Saga network

Laxdæla saga

Laxdæla Saga, trans. Muriel A. C. Press (1899). 78 chapters, 198 characters resolved, 227 distinct social edges (341 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.

121 characters · 227 edges (341 typed edge records)

Network summary

0.031Density
0.211Avg. clustering
3.252Avg. path length
7Diameter
9Communities (Louvain)modularity 0.495
-0.159Degree assortativity
93.8%Structural balance15/16 triangles balanced
26Articulation pointsbridge characters

Metrics are computed on the semantic layer only (kinship, marriage, friendship, conversation, conflict, killing, support) — the much denser sentence co-occurrence layer (197 nodes, 1247 edges) is a baseline, not a claim about social structure. See Methods for what each number does and does not mean.

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Chapter 67: The Death of Thorgils Hallason, A.D. 1020

Thorarin was the name of a man who lived at Longdale: he was a chieftain, but not a mighty one. His son was named Audgisl, and was a nimble sort of a man. Thorgils Hallason took the chieftainship from them both, father and son. Audgisl went to see Snorri Godi, and told him of this unfairness, and asked him to help. Snorri answered only by fair words, and belittled the whole affair; but answered, "Now that Halla's-grig is getting too forward and swaggering. Will Thorgils then happen on no man that will not give in to him in everything? No doubt he is a big man and doughty, but men as good as he is have also been sent to Hel." And when Audgisl went away Snorri gave him an inlaid axe. The next spring Thorgils Hallason and Thorstein the Black went south to Burgfirth, and offered atonement to the sons of Helgi and his other kinsmen, and they came to terms of peace on the matter, and fair honour was done (to Helgi's side). Thorstein paid two parts of the atonement for the manslaughter, and the third part Thorgils was to pay, payment being due at the Thing. In the summer Thorgils rode to the Thing, but when he and his men came to the lava field by Thingvellir, they saw a woman coming to meet them, and a mighty big one she was. Thorgils rode up to her, but she turned aside, and said this-- "Take care If you go forward, And be wary Of Snorri's wiles, No one can escape, For so wise is Snorri." And after that she went her way. Then Thorgils said, "It has seldom happened so before, when luck was with me, that you were leaving the Thing when I was riding to it." He now rode to the Thing and to his own booth. And through the early part the Thing was quiet. It happened one day during the Thing that folk's clothes were hung out to dry. Thorgils had a blue hooded cloak, which was spread out on the booth wall, and men heard the cloak say thus-- "Hanging wet on the wall, A hooded cloak knows a braid (trick); I do not say he does not know two, He has been lately washed." This was thought a most marvellous thing. The next day Thorgils went west over the river to pay the money to the sons of Helgi. He sat down on the lava above the booths, and with him was his foster-brother Halldor and sundry more of them were there together. The sons of Helgi came to the meeting. Thorgils now began to count out the money. Audgisl Thorarinson came near, and when Thorgils had counted ten Audgisl struck at him, and all thought they heard the head say eleven as it flew off the neck. Audgisl ran to the booth of the Waterfirthers and Halldor rushed after him and struck him his death-blow in the door of the booth. These tidings came to the booth of Snorri Godi how Thorgils was slain. Snorri said, "You must be mistaken; it must be that Thorgils Hallason has slain some one." The man replied, "Why, the head flew off his trunk." "Then perhaps it is time," said Snorri. This manslaughter was peacefully atoned, as is told in the Saga of Thorgils Hallason.

Table of contents

1. Of Ketill Flatnose and his Descendants, 9th Century A.D.2. Ketill and his Sons prepare to leave Norway3. Ketill's Sons go to Iceland4. Ketill goes to Scotland, A.D. 8905. Unn goes to Iceland, A.D. 8956. Unn Divides her Land7. Of the Wedding of Olaf "Feilan," A.D. 9208. The Birth of Hrut and Thorgerd's Second Widowhood, A.D. 9239. Hoskuld's Marriage, A.D. 93510. Of Viga Hrapp11. About Thord Goddi and Thorbjorn Skrjup12. Hoskuld Buys a Slave Woman13. Hoskuld Returns to Iceland, A.D. 94814. The Murder of Hall, Ingjald's Brother15. Thorolf's Escape with Asgaut the Thrall16. Thord becomes Olaf's Foster Father, A.D. 95017. About Viga Hrapp's Ghost, A.D. 95018. Of the Drowning of Thorstein Swart19. Hrut Comes to Iceland20. Melkorka's Marriage and Olaf the Peacock's Journey, A.D. 95521. Olaf the Peacock goes to Ireland, A.D. 95522. Olaf the Peacock comes Home to Iceland, A.D. 95723. The Marriage of Olaf Peacock and Thorgerd, the Daughter of Egil, A.D.24. The Building of Herdholt, A. D. 96025. About Hoskuld's Sons26. The Death of Hoskuld, A.D. 98527. The Funeral Feast for Hoskuld28. The Birth of Kjartan, Olaf's Son, A.D. 97829. Olaf's Second Journey to Norway, A.D. 97530. About Giermund and Thured, A.D. 97831. Thured's Second Marriage, A.D. 98032. Of Osvif Helgeson33. Of Gest Oddleifson and Gudrun's Dreams34. Gudrun's First Marriage, A.D. 98935. Gudrun's Second Marriage, A.D. 99136. About Kotkell and Grima37. About Hrut and Eldgrim, A.D. 99538. The Death of Stigandi. Thorliek leaves Iceland39. Of Kjartan's Friendship for Bolli40. Kjartan and Bolli Voyage to Norway, A.D. 99641. Bolli returns to Iceland, A.D. 99942. Bolli makes love to Gudrun, A.D. 100043. Kjartan comes back to Iceland, A.D. 100144. Kjartan comes home, A.D. 100145. Kjartan marries Hrefna, A.D. 100246. Feast at Herdholt and the Loss of Kjartan's Sword, A.D. 100247. Kjartan goes to Laugar, and of the Bargain for Tongue, A.D. 100348. The Men of Laugar and Gudrun plan an Ambush for Kjartan, A.D. 100349. The Death of Kjartan50. The End of Hrefna. The Peace Settled, A.D. 100351. Osvif's Sons are Banished52. The Killing of Thorkell of Goat's Peak53. Thorgerd's Egging, A.D. 100754. Halldor prepares to avenge Kjartan55. The Death of Bolli56. Bolli Bollison is born, A.D. 100857. About Thorgils Hallason, A.D. 101858. Thorkell and Grim, and their Voyage Abroad59. Gudrun demands Revenge for Bolli, A.D. 101960. The Egging of Gudrun61. Of Thorstein the Black and Lambi62. Thorgils and his Followers leave Home63. The Description of his Enemies brought to Helgi64. The Death of Helgi, A.D. 101965. Of Gudrun's Deceit66. Osvif and Gest die67. The Death of Thorgils Hallason, A.D. 102068. Gudrun's Marriage with Thorkell Eyjolfson69. The Quarrel about Gunnar at the Feast70. Thorleik goes to Norway71. The Peace between the Sons of Bolli and the Sons of Olaf, A.D. 102672. Bolli and Thorleik go abroad, A. D. 102973. Bolli's Voyage74. Thorkell Eyjolfson goes to Norway75. Thorkell and Thorstein and Halldor Olafson, A.D. 102676. The Drowning of Thorkell, A.D. 102677. The Return of Bolli, A.D. 103078. The Death of Snorri, and the End, A.D. 1031