46. THE DEATH OF OLAF AND OF SIGROD.

King Eirik took all the revenues (A.D. 934), which the king had in the

middle of the country, the next winter after King Harald's decease. But

Olaf took all the revenues eastward in Viken, and their brother Sigrod

all that of the Throndhjem country. Eirik was very ill pleased with

this; and the report went that he would attempt with force to get the

sole sovereignty over the country, in the same way as his father had

given it to him. Now when Olaf and Sigrod heard this, messengers passed

between them; and after appointing a meeting place, Sigrod went eastward

in spring to Viken, and he and his brother Olaf met at Tunsberg, and

remained there a while. The same spring (A.D. 934), King Eirik levied a

great force, and ships and steered towards Viken. He got such a strong

steady gale that he sailed night and day, and came faster than the news

of him. When he came to Tunsberg, Olaf and Sigrod, with their forces,

went out of the town a little eastward to a ridge, where they drew up

their men in battle order; but as Eirik had many more men he won the

battle. Both brothers, Olaf and Sigrod, fell there; and both their

grave-mounds are upon the ridge where they fell. Then King Eirik went

through Viken, and subdued it, and remained far into summer. Gudrod and

Trygve fled to the Uplands. Eirik was a stout handsome man, strong, and

very manly,--a great and fortunate man of war; but bad-minded, gruff,

unfriendly, and silent. Gunhild, his wife, was the most beautiful

of women,--clever, with much knowledge, and lively; but a very false

person, and very cruel in disposition. The children of King Eirik

and Gunhild were, Gamle, the oldest; then Guthorm, Harald, Ragnfrod,

Ragnhild, Erling, Gudrod, and Sigurd Sleva. All were handsome, and of

manly appearance (1).

ENDNOTES: (1) Of Eirik, his wife, and children, see the following sagas.

Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway · 第 68 / 1013 题