01

Chapter I

  1. Saxo, however, wrote gubernaculum, i.e., steering oar (3.6.10; Gesta Danorum, C. Knabe and P. Herrmann, eds. (1931), p. 79).

  2. Besides F. Y. Powell’s introduction and appendix to Elton’s translation of Saxo Grammaticus’ The First Nine Books of the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus (1894), already cited at the opening of the chapter, see the following: P. Herrmann, Die Heldensagen des Saxo Grammaticus (1921); I. Gollancz, Hamlet in Iceland (1898); R. Zenker, Boeve-Amlethus (1905); E. N. Setala, “Kullervo-Hamlet,” FUF (1903, 1907, 1910).

  3. See, for Hrolfssaga Kraki, scil., the youth of Helgi and Hroar, and the related story of Harald and Haldan (told in Saxo’s seventh book): Zenker: Boeve-Amlethus, pp. 121-26; Herrmann, Die Heldensagen, pp. 27 ff.; Setala, “Kullervo-Hamlet,” FUF 3 (1903), pp. 74ff.

  4. (1) liar; (2) little ass; (3) dwarf; (4) little villain; (5) wall-eyed; (6) created.

  5. Gollancz, pp. xxi-xxiv.

  6. Zenker, pp. 149 f.

  7. Gollancz, p. 105.

  8. Gollancz p. xi.