Gripla - 20.12.2011, Blaðsíða 45

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A comparison of AM 233a fol., AM 235 fol., Stock. Perg. fol. no. 2, and
AM 429 12mo with the Latin original largely confirms Foote’s statement
and shows that the four manuscripts clearly fall into two groups: (I) a
redaction represented by Stock. Perg. fol. no. 2, AM 235 fol., and AM 429
12mo, and (II) a redaction represented by AM 233a fol.13
Redaction I presents a fairly faithful rendering of the Latin original,
though some expansion is noticeable. Stock. Perg. fol. no. 2 and AM 235
fol. are very closely related. Textually, Stock. Perg. fol. no. 2 is superior to
AM 235 fol. and cannot be a copy of AM 235 fol. AM 429 12mo is gen-
erally inferior to AM 235 fol., but the fact that on occasion it has better
readings than AM 235 fol. reveals that, like Stock. Perg. fol. no 2, it is not
derived from AM 235 fol. Nor can AM 429 12mo be derived from Stock.
Perg. fol. no 2, for on one occasion AM 429 12mo preserves matter not
found in Stock. Perg. fol. no. 2 (and AM 235 fol.).14 The three manuscripts
must all go back to a common original, AM 429 12mo possibly at some
removes.
Redaction II is characterized by editorial revisions involving both
abridgement and amplification. AM 233a fol. shares characteristics with
both AM 235 fol. and AM 429 12mo, but is closer to the latter than the
former.15 Although in comparison with the Latin original AM 233a fol.
is inferior to both AM 235 fol. and AM 429 12mo in that it omits matter
preserved in AM 235 fol. and AM 429 12mo, it does on occasion preserve
readings closer to the Latin.
While the comparison of the Latin source with Stock. Perg. fol. no. 2,
AM 235 fol., and AM 429 12mo justifies Unger’s decision to base the lat-
ter part of the legend of Saints Faith, Hope, and Charity on Stock. Perg.
fol. no. 2., a comparison of the Latin source with AM 233a fol., AM 235
fol., and AM 429 12mo does not support his choice of AM 233a fol. as the
primary manuscript for the former half of the legend, which should ideally
have been based on AM 235 fol. and AM 429 12mo.16
13 See Wolf, “On the Transmission of the Old Norse-Icelandic Legend of Saints Faith, Hope,
and Charity,” 263–71.
14 Stock. Perg. fol. no. 2 and AM 429 12mo share only 4–5 lines of text.
15 AM 233a fol. cannot be compared with Stock. Perg. fol. no. 2, since the two do not
overlap.
16 A modern Icelandic language edition of Saga af Fídes, Spes ok Karítas is included in Kirsten
Wolf, ed., Heilagra meyja sögur, Íslensk trúarrit 1 (Reykjavík: Bókmenntafræðistofnun
SAGA AF FÍDES, SPES OK KARÍTAS