Anonymous, Vincencius saga

Davide Salmoiraghi (University of Cambridge)

Ed. by Ármann Jakobsson, University of Iceland
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.4: Icelandic Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland), Nicole Kennedy (University of Newcastle), Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London)

Dates

First circulation or publication c. 1200

Places

Iceland (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Prose Fiction Narrative

Resources

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Vincencius saga

is the Old Norse-Icelandic saga about St Vincent of Saragossa, the late third-century deacon who was martyred in Valencia during the persecution of Emperor Maximian. Forced to abjure his faith by the heathen

jarl

Dacianus, Vincent, as befits a soldier of Christ (

Kristz riddari

), heroically suffers starvation and torture. As his torturers were labouring without effect to bend Vincent’s spirit and body, the young deacon says, “med hreinum hug ohræddr ok med blidligu andliti” [without fear, with pure mind, and with a gracious expression]: “Ognir þinar eru mer skemtan, ok dyrd min eru pislir þinar; þa er þu þickizt reidazt, miskunnar þu” [Your menaces are an amusement to me, and my glory are your tortures. When you think to scare me, you are being merciful] (

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1066 words

Citation: Salmoiraghi, Davide. "Vincencius saga". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 June 2025 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=41343, accessed 08 July 2025.]

Anonymous, Vincencius saga

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