heimskringla-第55节

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King　Olaf　was　a　good　and　very　gentle　man；　of　little　speech；　and　open…handed　although　greedy　of　money。　　Sigvat　the　skald；　as　before　related；　was　in　King　Olaf's　house；　and　several　Iceland　men。　　The　king　asked　particularly　how　Christianity　was　observed　in　Iceland；　and　it　appeared　to　him　to　be　very　far　from　where　it　ought　to　be；　for；　as　to　observing　Christian　practices；　it　was　told　the　king　that　it　was　permitted　there　to　eat　horse…flesh；　to　expose　infants　as　heathens　do；　besides　many　other　things　contrary　to　Christianity。　　They　also　told　the　king　about　many　principal　men　who　were　then　in　Iceland。　　Skapte　Thorodson　was　then　the　lagman　of　the　country。　　He　inquired　also　of　those　who　were　best　acquainted　with　it　about　the　state　of　people　in　other　distant　countries；　and　his　inquiries　turned　principally　on　how　Christianity　was　observed　in　the　Orkney；　Shetland；　and　Farey　Islands：　and；　as　far　as　he　could　learn；　it　was　far　from　being　as　he　could　have　wished。　　Such　conversation　was　usually　carried　on　by　him；　or　else　he　spoke　about　the　laws　and　rights　of　the　country。



57。　KING　OLAF'S　MESSENGERS。

The　same　winter　（A。D。　1016）　came　messengers　from　the　Swedish　king；　Olaf　the　Swede；　out　of　Svithjod：　and　their　leaders　were　two　brothers；　Thorgaut　Skarde　and　Asgaut　the　bailiff；　and　they；　had　twenty…four　men　with　them；　when　they　came　from　the　eastward；　over　the　ridge　of　the　country　down　into　Veradal；　they　summoned　a　Thing　of　the　bondes；　talked　to　them；　and　demanded　of　them　scat　and　duties　upon　account　of　the　king　of　Sweden。　　But　the　bondes；　after　consulting　with　each　other；　determined　only　to　pay　the　scat　which　the　Swedish　king　required　in　so　far　as　King　Olaf　required　none　upon　his　account；　but　refused　to　pay　scat　to　both。　　The　messengers　proceeded　farther　down　the　valley；　but　received　at　every　Thing　they　held　the　same　answer；　and　no　money。　　They　went　forward　to　Skaun；　held　a　Thing　there；　and　demanded　scat；　but　it　went　there　as　before。　　Then　they　came　to　Stjoradal；　and　summoned　a　Thing；　but　the　bondes　would　not　come　to　it。　　Now　the　messengers　saw　that　their　business　was　a　failure；　and　Thorgaut　proposed　that　they　should　turn　about；　and　go　eastward　again。　〃I　do　not　think；〃　says　Asgaut；　〃that　we　have　performed　the　king's　errand　unless　we　go　to　King　Olaf　the　Thick；　since　the　bondes　refer　the　matter　to　him。〃　　He　was　their　commander；　so　they　proceeded　to　the　town　（Nidaros）；　and　took　lodging　there。　　The　day　after　they　presented　themselves　to　the　king；　just　as　he　was　seated　at　table；　saluted　him；　and　said　they　came　with　a　message　of　the　Swedish　king。　　The　king　told　them　to　come　to　him　next　day。　　Next　day　the　king；　having　heard　mass；　went　to　his　Thing…house；　ordered　the　messengers　of　the　Swedish　king　to　be　called；　and　told　them　to　produce　their　message。　　Then　Thorgaut　spoke；　and　told　first　what　his　errand　was；　and　next　how　the　Throndhjem　people　of　the　interior　had　replied　to　it；　and　asked　the　king's　decision　on　the　business；　that　they　might　know　what　result　their　errand　there　was　to　have。　　The　king　answers；　〃While　the　earls　ruled　over　the　country；　it　was　not　to　be　wondered　at　if　the　country　people　thought　themselves　bound　to　obey　them；　as　they　were　at　least　of　the　royal　race　of　the　kingdom。　　But　it　would　have　been　more　just　if　those　earls　had　given　assistance　and　service　to　the　kings　who　had　a　right　to　the　country；　rather　than　to　foreign　kings；　or　to　stir　up　opposition　to　their　lawful　kings；　depriving　them　of　their　land　and　kingdom。　　With　regard　to　Olaf　the　Swede；　who　calls　himself　entitled　to　the　kingdom　of　Norway；　I；　who　in　fact　am　so　entitled；　can　see　no　ground　for　his　claim；　but　well　remember　the　skaith　and　damage　we　have　suffered　from　him　and　his　relations。〃

Then　says　Asgaut。　〃It　is　not　wonderful　that　thou　art　called　Olaf　the　Thick；　seeing　thou　answerest　so　haughtily　to　such　a　prince's　message；　and　canst　not　see　clearly　how　heavy　the　king's　wrath　will　be　for　thee　to　support；　as　many　have　experienced　who　had　greater　strength　than　thou　appearest　to　have。　　But　if　thou　wishest　to　keep　hold　of　thy　kingdom；　it　will　be　best　for　thee　to　come　to　the　king；　and　be　his　man；　and　we　shall　beg　him　to　give　thee　this　kingdom　in　fief　under　him。〃

The　king　replies　with　all　gentleness；　〃I　will　give　thee　an　advice；　Asgaut；　in　return。　　Go　back　to　the　east　again　to　thy　king；　and　tell　him　that　early　in　spring　I　will　make　myself　ready；　and　will　proceed　eastward　to　the　ancient　frontier　that　divided　formerly　the　kingdom　of　the　kings　of　Norway　from　Sweden。　　There　he　may　come　if　he　likes；　that　we　may　conclude　a　peace　with　each　other；　and　each　of　us　will　retain　the　kingdom　to　which　he　is　born。〃

Now　the　messengers　turned　back　to　their　lodging；　and　prepared　for　their　departure；　and　the　king　went　to　table。　　The　messengers　came　back　soon　after　to　the　king's　house；　but　the　doorkeepers　saw　it；　and　reported　it　to　the　king；　who　told　them　not　to　let　the　messengers　in。　　〃I　will　not　speak　with　them；〃　said　he。　　Then　the　messengers　went　off；　and　Thorgaut　said　he　would　now　return　home　with　his　men；　but　Asgaut　insisted　still　that　he　would　go　forward　with　the　king's　errand：　so　they　separated。　　Thorgaut　proceeded　accordingly　through　Strind；　but　Asgaut　went　into　Gaulardal　and　Orkadal；　and　intended　proceeding　southwards　to　More；　to　deliver　his　king's　message。　　When　King　Olaf　came　to　the　knowledge　of　this　he　sent　out　his　pursuivants　after　them；　who　found　them　at　the　ness　in　Stein；　bound　their　hands　behind　their　backs；　and　led　them　down　to　the　point　called　Gaularas；　where　they　raised　a　gallows；　and　hanged　them　so　that　they　could　be　seen　by　those　who　travelled　the　usual　sea…way　out　of　the　fjord。　　Thorgaut　heard　this　news　before　he　had　travelled　far　on　his　way　home　through　the　Throndhjem　country；　and　he　hastened　on　his　journey　until　he　came　to　the　Swedish　king；　and　told　him　how　it　had　gone　with　them。　　The　king　was　highly　enraged　when　he　heard　the　account　of　it；　and　he　had　no　lack　of　high　words。



58。　OLAF　AND　ERLING　RECONCILED。

The　spring　thereafter　（A。D。　1016）　King　Olaf　Haraldson　calls　out　an　army　from　the　Throndhjem　land；　and　makes　ready　to　proceed　eastward。　　Some　of　the　Iceland　traders　were　then　ready　to　sail　from　Norway。　　With　them　King　Olaf　sent　word　and　token　to　Hjalte　Skeggjason；　and　summoned　him　to　come　to　him；　and　at　the　same　time　sent　a　verbal　message　to　Skapte　the　lagman；　and　other　men　who　principally　took　part　in　the　lawgiving　of　Iceland；　to　take　out　of　the　law　whatever　appeared　contrary　to　Christianity。　　He　sent；　besides；　a　message　of　friendship　to　the　people　in　general。　　The　king　then　proceeded　southwards　himself　along　the　coast；　stopping　at　every　district；　and　holding　Things　with　the　bondes；　and　in　each　Thing　he　ordered　the　Christian　law　to　be　read；　together　with　the　message　of　salvation　thereunto　belonging；　and　with　which　many　ill　customs　and　much　heathenism　were　swept　away　at　once　among　the　common　people：　for　the　earls　had　kept　well　the　old　laws　and　rights　of　the　country；　but　with　respect　to　keeping　Christianity；　they　had　allowed　every　man　to　do　as　he　liked。　　It　was　thus　come　so　far　that　the　people　were　baptized　in　the　most　places　on　the　sea…coast；　but　the　most　of　them　were　ignorant　of　Christian　law。　In　the　upper　ends　of　the　valleys；　and　in　the　habitations　among　the　mountains；　the　greater　part　of　the　people　were　heathen；　for　when　the　common　man　is　left　to　himself；　the　faith　he　has　been　taught　in　his　childhood　is　that　which　has　the　strongest　hold　over　his　inclination。　　But　the　king　threatened　the　most　violent　proceedings　against　great　or　small；　who；　after　the　king's　message；　would　not　adopt　Christianity。　　In　the　meantime　Olaf　was　proclaimed　king　in　every　Law　Thing　in　the　country；　and　no　man　spoke　against　him。　　While　he　lay　in　Karmtsund　messengers　went　between　him　and　Erling　Skjalgson；　who　endeavoured　to　make　peace　between　them；　and　the　meeting　was　appointed　in　Whitings　Isle。　When　they　met　they　spoke　with　each　other　about　agreement　together；　but　Erling　found　something　else　than　he　expected　in　the　conversation：　for　when　he　insisted　on　having　all　the　fiefs　which　Olaf　Trygvason；　and　afterwards　the　Earls　Svein　and　Hakon；　had　given　him；　and　on　that　condition　would　be　his　man　and　dutiful　friend；　the　king　answered；　〃It　appears　to　me；　Erling；　that　it　would　be　no　bad　bargain　for　thee　to　get　as　great　fiefs　from　me　for　thy　aid　and　friendship　as　thou　hadst　from　Earl　Eirik；　a　man　who　had　done　thee　the　greatest　injury　by　the　bloodshed　of　thy　men；　but　even　if　I　let　thee　remain　the　greatest　lenderman　in　Norway；　I　will　bestow　my　fiefs　according　to　my　own　will；　and　not　act　as　if　ye　lendermen　had　udal　right　to　my　ancestor's　heritage；　and　I　was　obliged　to　buy　your　services　with　manifold　rewards。〃　Erling　had　no　disposition　to　sue　for　even　the　smallest　thing；　and　he　saw　that　the　king　was　not　easily　dealt　with。　　He　saw　also　that　he　had　only　two　conditions　before　him：　the　one　was　to　make　no　agreement　with　the　king；　and　stand　by　the　consequences；　the　other　to　leave　it　entirely　to　the　king's　pleasure。　　Although　it　was　much　against　his　inclination；　he　chose　the　latter；　and　merely　said　to　the　king；　〃The　service　will　be　the　most　useful　to　thee　which　I　give　with　a　free　will。〃　　And　thus　their　conference　ended。　Erling's　relations　and　friends　came　to　him　afterwards；　and　advised　him　to　give　way；　and　proceed　wit