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Act IV
Swegn’s fastness in the hills.
Swegn, Hardicnut, with soldiers.
S WEGNFight on, fight always, till the Gods are tired. In all this dwindling remnant of the past Desires one man to rest from virtue, cease From desperate freedom?
HARDICNUT No man wavers here.
SWEGN Let him depart unhurt who so desires.
HARDICNUT Why should he go and whither? To Eric’s sword That never pardoned? If our hearts were vile, Unworthily impatient of defeat, Serving not harassed right but chance and gain, Eric himself would keep them true.
SWEGN Not thine, My second soul. Yet could I pardon him Who faltered, for the blow transcends! And were King Eric not in Yara where he dwells, Page – 595 I would have seen his hand in this defeat, Whose stroke is like the lightning’s, silent, straight, Not to be parried.
HARDICNUT Sigurd smote, perhaps, But Eric’s brain was master of his stroke.
SWEGN The traitor Sigurd! For young Eric’s part In Olaf’s death, he did a warrior’s act Avenging Yarislaf and Hacon slain, And Fate, not Eric slew. But he who, trusted, lured Into death’s ambush, when the rebel seas Rejoicing trampled down the royal head They once obeyed, him I will some day have At my sword’s mercy. (to Ragnar who enters) Ragnar, does it come, The last assault, death’s trumpets?
RAGNAR Rather peace, If thou prefer it, Swegn. An envoy comes From Eric’s army.
SWEGN Ragnar, bring him in. Ragnar goes out. He treats victorious? When his kingdom shook, His party faltered, then he did not treat Nor used another envoy than his sword. (to Gunthar who enters, escorted by Ragnar) Earl Gunthar, welcome, — welcome more wert thou When loyal. Page – 596 GUNTHAR Ragnar, Swegn and Hardicnut, Revolting Earls, I come from Norway’s King With peace, not menace.
SWEGN Where then all these days Behind you lurked the Northerner?
GUNTHAR Thou art In his dread shadow and in your mountain lair Eric surrounds you.
SWEGN (contemptuously) I will hear his words.
GUNTHAR Eric, the King, the son of Yarislaf, To Swegn, the Earl of Trondhjem. “I have known The causes and the griefs that raise thee still Against my monarchy. Thou knowest mine That raised me against thy father, — Hacon’s death, My mother’s brother, butchered shamefully And Yarislaf by secret sentence slain. Elected by our peers I seized his throne. But thou, against thy country’s ancient laws Rebelling, hast preferred for judge the sword. Respect then the tribunal of thy choice And its decision. Why electest thou In thy drear fastness on the wintry hills To perish? Trondhjem’s earldom shall be thine, And honours and wealth and state, if thou accept The offer of thy lenient gods. Consider, O Swegn, thy country’s wounds, perceive at last Thy good and ours, prolong thy father’s house.” I expect thy answer.
Page – 597 SWEGN I return to him His proffered mercy. Let him keep it safe For his own later use.
GUNTHAR Thou speakest high. What help hast thou? what hope? what god concealed?
SWEGN I have the snow for friend and, if it fails, The arms of death are broad enough for Swegn, But not subjection.
GUNTHAR For their sake thou lov’st, Thy wife’s and sister’s, yield.
RAGNAR Thou art not wise. This was much better left unsaid.
SWEGN It seems Your pastime to insult the seed of Kings. Yet why Am I astonished if triumphant mud Conceives that the pure heavens are of its stuff And nature? To the upstart I shall yield, The fortune-fed adventurer, the boy Favoured by the ironic Gods? Since fell By Sigurd’s treachery and Eric’s fate In resonant battle on the narrow seas Olaf, his children had convinced the world, I thought, of their great origin. Men have said, “Their very women have souls too great to cry For mercy even from the Gods.” His Fates Are strong indeed when they compel our race Page – 598 To hear such terms from his! Go, tell thy King, Swegn of the ancient house rejects his boons. Not terms between us stand, but wrath, but blood. I would have flayed him on a golden cross And kept his women for my household thralls, Had I prevailed. Can he not do as much That he must chaffer and market Norway’s crown? These are the ways of Kings, strong, terrible And arrogant, full of sovereignty and might. Force in a King’s his warrant from the Gods. By force and not by bribes and managements Empires are founded! But your chief was born Of huckstering earls who lived by prudent gains. How should he imitate a royal flight Or learn the leap of Kings upon their prey?
GUNTHAR Swegn Olafson, thou speakest fatal words. Where lodge thy wife and sister? Dost thou know?
HARDICNUT Too far for Eric’s reach.
GUNTHAR Earl, art thou sure?
SWEGN What means this question?
GUNTHAR That the Gods are strong Whom thou in vain despisest, that they have dragged From Sweden into Eric’s dangerous hands Hertha and Aslaug, that the evil thou speakst Was fatally by hostile Powers inspired.
Page – 599 SWEGN Thou liest! They are safe and with the Swede.
GUNTHAR I pardon thy alarm the violent word. Earl Swegn, canst thou not see the dreadful Gods Have chosen earth’s mightiest man to do their will? What is that will but Norway’s unity And Norway’s greatness? Canst thou do the work? Look round on Norway by a boy subdued, The steed that even Olaf could not tame See turn obedient to an unripe hand. Behold him with a single petty pace Possessing Sweden. Sweden once subdued, Thinkst thou the ships that crowd the Northern seas Will stay there? Shall not Britain shake, Erin Pray loudly that the tempest rather choose The fields of Gaul? Scythia shall own our yoke, The Volga’s frozen waves endure our march, Unless the young god’s fancy rose-ensnared To Italian joys attracted amorously Should long for sunnier realms or lead his high Exultant mind to lord in eastern Rome. What art thou but a pebble in his march? Consider, then, and change thy fierce response.
HARDICNUT Deceives the lie they tell, thy reason, Swegn? Earl Gunthar may believe, who even can think That Yarislaf begot a god!
SWEGN Gunthar, I have my fortune, thou thy answer. Go.
GUNTHAR I pity, Swegn, thy rash and obstinate soul. He goes out. Page – 600 SWEGN Aslaug would scorn me yielding, even now And even for her. He has unnerved my will, The subtle tyrant! O, if this be true, My Fate has wandered into Eric’s camp, My soul is made his prisoner. Friends, prepare Resistance; he’s the thunderbolt that strikes And threatens only afterwards. It is Our ultimate battle.
HARDICNUT On the difficult rocks We will oppose King Eric and his gods. Page – 601
Swegn with his earls and followers in flight.
SWEGN Swift, swift into the higher snows, where Winter Eternal can alone of universal things Take courage against Eric to defend His enemies. O you little remnant left Of many heroes, save yourselves for Fate. She yet may need you when she finds the man She lifts perpetually, too great at last Even for her handling.
HARDICNUT Ragnar, go with him, While I stand here to hinder the pursuit Or warn in time. Fear not for me, assailed. Leave, Ragnar, leave me; I am tired at last. All go out upward except Hardicnut. Here then you reach me on these snows. O if my death Could yet persuade indignant Heaven to change [Scene incomplete] Page – 602 |