heimskringla-第196章

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y　must　give　way　before　us　if　we　attack　them　bravely；　and　I　shall　always　attack　where　others　may　think　it　most　difficult。〃

The　speech　was　received　with　much　applause；　and　all　declared　they　were　ready　to　engage　in　battle　against　Hakon。　　Then　they　rowed　with　all　the　ships　up　the　river；　until　they　came　in　sight　of　each　other；　and　then　King　Inge　turned　off　from　the　river　current　under　the　island。　　Now　the　king　addressed　the　lendermen　again；　and　told　them　to　get　ready　for　battle。　　He　turned　himself　especially　to　Erling　Skakke；　and　said；　what　was　true；　that　no　man　in　the　army　had　more　understanding　and　knowledge　in　fighting　battles；　although　some　were　more　hot。　　The　king　then　addressed　himself　to　several　of　the　lendermen；　speaking　to　them　by　name；　and　ended　by　desiring　that　each　man　should　make　his　attack　where　he　thought　it　would　be　of　advantage；　and　thereafter　all　would　act　together。



6。　ERLING'S　SPEECH。

Erling　Skakke　replied　thus　to　the　king's　speech：　〃It　is　my　duty；　sire；　not　to　be　silent；　and　I　shall　give　my　advice；　since　it　is　desired。　　The　resolution　now　adopted　is　contrary　to　my　judgment；　for　I　call　it　foolhardy　to　fight　under　these　circumstances；　although　we　have　so　many　and　such　fine　men。　　Supposing　we　make　an　attack　on　them；　and　row　up　against　this　river…current；　then　one　of　the　three　men　who　are　in　each　half　room　must　be　employed　in　rowing　only；　and　another　must　be　covering　with　the　shield　the　man　who　rows；　and　what　have　we　then　to　fight　with　but　one　third　of　our　men？　　It　appears　to　me　that　they　can　be　of　little　use　in　the　battle　who　are　sitting　at　their　oars　with　their　backs　turned　to　the　enemy。　　Give　me　now　some　time　for　consideration；　and　I　promise　you　that　before　three　days　are　over　I　shall　fall　upon　some　plan　by　which　we　can　come　into　battle　with　advantage。〃

It　was　evident　from　Erling's　speech　that　he　dissuaded　from　an　attack；　but；　notwithstanding；　it　was　urged　by　many　who　thought　that　Hakon　would　now；　as　before；　take　to　the　land。　　〃And　then；〃　said　they；　〃we　cannot　get　hold　of　him；　but　now　they　have　but　few　men；　and　we　have　their　fate　in　our　own　hands。〃

Gregorius　said　but　little；　but　thought　that　Erling　rather　dissuaded　from　an　attack　that　Gregorius's　advice　should　have　no　effect；　than　that　he　had　any　better　advice　to　give。



7。　OF　HAKON'S　FLEET。

Then　said　King　Inge　to　Erling；　〃Now　we　will　follow　thy　advice；　brother；　with　regard　to　the　manner　of　attacking；　but　seeing　how　eager　our　counsellors　are　for　it；　we　shall　make　the　attack　this　day。〃

Erling　replied；　〃All　the　boats　and　light　vessels　we　have　should　row　outside　the　island；　and　up　the　east　arm　of　the　river；　and　then　down　with　the　stream　upon　them；　and　try　if　they　cannot　cut　them　loose　from　the　piles。　　Then　we；　with　the　large　ships；　shall　row　from　below　here　against　them；　and　I　cannot　tell　until　it　be　tried；　if　those　who　are　now　so　furiously　warm　will　be　much　brisker　at　the　attack　than　I　am。〃

This　counsel　was　approved　by　all。　　There　was　a　ness　stretched　out　between　their　fleet　and　Hakon's；　so　that　they　could　not　see　each　other。　　Now　when　Hakon　and　his　men；　who　had　taken　counsel　with　each　other　in　a　meeting；　saw　the　boat…squadron　rowing　down　the　river；　some　thought　King　Inge　intended　to　give　them　battle；　but　many　believed　they　did　not　dare；　for　it　looked　as　if　the　attack　was　given　up；　and　they；　besides；　were　very　confident；　both　in　their　preparations　and　men。　　There　were　many　great　people　with　Hakon：　there　were　Sigurd　of　Reyr；　and　Simon's　sons；　Nikolas　Skialdvarson；　Eindride；　a　son　of　Jon　Mornef；　who　was　the　most　gallant　and　popular　man　in　the　Throndhjem　country；　and　many　other　lendermen　and　warriors。　　Now　when　they　saw　that　King　Inge's　men　with　many　ships　were　rowing　out　of　the　river；　Hakon　and　his　men　believed　they　were　going　to　fly；　and　therefore　they　cut　their　land…ropes　with　which　they　lay　fast　at　the　piles；　seized　their　oars；　and　rowed　after　them　in　pursuit。　　The　ships　ran　fast　down　with　the　stream；　but　when　they　came　further　down　the　river；　abreast　of　the　ness；　they　saw　King　Inge's　main　strength　lying　quiet　at　the　island　Hising。　　King　Inge's　people　saw　Hakon's　ships　under　way；　and　believed　they　were　coming　to　attack　them；　and　now　there　was　great　bustle　and　clash　of　arms；　and　they　encouraged　each　other　by　a　great　war…shout。　　Hakon　with　his　fleet　turned　northwards　a　little　to　the　land；　where　there　was　a　turn　in　the　bight　of　the　river；　and　where　there　was　no　current。　　They　made　ready　for　battle；　carried　land…ropes　to　the　shore；　turned　the　stems　of　their　ships　outwards；　and　bound　them　all　together。　　They　laid　the　large　East…country　traders　without　the　other　vessels；　the　one　above；　the　other　below；　and　bound　them　to　the　long…ships。　In　the　middle　of　the　fleet　lay　the　king's　ship；　and　next　to　it　Sigurd's；　and　on　the　other　side　of　the　king's　ship　lay　Nikolas；　and　next　to　him　Endride　Jonson。　　All　the　smaller　ships　lay　farther　off；　and　they　were　all　nearly　loaded　with　weapons　and　stones。



8。　SIGURD　OF　REYR'S　SPEECH。

Then　Sigurd　of　Reyr　made　the　following　speech：　〃Now　there　is　hope　that　the　time　is　come　which　has　been　promised　us　all　the　summer；　that　we　shall　meet　King　Inge　in　battle。　　We　have　long　prepared　ourselves　for　this；　and　many　of　our　comrades　have　boasted　that　they　would　never　fly　from　or　submit　to　King　Inge　and　Gregorius；　and　now　let　them　remember　their　words。　　But　we　who　have　sometimes　got　the　toothache　in　our　conflicts　with　them；　speak　less　confidently；　for　it　has　happened；　as　all　have　heard；　that　we　very　often　have　come　off　without　glory。　　But；　nevertheless；　it　is　now　necessary　to　fight　manfully；　and　stand　to　it　with　steadiness；　for　the　only　escape　for　us　is　in　victory。　　Although　we　have　somewhat　fewer　men　than　they；　yet　luck　determines　which　side　shall　have　the　advantage；　and　God　knows　that　the　right　is　on　our　side。　　Inge　has　killed　two　of　his　brothers；　and　it　is　obvious　to　all　men　that　the　mulct　he　intends　to　pay　King　Hakon　for　his　father's　murder　is　to　murder　him　also；　as　well　as　his　other　relations；　which　will　be　seen　this　day　to　be　his　intent。　　King　Hakon　desired　from　the　beginning　no　more　of　Norway　than　the　third　part；　which　his　father　had　possessed；　and　which　was　denied　him；　and　yet；　in　my　opinion；　King　Hakon　has　a　better　right　to　inherit　after　his　father's　brother；　King　Eystein；　than　Inge　or　Simon　Skalp；　or　the　other　men　who　killed　King　Eystein。　　Many　of　them　who　would　save　their　souls；　and　yet　have　defiled　their　hands　with　such　bloody　deeds　as　Inge　has　done；　must　think　it　a　presumption　before　God　that　he　takes　the　name　of　king；　and　I　wonder　God　suffers　such　monstrous　wickedness　as　his；　but　it　may　be　God's　will　that　we　shall　now　put　him　down。　　Let　us　fight　then　manfully；　and　God　will　give　us　victory；　and；　if　we　fall；　will　repay　us　with　joys　unspeakable　for　now　allowing　the　might　of　the　wicked　to　prevail　over　us。　　Go　forth　then　in　confidence；　and　be　not　afraid　when　the　battle　begins。　　Let　each　watch　over　his　own　and　his　comrade's　safety；　and　God　protect　us　all。〃　　There　went　a　good　report　abroad　of　this　speech　of　Sigurd；　and　all　promised　fairly；　and　to　do　their　duty。　King　Hakon　went　on　board　of　the　great　East…country　ship；　and　a　shield…bulwark　was　made　around　him；　but　his　standard　remained　on　the　long…ship　in　which　it　had　been　before。



9。　OF　KING　INGE'S　MEN。

Now　must　we　tell　about　King　Inge　and　his　men。　　When　they　saw　that　King　Hakon　and　his　people　were　ready　for　battle；　and　the　river　only　was　between　them；　they　sent　a　light　vessel　to　recall　the　rest　of　the　fleet　which　had　rowed　away；　and　in　the　meantime　the　king　waited　for　them；　and　arranged　the　troops　for　the　attack。　Then　the　chiefs　consulted　in　presence　of　the　army；　and　told　their　opinions；　first；　which　ships　should　lie　nearest　to　the　enemy；　and　then　where　each　should　attack。

Gregorius　spoke　thus：　〃We　have　many　and　fine　men；　and　it　is　my　advice；　King　Inge；　that　you　do　not　go　to　the　assault　with　us；　for　everything　is　preserved　if　you　are　safe。　　And　no　man　knows　where　an　arrow　may　hit；　even　from　the　hands　of　a　bad　bowman；　and　they　have　prepared　themselves　so；　that　missiles　and　stones　can　be　thrown　from　the　high　stages　upon　the　merchant　ships；　so　that　there　is　less　danger　for　those　who　are　farthest　from　them。　　They　have　not　more　men　than　we　lendermen　can　ver