ged, an instance
famous in Nathan's story, so that Hagbard's hanging and hempen necklace
were proverbial.

For the slayer by a cruel death of their captive father, Ragnar's sons
act the blood-eagle on Ella, and salt his flesh. There is an undoubted
instance of this act of vengeance (the symbolic meaning of which is not
clear as yet) in the "Orkney Saga".

But the story of Daxo and of Ref's gild show that for such wrongs
were-gilds were sometimes exacted, and that they were considered highly
honourable to the exactor.

Among OFFENCES NOT BOOTLESS, and left to individual pursuit, are:--

"Highway robbery".--There are several stories of a type such as that of
Ingemund and Ioknl (see "Landnamaboc") told by Saxo of highwaymen; and
an incident of the kind that occurs in the Theseus story (the Bent-tree,
which sprung back and slew the wretch bound to it) is given. The
romantic trick of the mechanic bed, by which a steel-shod beam is
let fall on the sleeping traveller, also occurs. Slain highwaymen are
gibbeted as in Christian days.

"Assassination", as distinct from manslaughter in vengeance for a wrong,
is not very common. A hidden mail-coat foils a treacherous javelin-cast
(cf. the Story of Olaf the Stout and the Blind King, Hrorec); murderers
lurk spear-armed at the threshold, sides, as in the Icelandic Sagas; a
queen hides a spear-head in her gown, and murders her husband (cf.
Olaf Tryggvason's Life). Godfred was murdered by his servant (and
Ynglingatal).

"Burglary".--The crafty discovery of the robber of the treasury by
Hadding is a variant of the world-old Rhampsinitos tale, but less
elaborate, possibly abridged and cut down by Saxo, and reduced to a mere
moral example in favour of the goldenness of silence and the danger of
letting the tongue feed the gallows.

Among other disgraceful acts, that make the offender infamous, but do
not necessarily involve public action:--

"Manslaughter in Breach of Hospitality".--Probably any gross breach of
hospitality was disreputable and highly abhorred, but "guest-slaughter"
is especially mentioned. The ethical question as to whether a man should
slay his guest or forego his just vengeance was often a "probleme du
jour" in the archaic times to which these traditions witness. Ingeld
prefers his vengeance, but Thuriswend, in the Lay cited by Paul the
Deacon, chooses to protect his guest. Heremod slew his messmates in his
wrath, and went forth alone into exile. ("Beowulf's La