Þa com Konongr Dyrþar at
forma hominis, Dominus
Glorie superuenit in forma
helvitis virki. Hann braut
Maiestatis, aeternas tenebras
hominis et eternas tenebras
þegar borg helvitis oc gørþi a
inlustrauit, et insoluta
splendore uultus sui
hliþ miket. Hann hevir vitraz
uincula disrupit. Inuictae
illustrauit et omnes porte
i manz asiono meþ liose
uirtutis auxilium uisitauit
infernales et uectes et sere in
miclo svat myrcr helvites
nos sedentes in tenebris
accessu eius confracte sunt
hafa þa horfit.18
delictorum et umbra mortis
et omnia locus illi et uiam
peccatorum.16
dederunt.17
A Host of Angels Attending Christ
The Majority Text mentions no celestial being other than the archangel
Michael, whose name occurs twice in the section derived from the Latin Vita
Adae et Evae, where Michael prophesies the coming of the Messiah,19 and once
towards the end of the text, where he accompanies the souls of the righteous to
Heaven.20
After Christ’s destruction of the gates of Hell, the hybrid redaction asserts
that the inhabitants of Hell saw him “coming with His angels” (“uenientem cum
angelis suis”), a wording reminiscent of Matthew 16:27, describing Christ’s
Second Coming.21 The Icelandic translator anticipates this detail in chapter
XXI.1 and sets it out just before the second major textual interpolation.22 When
the inhabitants of Hell hear that Christ has descended into their realm and is
about to enter, they promptly cast out Satan and hastily close the gates. The
Icelandic text relates that once out of Hell, Satan saw that “a great host of angels
had arrived to Hell” (“þa sa hann engla⟨liþ⟩ mikit vera comet til helvetis”).
60 Niðrstigningar saga
There are two more references to heavenly armies led by Christ in the
Icelandic text: the first is interwoven into the third textual interpolation at the
end of chapter XX.3, where “He led with Him a great army” (A 53r/27 “hann
leide eptir ser her mikinn”), and the second is in chapter XXIV.2, where Christ
triumphally ascends from Hell “with a great army” (A 55r/5 “meþ her mic-
lom”). In both instances, it is easily inferred that Christ’s heavenly forces are
composed of angels. Consistent with the Majority Text, the text of R also alto-
gether omits this reading.
K XXI.3 41/21
R 1rb/29
T 101r/29–30
A 53v/10–11
om.
om.
Uidentes autem
Þa sa hann engla⟨liþ⟩
omnes sancti
mikit vera comet til
Saluatorem Ihesum
helvetis.24
uenientem cum
angelis suis.23
Destruction of the Bondage of Sin
The description of Christ’s luminous arrival in Hell in the form of a humble
man constitutes one of the great turning points of the narrative. Despite the
relevance of this scene, the Majority Text condenses this event into one scanty
sentence. To compensate for this sterility, the compiler of the hybrid redaction
inserts the above-mentioned details describing Christ, attended by a host of
angels, shattering the gates of Hell. The presence of these additions in the hy-
brid text and in the Icelandic translation is represented below by the ellipsis.
They are absent in the Majority Text and in the Icelandic fragment, where the
narrative continues regularly.
K XXI.3 41/16–19
R rb/24–6
T 101r/23–101v/3
A 54r/12–17
Haec dicente
In forma hominis.
Hec dicente Dauid
Þa er David hafði
Dauid ad Inferum,
Dominus maiestatis
ad Infernum. Ecce
þetta męlt þa com
superuenit Rex
quis eternas
desideratus omnibus
Konongr Dyrþar at
Gloriae in forma
tenebras illuminauit
helvitis virki […]
hominis, Dominus
insolubilia uincula
Christus Rex Glorie
Hann hevir vitraz i
Maiestatis, aeternas
disrupit.26
superuenit in forma
manz asiono meþ
tenebras inlustrauit
hominis et eternas
liose miclo svat
et insoluta uincula
tenebras splendore
myrcr helvites hafa
disrupit.25
uultus sui28 illustrauit þa horfit. Hverr goðr
[…] Tunc introiens
maþr hevir þa losnat
Christus ad eos
or þvi bandi sem
uincula quibus erant
bundinn var.30
colligati disrupit.29
The Latin Source Text Underlying Niðrstigningar saga 61
The Majority Text, along with R (which begins deficiently in this very pas-
sage), is once again obscure in its formulation and in the presentation of the
events. It is asserted that Christ “enlightened the eternal shadows” (K XXI.3
41/18 “aeternas tenebras inlustrauit”) and “broke the indissolvable bonds”
(K XXI.3 41/18–19 “insoluta uincula disrupit”) without any further indication
of whom the bonds were fastening. This vagueness in the description of Christ’s
actions could be misleading, as the second excerpt may also imply that the
“indissolvable bonds” pertained to Hell (the object of the previous excerpt),
which had just been illuminated by Christ’s divine light. In order to clarify this
passage, the hybrid redaction adds a clause specifying that the bonds were
those that had fastened together the souls of the righteous and that these were
shattered by Christ.
The Icelandic text omits the first reading and renders the second only partially,
translating correctly the Latin ablative of means “with radiance” (T 101r/27
“splendore”), absent in the Majority Text, with “with a great light” (A 54r/15
“meþ liose miclo”), but it leaves out the reference to the face of Christ.
Amazement among the Inhabitants of Hell
The final sections of chapter XXII.1 preserve the first part of the pseudo-
Augustian Sermo CLX De Pascha II, possibly the most authoritative medieval
source, along with the Evangelium Nicodemi, to address Christ’s Harrowing
of Hell.
The hybrid redaction already anticipates the the devils’ amazement and state
of shock at the beginning of the chapter; it specifies that the legions, just before
conclusively declaring Christ’s absolute victory over them, were “terrified and
confused” by the mere sight of Christ (T 101v/7 “perterriti et confusi”). The
Icelandic text describes the infernal legions who, because of great fear, barely
dared to “bend forward and stare in that direction” (“þa hafa þeir til kagat
þangat”).
K XXII.1 42/1–5
R rb/32–4
T 101v/6–8
A 54r/19–21
Haec uidentes […]
Christum re
pente in
Et uidentes Christum Er þeir sa Christum
Christum repente in
suis sedibus uiderunt
repente in sedibus
þar ganganda Guð
suis sedibus uiderunt, et exclamauerunt
suis descendisse
þeira þa hafa þeir
et exclamauerunt
dicentes. Uicti sumus perterriti et confusi
til kagat þangat
dicentes: “Uicti
a te.32
exclamauerunt. Victi
aller oc męlto þetta.
sumus a te.”31
sumus ad te o Ihesu.33 Yfer hevir þu nu oss
stigit.34
62 Niðrstigningar saga
The Physical Binding of Satan
The traditional imagery of the Harrowing of Hell culminates with Christ’s
binding of Satan, a scene that not only appears in a vast amount of religious
narratives that deal with the same catabasic theme but is also abundantly por-
trayed in the visual arts.35
The high circulation of this popular motif can be justified by its dramatic
efficacy and duality; appealing to the actual binding of Satan highlights the
devil’s physical strength, the potential risk of dealing with him in first person,
and the danger of leaving him without constraints. At the same time, it denotes
a certain faintness and paucity of his power compared to that of Christ. The
Majority Text makes no reference to any bondage; it ends with Satan being
“grasped” (“conprehendens”) by Christ and “delivered” (“tradidit”) to Hell.
The hybrid redaction, on the other hand, makes clear that “through his power”
(“sue potentia”), Christ was able to deliver Satan “bound” (“colligatum”).
These readings are reflected in the Icelandic text, where it is said that the
“bonds” (“bondom”) binding Satan – here described as being “made of fire”
(“elldigom”)36 – derive from Christ’s “own powers” (“crapta sinna”).
K XXII.2 43/1–3
R 1vb/1–4
T 101v/26–8
A 54v/1–2
Tunc Rex Gloriae
Tunc Rex Glorie
Tunc Rex Glorie
Þa toc Dominus Rex
Dominus maiestate
Dominus maiestate
Christus Dominus
Glorie at troþa niþr
sua conculcans
sua conculcans
maiestatis sue
hofðingi⟨a⟩ dauþans
Mortem,
Mortem et
potentia conculcans
oc batt hann meþ
conprehendens Satan conprehendensque
mortem et
elldligom bondom
principem, tradidit
Sathan principem
conprehendens
⟨crapta sinna⟩.40
Inferi potestati.37
atque Inferi
Sathan principem
potestatem.38
tradidit eum
Inferi potestate
colligatum.39
Minor Variants of T Reflected in A against K
The text of Niðrstigningar saga also reflects minor but significant variants
found in the hybrid redaction. These include a change of lexicon, rephrasing of
sentences, evident omissions, and innovations of T in contrast with the Majority
Text. Moreover, in three instances,41 the ancient readings of the Majority Text
that were ultimately derived from the Vetus Latina – possibly entered into the
Evangelium Nicodemi via various ancient collections of psalters – were revised
in the hybrid redaction on the basis of their counterparts in the Vulgate.
The Latin Source Text Underlying Niðrstigningar saga 63
K XVIII.1 36/7–9
T 99r/3–4
A 51v/30–1
subito factus est aureus solis
subito facta est in aureo solis
nęsta vaveifes scein þar lios
calor purpureaque regalis lux lumine quedam regalis lux
fagrt oc biart sicut af solo iver
illustrans super nos.42
illustrans super nos.43
oss alla.44
Both the hybrid redaction and the Icelandic translation omit the Majority
Text reading of “purpurea” (“purple”) to describe the nuances of the royal
light generated by Christ in Hell and instead transmit the adjective “aureus”
(“golden”). The latter is preserved in T in the ablative case “in aureo” (“in the
golden”) and rendered with a translation doublet of semi-synonyms “fagrt oc
biart” (“fair and bright”) in the Icelandic text.
K XVIII.1 36/9–11
T 99r/4–5
A 51v/31–3
Statim omnis generis humani Statimque generis humani
Þa toc Adam faþer allz
pater Adam cum omnibus
pater Adam cum omnibus
mannkyns oc aller høfotfeðr
patriarchis et prophetis
patriarchis et prophetis
oc spamenn at fagna miog
exultauerunt dicentes.45
exultauerunt in gaudio
oc męla sva.47
dicentes.46
Throughout the translation, the Latin “exultare” (“rejoice”) is punctually
rendered with the Icelandic “fagna” (“rejoice”); for instance, T 101r/12–13
“exultabunt qui in terris sunt” (“those on earth shall rejoice”) becomes A 54r/1
“enn fagna þeir er i grofom væri” (“and those who were in [their] graves would
rejoice”). In the following example, the Latin ablative “in gaudio” (“with hap-
piness”) is rendered with the Icelandic adverb “miog” (“much/greatly”).
K XVIII.1 36/16–18
T 99r/9–10
A 52r/2–3
Populus qui sedet in tenebris
Populus qui sedebat in
Populus qui sedebat in
uidebit lucem magnam, et qui tenebris uidit lucem magnam tenebris lucem uidit magnam
sunt in regione umbrae mortis et qui sunt in regione umbre
habitantebus in regionibus
lux fulgebit super eos.48
mortis lux orta est eis.49
umbre mortis lux orta est eis.50
These words are proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah in Hell, recalling what he
himself reported in Isaiah 9:2 in order to describe the darkness in which the
inhabitants of Galilee were abiding before the coming of the Messiah. The
original reading of the Majority Text, “lux fulgebit super eos” (“a light shall
shine over those”), is a combination of an ancient reading of Isaiah 9:2 derived
from the Vetus Latina, “lux fulgebit super uos” (“a light shall shine over you”),
as for instance transmitted in the European text E, and the common reading
transmitted by the Vulgate, “lux orta est eis” (“a light has dawned on them”).
64 Niðrstigningar saga
In the hybrid recension and in the Icelandic translation, the reading appears
corrected and conforms to the reading transmitted in the Vulgate.51
K XVIII.3 37/2–3
T 99r/16–17
A 52r/10–12
Et post haec supervenit quasi Et post hec superuenit
Þa com þar at gangandi maþr
heremicola interrogatus
quidam quasi heremicola et
sa er þeir kendo eigi. Sa maþr
ab omnibus, “Quis es tu?”
interrogatus ab omnibus quis
var gørvilegr oc a þann veg
Quibus respondens dixit.52
esset respondit.53
buenn sem af eyðimorc væri
comenn. Þeir spurðo þann
mann at namni eþa hvat hann
cynni nytt at segia.54
The original direct speech of the Majority Text is transported into indirect
speech in both the hybrid redaction and the Icelandic text.
K XVIII.3 37/11–12
T 99r/22–3
A 52r/18
Hic est Filius meus dilectus
Hic est Filius meus dilectus
Hic est dilectus meus in quo
in quo bene conlpacui.55
in quo mihi bene complacui.56 mihi complaqui.57
John the Baptist states this verse in Hell and recalls the words of God during
Christ’s baptism in the river Jordan, as reported in Matthew 3:17. The Majority
Text again preserves an ancient reading transmitted by several manuscripts of
the Vetus Latina, where the personal pronoun in the dative case “mihi” (“to
me”) is omitted: “et ecce vox de caelis, dicens: Hic est Filius meus dilectus, in
quo bene complacui” (“And behold, a voice from Heaven, saying: This is my
beloved Son, in whom [I am] well pleased”).58
The hybrid redaction makes reference instead to an analogue passage in
Matthew 17:5, in which, with the same words used by God during the trans-
figuration of Christ on the mountain, the adverb “bene” (“well”) is added: “Hic
est Filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi bene conplacui” (“This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased”).
K XXIV.1 45/19–21
T 102v/11
A 55r/1–2
sicut per legem et prophetas
sicut per legem et prophetas
þu spaþer fyrer løg oc
tuos perdixisti, factis
tuos predixisti. Re⸌de⸍misti
spamenn at leysa oss oc heim
adimplesti. Redemisti
nos per crucem tuam et
allan fyrer crossdauþan ⟨þinn⟩
uiuos per crucem tuam et
per mortem crucis ad nos
oc niþrstignig til var.61
per mortem crucis ad nos
descendisti.60
descendisti.59
The Latin Source Text Underlying Niðrstigningar saga 65
The trivialization of the reading “uiuos” (“living”) into the personal pro-
noun “nos” (“us”) in the hybrid redaction and in the Icelandic text, “oss” (“us”)
may be the result of a scribal error due to a paleographical change of the graph-
eme cluster uiu with the letter n. Indeed, the pronoun “us” does not fit the
context of this passage, as this is a verse pronounced by the patriarchs and
prophets, who at this point of the narrative are kneeling at Christ’s feet and
glorifying him for his final victory over Satan and Hell. With the word “uiuos,”