Gripla - 01.01.1993, Qupperneq 190

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GRIPLA
Sveinn Jónsson, who realizes that death is inescapable, asks to have his
arms and legs cut off before he is beheaded. He bears this bravely, and
recites the Ave Maria while it is taking place,16 demonstrating secular
and religious fortitude simultaneously.
If there had been no witnesses present at a man’s death, there were
other ways of indicating his spiritual state. The bodies of Eyjólfr Kárs-
son and Þorvaldr Snorrason are found lying with arms spread out in a
cross, a common position of prayer or penance.17 Skarpheðinn’s arms
are crossed on his breast (another attitude associated with devotions),
and the crosses burned on his chest and back are thought to be self-
inflicted.18 The dream in which Brandr Kolbeinsson is seen commend-
ing his soul to Christ19 serves a similar purpose, as does Guðmundr
Arason’s prophecy to Þórðr Sturluson.20 Conversely, Kolbeinn Tuma-
son’s failure to hear the church-bells on the eve of St. Mary’s augurs ill
for his soul’s reception.21
Descriptions of pious actions may be reinforced by parallels with the
Bible or saints’ lives. The martyrdom of Thomas Beckett appears to
have been an especially influential text.22 It is specifically mentioned in
the saga of Þorgils skarði: ‘Veittist Þorgilsi þat, at hann hafði þvílíkt
16 Stu I 253 / K I 288 / Bp I 500 / Gs I 165.
17 Stu I 292 / K 1 358, Stu I 322 / K I 396. It is interesting to note that the practice of
praying while lying with arms spread in a cross is ascribed to the teachings of Guðmundr
Arason in Arons saga (Stu II 268).
18
Ns 343-4. While death by fire may have been a sufficient purgatory for the rest of
the family, Skarpheðinn undoubtedly bore the greatest burden of sin. In view of his
troll-like appearance (to say nothing of the verses heard emerging from the smoking ru-
ins of the farm) an unambiguous sign of religion on his part was probably considered
necessary.
19 Stu II 74 / K II 91.
20
Stu I 399 / K I 489. The prophecy that they will meet in the spring indicates their
coming deaths, and implies that Þórðr will reach heaven.
21 Bp I 494, Gs 156.
22
It is worth citing both versions edited by C.R. Unger (Thomas saga erkibyskups,
Christiania, 1869).
Thomas saga II, p. 441: ‘Hann hneigir sik fyrir alltarinu aa b?ði kne med þessum sid-
aztum ordum . . . ‘Almattigum gudi ok hans s^luztu modur sancte Marie ok þessarrar
kirkiu patronis heilogum Dionisio ok ollum helgum fel ek mik aa hendi ok kirkiunnar
sauk.’ . . . Uilhialmr af Traz hauggr til erchibyskups ok stefnir i . . . haufudit . . . kemr
hauggit . . . siþan i haufudit erchibyskupsins . . . Enn uid þenna fyrsta auerka hefir þat
meinlausa fornarlamb lifanda guds hinn heilagi Thomas sinar hendr ok augu til himins