Gripla - 20.12.2008, Blaðsíða 140

GRIPLA138
that mythological knowledge is used, as before, to illuminate a reference to
personal characteristics, and that such use is neither understood religiously
nor found inappropriate.
And that point may serve as a summary for Sturlunga as a whole. The
entire corpus contains only a few but valuable references, outside the
premises of skaldic poetry, to use of mythology. Two things are striking
in particular. First, that the way in which mythology was employed in
twelfth- and thirteenth-century political discourse shows unmistakably
that mythological knowledge was expected among those participating in
it and were thought of as conversant in it. It is reasonable to assume that
naming a búð Valhöll or mocking a chieftain by calling him Freyr were not
intended as “local references” in closed circles of a learned few, but rather
as sharp comments to be understood by the many. Second, that knowledge,
transmission, and use of mythology come through as a matter of course.
III. Skaldic Poetry and Christian Culture
Sturlunga is brimful of skaldic poetry, 149/150 stanzas.42 Régis Boyer
counts a total of fifty-three kennings in them “dealing directly with
mythology,” thereof thirteen involving Óðinn, five regarding Freyr, three
concerned with Baldur, and one linked to Njörður.43 As with non-poetic
mythological references there is no hint of concern about the use of myth-
ologically-based skaldic diction. Quite the other way: Sturlunga testifies
to the naturalness, so to speak, of utilizing mythological material. This can
be illustrated with an example.
On Easter 1207 Kolbeinn Tumason and his flock rode to the episcopal
seat of Hólar, where Guðmundur góði, his archenemy, was waiting for
them. Guðmundur stood with his men on the rooftops, the bishop show-
ing no fear of the chieftain. In their famous and harsh dispute Guðmundur
was not sparing on excommunications. That was at least Kolbeinn’s view,
and at this meeting he publicly threw forth a stanza for all to hear:
42 Overview is, e.g., Guðrún Nordal, Tools of Literacy: The Role of Skaldic Verse in Icelandic
Textual Culture of the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries (Toronto, et al.: University of
Toronto Press, 2001), 90–96.
43 Régis Boyer, “Paganism and Literature: The So-called ‘Pagan Survivals’ in the samtíð-
arsögur,” Gripla I (1975): 151–152.