The Online Library of Liberty A Project Of Liberty Fund, Inc. Snorre Sturlason, The Heimskringla: A History of the Norse Kings, vol. 2 [1220] The Online Library Of Liberty This E-Book (PDF format) is published by Liberty Fund, Inc., a private, non-profit, educational foundation established in 1960 to encourage study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. 2010 was the 50th anniversary year of the founding of Liberty Fund. It is part of the Online Library of Liberty web site http://oll.libertyfund.org, which was established in 2004 in order to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. To find out more about the author or title, to use the site's powerful search engine, to see other titles in other formats (HTML, facsimile PDF), or to make use of the hundreds of essays, educational aids, and study guides, please visit the OLL web site. This title is also part of the Portable Library of Liberty DVD which contains over 1,000 books and quotes about liberty and power, and is available free of charge upon request. The cuneiform inscription that appears in the logo and serves as a design element in all Liberty Fund books and web sites is the earliest-known written appearance of the word “freedom” (amagi), or “liberty.” It is taken from a clay document written about 2300 B.C. in the Sumerian city-state of Lagash, in present day Iraq. To find out more about Liberty Fund, Inc., or the Online Library of Liberty Project, please contact the Director at [email protected]. LIBERTY FUND, INC. 8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300 Indianapolis, Indiana 46250-1684 Online Library of Liberty: The Heimskringla: A History of the Norse Kings, vol. 2 Edition Used: The Heimskringla: A History of the Norse Kings by Snorre Sturlason. Done into English out of the Icelandic by Samuel Laing, revised with notes by Hon. Rasmus B. Anderson (London: Norroena Society, 1907). Vol. 2. Author: Snorre Sturlason Translator: Samuel Laing Translator: Rasmus B. Anderson About This Title: Vol. 2 of 3. The Heimskringla presents the German mythical god, Odin, as an actual historical figure and the first Norse king. Sturluson traced the history of sixteen famous Nordic kings from this ancient figure through Halvdan the Black (ca. 839-ca. 860) and Magnus V Erlingsson (r. 1162-1184). PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 2 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1704 Online Library of Liberty: The Heimskringla: A History of the Norse Kings, vol. 2 About Liberty Fund: Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. Copyright Information: The text is in the public domain. Fair Use Statement: This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 3 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1704 Online Library of Liberty: The Heimskringla: A History of the Norse Kings, vol. 2 Table Of Contents Saga of Olaf Haraldson. ( Continued. ) Saga of Magnus the Good. Saga of Harald Hardrade. of the Royal Edition There are but four hundred and fifty complete sets made for the world, of which this is copy No. 9 NORRŒNA anglo-saxon classics PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 4 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1704 Online Library of Liberty: The Heimskringla: A History of the Norse Kings, vol. 2 [Back to Table of Contents] Conversion Of Dale Gudbrand. (From a painting by Carl Gehrts) It WAS Olaf Trygvason that began the conversion of the Norsemen to the Christian faith through coercive measure, and the severe means that he practiced to this end were continued by his successor. Olaf Haraldson, who became known as Olaf the Saint The Norsemen were theretofore worshippers of the personified powers of Nature, which occasionally took the form of idolatry in a few districts remote from the sea Among these idolaters was a valiant and especially wealthy chief named Dale- Gudbrand, who resided in a valley that bore his name in Norway and had an idol of Thor set up to which due reverence was paid Olaf Haraldson, after compelling the people of adjacent districts to accept Christianity under pain of death, sought an interview with Gudbrand, at which he showed the folly of worshipping images by breaking Gudbrand's image of Thor with an impunity that feared no punishment. whereupon Gudbrand, probably with even better reason, accepted Christianity See page 427. THE HEIMSKRINGLA. VOL. II. SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON. (Continued.) 85. Of Hrorek's Assault. It happened on Ascension-day that King Olaf went to high mass, and the bishop went in procession around the church, and conducted the king; and when they came back to the church the bishop led the king to his seat on the north side of the choir. There Hrorek sat next to the king, and concealed his countenance in his upper cloak. When Olaf had seated himself Hrorek laid his hand on the king's shoulder, and felt it. “Thou hast fine clothes on, cousin, today,” said he. King Olaf replies, “It is a festival to-day, in remembrance that Jesus Christ ascended to heaven from earth.” King Hrorek says, “I understand nothing about it, so as to hold in my mind what ye tell me about Christ. Much of what ye tell me appears to me incredible, although many wonderful things may have come to pass in old times.” PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 5 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1704 Online Library of Liberty: The Heimskringla: A History of the Norse Kings, vol. 2 When the mass was finished Olaf stood up, held his hands up over his head, and bowed down before the altar, so that his cloak hung down behind his shoulders. Then King Hrorek started up hastily and sharply, and struck at the king with a long knife of the kind called ryting; but the blow was received in the upper cloak at the shoulder, because the king was bending himself forwards. The clothes were much cut, but the king was not wounded. When the king perceived the attack he sprang upon the floor; and Hrorek struck at him again with the knife, but did not reach him, and said, “Art thou flying, Olaf, from me, a blind man?” The king ordered his men to seize him and lead him out of the church, which was done. After this attempt many hastened to King Olaf, and advised that King Hrorek should be killed. “It is,” said they, “tempting your luck in the highest degree, king, to keep him with you, and protect him, whatever mischief he may undertake; for night and day he thinks upon taking your life. And if you send him away, we know no one who can watch him so that he will not in all probability escape; and if once he gets loose he will assemble a great multitude, and do much evil.” The king replies, “You say truly that many a one has suffered death for less offence than Hrorek's; but willingly I would not darken the victory I gained over the Upland kings, when in one morning hour I took five kings prisoners, and got all their kingdoms: but yet, as they were my relations, I should not be their murderer but upon need. As yet I can scarcely see whether Hrorek puts me in the necessity of killing him or not.” It was to feel if King Olaf had armour on or not that Hrorek had laid his hand on the king's shoulder. 86. King Hrorek's Journey To Iceland. There was an Iceland man, by name Thorarin Nefiulfson, who had his relations in the north of the country. He was not of high birth, but particularly prudent, eloquent, and agreeable in conversation with people of distinction. He was also a far-travelled man, who had been long in foreign parts. Thorarin was a remarkably ugly man, principally because he had very ungainly limbs. He had great ugly hands, and his feet were still uglier. Thorarin was in Tunsberg when this event happened which has just been related, and he was known to King Olaf by their having had conversations together. Thorarin was just then done with rigging out a merchant vessel which he owned, and with which he intended to go to Iceland in summer. King Olaf had Thorarin with him as a guest for some days, and conversed much with him; and Thorarin even slept in the king's lodgings. One morning early the king awoke while the others were still sleeping. The sun had newly risen in the sky, and there was much light within. The king saw that Thorarin had stretched out one of his feet from under the bed-clothes, and he looked at the foot a while. In the meantime the others in the lodging awoke; and the king said to Thorarin, “I have been awake for a while, and have seen a sight which was worth seeing; and that is a man's foot so ugly that I do not think an uglier can be found in this merchant town.” Thereupon he told the others to look at it, and PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 6 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1704 Online Library of Liberty: The Heimskringla: A History of the Norse Kings, vol.