The Gesta Danorum (Books I-IX) on Danes
The Danish History, > Book Seven.
attestation: Danish women historically dressed as men and devoted themselves to warfare, rejecting luxury and feminine pursuits
"There were once women among the Danes who dressed themselves to look like men, and devoted almost every instant of their lives to the pursuit of war"
attestation: These warrior women hardened their bodies through toil and endurance, preferring lances to looms and warfare to romance
"They put away all the softness and lightmindedness of women, and inured their womanish spirit to masculine ruthlessness"
attestation: Women of strong character or tall and comely appearance were especially drawn to the warrior life
"Those especially, who had either force of character or tall and comely persons, used to enter on this kind of life"
The Danish History, > Book Eight.
attestation: Named shield-maidens fought in both courteous and battle array, leading land-forces to the battlefield
"The maidens I have named, in fighting as well as courteous array, led their land-forces to the battle-field"
attestation: Seven Danish kings of equal spirit but unequal birth mustered company by company for the battle
"There were seven kings, equal in spirit but"
attestation: The sight of sails covering the waters was described as a marvel by onlookers
"The wind-blown sails covering the waters were a marvel"
attestation: Some soldiers disobeyed orders and stayed lying down while others complied, exposing themselves to danger
"among these were some who despised the orders which the others obeyed, and lay unmoved, each in the spot where he had chanced to lie down"
attestation: A heavy hanging war-machine crushed and killed the disobedient soldiers during the night
"towards the mirk of night the heavy hanging machine"
attestation: Danish royal funeral customs required a ceremonial drinking feast in honor of the dead king
"the funeral rites of a king must be paid with a drinking-bout"
attestation: The people attempted to find alternative food sources during the extended crop failure
"was provided by a decree of the people that the old men and the tiny children should be slain; that all who were too young to bear arms should be taken out of the land, and only the strong should be vouchsafed their own country; that none but able-bodied soldiers and husbandmen sho"
attestation: Those who yielded to temptation immediately lost their wits and became trapped in the giant realm
"men of good counsel amidst the divers temptations chance might throw in their way; to abstain from the food of the stranger, and nourish their bodies only on their own; and to seek a seat apart from the natives, and have no contact with any of them as they lay at meat."
attestation: Four Danes whose lust overcame their caution accepted the giants' offer, and the infection of pleasure destroyed them
"Four of the Danes, to whom lust was more than their salvation, accepted the offer; the infection"
attestation: The surviving Danes feared they would perish alongside their fallen companions, doubting even innocence would save them
"The rest dreaded the fate of perishing with their friends, and thought that the guiltless would be destroyed like the guilty; they durst not hope that even innocence would be safe"
The Danish History, > Book Nine.
attestation: The Danish assembly had the authority to confirm the succession of kings
"by the sovereign vote of the whole Danish assembly"
attestation: The difficulty of the regency reflected the fractious nature of Danish politics
"But inasmuch it seemed to most people either"