The Heimskringla on Stein Skaptason
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 148. Stein'S Story.
attestation: Stein Skaptason was remarkably handsome, dexterous, a great poet, splendid in apparel, and ambitious of distinction.
"Stein was a remarkably handsome man, dexterous at all feats, a great poet, splendid in his apparel, and very ambitious of distinction."
attestation: Stein's father Skapte had composed a poem about King Olaf, which he taught Stein to deliver.
"His father, Skapte, had composed a poem on King Olaf, which he had taught Stein"
attestation: Both Stein and Thorod Snorrason publicly reproached King Olaf, saying he treated them as unfree men.
"Both he and Thorod were imprudent in their conversation, and said the king would be looked upon as a worse man than those who, under faith and law, had sent their sons to him, as he now treated them as men without liberty."
attestation: Stein fled Nidaros at night and traveled through Gaularas into Orkadal, arriving at a farm managed by the king's land-bailiff Thorgeir.
"One night Stein left the city, and his footboy with him. They went up Gaularas and into Orkadal."
attestation: Stein killed the king's land-bailiff Thorgeir with his sword after being refused a horse.
"drawing his sword, he killed the landbailiff."
attestation: Stein traveled to Surnadal in More, crossed the fjord, and eventually reached Giske Isle and Thorberg Arnason's household.
"They travelled until they came to Surnadal in More. There they had themselves ferried across the fjord"
attestation: Stein had previously helped when Ragnhild was in difficult childbirth on Giske, bringing a priest named Bard to assist.
"At that time Ragnhild was in the pains of childbirth, and very ill, and there was no priest on the island"
attestation: Stein held Ragnhild's infant daughter at baptism and gave it a gold ring; the child was named Thora.
"the priest baptized the infant, and Stein held it at the baptism, at which it got the name of Thora; and Stein gave it a gold ring."
attestation: Stein remained with Thorberg's household through the winter of 1027.
"Stein thus remained there all winter (A.D. 1027)."
attestation: Stein went west to England in spring 1027 and entered the service of Canute the Great, where he was treated with great distinction.
"early in the spring (A.D. 1027) he went west to England into the service of Canute the Great, and was long with him, and was treated with great distinction."