Bemon was dead, Starkad was summoned because of his valour by
the champions of Permland. And when he had done many noteworthy deeds
among them, he went into the land of the Swedes, where he lived at
leisure for seven years' space with the sons of Frey. At last he left
them and betook himself to Hakon, the tyrant of Denmark, because when
stationed at Upsala, at the time of the sacrifices, he was disgusted by
the effeminate gestures and the clapping of the mimes on the stage, and
by the unmanly clatter of the bells. Hence it is clear how far he kept
his soul from lasciviousness, not even enduring to look upon it. Thus
does virtue withstand wantonness.

Starkad took his fleet to the shore of Ireland with Hakon, in order that
even the furthest kingdoms of the world might not be untouched by the
Danish arms. The king of the island at this time was Hugleik, who,
though he had a well-filled treasury, was yet so prone to avarice, that
once, when he gave a pair of shoes which had been adorned by the hand
of a careful craftsman, he took off the ties, and by thus removing the
latches turned his present into a slight. This unhandsome act blemished
his gift so much that he seemed to reap hatred for it instead of thanks.
Thus he used never to be generous to any respectable man, but to spend
all his bounty upon mimes and jugglers. For so base a fellow was bound
to keep friendly company with the base, and such a slough of vices to
wheedle his partners in sin with pandering endearments.

Still Hugleik had the friendship of Geigad and Swipdag, nobles of tried
valour, who, by the lustre of their warlike deeds, shone out among their
unmanly companions like jewels embedded in ordure; these alone were
found to defend the riches of the king. When a battle began between
Hugleik and Hakon, the hordes of mimes, whose light-mindedness
unsteadied their bodies, broke their ranks and scurried off in panic;
and this shameful flight was their sole requital for all their king's
benefits. Then Geigad and Swipdag faced all those thousands of the enemy
single-handed, and fought with such incredible courage, that they seemed
to do the part not merely of two warriors, but of a whole army. Geigad,
moreover, dealt Hakon, who pressed him hard, such a wound in the breast
that he exposed the upper part of his liver. It was here that Starkad,
while he was attacking Geigad with his sword, received a very sore wound
on the head; wherefore he afterwards related in