&b'6 DUELLING. 



thou wantest thyself to go into the open mouth of death 

 (hel) ; and give thou the first blow, as is holmganga law, for I 

 have challenged thee ; but I will stand still for thee mean- 

 while, for 1 am not frightened that it will harm me ' ' (Thor- 

 stein Vikitigson's Saga, c. 4). 



After getting ready, they went to the island. 



"There was a fine field not far from the sea, where the holm- 

 ganga was to be. There the place of the holmganga was marked 

 by stones placed in a ring around it. Ljot came thither with 

 his men, prepared for the holmganga with shield and sword. 

 He was very large and strong, and when he arrived on the 

 field at the holmgang-place the Berserk frenzy came upon 

 him, and he howled fiercely and bit his shield. 



" Egil made ready for the holmganga, having his old shield, 

 and girt with the sword Nadr, with Dragvandil in his hand. 

 He went inside the marks of the duelling-place (i.e., the squares 

 marked out round the cloak), but Ljot was not ready. Egil 

 raised his sword and sang. 



" After the song Ljot came forward and pronounced the 

 law of the holmganga, that he who stepped beyond the mark- 

 stones which are set around the place of holmganga should ever 

 afterwards be called nithing (coward). 



" Then they rushed at each other, and Egil struck at Ljot, 

 who covered himself with the shield, while Egil dealt blow 

 after blow so that Ljot could not strike him. He drew back to 

 get room to wield his sword, but Egil went equally fast alter 

 him and smote most violently. Ljot went out beyond the 

 mark-stones and to and fro on the field. Thus went the first 

 attack. Then Ljot asked to be allowed to rest, which Egil 

 granted. . . - 1 



" Egil bid Ljot to make himself ready. ' I want this fought 

 out.' Ljot started to his feet, and Egil ran forward and at 

 once struck at him. He went so close to him that he stepped 

 back, and his shield did not cover him. Then Egil smote him 

 above the knee, and cut off his leg. Ljot fell, and at once 

 died " (Egil's Saga, c. 67). 



The swords had to be of a certain length. 



" Bersi had a shield, and a long keen sword. Thorkel said, 

 ' The sword which thou wearest, Bersi, is longer than the laws 

 allow.' ' It shall not be so,' said Bersi, and brandishing Hviting 

 with both hands he struck Thorkel his death blow " (Korrnak's 

 Saga, c. 14). 



1 On Holmganga, Egil, 67. 



