The Gesta Danorum (Books I-IX) on Rolf

The Danish History, > Book Two

• relationship: Rolf was the son of Urse, born of the incestuous union, and redeemed his shameful birth through signal deeds of valour

  "ROLF, the son of Urse, retrieved the shame of his birth by signal deeds of valour"

• attestation: Rolf succeeded his father Helge as king, possessing every gift of mind and body with great stature and courage

  "He was succeeded by his son Rolf, who was comely with every gift of mind and body, and graced his mighty stature with as high a courage"

• attestation: Sweden was subject to Denmark during Rolf's reign

  "In his time Sweden was subject to the sway of the Danes"

• attestation: Rolf visited Athisl's house, lured by the promise of great gifts, and was not recognized by his long-absent mother

  "Rolf, tempted by the greatness of the gifts, chanced to enter the house of Athisl. He was not recognised by his mother owing to his long absence"

• attribution: Rolf shamed his mother by revealing she had refused her own son food and mending

  "it was hard to discover a friendship that was firm and true, when a mother refused her son a meal, and a sister refused a brother the help of her needle"

• attestation: When asked what virtue he prized most, Rolf named Endurance while Athisl named Generosity

  "when the feasters asked him what kind of courage he set above all others, he named Endurance. When they also asked Athisl, what was the virtue which above all he desired most devotedly, he declared, Generosity"

• attestation: Rolf proved his endurance by withstanding fire on his unshielded side until a serving-maid quenched the flames

  "He was placed to the fire, and defending with his target the side that was most hotly assailed, had only the firmness of his endurance to fortify the other"

• attestation: Rolf was renowned for granting any request immediately at the first asking, never requiring a second petition

  "Rolf used with ready generosity to grant at the first entreaty whatsoever he was begged to bestow, and never put off the request till the second time of asking"

• attestation: Rolf defeated Athisl in war and gave his sister Skulde in marriage to Hiartuar, making him governor of Sweden with a yearly tax

  "Rolf gave his sister Skulde in marriage to a youth of keen wit, called Hiartuar, and made him governor of Sweden, ordaining a yearly tax"

• attestation: Rolf rewarded Wigg's wit with a heavy bracelet, and Wigg cleverly extracted a second bracelet by hiding one arm

  "Rolf accepted this random word as though it were a name of honour for him, and rewarded the wit of the saying with a heavy bracelet"

• attestation: Hjalte recalled how Rolf defeated Rorik son of Bok, a covetous king who tried to bribe rather than fight

  "our king, who laid low Rorik, the son of Bok the covetous, and wrapped the coward in death"

• attestation: Rolf spurned Rorik's bribes, killed him, and distributed his hoarded wealth among his friends

  "Rolf the righteous assailed him, slew him, and captured his vast wealth, and shared among worthy friends what the hand of avarice had piled up"

• attestation: All of Rolf's warriors fell in the battle except Wigg, choosing to die alongside their king

  "the Goths gained the victory and all the array of Rolf fell, no man save Wigg remaining out of all those warriors"