There were many who urged Thorsteinn to visit King Harald and become his
man, but he would not. Spes said to him: "I would not, Thorsteinn, that
you go to Harald, for a larger debt remains unpaid to another King,
whereto we must now turn our thoughts. Our youth is now passed; we are
both becoming old, and we have lived more after our desires than after
Christian doctrine or regard for righteousness. Now I know that neither
kinsmen nor wealth may pay this debt if we pay it not ourselves. I would
therefore that we now change our way of life and leave the country
to betake ourselves to Pafagard. [4] I have hope that so I shall be
absolved from my sin."
Thorsteinn answered: "The matter of which you speak is as well known
to me as it is to you. It is right that you should rule now, and most
seemly, since you allowed me to rule when our matter was much less
hopeful. And so shall it be now in all that you say."
This resolve of theirs took men by surprise. Thorsteinn was then two
years past of sixty-five, but still vigorous in all that he undertook.
He summoned all his kinsmen and connections to him and told them
his plans. The wiser men approved of his resolve, while holding his
departure a great misfortune for themselves. Thorsteinn said there was
no certainty of his return. He said:
"I wish now to thank you all for the care of my goods which you took
while I was absent. Now I ask you to take over my children along with
my property, and to bring them up in your own ways; for I am now come
to such an age that even if I live there is much doubt about whether I
shall return. Manage all that I leave behind as if I should never return
to Norway."
The men answered that matters would be more easily managed if his wife
remained to look after them.
She answered: "I left my own country and came from Mikligard with
Thorsteinn, I bade farewell to my kinsmen and my possessions, because
I wished that one fate should befall us both. And now it has seemed
pleasant to me here, but no desire have I to remain in Norway or in
these Northern lands after he has departed. There has always been
goodwill between us and no dissension. Now we must both depart together;
for we ourselves know best about many things which have happened since
we first met."
When they had thus dealt with their own condition, Thorsteinn appointed
certain impartial men to divide his property in two parts. Thorsteinn's
kinsmen took over the half which was to go to the children, and brought
them up with their father's relations. They became in time men of the
utmost valour, and a large posterity in the Vik is sprung from them.
Thorsteinn and Spes divided their share, giving some to the church for
the good of their souls and keeping some for themselves. So they set off
for Rome, bearing the good wishes of many with them.
ENDNOTES:
[Footnote 4: Rome.]