Saga network
Egils saga Skallagrímssonar
Egil's Saga, trans. W. C. Green (1893). 92 chapters, 220 characters resolved, 165 distinct social edges (217 typed edge records across seven relation types — see Methods for why those two counts differ).
Network
Drag nodes, scroll to zoom, click a character for its profile, click an edge to read the sentences that support it.
95 characters · 165 edges (217 typed edge records)
Network summary
0.037Density
0.148Avg. clustering
3.365Avg. path length
8Diameter
11Communities (Louvain)modularity 0.524
-0.127Degree assortativity
90.0%Structural balance9/10 triangles balanced
25Articulation pointsbridge characters
Metrics are computed on the semantic layer only (kinship, marriage, friendship, conversation, conflict, killing, support) — the much denser sentence co-occurrence layer (217 nodes, 1165 edges) is a baseline, not a claim about social structure. See Methods for what each number does and does not mean.
Read a chapter
Chapter 18: Thorolf's ship is taken
There were two brothers named Sigtrygg Swiftfarer and Hallvard Hardfarer, kinsmen of king Harold on the mother's side; from their father, a wealthy man, they had inherited an estate in Hising. Four brothers there were in all; but Thord and Thorgeir, the two younger, were at home, and managed the estate. Sigtrygg and Hallvard carried all the king's messages, both within and without the land, and had gone on many dangerous journeys, both for putting men out of the way and confiscating the goods of those whose homes the king ordered to be attacked. They kept about them a large following; they were not generally in favour, but the king prized them highly. None could match them at travelling, either on foot or on snow-shoes; in voyaging also they were speedier than others, valiant men they were, and very wary. These two men were with the king when those things happened that have just been told. In the autumn the king went to a banquet in Hordaland. And one day he summoned to him the brothers Hallvard and Sigtrygg, and when they came he bade them go with their following and spy after the ship which Thorgils had taken westward to England in the summer. 'Bring me,' said he, 'the ship and all that is in it, except the men; let them go their way in peace, if they do not try to defend the ship.' The brothers made them ready for this, and, taking each one his long-ship, went to seek Thorgils, and learnt that he was come from the west, and had sailed northwards along the coast. Northwards after him went they, and found him in Fir Sound. They knew the ship at once, and laid one of their ships on the seaward side of her, while some of them landed, and thence went out on to the ship by the gangways. Thorgils' crew, apprehending no danger, made no defence; they found out nothing till many armed men were aboard, and so they were all seized, and afterwards put on shore weaponless, with nothing but the clothes they wore. But Hallvard's men drew out the gangways, loosed the cables, and towed out the ship; then turned them about, and sailed southwards along the coast till they met the king, to whom they brought the ship and all that was in it. And when the cargo was unloaded, the king saw that it was great wealth, and what Harek had said was no lie. But Thorgils and his comrades got conveyance, and went to Kveldulf and his son, and told of the misadventure of their voyage, yet were they well received. Kveldulf said all was tending to what he had foreboded, that Thorolf would not in the end have good luck in his friendship with king Harold. 'And I care little,' said he, 'for Thorolf's money loss in this, if worse does not come after; but I misdoubt, as before, that Thorolf will not rightly rate his own means against the stronger power with which he has to deal.' And he bade Thorgils say this to Thorolf: 'My counsel is that you go away out of the land, for maybe you will do better for yourself if you serve under the king of England, or of Denmark, or of Sweden.' Then he gave Thorgils a rowing-cutter with tackling complete, a tent also, and provisions, and all things needful for their journey. So they departed, and stayed not their journey till they came to Thorolf and told him all that had happened. Thorolf took his loss cheerfully, and said that he should not be short of money; ''tis good,' said he, 'to be in partnership with a king.' He then bought meal and all that he needed for the maintenance of his people; his house-carles must for awhile, he said, be less bravely attired than he had purposed. Some lands he sold, some he mortgaged, but he kept up all expenses as before; he had no fewer men with him than last winter, nay, rather more. And as to feasts and friends entertained at his house, he had more means for all this than before. He stayed at home all that winter.
Table of contents
1. Of Kveldulf and his sons2. Of Aulvir Hnuf3. The beginning of the rule of Harold Fairhair4. Battle of king Harold and Audbjorn5. The king's message to Kveldulf6. Thorolf resolves to serve the king7. Of Bjorgolf, Brynjolf, Bard, and Hildirida8. Of Bard and Thorolf9. Battle in Hafr's Firth10. Thorolf in Finmark11. The king feasts with Thorolf12. Hildirida's sons talk with Harold13. Thorgils goes to the king14. Thorolf again in Finmark15. King Harold and Harek16. Thorolf and the king17. Hildirida's sons in Finmark and at Harold's court18. Thorolf's ship is taken19. Thorolf retaliates20. Skallagrim's marriage21. Hallvard and his brother go after Thorolf22. Death of Thorolf Kveldulfsson23. The slaying of Hildirida's sons24. Kveldulf's grief25. Skallagrim's journey to the king26. Of Guttorm27. Slaying of Hallvard and Sigtrygg28. Of Skallagrim's land-taking29. Of Skallagrim's industry30. Of the coming out of Yngvar, and of Skallagrim's iron-forging31. Of Skallagrim's children32. Of lord Brynjolf and Bjorn, his son33. Bjorn goes to Iceland34. Of Skallagrim and Bjorn35. Thorolf goes abroad36. Of Eric Bloodaxe and Thorolf37. The journey to Bjarmaland38. Thorolf comes out to Iceland39. Kettle Blund comes out to Iceland40. Of Egil's and Skallagrim's games41. Of Bjorn42. Thorolf asks Asgerdr to wife43. Of Aulvir and Egil44. The slaying of Bard45. Flight of Egil46. Of Thorolf's and Egil's harrying47. Of the further harrying of Thorolf and Egil48. Of the banquet at earl Arnfid's49. Slaying of Thorvald Proud50. Of Athelstan king of the English51. Of Olaf king of Scots52. Of the gathering of the host53. Of the fight54. The fall of Thorolf55. Egil buries Thorolf56. Marriage of Egil57. Suit between Egil and Onund58. Of king Eric and Egil59. King Eric slays his brothers60. The slaying of Bergonund and Rognvald the king's son61. Death of Skallagrim62. Egil's voyage to England63. Egil recites the poem64. Egil's life is given him65. Egil goes to Norway66. Egil and Thorstein go before the king67. Egil slays Ljot the Pale68. Of Egil's journeyings69. Egil comes out to Iceland70. Egil goes abroad71. Egil's sadness72. Of Arinbjorn's harrying73. Mission to Vermaland74. Journey to Vermaland75. Parting of Egil and Armod76. Egil comes to landowner Alf77. Egil gathers tribute78. Egil and his band slay twenty-five men79. Egil comes to Thorfinn's. The harrying of king Hacon80. Of the marriages of Egil's daughters81. Death of Bodvar: Egil's poem thereon82. Hacon's wars and death. Poem on Arinbjorn83. Of Einar Helgi's son and Egil84. Of Thorstein Egil's son85. Of Aunund Sjoni and Steinar his son86. Slaying of Thrand87. Of Egil and Aunund Sjoni88. Of Thorgeir89. Thorstein goes to a feast90. Death of Egil Skallagrim's son91. Grim takes the Christian faith92. Of Thorstein's descendants