:15–16
Translations 159
Gentiles. The people who sat in darkness have seen great light, and a light has
downed on those living in the region of the shadow of death.” Now that light
has come over us, as I prophesied it would come, for truly we sit in the dark-
ness of Hell. But now we may all see and rejoice greatly at this light.’”
XVIII.2
“Then our father Simeon came walking to the place where a multitude of peo-
ple had all gathered together and said with great joy to the friends of God,
‘Glorify Our Lord, Jesus Christ, for I took Him in my arms when he was a child
and carried Him into church when I was urged by the Holy Spirit and I sang
Lc. 2:29
this: “Now you dismiss,” until the end.’ All the saints of God rejoiced greatly at
this message.”
XVIII.3
“Then came a man walking, whom they did not recognize. This man was ac-
complished and dressed in such a manner as if he had come from the desert.
They asked that man his name and if he had anything new to say. He was called
John: ‘And I was the voice crying from the desert and the forerunner of the Son
of God on earth to give knowledge to people that it was the Son of God who
had come there for them in order to help those who wished to receive it. And
when I saw Him come to find me, the Holy Spirit urged me, and I said this:
Io. 1:29
“Behold the Lamb of God,” until the end. Then I baptized Him in the river
Mt.
Jordan and I saw the Holy Spirit descending upon Him in the shape of a dove.
3:16–17
And behold, I heard a voice from Heaven saying, “This is my Beloved, in whom
I am pleased.” And now I can say this to you, that I have preceded Him here to
announce to you that very shortly the Son of God Himself shall come down
here from Heaven to visit those of us who sit in the darkness of Hell.’”
XIX.1
“Then it occurred that when our first-created father Adam heard about this,
when this man John departed from the world, that Jesus was baptized in the
Jordan, that he [Adam] became very joyful and turned towards his son and said
this to him: ‘Seth, Son, tell the patriarchs and the prophets about what you
heard the archangel Michael tell you, when I sent you to Paradise to seek and
beseech this of Our Lord, whether he would be willing to send His angel to
bring you from there the oil, which begets from the olive tree of mercy, so that
my body might be anointed with it when I was sick, in order to receive
160 Niðrstigningar saga
healing.’ Then, when Seth had come to the place where the patriarchs and the
prophets were, he addressed them and begun to say this: ‘It occurred,’ said
Seth, ‘when I travelled on my father’s errand, that I came at last to the gates of
Paradise. There were two things before me: there was burning fire to deny any
man entrance to Paradise, and angels to guard it against all devils and the souls
of sinful men. When my passage was to be obstructed, I halted and prayed to
the Lord, and the archangel Michael appeared to me and said this to me: “I am
sent to you from the Lord. I am set up to see to each man’s condition and you
should be told this, Seth: you do not need to pray with tears for the oil that
begets in Paradise, to give it to your father, although he is very sick, for in no
way shall he have the oil from there until five thousand and four hundred years
have passed. Then shall come upon earth the Beloved Son of God, Christ
Himself, and He shall give health to many sick men, and raise some from the
dead, and Christ Himself shall be baptized in the river Jordan. And when He
shall rise from the water, He shall anoint with the Oil of Mercy all those who
believe in Him, and that Oil of Mercy shall regenerate from the water among
them, and the Holy Spirit shall be regenerated unto eternal bliss. It shall also
happen that the Beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ, shall willingly descend unto
earth, and shall lead Adam, your father, into Paradise to the tree of mercy.”’”
XIX.2
“At this message announced by Seth, all the patriarchs rejoiced greatly.”
XX.1
“And now, while among them there was such a great joy, as might be expected,
it is said that the giant Satan, the Prince of Hell, who sometimes has seven
heads and sometimes three, and sometimes is in the shape of a dragon, which
is horrible, terrible, and awful in all respects, convened the giants, the devils,
the mighty trolls, and all of those who were in Hell, and said this: ‘Prepare
yourself now to take and seize Jesus, who boasts that He is the Son of God, and
nevertheless He is a man, and I have noticed it because he feared death. And
yet He is that man who has opposed me greatly and has always been most cruel
to me, and many men whom I made blind, lame, crippled, lepers, and mad, He
cured with His word.’”
XX.2
“And they spoke and replied to him: ‘We do not know that things are as you
say, but we know and can see, O Lord, that you have drawn no one to us like
Translations 161
the one about whom you speak now, He who has always destroyed and thrashed
your might and power. Therefore, we believe and say to you that He must be
almighty in divinity and no one in the world, who is as He is in humanity, can
withstand Him.’ Then the Prince of Darkness said, ‘Why do you doubt and fear
to seize this man Jesus, who is both my enemy and yours? For I tempted Him
and aroused the Jewish people to hostility against Him, and prepared the wood
for His crucifixion, and blended vinegar to drink, and have had a spear sharp-
ened to thrust into Him. Now very shortly He shall die, and I shall bring Him
here, so that He may be submitted to both you and me.’”
XX.3
“They replied: ‘Did you not say about that man that He could achieve anything
with His word, and healed what you had injured or slain? We know that He has
taken from you many dead men who were held by us. But who was the one so
strong in words that called Lazarus here? Before that, we had held him here in
the bonds of Death for four days, and then he was instantly alive on earth far
away from us.’ Satan, the Prince of Death, replied, ‘That was Jesus.’ Then they
replied thus: ‘We abjure you by your powers and ours that you do not bring
Him here, for when we heard His commandments, we all became terrified, and
all of our servants and all our smithies trembled, and by no means could we
hold Lazarus, who almost at once was cast up onto earth alive. As for now, we
know that the Almighty God is within that man and will have to come here into
the world to release men from sins and bring them to the life of His divinity.’
Now I shall turn away from when Satan and Hell talked first, and begin to re-
Ap.
late the most wondrous events that occurred next. It was at that point of the day
19:11–16
that Heaven opened, and there came forth first a white horse and the prince
who rode that horse was in many respects more noble than the most accom-
plished of all others. His eyes were like blazing fire. He had a crown on his
head where many tokens of victory could be seen. He had a vestment above the
others that was spattered with blood. On His vestment, around the waist, these
words were written: King of kings and Lord of lords. He was brighter than the
sun. He led a great army, and all those who followed Him rode white horses,
and all were dressed in white silk and were very bright. Then He, the most
powerful supreme ruler, looked towards Jerusalem and said, ‘May the trap that
is made in Jerusalem harm the Midgard Serpent.’ He then lowered a hook, in
which was enclosed a bait that could not be seen into the carrion that was lain
in the trap and, done that, He concealed it in such a way that it could not be
seen. Then He ordered some of His saints to go before Him and announce His
arrival in Hell.”
162 Niðrstigningar saga
XXI.1
Now the story will be resumed from where I previously turned away. “While
Satan and the others were talking to each other, they heard that the holy angels
called out so loudly that everything seemed to resound like thunder and said
this: ‘ Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, O eternal gates, and the Ps. 24
King of Glory will come in.’ Then the inhabitants of Hell said to Satan, ‘Depart (23):7
now from our seats. If you can, fight hard with the King of Glory. We do not
want to deal with Him.’ Then they expelled their Prince out of Hell. When
Satan came out, he saw that a great host of angels had arrived to Hell, but not
God. He [Satan] did not go to meet them and rather passed them by. Then he
transformed himself into
the shape of a dragon and grew to such a stature that
it seemed he could lie around the whole world. He saw those events that oc-
curred in Jerusalem, that Jesus Christ was breathing His last, and immediately
travelled there and intended to tear away His soul at once from Him. But when
he came there and thought he could swallow Him and carry Him away, the
hook of divinity bit him, and the sign of the cross fell down on him, and he was
caught like a fish on a fishhook, a mouse in a mousetrap, or an arctic fox in a
snare, according to what was previously prophesied. Then Our Lord went to
him and bound him, and ordered His angels to guard him.” Now I shall begin
to relate about what had happened in Hell after Satan had left. “The mighty
devils in Hell said to the smithy champions: ‘Take, O cruel ones, and shut all
the gates, and bring forth iron grates and iron bars. Oppose sternly and with-
stand well, so that you will not be seized, and the captives whom you have held
here will [not] be taken from you.’”
XXI.2
“When the saints of God heard this, they said to those evil spirits, ‘ Lift up Ps. 24
your gates, so that the King of Glory may come in.’ Then the king and prophet (23):7
David began to call out loudly to the men of God: ‘It occurred, when I lived and Ps. 107
was called king in the Eastern kingdom, that I prophesied this to you: “Confess (106):
to the Lord His mercy, proclaim His name and the marvels that He has done to 15–16
the sons of men, for He has worn down the gates of bronze and broken the bars
of iron. He has taken them up from the way of their iniquity.”’ Then the prophet
Isaiah said: ‘Do you know that I have prophesied this when I was alive on earth
that “the dead would rise up and those who were in [ their] graves would re-
joice. Death and Hell shall lose victory.”’”
Is. 26:19
Translations 163
XXI.3
“When the saints of God heard this word of the prophet Isaiah, they called out
vehemently to the people of Hell: ‘Now open up your gates, otherwise you will
Ps. 24
(23):7
be conquered through oppression.’ Then they heard a second time such a great
Ps. 24
voice that all Hell seemed to quake: ‘ Lift up your gates, O princes.’ When the