heimskringla-第108节

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towards　heaven。〃

Fin　replies；　〃This　dream　does　not　appear　to　me　so　good　as　it　does　to　thee。　　I　think　it　means　that　thou　art　fey　（1）；　unless　it　be　the　mere　want　of　sleep　that　has　worked　upon　thee。〃


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　Fey　means　doomed　to　die。



227。　OF　ARNLJOT　GELLINE'S　BAPTISM。

When　King　Olaf　was　arrived　at　Stiklestad；　it　happened；　among　other　circumstances；　that　a　man　came　to　him；　and　although　it　was　nowise　wonderful　that　there　came　many　men　from　the　districts；　yet　this　must　be　regarded　as　unusual；　that　this　man　did　not　appear　like　the　other　men　who　came　to　him。　　He　was　so　tall　that　none　stood　higher　than　up　to　his　shoulders：　very　handsome　he　was　in　countenance；　and　had　beautiful　fair　hair。　　He　was　well　armed；　had　a　fine　helmet；　and　ring　armour；　a　red　shield；　a　superb　sword　in　his　belt；　and　in　his　hand　a　gold…mounted　spear；　the　shaft　of　it　so　thick　that　it　was　a　handful　to　grasp。　　The　man　went　before　the　king；　saluted　him；　and　asked　if　the　king　would　accept　his　services。

The　king　asked　his　name　and　family；　also　what　countryman　he　was。

He　replies；　〃My　family　is　in　Jamtaland　and　Helsingjaland；　and　my　name　is　Arnljot　Gelline；　but　this　I　must　not　forget　to　tell　you；　that　I　came　to　the　assistance　of　those　men　you　sent　to　Jamtaland　to　collect　scat；　and　I　gave　into　their　hands　a　silver　dish；　which　I　sent　you　as　a　token　that　I　would　be　your　friend。〃

Then　the　king　asked　Arnljot　if　he　was　a　Christian　or　not。　　He　replied；　〃My　faith　has　been　this；　to　rely　upon　my　power　and　strength；　and　which　faith　hath　hitherto　given　me　satisfaction；　but　now　I　intend　rather　to　put　my　faith；　sire；　in　thee。〃

The　king　replies；　〃If　thou　wilt　put　faith　in　me　thou　must　also　put　faith　in　what　I　will　teach　thee。　　Thou　must　believe　that　Jesus　Christ　has　made　heaven　and　earth；　and　all　mankind；　and　to　him　shall　all　those　who　are　good　and　rightly　believing　go　after　death。〃

Arnljot　answers；　〃I　have　indeed　heard　of　the　white　Christ；　but　neither　know　what　he　proposes；　nor　what　he　rules　over；　but　now　I　will　believe　all　that　thou　sayest　to　me；　and　lay　down　my　lot　in　your　hands。〃

Thereupon　Arnljot　was　baptized。　　The　king　taught　him　so　much　of　the　holy　faith　as　appeared　to　him　needful；　and　placed　him　in　the　front　rank　of　the　order　of　battle；　in　advance　of　his　banner；　where　also　Gauka…Thorer　and　Afrafaste；　with　their　men；　were。



228。　CONCERNING　THE　ARMY　COLLECTED　IN　NORWAY。

Now　shall　we　relate　what　we　have　left　behind　in　our　tale；　　that　the　lendermen　and　bondes　had　collected　a　vast　host　as　soon　as　it　was　reported　that　King　Olaf　was　come　from　Russia；　and　had　arrived　in　Svithjod；　but　when　they　heard　that　he　had　come　to　Jamtaland；　and　intended　to　proceed　westwards　over　the　keel…ridge　to　Veradal；　they　brought　their　forces　into　the　Throndhjem　country；　where　they　gathered　together　the　whole　people；　free　and　unfree；　and　proceeded　towards　Veradal　with　so　great　a　body　of　men　that　there　was　nobody　in　Norway　at　that　time　who　had　seen　so　large　a　force　assembled。　　But　the　force；　as　it　usually　happens　in　so　great　a　multitude；　consisted　of　many　different　sorts　of　people。　　There　were　many　lendermen；　and　a　great　many　powerful　bondes；　but　the　great　mass　consisted　of　labourers　and　cottars。　　The　chief　strength　of　this　army　lay　in　the　Throndhjem　land；　and　it　was　the　most　warm　in　enmity　and　opposition　to　the　king。



229。　OF　BISHOP　SIGURD。

When　King　Canute　had；　as　before　related；　laid　all　Norway　under　his　power；　he　set　Earl　Hakon　to　manage　it；　and　gave　the　earl　a　court…bishop；　by　name　Sigurd；　who　was　of　Danish　descent；　and　had　been　long　with　King　Canute。　　This　bishop　was　of　a　very　hot　temper；　and　particularly　obstinate；　and　haughty　in　his　speech；　but　supported　King　Canute　all　he　could　in　conversation；　and　was　a　great　enemy　of　King　Olaf。　　He　was　now　also　in　the　bondes'　army；　spoke　often　before　the　people；　and　urged　them　much　to　insurrection　against　King　Olaf。



230。　BISHOP　SIGURD'S　SPEECH。

At　a　House…thing；　at　which　a　great　many　people　were　assembled；　the　bishop　desired　to　be　heard；　and　made　the　following　speech：　〃Here　are　now　assembled　a　great　many　men；　so　that　probably　there　will　never　be　opportunity　in　this　poor　country　of　seeing　so　great　a　native　army；　but　it　would　be　desirable　if　this　strength　and　multitude　could　be　a　protection；　for　it　will　all　be　needed；　if　this　Olaf　does　not　give　over　bringing　war　and　strife　upon　you。　From　his　very　earliest　youth　he　has　been　accustomed　to　plunder　and　kill：　for　which　purposes　he　drove　widely　around　through　all　countries；　until　he　turned　at　last　against　this；　where　he　began　to　show　hostilities　against　the　men　who　were　the　best　and　most　powerful；　and　even　against　King　Canute；　whom　all　are　bound　to　serve　according　to　their　ability；　and　in　whose　scat…lands　he　set　himself　down。　　He　did　the　same　to　Olaf　the　Swedish　king。　　He　drove　the　earls　Svein　and　Hakon　away　from　their　heritages；　and　was　even　most　tyrannical　towards　his　own　connections；　as　he　drove　all　the　kings　out　of　the　Uplands：　although；　indeed；　it　was　but　just　reward　for　having　been　false　to　their　oaths　of　fealty　to　King　Canute；　and　having　followed　this　King　Olaf　in　all　the　folly　he　could　invent；　so　their　friendship　ended　according　to　their　deserts；　by　this　king　mutilating　some　of　them；　taking　their　kingdoms　himself；　and　ruining　every　man　in　the　country　who　had　an　honourable　name。　　Ye　know　yourselves　how　he　has　treated　the　lendermen；　of　whom　many　of　the　worthlest　have　been　murdered；　and　many　obliged　to　fly　from　their　country；　and　how　he　has　roamed　far　and　wide　through　the　land　with　robber…bands；　burning　and　plundering　houses；　and　killing　people。　　Who　is　the　man　among　us　here　of　any　consideration　who　has　not　some　great　injury　from　him　to　avenge？　　Now　he　has　come　hither　with　a　foreign　troop；　consisting　mostly　of　forest…men；　vagabonds；　and　such　marauders。　Do　ye　think　he　will　now　be　more　merciful　to　you；　when　he　is　roaming　about　with　such　a　bad　crew；　after　committing　devastations　which　all　who　followed　him　dissuaded　him　from？　　Therefore　it　is　now　my　advice；　that　ye　remember　King　Canute's　words　when　he　told　you；　if　King　Olaf　attempted　to　return　to　the　country　ye　should　defend　the　liberty　King　Canute　had　promised　you；　and　should　oppose　and　drive　away　such　a　vile　pack。　　Now　the　only　thing　to　be　done　is　to　advance　against　them；　and　cast　forth　these　malefactors　to　the　wolves　and　eagles；　leaving　their　corpses　on　the　spot　they　cover；　unless　ye　drag　them　aside　to　out…of…the…way　corners　in　the　woods　or　rocks。　　No　man　would　be　so　imprudent　as　to　remove　them　to　churches；　for　they　are　all　robbers　and　evil…doers。〃　　When　he　had　ended　his　speech　it　was　hailed　with　the　loudest　applause；　and　all　unanimously　agreed　to　act　according　to　his　recommendation。



231。　OF　THE　LENDERMEN。

The　lendermen　who　had　come　together　appointed　meetings　with　each　other；　and　consulted　together　how　they　should　draw　up　their　troops；　and　who　should　be　their　leader。　　Kalf　Arnason　said　that　Harek　of　Thjotta　was　best　fitted　to　be　the　chief　of　this　army；　for　he　was　descended　from　Harald　Harfager's　race。　　〃The　king　also　is　particularly　enraged　against　him　on　account　of　the　murder　of　Grankel；　and　therefore　he　would　be　exposed　to　the　severest　fate　if　Olaf　recovered　the　kingdom；　and　Harek　withal　is　a　man　experienced　in　battles；　and　a　man　who　does　much　for　honour　alone。〃

Harek　replies；　that　the　men　are　best　suited　for　this　who　are　in　the　flower　of　their　age。　　〃I　am　now；〃　says　he；　〃an　old　and　decaying　man；　not　able　to　do　much　in　battle：　besides；　there　is　near　relationship　between　me　and　King　Olaf；　and　although　he　seems　not　to　put　great　value　upon　that　tie；　it　would　not　beseem　me　to　go　as　leader　of　the　hostilities　against　him；　before　any　other　in　this　meeting。　　On　the　other　hand；　thou；　Thorer；　art　well　suited　to　be　our　chief　in　this　battle　against　King　Olaf；　and　thou　hast　distinct　grounds　for　being　so；　both　because　thou　hast　to　avenge　the　death　of　thy　relation；　and　also　hast　been　driven　by　him　as　an　outlaw　from　thy　property。　　Thou　hast　also　promised　King　Canute；　as　well　as　thy　connections；　to　avenge　the　murder　of　thy　relative　Asbjorn；　and　dost　thou　suppose　there　ever　will　be　a　better　opportunity　than　this　of　taking　vengeance　on　Olaf　for　all　these　insults　and　injuries？〃

Thorer　replies　thus　to　his　speech：　〃I　do　not　confide　in　myself　so　much　as　to　raise　the　banner　against　King　Olaf；　or；　as　chief；　to　lead　on　this　army；　for　the　people　of　Throndhjem　have　the　greatest　part　in　this　armament；　and　I　know　well　their　haughty　spirit；　and　that　they　would　not　obey　me；　or　any　other　Halogaland　man；　although　I　need　not　be　reminded　of　my　injuries　to　be　roused　to　vengeance　on　King　Olaf。　　I　remember　well　my　heavy　loss　when　King　Olaf　slew　four　men；　all　distinguished　both　by　birth　and　personal　qualities；　namely；　my　brother's　son　Asbjorn；　my　sister's　sons　Thorer　and　Grjotgard；　and　their　father　Olver；　and　it　is　my　duty　to　take　vengeance　for　each　man　of　them。　　I　will　not　conceal　that　I　have　selected　eleven　of　my　house…servants　for　that　purpose；　and　of　those　who　are　the　most　daring；　and　I　do　not　think　we　shall　be　behind　others　in　exchanging　blows　with　King　Olaf；　should　opportunity　be　given。〃



232。　KALF　ARNASON'S　SPEECH。

Then　Kalf　Arnason　desired　to　speak。　　〃It　is　highly　necessary；〃　says　he；　〃that　this　business　we　have　on　ha