Gripla - 2022, Blaðsíða 93

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of this central social ideal takes the express form of the trivial use of the
word hóf at this point in the saga. After the paternally coerced wedding,
Steingerðr sends Narfi to Kormákr to inform him. When Kormákr learns
that Steingerðr has been married, perhaps unwillingly, he attacks Narfi
physically. Þorgils finds this reaction excessive, but Kormákr, “moderate,
reasonable” under the circumstances: “Þorgils, bróðir Kormáks kvað þetta
ofgǫrt. Kormákr kvað nær hófi.”45 For Kormákr, the press of circumstances
can always be invoked to justify impulsive behavior and refer it to the
norm. Then, in pursuit of Bersi and his party after the marriage, Kormákr
discusses with his brother what might be thought a suitable rental charge
for a dilapidated boat that he hopes to rent from Þórveig. Þorgils finds a
fee of two ounces of silver to be reasonable, less than the asked-for three
(“Þorgils kvað hóf á, ef væri fyrir tvá aura”) but Kormákr refuses to haggle.46
When Kormákr is finally able to confront Bersi, he demands the return of
Steingerðr and compensation for the dishonor. Bersi is firm in denying any
possibility of the bride being released but conciliatory (and thus acting with-
in parameters of moderation) in offering Kormákr his sister Helga as wife.
Kormákr, once precipitous, can only hesitate (“Kormákr varð staðr at”).47
In an incident of unprovoked malice that will find a parallel later,
an evil-tongued woman named Þórdís defames Helga as not worthy of
Kormákr, and this tips the poet toward rejecting the marriage offer.
Instead he will challenge Bersi to a formal duel, hólmganga. As will be seen,
this procedure is set about with formalities and details. Bersi instead offers
that they meet in einvígi, ‘single combat’. His concern seems to be that an
inexperienced litigant and fighter is likely to make a procedural mistake
and thus lose on a technicality. Typically, Kormákr rejects the advice, say-
ing that he wishes to maintain equal status with Bersi in every way (“í ǫllu
til jafns halda við þik”).48 Poetry and judicial dueling both involve symbolic
systems. Kormákr can speak with authority from the former, since he
commands all its resources. As for the latter, he seems to improvise, ironi-
cally the very compositional and performance mode for poetry to which
the fiction of the saga would have us lend credence. Judicial dueling was
45 Kormáks saga, ch. 7, 227.
46 Kormáks saga, ch. 7, 230.
47 Kormáks saga, ch. 8, 232.
48 Kormáks saga, ch. 10, 237.
RINGING CHANGES