Gripla - 01.01.1975, Page 111

ANTIPAGAN SENTIMENT IN THE SAGAS 107
extent that this is possible) the voluminous published polemics on the
subject.
Let us begin our discussion with a glance at three saga portraits,
in all of which the authors directly express their own opinions.
The first is the eulogy of Arnkell goði in Eyrbyggja saga (ch. 37):
. . . ok var hann öllum mönnum harmdauði, því at hann hefir verit allra
manna bezt at sér um alla hluti í fornum sið ok manna vitrastr, vel skapi
farinn, hjartaprúðr ok hverjum manni djarfari, einarðr ok allvel stilltr;
hafði hann ok jafnan inn hæra hlut í málaferlum, við hverja sem skipta
var; fekk hann af því öfundsamt, sem nú kom fram.
. . . His death was lamented by all, for he was in every respect one of the
best and wisest men in the ancient faith. He was composed, stouthearted,
and as daring as anyone; determined, yet with a good hold on himself. He
was generally successful in litigation with whomsoever he contended. It
was for this reason that he provoked much jealousy, as was shown in this
case.
The second is the necrology of Þorkell krafla at the end of Vatns-
dœla saga:
Eptir þat andaðisk hann ok var mjök harmdauði þingmönnum sínum ok
öllum heraðsmönnum, því at hann þótti, sem var, inn mesti heraðshöfðingi
ok mikill giptumaðr ok inn líkasti inum fyrrum Vatnsdælum, svá sem Þor-
steini ok Ingimundi, ok bar Þorkell þat fyrir, at hann var rétttrúaðr maðr
ok elskaði guð ok bjósk mjök kristiliga við dauða sínum.
After that he died, and his death was mourned by all his thingmen and by
all the people of the district, for he was considered to be (as, indeed, he
was) the greatest chieftain in those parts and a man of surpassing good
fortune and the one most like the Vatnsdælir of old, such as Þorsteinn and
Ingimundr. But Þorkell surpassed them in that he embraced the true faith
and loved God and made ready for his death in the proper Christian
manner.
The third is a brief character description of Þorkell Þorsteinsson,
grandson of Ingólfr Arnarson, in Landnámabók (S, ch. 9):
Son Þorsteins var Þorkell máni lögsögumaðr, er einn heiðinna manna hefir
bezt verit siðaðr, at því er menn vitu dæmi til. Hann lét sik bera í sólar-
geisla í banasótt sinni ok fal sik á hendi þeim guði, er sólina hafði skapat.
Hafði hann ok lifat svá hreinliga sem þeir kristnir menn, er bezt eru sið-
aðir. Son hans var Þormóðr, er þá var allsherjargoði, er kristni kom á
ísland.