Niðrstigningar Saga: Sources, Transmission, and Theology of the Old Norse "Descent into Hell"

226 Pages·2017·1.8 MB·English

by  Dario Bullitta

Niðrstigningar saga
SOURCES, TRANSMISSION, AND THEOLOGY
OF THE OLD NORSE “DESCENT INTO HELL”
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Niðrstigningar saga
SOURCES, TRANSMISSION,
AND THEOLOGY OF THE OLD
NORSE “DESCENT INTO HELL”
Dario Bullitta
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS
Toronto Buffalo London
© University of Toronto Press 2017
Toronto Buffalo London
www.utorontopress.com
Printed in the U.S.A.
ISBN 978-1-4426-9799-7
Printed on acid-free, 100% post-consumer recycled paper with vegetable-based inks.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Bullitta, Dario, 1984–, author
Niðrstigningar saga : sources, transmission, and theology of the Old Norse
“descent into hell” / Dario Bullitta.
(Toronto Old Norse and Icelandic series ; 11)
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN 978-1-4426-9799-7 (cloth)
1.Gospel of Nicodemus (Icelandic version) – Criticism, Textual. 2. Sagas –
Criticism, Textual. I. Title. II. Series: Toronto Old Norse and Icelandic studies ; 11
BS2860.N6B85 2017 229'.8 C2017-903590-8
The author gratefully acknowledges the Fondazione Banco di Sardegna for a generous
subsidy that covered the production costs of this book.
University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial assistance to its publishing
program of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council, an agency
of the Government of Ontario.
Funded by the Financé par le
Government gouvernement
of Canada du Canada
cum autem mortale hoc induerit inmortalitatem Is. 25:8
tunc fiet sermo qui scriptus est Os. 13:14
absorta est mors in victoria
1 Corinthians 15:541
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Contents
Illustrations and Tables ix
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction xiii
Abbreviations xvii
1 The Latin Evangelium Nicodemi in Medieval Europe 3
Latin A 6
Latin B 12
Latin C 13
Latin T 14
Iceland 17
2 The Manuscript Tradition of Niðrstigningar saga 21
AM 645 4to 21
AM 623 4to 25
AM 233 a fol. 28
AM 238 V fol. 31
JS 405 8vo 31
3 The Manuscript Filiation of Niðrstigningar saga 38
Agreement of the Two Redactions 38
Disagreement of Readings between the Two Redactions 41
Significant Errors within the Older Redaction 43
Stemmata Codicum 49
4 The Latin Source Text Underlying Niðrstigningar saga 54
The Prologue 55
The Shattering of the Gates of Hell 58
A Host of Angels Attending Christ 59
viii Contents
Destruction of the Bondage of Sin 60
Amazement among the Inhabitants of Hell 61
The Physical Binding of Satan 62
Minor Variants of T Reflected in A against K 62
Minor Variants of T Reflected in A against K and R 66
Agreement between K and E against T and A 67
Agreement between T, R, and A against K 68
5 The Textual Interpolations of Niðrstigningar saga 70
The Gates of Paradise 70
Seven-Headed Satan 73
Christ as Warrior-King 74
The Capture of Satan on the Cross 76
6 The Theological Context of Niðrstigningar saga 86
The Latin Fragments of French Provenance 86
The Jarteinabœkr Þorláks byskups 88
The Skálholt Scriptorium ca. 1200–1210 92
7 Conclusion 96
Notes 97
Texts and Translations 129
Texts 131
Niðrstigningar saga (The Older Redaction) 133
Niðrstigningar saga (The Younger Redaction) 154
Translations 158
Niðrstigningar saga (The Older Redaction) 158
Niðrstigningar saga (The Younger Redaction) 167
Bibliography 171
Index of Scriptural Quotations 187
Index of Manuscripts 189
General Index 193