Gesta Danorum ("Deeds of the Danes") is a patriotic work of
Danish history, by the 12th century author
Saxo Grammaticus ("Saxo the Literate", literally "the Grammarian"). It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of
medieval Denmark and is an essential source for the nation's early history. It is also one of the oldest known written documents about the history of
Estonia and
Livonia.
Consisting of sixteen books written in
Latin on the invitation of
Archbishop Absalon,
Gesta Danorum describes Danish history and to some degree
Scandinavian history in general, from prehistory to the late 12th century. In addition,
Gesta Danorum offers singular reflections on European affairs in the
High Middle Ages from a unique Scandinavian perspective, supplementing what has been handed down by historians from
Western and
Southern Europe.
Books
The sixteen books, in prose with an occasional excursions into poetry, can be categorized into two parts, book 1-9 dealing with
Norse mythology part and Book 10-16 handling medieval history. Book 9 ends with
Gorm the Old, the first factual documented
King of Denmark. The last three books (14-16), describe Danish conquests on the south shore of the Baltic Sea and wars against
Slavic peoples (the
Northern Crusades), are very valuable for the history of West Slavic tribes (
Polabian Slavs,
Pomeranians) and
Slavic paganism. Book 14 contains a unique description of the temple at
Rügen Island.
Chronology
When exactly
Gesta Danorum was written is the subject of numerous works; however, it is generally agreed that
Gesta Danorum was not finished before 1208. The last event described in the last book (Book 16) is King
Canute VI of Denmark subduing
Pomerania under Duke
Bogislaw I, in 1186. However the preface of the work, dictated to Archbishop
Anders Sunesen, mentions the Danish conquest of the areas north of the
Elbe river in 1208.
Book 14, comprising nearly one-quarter of the text of the entire work, ends with
Absalon's appointment to Archbishop in 1178. Since this book is so large and
Absalon has greater importance than King
Valdemar I, this book may have been written first and comprised a work on its own. It is possible that Saxo then enlarged it with Books 15 and 16, telling the story of King
Valdemar I's last years and King
Canute VI's first years.
It is believed that Saxo then wrote Books 11, 12, and 13.
Svend Aagesen's history of Denmark,
Brevis Historia Regum Dacie (circa 1186), states that Saxo had decided to write about "The king-father and his sons," which would be King
Sweyn Estridson, in Books 11, 12, and 13. He would later add the first ten books. This would also explain the 22 years between the last event described in the last book (Book 16) and the 1208 event described in the preface.
Manuscripts
The original manuscripts of the work are lost, except for four fragments: the
Angers Fragment,
Lassen Fragment,
Kall-Rasmussen Fragment and
Plesner Fragment. The
Angers Fragment is the biggest fragment, and the only one attested to be in
Saxo’s own handwriting. The other ones are copies from ca. 1275. All four fragments are in the collection of the
Danish Royal Library in
Copenhagen, Denmark.
The text has, however, survived. In 1510-1512,
Christiern Pedersen, a Danish translator working in Paris, searched Denmark high and low for an existing copy of Saxo’s works, which by that time was nearly all but lost. By that time most knowledge of Saxo’s work came from a summary located in
Chronica Jutensis, from around 1342, called
Compendium Saxonis. It is also in this summary that the name
Gesta Danorum is found. The title Saxo himself used for his work is unknown.
Christiern Pedersen finally found a copy in the collection of Archbishop
Birger Gunnersen of
Lund, modern
Sweden, which he gladly lent him. With the help of printer
Jodocus Badius,
Gesta Danorum was refined and printed.
Printing
The first printed press publication and the oldest known complete text of Saxo’s works is Christiern Pedersen's Latin edition, printed and published by
Jodocus Badius in Paris, France, March 15, 1514 under the title of
Danorum Regum heroumque Historiae ("History of the Kings and heroes of the Danes"). The edition features the following
colophon: ...
impressit in inclyta Parrhisorum academia Iodocus Badius Ascensius Idibus Martiis. MDXIIII. Supputatione Romana. (the
Ides of March, 1514).
The full front page reads (with abbreviations expanded) in Latin:
Danorum Regum heroumque Historiae stilo eleganti a Saxone Grammatico natione Zialandico necnon Roskildensis ecclesiae praeposito, abhinc supra trecentos annos conscriptae et nunc primum literaria serie illustratae tersissimeque impressae.
Danish language:
De danske Kongers og Heltes Historie, skrevet I pyntelig Stil for over 300 Aar siden af Saxo Grammaticus, en Sjællandsfar og Provst ved Kirken I Roskilde, og nu for første Gang oplyst ved et Register og omhyggeligt trykt.
English language:
Histories of the Kings and heroes of the Danes, composed in elegant style by Saxo Grammaticus, a Sjællander and also provost of the church of Roskilde, over three hundred years ago, and now for the first time illustrated and printed correctly in a learned compilation.
Latin versions
The source of all existing translations and new editions is Christiern Pedersen's Latin
Danorum Regum heroumque Historiae. There exist a number different translations today, some complete, some partial:
- Johannes Oporinus, published 1534, title: Saxonis Grammatici Danorum Historiae Libri XVI
- Alfred Holder, published 1886, title: Saxonis Grammatici Gesta Danorum
- Karsten Friis-Jensen, published 2005, title: Gesta Danorum ISBN 978-87-12-04025-5, ISBN 87-12-04025-8
Danish translations
- Peter Zeeberg, published 2000, title: Saxos Danmarkshistorie ISBN 87-12-03496-7 (complete) ISBN 87-12-03534-3 (vol 1) ISBN 87-12-03535-1 (vol 2)
English translations
- Eric Christiansen, published 1980-1981, title: Saxo Grammaticus: Danorum regum heroumque historia, books X-XVI
Other translations
- Hermann Jantzen, published 1900, title: Saxo Grammaticus. Die ersten neun Bücher der dänischen Geschichte
- Yukio Taniguchi, published 1993, title: Sakuso Guramatikusu: Denmakujin no jiseki
Gesta Danorum is also translated partially in other
English,
French and
German releases.
Hamlet
Certain aspects of
Gesta Danorum formed the basis for
William Shakespeare's play,
Hamlet. It is thought that Shakespeare never read
Gesta Danorum, and instead had access to an
auxiliary version of the tale describing the downfall of the Prince of Denmark, whose real name -
Amleth - was used in
anagram by Shakespeare for Hamlet.
Saxo’s version, told of in Book 3 and 4, is very similar to that of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In Saxo's version, two brothers,
Orvendil and
Fengi are given the rule over
Jutland by King
Rørik Slyngebond of the Danes. Soon after, Orvendil marries King Rørik’s daughter, Geruth (Gertrude in Hamlet). Amleth is their first and only child.
Fengi becomes resentful of his brother’s marriage, and also wants sole leadership of Jutland, so therefore murders Orvendil. After a very brief period of mourning, Fengi marries Geruth, and declares himself sole leader of Jutland. Eventually, Amleth avenges his father’s murder and plans the murder of his uncle, making him the new and rightful king of Jutland. However, while Hamlet dies in Shakespeare's version just after his uncle's death, in Saxo's version Amleth survives and begins ruling his kingdom, going on to other adventures.
