Skáldskaparmál - 01.01.1994, Page 98

Skáldskaparmál - 01.01.1994, Page 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.”)
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