The Saga of King Olaf Tryggwason - Who Reigned Over Norway, A. D. 995 to A. D. 1000 #224635

In the Prolegomena to the Oxford Edition of the Sturlunga, the present Saga is called the Great 0. T. Saga, to distinguish it from the Heimskringla life of the King. It is to a large extent a compilation of other Sagas. King Olaf, the Apostle of Christianity to Iceland, held an important place in the Icelandic literature of the first part of the thirteenth century, and one of his admirers thought it desirable to collect into one complete story, and weld together, the notices respect ing him. First and foremost of the author's sources is the Heimskringla life, by Snorri, which gives what may be called an historical picture of the hero. Next to this is a life written by Odd Monk at the close of the twelfth century. This work, written originally in Latin, is lost, but two free translations of it exist, and these give what may be called a legendary picture of the King. Both these lives fully described King Olaf's great work of bringing heathen Norway within the Christian fold.