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==Chapter 53==
==Chapter 53==
'''Of the fight'''
Earl Hring and Adils his brother made ready their army, and at once in the night moved southwards for the heath. But when day dawned, Thorolf's sentries saw the army approaching. Then was a war-blast blown, and men donned their arms selects spirited and that they began to draw up the force, and they had two divisions. Earl Alfgeir commanded one division, and the standard was borne before him. In that division were his own followers, and also what force had been gathered from the countryside. It was a much larger fours than that which followed Thorolf and Egil.
Thorolf was thus armed. He had a shield ample and stout, a right strong helmet on his head; he was girded with the sword that he called Long, a weapon large and good. If his hand he had a halberd, whereof the feather-formed blade was two ells long, ending in a four-edged spike; the blade was broad above, the socket both long and thick. The shaft stood just high enough for the hand to grasp the socket, and was remarkably thick. The socket fitted with iron prong on the shaft, which was also wound round with iron. Such weapons were called mail-piercers.
Egil was armed in the same way as Thorolf. He was girded with the sword that he called Adder; this he had gotten in Courland; it was a right good weapon. Neither of the two had shirt of mail.
They set up their standard, which was borne by Thofid the Strong. All their men had Norwegian shields and Norwegian armour in every point; and in their division were all the Norsemen who were present. Thorolf's force was drawn up near the wood, Alfgeir's moved along the river.
Earl Adils and his brother saw that they would not come upon Thorolf unawares, so they began to draw up their force. They also made two divisions, and had two standards. Adils was opposed to earl Alfgeir, Hring to the freebooters. The battle now began; both charged with spirit. Earl Adils pressed on hard and fast till Alfgeir gave ground; then Adils' men pressed on twice as boldly. Nor was it long before Alfgeir fled. And this is to be told of him, that he rode away south over the heath, and a company of men with him. He rode till he came near the town, where sate the king.
Then spake the earl: 'I deem it not safe for us to enter the town. We got sharp words of late when we came to the king after defeat by king Olaf; and he will not think our case bettered by this coming. No need to expect honour where he is.'
Then he rode to the south country, and of his travel 'tis to be told that he rode night and day till he and his came westwards to Earls-ness. Then the earl got a ship to take him southwards over the sea; and he came to France, where half of his kin were. He never after returned to England.
Adils at first pursued the flying foe, but not far; then he turned back to where the battle was, and made an onset there. This when Thorolf saw, he said that Egil should turn and encounter him, and bade the standard be borne that way; his men he bade hold well together and stand close.
'Move we to the wood,' said he, 'and let it cover our back, so that they may not come at us from all sides.'
They did so; they followed along the wood. Fierce was the battle there. Egil charged against Adils, and they had a hard fight of it. The odds of numbers were great, yet more of Adils' men fell than of Egil's.
Then Thorolf became so furious that he cast his shield on his back, and, grasping his halberd with both hands, bounded forward dealing cut and thrust on either side. Men sprang away from him both ways, but he slew many. Thus he cleared the way forward to earl Hring's standard, and then nothing could stop him. He slew the man who bore the earl's standard, and cut down the standard-pole. After that he lunged with his halberd at the earl's breast, driving it right through mail-coat and body, so that it came out at the shoulders; and he lifted him up on the halberd over his head, and planted the butt-end in the ground. There on the weapon the earl breathed out his life in sight of all, both friends and foes. Then Thorolf drew his sword and dealt blows on either side, his men also charging. Many Britons and Scots fell, but some turned and fled.
But earl Adils seeing his brother's fall, and the slaughter of many of his force, and the flight of some, while himself was in hard stress, turned to fly, and ran to the wood. Into the wood fled he and his company; and then all the force that had followed the earl took to flight. Thorolf and Egil pursued the flying foe. Great was then the slaughter; the fugitives were scattered far and wide over the heath. Earl Adils had lowered his standard; so none could know his company from others.
And soon the darkness of night began to close in. Thorolf and Egil returned to their camp; and just then king Athelstan came up with the main army, and they pitched their tents and made their arrangements. A little after came king Olaf with his army; they, too, encamped and made their arrangements where their men had before placed their tents. Then it was told king Olaf that both his earls Hring and Adils were fallen, and a multitude of his men likewise.
==References==
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==Kafli 53==
==Kafli 53==
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<ref>REFERENCE TEXT(Fræðigrein:[[PAGE NAME|DISPLAY AS]] OTHER INFO)</ref>


==References==
==Tilvísanir==





Revision as of 09:31, 11 November 2011


Chapter 53

Of the fight

Earl Hring and Adils his brother made ready their army, and at once in the night moved southwards for the heath. But when day dawned, Thorolf's sentries saw the army approaching. Then was a war-blast blown, and men donned their arms selects spirited and that they began to draw up the force, and they had two divisions. Earl Alfgeir commanded one division, and the standard was borne before him. In that division were his own followers, and also what force had been gathered from the countryside. It was a much larger fours than that which followed Thorolf and Egil.

Thorolf was thus armed. He had a shield ample and stout, a right strong helmet on his head; he was girded with the sword that he called Long, a weapon large and good. If his hand he had a halberd, whereof the feather-formed blade was two ells long, ending in a four-edged spike; the blade was broad above, the socket both long and thick. The shaft stood just high enough for the hand to grasp the socket, and was remarkably thick. The socket fitted with iron prong on the shaft, which was also wound round with iron. Such weapons were called mail-piercers.

Egil was armed in the same way as Thorolf. He was girded with the sword that he called Adder; this he had gotten in Courland; it was a right good weapon. Neither of the two had shirt of mail.

They set up their standard, which was borne by Thofid the Strong. All their men had Norwegian shields and Norwegian armour in every point; and in their division were all the Norsemen who were present. Thorolf's force was drawn up near the wood, Alfgeir's moved along the river.

Earl Adils and his brother saw that they would not come upon Thorolf unawares, so they began to draw up their force. They also made two divisions, and had two standards. Adils was opposed to earl Alfgeir, Hring to the freebooters. The battle now began; both charged with spirit. Earl Adils pressed on hard and fast till Alfgeir gave ground; then Adils' men pressed on twice as boldly. Nor was it long before Alfgeir fled. And this is to be told of him, that he rode away south over the heath, and a company of men with him. He rode till he came near the town, where sate the king.

Then spake the earl: 'I deem it not safe for us to enter the town. We got sharp words of late when we came to the king after defeat by king Olaf; and he will not think our case bettered by this coming. No need to expect honour where he is.'

Then he rode to the south country, and of his travel 'tis to be told that he rode night and day till he and his came westwards to Earls-ness. Then the earl got a ship to take him southwards over the sea; and he came to France, where half of his kin were. He never after returned to England.

Adils at first pursued the flying foe, but not far; then he turned back to where the battle was, and made an onset there. This when Thorolf saw, he said that Egil should turn and encounter him, and bade the standard be borne that way; his men he bade hold well together and stand close.

'Move we to the wood,' said he, 'and let it cover our back, so that they may not come at us from all sides.'

They did so; they followed along the wood. Fierce was the battle there. Egil charged against Adils, and they had a hard fight of it. The odds of numbers were great, yet more of Adils' men fell than of Egil's.

Then Thorolf became so furious that he cast his shield on his back, and, grasping his halberd with both hands, bounded forward dealing cut and thrust on either side. Men sprang away from him both ways, but he slew many. Thus he cleared the way forward to earl Hring's standard, and then nothing could stop him. He slew the man who bore the earl's standard, and cut down the standard-pole. After that he lunged with his halberd at the earl's breast, driving it right through mail-coat and body, so that it came out at the shoulders; and he lifted him up on the halberd over his head, and planted the butt-end in the ground. There on the weapon the earl breathed out his life in sight of all, both friends and foes. Then Thorolf drew his sword and dealt blows on either side, his men also charging. Many Britons and Scots fell, but some turned and fled.

But earl Adils seeing his brother's fall, and the slaughter of many of his force, and the flight of some, while himself was in hard stress, turned to fly, and ran to the wood. Into the wood fled he and his company; and then all the force that had followed the earl took to flight. Thorolf and Egil pursued the flying foe. Great was then the slaughter; the fugitives were scattered far and wide over the heath. Earl Adils had lowered his standard; so none could know his company from others.

And soon the darkness of night began to close in. Thorolf and Egil returned to their camp; and just then king Athelstan came up with the main army, and they pitched their tents and made their arrangements. A little after came king Olaf with his army; they, too, encamped and made their arrangements where their men had before placed their tents. Then it was told king Olaf that both his earls Hring and Adils were fallen, and a multitude of his men likewise.

References


Kafli 53

Um bardaga

Hringur jarl og Aðils bróðir hans bjuggu her sinn og fóru þegar um nóttina suður á heiðina. En er ljóst var þá sáu varðmenn þeirra Þórólfs hvar herinn fór. Var þá blásinn herblástur og herklæddust menn, tóku síðan að fylkja liðinu og höfðu tvær fylkingar. Réð Álfgeir jarl fyrir annarri fylking og var merki borið fyrir honum. Var í þeirri fylking lið það er honum hafði fylgt og svo það lið er þar hafði til safnast úr héruðum. Var það miklu fleira lið en það er þeim Þórólfi fylgdi.

Þórólfur var svo búinn, hann hafði skjöld víðan og þykkvan, hjálm á höfði allsterkan, gyrður sverði því er hann kallaði Lang, mikið vopn og gott. Kesju hafði hann í hendi. Fjöðrin var tveggja alna löng og sleginn fram broddur ferstrendur en upp var fjöðrin breið, falurinn bæði langur og digur, skaftið var eigi hærra en taka mátti hendi til fals og furðulega digurt. Járnteinn var í falnum og skaftið allt járnvafið. Þau spjót voru kölluð brynþvarar.

Egill hafði hinn sama búnað sem Þórólfur. Hann var gyrður sverði því er hann kallaði Naður. Það sverð hafði hann fengið á Kúrlandi. Var það hið besta vopn. Hvorgi þeirra hafði brynju.

Þeir settu merki upp og bar það Þorfinnur strangi. Allt lið þeirra hafði norræna skjöldu og allan norrænan herbúnað. Í þeirri fylking voru allir norrænir menn þeir er þar voru. Fylktu þeir Þórólfur nær skóginum en Álfgeirs fylking fór með ánni.

Aðils jarl og þeir bræður sáu það að þeir mundu ekki koma þeim Þórólfi á óvart. Þá tóku þeir að fylkja sínu liði. Gerðu þeir og tvær fylkingar og höfðu tvö merki. Fylkti Aðils móti Álfgeiri jarli en Hringur móti víkingum. Síðan tókst þar orusta. Gengu hvorirtveggju vel fram.

Aðils jarl sótti hart fram þar til er Álfgeir lét undan sígast en Aðils menn sóttu þá hálfu djarflegar. Var þá og eigi lengi áður en Álfgeir flýði og er það frá honum að segja að hann reið undan suður á heiðina og sveit manna með honum. Reið hann þar til er hann kom nær borg þeirri er konungur sat.

Þá mælti jarlinn: „Ekki ætla eg oss fara til borgarinnar. Vér fengum mikið orðaskak, næst er vér komum til konungs, þá er vér höfðum farið ósigur fyrir Ólafi konungi og ekki mun honum þykja batnað hafa vor kostur í þessi ferð. Mun nú ekki þurfa að ætla til sæmda þar sem hann er.“

Síðan reið jarl suður á landið og er frá hans ferð það að segja að hann reið dag og nótt þar til er þeir komu vestur á Jarlsnes. Fékk jarl sér þar far suður um sæ og kom fram á Vallandi. Þar átti hann kyn hálft. Kom hann aldregi síðan til Englands.

Aðils rak fyrst flóttann og eigi langt áður hann snýr aftur og þar til er orustan var og veitti þá atgöngu.

En er Þórólfur sá það sneri hann í mót jarli og bað þangað bera merkið, bað menn sína fylgjast vel og standa þykkt. „Þokum að skóginum,“ sagði hann, „og látum hann hlífa á bak oss svo að þeir megi eigi öllum megum að oss ganga.“

Þeir gerðu svo, fylgdu fram skóginum. Varð þá hörð orusta. Sótti Egill móti Aðisli og áttust þeir við hörð skipti. Liðsmunur var allmikill og þó féll meir lið þeirra Aðils.

Þórólfur gerðist þá svo óður að hann kastaði skildinum á bak sér en tók spjótið tveim höndum. Hljóp hann þá fram og hjó eða lagði til beggja handa. Stukku menn þá frá tveggja vegna en hann drap marga. Ruddi hann svo stíginn fram að merki jarlsins Hrings og hélst þá ekki við honum. Hann drap þann mann er bar merki Hrings jarls og hjó niður merkistöngina. Síðan lagði hann spjótinu fyrir brjóst jarlinum í gegnum brynjuna og búkinn svo að út gekk um herðarnar og hóf hann upp á kesjunni yfir höfuð sér og skaut niður spjótshalanum í jörðina en jarlinn sæfðist á spjótinu og sáu það allir, bæði hans menn og svo hans óvinir. Síðan brá Þórólfur sverðinu og hjó hann þá til beggja handa. Sóttu þá og að hans menn. Féllu þá mjög Bretar og Skotar en sumir snerust á flótta.

En er Aðils jarl sá fall bróður síns og mannfall mikið af liði hans en sumir flýðu en hann þóttist hart niður koma þá sneri hann á flótta og rann til skógarins. Hann flýði í skóginn og hans sveit. Tók þá að flýja allt lið það er þeim hafði fylgt. Gerðist þá mannfall mikið af flóttamönnum og dreifðist þá flóttinn víða um heiðina. Aðils jarl hafði niður drepið merki sínu og vissi þá engi hvort hann fór eða aðrir menn. Tók þá brátt að myrkva af nótt en þeir Þórólfur og Egill sneru aftur til herbúða sinna og þá jafnskjótt kom þar Aðalsteinn konungur með allan her sinn og slógu þá landtjöldum sínum og bjuggust um.

Litlu síðar kom Ólafur konungur með sinn her. Tjölduðu þeir og bjuggust um þar sem þeirra menn höfðu tjaldað. Var Ólafi konungi þá sagt að fallnir voru þeir báðir jarlar hans, Hringur og Aðils, og mikill fjöldi annarra manna hans.


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Tilvísanir

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