heimskringla-第14部分

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e　to　be　conciliated；　he　resolved　to　practice　his　Christianity　in　private。　　But　he　kept　Sundays；　and　the　Friday　fasts；　and　some　token　of　the　greatest　holy…days。　　He　made　a　law　that　the　festival　of　Yule　should　begin　at　the　same　time　as　Christian　people　held　it；　and　that　every　man；　under　penalty；　should　brew　a　meal　of　malt　into　ale；　and　therewith　keep　the　Yule　holy　as　long　as　it　lasted。　　Before　him；　the　beginning　of　Yule；　or　the　slaughter　night；　was　the　night　of　mid…winter　（Dec。　14）；　and　Yule　was　kept　for　three　days　thereafter。　　It　was　his　intent；　as　soon　as　he　had　set　himself　fast　in　the　land；　and　had　subjected　the　whole　to　his　power；　to　introduce　Christianity。　　He　went　to　work　first　by　enticing　to　Christianity　the　men　who　were　dearest　to　him；　and　many；　out　of　friendship　to　him；　allowed　themselves　to　be　baptized；　and　some　laid　aside　sacrifices。　　He　dwelt　long　in　the　Throndhjem　district；　for　the　strength　of　the　country　lay　there；　and　when　he　thought　that；　by　the　support　of　some　powerful　people　there；　he　could　set　up　Christianity　he　sent　a　message　to　England　for　a　bishop　and　other　teachers；　and　when　they　arrived　in　Norway；　Hakon　made　it　known　that　he　would　proclaim　Christianity　over　all　the　land。　　The　people　of　More　and　Raumsdal　referred　the　matter　to　the　people　of　Throndhjem。　　King　Hakon　then　had　several　churches　consecrated；　and　put　priests　into　them；　and　when　he　came　to　Throndhjem　he　summoned　the　bondes　to　a　Thing；　and　invited　them　to　accept　Christianity。　　They　gave　an　answer　to　the　effect　that　they　would　defer　the　matter　until　the　Frosta…thing；　at　which　there　would　be　men　from　every　district　of　the　Throndhjem　country；　and　then　they　would　give　their　determination　upon　this　difficult　matter。



16。　ABOUT　SACRIFICES。

Sigurd；　earl　of　Hlader；　was　one　of　the　greatest　men　for　sacrifices；　and　so　had　Hakon　his　father　been；　and　Sigurd　always　presided　on　account　of　the　king　at　all　the　festivals　of　sacrifice　in　the　Throndhjem　country。　　It　was　an　old　custom；　that　when　there　was　to　be　sacrifice　all　the　bondes　should　come　to　the　spot　where　the　temple　stood　and　bring　with　them　all　that　they　required　while　the　festival　of　the　sacrifice　lasted。　　To　this　festival　all　the　men　brought　ale　with　them；　and　all　kinds　of　cattle；　as　well　as　horses；　were　slaughtered；　and　all　the　blood　that　came　from　them　was　called　〃hlaut〃；　and　the　vessels　in　which　it　was　collected　were　called　hlaut…vessels。　　Hlaut…staves　were　made；　like　sprinkling　brushes；　with　which　the　whole　of　the　altars　and　the　temple　walls；　both　outside　and　inside；　were　sprinkled　over；　and　also　the　people　were　sprinkled　with　the　blood；　but　the　flesh　was　boiled　into　savoury　meat　for　those　present。　　The　fire　was　in　the　middle　of　the　floor　of　the　temple；　and　over　it　hung　the　kettles；　and　the　full　goblets　were　handed　across　the　fire；　and　he　who　made　the　feast；　and　was　a　chief；　blessed　the　full　goblets；　and　all　the　meat　of　the　sacrifice。　　And　first　Odin's　goblet　was　emptied　for　victory　and　power　to　his　king；　thereafter；　Niord's　and　Freyja's　goblets　for　peace　and　a　good　season。　　Then　it　was　the　custom　of　many　to　empty　the　brage…goblet　（1）；　and　then　the　guests　emptied　a　goblet　to　the　memory　of　departed　friends；　called　the　remembrance　goblet。　　Sigurd　the　earl　was　an　open…handed　man；　who　did　what　was　very　much　celebrated；　namely；　he　made　a　great　sacrifice　festival　at　Hlader　of　which　he　paid　all　the　expenses。　　Kormak　Ogmundson　sings　of　it　in　his　ballad　of　Sigurd：　

　　　　　〃Of　cup　or　platter　need　has　none　　　　　　The　guest　who　seeks　the　generous　one；　　　　　　　Sigurd　the　Generous；　who　can　trace　　　　　　His　lineage　from　the　giant　race；　　　　　　For　Sigurd's　hand　is　bounteous；　free；　　　　　　　The　guardian　of　the　temples　he。　　　　　　He　loves　the　gods；　his　liberal　hand　　　　　　Scatters　his　sword's　gains　o'er　the　land…〃


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　The　brage…goblet；　over　which　vows　were　made。　　L。



17。　THE　FROSTA…THING。

King　Hakon　came　to　the　Frosta…thing；　at　which　a　vast　multitude　of　people　were　assembled。　　And　when　the　Thing　was　seated；　the　king　spoke　to　the　people；　and　began　his　speech　with　saying；　　it　was　his　message　and　entreaty　to　the　bondes　and　householding　men；　both　great　and　small；　and　to　the　whole　public　in　general；　young　and　old；　rich　and　poor；　women　as　well　as　men；　that　they　should　all　allow　themselves　to　be　baptized；　and　should　believe　in　one　God；　and　in　Christ　the　son　of　Mary　and　refrain　from　all　sacrifices　and　heathen　gods；　and　should　keep　holy　the　seventh　day；　and　abstain　from　all　work　on　it；　and　keep　a　fast　on　the　seventh　day。　　As　soon　as　the　king　had　proposed　this　to　the　bondes；　great　was　the　murmur　and　noise　among　the　crowd。　　They　complained　that　the　king　wanted　to　take　their　labour　and　their　old　faith　from　them；　and　the　land　could　not　be　cultivated　in　that　way。　　The　labouring　men　and　slaves　thought　that　they　could　not　work　if　they　did　not　get　meat；　and　they　said　it　was　the　character　of　King　Hakon；　and　his　father；　and　all　the　family；　to　be　generous　enough　with　their　money；　but　sparing　with　their　diet。　　Asbjorn　of　Medalhus　in　the　Gaulardal　stood　up；　and　answered　thus　to　the　king's　proposal：　

〃We　bondes；　King　Hakon；　when　we　elected　thee　to　be　our　king；　and　got　back　our　udal　rights　at　the　Thing　held　in　Throndhjem；　thought　we　had　got　into　heaven；　but　now　we　don't　know　whether　we　have　really　got　back　our　freedom；　or　whether　thou　wishest　to　make　vassa1s　of　us　again　by　this　extraordinary　proposal　that　we　should　abandon　the　ancient　faith　which　our　fathers　and　forefathers　have　held　from　the　oldest　times；　in　the　times　when　the　dead　were　burnt；　as　well　as　since　that　they　are　laid　under　mounds；　and　which；　although　they　were　braver　than　the　people　of　our　days；　has　served　us　as　a　faith　to　the　present　time。　　We　have　also　held　thee　so　dear；　that　we　have　allowed　thee　to　rule　and　give　law　and　right　to　all　the　country。　　And　even　now　we　bondes　will　unanimously　hold　by　the　law　which　thou　givest　us　here　in　the　Frosta…thing；　and　to　which　we　have　also　given　our　assent；　and　we　will　follow　thee；　and　have　thee　for　our　king；　as　long　as　there　is　a　living　man　among　us　bondes　here　in　this　Thing　assembled。　　But　thou；　king；　must　use　some　moderation　towards　us；　and　only　require　from　us　such　things　as　we　can　obey　thee　in；　and　are　not　impossible　for　us。　　If；　however；　thou　wilt　take　up　this　matter　with　a　high　hand；　and　wilt　try　thy　power　and　strength　against　us；　we　bondes　have　resolved　among　ourselves　to　part　with　thee；　and　to　take　to　ourselves　some　other　chief；　who　will　so　conduct　himself　towards　us　that　we　can　freely　and　safely　enjoy　that　faith　that　suits　our　own　inclinations。　　Now；　king；　thou　must　choose　one　or　other　of　these　conditions　before　the　Thing　is　ended。〃

The　bondes　gave　loud　applause　to　this　speech；　and　said　it　expressed　their　will；　and　they　would　stand　or　fall　by　what　had　been　spoken。　　When　silence　was　again　restored；　Earl　Sigurd　said；　〃It　is　King　Hakon's　will　to　give　way　to　you；　the　bondes；　and　never　to　separate　himself　from　your　friendship。〃　　The　bondes　replied；　that　it　was　their　desire　that　the　king　should　offer　a　sacrifice　for　peace　and　a　good　year；　as　his　father　was　want　to　do；　and　thereupon　the　noise　and　tumult　ceased；　and　the　Thing　was　concluded。　　Earl　Sigurd　spoke　to　the　king　afterwards；　and　advised　him　not　to　refuse　altogether　to　do　as　the　people　desired；　saying　there　was　nothing　else　for　it　but　to　give　way　to　the　will　of　the　bondes；　〃for　it　is；　as　thou　hast　heard　thyself；　the　will　and　earnest　desire　of　the　head…people；　as　well　as　of　the　multitude。　Hereafter　we　may　find　a　good　way　to　manage　it。〃　　And　in　this　resolution　the　king　and　earl　agreed　（A。D。　950）。



18。　KING　HAKON　OFFERS　SACRIFICES。

The　harvest　thereafter；　towards　the　winter　season；　there　was　a　festival　of　sacrifice　at　Hlader；　and　the　king　came　to　it。　　It　had　always　been　his　custom　before；　when　he　was　present　at　a　place　where　there　was　sacrifice；　to　take　his　meals　in　a　little　house　by　himself；　or　with　some　few　of　his　men；　but　the　bondes　grumbled　that　he　did　not　seat　himself　in　his　high…seat　at　these　the　most　joyous　of　the　meetings　of　the　people。　　The　earl　said　that　the　king　should　do　so　this　time。　　The　king　accordingly　sat　upon　his　high…seat。　　Now　when　the　first　full　goblet　was　filled；　Earl　Sigurd　spoke　some　words　over　it；　blessed　it　in　Odin's　name；　and　drank　to　the　king　out　of　the　horn；　and　the　king　then　took　it；　and　made　the　sign　of　the　cross　over　it。　　Then　said　Kar　of　Gryting；　〃What　does　the　king　mean　by　doing　so？　　Will　he　not　sacrifice？〃　Earl　Sigurd　replies；　〃The　king　is　doing　what　all　of　you　do；　who　trust　to　your　power　and　strength。　　He　is　blessing　the　full　goblet　in　the　name　of　Thor；　by　making　the　sign　of　his　hammer　over　it　before　he　drinks　it。〃　　On　this　there　was　quietness　for　the　evening。　　The　next　day；　when　the　people　sat　down　to　table；　the　bondes　pressed　the　king　strongly　to　eat　of　horse…flesh　（1）；　and　as　he　would　on　no　account　do　so；　they　wanted　him　to　drink　of　the　soup；　and　as　he　would　not　do　this；　they　insisted　he　should　at　least　taste　the　gravy；　and　on　his　refusal　they　were　going　to　lay　hands　on　him。　　Earl　Sigurd　came　and　made　peace　among　them；　by　asking　the　king　to　hold　his　mouth　over　the　handle　of　the　kettle；　upon　which　the　fat　smoke　of　the　boiled　horse…flesh　had　settled　itself；　and　the　king　first　laid　a　linen　cloth　over　the　handle；　and　then　gaped　ove