“Then Thjodolf skald sang—
‘Not shall I though the king
Himself sink to the ground—
It goes as God will—leave
The heirs of the king.
The sun shines not on sightlier
Heirs of a king
Than these two.
The hawks (= sons) of Harald are ready for revenge.’
“It is said by people that Tosti’s advice, given first when they saw the land-host, was the best and wisest, namely, that they should go back to the ships; but since a death-fated man cannot be saved, they suffered from the stubbornness of the king, who could not bear that this cautiousness should be regarded as fear or flight by his foes.