township the writer and glorifier of
those conquests which he had achieved over the whole world. But now the
spendthrift kindness of the populace squandered a kingdom on a churl.
Nay, not even Africanus, when he rewarded the records of his deed, rose
to the munificence of the Danes. For there the wage of that laborious
volume was in mere gold, while here a few callow verses won a sceptre
for a peasant.

At the same time Erik, who held the governorship of Sweden, died of
disease; and his son Halfdan, who governed in his father's stead,
alarmed by the many attacks of twelve brothers of Norwegian birth, and
powerless to punish their violence, fled, hoping for reinforcements, to
ask aid of Fridleif, then sojourning in Russia. Approaching him with a
suppliant face, he lamented that he was himself shattered and bruised
by a foreign foe, and brought a dismal plaint of his wrongs. From him
Fridleif heard the tidings of his father's death, and granting the aid
he sought, went to Norway in armed array. At this time the aforesaid
brothers, their allies forsaking them, built a very high rampart within
an island surrounded by a swift stream, also extending their earthworks
along the level. Trusting to this refuge, they harried the neighborhood
with continual raids. For they built a bridge on which they used to get
to the mainland when they left the island. This bridge was fastened to
the gate of the stronghold; and they worked it by the guidance of ropes,
in such a way that it turned as if on some revolving hinge, and at one
time let them pass across the river; while at another, drawn back from
above by unseen cords, it helped to defend the entrance.

These warriors were of valiant temper, young and stalwart, of splendid
bodily presence, renowned for victories over giants, full of trophies of
conquered nations, and wealthy with spoil. I record the names of some
of them--for the rest have perished in antiquity--Gerbiorn, Gunbiorn,
Arinbiorn, Stenbiorn, Esbiorn, Thorbiorn, and Biorn. Biorn is said to
have had a horse which was splendid and of exceeding speed, so that
when all the rest were powerless to cross the river it alone stemmed the
roaring eddy without weariness. This rapid comes down in so swift and
sheer a volume that animals often lose all power of swimming in it, and
perish. For, trickling from the topmost crests of the hills, it comes
down the steep sides, catches on the rocks, and is shattered, falling
into the deep val