heimskringla-第119部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　his　kingdom　in　peace　at　home；　and　the　league　was　broken　which　Eindride's　relations　had　made　among　themselves　for　opposing　King　Harald。



49。　OF　THE　COURTSHIP　OF　HAKON　IVARSON。

When　the　day　arrived　for　the　meeting　at　which　this　agreement　with　Harald　should　be　finally　concluded；　Hakon　went　to　King　Harald；　and　in　their　conference　the　king　said　that　he；　for　his　part；　would　adhere　to　all　that　was　settled　in　their　agreement。　　〃Thou　Hakon；〃　says　he；　〃must　thyself　settle　that　which　concerns　Ragnhild；　as　to　her　accepting　thee　in　marriage；　for　it　would　not　be　advisable　for　thee；　or　for　any　one；　to　marry　Ragnhild　without　her　consent。〃　　Then　Hakon　went　to　Ragnhild；　and　paid　his　addresses　to　her。　　She　answered　him　thus：　〃I　have　often　to　feel　that　my　father；　King　Magnus；　is　dead　and　gone　from　me；　since　I　must　marry　a　bonde；　although　I　acknowledge　thou　art　a　handsome　man；　expert　in　all　exercises。　　But　if　King　Magnus　had　lived　he　would　not　have　married　me　to　any　man　less　than　a　king；　so　it　is　not　to　be　expected　that　I　will　take　a　man　who　has　no　dignity　or　title。〃　　Then　Hakon　went　to　King　Harald　and　told　him　his　conversation　with　Ragnhild；　and　also　repeated　the　agreement　which　was　made　between　him　and　Fin；　who　was　with　him；　together　with　many　others　of　the　persons　who　had　been　present　at　the　conversation　between　him　and　Fin。　　Hakon　takes　them　all　to　witness　that　such　was　the　agreement　that　the　king　should　give　Ragnhild　the　dower　she　might　desire。　　〃And　now　since　she　will　have　no　man　who　has　not　a　high　dignity；　thou　must　give　me　such　a　title　of　honour；　and；　according　to　the　opinion　of　the　people；　I　am　of　birth；　family　and　other　qualifications　to　be　called　earl。〃

The　king　replies；　〃When　my　brother；　King　Olaf；　and　his　son；　King　Magnus；　ruled　the　kingdom；　they　allowed　only　one　earl　at　a　time　to　be　in　the　country；　and　I　have　done　the　same　since　I　came　to　the　kingly　title；　and　I　will　not　take　away　from　Orm　the　title　of　honour　I　had　before　given　him。〃

Hakon　saw　now　that　his　business　had　not　advanced；　and　was　very　ill　pleased；　and　Fin　was　outrageously　angry。　　They　said　the　king　had　broken　his　word；　and　thus　they　all　separated。



50。　HAKON'S　JOURNEY　TO　DENMARK。

Hakon　then　went　out　of　the　country　with　a　well…manned　ship。　　When　he　came　to　Denmark　he　went　immediately　to　his　relative；　King　Svein；　who　received　him　honourably　and　gave　him　great　fiefs。　Hakon　became　King　Svein's　commander　of　the　coast　defence　against　the　vikings；　　the　Vindland　people；　Kurland　people；　and　others　from　the　East　countries；　　who　infested　the　Danish　dominions；　and　he　lay　out　with　his　ships　of　war　both　winter　and　summer。



51。　MURDER　OF　ASMUND。

There　was　a　man　called　Asmund；　who　is　said　to　have　been　King　Svein's　sister's　son；　and　his　foster…son。　　This　Asmund　was　distinguished　among　all　by　his　boldness　and　was　much　disliked　by　the　king。　　When　Asmund　came　to　years；　and　to　age　of　discretion；　he　became　an　ungovernable　person　given　to　murder　and　manslaughter。　　The　king　was　ill　pleased　at　this；　and　sent　him　away；　giving　him　a　good　fief；　which　might　keep　him　and　his　followers　well。　　As　soon　as　Asmund　had　got　this　property　from　the　king　he　drew　together　a　large　troop　of　people；　and　as　the　estate　he　had　got　from　the　king　was　not　sufficient　for　his　expenses　he　took　as　his　own　much　more　which　belonged　to　the　king。　　When　the　king　heard　this　he　summoned　Asmund　to　him；　and　when　they　met　the　king　said　that　Asmund　should　remain　with　the　court　without　keeping　any　retinue　of　his　own；　and　this　took　place　as　the　king　desired。　　But　when　Asmund　had　been　a　little　time　in　the　king's　court　he　grew　weary　of　being　there；　and　escaped　in　the　night；　returned　to　his　former　companions　and　did　more　mischief　than　ever。　　Now　when　the　king　was　riding　through　the　country　he　came　to　the　neighbourhood　where　Asmund　was；　and　he　sent　out　men…at…　arms　to　seize　him。　　The　king　then　had　him　laid　in　irons；　and　kept　him　so　for　some　time　in　hope　he　would　reform；　but　no　sooner　did　Asmund　get　rid　of　his　chains　than　he　absconded　again；　gathered　together　people　and　men…at…arms　and　betook　himself　to　plunder；　both　abroad　and　at　home。　　Thus　he　made　great　forays；　killing　and　plundering　all　around。　　When　the　people　who　suffered　under　these　disturbances　came　to　the　king　and　complained　to　him　of　their　losses；　he　replied；　〃Why　do　ye　tell　me　of　this？　　Why　don't　you　go　to　Hakon　Ivarson；　who　is　my　officer　for　the　land…defence；　placed　on　purpose　to　keep　the　peace　for　you　peasants；　and　to　hold　the　vikings　in　check？　　I　was　told　that　Hakon　was　a　gallant　and　brave　man；　but　I　think　he　is　rather　shy　when　any　danger　of　life　is　in　the　way。〃　　These　words　of　the　king　were　brought　to　Hakon；　with　many　additions。　　Then　Hakon　went　with　his　men　in　search　of　Asmund；　and　when　their　ships　met　Hakon　gave　battle　immediately　　and　the　conflict　was　sharp；　and　many　men　were　killed。　　Hakon　boarded　Asmund's　ship　and　cut　down　the　men　before　his　feet。　　At　last　he　and　Asmund　met　and　exchanged　blows　until　Asmund　fell。　Hakon　cut　off　his　head；　went　in　all　haste　to　King　Svein　and　found　him　just　sitting　down　to　the　dinner…table。　　Hakon　presented　himself　before　the　table；　laid　Asmund's　head　upon　the　table　before　the　king；　and　asked　if　he　knew　it。　　The　king　made　no　reply；　but　became　as　red　as　blood　in　the　face。　　Soon　after　the　king　sent　him　a　message；　ordering　him　to　leave　his　service　immediately。　〃Tell　him　I　will　do　him　no　harm；　but　I　cannot　keep　watch　over　all　our　relations　（1）。


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　This　incident　shows　how　strong；　in　those　ages；　was　the　tie　　　　　　of　relationship；　and　the　point　of　honour　of　avenging　its　　　　　　injuries　　the　clanship　spirit。　　L。



52。　HAKON　IVARSON'S　MARRIAGE。

Hakon　then　left　Denmark；　and　came　north　to　his　estates　in　Norway。　His　relation　Earl　Orm　was　dead。　　Hakon's　relations　and　friends　were　glad　to　see　Hakon；　and　many　gallant　men　gave　themselves　much　trouble　to　bring　about　a　reconciliation　between　King　Harald　and　Hakon。　　It　was　at　last　settled　in　this　way；　that　Hakon　got　Ragnhild；　the　king's　daughter；　and　that　King　Harald　gave　Hakon　the　earldom；　with　the　same　power　Earl　Orm　had　possessed。　　Hakon　swore　to　King　Harald　an　oath　of　fidelity　to　all　the　services　he　was　liable　to　fulfill。



53。　RECONCILIATION　OF　KING　HARALD　AND　KALF。

Kalf　Arnason　had　been　on　a　viking　cruise　to　the　Western　countries　ever　since　he　had　left　Norway；　but　in　winter　he　was　often　in　the　Orkney　Islands　with　his　relative；　Earl　Thorfin。　　Fin　Arnason　sent　a　message　to　his　brother　Kalf；　and　told　him　the　agreement　which　he　had　made　with　King　Harald；　that　Kalf　should　enjoy　safety　in　Norway；　and　his　estates；　and　all　the　fiefs　he　had　held　from　King　Magnus。　　When　this　message　came　to　Kalf　he　immediately　got　ready　for　his　voyage；　and　went　east　to　Norway　to　his　brother　Fin。　　Then　Fin　obtained　the　king's　peace　for　Kalf；　and　when　Kalf　and　the　king　met　they　went　into　the　agreement　which　Fin　and　the　king　had　settled　upon　before。　　Kalf　bound　himself　to　the　king　in　the　same　way　as　he　had　bound　himself　to　serve　King　Magnus；　according　to　which　Kalf　should　do　all　that　the　king　desired　and　considered　of　advantage　to　his　realm。　　Thereupon　Kalf　received　all　the　estates　and　fiefs　he　had　before。



54。　FALL　OF　KALF　ARNASON。

The　summer　following　（A。D。　1050）　King　Harald　ordered　out　a　levy；　and　went　to　Denmark；　where　he　plundered　during　the　summer；　but　when　he　came　south　to　Fyen　he　found　a　great　force　assembled　against　him。　　Then　the　king　prepared　to　land　his　men　from　the　ships　and　to　engage　in　a　land…fight。　　He　drew　up　his　men　on　board　in　order　of　battle；　set　Kalf　Arnason　at　the　head　of　one　division；　ordered　him　to　make　the　first　attack；　and　told　him　where　they　should　direct　their　assault；　promising　that　he　would　soon　make　a　landing　with　the　others；　and　come　to　their　assistance。　　When　Kalf　came　to　the　land　with　his　men　a　force　came　down　immediately　to　oppose　them；　and　Kalf　without　delay　engaged　in　battle；　which；　however；　did　not　last　long；　for　Kalf　was　immediately　overpowered　by　numbers；　and　betook　himself　to　flight　with　his　men。　　The　Danes　pursued　them　vigorously；　and　many　of　the　Northmen　fell；　and　among　them　Kalf　Arnason。　　Now　King　Harald　landed　with　his　array；　and　they　soon　came　on　their　way　to　the　field　of　battle；　where　they　found　Kalf's　body；　and　bore　it　down　to　the　ships。　　But　the　king　penetrated　into　the　country；　killing　many　people　and　destroying　much。　　So　says　Arnor：　

　　　　　〃His　shining　sword　with　blood　he　stains；　　　　　　Upon　Fyona's　grassy　plains；　　　　　　And　in　the　midst　of　fire　and　smoke；　　　　　　The　king　Fyona's　forces　broke。〃



55。　FIN　ARNASON'S　EXPEDITION　OUT　OF　THE　COUNTRY。

After　this　Fin　Arnason　thought　he　had　cause　to　be　an　enemy　of　the　king　upon　account　of　his　brother　Kalf's　death；　and　said　the　king　had　betrayed　Kalf　to　his　fall；　and　had　also　deceived　him　by　making　him　entice　his　brother　Kalf　to　come　over　from　the　West　and　trust　to　King　Harald's　faith。　　When　these　speeches　came　out　among　people；　many　said　that　it　was　very　foolish　in　Fin　to　have　ever　supposed　that　Kalf　could　obtain　the　king's　sincere　friendship　and　favour；　for　they　thought　the　king　was　the　man　to　seek　revenge　for　smaller　offences　than　Kalf　had　committed　against　the　king。　　The　king　let　every　one　say　what　he　chose；　and　he　himself　neither　said　yes　or　no　about　the　affair；　but　people　perceived　that　the　king　was　very　well　pleased　with　what　had　happened。　　King　Harald　once　made　these　verses：　

　　　　　〃I　have；　in　all；　the　death…stroke　given　　　　　　To　foes　of　mine　at　least　eleven；　　　　　　Two　more；　perhaps；　if　I　remember；　　　　　　May　yet　be　added　to　this　number；　　　　　　I　prize　myself　upon　these　deeds；　　　　　　My　people　such　examples　needs。　　　　　　Bright　gold　itself　they　would　despise；　　　　　　Or　healing　leek…herb　underprize；　　　　　　If　not　still　brought　before　their　eyes。〃

Fin　Arnason　took　the　business　so　much　to　heart　that　he　left　the　country　and　went　to　Denmark　to　King　Svein；　where　he　met　a　friendly　reception。　　They　spoke　together　in　private　for　a　long　time；　and　the　end　of　the　business　was　that　Fin　went　into　King　Svein's　service；　and　became　his　man。　　King　Svein　then　gave　Fin　an　earldom；　and　placed　him　in　Halland；　where　he　was　long　earl　and　defended　the　country　against　the　Northmen。



56。　OF　GUTHORM　GUNHILDSON。

Ketil　Kalf　and　Gunhild　of　Ringanes　had　a　son　called　Guthorm；　and　he　was　a　sister's　son　to　King　Ol