Iceland's Bell (46 page)

p. 215
Schedulae (Latin): Registers.

p. 218
The stories of the Vínland voyages can be read in Grænlendinga
saga
(
The Saga of the Greenlanders
) and
Eiríks saga rau
ð
a
(
The Saga of Eirík
the Red
).

p. 218
Sturla Sighvatsson (1199–1238) is a principal persona in
Sturlunga
saga
(thirteenth century), a primarily historical work on the events and conflicts leading up to the acceptance of the Norwegian king’s authority over Iceland in 1262. The Völuspá is a prophetic work contained in the Poetic
Edda;
it describes the creation of the world and the gods’ activities leading up to their destruction at Ragnarök.

p. 220
Musica (Latin): Music.

p. 221
Auctor, auctores (Latin): Authorities, sources.

p. 221
Reformatores (Latin): Reformers.

p. 223
Venus hac perjuria ridet (Latin): Venus smiles at this betrayal.

p. 223
Lofn: An old Norse goddess of love.

p. 225
Coquetterie (French): Coquettishness.

p. 229
Faldur (Icelandic): A type of tall, traditional women’s headgear.

p. 229
Privatim (Latin): In private, in trust.

p. 230
Opera antiquaria: Ancient works.

p. 230
Grettir Ásmundarson: A famous poet and criminal; the eponymous hero of
Grettis saga Ásmundarsonar
(
Grettir’s Saga
).

p. 239
Gens paene barbara (Latin): A race of half-civilized barbarians.

p. 239
Volumina (Latin): Editions.

p. 239
Plantino: Christophe Plantin (1520–1589), a French printer. Gutenburg: Johannes Gutenburg (1399?–1468), a German craftsman and inventor, considered to be the father of the art of printing.

p. 239
Þorri and Góa are the Icelandic names for the fourth and fifth months of winter, roughly corresponding to January and February.

p. 241
Bjarni-prayers and Þórður-prayers: Prayers from the prayer books written by Reverend Bjarni Arngrímsson (1768–1821; Snæfríður’s reference to this work is an obvious anachronism) and Þórður Bárðarson (d. 1690; his prayer book came out in 1693).

p. 241
Ora pro nobis . . . (Latin): Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

p. 242
Nulla viro . . . (Latin): No woman should trust a man who swears an oath.

p. 242
“Sagas of Icelanders” (in Icelandic,
Íslendingasögur
) refers to what are now generally known as “the Icelandic sagas,” that is, those sagas that were written down primarily in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and that are concerned with specific families or individuals that lived during the “Saga Age” in Iceland, the period between the settlement of Iceland (870– 930) and the middle of the eleventh century (when the church began to reshape Icelandic society and culture). Sagas such as
Egils saga, Grettis saga
Ásmundarsonar,
and
Njáls saga
all belong to this particular category. Due to their subject matter these sagas are also often referred to as “family sagas.”

p. 244
Persons in the sagas described as being “drowsy in the evening” (in Icelandic,
kvöldsvæf
) generally turned out to engage in nocturnal activities, such as shapeshifting. Skallagrímur Kveldúlfsson, in
Egils saga,
is a famous example: some suggested he turned into a werewolf at night.

p. 246
The Great Decree (Icelandic
Stóridómur
): A court ruling made law by the Alþingi in 1564 (revoked in 1838) imposing stringent penalties for crimes against decency and chastity (the penalties of burning and hanging for men and drowning for women described in the novel are a result of this law).

p. 247
Ragnheiður: see note for page 63.

p. 248
Vulgaria (Latin): Vulgarities.

p. 250
Deo gratias (Latin): Thanks be to God (a greeting used by members of the Benedictine order).

p. 251
In cruce . . . (Latin): In the cross was hidden divinity alone but here humanity is concealed as well.

p. 253
Fac me . . . (Latin): “Let me bear the wounds of the scourge, let me be intoxicated by the Cross,” from the hymn
Stabat mater dolorosa
written by the Italian Franciscan friar Jacopone da Todi (d. 1306).

p. 255
De Operatione Daemonum
(Latin):
Concerning the Workings of
Demons.

p. 256
Mos, mores (Latin): Customs.

p. 258
Videlicet (Latin): That is to say.

p. 259
Characteres (Latin): Magical signs.

p. 259
In generali (Latin): In summary.

p. 259
Sine allegationibus . . . (Latin): Without reference to law or wisdom.

p. 266
This is a citation of a line in the Völuspá that refers to the apprehension felt by the gods concerning future hostilities with the giants: hostilities that lead to Ragnarök.

p. 269
Sum, ergo loquor (Latin): I am, therefore I speak.

p. 273
Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614–1674) was a priest and is one of the most renowned Icelandic religious poets. His wife was Guðríður Símonardóttir, known as Gudda of the Turks; she had been ransomed from Algerian pirates, called “Turks” in Icelandic (
Tyrkjar
) after several hundred Icelanders were kidnapped by them in 1627 (thirty-five were ransomed and twenty-seven made it back home to Iceland).

p. 275
Gálgaklettur: Gallows Cliff, at Þingvellir, where male criminals were hanged (although a precise location for Gálgaklettur is not known, some suggest that it was in the ravine called Stekkjargjá, just north of Almannagjá).

p. 276
Mensa (Latin): Table, desk.

p. 282
In praejudicio Arnæi (Latin): Against Arnas; to censure Arnas.

p. 283
Ars casuistica (Latin): The art of casuistry.

p. 283
In desperatione vitae (Latin): In despair of her life.

p. 286
Battledore: A wooden utensil (a bat or cudgel) used for beating clothes.

p. 286
Spindehus (Danish): A women’s prison and workhouse in Copenhagen, established in 1662 and in use until 1928. The women labored at spinning wool and weaving clothing for the Danish army.

p. 297
Jaegersborg was the king’s private deer park, located about eight kilometers north of Copenhagen. The area was fenced off by Frederik III in 1669, and the park’s area was doubled by Christian V in 1670.

p. 299
Ein Land . . . (German): A land blessed by dear God.

p. 299
The Furusee is the largest lake on Sjaelland in Denmark.

p. 299
Galanterie (French): Gallantry.

p. 299
Volières (French): Aviaries.

p. 299
Ach ja . . . (German): Oh, yes, my lord, life is difficult.

p. 303
Galanthomme (French): Stately man; gallant.

p. 311
Justo dolore (Latin): Righteous affliction.

p. 311
Causa prima (Latin): Chief cause.

p. 311
Jure talionis (Latin): According to the laws on compensation.

p. 311
Studiosus antiquitatum (Latin): Student of antiquities.

p. 312
Certe (Latin): Definitely.

p. 313
Maríusaga
is a thirteenth-century Icelandic compilation of the legends and miracles of the Virgin Mary.

p. 313
Vivat . . . (Latin): May he live, thrive, and flourish—Marteinsson.

p. 314
Rasphus (Danish): A house of corrections in Copenhagen, in use until 1850.

p. 318
Gilitrutt: This trollish name is used by Jón Marteinsson to suggest that Árni can now divorce his “troll-wife” (as opposed to Snæfriður being an “elf-wife”).

p. 318
Acta, petitiones, appellationes (Latin): Arbitrament, petitioning, and appeals.

p. 318
Requiescas . . . (Latin): Rest in peace, whoever you are, amen.

p. 321
Impotentiae causa (Latin): Due to impotence.

p. 321
Omnium rerum . . . (Latin): Everything will soon change.

p. 321
The great smallpox epidemic occurred in Iceland during the years 1707–1709, and wiped out approximately one-third of the country’s population.

p. 325
Das ist eine Schweinerei (German): This is a scandal.

p. 325
In classicis (Latin): In the classics.

p. 327
Non facile . . . (Latin): Men of virtue who become involved in complicated domestic affairs do not easily get out of their situations.

p. 327
Donatus was a Roman rhetorician who lived in the fourth century A.D.

p. 341
The Fenris Wolf was the offspring of the god/giant Loki and the troll-woman Angurboða, and was one of the chief enemies of the gods. The binding of the Fenris Wolf is described in Snorri Sturluson’s
Edda
(see note for page 24 above).

p. 346
Bergur Sokkason was an abbot of the Munkaþverá monastery in north Iceland (late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries). He wrote a number of sagas of saints and kings.

p. 347
Moria (Greek): Foolishness (here personified).

p. 349
Sine dubio (Latin): No doubt.

p. 349
Dignum neque justum (Latin): Neither applicable nor just. Scriba (Latin): Secretary. Famulus (Latin): Servant.

p. 351
Electus (Latin): Chosen one (here the bishop-elect).

p. 351
Bonis auguriis (Latin): Good auspices.

p. 351
Vicarius (Latin): Proxy, deputy.

p. 352
In the Völsunga saga there is an episode in which a man named Heimir from Hlymdalir protects Áslaug, the daughter of Sigurður and Brynhildur, by hiding her (and a great amount of gold and silver treasure and expensive clothing) in a large harp that he has constructed specially for this purpose. The saga says that when the maiden cried he played the harp to comfort her (see Völsunga saga, chapter 43).

p. 352
Rosa rosarum, virgo virginum (Latin): Rose of roses, maiden of maidens. Virgo ante . . . (Latin): A virgin before giving birth, while giving birth, and after giving birth.

p. 355
Suavium (Latin): Kiss of passion.

p. 356
Faeces diaboli (Latin): Devil’s dregs, residue.

p. 358
Durchlaucht (German): Highness.

p. 360
Pfui deibel (French
débile
): What nonsense.

p. 361
Auctoritas (Latin): Authority. Très obéissant serviteur (French): Most devoted servant.

p. 362
Hew ick nich verstahn (Low German): This I don’t understand.

p. 362
Ásgarður is the home of the gods in old Scandinavian mythology. In Snorri Sturluson’s
Edda,
he euhemeristically states that Ásgarður was located in Asia Minor, and that the gods traveled from there to Scandinavia. Snæfríður’s statement reflects this idea.

p. 363
Ma chère madame (French): My dear madam.

p. 363
Wat schall ick maken (Low German): What can I do? What am I to think?

p. 364
“The laws of St. Ólafur” is a reference to old traditions concerning the laws prescribed by Ólafur Haraldsson, king of Norway 1015–1028 and Norway’s patron saint.
Gray Goose
(Icelandic
Grágás
) is a term given to the corpus of law existent in Iceland prior to Iceland’s union with Norway in 1262.

p. 365
Ad arbitrium (Latin): At his own pleasure.

p. 365
In principio (Latin): Originally.

p. 369
Magister (Latin): Master.

p. 378
Lex Salica (Latin): A law corpus (concerning inheritances) of the inhabitants of the Rhine region in France in the fifth and sixth centuries.

p. 378
Viðey is an island in Kollafjörður, just off the north coast of Reykjavík. It was considered valuable property throughout Iceland’s history. An Augustinian monastery was in existence there from 1225–1539, and in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the offices of various Icelandic officials were located there.

p. 378
The description of the golden game pieces lying in the grass is found in the Völuspá (see note for page 218 above). In the “Golden Age” described in the poem, the Æsir (the original Norse gods) spend their time peaceably, making treasures, tools, and games; their leisure is disturbed by war against the Vanir (a second class of gods) and then the Giants. The war with the Giants ends with the destruction of the world at Ragnarök, but after the destruction, when the world starts to renew itself, the game pieces of old are found lying in the grass.

p. 380
In 1262, after years of internal disturbances (tantamount to civil war), the Icelanders finally relinquished control of their country to the Norwegian king, Hákon the Old (Hákon Hákonarson, reigned from 1217– 1264); a covenant was made, and a new code of laws,
Járnsíða (Ironside),
was introduced shortly afterward (in 1271; this in turn was replaced by the
Jónsbók
law code in 1281).

p. 381
Collegium, collegia (Latin): Colleges, fraternities.

p. 384
Relatio, relationes (Latin): Aspects, items, circumstances.

p. 386
Augmundus: Ögmundur Pálsson (1475?–1541), the last Catholic bishop of Skálholt. Jona Aronis is Bishop Jón Arason (see above note for page 31).

p. 391
Abi, scurra (Latin): Begone, you vagrant.

p. 401
Paa Skage (Danish): From Skagi.

p. 403
Saint Ólafur: see note for page 364.

p. 405
Beneficium paupertatis (Latin): Assistance for the poor.

For the notes, reference was made to Guðrún Ingólfsdóttir and Margrét Guðmundsdóttir,
Lykilbók að fjórum skáldsögum eftir Halldór Laxness
(Reykjavík: Vaka-Helgafell hf., 1997).

HALLDÓR LAXNESS

ICELAND’S BELL

Halldór Laxness was born near Reykjavík, Iceland, in 1902. His first novel was published when he was seventeen. The undisputed master of contemporary Icelandic fiction, and one of the outstanding novelists of the century, he wrote more than sixty books, including novels, short stories, essays, poems, plays, and memoirs. In 1955 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Laxness died in 1998.

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