is the lot of the base-born, and mean is the fortune of the lowly.”  Then he brought his ship up close and destroyed the pirates, who were trying to get off their own vessel with poles, and busily engrossed in saving her.  This accomplished, he made his way back to the king’s fleet; and wishing to cheer Frode with a greeting that heralded his victory, he said, “Hail to the maker of a most prosperous peace!” The king prayed that his word might come true, and declared that the spirit of the wise man was prophetic.  Erik answered that he spoke truly, and that the petty victory brought an omen of a greater one; declaring that a presage of great matters could often be got from trifles.  Then the king counselled him to scatter his force, and ordered the horsemen of Jutland to go by the land way, while the rest of the army went by the short sea-passage.  But the sea was covered with such a throng of vessels, that there were not enough harbours to take them in, nor shores for them to encamp on, nor money for their provisions; while the land army is said to have been so great that, in order to shorten the way, it levelled mountains, made marshes passable, filled up pits with material, and the hugest chasms by casting in great boulders.

Meanwhile Strunik the King of the Sclavs sent envoys to ask for a truce; but Frode refused him time to equip himself, saying that an enemy ought not to be furnished with a truce.  Moreover, he said, he had hitherto passed his life without experience of war, and now he ought not to delay its beginning by waiting in doubt; for the man that conducted his first campaign successfully might hope for as good fortune in the rest.  For each side would take the augury afforded by the first engagements as a presage of the combat; since the preliminary successes of war were often a prophecy of the sequel.  Erik commended the wisdom of the reply, declaring that the game ought to be played abroad just as it had been begun at home:  meaning that the Danes had been challenged by the Sclavs.  After these words he fought a furious battle, slew Strunik with the bravest of his race, and received the surrender of the rest.  Then Frode called the Sclavs together, and proclaimed by a herald that any man among them who had been trained to theft or plunder should be speedily given up; promising that he would reward the character of such men with the highest honours.  He also ordered that all of them, who were versed in evil arts should come forth to have their reward.  This offer pleased the Sclavs:  and some of them, tempted by their hopes of the gift, betrayed themselves with more avarice than judgment, before the others could make them known.  These were misled by such great covetousness, that they thought less of shame than lucre, and accounted as their glory what was really their guilt.  When these had given themselves up of their own will, he said:  “Sclavs!  This is the pest from which you must clear your land yourselves.”  And straightway he ordered the executioners to seize