The Saga of the JómsvíkingsA loyal translation of the medieval Icelandic saga of a strong ruler and his men versus a brotherhood of fierce Viking mercenaries. In A.D. 986, Earl Hákon, ruler of most of Norway, won a triumphant victory over an invading fleet of Danes in the great naval battle of Hjórunga Bay. Sailing under his banner were no fewer than five Icelandic skalds, the poet-historians of the Old Norse world. Two centuries later their accounts of the battle became the basis for one of the liveliest of the Icelandic sagas, with special emphasis on the doings of the Jómsvíkings, the famed members of a warrior community that feared no one and dared all. In Lee M. Hollander’s faithful translation, all of the unknown twelfth-century author’s narrative genius and flair for dramatic situation and pungent characterization is preserved. “[A] famous tale of derring-do . . . Hollander has been able to do the even more difficult job of faithfully rendering one text into English with complete loyalty to the style and spirit of his original.” —Speculum |
Contents
Knút the Foundling | |
King Gorms Dreams | |
Earl Harolds Visions | |
Knút Gormsson Is Slain in England | |
King Harold and Earl Hákon Plot Together | |
King Harold Has Áki Tókason Slain 7 Palnirs Marriage The Rise of Palnatóki | |
Of King Harold and Saumasa | |
Palnatóki Slays King Harold and Proclaims Svein King | |
Palnatóki Acknowledges His Arrow | |
The Founding of Jómsborg | |
Of Earl StrútHarold and Véseti and Their Sons | |
King Svein Arbitrates the Feud | |
Búi Sigvaldi and Vagn Join the Jómsvíkings | |
Of Palnatókis Death and Sigvaldis Ambition | |
Sveins Dealings with King Harold | |
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Common terms and phrases
Æthelstan Áki Álof arrow Áslák Ástrid attack banquet Bjorn the Welshman blow Bornholm brother Búi called Codex Holmiensis Danes Danish daughter Denmark dreams earl asked Earl Eric Earl Hákon Earl Harold Earl Strút-Harold earl's Einar father fell fight Fiolnir fleet followers foster Funen funeral feast Geirmund Gesta Danorum Gold-Harold Gorm the Old Gunnhild Hávard the Hewing historical Hjórunga Bay Ingeborg island Jómsborg Jómsvíkings journeyed home killed King Burisleif King Gorm King Harold King Ólaf King Svein king’s kinsman Knút land leapt Lim Firth marriage marry Möre Norway Notes Ólaf Tryggvason Old Norse Palnatóki Palnir Queen Thýra raided replied returned rowed ruled saga sailed Saumæsa sent messengers Sigurd Cape Sigvaldi skalds sons spoke this verse Stefnir summer Svein Forkbeard sword Thereupon Thorgerd Thorkel asked Thorkel Leira Thorkel the Tall Thorleif Skúma three ships told took Tova Vagn Vagn's Vellekla Véseti viking expeditions Wales winter wise Zealand