heimskringla-第57章

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　should　go　to　the　ground。　　But　I　will　not　bind　myself　by　any　promise；　before　I　know　the　views　and　intentions　of　other　Upland　kings；　but　thou　hast　done　well　in　letting　me　know　thy　purpose；　before　declaring　it　publicly　to　the　people。　　I　will　promise　thee；　however；　my　interest　with　the　kings；　and　other　chiefs；　and　country　people；　and　also；　King　Olaf；　all　my　property　stands　to　thy　aid；　and　to　strengthen　thee。　　But　we　will　only　produce　the　matter　to　the　community　so　soon　as　we　see　some　progress；　and　expect　some　strength　to　this　undertaking；　for　thou　canst　easily　perceive　that　it　is　a　daring　measure　to　enter　into　strife　with　Olaf　the　Swedish　king；　and　Canute；　who　is　king　both　of　Denmark　and　England；　and　thou　requirest　great　support　under　thee；　if　it　is　to　succeed。　　It　is　not　unlikely；　in　my　opinion；　that　thou　wilt　get　good　support　from　the　people；　as　the　commonalty　always　loves　what　is　new；　and　it　went　so　before；　when　Olaf　Trygvason　came　here　to　the　country；　that　all　rejoiced　at　it；　although　he　did　not　long　enjoy　the　kingdom。〃

When　the　consultation　had　proceeded　so　far；　Asta　took　up　the　word。　　〃For　my　part；　my　son；　I　am　rejoiced　at　thy　arrival；　but　much　more　at　thy　advancing　thy　honour。　　I　will　spare　nothing　for　that　purpose　that　stands　in　my　power；　although　it　be　but　little　help　that　can　be　expected　from　me。　　But　if　a　choice　could　be　made；　I　would　rather　that　thou　shouldst　be　the　supreme　king　of　Norway；　even　if　thou　shouldst　not　sit　longer　in　thy　kingdom　than　Olaf　Trygvason　did；　than　that　thou　shouldst　not　be　a　greater　king　than　Sigurd　Syr　is；　and　die　the　death　of　old　age。〃　　With　this　the　conference　closed。　　King　Olaf　remained　here　a　while　with　all　his　men。　　King　Sigurd　entertained　them；　day　about；　the　one　day　with　fish　and　milk；　the　other　day　with　flesh…meat　and　ale。



34。　KINGS　IN　THE　UPLAND　DISTRICTS。

At　that　time　there　were　many　kings　in　the　Uplands　who　had　districts　to　rule　over；　and　the　most　of　them　were　descended　from　Harald　Harfager。　　In　Hedemark　two　brothers　ruled　　Hrorek　and　Ring；　in　Gudbrandsdal；　Gudrod；　and　there　was　also　a　king　in　Raumarike；　and　one　had　Hadaland　and　Thoten；　and　in　Valders　also　there　was　a　king。　　With　these　district…kings　Sigurd　had　a　meeting　up　in　Hadaland；　and　Olaf　Haraldson　also　met　with　them。　　To　these　district…kings　whom　Sigurd　had　assembled　he　set　forth　his　stepson　Olaf's　purpose；　and　asked　their　aid；　both　of　men　and　in　counsel　and　consent；　and　represented　to　them　how　necessary　it　was　to　cast　off　the　yoke　which　the　Danes　and　Swedes　had　laid　upon　them。　　He　said　that　there　was　now　a　man　before　them　who　could　head　such　an　enterprise；　and　he　recounted　the　many　brave　actions　which　Olaf　had　achieved　upon　his　war…expeditions。

Then　King　Hrorek　says；　〃True　it　is　that　Harald　Harfager's　kingdom　has　gone　to　decay；　none　of　his　race　being　supreme　king　over　Norway。　　But　the　people　here　in　the　country　have　experienced　many　things。　　When　King　Hakon；　Athelstan's　foster…son；　was　king；　all　were　content；　but　when　Gunhild's　sons　ruled　over　the　country；　all　were　so　weary　of　their　tyranny　and　injustice　that　they　would　rather　have　foreign　men　as　kings；　and　be　themselves　more　their　own　rulers；　for　the　foreign　kings　were　usually　abroad　and　cared　little　about　the　customs　of　the　people　if　the　scat　they　laid　on　the　country　was　paid。　　When　enmity　arose　between　the　Danish　king　Harald　and　Earl　Hakon；　the　Jomsborg　vikings　made　an　expedition　against　Norway；　then　the　whole　people　arose；　and　threw　the　hostilities　from　themselves；　and　thereafter　the　people　encouraged　Earl　Hakon　to　keep　the　country；　and　defend　it　with　sword　and　spear　against　the　Danish　king。　　But　when　he　had　set　himself　fast　in　the　kingdom　with　the　help　of　the　people；　he　became　so　hard　and　overbearing　towards　the　country…folks；　that　they　would　no　longer　suffer　him。　　The　Throndhjem　people　killed　him；　and　raised　to　the　kingly　power　Olaf　Trygvason；　who　was　of　the　udal　succession　to　the　kingdom；　and　in　all　respects　well　fitted　to　be　a　chief。　　The　whole　country's　desire　was　to　make　him　supreme　king；　and　raise　again　the　kingdom　which　Harald　Harfager　had　made　for　himself。　　But　when　King　Olaf　thought　himself　quite　firmly　seated　in　his　kingdom；　no　man　could　rule　his　own　concerns　for　him。　　With　us　small　kings　he　was　so　unreasonable；　as　to　take　to　himself　not　only　all　the　scat　and　duties　which　Harald　Harfager　had　levied　from　us；　but　a　great　deal　more。　　The　people　at　last　had　so　little　freedom　under　him；　that　it　was　not　allowed　to　every　man　to　believe　in　what　god　he　pleased。　　Now　since　he　has　been　taken　away　we　have　kept　friendly　with　the　Danish　king；　have　received　great　help　from　him　when　we　have　had　any　occasion　for　it；　and　have　been　allowed　to　rule　ourselves；　and　live　in　peace　and　quiet　in　the　inland　country；　and　without　any　overburden。　　I　am　therefore　content　that　things　be　as　they　are；　for　I　do　not　see　what　better　rights　I　am　to　enjoy　by　one　of　my　relations　ruling　over　the　country；　and　if　I　am　to　be　no　better　off；　I　will　take　no　part　in　the　affair。〃

Then　said　King　Ring；　his　brother；　〃I　will　also　declare　my　opinion　that　it　is　better　for　me；　if　I　hold　the　same　power　and　property　as　now；　that　my　relative　is　king　over　Norway；　rather　than　a　foreign　chief；　so　that　our　family　may　again　raise　its　head　in　the　land。　　It　is；　besides；　my　opinion　about　this　man　Olaf；　that　his　fate　and　luck　must　determine　whether　he　is　to　obtain　the　kingdom　or　not；　and　if　he　succeed　in　making　himself　supreme　king；　then　he　will　be　the　best　off　who　has　best　deserved　his　friendship。　　At　present　he　has　in　no　respect　greater　power　than　any　of　us；　nay；　indeed；　he　has　less；　as　we　have　lands　and　kingdoms　to　rule　over；　and　he　has　nothing；　and　we　are　equally　entitled　by　the　udal　right　to　the　kingdom　as　he　is　himself。　　Now；　if　we　will　be　his　men；　give　him　our　aid；　allow　him　to　take　the　highest　dignity　in　the　country；　and　stand　by　him　with　our　strength；　how　should　he　not　reward　us　well；　and　hold　it　in　remembrance　to　our　great　advantage；　if　he　be　the　honourable　man　I　believe　him　to　be；　and　all　say　he　is？　　Therefore　let　us　join　the　adventure；　say　I；　and　bind　ourselves　in　friendship　with　him。〃

Then　the　others；　one　after　the　other；　stood　up　and　spoke；　and　the　conclusion　was；　that　the　most　of　them　determined　to　enter　into　a　league　with　King　Olaf。　　He　promised　them　his　perfect　friendship；　and　that　he　would　hold　by　and　improve　the　country's　laws　and　rights；　if　he　became　supreme　king　of　Norway。　　This　league　was　confirmed　by　oath。



35。　OLAF　GETS　THE　TITLE　OF　KING　FROM　THE　THING。

Thereafter　the　kings　summoned　a　Thing；　and　there　King　Olaf　set　forth　this　determination　to　all　the　people；　and　his　demand　on　the　kingly　power。　　He　desires　that　the　bondes　should　receive　him　as　king；　and　promises；　on　the　other　hand；　to　allow　them　to　retain　their　ancient　laws；　and　to　defend　the　land　from　foreign　masters　and　chiefs。　　On　this　point　he　spoke　well；　and　long；　and　he　got　great　praise　for　his　speech。　　Then　the　kings　rose　and　spoke；　the　one　after　the　other；　and　supported　his　cause；　and　this　message　to　the　people。　　At　last　it　came　to　this；　that　King　Olaf　was　proclaimed　king　over　the　whole　country；　and　the　kingdom　adjudged　to　him　according　to　law　in　the　Uplands　（A。D。　1014）。



36。　KING　OLAF　TRAVELS　IN　THE　UPLANDS。

King　Olaf　began　immediately　his　progress　through　the　country；　appointing　feasts　before　him　wherever　there　were　royal　farms。　First　he　travelled　round　in　Hadaland；　and　then　he　proceeded　north　to　Gudbrandsdal。　　And　now　it　went　as　King　Sigurd　Syr　had　foretold；　that　people　streamed　to　him　from　all　quarters；　and　he　did　not　appear　to　have　need　for　half　of　them；　for　he　had　nearly　300　men。　　But　the　entertainments　bespoken　did　not　half　serve；　for　it　had　been　the　custom　that　kings　went　about　in　guest…quarters　in　the　Uplands　with　60　or　70　men　only；　and　never　with　more　than　100　men。　　The　king　therefore　hastened　over　the　country；　only　stopping　one　night　at　the　same　place。　　When　he　came　north　to　Dovrefield；　he　arranged　his　journey　so　that　he　came　over　the　mountain　and　down　upon　the　north　side　of　it；　and　then　came　to　Opdal；　where　he　remained　all　night。　　Afterwards　he　proceeded　through　Opdal　forest；　and　came　out　at　Medaldal；　where　he　proclaimed　a　Thing；　and　summoned　the　bondes　to　meet　him　at　it。　　The　king　made　a　speech　to　the