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The Heimskringla on Olver of Eggja

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 113. Of The Sacrifices Of The Throndhjem People.

attestation: Olver of Eggja was a powerful man of great family who served as the head-man representing the bondes before King Olaf.

"There was a man called Olver of Eggja, so called after his farm on which he lived. He was powerful, of great family, and the head-man of those who on account of the bondes appeared before the king"
attestation: Olver defended the bondes by claiming they held only normal entertainments and drinking parties, not heathen sacrifices.

"Olver, on behalf of the bondes, replied, that they had had no other feasts that harvest than their usual entertainments, and social meetings, and friendly drinking parties"

attestation: Olver reluctantly agreed to go before King Olaf again at the bondes' request to answer the sacrifice accusation.

"Olver, however, at the desire of all the bondes, allowed himself to be persuaded. When he came to the town he went immediately before the king"
attestation: Olver claimed the gathering at Maerin was merely Yule feasts with leftover provisions, not a sacrifice.

"We had," said he, "Yule feasts and drinking feasts wide around in the districts; and the bondes do not prepare their feasts so sparingly, sire, that there is not much left over, which people consume long afterwards"

attestation: Twelve men presided over the sacrifice-feasts, and Olver was responsible for organizing the spring feast at Maerin.

"There are twelve men who preside over these sacrifice-feasts; and in spring it is Olver who has to get the feast in order, and he is now busy transporting to Maerin everything needful for it"
attestation: Olver was captured and the king ordered him put to death along with many other men.

"Olver was taken, and the king ordered him to be put to death, and many other men besides"
attestation: Olver's killing went unpaid (no wergild) and all his property was adjudged to the king.

"The king let Olver lie without fine paid for his bloodshed, and all that he possessed was adjudged to the king"

attestation: Kalf Arneson married Olver of Eggja's widow at the king's grant, receiving all of Olver's property, a lenderman title, and office in interior Throndhjem.

"Kalf Arneson begged of the king that he would give him to wife the widow of Olver; and out of friendship the king agreed to it, and with her he got all the property Olver had possessed. The king at the same time made him his lenderman, and gave him an office in the interior of the Throndhjem country"

attestation: Thorer son of Olver of Eggja was a stepson of Kalf Arnason and a nephew of Thorer Hund, described as remarkably handsome, stout and strong at eighteen years old.

"Thorer, a son of Olver of Eggja, a stepson of Kalf Arnason, and a sister's son of Thorer Hund, was a remarkably handsome man, stout and strong. He was at this time eighteen years old"