About the Author

Lars Boje Mortensen is Professor of Medieval Latin at the University of Bergen.

Reviews

Mortensen's introduction constitutes a sound presentation of the very latest thinking on Historia Norwegie and is a valuable contribution independent of the edition and commentary ... Fisher's translation, like his translation of Saxo Grammaticus, is excellent. Stylistically unobtrusive, it strikes a near-perfect balance between the original and readable English ... [T]he commentary functions at a uniformly high level and is an excellent contribution to the study of Historia Norwegie ... Anyone seeking to delve deeper into these issues, both through an excellent edition and translation and a stimulating gathering of secondary materials, must consult this important book.- John Lindow, University of California, Berkeley, Speculum, October 2005

The twelfth-century Historia Norwegie (HN) is probably the earliest literary work in Latin by a Norwegian to come down to us. One strength of this new edition, the first of HN in almost 125 years, is that its editors are specialists in Medieval Latin. Their commentary, rich in observations about medieval Latin spellings, usage, sources, vocabulary, and syntax, explains in detail the reasons for preferring one reading over another. Another strength is that the editorial language is English: just as the anonymous author of HN used Latin to convey his story to an international audience, so the English notes, apparatus, introduction, and commentary of this edition make it accessible to the scholarly community at large. [...] The editors of HN have done their part to draw public attention to this first step in the rise of Latin letters in Norway. They and the Museum Tusculanum Press have produced an attractive and affordable hardbound book, whose meticulously prepared Latin text and apparatus will be an important resource for years to come.- Roberta Frank, Yale University, The Journal of Medieval Latin, 2004