Gripla - 20.12.2004, Page 30

GRIPLA28
AM 617 4to, A vellum written c. 1560–70 by Gísli Jónsson, bishop of
Skálholt (Westergaard-Nielsen 1957:55–62). The four books of Kings (1–2
Samuel, 1–2 Kings) are on fols. l–81v, the story of Samson on fols. 81v–85r;
cf. Unger 1862:427–654, 409–420. The text is not descended from any of the
principal medieval manuscripts. A further account of this copy would take us
too far afield, but I have discussed it in detail elsewhere (Jakob Benediktsson
1989:38–45). Meanwhile it is self-evident that, since 617 represents a text
parallel to those found in the principal manuscripts, it will have to be com-
pared with them in every particular when a new edition of Stjórn is under-
taken. Nothing is known of the source from which 617 was copied; it does not
appear to have been Skálholt property in 1588, cf. pp. 11–12 above.
No soundly based account of the relations between the manuscripts of
Stjórn III can be given until a detailed comparison of all of them has been
made. Such a comparison is hardly to be contemplated except as preparatory
to a new edition of Stjórn. There is on every count a crying need for such an
edition, and it is indeed not far from being a matter of reproach that a start has
not already been made.
Lists of the paper manuscripts of Stjórn from later centuries can be con-
sulted in the books by Selma Jónsdóttir (1971:47–48) and Ian J. Kirby (1986:
123–126). In general the copies they contain appear to be derived, directly or
indirectly, from 226.
5. THE ORIGINS OF STJÓRN
Much has been written and far from unanimous views expressed on the com-
pilation of the three parts of Stjórn, their mutual relations, and their date and
place of composition.18 The many problems have been discussed most fully
and most recently by Ian J. Kirby, and I refer the reader to his book for further
orientation.19 Here I can touch on only a few matters of central importance.
According to the prologue, Stjórn I was put together „on the command and
instruction“ („af bo›skap ok forsƒgn“) of King Hákon Magnússon of Norway
(1299–1319). The writer says that the king had earlier had the book called
18 A detailed survey of earlier writings is in Astås 1987:24–97; Unger’s preface to his edition in
1862; Storm 1886a:83–88, 1886b:244–256; Finnur Jónsson 1923:973–977; Paasche 1957:
490–491; Knirk 1981:156–159; cf. also the articles by Hofmann 1973 and Bagge 1974.
19 Bible Translation in Old Norse 1986.