heimskringla-第29节

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g　him　a　kingdom。　　Svein　collected　ships　of　war；　and　gave　out　that　he　was　going　on　a　viking　cruise；　but　when　all　his　men　were　assembled；　and　the　Jomsborg　viking　Palnatoke　had　come　to　his　assistance　he　ran　into　Sealand　to　Isafjord；　where　his　father　had　been　for　some　time　with　his　ships　ready　to　proceed　on　an　expedition。　　Svein　instantly　gave　battle；　and　the　combat　was　severe。　　So　many　people　flew　to　assist　King　Harald；　that　Svein　was　overpowered　by　numbers；　and　fled。　　But　King　Harald　received　a　wound　which　ended　in　his　death：　and　Svein　was　chosen　King　of　Denmark。　　At　this　time　Sigvalde　was　earl　over　Jomsborg　in　Vindland。　　He　was　a　son　of　King　Strutharald；　who　had　ruled　over　Skane。　　Heming；　and　Thorkel　the　Tall；　were　Sigvalde's　brothers。　　Bue　the　Thick　from　Bornholm；　and　Sigurd　his　brother；　were　also　chiefs　among　the　Jomsborg　vikings：　and　also　Vagn；　a　son　of　Ake　and　Thorgunna；　and　a　sister's　son　of　Bue　and　Sigurd。　　Earl　Sigvalde　had　taken　King　Svein　prisoner；　and　carried　him　to　Vindland；　to　Jomsborg；　where　he　had　forced　him　to　make　peace　with　Burizleif；　the　king　of　the　Vinds；　and　to　take　him　as　the　peace…　maker　between　them。　　Earl　Sigvalde　was　married　to　Astrid；　a　daughter　of　King　Burizleif；　and　told　King　Svein　that　if　he　did　not　accept　of　his　terms；　he　would　deliver　him　into　the　hands　of　the　Vinds。　　The　king　knew　that　they　would　torture　him　to　death；　and　therefore　agreed　to　accept　the　earl's　mediation。　　The　earl　delivered　this　judgment　between　them　　that　King　Svein　should　marry　Gunhild；　King　Burizleif's　daughter；　and　King　Burizleif　again　Thyre；　a　daughter　of　Harald；　and　King　Svein's　sister；　but　that　each　party　should　retain　their　own　dominions；　and　there　should　be　peace　between　the　countries。　　Then　King　Svein　returned　home　to　Denmark　with　his　wife　Gunhild。　　Their　sons　were　Harald　and　Knut　（Canute）　the　Great。　　At　that　time　the　Danes　threatened　much　to　bring　an　army　into　Norway　against　Earl　Hakon。



39。　VOW　OF　THE　JOMSBORG　VIKINGS。

King　Svein　made　a　magnificent　feast；　to　which　he　invited　all　the　chiefs　in　his　dominions；　for　he　would　give　the　succession…feast；　or　the　heirship…ale；　after　his　father　Harald。　　A　short　time　before；　Strutharald　in　Skane；　and　Vesete　in　Bornholm；　father　to　Bue　the　Thick　and　to　Sigurd；　had　died；　and　King　Svein　sent　word　to　the　Jomsborg　vikings　that　Earl　Sigvalde　and　Bue；　and　their　brothers；　should　come　to　him；　and　drink　the　funeral…ale　for　their　fathers　in　the　same　feast　the　king　was　giving。　　The　Jomsborg　vikings　came　to　the　festival　with　their　bravest　men；　forty　ships　of　them　from　Vindland；　and　twenty　ships　from　Skane。　　Great　was　the　multitude　of　people　assembled。　　The　first　day　of　the　feast；　before　King　Svein　went　up　into　his　father's　high…seat；　he　drank　the　bowl　to　his　father's　memory；　and　made　the　solemn　vow；　that　before　three　winters　were　past　he　would　go　over　with　his　army　to　England；　and　either　kill　King　Adalrad　（Ethelred）；　or　chase　him　out　of　the　country。　　This　heirship　bowl　all　who　were　at　the　feast　drank。　　Thereafter　for　the　chiefs　of　the　Jomsborg　vikings　was　filled　and　drunk　the　largest　horn　to　be　found；　and　of　the　strongest　drink。　　When　that　bowl　was　emptied；　all　men　drank　Christ's　health；　and　again　the　fullest　measure　and　the　strongest　drink　were　handed　to　the　Jomsborg　vikings。　　The　third　bowl　was　to　the　memory　of　Saint　Michael；　which　was　drunk　by　all。　　Thereafter　Earl　Sigvalde　emptied　a　remembrance　bowl　to　his　father's　honour；　and　made　the　solemn　vow；　that　before　three　winters　came　to　an　end　he　would　go　to　Norway；　and　either　kill　Earl　Hakon；　or　chase　him　out　of　the　country。　　Thereupon　Thorkel　the　Tall；　his　brother；　made　a　solemn　vow　to　follow　his　brother　Sigvalde　to　Norway；　and　not　flinch　from　the　battle　so　long　as　Sigvalde　would　fight　there。　Then　Bue　the　Thick　vowed　to　follow　them　to　Norway；　and　not　flinch　so　long　as　the　other　Jomsborg　vikings　fought。　　At　last　Vagn　Akason　vowed　that　he　would　go　with　them　to　Norway；　and　not　return　until　he　had　slain　Thorkel　Leira；　and　gone　to　bed　to　his　daughter　Ingebjorg　without　her　friends'　consent。　　Many　other　chiefs　made　solemn　vows　about　different　things。　　Thus　was　the　heirship…ale　drunk　that　day；　but　the　next　morning；　when　the　Jomsborg　vikings　had　slept　off　their　drink；　they　thought　they　had　spoken　more　than　enough。　　They　held　a　meeting　to　consult　how　they　should　proceed　with　their　undertaking；　and　they　determined　to　fit　out　as　speedily　as　possible　for　the　expedition；　and　without　delay　ships　and　men…at…arms　were　prepared；　and　the　news　spread　quickly。



40。　EIRIK　AND　HAKON　MAKE　A　WAR　LEVY。

When　Earl　Eirik；　the　son　of　Hakon；　who　at　that　time　was　in　Raumarike；　heard　the　tidings；　he　immediately　gathered　troops；　and　went　to　the　Uplands；　and　thence　over　the　mountains　to　Throndhjem；　and　joined　his　father　Earl　Hakon。　　Thord　Kolbeinson　speaks　of　this　in　the　lay　of　Eirik：　

　　　　　〃News　from　the　south　are　flying　round；　　　　　　The　bonde　comes　with　look　profound；　　　　　　Bad　news　of　bloody　battles　bringing；　　　　　　Of　steel…clad　men；　of　weapons　ringing。　　　　　　I　hear　that　in　the　Danish　land　　　　　　Long…sided　ships　slide　down　the　strand；　　　　　　And；　floating　with　the　rising　tide；　　　　　　The　ocean…coursers　soon　will　ride。〃

The　earls　Hakon　and　Eirik　had　war…arrows　split　up　and　sent　round　the　Throndhjem　country；　and　despatched　messages　to　both　the　Mores；　North　More　and　South　More；　and　to　Raumsdal；　and　also　north　to　Naumudal　and　Halogaland。　　They　summoned　all　the　country　to　provide　both　men　and　ships。　　So　it　is　said　in　Eirik's　lay：

　　　　　〃The　skald　must　now　a　war…song　raise；　　　　　　The　gallant　active　youth　must　praise；　　　　　　Who　o'er　the　ocean's　field　spreads　forth　　　　　　Ships；　cutters；　boats；　from　the　far　north。　　　　　　His　mighty　fleet　comes　sailing　by；　　　　　　　The　people　run　to　see　them　glide；　　　　　　Mast　after　mast；　by　the　coast…side。〃

Earl　Hakon　set　out　immediately　to　the　south；　to　More；　to　reconnoitre　and　gather　people；　and　Earl　Eirik　gathered　an　army　from　the　north　to　follow。



41。　EXPEDITION　OF　THE　JOMSBORG　VIKINGS。

The　Jomsborg　vikings　assembled　their　fleet　in　Limafjord；　from　whence　they　went　to　sea　with　sixty　sail　of　vessels。　　When　they　came　under　the　coast　of　Agder；　they　steered　northwards　to　Rogaland　with　their　fleet；　and　began　to　plunder　when　they　came　into　the　earl's　territory；　and　so　they　sailed　north　along　the　coast；　plundering　and　burning。　　A　man；　by　name　Geirmund；　sailed　in　a　light　boat　with　a　few　men　northwards　to　More；　and　there　he　fell　in　with　Earl　Hakon；　stood　before　his　dinner　table；　and　told　the　earl　the　tidings　of　an　army　from　Denmark　having　come　to　the　south　end　of　the　land。　　The　earl　asked　if　he　had　any　certainty　of　it。　　Then　Geirmund　stretched　forth　one　arm；　from　which　the　hand　was　cut　off；　and　said；　〃Here　is　the　token　that　the　enemy　is　in　the　land。〃　　Then　the　earl　questioned　him　particularly　about　this　army。　　Geirmund　says　it　consists　of　Jomsborg　vikings；　who　have　killed　many　people；　and　plundered　all　around。　　〃And　hastily　and　hotly　they　pushed　on；〃　says　he　〃and　I　expect　it　will　not　be　long　before　they　are　upon　you。〃　　On　this　the　earl　rode　into　every　fjord；　going　in　along　the　one　side　of　the　land　and　out　at　the　other；　collecting　men；　and　thus　he　drove　along　night　and　day。　　He　sent　spies　out　upon　the　upper　ridges；　and　also　southwards　into　the　Fjords；　and　he　proceeded　north　to　meet　Eirik　with　his　men。　This　appears　from　Eirik's　lay：　

　　　　　〃The　earl；　well　skilled　in　war　to　speed　　　　　　O'er　the　wild　wave　the　viking…steed；　　　　　　Now　launched　the　high　stems　from　the　shore；　　　　　　Which　death　to　Sigvalde's　vikings　bore。　　　　　　Rollers　beneath　the　ships'　keels　crash；　　　　　　Oar…blades　loud　in　the　grey　sea　splash；　　　　　　And　they　who　give　the　ravens　food　　　　　　Row　fearless　through　the　curling　flood。〃

Eirik　hastened　southwards　with　his　forces　the　shortest　way　he　could。



42。　OF　THE　JOMSBORG　VIKINGS。

Earl　Sigvalde　steered　with　his　fleet　northwards　around　Stad；　and　came　to　the　land　at　the　Herey　Isles。　　Although　the　vikings　fell　in　with　the　country　people；　the　people　never　told　the　truth　about　what　the　earl　was　doing；　and　the　vikings　went　on　pillaging　and　laying　waste。　　They　laid　to　their　vessels　at　the　outer　end　of　Hod　Island；　landed；　plundered；　and　drove　both　men　and　cattle　down　to　the　ships；　killing　all　the　men　able　to　bear　arms。

As　they　were　going　back　to　their　ships；　came　a　bonde；　walking　near　to　Bue's　troop；　who　said　to　them；　〃Ye　are　not　doing　like　true　warriors；　to　be　driving　cows　and　calves　down　to　the　strand；　while　ye　should　be　giving　chase　to　the　bear；　since　ye　are　coming　near　to　the　bear's　den。〃

〃What　says　the　old　man？〃　asked　some。　　〃Can　he　tell　us　anything　about　Earl　Hakon？〃

The　peasant　replies；　〃The　earl　went　yesterday　into　the　Hjorundarfjord　with　one　or　two　ships；　certainly　not　more　than　three；　and　then　he　had　no　news　about　you。〃

Bue　ran　now　with　his　people　in　all　haste　down　to　the　ships；　leaving　all　the　booty　behind。　　Bue　said；　〃Let　us　avail　ourselves　now　of　this　news　we　have　got　of　the　earl；　and　be　the　first　to　the　victory。〃　　When　they　came　to　their　ships　they　rode　off　from　the　land。　　Earl　Sigvalde　called　to　them；　and　asked　what　they　were　about。　　They　replied；　〃The　earl　is　in　the　fjord；〃　on　which　Earl　Sigvalde　with　the　whole　fleet　set　off；　and　rowed　north　about　the　island　Hod。



43。　BATTLE　WITH　THE　JOMSBORG　VIKINGS。

The　earl