heimskringla-第160部分

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ald　was　an　earl　there　at　that　time。　　They　were　the　sons　of　Queen　Ingerid　and　Henrik　Halte；　who　was　a　son　of　the　Danish　king　Svein　Sveinson。　The　princess　Kristin　took　care　of　King　Inge's　body；　which　was　laid　on　the　stone　wall　of　Halvard's　church；　on　the　south　side　without　the　choir。　　He　had　then　been　king　for　twenty…three　years　（A。D。　1137…1161）。　　In　this　battle　many　fell　on　both　sides；　but　principally　of　King　Inge's　men。　　Of　King　Hakon's　people　fell　Arne　Frirekson。　　Hakon's　men　took　all　the　feast　and　victuals　prepared　for　the　wedding；　and　a　great　booty　besides。



19。　OF　KING　HAKON　AND　QUEEN　KRISTIN。

Then　King　Hakon　took　possession　of　the　whole　country；　and　distributed　all　the　offices　among　his　own　friends；　both　in　the　towns　and　in　the　country。　　King　Hakon　and　his　men　had　a　meeting　in　Halvard's　church；　where　they　had　a　private　conference　concerning　the　management　of　the　country。　　Kristin　the　princess　gave　the　priest　who　kept　the　church　keys　a　large　sum　of　money　to　conceal　one　of　her　men　in　the　church；　so　that　she　might　know　what　Hakon　and　his　counsellors　intended。　　When　she　learnt　what　they　had　said；　she　sent　a　man　to　Bergen　to　her　husband　Erling　Skakke；　with　the　message　that　he　should　never　trust　Hakon　or　his　men。



20。　OF　OLAF'S　MIRACLE。

It　happened　at　the　battle　of　Stiklestad；　as　before　related；　that　King　Olaf　threw　from　him　the　sword　called　Hneiter　when　he　received　his　wound。　　A　Swedish　man；　who　had　broken　his　own　sword；　took　it　up；　and　fought　with　it。　　When　this　man　escaped　with　the　other　fugitives　he　came　to　Svithjod；　and　went　home　to　his　house。　From　that　time　he　kept　the　sword　all　his　days；　and　afterwards　his　son；　and　so　relation　after　relation；　and　when　the　sword　shifted　its　owner；　the　one　told　to　the　other　the　name　of　the　sword　and　where　it　came　from。　　A　long　time　after；　in　the　days　of　Kirjalax　the　emperor　of　Constantinople；　when　there　was　a　great　body　of　Varings　in　the　town；　it　happened　in　the　summer　that　the　emperor　was　on　a　campaign；　and　lay　in　the　camp　with　his　army。　　The　Varings　who　had　the　guard；　and　watched　over　the　emperor；　lay　on　the　open　plain　without　the　camp。　　They　changed　the　watch　with　each　other　in　the　night；　and　those　who　had　been　before　on　watch　lay　down　and　slept；　but　all　completely　armed。　　It　was　their　custom；　when　they　went　to　sleep；　that　each　should　have　his　helmet　on　his　head；　his　shield　over　him；　sword　under　the　head；　and　the　right　hand　on　the　sword…handle。　　One　of　these　comrades；　whose　lot　it　was　to　watch　the　latter　part　of　the　night；　found；　on　awakening　towards　morning；　that　his　sword　was　gone。　　He　looked　after　it；　and　saw　it　lying　on　the　flat　plain　at　a　distance　from　him。　　He　got　up　and　took　the　sword；　thinking　that　his　comrades　who　had　been　on　watch　had　taken　the　sword　from　him　in　a　joke；　but　they　all　denied　it。　　The　same　thing　happened　three　nights。　　Then　he　wondered　at　it；　as　well　as　they　who　saw　or　heard　of　it；　and　people　began　to　ask　him　how　it　could　have　happened。　　He　said　that　his　sword　was　called　Hneiter；　and　had　belonged　to　King　Olaf　the　Saint；　who　had　himself　carried　it　in　the　battle　of　Stiklestad；　and　he　also　related　how　the　sword　since　that　time　had　gone　from　one　to　another。　　This　was　told　to　the　emperor；　who　called　the　man　before　him　to　whom　the　sword　belonged；　and　gave　him　three　times　as　much　gold　as　the　sword　was　worth；　and　the　sword　itself　he　had　laid　in　Saint　Olaf's　church；　which　the　Varings　supported；　where　it　has　been　ever　since　over　the　altar。　　There　was　a　lenderman　of　Norway　while　Harald　Gille's　sons；　Eystein；　Inge；　and　Sigurd　lived；　who　was　called　Eindride　Unge；　and　he　was　in　Constantinople　when　these　events　took　place。　　He　told　these　circumstances　in　Norway；　according　to　what　Einar　Skulason　says　in　his　song　about　King　Olaf　the　Saint；　in　which　these　events　are　sung。



21。　OLAF'S　MIRACLE　IN　FAVOUR　OF　THE　VARINGS。

It　happened　once　in　the　Greek　country；　when　Kirjalax　was　emperor　there；　that　he　made　an　expedition　against　Blokumannaland。　　When　he　came　to　the　Pezina　plains；　a　heathen　king　came　against　him　with　an　innumerable　host。　　He　brought　with　him　many　horsemen；　and　many　large　waggons；　in　which　were　large　loop…holes　for　shooting　through。　　When　they　prepared　for　their　night　quarters　they　drew　up　their　waggons；　one　by　the　side　of　the　other；　without　their　tents；　and　dug　a　great　ditch　without；　and　all　which　made　a　defence　as　strong　as　a　castle。　　The　heathen　king　was　blind。　　Now　when　the　Greek　king　came；　the　heathens　drew　up　their　array　on　the　plains　before　their　waggon…fortification。　　The　Greeks　drew　up　their　array　opposite；　and　they　rode　on　both　sides　to　fight　with　each　other；　but　it　went　on　so　ill　and　so　unfortunately；　that　the　Greeks　were　compelled　to　fly　after　suffering　a　great　defeat；　and　the　heathens　gained　a　victory。　　Then　the　king　drew　up　an　array　of　Franks　and　Flemings；　who　rode　against　the　heathens；　and　fought　with　them；　but　it　went　with　them　as　with　the　others；　that　many　were　killed；　and　all　who　escaped　took　to　flight。　　Then　the　Greek　king　was　greatly　incensed　at　his　men…at…arms；　and　they　replied；　that　he　should　now　take　his　wine…bags；　the　Varings。　　The　king　says　that　he　would　not　throw　away　his　jewels；　and　allow　so　few　men；　however　bold　they　might　be；　to　attack　so　vast　an　army。　　Then　Thorer　Helsifig；　who　at　that　time　was　leader　of　the　Varings　replied　to　the　king's　words；　〃If　there　was　burning　fire　in　the　way；　I　and　my　people　would　run　into　it；　if　I　knew　the　king's　advantage　required　it。〃　　Then　the　king　replied；　〃Call　upon　your　holy　King　Olaf　for　help　and　strength。〃　　The　Varings；　who　were　450　men；　made　a　vow　with　hand　and　word　to　build　a　church　in　Constantinople；　at　their　own　expense　and　with　the　aid　of　other　good　men；　and　have　the　church　consecrated　to　the　honour　and　glory　of　the　holy　King　Olaf；　and　thereupon　the　Varings　rushed　into　the　plain。　　When　the　heathens　saw　them；　they　told　their　king　that　there　was　another　troop　of　the　Greek　king's　army　come　out　upon　the　plain；　but　they　were　only　a　handful　of　people。　　The　king　says；　〃Who　is　that　venerable　man　riding　on　a　white　horse　at　the　head　of　the　troop？〃　　They　replied；　〃We　do　not　see　him。〃　　There　was　so　great　a　difference　of　numbers；　that　there　were　sixty　heathens　for　every　Christian　man；　but　notwithstanding　the　Varings　went　boldly　to　the　attack。　　As　soon　as　they　met　terror　and　alarm　seized　the　army　of　the　heathens；　and　they　instantly　began　to　fly；　but　the　Varings　pursued；　and　soon　killed　a　great　number　of　them。　When　the　Greeks　and　Franks　who　before　had　fled　from　the　heathens　saw　this；　they　hastened　to　take　part；　and　pursue　the　enemy　with　the　others。　　Then　the　Varings　had　reached　the　waggon…　fortification；　where　the　greatest　defeat　was　given　to　the　enemy。　The　heathen　king　was　taken　in　the　flight　of　his　people；　and　the　Varings　brought　him　along　with　them；　after　which　the　Christians　took　the　camp　of　the　heathens；　and　their　waggon…fortification。



MAGNUS　ERLINGSON'S　SAGA。


PRELIMINARY　REMARKS。

With　this　saga；　which　describes　a　series　of　conflicts；　Snorre's　〃Heimskringla〃　ends。　　King　Eystein　died　in　1177；　but　Magnus　Erlingson　continued　to　reign　until　his　death　in　1184。　　The　conflicts　continued　until　the　opposition　party　was　led　to　victory　by　King　Sverre。

The　only　skald　quoted　is　Thorbjorn　Skakkaskald。



1。　OF　MAGNUS　ERLINGSON'S　BEGINNING。

When　Erling　got　certain　intelligence　of　the　determinations　of　Hakon　and　his　counsellors；　he　sent　a　message　to　all　the　chiefs　who　he　knew　had　been　steady　friends　of　King　Inge；　and　also　to　his　court…men　and　his　retinue；　who　had　saved　themselves　by　flight；　and　also　to　all　Gregorius's　house…men；　and　called　them　together　to　a　meeting。　　When　they　met；　and　conversed　with　each　other；　they　resolved　to　keep　their　men　together；　and　which　resolution　they　confirmed　by　oath　and　hand…shake　to　each　other。　　Then　they　considered　whom　they　should　take　to　be　king。　　Erling　Skakke　first　spoke；　and　inquired　if　it　was　the　opinion　of　the　chiefs　and　other　men　of　power　that　Simon　Skalp's　son；　the　son　of　the　daughter　of　King　Harald　Gille；　should　be　chosen　king；　and　Jon　Halkelson　be　taken　to　lead　the　army；　but　Jon　refused　it。　　Then　it　was　inquired　if　Nikolas　Skialdvarson；　a　sister's　son　of　King　Magnus　Barefoot；　would　place　himself　at　the　head　of　the　army；　but　he　answered　thus：　　It　was　his　opinion　that　some　one　should　be　chosen　king　who　was　of　the　royal　race；　and；　for　leader　of　the　troops；　some　one　from　whom　help　and　understanding　were　to　be　looked　for；　and　then　it　would　be　easier　to　gather　an　army。　　It　was　now　tried　whether　Arne　would　let　any　of　his　sons；　King　Inge's　brothers；　be　proclaimed　king。　　Arne　replies；　that　Kristin's　son；　she　was　the　daughter　of　King　Sigurd　the　Crusader；　was　nearest　by　propinquity　of　descent　to　the　crown　of　Norway。　　〃And　here　is　also　a　man　to　be　his　adviser；　and　whose　duty　it　is　to　take　care　of　him　and　of　the　kingdom；　and　that　man　is　his　father　Erling；　who　is　both　prudent；　brave；　experienced　in　war；　and　an　able　man　in　governing　the　kingdom；　he　wants　no　capability　of　bringing　this　counsel　into　effect；　if　luck　be　with　him。〃　　Many　thought　well　of　this　advice。

Erling　replied　to　it；　〃As　far　as　I　can　see　or　hear　in　this　meeting；　the　most　will　rather　be　excused　from　taking　upon　themselves　such　a　difficult　business。　　Now　it　appears　to　me　altogether　uncertain；　provided　we　begin　this　work；　whether　he　who　puts　himself　at　the　head　of　it　will　gain　any　honour；　or　whether　matters　will　go　as　they　have　done　before　when　any　one　undertakes　such　great　things；　that　he　loses　all　his　property　and　possibly　his　life。　　But　if　this　counsel　be　adopted；　there　may　be　men　who　will　undertake　to　carry　it　through；　but　he　who　comes　under　such　an　obligation　must　seek；　in　every　way；　to　prevent　any　opposition　or　enmity　from　those　who　are　now　in　this　council。〃

All　gave　assurance　that　they　would　enter　into　this　confederacy　with　perfect　fidelity。　　Then　said　Erling；　〃I　can　say　for　myself　that　it　would　almost　be　my　death　to　serve　King　Hakon；　and　however　dangerous　it　may　be；　I　will　rather　venture　to　adopt　your　advice；　and　take　upon　me　to　lead　this　force；　if　that　be　the　will；　counsel；　and　desire　of　you　all；　and　if　you　will　all　bind　yourselves　to　this　agreement　by　oath。〃

To　this　they　all　agreed；　and　in　this　meeting　it　was　determined　to　take　Erling's　son　Magnus　to　be　king。　　They　afterwards　held　a　Th