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44 Saga-Book of the Viking Society
century is, however, questionable (see Foote 1974a, 78). Arn6rr's
phrase engla fylki otherwise only appears in later Christian didactic
works such as the Norwegian Homily Book and the biblical
paraphrase Stjorn, where it may be a calque on the Latin chorus
angelorum (so Paasche 1914b, 43).
Apart from a new conception of the after-life, there is little
evidence here of a radical shift in ethical values or in sensibilities
as a result of Christian influence. Whether out of artistic tact or
whether because the impact of Christianity was shallow, Arn6rr
shows little or no inclination to confront the New Testament values
of charity, humility and peace, still less to attempt to square these
with the old warrior ideal of dauntless and ruthless courage for
which he so energetically praises his heroes. There are verses on
the pity of war, when he mourns the clash between the Orcadian
jarls I>orfinnr and Rognvaldr with words such as: oskepnan varo
uppi "a monstrous thing came to pass" (Pdr 20) and: or prifusk
mein at meiri "my pain grew the more" (Pdr 21, "my" for or
indicated by the context), but his intense grief springs from the
tragedy that kinsmen and friends are in conflict and that his own
loyalties are torn.
Only once does Arn6rr come close to questioning the values so
long praised in skaldic, as in other early Germanic, poetry. This
is when he states that Haraldr Siguroarson's death at Stamford
Bridge was caused by his ofrausn, lit. "overmagnificence" (Hdr
13). As with the celebrated ofermod "high courage/overweening
pride" which makes Byrhtnop give up his strategic advantage over
a Viking army in the Old English Battle of Maldon (ASPR VI 9,
1. 89), the moral overtones of the word are extremely elusive, but
the evidence of usage elsewhere would suggest that Arn6rr means
the word to indicate a tragic, if heroic, flaw. Sigvatr 1>6roarson, for
instance, uses the word pejoratively when reproaching Magnus
Olafsson in Bersoglisvisur for violently destroying his subjects'
homes (Sigv 11, 11):
ofrausn es pat jofri it is an excessive show of force in the
innan lands at vinna. king to fight in his own realm.
The reference of Arn6rr's ofrausn could be specifically to Haraldr's
presumption in marching from the ships without armour, his
decision to tackle the superior English host which surprised him,
or his reckless zeal once the fighting was under way; or else
more generally to Haraldrs overweening ambition in invading
England - compare I>j606lfr Arn6rsson's comment that it was