ABSTRACT
1 WHEN Starkather was eventually inclining towards old age, after acquiring extraordinary praise for his exploits, he succinctly described the endeavour of his whole life and warfare in a brief song, for which Saxo is the authority: 1 2 Fate, as I recall, appointed me at my birth to pursue battle and fall in battle, mingle in the uproar, lavish attention on weapons and lead a life of bloodshed. Denied repose I haunted the camp and disdaining peace grew old under your standards, War-god, amid maximum danger; I have thought it fine to skirmish, vanquishing fear, a disgrace to remain idle, glorious to commit widespread carnage and ply slaughter on slaughter. Often have I seen monarchs stern in combat clash, shields and head-pieces smashed, the fields steeped in blood, breast-mail broken with the spear-points still embedded, hauberks everywhere yielding to the thrust of the sword, and wild beasts revelling as they fed on the unburied soldiers. Then, as someone by chance was bent on a noble exploit, hands powerful in strife, while he wrestled in a circle of foes, another split the corselet drawn over his head, perforated the helmet and plunged the blade into his scalp. This sword, unsheathed and driven by my arm in war, cleaving men’s headgear, has often severed their skulls. 2 3 On that day in utmost peril I stood champion for the son of Fridlef. Truly amid that gathering this hand could break a sabre or rend any obstacle, so weighty was its blow. What of the time when first I taught them to run 243on wood-shod feet down the shore of Kurland, that path strewn with countless spikes? When I purposed to enter those fields thick with iron caltrops, their torn soles were armed beneath with pattens. Then I killed Hama, who met me with massive strength; soon together with Vin, son of the chieftain Flebax, I crushed the Kurlanders and those races reared in Estland and in Semgallia. Later, attacking Telemark, I came away with my crown bruised and stained with blood from the strokes of hammers, battered by the tools of smiths. Here I first learnt what power is contained in the implements of anvils and how much spirit lies in the common people. The Teutons too were punished by my hand when I felled your sons, Sverting, over their cups, men who were guilty of Frothi’s wicked murder, the master I avenged. No lesser deed was wrought when for a precious maid I slaughtered seven brothers in a single contest, where the wasted ground, in which the parched sod never gives birth to new grass, witnessed my entrails escaping. Soon we subdued Kerr the commander, as he designed a war at sea, his ships crammed with superlative soldiers. Then I dealt death to Vasza, punished the shameless smith by puncturing his buttocks, and destroyed Visinn with my sword though he blunted weapons from his snowy cliffs. Next I defeated the four sons of Ler and the champions of Biarmia. After seizing the king of the Irish people, I ravaged Dublin’s wealth; but my courage shall always remain in view from the trophies of Bråvalla. What more? My valiant achievements surpass number, and if I try to recount and celebrate in their entirety the feats of this hand, I give up; the total sum transcends description, performance defeats reporting, nor can speech correspond with my actions. 3
Sone of Starkather on his own life
Son of Fridlef
Kurlanders Wooden soles
Hama
Kurlanders
Norwegians
Teutons
Sverting
Seven brothers
Kerr
Polish Vasza
Russian Visinn
Biarmians
Bråvalla Heath
