Gythinga saga: a translation and source study
Description
This dissertation provides the first English translation of Gy(PAR-DIFF)inga saga, a 13th century Icelandic rendering of Jewish history from the death of Alexander the Great to the death of Pontius Pilate. Also, this dissertation provides the first extensive display of Gy(PAR-DIFF)inga saga's relation to its sources. The translation is based upon Gu(PAR-DIFF)mundr orlaksson's edition of the work for Samfund det udgivelse af gammelnordisk litteratur, which is the only edition to date. The works whose possible use as sources of Gy(PAR-DIFF)inga saga I have investigated are those suggested by Gu(PAR-DIFF)mundr orlaksson in the Introduction to his edition: I and II Maccabees of the Vulgate, Peter Comestor's Historia Scholastica and the Jewish Antiquities and Jewish War of Flavius Josephus This study confirms the opinion of scholars such as Gustav Storm and Jon Helgason that the principal sources are I and II Maccabees and the Historia Scholastica, Liber I and II Maccabeorum, and In Evangelia. However, a few passages suggest use of information taken directly from the Jewish Antiquities. The investigation revealed no strong evidence that the Jewish War is a source The translation and notes are keyed to Gu(PAR-DIFF)mundr orlaksson's edition