's ranks broke, and he was assailed single-handed from all
sides; but he felled so many of the enemy's line that he was surrounded
with a pile of the corpses of the foe as with a strong bulwark,
and easily checked his assailants from approaching. At last he was
overwhelmed by the thickening masses of the enemy, captured, and taken
off to be laden with public fetters. By immense violence he disentangled
his chains and cut them away. But when he tried to sunder and rend the
bonds that were (then) put upon him, he could not in any wise escape
his bars. But when Iwar heard that the rising in his country had been
quelled by the punishment of the rebel, he went to Denmark. Ragnar
received him with the greatest honour, because, while the unnatural
war had raged its fiercest, he had behaved with the most entire filial
respect.

Meanwhile Daxo long and vainly tried to overcome Hwitserk, who ruled
over Sweden; but at last he enrapped him under pretence of making a
peace, and attacked him. Hwitserk received him hospitably, but Daxo had
prepared an army with weapons, who were to feign to be trading, ride
into the city in carriages, and break with a night-attack into the house
of their host. Hwitserk smote this band of robbers with such a slaughter
that he was surrounded with a heap of his enemies' bodies, and could
only be taken by letting down ladders from above. Twelve of his
companions, who were captured at the same time by the enemy, were given
leave to go back to their country; but they gave up their lives for
their king, and chose to share the dangers of another rather than be
quit of their own.

Daxo, moved with compassion at the beauty of Hwitserk, had not the heart
to pluck the budding blossom of that noble nature, and offered him not
only his life, but his daughter in marriage, with a dowry of half his
kingdom; choosing rather to spare his comeliness than to punish his
bravery. But the other, in the greatness of his soul, valued as nothing
the life which he was given on sufferance, and spurned his safety as
though it were some trivial benefit. Of his own will he embraced the
sentence of doom, saying, that Ragnar would exact a milder vengeance
for his son if he found that he had made his own choice in selecting the
manner of his death. The enemy wondered at his rashness, and promised
that he should die by the manner of death which he should choose for
this punishment. This leave the young man accepted as a great kindness,