Gripla - 01.01.1995, Page 161

STEFANUS SAGA IN REYKJAHÓLABÓK
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pilation that included Páls saga, or Björn himself may have produced
the variant, either consciously or subconsciously, because he either had
already copied Páls saga or was going to include it in the same compi-
lation that contained Jacobs saga ins yngra.
In addition to the preceding evidence that the compiler of Stefanus
saga both deleted and inserted material found in related, presumably
Icelandic hagiographic texts, there are discrepancies and „interpola-
tions“ vis-á-vis the Sth. 2 redaction that suggest the compiler also in-
terpolated matter deriving from a Low German source. Whether the
compiler excerpted from an existing Icelandic translation of a Low
German legend of St. Stephen or whether excerpted matter from a
Low German text was translated specifically for incorporation into
Stefanus saga cannot be determined.
A major discrepancy occurs in the depiction of St. Stephen when he
stands up to respond to the testimony of the false witnesses. In Sth. 3
we read that „asiona heilags Stefani vard so skær og klar sem ein sol“
(220:11), but Sth. 15 (80v7) and Sth. 2 (293:19) agree, as does Petrs saga
(Post. s. 35:1), in likening his face to that of an angel. This is in accord
with the ultimate source of the Passio, namely the Acts of the Apos-
tles, 6:15, „tamquam faciem angeli," which is transmitted in Sth. 2:
„syndiz andlit hnns fagrt sem eingils asiona“ (44vb40-41; Hms
293:18-19). (In AM 661 [7rl2—13] the modifier fagr is lacking, as is the
case in Petrs saga.) The variant reading in Sth. 3 occurs in the context
of the following passage, which is unique to Sth. 3:
þa stod vpp biskvp þeirra og mællte til Stefanvm. heyrer þv nv.
hveriar saker at þeir bera þig. Gef þv nv svar fyrer þig ef þv
matt. so at oss mege þat synazt avllvm at þv hafer rett at seigia.
Þaa synnde drottenn sinvm vin mikla dyrd. þviat asiona heilags
Stefani vard so skær og klar sem ein sol. So at aller þeir er j
mvsterinv vorv vndrvdvnzt hvat þat mvnde þyda fyrer þvi at þeir
skilldv þat ecki at heilagr ande var med honvm og styrcktte hans
hiarta med fvllkomine vithzkv sanleiksins so at hann lioslega vt
leidade fyrer þeim heilaga rithning med merckilegv andsvare er
hann aa gvdz vegna veitte þar. og veik fyrst j vpp hafe sina thavlv
med lofsamlegvm ordvm thil almatthogs gvdz. (220:7-18)
By comparison, the corresponding text in Sth. 2 is abrupt. It lacks the
staging, the explanation for Stephen’s appearance, and the reaction of