"'May not a fame better and longer-lived come from building the land? We've worked for many lifetimes - nailing down peace within and without this kingdom, clearing fields, raising houses, launching ships for fishery and trade, making good laws and seeing that they're kept, bringing in outland arts..." (Hrolf Kraki's Saga, p. 59)
This is an impressive list:
internal peace;
external peace;
agriculture;
houses;
fishing ships;
trading ships;
just laws;
law enforcement;
imported artworks.
In fact, that paragraph in Anderson's text is deceptively short and can be passed over too quickly. In the Dark Ages, enlightened leaders could strive to end the darkness. King Hadding brought peace. King Grallon fought pirates, revived trade and had begun to think of crossing the Atlantic...
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I agree with King Hroar's program and ideas, as we see them in Anderson's HROLF KRAKI'S SAGA. And even tho he lived centuries later in another land, it reminded me of how Alfred the Great of Wessex strove to do much the same during his reign.
Sean
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