wooded vales."

3. OF HARALD.

At that time the Greek empire was ruled by the Empress Zoe the Great,
and with her Michael Catalactus. Now when Harald came to Constantinople
he presented himself to the empress, and went into her pay; and
immediately, in autumn, went on board the galleys manned with troops
which went out to the Greek sea. Harald had his own men along with him.
Now Harald had been but a short time in the army before all the Varings
flocked to him, and they all joined together when there was a battle. It
thus came to pass that Harald was made chief of the Varings. There was a
chief over all the troops who was called Gyrger, and who was a relation
of the empress. Gyrger and Harald went round among all the Greek
islands, and fought much against the corsairs.

4. OF HARALD AND GYRGER CASTING LOTS.

It happened once that Gyrger and the Varings were going through the
country, and they resolved to take their night quarters in a wood; and
as the Varings came first to the ground, they chose the place which was
best for pitching their tents upon, which was the highest ground; for
it is the nature of the land there to be soft when rain falls, and
therefore it is bad to choose a low situation for your tents. Now when
Gyrger, the chief of the army, came up, and saw where the Varings
had set up their tents, he told them to remove, and pitch their tents
elsewhere, saying he would himself pitch his tents on their ground.
Harald replies, "If ye come first to the night quarter, ye take up your
ground, and we must go pitch our tents at some other place where we best
can. Now do ye so, in the same way, and find a place where ye will. It
is, I think, the privilege of us Varings here in the dominions of
the Greek emperor to be free, and independent of all but their own
commanders, and bound only to serve the emperor and empress." They
disputed long and hotly about this, and both sides armed themselves, and
were on the way to fight for it; but men of understanding came between
and separated them. They said it would be better to come to an agreement
about such questions, so that in future no dispute could arise. It
came thus to an arbitration between them, at which the best and
most sagacious men should give their judgment in the case. At this
arbitration it was determined, with the consent of all parties, that
lots should be thrown into a box, and the Greeks and Varings should draw
which was first to ride, or to