ound darts in her tongue instead. Some she would argue
down with a flood of impudent words, while others she seemed to
entangle in the meshes of her quibbles, and strangle in the noose of
her sophistries; so nimble a wit had the woman. Moreover, she was very
strong, either in making or cancelling a bargain, and the sting of
her tongue was the secret of her power in both. She was clever both at
making and at breaking leagues; thus she had two sides to her tongue,
and used it for either purpose.

Westmar had twelve sons, three of whom had the same name--Grep in
common. These three men were conceived at once and delivered at one
birth, and their common name declared their simultaneous origin. They
were exceedingly skillful swordsmen and boxers. Frode had also given the
supremacy of the sea to Odd; who was very closely related to the king.
Koll rejoiced in an offspring of three sons. At this time a certain
son of Frode's brother held the chief command of naval affairs for the
protection of the country, Now the king had a sister, Gunwar, surnamed
the Fair because of her surpassing beauty. The sons of Westmar and Koll,
being ungrown in years and bold in spirit, let their courage become
recklessness and devoted their guilt-stained minds to foul and degraded
orgies.

Their behaviour was so outrageous and uncontrollable that they ravished
other men's brides and daughters, and seemed to have outlawed chastity
and banished it to the stews. Nay, they defiled the couches of matrons,
and did not even refrain from the bed of virgins. A man's own chamber
was no safety to him: there was scarce a spot in the land but bore
traces of their lust. Husbands were vexed with fear, and wives with
insult to their persons: and to these wrongs folk bowed. No ties
were respected, and forced embraces became a common thing. Love was
prostituted, all reverence for marriage ties died out, and lust was
greedily run after. And the reason of all this was the peace; for men's
bodies lacked exercise and were enervated in the ease so propitious to
vices. At last the eldest of those who shared the name of Grep, wishing
to regulate and steady his promiscuous wantonness, ventured to seek a
haven for his vagrant amours in the love of the king's sister. Yet
he did amiss. For though it was right that his vagabond and straying
delights should be bridled by modesty, yet it was audacious for a man of
the people to covet the child of a king. She, much fearing the impu