noble vessel, and bidden to ply the calling of a rover, with
the charge of guarding the sea. For nature had gifted him with a body of
superhuman excellence; and his greatness of spirit equalled it, so that
folk thought him behind no man in valour. So far did his glory spread,
that the renown of his name and deeds continues famous even yet. He
shone out among our own countrymen by his glorious roll of exploits, and
he had also won a most splendid record among all the provinces of the
Swedes and Saxons. Tradition says that he was born originally in the
country which borders Sweden on the east, where barbarous hordes of
Esthonians and other nations now dwell far and wide. But a fabulous yet
common rumour has invented tales about his birth which are contrary to
reason and flatly incredible. For some relate that he was sprung from
giants, and betrayed his monstrous birth by an extraordinary number of
hands, four of which, engendered by the superfluity of his nature, they
declare that the god Thor tore off, shattering the framework of the
sinews and wrenching from his whole body the monstrous bunches of
fingers; so that he had but two left, and that his body, which had
before swollen to the size of a giant's, and, by reason of its shapeless
crowd of limbs looked gigantic, was thenceforth chastened to a better
appearance, and kept within the bounds of human shortness.

For there were of old certain men versed in sorcery, Thor, namely,
and Odin, and many others, who were cunning in contriving marvellous
sleights; and they, winning the minds of the simple, began to claim
the rank of gods. For, in particular, they ensnared Norway, Sweden
and Denmark in the vainest credulity, and by prompting these lands to
worship them, infected them with their imposture. The effects of their
deceit spread so far, that all other men adored a sort of divine power
in them, and, thinking them either gods or in league with gods,
offered up solemn prayers to these inventors of sorceries, and gave to
blasphemous error the honour due to religion. Hence it has come about
that the holy days, in their regular course, are called among us by the
names of these men; for the ancient Latins are known to have named these
days severally, either after the titles of their own gods, or after the
planets, seven in number. But it can be plainly inferred from the mere
names of the holy days that the objects worshipped by our countrymen
were not the same as those whom t