heimskringla-第69节

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most　noble　in　the　North；　for　it　is　traced　up　to　the　gods　themselves。　　But　now　Olaf　has　got　Astrid；　and　although　she　is　a　king's　child；　her　mother　was　but　a　slave…woman；　and；　besides；　of　Vindish　race。　　Great　difference；　indeed；　must　there　be　between　these　kings；　when　the　one　takes　thankfully　such　a　match；　and　now　it　is　evident；　as　might　be　expected；　that　no　Northman　is　to　be　placed　by　the　side　of　the　Upsala　kings。　　Let　us　all　give　thanks　that　it　has　so　turned　out；　for　the　gods　have　long　protected　their　descendants；　although　many　now　neglect　this　faith。〃

There　were　three　brothers：　　Arnvid　the　Blind；　who　had　a　great　understanding；　but　was　so　weak…sighted　that　he　was　scarcely　fit　for　war；　the　second　was　Thorvid　the　Stammerer；　who　could　not　utter　two　words　together　at　one　time；　but　was　remarkably　bold　and　courageous；　the　third　was　Freyvid　the　Deaf；　who　was　hard　of　hearing。　　All　these　brothers　were　rich　and　powerful　men；　of　noble　birth；　great　wisdom；　and　all　very　dear　to　the　king。

Then　said　King　Olaf；　〃What　means　that　which　Emund　said　about　Atte　the　Dull？〃

None　made　any　reply；　but　the　one　looked　at　the　other。

〃Speak　freely；〃　said　the　king。

Then　said　Thorvid　the　Stammerer；　〃Atte　　quarrel　　some　　greedy　　jealous　　deceitful　　dull。〃

Then　said　the　king；　〃To　whom　are　these　words　of　reproach　and　mockery　applied？〃

Freyvid　the　Deaf　replied；　〃We　will　speak　more　clearly　if　we　have　your　permission。〃

The　king　　〃Speak　freely；　Freyvid；　what　you　will。〃

Freyvid　took　up　the　word；　and　spoke。　　〃My　brother　Thorvid；　who　is　considered　to　be　the　wisest　of　us　brothers；　holds　the　words　‘quarrelsome；　greedy；　jealous；　dull；'　to　be　one　and　the　same　thing；　for　it　applies　to　him　who　is　weary　of　peace；　longs　for　small　things　without　attaining　them；　while　he　lets　great　and　useful　things　pass　away　as　they　came。　　I　am　deaf；　yet　so　loud　have　many　spoken　out；　that　I　can　perceive　that　all　men；　both　great　and　small；　take　it　ill　that　you　have　not　kept　your　promise　to　the　king　of　Norway；　and；　worse　than　that；　that　you　broke　the　decision　of　the　community　as　it　was　delivered　at　Upsala　Thing。　You　need　not　fear　either　the　king　of　Norway；　or　the　king　of　Denmark；　or　any　other；　so　long　as　the　Swedish　army　will　follow　you；　but　if　the　people　of　the　country　unanimously　turn　against　you；　we；　your　friends；　see　no　counsel　that　can　be　of　advantage　to　you。〃

The　king　asks；　〃Who　is　the　chief　who　dares　to　betray　the　country　and　me？〃

Freyvid　replies；　〃All　Swedes　desire　to　have　the　ancient　laws；　and　their　full　rights。　　Look　but　here；　sire；　how　many　chiefs　are　sitting　in　council　with　you。　　I　think；　in　truth；　we　are　but　six　whom　you　call　your　councillors：　all　the　others；　so　far　as　I　know；　have　ridden　forth　through　the　districts　to　hold　Things　with　the　people；　and　we　will　not　conceal　it　from　you；　that　the　message…　token　has　gone　forth　to　assemble　a　Retribution…thing　（1）。　　All　of　us　brothers　have　been　invited　to　take　part　in　the　decisions　of　this　council；　but　none　of　us　will　bear　the　name　of　traitor　to　the　sovereign；　for　that　our　father　never　was。〃

Then　the　king　said；　〃What　council　shall　we　take　in　this　dangerous　affair　that　is　in　our　hands？　　Good　chiefs　give　me　council；　that　I　may　keep　my　kingdom；　and　the　heritage　of　my　forefathers；　for　I　cannot　enter　into　strife　against　the　whole　Swedish　force。〃

Arnvid　the　Blind　replies；　〃Sire；　it　is　my　advice　that　you　ride　down　to　Aros　with　such　men　as　will　follow　you；　take　your　ship　there　and　go　out　into　the　Maeler　lake；　summon　all　people　to　meet　you；　proceed　no　longer　with　haughtiness；　but　promise　every　man　the　law　and　rights　of　old　established　in　the　country；　keep　back　in　this　way　the　message…token；　for　it　cannot　as　yet；　in　so　short　a　time　have　travelled　far　through　the　land。　　Send；　then　those　of　your　men　in　whom　you　have　the　most　confidence　to　those　who　have　this　business　on　hand；　and　try　if　this　uproar　can　be　appeased。〃

The　king　says　that　he　will　adopt　this　advice。　〃I　will；〃　says　he；　〃that　ye　brothers　undertake　this　business；　for　I　trust　to　you　the　most　among　my　men。〃

Thorvid　the　Stammerer　said；　〃I　remain　behind。　　Let　Jacob；　your　son；　go　with　them；　for　that　is　necessary。〃

Then　said　Freyvid；　〃Let　us　do　as　Thorvid　says：　he　will　not　leave　you；　and　I　and　Arnvid　must　travel。〃

This　counsel　was　followed。　　Olaf　went　to　his　ships；　and　set　out　into　the　Maelar　lake；　and　many　people　came　to　him。　　The　brothers　Arnvid　and　Freyvid　rode　out　to　Ullaraker；　and　had　with　them　the　king's　son　Jacob；　but　they　kept　it　a　secret　that　he　was　there。　The　brothers　observed　that　there　was　a　great　concourse　and　war…　gathering；　for　the　bondes　held　the　Thing　night　and　day。　　When　Arnvid　and　Freyvid　met　their　relations　and　friends；　they　said　they　would　join　with　the　people；　and　many　agreed　to　leave　the　management　of　the　business　in　the　hands　of　the　brothers。　　But　all；　as　one　man；　declared　they　would　no　longer　have　King　Olaf　over　them；　and　no　longer　suffer　his　unlawful　proceedings；　and　over…weening　pride　which　would　not　listen　to　any　man's　remonstrances；　even　when　the　great　chiefs　spoke　the　truth　to　him。　When　Freyvid　observed　the　heat　of　the　people；　he　saw　in　what　a　bad　situation　the　king's　cause　was。　　He　summoned　the　chiefs　of　the　land　to　a　meeting　with　him　and　addressed　them　thus：　　〃It　appears　to　me；　that　if　we　are　to　depose　Olaf　Eirikson　from　his　kingdom；　we　Swedes　of　the　Uplands　should　be　the　leading　men　in　it：　for　so　it　has　always　been；　that　the　counsel　which　the　Upland　chiefs　have　resolved　among　themselves　has　always　been　followed　by　the　men　of　the　rest　of　the　country。　　Our　forefathers　did　not　need　to　take　advice　from　the　West　Gautlanders　about　the　government　of　the　Swedes。　　Now　we　will　not　be　so　degenerate　as　to　need　Emund　to　give　us　counsel；　but　let　us；　friends　and　relations；　unite　ourselves　for　the　purpose　of　coming　to　a　determination。〃　All　agreed　to　this；　and　thought　it　was　well　said。　　Thereafter　the　people　joined　this　union　which　the　Upland　chiefs　made　among　themselves；　and　Freyvid　and　Arnvid　were　chiefs　of　the　whole　assemblage。　　When　Emund　heard　this　he　suspected　how　the　matter　would　end；　and　went　to　both　the　brothers　to　have　a　conversation　with　them。　　Then　Freyvid　asked　Emund；　〃Who；　in　your　opinion；　should　we　take　for　king；　in　case　Olaf　Eirikson's　days　are　at　an　end？〃

Emund　　〃He　whom　we　think　best　suited　to　it；　whether　he　be　of　the　race　of　chiefs　or　not。〃

Freyvid　answers；　〃We　Uplanders　will　not；　in　our　time；　have　the　kingdom　go　out　of　the　old　race　of　our　ancestors；　which　has　given　us　kings　for　a　long　course　of　generations；　so　long　as　we　have　so　good　a　choice　as　now。　　King　Olaf　has　two　sons；　one　of　whom　we　will　choose　for　king；　although　there　is　a　great　difference　between　them。　　The　one　is　noble…born；　and　of　Swedish　race　on　both　sides；　the　other　is　a　slave…woman's　son；　and　of　Vindish　race　on　the　mother's　side。〃

This　decision　was　received　with　loud　applause；　and　all　would　have　Jacob　for　king。

Then　said　Emund。　〃Ye　Upland　Swedes　have　the　power　this　time　to　determinate　the　matter；　but　I　will　tell　you　what　will　happen：　　some　of　those　who　now　will　listen　to　nothing　but　that　the　kingdom　remain　in　the　old　race　will　live　to　see　the　day　when　they　will　wish　the　kingdom　in　another　race；　as　being　of　more　advantage。〃

Thereupon　the　brothers　Freyvid　and　Arnvid　led　the　king's　son　Jacob　into　the　Thing；　and　saluted　him　with　the　title　of　king；　and　the　Swedes　gave　him　the　name　of　Onund；　which　he　afterwards　retained　as　long　as　he　lived。　　He　was　then　ten　or　twelve　years　old。　　Thereafter　King　Onund　took　a　court；　and　chose　chiefs　to　be　around　him；　and　they　had　as　many　attendants　in　their　suite　as　were　thought　necessary；　so　that　he　gave　the　whole　assemblage　of　bondes　leave　to　return　home。　　After　that　ambassadors　went　between　the　two　kings；　and　at　last　they　had　a　meeting；　and　came　to　an　agreement。　　Olaf　was　to　remain　king　over　the　country　as　long　as　he　lived；　but　should　hold　peace　and　be　reconciled　with　King　Olaf　of　Norway；　and　also　with　all　who　had　taken　part　in　this　business。　Onund　should　also　be　king；　and　have　a　part　of　the　land；　such　as　the　father　and　son　should　agree　upon；　but　should　be　bound　to　support　the　bondes　in　case　King　Olaf　did　anything　which　the　bondes　would　not　suffer。


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　Refsithing　　a　Thing　for　punishment　by　penalty　or　death　for　　　　　　crimes　and　misdemeanours。　　L。



97。　MEETING　OF　RECONCILIATION　BETWEEN　THE　KINGS；　AND　THEIR　GAME　　　　　AT　DICE。

Thereafter　ambassadors　were　sent　to　Norway　to　King　Olaf；　with　the　errand　that　he　should　come　with　his　retinue　to　a　meeting　at　Konungahella　with　the　Swedish　kings；　and　that　the　Swedish　kings　would　there　confirm　their　reconciliation。　　When　King　Olaf　heard　this　message；　he　was　willing；　now　as　formerly；　to　enter　into　the　agreement；　and　proceeded　to　the　appointed　place。　　There　the　Swedish　kings　also　came；　and　the　relations；　when　they　met；　bound　themselves　mutually　to　peace　and　agreement。　　Olaf　the　Swedish　king　was　then　remarkably　mild　in　manner；　and　agreeable　to　talk　with。　　Thorstein　Frode　relates　of　this　meeting；　that　there　was　an　inhabited　district　in　Hising　which　had　sometimes　belonged　to　Norway；　and　sometimes　to　Gautland。　　The　kings　came　to　the　agreement　between　themselves　that　they　would　cast　lots　by　the　dice　to　determine　who　should　have　this　property；　and　that　he　who　threw　the