heimskringla-第14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！




　　　　　〃The　king's　voice　waked　the　silent　host　　　　　　Who　slept　beside　the　wild　sea…coast；　　　　　　And　bade　the　song　of　spear　and　sword　　　　　　Over　the　battle　plain　be　heard。　　　　　　Where　heroes'　shields　the　loudest　rang；　　　　　　Where　loudest　was　the　sword…blade's　clang；　　　　　　By　the　sea…shore　at　Kormt　Sound；　　　　　　Hakon　felled　Guthorm　to　the　ground。〃

Now　King　Hakon　returned　to　his　ships；　and　pursued　Gunhild's　sons。　And　both　parties　sailed　all　they　could　sail；　until　they　came　to　East　Adger；　from　whence　Eirik's　sons　set　out　to　sea；　and　southwards　for　Jutland　（A。D。　950）。　　Guthorm　Sindre　speaks　of　it　in　his　song：　

　　　　　〃And　Guthorm's　brothers　too；　who　know　　　　　　So　skilfully　to　bend　the　bow；　　　　　　The　conquering　hand　must　also　feel　　　　　　Of　Hakon；　god　of　the　bright　steel；　　　　　　　The　sun…god；　whose　bright　rays；　that　dart　　　　　　Flame…like；　are　swords　that　pierce　the　heart。　　　　　　Well　I　remember　how　the　King　　　　　　Hakon；　the　battle's　life　and　spring；　　　　　　O'er　the　wide　ocean　cleared　away　　　　　　Eirik's　brave　sons。　　They　durst　not　stay；　　　　　　But　round　their　ships'　sides　hung　their　shields　　　　　　And　fled　across　the　blue　sea…fields。〃

King　Hakon　returned　then　northwards　to　Norway；　but　Eirik's　sons　remained　a　long　time　in　Denmark。



21。　KING　HAKON'S　LAWS。

King　Hakon　after　this　battle　made　a　law；　that　all　inhabited　land　over　the　whole　country　along　the　sea…coast；　and　as　far　back　from　it　as　the　salmon　swims　up　in　the　rivers；　should　be　divided　into　ship…raths　according　to　the　districts；　and　it　was　fixed　by　law　how　many　ships　there　should　be　from　each　district；　and　how　great　each　should　be；　when　the　whole　people　were　called　out　on　service。　For　this　outfit　the　whole　inhabitants　should　be　bound　whenever　a　foreign　army　came　to　the　country。　　With　this　came　also　the　order　that　beacons　should　be　erected　upon　the　hills；　so　that　every　man　could　see　from　the　one　to　the　other；　and　it　is　told　that　a　war…signal　could　thus　be　given　in　seven　days；　from　the　most　southerly　beacon　to　the　most　northerly　Thing…seat　in　Halogaland



22。　CONCERNING　EIRIK'S　SONS。

Eirik's　sons　plundered　much　on　the　Baltic　coasts　and　sometimes；　as　before　related；　in　Norway；　but　so　long　as　Hakon　ruled　over　Norway　there　was　in　general　good　peace；　and　good　seasons；　and　he　was　the　most　beloved　of　kings。　　When　Hakon　had　reigned　about　twenty　years　in　Norway　（A。D。　954）；　Eirik's　sons　came　from　Denmark　with　a　powerful　army；　of　which　a　great　part　consisted　of　the　people　who　had　followed　them　on　their　expeditions；　but　a　still　greater　army　of　Danes　had　been　placed　at　their　disposal　by　King　Harald　Gormson。　　They　sailed　with　a　fair　wind　from　Vendil；　and　came　to　Agder；　and　then　sailed　northwards；　night　and　day；　along　the　coast。　　But　the　beacons　were　not　fired；　because　it　had　been　usual　to　look　for　them　lighted　from　the　east　onwards；　and　nobody　had　observed　them　from　the　east　coast；　and　besides　King　Hakon　had　set　heavy　penalties　for　giving　false　alarm；　by　lighting　the　beacons　without　occasion。　　The　reason　of　this　was；　that　ships　of　war　and　vikings　cruised　about　and　plundered　among　the　outlying　islands；　and　the　country　people　took　them　for　Eirik's　sons；　and　lighted　the　beacons；　and　set　the　whole　country　in　trouble　and　dread　of　war。　　Sometimes；　no　doubt；　the　sons　of　Eirik　were　there；　but　having　only　their　own　troops；　and　no　Danish　army　with　them；　they　returned　to　Denmark；　and　sometimes　these　were　other　vikings。　King　Hakon　was　very　angry　at　this；　because　it　cost　both　trouble　and　money　to　no　purpose。　　The　bondes　also　suffered　by　these　false　alarms　when　they　were　given　uselessly；　and　thus　it　happened　that　no　news　of　this　expedition　of　Eirik's　sons　circulated　through　the　land　until　they　had　come　as　far　north　as　Ulfasund；　where　they　lay　for　seven　days。　　Then　spies　set　off　across　Eid　and　northwards　to　More。　　King　Hakon　was　at　that　time　in　the　island　Frede；　in　North　More；　at　a　place　called　Birkistrand；　where　he　had　a　dwelling…　house；　and　had　no　troops　with　him；　only　his　bodyguard　or　court；　and　the　neighbouring　bondes　he　had　invited　to　his　house。



23。　OF　EGIL　ULSERK。

The　spies　came　to　King　Hakon；　and　told　him　that　Eirik's　sons；　with　a　great　army；　lay　just　to　the　south　of　Stad。　　Then　he　called　together　the　most　understanding　of　the　men　about　him；　and　asked　their　opinion；　whether　he　should　fight　with　Eirik's　sons；　although　they　had　such　a　great　multitude　with　them；　or　should　set　off　northwards　to　gather　together　more　men。　　Now　there　was　a　bonde　there；　by　name　Egil　Ulserk；　who　was　a　very　old　man；　but　in　former　days　had　been　strong　and　stout　beyond　most　men；　and　a　hardy　man…at…arms　withal；　having　long　carried　King　Harald　Harfager's　banner。　　Egil　answered　thus　to　the　king's　speech；　　〃I　was　in　several　battles　with　thy　father　Harald　the　king；　and　he　gave　battle　sometimes　with　many；　sometimes　with　few　people；　but　he　always　came　off　with　victory。　　Never　did　I　hear　him　ask　counsel　of　his　friends　whether　he　should　fly　　and　neither　shalt　thou　get　any　such　counsel　from　us；　king；　but　as　we　know　we　have　a　brave　leader；　thou　shalt　get　a　trusty　following　from　us。〃　　Many　others　agreed　with　this　speech；　and　the　king　himself　declared　he　was　most　inclined　to　fight　with　such　strength　as　they　could　gather。　　It　was　so　determined。　　The　king　split　up　a　war…arrow；　which　he　sent　off　in　all　directions；　and　by　that　token　a　number　of　men　was　collected　in　all　haste。　　Then　said　Egil　Ulserk；　　〃At　one　time　the　peace　had　lasted　so　long　I　was　afraid　I　might　come　to　die　the　death　of　old　age　（1）；　within　doors　upon　a　bed　of　straw；　although　I　would　rather　fall　in　battle　following　my　chief。　And　now　it　may　so　turn　out　in　the　end　as　I　wished　it　to　be。〃


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　In　all　the　sagas　of　this　pagan　time；　the　dying　on　a　bed　of　　　　　　sickness　is　mentioned　as　a　kind　of　derogatory　end　of　a　man　　　　　　of　any　celebrity。　　L。


24。　　BATTLE　AT　FREDARBERG。

Eirik's　sons　sailed　northwards　around　Stad；　as　soon　as　the　wind　suited；　and　when　they　had　passed　it；　and　heard　where　King　Hakon　was；　they　sailed　to　meet　him。　　King　Hakon　had　nine　ships；　with　which　he　lay　under　Fredarberg　in　Feeysund；　and　Eirik's　sons　had　twenty　ships；　with　which　they　brought　up　on　the　south　side　of　the　same　cape；　in　Feeysund。　　King　Hakon　sent　them　a　message；　asking　them　to　go　upon　the　land；　and　telling　them　that　he　had　hedged　in　with　hazel　boughs　a　place　of　combat　at　Rastarkalf；　where　there　is　a　flat　large　field；　at　the　foot　of　a　long　and　rather　low　ridge。　Then　Eirik's　sons　left　their　ships；　and　went　northwards　over　the　neck　of　land　within　Fredarberg；　and　onward　to　Rastarkalf。　　Then　Egil　asked　King　Hakon　to　give　him　ten　men　with　ten　banners；　and　the　king　did　so。　　Then　Egil　went　with　his　men　under　the　ridge；　but　King　Hakon　went　out　upon　the　open　field　with　his　army；　and　set　up　his　banner；　and　drew　up　his　army；　saying；　〃Let　us　draw　up　in　a　long　line；　that　they　may　not　surround　us；　as　they　have　the　most　men。〃　　And　so　it　was　done；　and　there　was　a　severe　battle；　and　a　very　sharp　attack。　　Then　Egil　Ulserk　set　up　the　ten　banners　he　had　with　him；　and　placed　the　men　who　carried　them　so　that　they　should　go　as　near　the　summit　of　the　ridge　as　possible；　and　leaving　a　space　between　each　of　them。　　They　went　so　near　the　summit　that　the　banners　could　be　seen　over　it；　and　moved　on　as　if　they　were　coming　behind　the　army　of　Eirik's　sons。　　Now　when　the　men　who　stood　uppermost　in　the　line　of　the　troops　of　Eirik's　sons　saw　so　many　flying　banners　advancing　high　over　the　edge　of　the　ridge；　they　supposed　a　great　force　must　be　following；　who　would　come　behind　their　army；　and　between　them　and　their　ships。　　They　made　each　other　acquainted　with　what　was　going　on　in　a　loud　shout；　and　the　whole　took　to　flight；　and　when　the　king　saw　it；　they　fled　with　the　rest。　　King　Hakon　now　pushes　on　briskly　with　his　people；　pursuing　the　flying；　and　killing　many。



5。　OF　KING　GAMLE。

When　Gamle　Eirikson　came　up　the　ridge　of　the　hill　he　turned　round；　and　he　observed　that　not　more　people　were　following　than　his　men　had　been　engaged　with　already；　and　he　saw　it　was　but　a　stratagem　of　war；　so　he　ordered　the　war…horns　to　be　blown；　his　banner　to　be　set　up；　and　he　put　his　men　in　battle　order。　　On　this；　all　his　Northmen　stood；　and　turned　with　him；　but　the　Danes　fled　to　the　ships；　and　when　King　Hakon　and　his　men　came　thither；　there　was　again　sharp　conflict；　but　now　Hakon　had　most　people。　At　last　the　Eirik's　sons'　force　fled；　and　took　the　road　south　about　the　hill；　but　a　part　of　their　army　retreated　upon　the　hill　southwards；　followed　by　King　Hakon。　　There　is　a　flat　field　east　of　the　ridge　which　runs　westward　along　the　range　of　hills；　and　is　bounded　on　its　west　side　by　a　steep　ridge。　　Gamle's　men　retreated　towards　this　ground；　but　Hakon　followed　so　closely　that　he　killed　some；　and　others　ran　west　over　the　ridge；　and　were　killed　on　that　side　of　it。　　King　Hakon　did　not　part　with　them　till　the　last　man　of　them　was　killed。



26。　KING　GAMLE　AND　ULSERK　FALL。

Gamle　Eirikson　fled　from　the　ridge　down　upon　the　plain　to　the　south　of　the　hill。　　There　he　turned　himself　again；　and　waited　until　more　people　gathered　to　him。　　All　his　brothers；　and　many　troops　of　their　men；　assembled　there。　　Egil　Ulserk　was　in　front；　and　in　advance　of　Hakon's　men；　and　made　a　stout　attack。　　He　and　King　Gamle　exchanged　blows　with　each　other；　and　King　Gamle　got　a　grievous　wound；　but　Egil　fell；　and　many　people　with　him。　　Then　came　Hakon　the　king　with　the　troops　which　had　followed　him；　and　a　new　battle　began。　　King　Hakon　pushed　on；　cutting　down　men　on　both　sides　of　him；　and　killing　the　one　upon　the　top　of　the　other。　So　sings　Guthorm　Sindre：　

　　　　　〃Scared　by　the　sharp　sword's　singing　sound；　　　　　　Brandished　in　air；　the　foe　gave　ground。　　　　　　The　boldest　warrior　cannot　stand　　　　　　Before　King　Hakon's　conqueringhand；　　　　　　And　the　king's　banner　ever　dies　　　　　　Where　the　spear…forests　thickest　rise。　　　　　　Altho'　the　king　had　gained　of　old　　　　　　Enough　of　Freyja's　tears　of　gold　（1）；　　　　　　He　spared　himself　no　more　than　tho'　　　　　　He'd　had　no　well…filled　purse　to　show。〃

When　Eirik's　sons　saw　their　men　falling　all　round；　they　turned　and　fled　to　their　ships；　but　those　who　had　sought　the　ships　before　had　pushed　off　some　of　them　from　the　land；　while　some　of　them　were　still　hauled　up　and　on　the　strand。　　Now　the　sons　of　Eirik　and　their　men　plunged　into　the　sea；　and　betook　themselves　to