to get it.From very early times, property owners of all classes came together in their various localities in a public assembly known as The Thing. The purpose of The Thing was to select regional leaders and make laws regarding such matters as property, sheep stealing, and blood feuds. But the true power of Norse life wasnt any external governing body, but instead a code of ethics. In these ethics, much depended on the drengeskapur. The term implies a gamut of characteristics demanded of the whole of society and especially of those who would be its heroes. Self-respect, honor, and reputation were necessary above all, and these could not exist without firm foundation of loyalty to family and comrades. Conventions ruled everything in lifeconventions about hospitality and the giving of gifts, about keeping oaths and avenging wrongs, about doing good deeds for the neighborhood such as building bridges and temples. Leaders of men must demonstrate courage, fortitude, fellowship, truthfulness, eloquence, and a zest for life coupled with the ability to face death with an untroubled mind. All these requirements along with countless others, were incorporated in the Old Norse poem Havamal, literally, the speech of the high one, which includes the entire Viking-age code of conduct from simple homilies to statements on the true meaning of eternal honor. Although they had a reputation for being a rough, violent people addicted to plunder and slaughter, the Vikings also took immense pleasure and pride in a vivid but surprisingly delicate form of art. Their artisans worked for years perfecting their craft, and it is generally considered that Norse artists had become masters at carving wood and casting metal ornaments by the early 800s- at the time the first raiding parties of fierce seafaring bandits set sail in search of glory on foreign shores. Norse artists stuck to Nature oriented themes-mostly animals, like lions, snakes, and birds of pr...
