Gripla - 01.01.1993, Page 191

SAINTS AND SINNERS
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sár, sem sagt var um kveldit, at inn heilagi Tómas erkibiskup hafði
særðr verit í kirkiunni í Cantia, ok Þorgilsi þótti um kveldit fagrligast
vera mundu at taka slíkan dauða.’23 The death of Hrafn Sveinbjarnar-
son also appears to be modelled on that of the archbishop; both re-
ceive a fatal blow in a position of devotion (Thomas on his knees,
Hrafn on knees and elbows as prescribed by the penitential of St. Þor-
lákr),24 and their bodies lie as if in prayer. So does the corpse of Eyj-
ólfr Kársson according to Arons saga.25 Höskuldr Hvítanesgoði and
Kolbeinn grön Dufgusson, like Thomas, fall to their knees after receiv-
ing a wound in the head,26 and Sveinn Jónsson stretches his neck under
his slayer’s ax.27 The delimbing which precedes this is reminiscent of
the martyrdom of Bishop Jón the Irish as reported in Hungrvaka.28
The descriptions of Hrafn’s and Kolbeinn’s deaths may also reflect
knowledge of a saga of St. Magnús of Orkney (which may itself be re-
lated to Thomas’s).29 Both Hrafn and Magnús make offers of exile and
bidandi sua annars hauggs med hneigdu haufdi. Ok þui n?st hauggr enn annar riddari
ofan i haufudit, ok uid þat sar feilr erchibyskup fram æ golfit med riettum likama, sua
fagrliga sem til bynar offrandi sik lifandi forn, sem þeim er syfdiz at leysa mannkynit.’
Thomas saga I, p. 260 ff: ‘þa snyzt hann at allterino . . . ok neiger sitt heilaga hofuð
mote allterino, þessor orð siðarst mælande . . . æinn af riddarunum hœggr . . . til hans
meðr ollu afle. En hann hinn signaðe retter framm hofuðet . . . kæmr hogget i hofuð
erkibyskupenum . . . Hinn signaðe Thomas gæfande sek guðe fell a kne, sem hann feck
hit fyrsta hogget, augunum meðr samtengðum hondum framme fyri ser til himinsens
uppléttum, a þann hátt sem goþer menn biðiaz fyrir til guðs, offrande sua guðe sialfan
sek lifande forn i mustere fyri heilagho alltare. Ok sua sem hann stendr sua meðr neigðo
hofðe biðande annars hoggs, leypr framm annarr riddare ok hœggr enn i hofuð honum.
Enn er hann fær þetta sár, fellr hann fram a, rekkiande sek út meðr rettum likame til
iarðarennar, framfallenn sua sem til bœnar.’
23 Stu II 221 / K II 298.
24 Sveinbjörn Rafnsson, ‘Skriftaboð Þorláks biskups,’ Gripla V, ed. Jónas Kristj-
ánsson (Stofnun Árna Magnússonar á íslandi: Rit 23), Reykjavík, 1982, pp. 105-6.
25 ‘þá lagðist Rafn niðr á kné ok olboga, ok lagði hálsinn á eitt rekatré, ok Bárðr hjó
af honum höfut þar við trénu. Rafn hrærði hvorki hönd né fót er hann sæfðist, heldr lá
hann á knjánum ok olbogunum, sem hann var vanr at liggja til bænar.’ Bp I 674 / Hs 56 /
Stu I 226 / K I 315. Arons saga: Stu II 251 (see note 29).
26 Ns 280-1, Stu I 499 / K II 213.
27 Stu I 253 / K I 288.
28 Bp I 64 / Bs I 80.
29 Closely related descriptions of the death of St. Magnús of Orkney are found in
Orkneyinga saga and the longer and shorter sagas of St. Magnús (which are also printed
in the edition of Orkneyinga saga). The question of the relationship between these sagas