Skáldskaparmál - 01.01.1994, Qupperneq 98

96
Fredrik J. Heinemann
VII. The Enforcement. This section makes clear that without the Þjóstarsynir
Sámr’s case would not have been successful. Not only do the two brothers provide
the muscle in the case, as Þorgeirr had promised, but also the legal expertise that
Sámr obviously does not have. The latter’s reaction to the judgment {En Sámr var
á þingi ok gekk mjök uppstertr, 117) is interrupted by Þorgeirr’s embarrassed
reaction to Sámr’s conduct:
Sámr bíðr til þess, at slitit er þinginu. Búask menn þá heim. Þakkar hann þeim
bræðrum sína liðveizlu, en Þorgeirr spurði Sám hlæjandi, hversu honum þætti at fara.
Hann lét vel yfir því.
Þorgeirr mælti: “Þykkisk þú nú nökkuru nær en áðr?”
Sámr mælti: “Beðit þykki mér Hrafnkell hafa sneypu, er lengi mun uppi vera þessi,
hans sneypa, ok er þetta við mikla fémuni.”
“Eigi er maðrinn alsekr, meðan eigi er háðr féránsdómr, ok hlýtr þat at hans heimili
at gera. þat skal vera fjórtán nóttum eptir vápnatak . . . En ek get,” segir Þorgeirr, “at
Hrafnkel mun heim kominn ok ætli at sitja á Aðalbóli. Get ek, at hann mun halda
mannaforráð fyrir yðr. En þú munt ætla at ríða heim ok setjask í bú þitt, ef þú náir, at
bezta kosti. Get ek, at þú hafir þat svá þinna mála, at þú kallir hann skógarmann. En
slíkan “gishjálm, get ek, at hann beri yfir flestum sem áðr, nema þú hljótir at fara
nökkuru lægra.”
“Aldri hirði ek þat,” segir Sámr.
“Hraustr maðr ertu,” segir Þorgeirr . . . (117-118)
This exchange shows not only that Sámr’s legal expertise is limited but also that
his vanity has triumphed over his reason. If we know from many other sagas that
obtaining a favorable decision accomplishes nothing for a plaintiff unless he has
the necessary force to carry out the sentence, then Sámr must, in theory, know
this also. Sámr’s giddiness amuses Þorgeirr, and when he says that Sámr is hraustr,
what he really means, of course, is foolish. This is not the last time Þorgeirr will
have occasion to chastise Sámr.
Directed by Þorgeirr, Sámr assembles a group of forty followers to match Þorgeirr’s
troop and attacks Hrafnkell on the morning of the fourteenth day after vápnatak.
After torturing Hrafnkell and his men Sámr gives him the following choice:
“Tvá kosti geri ek þér, Hrafnkell. Sá annarr, at þik skal leiða ór garði brott ok þá menn,
sem mér líkar, ok vera drepinn. En með því at þú átt ómegð mikla fyrir at sjá, þá vil
ek þess unna þér, at þú sjáir þar fyrir. Ok ef þú vilt líf þiggja, þá far þú af Aðalbóli með
stigi málsins er guðinn Hrafnkatli meira virði en nokkur meðal manna. Með því hefur hann í
reynd fært Frey dýra fórn og staðist prófraun sem vörður trúarlegs siðgæðis. 1 staðinn hlýtur
hann að vænta umbunar Freys og því er eðilegast að skilja andvaraleysi hans í vígsmálinu svo,
að hann treysti vernd guðsins, jafnvel þótt hann hafi verit dæmdur alsekur á alþingi.” (“The
killing of Einar is thus a religious act and shows that at this stage of the proceedings the god
means more to Hrafnkell than the counsels of men. With this act he has in fact made a large
sacrifice to Freyr and has proved himself a keeper of the faith. In return he must expect a reward
from Freyr, and it is thus easiest to understand his lack of defence in the lawsuit as his belief in
the protection of the god, even though he has been outlawed at the Alþing.”)