ne. All thought of
sway, none was constrained by brotherly regard: for love of others
forsaketh him who is eaten up with love of self, nor can any man take
thought at once for his own advancement and for his friendship with
others. Halfdan, the eldest son, disgraced his birth with the sin of
slaying his brethren, winning his kingdom by the murder of his kin;
and, to complete his display of cruelty, arrested their adherents, first
confining them in bonds, and presently hanging them. The most notable
thing in the fortunes of Halfdan was this, that though he devoted every
instant of his life to the practice of cruel deeds, yet he died of old
age, and not by the steel.

Halfdan's sons were Ro and Helge. Ro is said to have been the founder of
Roskild, which was later increased in population and enhanced in power
by Sweyn, who was famous for the surname Forkbeard. Ro was short and
spare, while Helge was rather tall of stature. Dividing the realm with
his brother, Helge was allotted the domain of the sea; and attacking
Skalk, the King of Sklavia, with his naval force, he slew him. Having
reduced Sklavia into a province, he scoured the various arms of the sea
in a wandering voyage. Savage of temper as Helge was, his cruelty was
not greater than his lust. For he was so immoderately prone to
love, that it was doubtful whether the heat of his tyranny or of his
concupiscence was the greater. In Thorey he ravished the maiden Thora,
who bore a daughter, to whom she afterwards gave the name of Urse. Then
he conquered in battle, before the town of Stad, the son of Syrik, King
of Saxony, Hunding, whom he challenged, attacked, and slew in duel. For
this he was called Hunding's-Bane, and by that name gained glory of his
victory. He took Jutland out of the power of the Saxons, and entrusted
its management to his generals, Heske, Eyr, and Ler. In Saxony he
enacted that the slaughter of a freedman and of a noble should be
visited with the same punishment; as though he wished it to be clearly
known that all the households of the Teutons were held in equal
slavery, and that the freedom of all was tainted and savoured equally of
dishonour.

Then Helge went freebooting to Thorey. But Thora had not ceased to
bewail her lost virginity, and planned a shameful device in abominable
vengeance for her rape. For she deliberately sent down to the beach
her daughter, who was of marriageable age, and prompted her father to
deflower her. And though she yi