Scandinavia - Sagas. Fornmanna sögur, eptir gömlum handritum - Lot 320

Scandinavia - Sagas. Fornmanna sögur, eptir gömlum handritum ùtgefnar ad tilhlutun hins Norraena Fornfraeda Felags. Fyrsta bindi. Saga Olafs konungs Tryggvasonar. Fyrri deild. Kaupmannahofn [Copenhagen], Hardvig Fridrek Popp, 1825. In-8 of 16, 306, [1] pp. half red basane, ribbed spine, gilt title, first cover preserved (modern binding). First volume of the publication in Icelandic (1825-1837, complete in 12 volumes) of the Norwegian and Danish royal sagas, composed between the 12th and 14th centuries, by the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries, whose mission was to study and publish Scandinavian medieval literature, particularly appealing to the resources and patriotism of their Icelandic members by extolling their collective memory of these carefully preserved ancient histories. The Society's more specific project is explained in the preamble to this first volume: "The primary aim of the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries is to publish all Old Norse texts in series. Firstly, the stories of the Norwegian kings, but without the Heimskringla de Norri [the Saga of the Norwegian Kings (literally the Orb of the World in Old Norse, after the first word of the work), a collection of sagas written and compiled in Iceland around 1225 by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson], then the stories and adventure tales of Denmark and Sweden, and finally the great sagas specific to Iceland". This first volume is devoted to the story of King Olaf Tryggvason (c.963-964 - 1000), great-grandson of Harald the Fair-haired (first king of Norway), a feared Viking who became king of Norway in 995 and played an important role in the conversion of the Vikings to Christianity. Spine rubbed. Rare. Also includes: STURLUSON (Snorri). Norges Konge-Kronike af Snorro Sturleson fordansket ved Nik. Fred Sev. Grundtvig, Proest. Unden Deel. [Copenhagen, Trykt i det Schultziske Officin, 1819. 1 volume (of 2) of (1), 378 pp. Demi-basane, ornate smooth spine, gilt title page, gilt tomaison. Second volume of the Chronicle of the Kings of Norway (from mythical origins to the 13th century) by Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241), Icelandic diplomat, historian and poet, the leading Scandinavian writer of the Middle Ages. The author of numerous sagas and mythological tales, his work is an essential source for our knowledge of Norse mythology. The latest French translation of Snorri Sturluson's Histoire des Rois de Norvège (proving wrong Hippolyte-Lazare Carnot's harsh criticism) dates from 2000, by François-Xavier Dillmann. Rare.