the wall and carrying the corpse that way out, and not by the door. Such a precaution was (they say) to prevent the ghost of the dead coming back to haunt the house.
Ch. LXII.—to flee the land] This was in 935: no news of this could reach Iceland (as we are told below), hence in the next year, 936, Egil is surprized to find Eric at York. The marriage of Eric's daughter to earl Arnfinn is probably misplaced it could not have been in 935, but some years later. Eric can hardly have had a marriageable daughter yet: besides, it is elsewhere said that Ragnhildr was married to Arnfinn after Eric's death; i.e., after 950.
government of Northumberland] About Eric's government in Northumberland there are some obscurities. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is silent about his rule there for Athelstan. But accepting this as true, it is probable that he lost this rule on Athelstan's death (940). In Edred's reign (948) we find 'king Eadred harried over all Northumberland because they had taken Eric for their king' (A.-S. Chr.). And a line or two further, 'when the king was homeward, the army within York (Eric's) overtook him, and there made great slaughter. Then was the king so indignant, that he would again march in and totally destroy the country. When the Northumbrian "witan" understood that, they forsook Eric, and made compensation for the deed to king Eadred.' Then again 'the Northumbrians received Eric, Harold's son': and later 'expelled Eric.' The dates given in the Chronicle (Thorpe's translation) reach down to 954: some modern chronologers think his, Eric's, death was in 950. It is plain that after he lost Norway he was several times in and out of Northumberland. This quite agrees with what we know of the disturbed state of things there. And there is no reason to doubt that Eric's first 'innings' in Northumberland came as our Saga gives it.
came . . . evening] Egil's ride would be about fifty miles or more.
keen glance] Egil speaks of the king's terrible look in st. 5 of the Epic on Arinbjorn.
who . . . teasing] No 'ertinga-madr': a man who stands no nonsense. In the eastern counties such irritable persons are termed 'short-waisted.'
a swallow] Of course, though it is not so said, Gunnhilda is 'the swallow' whose shape flits away presently.
Ch. LXIII.—No one will call] Arinbjorn appeals to the king's nobler feelings throughout: Gunnhilda to his meaner nature. Arinbjorn's pleading is manly, free, truthful, well argued. The whole scene at York is wonderfully well given.
Head-ransom] Höfud-lausn. The earliest complete 'Drápa' that we have. Different editors divide it differently. Petersen divides it into three main parts. I. Introduction of five stanzas. 2. Middle part of ten stanzas. 3. Third part of five stanzas. And the middle part he further divides into three subdivisions with an initial burden omkvæd (1+3×3=10). The more natural arrangement seems to be to consider three stanzas (1-3) introduction: then there are four sets of two stanzas and a burden: then two stanzas (which have no burden in our text): then a conclusion of two stanzas (or three if the short stanza at the end be genuine).
In sense the first three are plainly introductory, asking for silence, etc.: the last two (or three) are conclusory. They are thus arranged in Thordarson's edition: except that he puts no 'fyrsta stefja-mal' at head of st. 4.
The poem has both rhyme and alliteration throughout. It is indeed a wonderful composition if completed within a night: but it is striking any way. It may be noticed that while there is great variety of phrase for Eric's battles and exploits, we can gather very little that is definite about
