Frethorik about Demetrius and Friso

Among the many princes, had Nearchus a friend with the name Antigonus.¹
These both fought for one goal, so they said as followers before the royal family, and forthwith to give all Greece her old freedom back.

Antigonus had among many others a son, who was named Demetrius afterward surnamed the townwinner.
This went off once at the city of Salamis: after he there had fought for quite a while, must he contend with the fleet of Ptolemy.
Ptolemy, so named, was the prince who reigned over Egypt.⁵

Demetrius won the cause, though not through his soldiers, but because we had helped him.
This had we done through friendship of Demetrius, for we recognised him for bastard (mixed) blood by his fair skin and blue eyes with white (blond?) hair.

Afterwards went Demetrius loose upon Rhodes, the warfare had passed.
Demetrius was bound for Athens.
When our king understood that, he led us back.¹⁰

When we came to the harbour, were all the thorp sunken into rue.
Friso who was king over the fleet had a son and a daughter at home, so strikingly fair, as if they were come right out of Frya’s land, and so beautiful as none might remember.
The acclaim thereof went all over Greece.

Demetrius was foul and immoral, and thought that he was free to do anything.
He ordered the daughter openly abducted.¹⁵

The mother could not await her joy, the seamen’s wives name their men joy, that is happiness, also they say sweetheart.
The seamen call their wives solace (trust), and FRO or FROW that is joy or frolick, that is like joy.

Because she could not await her man, went she with her son to Demetrius and bade he should give her her daughter back.
But when Demetrius saw her son, he ordered him taken to his court and did alone with him as he had done with his sister.

To the mother sent he a bag of gold, though she threw it into the sea.²⁰
When she came home went she mad, always ran she over the street (shouting): hast thou not seen my children, o woe, let me seek shelter with you, for my man will kill me, because I have let his children away.

When Demetrius learned that Friso was at home, sent he a messenger to him saying that he had taken his children to bring them to a high estate and to pay him for his services.

But Friso who was proud and hard-hearted, sent a messenger with a letter to his children, therein he admonished them, they should be to Demetrius whatever his will desired.
Though the messenger had yet another letter with poison, therewith command he they should take it, for said he, unwillingly is thy body fouled, that shall not be reckoned against you, though whenever you befoul yourselves, so shall you never come to Walhalla, your souls shall then wander over the earth, without ever seeing the light, like the bats and night owls, shall thou always take shelter in thy caves by day, coming out at night, then cry and howl upon our graves while Frya must turn her head from you.
The children did as they were told.²⁵
Demetrius let their bodies be thrown into the sea and the people were told that they were fled.

Now would Friso sail with everyone to Fryasland, where he had earlier been, but most of them would not do that.
Now went Friso and set the throp with the royal storehouses on fire.
Today might no one remain and they were outside.
Save for wife and child, had we left all behind, though we were laden with supplies and munitions.³⁰

Friso had yet no peace.
When we came to the old harbour went he with his bravest people and shot fire unexpectedly into the ships, which his arrows could reach.
After six days saw we the war fleet of Demetrius come upon us.
Friso commanded us, we must hold the smallest ships back in a broad line, the large with wife and child, forward.
Further bade he we should take our crossbows from foreward and fasten them to the afterprows, for said he, we aught all fleeing to flee.³⁵

No one may consider himself in the business of stalking a single foe, so said he, is my decision.
While we were doing all this, came wind upon our head, to the women’s and coward’s horror, for we hadn’t not no slaves but them that had followed us willingly.
We might not escape them by rowing.

But Wralda wist well, wherefore he so did, and Friso who grasped it, let the burning arrows be loaded into the crossbows.
As well, bade he that no one might shoot, ere he had shot.⁴⁰
Furthermore said he that we all must shoot at the middle ship.
If that goal is once reached, said he, so shall the other come to help him (the middle ship) and then must everyone shoot as best he may.
When we were one and a half cable lengths off from them, began the Phoenicians to shoot.
But Friso answered not until the first arrow fell at six fathoms from his ship.

Now shot he.⁴⁵
The others followed, that resembled a fire rain and because our arrows may go with the wind, they remained all on fire and even reached the third layer (line).
All men cried and shouted for joy.
But the screams of our foes were so hard, that to us was it shaking to the heart.

When Friso thought that it was over, he let (gave the order to) hold off and we sped hence.
Though after we had pulled forward for two days, came another fleet in sight, of thirty ships, which steadily gained on us.⁵⁰
Friso ordered us again to make ready.
But the others sent a light launch full of oarsmen forward, their messengers asked out of all names if they might sail with us.

They were Ionians, by Demetrius were they forcibly sent to their old harbour.
There had they heard of the battle and now had they girded on the bold sword and followed us.

Friso, who had sailed much with the Ionians, said yes, but Wichhirte, our king said no.⁵⁵
The Ionians are idol-servants, said he, I myself have heard how they invoke them.
Friso said that comes through traffic with the true Greeks.
That have I often done myself.
Though I am as ardently Frya’s as the best of you.
Friso was the man who must show us the way to Fryasland.⁶⁰

Thus went the Ioanians with us.
Also seemed it in Wr-alda’s favour, for ere three months went by, went we along Britain and three days later, might we cry huzza.