The Gesta Danorum (Books I-IX) on Helge
The Danish History, > Books I-Ix > Statute Laws.
attestation: Helge's law reduced all conquered nobles and freedmen to the same weregild of fifty pieces, degrading them to one level.
"Noble and freedmen to have the same were-gild (the lower, of course, the intent being to degrade all the conquered to one level, and to allow only the lowest were-gild of a freedman, fifty pieces"
attestation: Helge's law denied Swedes any legal remedy for wrongs done to them by Danes.
"No remedy for wrong done to a Swede by a Dane to be legally recoverable"
The Danish History, > Book Two
attestation: Ro was short and spare while Helge was tall; they divided the realm, with Helge taking command of the sea
"Ro was short and spare, while Helge was rather tall of stature. Dividing the realm with his brother, Helge was allotted the domain of the sea"
attestation: Helge attacked and slew Skalk, King of Sklavia, reducing it to a Danish province
"attacking Skalk, the King of Sklavia, with his naval force, he slew him. Having reduced Sklavia into a province"
attestation: Helge was equally notorious for cruelty and lust
"Savage of temper as Helge was, his cruelty was not greater than his lust"
attestation: Helge ravished the maiden Thora in Thorey, who bore a daughter named Urse
"In Thorey he ravished the maiden Thora, who bore a daughter, to whom she afterwards gave the name of Urse"
attestation: Helge challenged, fought, and killed Hunding son of Syrik King of Saxony before the town of Stad, earning the name Hunding's-Bane
"he conquered in battle, before the town of Stad, the son of Syrik, King of Saxony, Hunding, whom he challenged, attacked, and slew in duel. For this he was called Hunding's-Bane"
attestation: Helge wrested Jutland from the Saxons and entrusted it to generals Heske, Eyr, and Ler
"He took Jutland out of the power of the Saxons, and entrusted its management to his generals, Heske, Eyr, and Ler"
attestation: Helge unknowingly committed incest with his own daughter Urse
"she must not be thought to have abjured her integrity of soul, inasmuch as her fault had a ready excuse by virtue of her ignorance"
attestation: Helge secured his son Rolf in Leire upon hearing of Hothbrodd's invasion
"Helge, when he heard this, shut up his son Rolf in Leire, wishing, however he might have managed his own fortunes, to see to the safety of his heir"
attestation: Helge defeated and killed Hothbrodd and all his forces in a naval battle, avenging both his brother and his country
"he annihilated Hothbrodd himself and all his forces in a naval battle; so avenging fully the wrongs of his country as well as of his brother"
attestation: Helge punished the Swedes with humiliating terms, denying legal remedy for any wrong done to them
"he punished them by stipulating for most humiliating terms; providing by law that no wrong done to any of them should receive amends"
attestation: Helge departed to the East in shame over his past incest and reportedly killed himself by falling on his sword
"ashamed of his former infamy, he hated his country and his home, went back to the East, and there died. Some think that he was affected by the disgrace which was cast in his teeth, and did himself to death by falling upon his drawn sword"
The Danish History, > Book Six.
attestation: Helge the Norwegian sought Helga's hand and was required by Ingild to first prove himself in combat
"Helge the Norwegian was moved with desire to ask for Helga for his wife, and embarked"
attestation: Helge traveled to Upsala to recruit Starkad's help for his combat against nine challengers
"Helge, who liked the counsel thus given very well, took a small escort and went into Sweden; and when he reached its most famous city, Upsala"
attestation: Helge struck Starkad's forehead with his blade when Starkad burst into the bridal chamber
"Helge leapt from his bed, and, as he had been taught by the counsel of his wife, plunged his blade full at Starkad's forehead"