The Heimskringla on Thiodolf

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 24. Svein Ulfson Created An Earl.

• attribution: Thiodolf composed a verse about Svein swearing on holy bones at the Gaut river, noting Magnus found the vows 'too fair to last'

  "Twas at the Gaut river's shore, With hand on shrine Svein Ulfson swore. King Magnus first said o'er the oath, With which Svein Ulfson pledged his troth. The vows by Svein solemnly given, On holy bones of saints in heaven, To Magnus seemed both fair and fast; He found they were too fair to last."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 29. Battle Of Hlyrskog Heath.

• attribution: Thiodolf the skald composed verses about Magnus pursuing and slaying the Vindland people across the moor

  "So says Thiodolf:--

  "And foremost he pursued, And the flying foe down hewed; An eagle's feast each stroke, As the Vindland helms he broke."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 31. Battle At Aros.

• attribution: Thiodolf composed a verse about the battle of Aros describing shields and swords ringing between the earl and king

  "So says Thiodolf, the skald:--

  "Shield against shield, the earl and king Made shields and swords together ring."

• attribution: Thiodolf composed verses about Throndhjem's bowmen never tiring during the battle at Aros

  "And Throndhjem's bowmen on that day Were not the first tired of this play"

• attribution: Thiodolf composed verses describing how many men drowned in the heavy storm the night after the battle at Aros

  "A heavy storm that very night O'ertook them flying from the fight; And skulls and bones are tumbling round, Under the sea, on sandy ground."

• attribution: Thiodolf composed multiple verses about the battle at Aros, describing Magnus springing from stern to stem

  "Brave Magnus, from the stern springing On to the stem, where swords were ringing From his sea-raven's beak of gold Deals death around--the brave! the bold!"

• attribution: Thiodolf described many men drowning while fleeing the battle, as swimming could not save them

  "And many a man, foredoomed to die, To save his life o'erboard did fly, But sank; for swimming could not save, And dead men rolled in every wave."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 32. Svein'S Flight.

• attribution: Thiodolf described Magnus as a Throndhjem king who laid waste the land with sword and fire in just ire

  "Our Throndhjem king in his just ire Laid waste the land with sword and fire, Burst every house, and over all Struck terror into great and small."

• attribution: Thiodolf described how Magnus's forces pursued and nearly captured Svein's fleeing army through Seeland

  "An armed band one morn he found, And so beset them round and round, That Canute's nephew quickly fled, Or he would have been captive led."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 33. Burning In Fyen.

• attribution: Thiodolf described how Svein's men had been met by Norsemen three times by sea, by land, and with fire

  "Svein's men, my girl, will not forget That thrice they have the Norsemen met, By sea, by land, with steel, with fire, Thrice have they felt the Norse king's ire."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 34. Battle At Helganes

• attribution: Thiodolf described the Norsemen getting booty including a Gautland shield, breast-plate, helm, and arms at Helganes

  "A Gautland shield and breast-plate true Fell to my share of spoil by lot; And something more i' the south I got: (There all the summer swords were ringing) A helm, gay arms, and gear worth bringing"

• attribution: Thiodolf described Magnus chasing Svein's wounded men from place to place, victorious over all

  "Victorious over all, we chase Svein's wounded men from place to place."

• attribution: Thiodolf described how Magnus's banner flamed high and marched across Fyen's moor to catch fleeing foes in the morning mist

  "Then up our numerous banners flare In the cold early morning air; And they from Magnus' power who fly Cannot this quick war-work deny."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 11. Of Harald.

• attribution: Thiodolf composed a verse praising Harald's valor in eighteen victorious battles and his feeding of wolves and eagles with slain enemies.

  "Harald the Stern ne'er allowed Peace to his foemen, false and proud; In eighteen battles, fought and won, The valour of the Norseman shone."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 18. The League Between King Harald And Svein Ulfson.

• attribution: Thiodolf composed a verse about Harald's voyage across the East Sea from Russia to Sweden.

  "So says Thiodolf:

  "Cross the East sea the vessel flew,-- Her oak-keel a white furrow drew From Russia's coast to Swedish land. Where Harald can great help command.""

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 31. Of King Harald Sigurdson.

• attestation: Thiodolf the skald added supplementary verses to Harald's own composition about the campaign.

  "Then he spoke to Thiodolf, the skald, and asked him to add to it what it wanted, and he sang"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 43. Harald'S Pride.

• attribution: Thiodolf composed a verse lamenting that the people bent to Harald's will like heartless cravens, with nothing left but consent.

  "But now to the king who feeds the ravens The people bend like heartless cravens-- Nothing is left them, but consent To what the king calls his intent."

• attribution: Thiodolf's verse distinguished between rightful military obedience and the unnatural degree of submission Harald now demanded in peacetime.

  "In arms 'tis right the common man Should follow orders, one by one,-- Should stoop or rise, or run or stand, As his war-leader may command"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 62. King Harald'S Challenge.

• attribution: The skald Thiodolf composed verses describing the war-ship's launch into the river Nid, praising its serpent-head with golden mane reflected in the water.

  "Her serpent-head with golden mane, All shining back from the Nid again."

• attribution: Thiodolf recorded that Harald's departure from Nidaros occurred on a Saturday, with the dragon gliding past the town westward.

  "It was upon a Saturday, Ship-tilts were struck and stowed away, And past the town our dragon glides,"

• attribution: Thiodolf's verse described the ship with seventy oars appearing like an eagle with iron wings when rowing from the sea at Throndhjem.

  "And when at Throndhjem's holy stream Our seventy cars in distance gleam, We seem, while rowing from the sea, An erne with iron wings to be."

• attribution: Thiodolf described the heavy storm testing the great ship's ground tackle, with waves chafing the thick cable against rock.

  "The storm that tries the spar and mast Tries the main-anchor at the last: The storm above, below the rock, Chafe the thick cable with each shock."

• attribution: When the weather cleared, Harald sailed east to the Gaut river and arrived in the evening, then called a Thing at Thumia challenging Svein to appear.

  "The gallant Harald now has come To Gaut, full half way from his home, And on the river frontier stands, To fight with Svein for life and lands."

• attribution: Thiodolf's verse warned that the ravens eagerly awaited the battle day between Harald and Svein.

  "A day which ravens wish were near."

• attribution: The bondes' ships sheltered on the lee-side of green fields and behind island forests during the storm in Viken.

  "In all the isles and creeks around The bondes' ships lie on the ground, And ships with gunwales hung with shields Seek the lee-side of the green fields."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 63. Of King Harald'S Fleet.

• attribution: Thiodolf described the dragon war-ship's crew standing so densely with overlapping shields that the deck seemed impenetrable.

  "The ring of shields seemed to enclose The ship's deck from the boarding foes. The dragon, on the Nis-river flood, Beset with men, who thickly stood,"

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

• attribution: Thiodolf described Harald as 'the Upland king' who spent all night speeding deadly arrows, piercing ring-mail coats in the dark.

  "The Upland king was all the night Speeding the arrows' deadly flight."

• attribution: Thiodolf's verse records that Norway's king seized seventy of Svein's ships in a single sudden sweep.

  "Svein's ships rode proudly o'er the deep, When, by a single sudden sweep, Full seventy sail, as we are told, Were seized by Norway's monarch bold."

• attribution: Thiodolf's verse mocked the six Danish earls for providing little aid to King Svein, while praising Fin Arnason's Norse heart for standing his ground.

  "To the six Danish earls who came To aid his force, and raise his name, No mighty thanks King Svein is owing For mighty actions of their doing. Fin Arnason, in battle known, With a stout Norse heart of his own, Would not take flight his life to gain,"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 74. King Harald'S Battle With Earl Hakon.

• attribution: Thiodolf's verse describes Steinkel's troops being driven to Hel by Norwegian horsemen, and the earl 'retired' rather than admitting he ran away.

  "Steinkel's troops, who were so bold, Who the Earl Hakon would uphold, Were driven by our horsemen's power To Hel, death goddess, in an hour"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 76. Of King Harald.

• attribution: Thiodolf's verse described Harald lighting punitive fires visible from afar as a warning to those who disobey.

  "To punish them the fire he lights That shines afar off in dark nights From house and yard, and, as he says, Will warn the man who disobeys."

• attribution: The Upland disturbances lasted eighteen months after the peace with Denmark before Harald fully suppressed the bondes' resistance.

  "The king in eighteen months brought down Their bonde power, and raised his own"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 94. Of The Troop Of The Nobility.

• attribution: Thiodolf responded with a verse about Harald's sons avenging him if he falls, likening them to noble eaglets whom the men would never forsake.

  "And should our king in battle fall,-- A fate that God may give to all,-- His sons will vengeance take"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 96. Fall Of King Harald.

• attribution: Thiodolf's verse mourned Harald's death, calling the army hushed and dismayed, and judging the whole English enterprise unwise.

  "Harald is dead, and with him goes The spirit to withstand our foes. A bloody scat the folk must pay For their king's folly on this day."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 103. Of King Harald Sigurdson.

• attribution: Thiodolf composed a verse stating that Harald's guiding principle in battle was that courage is half of success.

  "That, be his foes' strength more or less, Courage is always half success."

• attribution: Thiodolf praised Harald as severe but just, applying the same discipline to all regardless of rank.

  "Severe was Harald--but we call That just which was alike to all."

• attribution: Harald was greedy for power and honour but bountiful to favoured friends; Thiodolf received a mark of gold for a ship-song.

  "I got from him, in sea-fight strong, A mark of gold for my ship-song."