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irrecoverable, the second scribe took over the work in chapter six, in the
middle of a conversation between Hálfdan and Brana, and he copied the
remaining three-fourths of the codex (52r–201v). the entire text is written
in árléttiskrift (cursiva antiquior), a semi-cursive gothic script commonly
used throughout the late medieval period in Icelandic saga manuscripts.
Chapter rubrics are written in red ink throughout but most are now very
faded. the leaves copied by Þorsteinn are adorned with colourful initials,
but, with the exception of a dragon on f. 54v (at the beginning of Flóvents
saga), spaces for initials have been left blank in the second part.
AM 152 fol. is rivalled in the late medieval period only by
Reykjahólabók, Stockholm Perg. 3 fol. (ca. 1530–40), a manuscript pre-
serving Icelandic translations from Low german of 25 legendaries in
the hand of Björn Þorleifsson. these translations have been attributed
to Björn or a priest in his service.12 the two manuscripts are remarkably
similar in size and appearance: both are large, thick and handsome volumes
written in two columns. AM 152 fol. measures ca. 30 mm x 24 mm, and
contains 200 folios and 25 gatherings, with four bifolia to a gathering.13
Reykjahólabók measures ca. 30,5 x 23 cm and contains 168 folios, with some
folios missing, in 22 gatherings also with four bifolia each (bar those with
missing leaves).14 the structure and layout of both manuscripts is thus
highly regular. Although the second scribe’s connection to Björn or his
sphere of influence is unclear, and the possibility cannot be excluded that
explained by the scribe writing at different points in his life. However, it is a mystery how
Jón came to work on this manuscript and why there are no decorated initials in his text. I
thank Guðvarður for his generous help and advice in this matter.
12 Marianne E. Kalinke and Agnete Loth both argue that Björn was the translator and
scribe of Reykjahólabók, but guðrún Ása grímsdóttir has recently cast doubts on their
attribution, noting that there is no direct evidence that Björn was so educated a man
as to have engaged in translating foreign texts. See Marianne E. Kalinke, The Book of
Reykjahólar. The Last of the Great Medieval Legendaries (toronto: university of toronto
Press, 1996), 78–124; Agnete Loth, introduction to Reykjahólabók. Islandske helgenlegender,
vol. 1, Editiones Arnamagnæanæ, vol. A.15–16 (Copenhagen: Munksgaard, 1969), xxi–
xl; guðrún Ása grímsdóttir, Vatnsfjörður í Ísafirði. Þættir úr sögu höfuðbóls og kirkjustaðar
(Brekka í Dýrafirði: Vestfirska forlagið, 2012), 205–207.
13 the leaves measure 29,5–30,5 cm, or 30 cm on average, and 23,5–24,5, or 24 cm on average;
see AM 152 fol.’s entry on Handrit.is, http://handrit.is/en/manuscript/view/is/AM02-
0152-1-2, accessed June 2, 2013. there is no f. 112, so although the foliation (done in the
nineteenth century by jón siguðsson) goes up to 201, there are 200 leaves nevertheless.
14 vilhelm Gödel, Katalog öfver Upsala Universitets biblioteks fornisländska och fornnorska hand-
skrifter, vol. 1 (uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell, 1892), 10; Loth, Reykjahólabók, ix.
IDEoLogY AnD IDEntItY In LAtE MEDIEVAL WESt ICELAnD