Bevers Saga

Bevers Saga Synopsis

Bevers Saga is a riddarasaga (medieval prose romance) translated from the late-twelfth century Anglo-Norman epic poem Boeve de Haumtone. The earliest manuscript witness of Bevers saga is a fragment from the middle of the fourteenth century; the two main medieval manuscripts are dated to c. 1400 and c.

1470. Only manuscripts copied in Iceland have survived, but there is as yet not conclusive evidence as to whether the translation was made in Iceland or Norway, nor is there any strong evidence that could help in narrowing down a date.

A separate and significantly different version of the saga was contained in a medieval manuscript that perished in a fire in Stockholm. A paper manuscript of this text fortunately survived and is transcribed in this edition. The edition includes the surviving version of the Anglo-Norman poem, with all the primary Icelandic text presented synoptically on facing pages.

The introduction contains a full account of the later, secondary Icelandic manuscripts, and there is a separate commentary concerning the major deviations between the Anglo-Norman and the Icelandic renderings.