h he was asked.
So surely do all prize life beyond wealth; for nothing is ever cherished
more among mortals than the breath of their own life. Hother, exulting
in the treasure he had gained, went home enriched with trophies which,
though few, were noble.

When Gelder, the King of Saxony, heard that Hother had gained these
things, he kept constantly urging his soldiers to go and carry off such
glorious booty; and the warriors speedily equipped a fleet in obedience
to their king. Gewar, being very learned in divining and an expert in
the knowledge of omens, foresaw this; and summoning Hother, told him,
when Gelder should join battle with him, to receive his spears with
patience, and not let his own fly until he saw the enemy's missiles
exhausted; and further, to bring up the curved scythes wherewith the
vessels could be rent and the helmets and shields plucked from the
soldiers. Hother followed his advice and found its result fortunate. For
he bade his men, when Gelder began to charge, to stand their ground and
defend their bodies with their shields, affirming that the victory in
that battle must be won by patience. But the enemy nowhere kept back
their missiles, spending them all in their extreme eagerness to fight;
and the more patiently they found Hother bear himself in his reception
of their spears and lances, the more furiously they began to hurl them.
Some of these stuck in the shields and some in the ships, and few were
the wounds they inflicted; many of them were seen to be shaken off idly
and to do no hurt. For the soldiers of Hother performed the bidding
of their king, and kept off the attack of the spears by a penthouse of
interlocked shields; while not a few of the spears smote lightly on
the bosses and fell into the waves. When Gelder was emptied of all his
store, and saw the enemy picking it up, and swiftly hurling it back
at him, he covered the summit of the mast with a crimson shield, as a
signal of peace, and surrendered to save his life. Hother received him
with the friendliest face and the kindliest words, and conquered him as
much by his gentleness as he had by his skill.

At this time Helgi, King of Halogaland, was sending frequent embassies
to press his suit for Thora, daughter of Kuse, sovereign of the Finns
and Perms. Thus is weakness ever known by its wanting help from others.
For while all other young men of that time used to sue in marriage with
their own lips, this man was afflicted with so fa