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 85: Of Aunund Sjoni and Steinar his son
Aunund Sjoni dwelt at Anabrekka, while Egil dwelt at Borg. Aunund married Thorgerdr daughter of Thorbjorn the Stout, of Snæfell-strand: the children of Aunund and his wife were a son Steinar, and a daughter Dalla. And when Aunund grew old and his sight was dim, then he gave up the housekeeping to Steinar his son. Father and son had much wealth. Steinar was above other men tall and strong, ill-favoured, with a stoop, long in the legs, short in the body. He was a very quarrelsome man, vehement, overbearing, and obstinate, a most headstrong fellow. And when Thorstein Egil's son came to dwell at Borg, there was at once a coolness between him and Steinar. South of Hafs-brook lies a moor called Stack-moor. In winter this is under water, but in spring, when the ice breaks up, such good grazing for cattle is there, that it was deemed equal to stacked hay. Hafs-brook by old custom marked the boundary; but in spring Steinar's cattle encroached much on Stack-moor, when driven out to Hafs-brook, and Thorstein's house-carles complained of it. Steinar took no notice of this; and so matters went on for the first summer without anything happening. But in the second spring Steinar continued to take the pasturage; wherefore Thorstein spoke with him about it, but quietly, asking him to control the grazing of his kine, as had been the old usage. Steinar said the cattle should go where they would. He spoke on the whole matter with obstinacy, and he and Thorstein had words about it. Thorstein then had the cattle turned back to the moor beyond Hafs-brook. This when Steinar knew, he charged Grani his thrall to sit by the cattle on Stack-moor, and he sat there every day. This was in the latter part of the summer: all the pasture south of Hafs-brook had been grazed by then. Now it happened one day that Thorstein had mounted a knoll to look round. He saw where Steinar's cattle were moving. Out he went on to the moor: it was late in the day. He saw that the cattle had now come far out on the fenny hollow. Thorstein ran out on the moor. And when Grani saw that, he drove the cattle away apace till they came to the milking-shed. Thorstein followed, and he and Grani met in the gate. Thorstein slew him there: and it has been called since Grani's gate: it is in the wall of the enclosure. Thorstein pulled down the wall over Grani, and so covered his body. Then he went home to Borg, but the women who came to the milking-shed found Grani where he lay. After that they carried him home to the house, and told Steinar these tidings. Steinar buried him up on the hillside, and soon got another thrall to go with the cattle, whose name is not told. Thorstein made as though he knew nothing about the pasture for the remainder of the summer. It now happened that Steinar in the early part of the winter went out to Snæfell-strand and stayed there awhile. There he saw a thrall named Thrand, who was tall and strong above other men. Steinar, wishing to buy him, bid a large sum: but his owner valued him at three marks of silver, which was twice the price of a common thrall, and at this sum the bargain was made. Steinar took Thrand home with him, and when they came home, then spoke Steinar with Thrand: 'Now stand matters so that I will have work of you. But as all the work is already arranged, I will put on you a task of but little trouble: you shall sit by my cattle. I make a great point of their being well kept at pasture. I would have you go by no man's rule but your own, take them wherever the pasture on the moor is best. I am no judge of a man's look if you have not courage and strength enough to hold your own against any house-carle of Thorstein's.' Steinar delivered into Thrand's hand a large axe. whose blade was an ell long, it was keen as a razor. 'This I think of you, Thrand,' said Steinar, 'that you would not regard the priesthood of Thorstein if ye two were face to face.' Thrand answered: 'No duty do I, as I deem, owe to Thorstein; and methinks I understand what work you have laid before me. You think you risk little where I am; and I believe I shall come well out of it if I and Thorstein try our strength together.' After this Thrand took charge of the cattle. He understood, ere he had been long there, whither Steinar had had his cattle taken, and he sat by them on Stack-moor. When Thorstein was aware of this, he sent a house-carle to seek Thrand, bidding him tell Thrand the boundary between his land and Steinar's. When the house-carle came to Thrand, he told him his errand, and bade him take the cattle otherwither, saying that the land on which they were belonged to Thorstein Egil's son. Thrand said, 'I care not a jot who owns the land; I shall take the cattle where I think the pasture is best.' Then they parted: the house-carle went home and told him the thrall's answer. Thorstein let the matter rest, and Thrand took to sitting by the cattle night and day.
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