IX EGILS SAGA SKALLAGRÍMSSONAR

EGIL AT YORK

Kom hann þar at kveldi dags ok reið hann þegar í borgina.

Came he there at night of the day and rode he at once to the stronghold.

Hann hafði síðan hátt yfir hjálmi ok alvæpni hafði hann.

He had an overhanging hood over helmet and he had full arms.

Egill spurði hvar garðr sá væri í borginni er Arinbjǫrn átti.

Egill asked where court might be in the town which Arinbjorn owned.

Honum var þat sagt. Hann reið þangat í garðinn. En er

to him was that told. He rode thither to the court. And when

hann kom at stofunni, steig hann af hesti sínum ok hitti mann 5

he came to the sitting room, stepped he off his horse and addressed a man

at máli. Var honum þá sagt at Arinbjǫrn sat yfir matborði.

to speak. Was to him then told that Arinbjorn sat at meat table.

Egill mælti: 'Ek vilda, góðr drengr, at þú gengir inn í

Egill said: "I want, good fellow, that you go inside to

stofuna, ok spyr Arinbjǫrn hvárt hann vill heldr úti eða inni

the sitting room and ask Arinbjorn whether he would rather outside or inside

tala við Egil Skallagrímsson."

talk with Egil Skallagrímsson."

Sá maðr segir, 'Þat er mér lítit starf at reka þetta ørendi'. 10

The man says, "That is to me little trouble to perform this errand."

Hann gekk inn í stofuna ok mælti stundar hátt: 'Maðr er

He went in into hall door and said quite aloud: "Man has

hér kominn úti fyrir durum', segir hann, 'mikill sem trǫll, en

arrived here before the door," says he, "big as troll, and so

sá bað mik ganga inn ok spyrja hvárt þú vildir úti eða inni

asked me go inside and ask whether you want outside or inside to

tala við Egil Skallagrímsson'.

talk with Egil Skallagrímsson'.

Arinbjǫrn segir, 'Gakk ok bið hann bíða úti, ok mun hann 15

Arinbjǫrn says, "Go and ask him to wait outside, and he shall

eigi lengi þurfa.'

not need to wait for long."

Hann gørði sem Arinbjǫrn mælti, gekk út ok sagði sem

He did as Arinbjorn said, went out and said as

mælt var við hann. Arinbjǫrn bað taka upp borðin; síðan gekk

said was to him. Arinbjorn asked to take up the table; afterwards went

hann út ok allir húskarlar hans með honum. Ok er Arinbjǫrn

he out and all his house servants with him. And when Arinbjǫrn

20 hitti Egil, heilsaði hann honum ok spurði hví hann var

found Egil, greeted he him and asked why he had

þar kominn. Egill segir í fám orðum it Ijósasta af um ferð

there came. Egil says in few words most clearly about his journey

sína -- 'en nú skaltu fyrir sjá hvert ráð ek skal taka, ef þú

his - "And now shall you first see what counsel i shall take, if you

vilt nǫkkut lið veita mér.'

will give me some help.

'Hefir þú nǫkkura menn hitt í borginni', segir Arinbjǫrn,

"Have you encountered some men in the stronghold," says Arinbjǫrn,

25 'þá er þik muni kent hafa, áðr þú komt hér í garðinn?'

"those who should have known you, before you came here to the court?"

'Engi', segir Egill.

"None", says Egil.

'Taki menn þá vápn sín', segir Arinbjǫrn,

"Let men take up weapons their". says Arinbjǫrn,

Þeir gørðu svá, ok er þeir váru vápnaðir ok allir húskarlar

They did so, and when they were armed and all house servants

Arinbjarnar, þá gekk hann í konungsgarð. En er þeir kómu

of Arinbjorn, then went he in the King´s court. And when they came

30 til hallar, þá klappaði Arinbjǫrn á durum ok bað upp láta ok

to the hall, then knocked Arinbjǫrn at the door and asked open the door and

segir hverr þar var. Dyrverðir létu þegar upp hurðina.

says who there was. Door keepers opened at once the door.

Konungr sat yfir borðum. Arinbjǫrn bað þá ganga inn tólf

King sat before the table. Arinbjǫrn asked then the 12 men to go in

menn, nefndi til þess Egil ok tíu men aðra -- 'nú skaltu,

named for this Egil and 10 more men other - "Now shall you,

Egill, fœra Eiríki konungi hǫfuð þitt ok taka um fót honum,

Egil, bring Eirik the King your head and embrace his feet,

35 en ek mun túlka mál þitt.'

and I shall plead your case.”

Síðan ganga þeir inn. Gekk Arinbjǫrn fyrir konung ok

Afterwards go they in. Went Arinbjorn before the king and

kvaddi hann. Konungr fagnaði honum ok spurði hvat er

greeted him. King welcomed him and asked what is

hann vildi. Arinbjǫrn mælti: 'Ek fylgi hingat þeim manni

he wanted. Arinbjorn said: "I follow hither that man

er kominn er um langan veg at sœkja yðr heim ok sættask

who came a long way to seek your home and reconcile

40 við yðr; er yðr þat vegr mikill, herra, er óvinir yðrir fara

with you, that honor is great to you, my lord, when enemy your travel

sjálfviljandi af ǫðrum lǫndum ok þykkjask eigi mega bera

free will from other lands and seems not able to bear

reiði yðra, þó at þér séð hvergi nær. Láttu þér nú verða

your anger, though you were nowhere near. Now show yourself

hǫfðingliga við þenna mann; lát hann fá af þér sætt góða

generously with this man, Let he get from you reconciliation good

fyrir þat er hann hefir gǫrt veg þinn svá mikinn sem nú má

before seeing he had made great your honor as you may now

45 sjá, farit yfir mǫrg hǫf ok torleiði heiman frá búum sínum.

see, gone over many seas and dangers to here from his neighborhood.

Bar honum enga nauðsyn til þessar farar, nema góðvili við

No need bore him to this journey, except goodwill to

yðr.'

you,"

Þá litaðisk konungr um ok sá hann fyrir ofan hǫfuð

Then looked the king around and saw he over heads of

mǫnnum hvar Egill stóð ok hvesti augun á hann ok mælti:

men where Egil stood and sharpened eyes at him and said:

50 'Hví ertu svá djarfr, Egill, at þú þorðir at fara á fund minn?

"Why are you so bold, Egil that you dare to come into my presence?

Leystisk þú svá heðan næstum at þér var engi ván lífs

You departed away last time that there was no hope of life

af mér.'

from me."

Þá gekk Egill at borðinu ok tók um fót konungi. Eiríkr

Then went Egil to the table and embraced feet of the king. Eirik

konungr sagði, 'Ekki þarf ek at telja upp sakar á hendr þér,

the king said, "I need not to tally up the harms on hands your,

en þó era þær svá margar ok stórar at ein hver má vel endask 55

and though they are so many and great that anyone can well bring an end

til, at þú komir aldri heðan lífs. Áttu engis annars af ván

to, that you come never hence alive. You had no other hope of anything else

en þú munt hér deyja skulu. Máttir þú þat vita áðr, at þú

than that you must die here. Might you that know before, that you

mundir enga sætt af mér fá.'

shall yet no reconciliation from me get."

Gunnhildr mælti: 'Hví skal eigi þegar drepa Egil, eða

Gunnhild said: "Why shall not at once kill Egil, or you

mantu eigi nú, konungr, hvat Egill hefir gǫrt? -- drepit vini 60

remember not now, king, what Egil has done? – killed your friends

þína ok frændr ok þar á ofan son þinn, en nítt sjálfan þik,

and kinsmen and then even your son, and slandered even you

eða hvar viti menn slíku belt við konungmann?'

nor where have men committed such against royalty?"

Arinbjǫrn segir, 'Ef Egill hefir mælt illa til konungs, þá

Arinbjorn says, "If Egil has said ill to the king, then

má hann þat bœta í lofsorðum þeim er allan aldr megi uppi

can he that compensate in words of praise that which all age can

vera.' 65

be remembered

Gunnhildr mælti: 'Vér viljum ekki lof hans heyra. Láttu,

Gunnhild said: "We don’t want to hear his praise. Now you have

konungr, leiða Egil út ok hǫggva hann. Vil ek eigi heyra

King, led Egil out and behead him. I don’t want to hear

orð hans ok eigi sjá hann.'

words his nor see him."

Þá mælti Arinbjǫrn: 'Eigi mun konungr láta at eggjask

Then said Arinbjorn: "The king shall not yield to urging about

um ǫll níðingsverk þín. Eigi mun hann láta Egil drepa í 70

all your shameful deed. Not shall he have Egil killed in the

nótt, því at náttvíg eru morðvíg.'

night, for that killing by night are murder."

Konungr segir, 'Svá skal vera, Arinbjǫrn, sem þú biðr, at

King says, "So shall be, Arinbjǫrn, as you asked, that

Egill skal lifa í nótt; hafðu hann heim með þér ok fœr mér

Egil shall live at night, have him home with you and bring to me

hann á morgin.'

him in the morning."

Arinbjǫrn þakkaði konungi orð sín -- 'væntu vér, herra, at 75

Arinbjorn thanked the king his words - "we expect, lord, that

heðan af muni skipask mál Egils á betri leið. En þó at

henceforward it will change Egil for the better. And though that

Egill hafi stórt til saka gǫrt við yðr, þá líti þér á þat, at hann

Egil has great to harm done with you, yet you look on this, that he

hefir mikils mist fyrir yðrum frændum. Haraldr konungr,

has much lost before you kinsmen. Harald the king,

faðir þinn, tók af lífi ágætan mann, Þórólf, fǫðurbróður hans,

father yours, took the life of an honorable man. Þórólf, his uncle,

af rógi vándra manna, en af engum sǫkum; en þér, konungr, 80

for slander of bad men, and from no reason, and you, king,

brutuð lǫg á Agli sakar Berg-Ǫnundar; en þar á ofan vildu

broke law in Egil’s case for the sake of Berg Onundar, and further wanted

þér hafa Egil at dauðamanni ok drápuð menn af honum, en

you to have Egil be a dead man and killed men of his, and

ræntuð hann fé ǫllu, ok þar á ofan gørðu þér hann útlaga ok

plundered all his possessions, and further made you him outlaw and

rákuð hann af landi; en Egill er engi ertingamaðr. En hvert

drove him from the land, and Egil is not one who will endure insult. And every

mál er maðr skal dœma, verðr at lita á tilgørðir. Ek mun 85

cause when man shall judge, worth to look at the provocations. I shall

nú', segir Arinbjǫrn, 'hafa Egil með mér í nótt heim í garð

now," says Arinbjorn, "have Egil with me at night home in my place

minn."

Var nú svá; ok er þeir kómu í garðinn, þá ganga þeir

Was now so, and when they came to the dwelling place, then they two go

tveir í lopt nǫkkut lítit ok rœða um þetta mál. Segir Arin-

in some small upper room and spoke about the matter. Says Arinbjorn

90 bjǫrn svá: 'Allreiðr var konungr nú, en heldr þótti mér

so: "very angry was the king now, and yet seemed to me

mýkjask skaplyndi hans nǫkkut, áðr létti, ok mun nú

his mood softened itself a bit, before ending, and shall now

hamingja skipta hvat upp kømr. Veit ek at Gunnhildr mun

luck determine what comes up. Know i that Gunnhild will

allan hug á leggja at spilla þínu máli. Nú vil ek þat ráð

all heart on set to destroy your cause. Now will I that counsel

gefa, at þú vakir í nótt ok yrkir lofkvæði um Eirík konung;

give, that you awake at night and compose words of praise about Erik king,

95 þœtti mér þá vel, ef þat yrði drápa tvítug ok mættir þú

Seemed to me then well, if that become 20 verse poem and might you

kveða á morgin, er vit komum fyrir konung. Svá gørði

recite in the morning, when we come before the king. So did

Bragi, frændi minn, þá er hann varð fyrir reiði Bjarnar

Bragi, kinsman mine, then when he was under the wrath of Bjarn

Svíakonungs, at hann orti drápu tvítuga um hann eina nótt,

the King of Sweden, that he composed 20 verse poem about him one night,

ok þá þar fyrir hǫfuð sitt. Nú mætti vera at vér bærim

and then he set his head before it. Now might be that we have

100 gæfu til við konung svá at þér kœmi þat í frið við konung.'

luck that with king so that you come in peace with the king."

Egill segir, 'Freista skal ek þessa ráðs, er þú vill, en ekki

Egil says, "Try shall i this counsel, when you want, and not

hefi ek við því búizk, at yrkja lof um Eirík konung.'

had i with such prepare, to work praise about Erik the king."

Arinbjǫrn bað hann freista. Síðan gekk hann brott til

Arinbjorn asked him to try. Afterwards went he away to

manna sinna; sátu þeir at drykkju til miðrar nætr. Þá gekk

men his, set they to drink until midnight . Then went

105 Arinbjǫrn til svefnhúss ok sveit hans, ok áðr hann afklæddisk,

Arinbjorn to sleeping chamber and retainers his, and before he undresses himself,

gekk hann upp í loptit til Egils ok spurði hvat þá liði um

went he up to the upper room to Egil and asked what then progress about

kvæðit. Egill segir at ekki var ort-'hefir hér setit svala ein

the poem. Egil says that not was word"has here sitten swallow one

við glugginn ok klakat í alla nótt, svá at ek hefi aldregi beðit

against the window and chatters through the whole night, so that i has never have quiet

ró fyrir.'

rest before."

110 Síðan gekk Arinbjǫrn á brott ok út um dyrr þær er ganga

Afterwards went Arinbjorn away and out by the door there when go

mátti upp á húsit, ok settisk við glugg þann á loptinu, er

was able up on the house and sat again window that on the roof, where

fuglinn hafði áðr við setit. Hann sá hvar hamhleypa nǫkkur

the birds had before - sat. He saw where skin chaning witch some

fór annan veg af húsinu. Arinbjǫrn sat þar við glugginn

went away from the roof. Arinbjorn sat there against the window

alla nóttina, til þess er lýsti. En síðan er Arinbjǫrn hafði

all night, until this is dawn. And later when Arinbjorn had

115 þar komit, þá orti Egill alla drápuna, ok hafði fest svá at

there came, then composed Egil the whole long lay, and had so that

hann mátti kveða um morgininn, þá er hann hitti Arinbjǫrn.

he could recite in the morning, - when he met Arinbjorn.

Þeir heldu vǫrð á, nær tími mundi vera at hitta konung.

They rather watch on, near occasion will be to meet the king.

Eiríkr konungr gekk til borða at vanda sínum, ok var þá

Eirik the king went to table to trouble his, and was then

fjǫlmenni mikit með honum. Ok er Arinbjǫrn varð þess

crowd big with him. And when Arinbjorn was this

120 varr, þá gekk hann með alla sveit sína alvápnaða í konungs-

expecst, then went he with all men his fully armed in king´s

garð, þá er konungr sat yfir borðum. Arinbjǫrn krafði sér

court, - when the king sat before the table. Arinbjorn asked him

inngǫngu í hǫllina; honum var þat ok heimult gǫrt. Ganga

the entrance into the hall, to him was that and permission granted. Go

þeir Egill inn með helming sveitarinnar; annarr helmingr

they Egil in with half of his people, the other half

stóð úti fyrir durum. Arinbjǫrn kvaddi konung, en konungr

stood outside before the door. Arinbjorn said to the king, when king

fagnaði honum vel. Arinbjǫrn mælti, 'Nú er hér kominn 125

welcomed him well. Arinbjorn said, "Now has here came,

Egill; hefir hann ekki leitat til brotthlaups í nótt. Nú viljum

Egil, has he not sought to run away during the night. Now would

vér vita, herra, hverr hans hluti skal verða. Vænti ek góðs af

we know, lord, every his lot shall become. Hope i good from

yðr; hefi ek þat gǫrt, sem vert var, at ek hefi engan hlut til

you, have i that done, as worth was, that i had not lot to

þess sparat, at gøra ok mæla svá at yðvarr vegr væri þá meiri

this spared, that make and say so that you honor were then more

en áðr. Hefi ek ok látit allar mínar eigur ok frændr ok vini 130

than before. Have I and gave up all my possessions and kinsmen and friends

er ek átta í Nóregi, ok fylgt yðr, en allir lendir menn yðrir

who i had in Norway, and followed you, and all men your

skildusk við yðr; ok er þat makligt, því at þú hefir marga

parted from you, and is that fitting, for - you had many

hluti til mín stórvel gǫrt.'

lot to me much well done."