A Struggle for Rome, v. 3

by Felix Dahn

  CHAPTER XIV.

  "Well," began King Harald, "our home is in Thuleland, as the Skaldscall it; in Goetaland, as we name it. For Thuleland is the land whereone does _not_ dwell; where only, still nearer to the ice-mountains,_other_ people live. Our realm reaches, towards the rising of the sun,to the sea and our island, Gothland; towards the setting of the sun, asfar as Hallin and the Skioldungahaff; towards midday, to Smaland,Skone, and the kingdom of the Sea-Danes; towards midnight, to Svealand.The King is my father, Frode, whom Odin loves. He is much wiser than I;but he has now crowned me as Vi-king, upon the sacred-stone atKing-Sala, because he is already a hundred years old, and quite blind.Now the minstrels in our halls still sing the legends which tell thatyou Goths were originally our brothers, and that only by reason of thewandering of the peoples have you gradually drawn nearer to the south;for you followed the flight of the crane from the Caucasus, but we therunning of the wolf."

  "If that be so," said King Totila, smiling, "I prefer the crane for aguide."

  "It may well seem so to thee, sitting here in this gay drinking-hall,"answered King Harald gravely. "But however that maybe--and I do notquite believe it, for then we ought to understand each other's wordsbetter--we truly and highly honour this our blood-relationship. For along time nothing but good news came from your warm realm to our coldGothaland--news of the highest fame. And once my father and your KingThidrekr,[1] who is praised by the harp-songs of our Skalds, exchangedenvoys and gifts, through the agency of the Esthes, who live on theAustrway. These men led our envoys to the Wends, on the Wyzla; these tothe Longobardians, on the Tisia; these to the Herulians, on the Dravus;these through Savia to Salona and Ravenna."

  "Thou art a man learned in roads and countries," observed Totila.

  "That the Viking must be; for else he will never go forwards, andlikewise never get back. Well, for some time we only heard of yourglory and good fortune. But once and again there came bad news, broughtby merchants who bought our furs and eiderdown and amber, and took itto the Frisians, and Saxons, and franks, giving us in exchangeartfully-formed vessels, and silver and gold. The news became sadderand more sad; we heard that King Thidrekr had died, and that afterwardsgreat evils had broken out in your realm. We heard of defeat,treachery, and of the murder of Kings; of Goths warring against Goths;and of the might of the false Prince of Grekaland. And it was said thatyou had broken your heads by thousands against the high walls of yourown Roman citadel, which was held not by you, but by a man likeAsathor, and another man still worse than the fire-fiend Loki. And weasked if none of the many Kings and Princes who had begged favours ofThidrekr of Raven could have helped you. But at that the Frankmerchant, who offered us fine tissues from the Wahala, laughed andsaid, 'Broken fortunes, broken faith! They have all forsaken theluckless Gothic heroes, Visigoths and Burgundians, Herulians andThuringians, and most of all we Franks, for we are wiser than all.'But, on hearing this. King Frode threw down his staff angrily, andcried, 'Where is my strong son Harald?" 'Here, father,' I answered, andtook his hand. 'Hast thou heard,' my father continued, 'the news of thefaithlessness of the Southland Kings? Such things shall not be said orsung of the men of Goetaland! If all others turn away from the Goths ofGardarike and Raven, we will keep faith and help them in their need.Up, my brave Harald, and thou, my bold Haralda! equip a hundreddragon-ships, and fill them with men and weapons. Put your hands deeplyinto my royal treasure at Kinsala, and do not spare the heaped-upgolden rings. And set forth with Odin's wind in your sails. Go firstfrom Konghalla, past the island Danes and the Jutlanders, towards thesetting of the sun; thence along the coasts of the Frisians and theFranks, through the narrow path of the sea; then sail farther round therealm of the Sueves to the mountain land that is called Asturia; andround the land of the Visigoths bend towards the south. Then windthrough the narrow strait of the wide ocean, where Asathor and Odinhave set two pillars.

  "You will then have entered the sea of Midilgard, where lie innumerableislands covered with evergreen bushes, out of which shine marble halls,upheld by high, round stone-beams. Lay waste these islands, for theybelong to the false Prince of Grekaland. And then sail to the Romancitadel or to Raven, and help the people of King Thidrekr against theirenemies. And fight for them by land and water, and stand by them untilall their enemies are overcome. And then speak to them and say: Thusadvises King Frode, who will soon have seen a hundred winters, and whohas seen the rise and fall of many peoples, and who, as a young Viking,has himself visited the Southland. This is his advice: 'Leave theSouthland, however beautiful it may be. You cannot endure therein. Aslittle as the iceberg can endure when it drifts into the southern sea.The sun, air, and waves consume it continually, and be it ever somighty, it must melt away and leave not a trace behind. It is better tolive in the poor Northland than to die in the rich Southland. Go onboard our dragon-ships, and equip your own, and fill them with all yourpeople; men, women, and children; and with your oxen and horses, andweapons and treasures; and leave the hot ground that will surelyswallow you up, and come away to us. We will press closely together andmake room, or take as much land from the Wends and Esthes as you need.And you shall be preserved fresh and green. Down there the southernsun withers and scorches you.' This is the advice of King Frode, whommen have called the Wise for fifty years. Now as we passed into the seaof Midilgard, we had already heard from seafarers that your troubleshad been put an end to by a new King, whom they described as lookinglike the god Baldur; that you had re-won the Roman citadel and all theland of Gardarike, and had even victoriously carried destruction intopart of Grekaland itself. And now we see with our own eyes that you donot need the aid of our weapons. You live in plenty and pleasure, andeverything is full of red gold and white stone. But still I must repeatmy father's words and advice; listen to him; he is wise! Until now,every one who has despised King Frode's advice, has bitterly regrettedit."

  But Totila shook his head, smiled, and said:

  "We owe you and King Frode warm thanks for rare and noble faithfulness.Such brotherly love from the Northern heroes shall never be forgottenin the songs of the Goths. But, O King Harald, follow me and look aboutyou."

  And Totila rose and took his guest by the hand, and led him to theentrance of the pavilion, casting back the hanging curtains.

  There lay river and land and city in the glowing light of the settingsun.

  "Look at this land, wonderful in the beauty of its sky and soil andart. Look at this Tiber-stream, covered by a happy, jubilant, andhandsome people. Look at these masses of laurel and myrtle. Cast thineeyes upon the columned palaces, which shine across from Rome in theevening rays; on the tall marble figures upon these terrace-steps--andsay thou, if all this were thine, wouldst thou ever leave it? Wouldstthou exchange all this magnificence for the firs and pines of thecold land of the north, where spring-time never blooms, for thesmoke-blackened wooden huts on the misty heaths?"

  "Aye, that I would, by Thorns hammer! This land is good to lay waste,to luxuriate and win battles in; but that done, then up and away withthe booty! But you, Goths, are thrown here like drops of water upon hotiron. And if ever we sons of Odin shall rule this land, it will be onlysuch of us as have a strong support in other sons of Odin. But you--youhave already become very different to us. Your grandfathers, yourfathers, and yourselves have wooed Roman women; in a few generations,if this continue, you will be Romanised. Already you have becomesmaller, and darker in skin, eyes, and hair. At least many of you. Ilong to be away from this soft and sultry air, and to breathe the northwind that rushes over our woods and waves. Yes, and I long for thesmoke-blackened halls of wood, where Gothic runes are burnt into theroof-beams, and the harps of the Skalds hang on the wooden pillars, andthe sacred hearth-fire glows hospitably for ever! I long for ourNorthland, for it is our home!"

  "Then permit us to love _our_ home: this land Italia!"

  "It will never be your home; but perhaps your grave. You are strangersand will remain so. Or you will become Romanised. Bu
t there is noabiding in the land possible for you as sons of Odin."

  "Let us at least try, my brother Harald," cried Totila, laughing. "Yes,we have changed in the two centuries during which our people have livedamong the laurels. But are we the worse for it? Is it necessary to weara bearskin in order to be a hero? Is it necessary to rob gold andmarble statues in order to enjoy them? Can one be only either abarbarian or a Roman? Can we not keep the virtues of the Germans andlay aside their faults? Adopt the virtues of the Romans without theirvices?"

  But Harald shook his massive head.

  "I should rejoice at your success, but I do not believe in it. Theplant takes the nature of the soil and climate upon and under which itlives. And, for my part, I should not at all like it, even if I andmine could succeed. Our faults are dearer to me than the virtues of theItalians--if they have any."

  Totila remembered the words with which he himself had answered Julius.

  "From the north comes all strength--the world belongs to the Northmen,"concluded Harald.

  "Tell it to them in the words of thy favourite song," said his sister.

  And she handed him her harp; and Harald played and sang an alliterativemeasure, or _stabreim_, which Adalgoth, translating it into rhymedverse, thus repeated to Valeria:

  "Thor stood at the midnight end of the world, And the battle-axe flew from his hand. 'As far as the battle-axe flies when hurled, Is mine the sea and the land!' And the hammer flew from his powerful hand Like chaff by a hurricane blown: And it fell in the farthest southern-land, So that all became his own. Since then 'tis German right and grace With the hammer the lands to merit; We come of the Hammer-God's noble race, And his world-wide realm will inherit!"

  A burst of applause from his Gothic hearers rewarded the royalminstrel, who looked as if he could well realise the proud boast of thesong.

  Harald once more emptied his deep golden cup. Then he rose and said:

  "Now, my little sister Haralda, and you, my sailor brothers, we mustbreak up. We must be on board the _Midgardschlange_ before the moonshines upon her deck. What says the Wikinga-Balk?--

  "'Ill sleeps the ship When her pilot lies on shore.'

  "Long friendship--short parting; that is northern custom."

  Totila laid his hand upon his guest's arm.

  "Art thou in such haste? Fearest thou to become Romanised with us? Dobut remain; it does not come so quickly. And with thee would scarcelyhappen."

  "There thou art right, Rome-King," laughed the giant; "and, by Thor'shammer, I am proud of it! But we must go. We had three things to dohere. To help you in battle. You do not need us. Or do you? Shall wewait until new wars break out?"

  "No," said Totila, with a smile; "we have peace and not new strife inview. And if it should really once more come to a war--shall I provethee right, brother Harald, in thinking us Goths too weak to uphold ourrule alone? Have we not beaten our enemies without your help? Could wenot beat them again, we Goths alone?"

  "I thought as much," said the Viking. "Secondly, we came to fetch youback to the Northland. You will not come. And, thirdly, to lay wastethe islands of the Emperor of Grekaland. That is a merry sport, whichwe have not sufficiently practised. Come with us, help us, and revengeyourselves."

  "No; the word of a king is sacred. We have agreed to an armistice whichhas still several months to run. And listen, friend Harald. Have a careand do not mistake _our_ islands for those of the Emperor. It woulddisplease me if----"

  "No, no," laughed Harald, "fear nothing. We have already noticed thatthy harbours and coasts are excellently guarded. And here and therethou hast erected high gallows, and affixed to them tablets inscribedwith Roman runes. Thy commodore at Panormus translated it to us:

  "'Sea-robbers drowned, Land-robbers hanged; That is the law In Totila's land.'

  "And my sea-brothers have taken a great dislike to thy sticks andtablets and runes. Farewell, then, Rome-King of the Goths! May thygood-fortune endure! Farewell, lovely Queen of Night! Farewell, all youheroes! we shall meet again in Walhalla, if not sooner."

  And after taking a short leave, the northerners walked away.

  Haralda threw her falcon into the air.

  "Fly before us, Snotr--on deck!"

  And the intelligent bird flew away, swift as an arrow, straight downthe river.

  The King and Valeria accompanied their guests halfway down thestaircase; there they exchanged the last greetings. The Amazon cast onemore rapid glance at Totila.

  Harald remarked it, and as they descended the last steps he whispered:

  "Little sister, it is on thy account that I left so quickly. Do notgrieve about this handsome King. Thou knowest that I have inheritedfrom our father the gift of recognising men who are fated to die. Itell thee, death by the spear hovers over this King's sunny head. Hewill not again see the changing of the moon."

  At this the strong and tender-hearted woman forced back the tears whichrose into her proud eyes.

  Duke Guntharis, Earl Teja, and Duke Adalgoth accompanied the Goths totheir boats on the Tiber, and waited until they had put off.

  Teja looked after them gravely.

  "Yes, King Frode is wise," he said. "But folly is often sweeter thantruth; and grander. Go back to the terrace without me, Duke Guntharis.I see the King's despatch-boat coming up the river. I will wait and seewhat news it brings."

  "I will wait with thee, my master," said Adalgoth, looking at Tejaanxiously. "Thy countenance is so terribly grave. What is the matter?"

  "I have a foreboding, my Adalgoth," answered Teja, putting his armround the youth's neck. "See how rapidly the sun sets. I shudder! Letus go and meet the boat--it will land below there, where lie theancient marble columns."

  Totila and Valeria had returned to the pavilion.

  "Wert thou moved, my beloved," asked the Roman girl with emotion, "bywhat that stranger said? It was--Guntharis and Teja explained it tome--of very grave import."

  But Totila quickly raised his head.

  "No, Valeria, it did not move me! I have taken great Theodoric's greatwork upon my shoulders. I will live and die for the dream of my youth,for my kingdom! Come--where is Adalgoth, my cup-bearer? Come; let usonce more pledge a cup, Valeria--let us drink to the good fortune ofthe Gothic kingdom!"

  And he lifted up his cup; but before he could put it to his lips,Adalgoth, with a loud call, hurried up the steps followed by Teja.

  "King Totila," cried Adalgoth breathlessly, "prepare to hear terriblenews; collect thyself----"

  Totila set down his cup and asked, turning pale:

  "What has happened?"

  "Thy despatch-boat has brought news from Ancona. The Emperor has brokenthe armistice--he has----"

  Teja had now drawn near. He was pale with fury.

  "Up, King Totila!" he cried. "Exchange the wreath for the helmet! OffSenogallia, near Ancona, a Byzantine fleet suddenly attacked oursquadron which lay under the protection of the armistice. Our shipsno more exist. A powerful army of the enemy has landed. And thecommander-in-chief is--Cethegus the Prefect!"