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Grettir The Strong

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CHAPTER XCI

ABSOLUTION IN ROME


There were many who urged Thorsteinn to visit King Harald and
become his man, but he would not. Spes said to him: "I would
not, Thorsteinn, that you go to Harald, for a larger debt remains
unpaid to another King, whereto we must now turn our thoughts.
Our youth is now passed; we are both becoming old, and we have
lived more after our desires than after Christian doctrine or
regard for righteousness. Now I know that neither kinsmen nor
wealth may pay this debt if we pay it not ourselves. I would
therefore that we now change our way of life and leave the
country to betake ourselves to Pafagard.(1) I have hope that so
I shall be absolved from my sin."

Thorsteinn answered: "The matter of which you speak is as well
known to me as it is to you. It is right that you should rule
now, and most seemly, since you allowed me to rule when our
matter was much less hopeful. And so shall it be now in all that
you say."

This resolve of theirs took men by surprise. Thorsteinn was then
two years past of sixty-five, but still vigorous in all that he
undertook. He summoned all his kinsmen and connections to him
and told them his plans. The wiser men approved of his resolve,
while holding his departure a great misfortune for themselves.
Thorsteinn said there was no certainty of his return. He said:

"I wish now to thank you all for the care of my goods which you
took while I was absent. Now I ask you to take over my children
along with my property, and to bring them up in your own ways;
for I am now come to such an age that even if I live there is
much doubt about whether I shall return. Manage all that I leave
behind as if I should never return to Norway."

The men answered that matters would be more easily managed if his
wife remained to look after them.

She answered: "I left my own country and came from Mikligard with
Thorsteinn, I bade farewell to my kinsmen and my possessions,
because I wished that one fate should befall us both. And now it
has seemed pleasant to me here, but no desire have I to remain in
Norway or in these Northern lands after he has departed. There
has always been goodwill between us and no dissension. Now we
must both depart together; for we ourselves know best about many
things which have happened since we first met."

When they had thus dealt with their own condition, Thorsteinn
appointed certain impartial men to divide his property in two
parts. Thorsteinn's kinsmen took over the half which was to go
to the children, and brought them up with their father's
relations. They became in time men of the utmost valour, and
a large posterity in the Vik is sprung from them. Thorsteinn and
Spes divided their share, giving some to the church for the good
of their souls and keeping some for themselves. So they set off
for Rome, bearing the good wishes of many with them.

ENDNOTES:

(1) Rome.




CHAPTER XCII

THE END OF THORSTEINN AND SPES


They travelled then the whole way to Rome, and appeared before
him who was appointed to hear confessions. They related truly
all that had happened, all the cunning tricks wherewith they had
achieved their union. They submitted with humility to the
penances laid upon them, and by reason of their having voluntarily
turned their hearts to desire absolution from their sins, without
any pressure from the elders of the church, their penance was
lightened so far as it was possible, and they were gently
admonished to arrange their lives with wisdom for the well-being
of their souls, and, after receiving absolution in full, to live
henceforward in purity. They were declared to have acted wisely
and well.

Then the lady Spes said: "Now, I think it has gone well; and now
we have not suffered only misfortune together. It may be that
foolish men will follow the example of our former lives. Let us
now end in such way that we may be an example to the good. We
will come to an agreement with some men skilled in building to
erect for each of us a stone retreat, thus may we atone for all
the offences which we have committed against God."

So Thorsteinn advanced money to stone-masons and such other
persons as might be needed, that they might not be without the
means of subsistence. When these works were completed and all
matters were settled, a fitting time was chosen for them to part
company with each other, each to live alone, in order more surely
to partake of the eternal life in another world. They remained
each in their own retreat, living as long as it pleased God to
spare them, and thus ending their lives.

Most men consider Thorsteinn Dromund and Spes to have been most
fortunate in escaping from the difficulties which they had fallen
into. None of their children or posterity are mentioned as
having come to Iceland.




CHAPTER XCIII

THE TESTIMONY OF STURLA THE LAWMAN


Sturla the Lawman has declared that no outlaw was ever so
distinguished as Grettir the Strong. For this he assigns three
reasons. First, that he was the cleverest, inasmuch as he was
the longest time an outlaw of any man without ever being
captured, so long as he was sound in health. Secondly, that he
was the strongest man in the land of his age, and better able
than any other to deal with spectres and goblins. Thirdly, that
his death was avenged in Constantinople, a thing which had never
happened to any other Icelander.

Further, he says that Thorsteinn Dromund was a man who had great
luck in the latter part of his life.

Here endeth the story of Grettir the son of Asmund.

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