Skáldskaparmál - 01.01.1997, Page 194

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Arni Einarsson
(Johnsen and Helgason 1941, 154). Macrobius (Commentary 1.12.2) explains
that Capricorn is “the portal of gods, because through it souls return to their
rightful abode of immortality, to be reckoned among the gods.” Christmas may
for this reason (and other more obvious reasons) be the appropriate time of the
year to associate King Olaf with Christ and the sun.
The Central Position of the King
The positions of the people in the dream house are described in details which
suggest an underlying symbolism. As noted above, the decoration of the dome
prompts us to interpret the symbolism within a cosmological framework. The
central area where King Olaf slept would, according to our interpretation,
represent the centre of the universe. In a theocentric universe the centre would
appear to be the proper place of the ruler, who is a projection of a heavenly ruler.
God’s image is painted on the apex of the dome, directly above the king’s bed, so
the well-known idea of the king as a mirror image of God is nicely illustrated in
this story.35 The centre is a fifth point where the four cardinal directions meet to
form a balancing point. As such it might be regarded as the right place of justice
or a just ruler.36 A man at the centre would seem to be a man of perfect virtue as
he incorporates and balances all four cardinal virtues. This associates St. Olafwith
Christ who was the Lord ofVirtues (Pelikan 1978, Vol. 3, p. 151).3 The central
position of man in the cosmos was depicted by Isidore of Seville (cf. Brehaut
1912, p. 62; Maurmann 1976, Pl.2 and Zahlten 1979, Pl. 271).
The centre of the house is easier to understand if the crucified dream figure is
kept in mind. The dream is clearly supposed to reflect the construction of the
house, and the dream figure can be seen as a mirror image of the house. This
correspondence will be studied in more detail later, but here we will concentrate
on the centre. The reign of King Olafcorresponds to the head of the dream figure,
The 13th-century Norwegian Speculum regaleexpresses the idea: “... the king represents divine
lordship: for he bears God’s own name and sits upon the highest judgement seat upon earth,
wherefore it should be regarded as giving honor to God Himself, when one honors the king,
because of the name which he has from God” (tr. Larson 1972, p. 247). See also Honorius
Augustodunensis Elucidarius II 5. Thomas Aquinas has it that: “The greatness of kingly virtue
also appears in this, that he bears a special likeness to God, since he does in his kingdom what
God does in the world” (On Kingship. To the King of Cyprus 72, tr. Phelan 1949).
36 Ps.-Iamblichus The Theology ofArithmetic. “Thepentad is highlyexpressiveofjustice, and justice
comprehends all the other virtues. For justice would be what gives what is appropriate to each
thing and governs equality in the soul, and equality is involved only in the rational part of the
soul . ..” (pp. 68-69, tr. Waterfield 1988). But see Guthrie (1962,1, pp. 303-305).
' Macrobius (Commentary 1.8.10) stated that the divine Mind itself is prudence, temperance,
courage and justice (the four cardinal virtues). Gregory of Nyssa discussed the significance of
Christ on the cross in a way which could also apply to St. Olaf: “This is what we learn from the
cross. It is divided into four parts, so there are four projections from the centre, where the whole
figure converges. This teaches us that he who was stretched out. . . is he who binds together all
things to himself, bringing together in harmonious and concordant unity the diverse natures of
existing things” (Oratio catechetica magna, p. 147 in Bettenson, tr. 1972).