Denmark -- History -- To 1241; Folklore -- Scandinavia
rightful dues over his dead enemy wins the goodwill of the survivor; and
whoso devotes gentle dealing to him who is no more, conquers the living
by his kindness. Also there is another disaster, not less lamentable,
which sometimes befalls the living--the loss of some part of their body;
and I think that succor is due to this just as much as to the worst hap
that may befall. For often those who fight keep their lives safe, but
suffer maiming; and this lot is commonly thought more dismal than any
death; for death cuts off memory of all things, while the living cannot
forget the devastation of his own body. Therefore this mischief also
must be helped somehow; so let it be agreed, that the injury of either
of us by the other shall be made good with ten talents (marks) of gold.
For if it be righteous to have compassion on the calamities of another,
how much more is it to pity one's own? No man but obeys nature's
prompting; and he who slights it is a self-murderer."
After mutually pledging their faiths to these terms, they began the
battle. Nor was their strangeness his meeting one another, nor the
sweetness of that spring-green spot, so heeded as to prevent them from
the fray. Horwendil, in his too great ardour, became keener to attack
his enemy than to defend his own body; and, heedless of his shield, had
grasped his sword with both hands; and his boldness did not fail. For by
his rain of blows he destroyed Koller's shield and deprived him of it,
and at last hewed off his foot and drove him lifeless to the ground.
Then, not to fail of his compact, he buried him royally, gave him a howe
of lordly make and pompous obsequies. Then he pursued and slew Koller's
sister Sela, who was a skilled warrior and experienced in roving.
He had now passed three years in valiant deeds of war; and, in order to
win higher rank in Rorik's favour, he assigned to him the best trophies
and the pick of the plunder. His friendship with Rorik enabled him
to woo and will in marriage his daughter Gerutha, who bore him a son
Amleth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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