The Heimskringla on Fin Arnason

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 149. Fin Arnason'S Expedition To Halogaland.

• attestation: Fin traveled to Halogaland with about thirty men, summoning bondes to Things and craving a levy.

  "Fin's voyage we have to relate that he had with him a ship with about thirty men, and when he was ready for sea he prosecuted his journey until he came to Halogaland. There he summoned the bondes to a Thing"

• attestation: Fin sent men to Bjarkey Island to summon Thorer Hund, who manned the same vessel he had used on the Bjarmaland cruise.

  "He sent also men to Bjarkey Island to Thorer Hund, and there, as elsewhere, craved the quota to the levy. When the message came to Thorer he made himself ready, and manned with his house-servants the same vessel he had sailed with on his cruise to Bjarmaland"

• attestation: Fin confronted Thorer Hund at the levy assembly, demanding compensation for the murder of Karle and the robbery at Lengjuvik.

  "what thou wilt offer him for the murder of his court-man Karle, or for the robbery in taking the king's goods north in Lengjuvik."

• attestation: All Halogaland levy forces gathered at Vagar in spring.

  "Fin summoned all the people of Halogaland who were to the north to meet at Vagar. There came a great fleet together in spring"

• attestation: Fin held a House-Thing where weapons were reviewed and fighting men from each ship-district mustered.

  "Fin said, "I have also to bring thee a salutation, Thorer Hund, from King Olaf""

• attestation: Fin judged that Thorer must pay thirty marks total: ten marks of gold to the king, ten to Gunstein and Karle's kindred, and ten for the robbery.

  "Thorer should pay to the king ten marks of gold, and to Gunstein and the other kindred ten marks, and for the robbery and loss of goods ten marks more; and all which should be paid immediately."

• attestation: Fin demanded the gold ornament that Thorer had taken from Karle's corpse, threatening him with a spear to produce it.

  "Fin put the point of his spear to Thorer's breast, and said that he must instantly produce the ornament; on which Thorer took the ornament from his neck and gave it to Fin."

• attestation: Fin found two large casks on Thorer's ship which Thorer claimed held liquor, and which actually contained excellent-quality drink.

  "At the mast they saw two very large casks; and Fin asked, "What are these puncheons?"

Thorer replies, "It is my liquor.""

• attestation: By the time the day drew to evening, barely a third of the mulct had been paid, and Fin departed with the rest owing.

  "as yet little more than a third part of the mulct had been paid. Then Fin said, "This goes on very slowly, Thorer, with the payment.""

• attestation: Fin told Thorer that the remainder of the debt must be paid directly to the king.

  "I shall now let it stand for the present, and what remains thou shalt pay to the king himself."

• attestation: Fin walked through Thorer's entire vessel, inspecting it by opening hatches.

  "Fin, with many other men, followed him, went through the whole vessel, and took up the hatches."

• attestation: Fin reported to King Olaf his suspicion that Thorer had fled to England to join King Canute, warning of the trouble Thorer would cause.

  "Fin came with his forces to King Olaf, and related to him how all had gone upon his voyage, and told at the same time his suspicion that Thorer had left the country, and gone west to England to King Canute."

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 217. King Olaf'S Counsel.

• attestation: Fin Arnason proposed a scorched-earth strategy: ravaging inhabited places, plundering goods, and burning habitations to force bondes to leave the enemy army and defend their homes.

  ""I will say what should be done, if I may advise. We should go with armed hand over all the inhabited places, plunder all the goods, and burn all the habitations, and leave not a hut standing""

• attestation: Fin argued that many bondes would desert the army when they saw their own farms burning and feared for their families.

  ""I think many a man will then cast himself loose from the bondes' army, when he sees smoke and flame at home on his farm, and does not know how it is going with children, wives, or old men""

• attestation: Fin's scorched-earth proposal met general applause; many approved the opportunity for booty and thought the bondes deserved the punishment.

  "When Fin had ended his speech it met with general applause; for many thought well of such a good occasion to make booty, and all thought the bondes well deserved to suffer damage"

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 226. King Olaf'S Dream.

• attestation: Fin Arnason woke King Olaf because the bonde army was advancing with raised banners.

  "Then Fin awakened the king, and said that the bonde-army advanced against them."

• attestation: Fin interpreted Olaf's dream as meaning the king was fey, that is, doomed to die.

  "This dream does not appear to me so good as it does to thee. I think it means that thou art fey"

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 237. Meeting Of The King And The Bondes.

• attestation: Fin Arnason warned that when Kalf speaks fairly, he intends to do ill.

  "This is to be observed of Kalf, that when he speaks fairly he has it in his mind to do ill."

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 256. Of The Sons Of Arne.

• attestation: Fin Arnason stayed only briefly with his brother Kalf at Eggja, being deeply displeased that Kalf had fought against King Olaf, and made constant bitter reproaches.

  "Fin Arnason remained but a short time at Eggja with his brother Kalf; for he was in the highest degree ill-pleased that Kalf had been in the battle against King Olaf, and always made his brother the bitterest reproaches on this account."

• attestation: The rift between the Arnason brothers over Kalf's role at Stiklestad reveals the deep divisions the battle created within Norwegian families.

  "he was in the highest degree ill-pleased that Kalf had been in the battle against King Olaf, and always made his brother the bitterest reproaches on this account."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 46. Of King Harald And Fin Arnason.

• relationship: Fin Arnason lived at Austrat in Yrjar as Harald's lenderman; he was married to Bergliot, daughter of Halfdan (son of Sigurd Syr, brother of Olaf the Saint and King Harald).

  "Fin Arnason dwelt at Austrat in Yrjar, and was King Harald's lenderman there. Fin was married to Bergliot, a daughter of Halfdan, who was a son of Sigurd Syr, and brother of Olaf the Saint and of King Harald."

• attestation: Fin, Guthorm Gunhildson, and Hakon Ivarson had all been together on a viking cruise in the West Sea.

  "Fin Arnason had been for some summers on a viking cruise in the West sea; and Fin, Guthorm Gunhildson and Hakon Ivarson had all been together on that cruise."

• attestation: After Einar's killing, Harald went to Austrat where Fin bluntly told him he was 'managing ill in two ways: doing mischief and then being too afraid.'

  "Fin took up the conversation briskly, and said, "Thou art managing ill in two ways: first, in doing all manner of mischief; and next, in being so afraid that thou knowest not what to do.""

• attestation: Fin demanded as his reward that his brother Kalf be given peace, restored estates, and full dignity upon returning to Norway.

  "I will desire to have peace and safe residence in the country for my brother Kalf, and all his estates restored; and also that he receive all the dignity and power he had when he left the country."

• attestation: Both the Throndhjem and Upland people were dangerous enemies to Harald, and Fin risked his life as mediator.

  "both the people of Throndhjem and the people of Upland are so great enemies to thee that it would not be safe for any of thy messengers to come among them, unless he were one who would be spared for his own sake"

• attestation: Fin warned Harald that the mission was dangerous because both Throndhjem and Upland people were so hostile that only someone respected in his own right could survive.

  "for both the people of Throndhjem and the people of Upland are so great enemies to thee that it would not be safe for any of thy messengers to come among them, unless he were one who would be spared for his own sake"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 47. Of Fin Arnason'S Journey.

• attestation: Fin Arnason went to the town with nearly eighty house-servants and spoke at the Thing, urging the bondes not to hate their king or drive him away.

  "Fin Arnason proceeded to the town and had with him his house-servants, nearly eighty men. When he came into the town he held a Thing with the town's people."

• attestation: Fin reminded the bondes of the suffering they had endured when they acted against King Olaf the Saint, and told them Harald would pay penalty for the murders.

  "He reminded them of how much evil they had suffered by acting thus against King Olaf the Saint; and added, that the king was willing to pay penalty for this murder, according to the judgment of understanding and good men."

• attestation: The bondes agreed to wait for the return of messengers Bergliot had sent to Hakon Ivarson in the Uplands.

  "The effect of Fin's speech was that the bondes promised to wait quietly until the messengers came back whom Bergliot had sent to the Uplands to her relative, Hakon Ivarson."

• attestation: Fin traveled to Orkadal, over the Dovrefield mountains, and east to visit his son-in-law Earl Orm.

  "Fin then went out to Orkadal with the men who had accompanied him to the town. From thence he went up to Dovrefield, and eastwards over the mountains. He went first to his son-in-law, Earl Orm, who was married to Sigrid, Fin's daughter"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 48. Of Fin And Hakon Ivarson.

• attestation: Fin and Earl Orm met Hakon Ivarson to present King Harald's offer of reconciliation.

  "Then Fin and Earl Orm appointed a meeting with Hakon Ivarson; and when they met Fin explained his errand to Hakon, and the offer which King Harald made him."

• attestation: Fin argued it was better to accept high dignity from the king than risk being called a traitor even in victory.

  "He said if he came out of the conflict without victory, he forfeited life and property: "And even if thou hast the victory, thou wilt still be called a traitor to thy sovereign.""

• attestation: Fin agreed to this on the king's behalf, and the settlement quashed the rebellion that Eindride's relatives had organized.

  "Fin said he would agree to this on the king's part; and thus it was settled among them. Fin then returned to Throndhjem, and the disturbance and enmity was quashed"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 53. Reconciliation Of King Harald And Kalf.

• attestation: Fin Arnason sent word to Kalf about the agreement with Harald: safety in Norway, restored estates, and all former fiefs.

  "Fin Arnason sent a message to his brother Kalf, and told him the agreement which he had made with King Harald, that Kalf should enjoy safety in Norway, and his estates, and all the fiefs he had held from King Magnus."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 55. Fin Arnason'S Expedition Out Of The Country.

• attestation: Fin Arnason blamed King Harald for his brother Kalf's death, accusing Harald of betraying Kalf and luring him back from the West under false promises of friendship.

  "Fin Arnason thought he had cause to be an enemy of the king upon account of his brother Kalf's death; and said the king had betrayed Kalf to his fall, and had also deceived him by making him entice his brother Kalf to come over from the West and trust to King Harald's faith."

• attestation: Public opinion held that Fin was foolish to expect King Harald would sincerely forgive Kalf, given Harald's nature to seek revenge for even smaller offences.

  "many said that it was very foolish in Fin to have ever supposed that Kalf could obtain the king's sincere friendship and favour; for they thought the king was the man to seek revenge for smaller offences than Kalf had committed against the king."

• attestation: Fin Arnason defected to Denmark, where King Svein received him warmly and gave him an earldom in Halland.

  "Fin Arnason took the business so much to heart that he left the country and went to Denmark to King Svein, where he met a friendly reception."

• attestation: As Earl of Halland under King Svein, Fin Arnason defended the Danish territory against Norwegian incursions.

  "King Svein then gave Fin an earldom, and placed him in Halland, where he was long earl and defended the country against the Northmen."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 64. Of King Svein'S Armament.

• attestation: Fin Arnason positioned his ship next to King Svein's in the Danish battle line.

  "Fin Arnason laid his ship next"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 65. Beginning Of The Battle Of Nis-River.

• attestation: Earl Fin Arnason refused to flee and, being shortsighted, was captured in the battle.

  "Earl Fin Arnason would not flee; and being also shortsighted, was taken prisoner."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 68. Fin Arnason Gets Quarter.

• attestation: When the captured Earl Fin Arnason was brought before King Harald, the king mocked him, calling him a blind old man who would be a burden to drag along.

  "Fin, we meet here now, and we met last in Norway. The Danish court has not stood very firmly by thee; and it will be a troublesome business for Northmen to drag thee, a blind old man, with them, and preserve thy life."

• attestation: Fin defiantly insulted Harald, calling him a dog and refusing quarter from him.

  "The earl replies, "Not from thee, thou dog.""

• attestation: When Harald offered quarter from his son Magnus, Fin dismissed the boy as a 'whelp' incapable of granting life.

  "The earl replies, "Can the whelp rule over life and quarter?""

• attestation: Harald taunted Fin by asking if he would accept quarter from his 'she-relation Thorer,' which provoked Fin into a vulgar outburst preserved as evidence of his uncontrolled rage.

  "No wonder thou hast bit so strongly, if the mare was with thee."

• attestation: Fin was granted life and quarter but remained melancholy and obstinate, so Harald eventually released him to return to King Svein.

  "Earl Fin got life and quarter and the king kept him a while about him. But Fin was rather melancholy and obstinate in conversation"