The Gesta Danorum (Books I-IX) on Gunnar

The Danish History, > Book Seven.

• attestation: Gunnar, described as the bravest of the Swedes, attacked Norway beginning with the district of Jather

  "Gunnar, the bravest of the Swedes, was once at feud with Norway for the most weighty reasons"

• attestation: Gunnar preferred bloodshed to plunder, finding pleasure in slaughter rather than robbery

  "he rejoiced only in passing through the paths that were covered with corpses, and the blood-stained ways. Other men used to abstain from bloodshed, and love pillage more than slaughter; but he preferred bloodthirstiness to booty"

• attestation: Gunnar humiliated the conquered Norwegians by setting a dog over them as governor

  "Gunnar, in order to punish the cowardice of the conquered race by terms of extraordinary baseness, had a dog set over them as a governor"

• attestation: Gunnar imposed a double tribute on Norway, payable in autumn and spring

  "Gunnar imposed on the nation a double tribute, one to be paid out of the autumn harvest, the other in the spring"

• attestation: Any Norwegian courtier who failed to pay proper homage to the dog-governor would be punished with loss of limbs

  "if any one of the courtiers thought it contemptible to do allegiance to their chief, and omitted offering most respectful homage to its various goings and comings as it ran hither and thither, he should be punished with loss of his limbs"

• attestation: Gunnar searched for the king's hidden daughter to take her for his wife

  "When he heard that the king's daughter was shut up in some distant hiding-place, Gunnar strained his wits in every nerve to track her out"

• attestation: Gunnar eventually discovered the cave's location through intelligence

  "hiding-place, Gunnar strained his wits in every nerve to track her out."