heimskringla-第45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！


d　four　girls　to　bring　out　all　that　belonged　to　the　decoration　of　the　room　and　put　it　in　order　with　hangings　and　benches。　　Two　fellows　brought　straw　for　the　floor；　two　brought　forward　four…cornered　tables　and　the　drinking…jugs；　two　bore　out　victuals　and　placed　the　meat　on　the　table；　two　she　sent　away　from　the　house　to　procure　in　the　greatest　haste　all　that　was　needed；　and　two　carried　in　the　ale；　and　all　the　other　serving　men　and　girls　went　outside　of　the　house。　　Messengers　went　to　seek　King　Sigurd　wherever　he　might　be；　and　brought　to　him　his　dress…clothes；　and　his　horse　with　gilt　saddle；　and　his　bridle；　which　was　gilt　and　set　with　precious　stones。　　Four　men　she　sent　off　to　the　four　quarters　of　the　country　to　invite　all　the　great　people　to　a　feast；　which　she　prepared　as　a　rejoicing　for　her　son's　return。　　All　who　were　before　in　the　house　she　made　to　dress　themselves　with　the　best　they　had；　and　lent　clothes　to　those　who　had　none　suitable。



31。　KING　SIGURD'S　DRESS。

King　Sigurd　Syr　was　standing　in　his　corn…field　when　the　messengers　came　to　him　and　brought　him　the　news；　and　also　told　him　all　that　Asta　was　doing　at　home　in　the　house。　　He　had　many　people　on　his　farm。　　Some　were　then　shearing　corn；　some　bound　it　together；　some　drove　it　to　the　building；　some　unloaded　it　and　put　it　in　stack　or　barn；　but　the　king；　and　two　men　with　him；　went　sometimes　into　the　field；　sometimes　to　the　place　where　the　corn　was　put　into　the　barn。　　His　dress；　it　is　told；　was　this：　　he　had　a　blue　kirtle　and　blue　breeches；　shoes　which　were　laced　about　the　legs；　a　grey　cloak；　and　a　grey　wide…brimmed　hat；　a　veil　before　his　face；　a　staff　in　his　hand　with　a　gilt…silver　head　on　it　and　a　silver　ring　around　it。　　Of　Sigurd's　living　and　disposition　it　is　related　that　he　was　a　very　gain…making　man　who　attended　carefully　to　his　cattle　and　husbandry；　and　managed　his　housekeeping　himself。　　He　was　nowise　given　to　pomp；　and　was　rather　taciturn。　　But　he　was　a　man　of　the　best　understanding　in　Norway；　and　also　excessively　wealthy　in　movable　property。　Peaceful　he　was；　and　nowise　haughty。　　His　wife　Asta　was　generous　and　high…minded。　　Their　children　were；　Guthorm；　the　eldest；　then　Gunhild；　the　next　Halfdan；　Ingerid；　and　Harald。　　The　messengers　said　to　Sigurd；　〃Asta　told　us　to　bring　thee　word　how　much　it　lay　at　her　heart　that　thou　shouldst　on　this　occasion　comport　thyself　in　the　fashion　of　great　men；　and　show　a　disposition　more　akin　to　Harald　Harfager's　race　than　to　thy　mother's　father's；　Hrane　Thin…　nose；　or　Earl　Nereid　the　Old；　although　they　too　were　very　wise　men。〃　　The　king　replies；　〃The　news　ye　bring　me　is　weighty；　and　ye　bring　it　forward　in　great　heat。　　Already　before　now　Asta　has　been　taken　up　much　with　people　who　were　not　so　near　to　her；　and　I　see　she　is　still　of　the　same　disposition。　　She　takes　this　up　with　great　warmth；　but　can　she　lead　her　son　out　of　the　business　with　the　same　splendour　she　is　leading　him　into　it？　　If　it　is　to　proceed　so　methinks　they　who　mix　themselves　up　in　it　regard　little　property　or　life。　　For　this　man；　King　Olaf；　goes　against　a　great　superiority　of　power；　and　the　wrath　of　the　Danish　and　Swedish　kings　lies　at　the　foot　of　his　determination；　if　he　ventures　to　go　against　them。〃



32。　OF　THE　FEAST。

When　the　king　had　said　this　he　sat　down；　and　made　them　take　off　his　shoes；　and　put　corduvan　boots　on；　to　which　he　bound　his　gold　spurs。　　Then　he　put　off　his　cloak　and　coat；　and　dressed　himself　in　his　finest　clothes；　with　a　scarlet　cloak　over　all；　girded　on　his　sword；　set　a　gilded　helmet　upon　his　head；　and　mounted　his　horse。　　He　sent　his　labouring　people　out　to　the　neighbourhood；　and　gathered　to　him　thirty　well…clothed　men；　and　rode　home　with　them。　　As　they　rode　up　to　the　house；　and　were　near　the　room；　they　saw　on　the　other　side　of　the　house　the　banners　of　Olaf　coming　waving；　and　there　was　he　himself；　with　about　100　men　all　well　equipped。　　People　were　gathered　over　all　upon　the　house…tops。　King　Sigurd　immediately　saluted　his　stepson　from　horseback　in　a　friendly　way；　and　invited　him　and　his　men　to　come　in　and　drink　a　cup　with　him。　　Asta；　on　the　contrary；　went　up　and　kissed　her　son；　and　invited　him　to　stay　with　her；　and　land；　and　people；　and　all　the　good　she　could　do　for　him　stood　at　his　service。　　King　Olaf　thanked　her　kindly　for　her　invitation。　　Then　she　took　him　by　the　hand；　and　led　him　into　the　room　to　the　high…seat。　　King　Sigurd　got　men　to　take　charge　of　their　clothes；　and　give　their　horses　corn；　and　then　he　himself　went　to　his　high…seat；　and　the　feast　was　made　with　the　greatest　splendour。



33。　CONVERSATION　OF　OLAF　AND　SIGURD。

King　Olaf　had　not　been　long　here　before　he　one　day　called　his　stepfather　King　Sigurd；　his　mother　Asta；　and　his　foster…father　Hrane　to　a　conference　and　consultation。　　Olaf　began　thus：　〃It　has　so　happened；〃　said　he；　〃as　is　well　known　to　you；　that　I　have　returned　to　this　country　after　a　very　long　sojourn　in　foreign　parts；　during　all　which　time　I　and　my　men　have　had　nothing　for　our　support　but　what　we　captured　in　war；　for　which　we　have　often　hazarded　both　life　and　soul：　for　many　an　innocent　man　have　we　deprived　of　his　property；　and　some　of　their　lives；　and　foreigners　are　now　sitting　in　the　possessions　which　my　father；　his　father；　and　their　forefathers　for　a　long　series　of　generations　owned；　and　to　which　I　have　udal　right。　　They　have　not　been　content　with　this；　but　have　taken　to　themselves　also　the　properties　of　all　our　relations　who　are　descended　from　Harald　Harfager。　　To　some　they　have　left　little；　to　others　nothing　at　all。　　Now　I　will　disclose　to　you　what　I　have　long　concealed　in　my　own　mind；　that　I　intend　to　take　the　heritage　of　my　forefathers；　but　I　will　not　wait　upon　the　Danish　or　Swedish　king　to　supplicate　the　least　thing　from　them；　although　they　for　the　time　call　that　their　property　which　was　Harald　Harfager's　heritage。　　To　say　the　truth；　I　intend　rather　to　seek　my　patrimony　with　battle…axe　and　sword；　and　that　with　the　help　of　all　my　friends　and　relations；　and　of　those　who　in　this　business　will　take　my　side。　　And　in　this　matter　I　will　so　lay　hand　to　the　work　that　one　of　two　things　shall　happen；　　either　I　shall　lay　all　this　kingdom　under　my　rule　which　they　got　into　their　hands　by　the　slaughter　of　my　kinsman　Olaf　Trygvason；　or　I　shall　fall　here　upon　my　inheritance　in　the　land　of　my　fathers。　　Now　I　expect　of　thee；　Sigurd；　my　stepfather；　as　well　as　other　men　here　in　the　country　who　have　udal　right　of　succession　to　the　kingdom；　according　to　the　law　made　by　King　Harald　Harfager；　that　nothing　shall　be　of　such　importance　to　you　as　to　prevent　you　from　throwing　off　the　disgrace　from　our　family　of　being　slow　at　supporting　the　man　who　comes　forward　to　raise　up　again　our　race。　　But　whether　ye　show　any　manhood　in　this　affair　or　not；　I　know　the　inclination　of　the　people　well；　　that　all　want　to　be　free　from　the　slavery　of　foreign　masters；　and　will　give　aid　and　strength　to　the　attempt。　　I　have　not　proposed　this　matter　to　any　before　thee；　because　I　know　thou　art　a　man　of　understanding；　and　can　best　judge　how　this　my　purpose　shall　be　brought　forward　in　the　beginning；　and　whether　we　shall；　in　all　quietness；　talk　about　it　to　a　few　persons；　or　instantly　declare　it　to　the　people　at　large。　　I　have　already　shown　my　teeth　by　taking　prisoner　the　Earl　Hakon；　who　has　now　left　the　country；　and　given　me；　under　oath；　the　part　of　the　kingdom　which　he　had　before；　and　I　think　it　will　be　easier　to　have　Earl　Svein　alone　to　deal　with；　than　if　both　were　defending　the　country　against　us。〃

King　Sigurd　answers；　〃It　is　no　small　affair；　King　Olaf；　thou　hast　in　thy　mind；　and　thy　purpose　comes　more；　methinks；　from　hasty　pride　than　from　prudence。　　But　it　may　be　there　is　a　wide　difference　between　my　humble　ways　and　the　high　thoughts　thou　hast；　for　whilst　yet　in　thy　childhood　thou　wast　full　always　of　ambition　and　desire　of　command；　and　now　thou　art　experienced　in　battles；　and　hast　formed　thyself　upon　the　manner　of　foreign　chiefs。　　I　know　therefore　well；　that　as　thou　hast　taken　this　into　thy　head；　it　is　useless　to　dissuade　thee　from　it；　and　also　it　is　not　to　be　denied　that　it　goes　to　the　heart　of　all　who　have　courage　in　them；　that　the　whole　Harfager　race　and　kingdom　should　go　to　the　ground。　　But　I　will　not　bind　myself　by　any　promise；　before　I　know　the　views　and　intentions　of　other　Upland　kings；　but　thou　hast　done　well　in　letting　me　know　thy　purpose；　before　declaring　it　publicly　to　the　people。　　I　will　promise　thee；　however；　my　interest　with　the　kings；　and　other　chiefs；　and　country　people；　and　also；　King　Olaf；　all　my　property　stands　to　thy　aid；　and　to　strengthen　thee。　　But　we　will　only　produce　the　matter　to　the　community　so　soon　as　we　see　some　progress；　and　expect　some　strength　to　this　undertaking；　for　thou　canst　easily　perceive　that　it　is　a　daring　measure　to　enter　into　strife　with　Olaf　the　Swedish　king；　and　Canute；　who　is　king　both　of　Denmark　and　England；　and　thou　requirest　great　support　under　thee；　if　it　is　to　succeed。　　It　is　not　unlikely；　in　my　opinion；　that　thou　wilt　get　good　support　from　the　people；　as　the　commonalty　always　loves　what　is　new；　and　it　went　so　before；　when　Olaf　Trygvason　came　here　to　the　country；　that　all　rejoiced　at　it；　although　he　did　not　long　enjoy　the　kingdom。〃

When　the　consultation　had　proceeded　so　far；　Asta　took　up　the　word。　　〃For　my　part；　my　son；　I　am　rejoiced　at　thy　arrival；　but　much　more　at　thy　advancing　thy　honour。　　I　will　spare　nothing　for　that　purpose　that　stands　in　my　power；　although　it　be　but　little　help　that　can　be　expected　from　me。　　But　if　a　choice　could　be　made；　I　would　rather　that　thou　shouldst　be　the　supreme　king　of　Norway；　even　if　thou　shouldst　not　sit　longer　in　thy　kingdom　than　Olaf　Trygvason　did；　than　that　thou　shouldst　not　be　a　greater　king　than　Sigurd　Syr　is；　and　die　the　death　of　old　age。〃　　With　this　the　conference　closed。　　King　Olaf　remained　here　a　while　with　all　his　men。　　King　Sigurd　entertained　them；　day　about；　the　one　day　with　fish　and　milk；　the　other　day　with　flesh…meat　and　ale。



34。　KINGS　IN　THE　UPLAND　DISTRICTS。

At　that　time　there　were　many　kings　in　the　Uplands　who　had　districts　to　rule　over；　and　the　most　of　them　were　descended　from　Harald　Harfager。　　In　Hedemark　two　brothers　ruled　　Hrorek　and　Ring；　in　Gudbrandsdal；　Gudrod；　and　there　was　also　a　king　in　Raumarike；　and　one　had　Hadaland　and　Thoten；　and　in　Valders　als