quickly acknowledged as a sovereign and a God, by all the petty kings among whom Sweden was then divided; and he levied an impost or poll-tax upon every head through the whole country. He engaged on his part to defend the inhabitants against all their enemies, and to defray the expence of the worship rendered to the gods at Sigtuna.
These great acquisitions seem not however to have satisfied his ambition. The desire of extending farther his religion, his authority and his glory, caused him to undertake the conquest of Norway. His good fortune or address followed him thither, and this kingdom quickly obeyed a son of Odin named Saemungve, whom they have taken care to make head of a family, the different branches of which reigned for a long time in that country. If all the sons of Odin were to have been provided for in the same manner, all Europe would not have afforded them kingdoms; for according to some chronicles, he had twenty eight by his wife Frigga, and according to others thirty one, or thirty two.
After he had finished these glorious atchievements, Odin retired into Sweden; where perceiving his end to draw near, he would not wait till the consequences of a lingering disease should put a period to that
