Bolli Bollason

[b] It is believed that he had reached the rank of manglabites in the Eastern Roman army,[2] and on his return to Iceland, his finery and recognition earned him the name "Bolli the Elegant".

[3] His importance in the literary context of the saga is his prominence as the son of Bolli Þorleiksson and Guðrún Ósvífursdóttir, the two central characters of the work.

[6] Shaped by continental literary traditions and several types of saga,[4] the characterisation "highlights nobility, splendour and physical appearance", although: …in their actions the male characters tend not to live up to the grandeur and hyperbole with which they are presented.

At foreign courts their stature is aristocratic, but at home in Iceland they are farmers with few outlets other than words and smart clothes for their aspirations to nobility.

Bolli Bollason grew up with his brother Thorleik, who was four years his senior, and his mother Guðrún in Helgafell, after she exchanged homes with the renowned Snorri the Goði.

When Bolli was eighteen years old he asked for his father's portion, as he intended to woo Thordis Snorradottir, the daughter of Snorri Goði.

[17] The two brothers made peace with the sons of Ólaf, Kjartan's kinsmen, at the Thorness Thing; it is not known how much money was exchanged in compensation as part of the agreement, but Bolli received a good sword, and after the assembly "both sides were thought to have gained in esteem from these affairs".

"[19] Bolli boarded a trade-ship bound for Denmark, departing King Olaf in great friendship and with fine parting gifts.

"[19] The saga also records the finery his followers received from the Roman Emperor (most likely Romanos III), and the influence he held after his return to Iceland, some time after the death of King Olaf II:[20] Bolli rode from the ship with twelve men, and all his followers were dressed in scarlet, and rode on gilt saddles, and all were they a trusty band, though Bolli was peerless among them.

[24] According to the tale, a man called Thorolf Stuck-up had a bull which wounded his neighbours' farm animals, damaged haystacks and caused "a great deal of trouble".

[24] When an upstanding local farmer named Thord saw the bull damaging the stacks of peat on his farm at Marbaeli, he lunged at the animal with a spear and struck it dead.

[30] Thorvald and Starri intended to block the prosecution "by force of arms and numbers", but when they realised they were outnumbered, they withdrew and Bolli successfully had Thorolf outlawed.

[31] He earned himself a great deal of honour by this, as men thought it quite an accomplishment to have the man outlawed in another district and then venture alone into the hands of his enemies and kill him there.