heimskringla-第124节

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ys　manned　with　troops　which　went　out　to　the　Greek　sea。　　Harald　had　his　own　men　along　with　him。　　Now　Harald　had　been　but　a　short　time　in　the　army　before　all　the　Varings　flocked　to　him；　and　they　all　joined　together　when　there　was　a　battle。　　It　thus　came　to　pass　that　Harald　was　made　chief　of　the　Varings。　　There　was　a　chief　over　all　the　troops　who　was　called　Gyrger；　and　who　was　a　relation　of　the　empress。　　Gyrger　and　Harald　went　round　among　all　the　Greek　islands；　and　fought　much　against　the　corsairs。



4。　OF　HARALD　AND　GYRGER　CASTING　LOTS。

It　happened　once　that　Gyrger　and　the　Varings　were　going　through　the　country；　and　they　resolved　to　take　their　night　quarters　in　a　wood；　and　as　the　Varings　came　first　to　the　ground；　they　chose　the　place　which　was　best　for　pitching　their　tents　upon；　which　was　the　highest　ground；　for　it　is　the　nature　of　the　land　there　to　be　soft　when　rain　falls；　and　therefore　it　is　bad　to　choose　a　low　situation　for　your　tents。　　Now　when　Gyrger；　the　chief　of　the　army；　came　up；　and　saw　where　the　Varings　had　set　up　their　tents；　he　told　them　to　remove；　and　pitch　their　tents　elsewhere；　saying　he　would　himself　pitch　his　tents　on　their　ground。　　Harald　replies；　〃If　ye　come　first　to　the　night　quarter；　ye　take　up　your　ground；　and　we　must　go　pitch　our　tents　at　some　other　place　where　we　best　can。　　Now　do　ye　so；　in　the　same　way；　and　find　a　place　where　ye　will。　　It　is；　I　think；　the　privilege　of　us　Varings　here　in　the　dominions　of　the　Greek　emperor　to　be　free；　and　independent　of　all　but　their　own　commanders；　and　bound　only　to　serve　the　emperor　and　empress。〃　　They　disputed　long　and　hotly　about　this；　and　both　sides　armed　themselves；　and　were　on　the　way　to　fight　for　it；　but　men　of　understanding　came　between　and　separated　them。　They　said　it　would　be　better　to　come　to　an　agreement　about　such　questions；　so　that　in　future　no　dispute　could　arise。　　It　came　thus　to　an　arbitration　between　them；　at　which　the　best　and　most　sagacious　men　should　give　their　judgment　in　the　case。　　At　this　arbitration　it　was　determined；　with　the　consent　of　all　parties；　that　lots　should　be　thrown　into　a　box；　and　the　Greeks　and　Varings　should　draw　which　was　first　to　ride；　or　to　row；　or　to　take　place　in　a　harbour；　or　to　choose　tent　ground；　and　each　side　should　be　satisfied　with　what　the　drawing　of　the　lots　gave　them。　　Accordingly　the　lots　were　made　and　marked。　　Harald　said　to　Gyrger；　〃Let　me　see　what　mark　thou　hast　put　upon　thy　lot；　that　we　may　not　both　mark　our　lots　in　the　same　way。〃　　He　did　so。　　Then　Harald　marked　his　lot；　and　put　it　into　the　box　along　with　the　other。　　The　man　who　was　to　draw　out　the　lots　then　took　up　one　of　the　lots　between　his　fingers；　held　it　up　in　the　air；　and　said；　〃This　lot　shall　be　the　first　to　ride；　and　to　row；　and　to　take　place　in　harbour　and　on　the　tent　field。〃　　Harald　seized　his　band；　snatched　the　die；　and　threw　it　into　the　sea；　and　called　out；　〃That　was　our　lot！〃　　Gyrger　said；　〃Why　did　you　not　let　other　people　see　it？〃　　Harald　replies；　〃Look　at　the　one　remaining　in　the　box；　　there　you　see　your　own　mark　upon　it。〃　　Accordingly　the　lot　which　was　left　behind　was　examined；　and　all　men　saw　that　Gyrger's　mark　was　upon　it；　and　accordingly　the　judgment　was　given　that　the　Varings　had　gained　the　first　choice　in　all　they　had　been　quarrelling　about。　　There　were　many　things　they　quarrelled　about；　but　the　end　always　was　that　Harald　got　his　own　way。



5。　HARALD'S　EXPEDITION　IN　THE　LAND　OF　THE　SARACENS　（SERKLAND）。

They　went　out　all　on　a　campaign　in　summer。　　When　the　whole　army　was　thus　assembled　Harald　kept　his　men　out　of　the　battle；　or　wherever　he　saw　the　least　danger；　under　pretext　of　saving　his　men；　but　where　he　was　alone　with　his　own　men　only；　he　fought　so　desperately　that　they　must　either　come　off　victorious　or　die。　　It　thus　happened　often　that　when　he　commanded　the　army　he　gained　victories；　while　Gyrger　could　do　nothing。　　The　troops　observed　this；　and　insisted　they　would　be　more　successful　if　Harald　alone　was　chief　of　the　whole　army；　and　upbraided　the　general　with　never　effecting　anything；　neither　himself；　nor　his　people。　　Gyrger　again　said　that　the　Varings　would　give　him　no　assistance；　and　ordered　Harald　to　go　with　his　men　somewhere　else；　and　he；　with　the　rest　of　his　army；　would　win　what　they　could。　　Harald　accordingly　left　the　army　with　the　Varings　and　the　Latin　men；　and　Gyrger　on　his　side　went　off　with　the　Greek　troops。　　Then　it　was　seen　what　each　could　do。　　Harald　always　gained　victories　and　booty；　but　the　Greeks　went　home　to　Constantinople　with　their　army；　all　except　a　few　brave　men；　who；　to　gain　booty　and　money；　joined　themselves　to　Harald；　and　took　him　for　their　leader。　　He　then　went　with　his　troops　westward　to　Africa；　which　the　Varings　call　Serkland；　where　he　was　strengthened　with　many　men。　　In　Serkland　he　took　eighty　castles；　some　of　which　surrendered；　and　others　were　stormed。　　He　then　went　to　Sicily。　　So　says　Thiodolf：　

　　　　　〃The　serpent's　bed　of　glowing　gold　　　　　　He　hates　　the　generous　king；　the　bold！　　　　　　He　who　four　score　towers　laid　low；　　　　　　Ta'en　from　the　Saracenic　foe。　　　　　　Before　upon　Sicilian　plains；　　　　　　Shield　joined　to　shield；　the　fight　he　gains；　　　　　　The　victory　at　Hild's　war　game；　　　　　　And　now　the　heathens　dread　his　name。〃

So　says　also　Illuge　Bryndala…skald：　

　　　　　〃For　Michael's　empire　Harald　fought；　　　　　　And　southern　lands　to　Michael　brought；　　　　　　So　Budle's　son　his　friendship　showed　　　　　　When　he　brought　friends　to　his　abode。〃

Here　it　is　said　that　Michael　was　king　of　the　Greeks　at　that　time。　Harald　remained　many　years　in　Africa；　where　he　gathered　great　wealth　in　gold；　jewels；　and　all　sorts　of　precious　things；　and　all　the　wealth　he　gathered　there　which　he　did　not　need　for　his　expenses；　he　sent　with　trusty　men　of　his　own　north　to　Novgorod　to　King　Jarisleif's　care　and　keeping。　　He　gathered　together　there　extraordinary　treasure；　as　is　reasonable　to　suppose；　for　he　had　the　plundering　of　the　part　of　the　world　richest　in　gold　and　valuable　things；　and　he　had　done　such　great　deeds　as　with　truth　are　related；　such　as　taking　eighty　strongholds　by　his　valour。



6。　BATTLE　IN　SICILY。

Now　when　Harald　came　to　Sicily　he　plundered　there　also；　and　sat　down　with　his　army　before　a　strong　and　populous　castle。　　He　surrounded　the　castle；　but　the　walls　were　so　thick　there　was　no　possibility　of　breaking　into　it；　and　the　people　of　the　castle　had　enough　of　provisions；　and　all　that　was　necessary　for　defence。　Then　Harald　hit　upon　an　expedient。　　He　made　his　bird…catchers　catch　the　small　birds　which　had　their　nests　within　the　castle；　but　flew　into　the　woods　by　day　to　get　food　for　their　young。　　He　had　small　splinters　of　tarred　wood　bound　upon　the　backs　of　the　birds；　smeared　these　over　with　wax　and　sulphur；　and　set　fire　to　them。　As　soon　as　the　birds　were　let　loose　they　all　flew　at　once　to　the　castle　to　their　young；　and　to　their　nests；　which　they　had　under　the　house　roofs　that　were　covered　with　reeds　or　straw。　　The　fire　from　the　birds　seized　upon　the　house　roofs；　and　although　each　bird　could　only　carry　a　small　burden　of　fire；　yet　all　at　once　there　was　a　mighty　flame；　caused　by　so　many　birds　carrying　fire　with　them　and　spreading　it　widely　among　the　house　roofs。　Thus　one　house　after　the　other　was　set　on　fire；　until　the　castle　itself　was　in　flames。　　Then　the　people　came　out　of　the　castle　and　begged　for　mercy；　the　same　men　who　for　many　days　had　set　at　defiance　the　Greek　army　and　its　leader。　　Harald　granted　life　and　safety　to　all　who　asked　quarter；　and　made　himself　master　of　the　place。



7。　BATTLE　AT　ANOTHER　CASTLE。

There　was　another　castle　before　which　Harald　had　come　with　his　army。　　This　castle　was　both　full　of　people　and　so　strong；　that　there　was　no　hope　of　breaking　into　it。　　The　castle　stood　upon　a　flat　hard　plain。　　Then　Harald　undertook　to　dig　a　passage　from　a　place　where　a　stream　ran　in　a　bed　so　deep　that　it　could　not　be　seen　from　the　castle。　　They　threw　out　all　the　earth　into　the　stream；　to　be　carried　away　by　the　water。　　At　this　work　they　laboured　day　and　night；　and　relieved　each　other　in　gangs；　while　the　rest　of　the　army　went　the　whole　day　against　the　castle；　where　the　castle　people　shot　through　their　loop…holes。　　They　shot　at　each　other　all　day　in　this　way；　and　at　night　they　slept　on　both　sides。　　Now　when　Harald　perceived　that　his　underground　passage　was　so　long　that　it　must　be　within　the　castle　walls；　he　ordered　his　people　to　arm　themselves。　　It　was　towards　daybreak　that　they　went　into　the　passage。　　When　they　got　to　the　end　of　it　they　dug　over　their　heads　until　they　came　upon　stones　laid　in　lime　which　was　the　floor　of　a　stone　hall。　　They　broke　open　the　floor　and　rose　into　the　hall。　　There　sat　many　of　the　castle…men　eating　and　drinking；　and　not　in　the　least　expecting　such　uninvited　wolves；　for　the　Varings　instantly　attacked　them　sword　in　hand；　and　killed　some；　and　those　who　could　get　away　fled。　　The　Varings　pursued　them；　and　some　seized　the　castle　gate；　and　opened　it；　so　that　the　whole　body　of　the　army　got　in。　　The　people　of　the　castle　fled；　but　many　asked　quarter　from　the　troops；　which　was　granted　to　all　who　surrendered。　　In　this　way　Harald　got　possession　of　the　place；　and　found　an　immense　booty　in　it。



8。　BATTLE　AT　A　THIRD　CASTLE。

They　came　to　a　third　castle；　the　greatest　and　strongest　of　them　all；　and　also　the　ri