Gripla - 20.12.2014, Page 206

GRIPLA206
the order of stanzas is another element that sets this group of manu-
scripts apart. In comparison to the original Latin text, Bjarni reversed the
order of the verses to 1, 3, 2. this order occurs in 20 of the 27 manuscript
witnesses of the hymn, three of the shorter version and 17 of the longer
one.27 the original verse order, 1, 2, 3, occurs in only two manuscripts of
the longer version and in the so-called heiðra-group.28
the manuscripts containing the longer version were almost all copied
later than those of the short version, between approximately 1689 (Lbs
1586 8vo) and 1860 (Lbs 238 b 8vo). only a few of these manuscripts can
be localized. the most striking feature of the geographical origin pattern
is that a large number of these manuscripts were copied in West and South
Iceland, as illustrated on map 1.3, discussed in greater detail later.
27 JS 141 8vo, thott 473 4to, Lbs 1192 8vo, and MS Boreal 113, EDL a and b 8vo, Lbs 194 8vo,
JS 208 8vo, JS 272 4to II, JS 506 8vo, JS 509 8vo, Lbs 1485 8vo, Lbs 1530 8vo, Lbs 1724 8vo,
Lbs 1724 8vo.
28 Lbs 238 b 8vo and JS 439 8vo, and ÍBr 7 8vo, JS 385 8vo, JS 386 8vo, JS 643 4to, Lbs 847
4to.
Map 1.3: Longer version – Manuscript origins