Gripla - 20.12.2014, Síða 260

GRIPLA260
(a discussion of the kennings and heiti, or poetical terms, of Old Norse
poetry, including stories explaining the origins of some of these),1 and
Háttatal, a poem by Snorri Sturluson with commentary in praise of King
Hákon Hákonarson and Earl Skúli in 102 stanzas exemplifying a wide
variety of verse forms that could be used in Old Norse poetry.
Magnús Ólafsson’s Edda was compiled by the Icelandic priest and poet
Magnús Ólafsson (c. 1573−1636) in the early years of the 17th century.2
Magnús later (1622) became minister at Laufás in northern Iceland, and
hence his Edda has come to be referred to as the Laufás-Edda. His work
survives in two versions, known as the X version, parts of which survive in
his own hand as well as in three manuscript copies, and the Y version (of
which the X version is an abbreviation). of the latter we have nothing in
Magnús’s hand, though it survives in whole or in part in over 100 manu-
scripts dating from the 17th to 20th centuries, and more are still turning up
from time to time, of which the present version is an example.
Magnús Óláfsson re-arranged Snorri’s text, so that the Prologue was fol-
lowed by 67 ‘Dæmisögur’ (mythological narratives from Gylfaginning and
Skáldskaparmál), and then ‘Annarr Partur’ (a list in alphabetical order of
their significations of kennings and heiti based mostly on Skáldskaparmál,
begining with ‘nöfn Asanna’). Háttatal is not included.
Magnús Ólafsson’s version of the Prose Edda was far more popular
than any other version in post-medieval times. snorri’s survives in com-
paratively few manuscripts, while Magnús’s was frequently copied down
to modern times (often with many additions and expansions), even after
the publication of Resen’s Edda. It also became the basis of several other
re-arrangements and adaptations as well as being used as the foundation of
the first printed edition of the Prose Edda, that of P.H. resen (Copenhagen
1665). there exist also translations into Danish and Latin. It is clear that
Magnús’s version was found more useful as a textbook for poets and read-
ers of Icelandic poems than snorri’s.
1 Edda: Skáldskaparmál, 2 vols., ed. Anthony faulkes (London: Viking Society for northern
Research, 1998).
2 Edda Magnúsar Ólafssonar (Laufás Edda), ed. Anthony Faulkes, Two Versions of Snorra
Edda from the 17th Century, vol. 1, Stofnun Árna Magnússonar á Íslandi, rit, vol. 13
(reykjavík: Stofnun Árna Magnússonar á Íslandi, 1979) = EMÓ. References to the
Introduction to this volume are to paragraph numbers, those to the texts are to page
numbers.