Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/84

 74 EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY. Denmark nor lie of Sweden could pretend to rival. A magnificent, far-shining man ; more expert in all any man had ever been before him, or after was. Could keep five daggers in the air, always catching the proper fifth by its handle, and sending it aloft again; could shoot supremely, throw a javelin with either hand ; and, in fact, in battle usually threw two together. These, with swimming, climbing, leaping, were the then admirable Fine Arts of the North ; in all which Tryggveson appears to have been the Raphael and the Michael Angelo at once. Essen- tially definable, too, if we look well into him, as a wild bit of real heroism, in such rude guise and environment ; a high, true, and great human soul. A jovial burst of laughter in him, too ; a bright, airy, wise way of speech ; dressed beautifully and with care ; a man admired and loved exceedingly by those he liked ; dreaded as death by those he did not like. ' Hardly any king,' says Snorro, * was ever ' by the rest out of dread.' His glorious course, how- ever, was not to last long.
 * bodily exercises' as the Norse called them, than
 * so well obeyed ; by one class out of zeal and love,