Ου γάρ κως θάνατόν γε φυγείν ειμαρμένον ἐςὶν Ανδρας ουδ' ει προγόνων ἢ γένος ἀθανάτων Πολλάκι δηϊοτητα φυγὼν καὶ δοῦτον ἀκόντων Ἔρχεται, ἐν δ᾽ ὅικο μοῖρα είχεν θανάτου Τρεσσάντων δ' ἀνδρῶν πᾶσ᾽ ἀπόλωλ᾽ ἀρετή
XXIII. The Skald here, again, accidentally paraphrases the Spartan.
᾿Αλλὰ τις ἐγγὺς ἰὼν ἀυτοσχεδὸν ἔγχει μακρά Ἤ ξίφει ουτάζων δήϊον ἅνδ᾽ ἑλέτω Καὶ φέρνον φέρνῳ πεπαλημένος ἀνδρὶ μαχέσθω ᾿Ανδράσι μὲν θνητοῖσι ἰδεῖν ἐρατὸς δε γυναίξι Ξωὸς ἐὼν, καλὸς δ᾽ ἐν προμάχοισι πεσὼν.
XXIV. Regner consoles himself with the reflexion that Ella, from his decided superiority, had gained no honour by his victory. Saxo tells us, that it was a maxim among the Vickings, or Sea-kings, Duos cum uno decernere, ut iniquum, ita probrosum esse. We are even told of a Chieftain who disbanded some of his retainers, that he might provoke his adversary, man for man with him to break a spear.
XXV. The royal captive expresses his belief in absolute destiny, a favourite tenet among the Scandinavians.
