The Gods of the North: an epic poem
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Title: The Gods of the North: an epic poem
Author: Adam Oehlenschläger
Translator: William Edward Frye
Release date: August 13, 2015 [eBook #49696]
Most recently updated: October 24, 2024
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GODS OF THE NORTH: AN EPIC POEM ***
THE GODS
OF THE NORTH.
Paris.--Printed by J. Smith, 14 ter, rue Fontaine-au-Roi.
Dedicated by permission to H. M. the
King of Denmark.
THE
GODS OF THE NORTH,
AN EPIC POEM, BY
ADAM ŒHLENSCHLÆGER,
TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL DANISH INTO ENGLISH VERSE
BY
WILLIAM EDWARD FRYE,
FORMERLY MAJOR OF INFANTRY IN THE BRITISH SERVICE, AND MEMBER
OF THE ACADEMY DEGLI ARCADI, IN ROME.
LONDON,
WILLIAM PICKERING,
PARIS,
STASSIN AND XAVIER.
1845.
To his Majesty Christian VIII, King of Denmark, &c. &c. &c.
_SIRE_,
_The countenance of an enlightened Prince has ever been eagerly sought
after by the most distinguished authors. It may then well be permitted
to an humble admirer and translator of a poem of Denmark’s greatest
Scald to desire to place himself and his work under the protection of
a King of Denmark, who yields to no Sovereign of any age or country
in his love of science, and in his zealous furtherance of all that
can adorn or benefit the great family of mankind. In soliciting the
permission of dedicating this work to your Majesty, I had nothing to
plead in favour of my request, but my ardent zeal for Scandinavian
literature; I knew, however, that such zeal would be my greatest
recommendation in the eyes of a patriotic Monarch, and the gracious
permission accorded to me by Your Majesty I consider as my highest
reward._
_I have the honour to be,
Sire,_
_Your Majesty’s most grateful and
devoted humble servant_,
W. E. FRYE.
_Paris, January, 1845._
PREFACE
BY THE TRANSLATOR.
The argument of the poem by the author is the sole document that
accompanies the original work; there are neither notes nor preface to
the edition from which I have made my translation, and which is the
only one I have ever seen. To the people of education in Scandinavia,
who are well versed in the ancient mythology of their country, notes
are perhaps not strictly necessary, inasmuch as this poem is based
upon the Edda, which is universally read; but since, to the generality
of English readers, the Edda and the Scandinavian mythology are but
little, if at all familiar, I feel myself bound to furnish them with
all the information on the subject that I have been able to collect
from various sources; by which they will be enabled to read this poem
with additional pleasure and profit.
The Scandinavian mythology, like that of all other nations, is founded
on the personification and consequent adoration of the powers of
nature, which may be expressed by the word “Demonism,” used in its
Greek sense; to this may be added the deification of national heroes.
The first source of Demonism (I here borrow the words of Wieland in his
admirable work called Agathodemon) lies in the ignorance of mankind, in
the early stages of the world, of the real causes or laws by which the
powers of nature act, on the one side; and on the other, in the innate
propensity of man to reflect the image of the things which he can and
does see, on the things which lie beyond the contact of his senses.
This induces us to personify the causes of the effects that we behold
in nature; we assign to them our manner of thinking and acting, and
we endow them with a form like our own, because we can conceive no
higher model. Thus we give a supposed existence to an infinite number
of divinities in heaven and earth, whose operations are seen and felt,
though the agents themselves are unseen or unknown. Thus the earth,
the sun, the moon, the stars, the sea, rivers, woods, mountains, etc.,
all have their peculiar divinities; and as these were considered as
the cause of light or of darkness, of warmth or of cold, of fertility
or of barrenness, of the eternal vicissitudes of the year, month or
day, as well as of the destructive effects of storms, tempests, floods,
volcanoes, earthquakes, etc., to the idea of their existence became
conjoined the belief of their superhuman power. They were therefore
recognised as the arbitrary rulers of nature, who had their separate
principalities, circles, and districts in her empire; and as we ascribe
to them our own passions, caprices, and necessities, we naturally
endeavour to captivate their good will, or avert their anger, by
prayers, sacrifices, presents, or penances.
On the principle of Demonism, therefore, did the earliest legislators
establish the basis of their fabric of social order, civilization
and religion; and it was by profiting by this innate inclination of
mankind, that priests and mystagogues succeeded in consolidating their
power and influence, which became necessarily augmented and enhanced by
the right they arrogated to themselves of canonizing or deifying those
heroes or princes, whom they were disposed to hold up as worthy of
adoration, or as examples to be followed by the people.
History thus became blended with allegory and mythology; and this
circumstance, combined with the total want of chronology, which seems
to pervade the early records of all nations, renders it extremely
difficult to give to any mythology a consistent form, proportionate
in all its parts, and presenting an invariable doctrine or system of
action.
Proceeding thus from a similar source, the Scandinavian polytheism has
a remarkable coincidence with those of Greece, Italy, Egypt and India;
and from its classification of the superior powers into good and evil
genii, it bears a still more striking resemblance to the religion
of the ancient Persians, the doctrine of the Magi, which admits the
co-existence of, and the eternal struggle between, the two opposing
principles of Good and Evil, under the types of Ormuzd and Ahrimanes.
It seems generally admitted that the Gothic mythology was introduced
into the north-west of Europe by the Asar or Asiatic Goths, when, under
the guidance of the historical Odin, they emigrated from the borders of
the Black Sea and penetrated into Scandinavia, where they founded their
empire; and had they at that time been acquainted with navigation, they
would most assuredly not have stopped there, but would have invaded the
British Islands, which would have afforded an easy conquest, and a more
alluring resting-place, from the superior fertility of their soil, and
far greater mildness of the climate.
The word _Asa_ may be derived from Asia, or both may be derived from
the word As or Az,[1] which in the Zend or ancient Persian dialect
(the link between the Gothic and the Sanscrit) signifies “powerful,
elevated;” and may have been applied to that part of Asia bordering on
Europe by its own inhabitants, as a country, _par excellence_, occupied
by a super-excellent people; on the same principle that the word
“Svensk” (Swedish) is derived from “Sven” (man), and denotes a man,
_par excellence_; and the country itself called “_Sverige_” (empire of
men, Sweden). The word Goth also is a synonyme for what is good, great,
and illustrious; for in all the Teutonic and Scandinavian languages,
the three words _Goth_, _good_, and _God_ spring from the same root;
such has ever been the self-love and vanity of nations. The term
_Jotun_ or _Jette_ may on the other hand have been the name of some
rival nation, professing a different worship, and engaged in a long and
obstinate warfare with the Asar or Goths, either in Asia or in Europe;
and by the suggestion of national hatred, the Asar may have given the
name of their enemies (the Jetter) to the destructive powers of nature,
personified by the malevolent genii or giants: hence in the Icelandic,
Danish and Swedish languages, the term Jotun, Jette, or Jätte, denotes
a giant and implies the idea formed of this fabulous race by all
nations.
The historical Odin was deified after his death, as were his wives,
his sons, and immediate relations, and either their names may have
been given to the benign influences of nature, or they (Odin and his
relations) may have adopted the names of the gods of their Asiatic
ancestors, in order to impose on their new subjects. The names of
regions, places and abodes were transferred from Asia to Scandinavia;
and the said names were, either previously or subsequently to the first
grand immigration of the Goths into the north-west of Europe, applied
by them to the supposed residences of the gods in heaven. Among the
Egyptians and Greeks, the names of the Zodiac and of the constellations
afford a similar and satisfactory proof of the continual re-action of
earth on heaven, and of heaven on earth.[2]
The popular belief of the continual intercourse between heaven and
earth, between gods, demi-gods, and heroes in the early ages of
mankind, fostered and encouraged by the many ingenious allegories
framed by the priests, the sole astronomers of the time, out of
the movements and influences of the celestial bodies, render
either hypothesis probable, and may serve to account for the many
incongruities that prevail in the Scandinavian, as well as in other
mythologies; it is sufficient for the comprehension of this poem, to
lay down the principle, that the Asar (gods) represent the _creating_,
_embellishing_, and _conservative_ powers of nature; and the Jetter
(giants), on the contrary, represent the _defacing_, _corrupting_,
_destructive_ powers of the same. The giants existed before the gods,
inasmuch as _chaos_, _darkness_ and _confusion_ preceded _creation_,
_light_ and _order_.
With respect to the superhuman size attributed by most nations to evil
spirits, it may be observed, that in darkness the terrors of mankind
increase, and the shades of night magnify considerably to the visual
orb every object in nature: hence to the Jetter, or evil genii, who
were supposed to wander about at night doing mischief, was lent by
the imagination a form gigantic in stature, and features frightful to
behold. Day appears! the giants vanish! or they assume the ordinary
appearance of towers, steeples, and windmills; or they become changed
to wolves and bears; or they dwindle to the usual human size: but are
still dangerous by their knowledge of magic, their power of effecting
transformations, and by the artifices and illusions whereby they seek
to mislead mankind and seduce them to the perpetration of evil. That
the Jotun or Jetter, who were probably the aboriginal inhabitants of
Scandinavia at the time of the Gothic invasion, should appear to the
Asar to be giants in size, and as having the heads of bears, wolves,
elks, or wild bulls, conjoined to human bodies, may be very easily
and naturally accounted for. The Jotun race were in a very low state
of civilization compared with the Asar, and were, probably, totally
unacquainted with the art of tanning or weaving. They accordingly
clothed themselves with the skins of beasts; and in order to increase
the terrific in their exterior (an object of great importance among
savage nations), they preserved the head, tail, and claws of the
animals, in whose spoils they arrayed themselves; and wore its head,
horns and all, as a head-dress above their own, allowing the tail to
dangle behind them, while its paws crossed their breast. This must
naturally have given to them the appearance, not only of a stature
far above the human size, but that also of partaking of the shape and
nature both of man and beast, which idea was not a little supported
by the ferocity of their manners; and such was probably the origin of
giantism in every country.[3]
I shall now proceed to give an outline of the cosmogony and principal
events of the Scandinavian mythology, as far as they can be collected
from the only authentic source extant, viz. the fragments of the
poetry contained in the elder or poetic Edda, discovered and compiled
by the celebrated Sæmund Sigfusson, a native of Iceland, who was born
in the year 1054, and died in 1133. He was a Christian priest of
extensive talents and acquirements, who made a journey to Rome, a rare
occurrence, at that time, among the clergy of the north. He it was
who discovered these fragments, and at once perceived their value. He
compiled them, and gave them to light, with a Latin translation of his
own, under the name of the Edda, which, in the Icelandic or ancient
Scandinavian tongue, means “Ancestress.”
It was fortunate that this discovery was made by a man so enlightened
and liberal as Sæmunder, who was free from all the prejudices which
prevailed among the clergy of his time. Any poem or writing connected
with the ancient polytheistic religion of the country, was at that time
considered as the work of devils, and severely proscribed. The poems of
the Edda, therefore, had they fallen into the hands of an ignorant or
bigotted priest, would have been burnt, and lost to posterity for ever.
The fragments thus collected together under the name of the Edda are,
indeed, but the _disjectorum membra poetarum_; but they form the only
document extant, which throws on the Scandinavian mythology a light at
all to be depended on.[4]
Of importance far inferior, but still of considerable relative
utility, is the younger or prosaic Edda, composed, rather than
compiled, by Snorro Storleson, a learned Icelander, who was born in
1178, and was killed at Reykiaholt in 1241. This work, written in
prose, may be considered as a commentary on the elder or poetic Edda,
with several additions and legends, collected probably from oral
tradition. It is written in a homely, story-telling style, and but for
the elder Edda, would stand a chance of being considered as unimportant
as a black letter romaunt or fairy tale. In the preface to it, there
is a strange jumble of history, sacred and profane; a very fantastic
geography; and an attempt to derive the genealogy of all the nations in
Europe from the Trojans: there reigns, moreover, throughout the whole
work, a total want of chronology.[5]
The most interesting part of the work, from the light it throws on the
elder Edda, is the Gyllfaginning, or Conversations of King Gyllfe,
who reigned over a part of Sweden at the time of Odin’s invasion. A
curious appendage to the work is the “Skalde sprâket” (the language
of the Skalds), which forms a sort of _Gradus ad Parnassum_ of the
Icelandic poetry, in which the synonymes and epithets of all persons
and things occurring in the works of the Skalds, are given with extreme
accuracy. But, as I have before stated, the whole importance of Snorro
Sturleson’s work is derived from the elder or poetic Edda. In the
Gyllfaginning occurs the following remarkable passage:
“King Gyllfe was a prudent and very wise man; it caused him much
surprize that the Asar possessed so much knowledge, that every thing
yielded to their will; and he reflected whether this could proceed from
their own power, or whether they derived it from the Gods, to whom they
sacrificed.”
It is from the Gyllfaginning that I borrow the following account of the
cosmogony, according to the Scandinavian mythology.
In the beginning when nothing existed, when there was neither earth,
nor sea, nor heaven, all was Ginnungagap,[6] a vast unfathomable abyss.
Towards the north of this abyss lay a world of cold and darkness
called Niffelheim, in the midst of which was the source or fountain
Hvergelmer. On the south of Ginnungagap lay Muspelheim, a world of
heat, light and fire. From the source Hvergelmer flowed twelve rivers,
called collectively Elivagor. These flowed into Ginnungagap, so far
from their source, that the poisonous matter they contained congealed
at length, and formed a mass of ice. On the other hand, the sparks
and flames proceeding from Muspelheim, came into contact with this
congealed mass; and the heat, operating on the cold, produced the giant
Ymer, the grand progenitor of the race of giants. He was wicked, and
so were all his race, who were called Hrimthusser. Shortly after the
apparition of Ymer, arose the cow Audumbla; she nourished herself by
licking the frost from the pillars of salt in Ginnungagap; and this
operation produced, on the first day, a man’s hair; on the second, his
whole head; on the third the entire man; this man was called Bure.
Bure had a son called Bor; and this Bor, by an union with a beautiful
giantess of the name of Betsla, became the father of three sons, Odin,
Vil and Ve, the progenitors of the Asar race. These three brothers slew
the giant Ymer, from whose body flowed so much blood, that all the
giants were drowned therein, except Bergelmer and his wife, who escaped
from the deluge on the top of a mountain. Bergelmer and his wife had a
numerous progeny, and by them were perpetuated the giant race. Odin,
Vil and Ve, having slain Ymer, proceeded to the creation of the world,
as it now exists. From the limbs of Ymer, they created the earth, the
mountains from his bones, the sea from his blood, the heavens from his
scull; and from his eye-brows they built Midgard, name of the abode
to be inhabited by the human race, and so called, because it lies in
the middle region. They then from two trees, which they found on the
sea-shore, created a man, called Askur, and a woman called Embla; and
placed them to dwell in Midgard. From this pair descend all mankind.
On the confines of Midgard towards the north, and separated from it
by mountains of ice and snow, and dreary wastes eternally agitated by
storms, lies Utgard, the domain of the giants, whose sovereign is Lok,
commonly called Utgard-Lok, to distinguish him from an Asa bearing the
same name. Utgard became thus the region assigned to the giant race, as
Midgard was to mankind. The Asar chose for themselves a region supposed
to be in the heavens above the earth, and this region they called
Asagard. There they built for themselves various palaces and tenements;
and dwelling therein, pass their time in joy and felicity, in banquets,
tournaments, festivals, and amusements of all sorts; or they occupy
themselves in conferring happiness upon, and imagining inventions
useful and beneficial to the human race. They occasionally descend from
Asagard to Midgard, by passing over the bridge Bifrost, when they deem
it necessary to intervene immediately in the affairs of mankind, for
the purpose of relieving the oppressed, or of enforcing the practice of
justice and benevolence.
The giants, on the contrary, when they sally forth from their domain in
Utgard, do so for the purpose of creating storms and earthquakes, and
causing, either openly or insidiously, as much mischief as possible to
gods and men.
I shall not in this preface enumerate the names of the different gods
and goddesses, nor of their abodes and attributes; neither shall I
enumerate the names of the giants, nor those of the Dvergar, of the
Alfer, or of the Vaner. All these names will be found in a catalogue,
alphabetically arranged, which I shall annex to this work. Neither
shall I take notice, in this preface, of the various episodes of the
mythology, which are introduced in the body of the poem, and explain
themselves; but I shall proceed to give an account of the death of
Balder,[7] as it is related in the younger or prosaic Edda.
Frigga is the wife of Odin and queen of the gods. Their son Balder, the
most benevolent among the Asar, called by the Skalds “the fillet that
binds together the garland of the gods,” was troubled with unpleasant
dreams, portending some dreadful calamity to himself, and pregnant
with mischief and ruin to the universe. He related his dreams to the
Asar, and a council was held by them, in order to devise the means
of averting the threatened mischief. His mother Frigga exacted an
oath from all the elements, from iron and all kinds of metals, from
stones, trees, beasts, birds, fishes and reptiles, that they would
do no injury to Balder. When this oath was made, it was agreed upon
by the Asar, that they should throw their lances at Balder, or cut at
him with their swords, by way of amusement and experiment. Of course,
enchanted as he was, he remained unscathed from all those assaults.
This rejoiced the gods exceedingly; but there was one among the Asar,
called Lok, originally of giant race, but admitted among the gods; a
being of a treacherous and vacillating disposition, addicted to mockery
and calumny, and inheriting from his ancestors, the giants, a strong
innate disposition to mischief. It grieved him sore, that no injury
could be done to Balder. He repaired to Fensal, the abode of Frigga, in
the shape of a female, and related to her what had past between Balder
and the other Asar at the tournament. Frigga replied: No weapon can do
injury to Balder, for I have exacted an oath in his favour from all
things likely to do him mischief. Lok answered: Have you really exacted
an oath from all things? Frigga replied: Eastward to Valhalla grows a
little plant, called the mistletoe; from it I exacted no oath, for it
appeared to me so insignificant, as to be incapable of doing harm to
anybody. Lok went away, dug up the plant, and made thereof a spear; he
then went in search of Hædur, twin-brother of Balder, and born blind.
Having found him, he asked him, why he did not join in the general
amusement, and cast a weapon at Balder. Hædur replied: I am blind, and
have no weapon. Lok answered: You should not be the only one among the
Asar, who does not do honour to Balder; here! take this lance (giving
to him the spear made of the mistletoe), and run at him with it! Hædur
did so, and Balder fell down dead. The gods were inconsolable at his
loss, and sent Hermod, the messenger of Odin, to Hela, the queen of
death and of the shades below, into whose hands Balder had fallen, in
order to supplicate his release. Hermod mounted the steed of Odin,
called Sleipner, and repaired to the abode of Hela, in order to demand
the restitution of Balder. Hela at first refused to release him on
any condition whatsoever; but at length relenting, she said: Now is
the time to prove, if Balder be really so beloved by all creatures,
as ye pretend. If, therefore, every thing in nature will shed tears
for Balder’s death, and demand his release, I will grant it. Hermod
returned to Asagard, satisfied with the success of his mission. The
Asar sent messengers all over the earth, calling upon all creatures to
weep for Balder’s death; and all creatures did grieve and join in the
prayer for his release from the shades of Helheim, except an old witch,
by name Thock, who was sitting by the entrance of a cavern. When called
upon to join in the general lamentation, she answered spitefully:
With dry tears
Doth Thock grieve
For the death of Balder;
He never did good to me
Either in life or death;
May Hela retain her prey!
and in consequence of this solitary refusal, Hela did retain her
prey, and will do so until the end of time. It was now discovered
that the witch Thock was no other than Lok himself in disguise;
and the gods, enraged at his treachery, inflicted on him a summary
vengeance. Changing his two sons into wolves, who devour each other,
the gods make a chain from their intestines, and bind therewith Lok
to a sharp rock in a subterranean abode. They then place over him two
enormous serpents, who drop their venom on his limbs, and he is to
remain exposed to this continual torture until the end of the world.
But though Lok be thus punished, the calamity springing from Balder’s
death cannot be averted; from it dates the entrance of crime and misery
into the world, and a state of unceasing warfare in the heavens, on
the earth, and under the earth; which state is to last until the great
day of Ragnarok, called the twilight of the gods. On that awful day,
which is to be preceded by a severe uninterrupted winter of three
years’ duration, a great battle is to be fought between the gods and
giants, in which dreadful conflict giants, gods, mankind, the whole
universe, in fine, are to perish in a shower of fire and blood. After
the destruction of the world, a new creation is to take place under
the auspices of Vidar, the god of silence and wisdom, the sole being
who survives the general conflagration. It is he who is to resuscitate
the gods and the human race, and to lead them to dwell in the palace
of Gimle on the plains of Ida, an abode of eternal joy and felicity,
where virtue and love are to reign triumphant, and vice and hatred be
extinguished for ever. As the details of the destruction of the world
and of its reconstruction are given in the last canto of this poem, I
need not dwell on them here.[8] Besides the alphabetical catalogue,
explicatory of all that remains to be known, concerning the events and
personages which figure in this poem, I have annexed to each canto
notes, which give the hidden sense and meaning of most of the mythes
and allegories; on which subjects I have borrowed all my information
from the celebrated Danish antiquarian Finn Magnussen, now living in
Copenhagen, which information is to be found in his two admirable
works, the one called “The elder Edda, translated with copious notes
and illustrations;” the other, “The Edda doctrine explained and
elucidated.” These two works afford a complete key to the mythes and
allegories of the Scandinavian mythology, intricate as it is; and armed
thus with his (Finn Magnussen’s) magic wand, I too may fearlessly
undertake the office of Hierophant.
With respect to this poem and its author,[9] it has been observed by
a modern Danish writer of some eminence: “There have been various
poetical works in all the northern languages based on the legends of
the Edda; but no author has woven thereof a whole, nor has so happily
and poetically embodied its genius, mythes and transformations, as
Œhlenschläger in his celebrated poem, The Gods of the North.”
To me it seems that he has combined in an eminent degree the peculiar
excellences of three distinguished poets, of three distinct ages, viz.
those of Hesiod in his Theogony, of Ovid in his Metamorphoses, and of
Ariosto in his Orlando Furioso. Œhlenschläger seems to possess all the
inexhaustible genius, fertility of invention, playfulness, and sly, but
not ill-natured, satire of the bard of Ferrara:
“Il grande che cantò le armi e gli amori.”
Of my translation, it befits not me to speak. Like my archetype, I
have adopted various metres for the different cantos, not always the
same as those of the original; for I wished to take a freer scope,
and not to fetter myself by an invariable adoption of the self-same
metres, which would have been attended with great difficulty, inasmuch
as some of them are unsuitable to the genius of the English language,
which is far less laconic than the Danish. I have likewise, in a few
instances, amplified my archetype, for I was determined that nothing of
his should be lost; yet I trust, that even in those parts where I have
most amplified, I have never departed from the meaning and spirit of
the author. I can therefore never admit, that my translation, though
unshackled, should be termed “a free one,” or _Bearbeitung_, as the
Germans express it.
With respect to my qualifications as a translator, they are as follows:
from the early age of fifteen I have been engaged in the acquisition
of the language and literature of Germany; for the last twelve years,
I have closely studied the Danish and Swedish languages, and I have
lately attempted the Icelandic.
About eight years ago, I made a summer tour in Denmark and Sweden,
and when at Copenhagen, I became acquainted with Finn Magnussen, the
celebrated antiquarian, and with the poet Œhlenschläger himself,
most of whose works I had previously read with unbounded admiration
and delight, and among which, this poem, “The Gods of the North,”
had excited my peculiar attention. Thus prepared, I determined on
undertaking a metrical version of the whole of this work, one canto of
which (the 12th) I had previously translated, and published anonymously
in a Parisian weekly review, in 1835.
In my translation, I was further encouraged by the idea that I was
thereby contributing to spread among my countrymen a taste for the
mythology and general literature of Scandinavia, which is capable of
furnishing to the painter or the sculptor a series of subjects not less
interesting than those derived from the classic sources of Greece or
Rome. I recommend, also, to the attention of scholars, the study of the
Danish and Swedish languages, as the key to an historical literature
extremely rich and diversified, interesting to the readers of every
European nation, but more particularly so to the English reader, who
is desirous of forming an intimate acquaintance with the _arcana_
of his own language, and with his own early history, laws, customs,
manners, and legends. The history of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden is as
captivating as a romance, and it presents an astonishing variety of
the most singular events, which would afford admirable subjects for
epic and dramatic poetry, as well as for the historical novel. The
English reader will perceive, likewise, that the Scandinavian mythology
is the fountain head of many of the most popular tales, legends, and
ballads of his own country. It will interest him to mark the effect
of the introduction of the Christian religion upon the Scandinavian
polytheism, as therein he may trace the origin of many of our own
superstitions and fabulous traditions. At the appearance of the Cross,
the proud edifice of Valhalla, not seldom, alas! polluted with human
gore, crumbles into dust. Asagard, with all its palaces and gardens,
dissolves in air! The mighty Odin himself, the wise, the just, the
beneficent Odin, degenerates into a common-place demon, liable to
be exorcised by a parish priest. The Nornor, or Fates, the solemn,
majestic, and impartial Nornor, though stern, yet beautiful to behold,
become changed to disgusting and wrinkled witches, and figure as such
in the weird sisters of Macbeth. The awful giants of Utgard sink into
the ogres of a fairy tale; Thor, deprived of his belt, his hammer,
his gauntlets, and his car, dwindles into Jack the Giant-killer,[10]
the familiar hero of our days of childhood; and from the _graa gaas_
(grey goose), a name given to a collection of ancient legends in the
Icelandic tongue, from the circumstance of great longevity being
attributed to that bird, may be traced our old nursery acquaintance
and monitress, Mother Goose.[11] I have only to add, that I began
the translation of this poem towards the end of the year 1836, and
finished it in the autumn of 1837; but I was compelled by circumstances
to delay the publication of it until the present year.
W. E. FRYE.
_Paris, January 1845._
[1] This may be the origin of the term _Ace_ in cards.
[2] In the prosaic Edda is this remarkable passage, wherein the name
of Odin is given to Alfader, the supreme god. “We suppose that he
(Odin, the god) must have been so called, for so is called the man, the
greatest and the most glorious that we know, and well may mankind let
him bear that name.”
[3] The figure given to the devil by the imagination of the northern
nations is a confirmation of this hypothesis; whereas the Orientals
give to him a more seducing form; but in modern times the least
cultivated minds reject the northern type, as Göthe says in his drama
of Faust:
Das nordische Phantom ist jetzt nicht mehr zu schauen,
Wo siehst du jetzt die Hörner, Schweif und Klauen?
(_Faust von Göthe._)
[4] The Eddas are written in the Icelandic tongue, then called the
_Suio-Gothic_, and sometimes the _Norrana tunga_ (or Norse tongue),
which was formerly the language of all Scandinavia. After the
introduction of Christianity, from the connection with the Empire and
the Church, this tongue became gradually deteriorated by a mixture with
the German; and it is by this mixture with the German that the modern
Swedish and Danish languages are formed. Iceland having been colonised
by some Norwegian families previous to the corruption of the language,
has thus, from its insular position, preserved the old language pure;
and it is now called Icelandic, which, though a dead language for
Scandinavia, is a living one in Iceland.
[5] Snorro Storleson is likewise the author of the celebrated history
called _Heimkringlas_, a most valuable work.
[6] For the meaning of Ginnungagap and of all the other proper names,
see the alphabetical catalogue annexed to this preface.
[7] The details of the death of Balder are not given in this Poem “The
Gods of the North.” It is only alluded to in the speech of the Vala,
in the last canto; but Œhlenschläger has treated the “Death of Balder”
separately, and made it the subject of an admirable tragic opera, with
choruses and trochaics in the Greek style.
[8] Respecting the tragic opera of Balder by Œhlenschläger, which I
have also translated, Sneedorf Birch says:
“The mythe of Balder is one of the most beautiful and sublime poetical
compositions, whose equal is not to be found in the Greek or Roman
mythology, or perhaps in that of any other people. This mythe has
besides furnished the subject of one of the finest masterpieces in
the Danish literature, namely, the drama of “Balder the Good,” by
Œhlenschläger.”
[9] Sneedorf Birch.
[10] Thor is called by the Scalds _Jotni-bane_, i.e. Bane of the
Giants: perhaps Odin himself may be the original Jack the Giant-killer,
since one of his names is Jalc.--See the Grimnismal in the poetic Edda.
[11] The French also call these tales _Les Contes de ma Mère l’Oie_.
ALPHABETICAL LIST
OF THE PROPER NAMES OCCURRING IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE POEM ENTITLED
“THE GODS OF THE NORTH.”
_With the assistance of Finn Magnussen’s work Eddalæren (Doctrine of
the Edda), I have composed the following alphabetical list of the
proper names which occur in this poem, wherein the attributes of the
several personages are given, and which should be consulted whenever
a proper name occurs, since I have not thought it necessary to repeat
in the notes annexed to each canto what is already given in this
catalogue._
=ÆGIR= is the god of the sea, the Neptune of the Scandinavian
mythology. His dwelling was supposed to be on the island of
Hlesey, now called Lessoe, in the Cattegat. He is sometimes
called Hler Ægir. He is of a benevolent disposition; but his
consort Ran, who is of giant race, is otherwise. The etymology
of the name Ægir is from the Icelandic verb _Ægi_, to liquify,
inundate, etc.
=ALFADER= (Father of all) a name given to Odin, as king of
gods and men. It is sometimes given to a supreme unknown God,
pre-existent and superior to Odin himself.
=ALF=, plural =ALFER=, are inferior elementary divinities,
divided into two classes, viz. the white Alfer, or Alfs of
light; and the black Alfer, or Alfs of darkness. The white
Alfer are related to the Asar and Vaner, and are friendly to
mankind; they dwell with Balder in his palace of Breidablik.
The black Alfer are mischievously disposed: they are connected
with the Dvergar (dwarfs), and like them they shun the light
of day: they dwell in caverns and sally out at night only. Our
word _elf_ is derived therefrom.
=ANGURBOD=, name of a Jettinde (giantess), who, in consequence
of an amour with Asa-Lok, brought forth three frightful
offspring, viz. the wolf Fenris, the serpent Jormundgard,
commonly called the serpent of Midgard, and Hela, queen of
death and of the shades below. The word _Angurbod_ denotes
“messenger of sorrow.”
=ARILD=, Arilds-tid (time of Arild). From _Arilds-time_ is a
manner of reckoning among the Scandinavians, similar to our
expression from “Noah’s time.” It means the time when mankind
first learned the use of fire, and to have fixed habitations.
Etym.: _arne_ (hearth), _ild_ (fire), and _tid_ (time).
=ASA=, pl. =ASAR=, name given to the gods of the Scandinavian
mythology; the principal Asar are Odin, Thor, Frey, Balder,
Vidar, Ægir, etc. The word seems to be derived from the word
As or Az, which in the Zend or ancient Persian language, which
forms the link between the Gothic dialect and the Sanscrit,
means _elevated_, _powerful_, _sublime_.
=ASYNIA=, pl. =ASYNIOR=, name given to the goddesses; the
principal Asynior are Frigga, Freya, Iduna, Sif, Gefion, Nanna,
etc.
=ASAGARD=, or =ASGARD=, is the region, the peculiar territory
of the gods. It was supposed to be in the heavens above
the earth, and to contain many rich domains and splendid
buildings, inhabited by the different gods and goddesses. The
most remarkable are the palace of Odin, called Valaskialf;
the celebrated banqueting hall or pavilion, called Valhalla:
Vingolf the peculiar palace and rendezvous of the Asynior, or
goddesses: Trudvang, the domain of Thor: Fensal, the palace of
Frigga: Folkvang, that of Freya: Breidablik, that of Balder,
besides many others which are given in alphabetical order.
Geographically, Asagard or Asgard was the name of a territory
and city on the northern border of the Black Sea, from whence
the Asiatic Goths originally came. The word _gaard_ in Danish,
_gard_ in Swedish, means a _walled or hedged inclosure_, and is
the root of the words _yard_, _court_ and _garden_.
=ASH=, see the word Yggdrassil.
=ASKUR= is the name of the first man: he and Embla, the
first woman, were fabricated from two trees by Bor and Bure;
according to others, by Odin, Vil and Ve. Askur and Embla were
then placed by their makers in Midgard, to dwell therein, and
perpetuate their race. Askur and Embla are in fact the Adam and
Eve of the Gothic mythology. Etym.: _askr_ (ash tree).
=ASTRILD= is the god of love: his name is not to be found in
the Edda, but it appears in several of the old Sagas. Etym.:
_Ast_, old Danish word signifying (_love_) and _ild_ (_fire_).
=AUKTHOR=, a name given to Thor: it means Thor the charioteer,
from _âka_ (to drive), Swedish verb.
=AUDUMBLA=, name of the mythologic cow formed by the Fiat of
Alfader (the quisquis deorum), at the creation of the universe.
By licking the salt rocks in Ginnungagap, she occasioned
the birth of Bure, the progenitor of the Asar race. The cow
Audumbla represents the organic power of nature acting upon
the Chaos. The word, I think, means “development,” from the
Icelandic words _aud_, particle signifying _facility_, and
_embla_ (laborious).
=BALDER= is the son of Odin and Frigga, the most beloved of
his father and mother, the most benevolent among the Asar, the
sun personified, the god of light, piety and poesy. He was
slain by his twin brother Hædur, born blind, with a branch of
the mistletoe. His fate and its consequences have been related
at length in the preliminary discourse to this poem. Balder
typifies the sun at the summer solstice, and his death the
disappearance of the sun from the horizon during the winter
months in the north, while Hædur, type of darkness, reigns. The
word in Icelandic means _brilliant_, _beautiful_, _powerful_.
Balder has an evident analogy with the _Baal_ of the Assyrians,
the _Apollo_ of the Greeks, the _Horus_ of the Egyptians, the
_Krïshna_ of the Hindoos, all of which are types of the sun in
its highest splendour.
=BAUGE=, name of a giant, who procured for Odin entrance into
the bower of Gunliod, when he sought to make himself master
of the vase containing the precious liquor called _Suttung’s
mead_, which was confided to the care of Gunliod. _Bolverk_ was
the name assumed by Odin on that occasion. _Baug_ in Icelandic
means a “ring,” and among the northern nations in the Gothic
time promises were made by holding a ring; and this mythe may
mean Odin’s seduction of Gunliod by means of a promise given on
the ring.
=BERGELMER=, name of the giant who, with his wife, were the
only ones of that race who escaped being drowned in the blood
of Ymer. He and his consort escaped on a wreck, and landed on
the top of a mountain. From these two descended the second
generation of giants. This mythe reminds one of the deluge of
Noah and that of Deucalion and Pyrrha, and the mountain, mount
Ararat; for _Bergelmer_ means the _ancient of the mountain_,
from _berg_ (mountain), and _gamla_ (old).
=BERSERK= (bare sark), name given to a sort of combatants among
the ancient Scandinavians, who affected peculiar ferocity, and
fought with their fists and teeth, in the absence of other
weapons, and in no other clothing but their shirt; hence their
name. _Berserkgang_ is a term used to signify a combat of life
and death, and is often applied to the exploits of Thor, to
denote their peculiar danger and difficulty.
=BETSLA=, name of a beautiful giantess, the wife of Bor, and
mother of Odin, Vil and Ve.
=BIFROST=, name of the vast bridge which unites heaven to
earth, and typifies the _rainbow_. Over this bridge the Asar
must pass when they descend to the world below; over it must
likewise pass the heroes slain in battle, when they ascend to
Valhalla, escorted by the Valkyrior. Etym.: from the Icelandic
words _bifa_ (to move) and _röst_ (stone). The bridge Bifrost
was supposed to be constructed of stones of various colours.
=BILSKIRNIR=, name of the palace or castle of Thor, in
Trudvang. It is tiled with copper shields, its halls are inlaid
with gold and silver, and it has five hundred and forty gates.
Etym.: Icelandic words _billd_ (aspect, image), and _skirna_
(make bright).
=BOLVERK=, name assumed by Odin when he served Bauge, disguised
as a labourer. The etymology of this word may be _böll_ (a
bolt) and _verk_ (work).
=BOR=, or Bör, name of the son of Bure; by his union with
the beautiful giantess Betsla, he became the father of the
Scandinavian triad, Odin, Vil, and Ve. Bor, in Icelandic, means
_son_. But I suspect the word to be of Hebrew origin, meaning
_beginning_; for _böra_ is precisely the Hebrew word wherewith
the first book of Genesis begins.
=BRAGUR=, or =BRAGA=, an Asa, the god of poetry and musical
declamation. At the banquets of Valhalla, he chaunts to the
sound of his harp the praises of the gods and Einherier, and
celebrates in high-flown language their virtues and warlike
deeds. He is the husband of Iduna. He is called by the poets of
the north, _Bragur hin gamle_ (_Bragur the ancient_). Etym.:
Icelandic verb _bragga_ (to adorn, to embellish). Our English
word _to brag_ comes probably from the same root.
=BREIDABLIK=, name of the palace of Balder, in Asagard; it is
tiled with pearls! Etym.: _breid_ (broad, extended), _blik_
(view).
=BURE=, father of Bor, and progenitor of the Asar race: his
production, effectuated by the cow Audumbla, has been already
related in the translator’s preface. _Bure_ in Icelandic
has the same meaning as Bör, i.e. son. Both the words come
probably from the Hebrew or Zend, and mean the same thing, viz.
_origin_ or _beginning_.
=DAG= (day), the son of Delling.
=DELLING=, name of the father of Dag (day); the word means
_division_.
=DISA=, pl. =DISAR=; name given to the Asynior, or goddesses.
This word is evidently of Persian origin.
=DISARSAL= (hall of the Disar), name often given to the palace
of Vingolf, the peculiar place of reunion for the goddesses in
Asagard.
=DOVRE=, name of a chain of mountains in Norway, which seems to
bear the same relation to Asagard as the natural mount Olympus
in Greece bears to the mythological one.
=DRAPA= means _funeral dirge_, or song of the _apotheosis_. In
it were celebrated the funeral ceremonies of a deceased hero,
his glorious actions recapitulated, and his elevation to the
rank of an Einherier and admission into Valhalla triumphantly
announced. The English word _dirge_ comes, perhaps, from the
Icelandic and Swedish verb _dyrka_ (to adore).
=DRUPNER=, name of a magic ring fabricated for Odin by the
dwarfs, at the command of Asa-Lok. This ring had the faculty
of dropping eight other rings on every ninth night: by this
is typified the change of the moon and its phases. When Odin
placed the ring Drupner on the bosom of his son Balder, when he
laid his corpse upon the funeral pile, he whispered a secret in
his ear. This may allude to the promise of resurrection, but
none knew the secret, save Odin himself. The placing of the
ring Drupner (the moon) on the bosom of Balder (the sun) may
typify the eclipse of the sun by the moon intervening. Etym.:
from the Icelandic verb _driupa_ (to drop, or distil).
=DVERG=, pl. =DVERGAR= (Dwarf), mythological beings, of
short stature, who dwelt in caverns and were skilful in the
fabrication of metallic instruments. They are unable to bear
the glare of the sun, and prefer to rove about at night. From
this circumstance, and from their being at times disposed to
mischief, they are considered as related to the giants; but
they are employed both by gods and giants to make armour and
other instruments for them. They are represented as being of an
exceedingly timorous disposition.
=DWARFS=, see =DVERG=.
=EIKTHYRNIR=, name of the mythological stag which stands on
the roof of the portal of Valaskialf, and from whose antlers
springs a fountain which furnishes water to all the rivers of
the earth. Etym.: _eikt_ (vigils), _hyrnir_ (horns).
=EINHERIER=, name given to mortal warriors deified for their
valour, and admitted among the Asar; they are constant guests
at the banquets of Valhalla. Their occupations and amusements
are thus described in the prosaic Edda: “Every day they dress
themselves in their armour, go out on horseback to fight, and
cut at one another; thus they pass their time. But when the
hour of repast approaches, they ride home to the palace, and
take their seats at the banquet.” In the elder or poetic Edda,
in the chapter called the Vaftrudnismal, are the following
words concerning them:
“All the Einherier
In Odin’s domain,
Fight together daily,
And choose their prey of death:
From the battle they ride afterwards
To drink beer with the Asar,
And to feast on the flesh of Sâhrimner,
In joy and amity.”
Etym.: _einn_ (one, unique), and _heria_ (to bear arms).
=EIR=, name of an Asynia, whose office it is to heal the wounds
of the Einherier, when they are first admitted into Valhalla,
by squeezing into their wounds the juice of the beet. She is,
in fact, the goddess of medicine.
=ELDIR=, name of Ægir’s purveyor; he is supposed to dwell under
the famous whirlpool of Malstrom, and to break in pieces with
his club every bark that is engulfed therein. Etym.: _eld_
(fire), and may allude to the subterranean fire supposed to be
under Malstrom, and to cause its effervescence.
=ELIVAGOR= is, mythologically, the collective name of the
rivers that flow from the source Hvergelmer, in Ginnungagap.
Geographically, Elivagor is thought to mean the mouth of the
White Sea. Etym.: _elf_ (a stream), and _vaga_ (to wander).
=ELYERHOY=, name of a hill or barrow in the island of Sealand
(Denmark), so called from its being the supposed habitation of
_alfs_ or _elves_. In Danish, _hoi_ means _height_.
=EMBLA=, name of the first woman, according to the Scandinavian
mythology. See Askur. _Embla_ means _laborious_, _productive_.
=FENRIS=, name of the mythologic wolf, begotten by Asa-Lok on
the witch or giantess Angurbod. He is malignant, frightful to
behold, and his nostrils vomit fire. His presence inspired the
gods with such terror, that they endeavoured to bind him with
chains of iron and copper; but these he easily burst asunder;
they then had resource to a stratagem, and succeeded in binding
him with a magic chain, which was composed as follows: of the
noise of cat’s feet, of the beards of women, of the breath of
birds, of the saliva of fish, of the nerves of bears, and of
the roots of mountains. This chain he could not break. The
Asar then cast him down into Niffelheim, and placed him at the
gate of Helheim, the residence of Hela. There he is to remain
chained until Ragnarok; he will then break his chain, join in
the battle of the giants against the gods, and devour Odin; but
he will be afterwards himself slain by Vidar. By Fenris wolf is
typified the subterranean fire, which it is supposed will one
day occasion the conflagration of the universe. Etym.: _Fenia_
(giantess or sorceress), _risi_ (to spring from).
=FENSAL=, name of the palace of Frigga, in Asagard. Probable
etym.: _fengisall_ (happy in acquiring riches).
=FIALAR=, name of the mythologic cock which is to crow at
Ragnarok, to excite the gods and giants to combat. _Fiallar_,
in Icelandic, means _cock_.
=FINNAFENG=, name of the cook of Ægir, god of the sea; he is
slain by Asa-Lok for refusing him admittance to Ægir’s banquet.
The etymology may be from the Icelandic words _fina_ (a piece
of flesh), _fenge_ (a capture).
=FOLKVANGUR= or =FOLKVANG=, name of the palace of Freya in
Asagard, into which are admitted, after death, faithful lovers
and virtuous women.
=FORSETE=, an Asa, the son of Balder, and god of justice; he
dwells in his palace Glitner. He often descends to earth,
to sit in judgment, and hear causes under the shade of the
ash-tree Yggdrassil, near the fountain of Urda. He is the son
of Balder, inasmuch as justice proceeds from light; and as Urda
is the Norna or destiny of the past, it is from her fountain
(i.e. consulting the records of the past) that he acquires
experience. The etymology of this word is _for_ (before), and
_sete_ (set), ergo _præses_, _president_.
=FREY=, or =FREYR=, is the god of liberty, joy and fecundity;
he is the son of Niord, and brother of Freya. He is invoked for
sunshine and good crops. He represents the sun at the winter
solstice. The new year’s feast was instituted to do him honour;
it was the day of his birth, and a season of festivity and joy.
He was the owner of a magic sword, but falling in love with
Gerda, a beautiful damsel of Jotun race, he gave it away to her
father, in order to obtain his consent to their union. He is to
be slain by Surtur at Ragnarok. Etym.: _frei_ (free), _friò_
(seed). It is remarkable that in Egypt the sun was called
_Phré_. The Swedish word _fröid_ (joy) is probably derived from
the name of this god.
=FREYA= is the Venus of the Scandinavians, the goddess of love,
beauty, pleasure and fecundity; she is the sister of Frey,
and daughter of Niord. She is the most beautiful of all the
Asynior. She was married to Odur; but when the goddess Iduna,
with her golden vase containing the fruit of immortality, was
stolen from Asagard, Freya, in common with the other Asar,
lost her youth and beauty; and Odur, disgusted at the change,
fled from her embraces. On the deliverance of Iduna, Freya
recovered her youth and beauty, but her Odur never returned.
She wandered all over the earth in search of him, but in vain.
She weeps continually for his loss, and sheds tears of gold.
When she travels, it is in a golden car, drawn by two black
cats. Freya has two daughters, Siofna and Hnos, both remarkable
for their beauty and gentleness. The Dutch word _fraai_
(handsome), is derived probably from Freya.
=FRIGGA= is the wife of Odin, the queen of the gods, the Juno
and Ceres of the Scandinavian mythology. She sometimes typifies
the earth, as Odin does the heavens; they become thus identic
with the Ουρανος and Γη of the Greeks. She is pleased with
offerings of fruits and flowers, and is herself extremely
generous and beneficent. The constellation “Orion’s belt,” is
termed by the Scalds the “spinning-wheel of Frigga.” She is the
mother of Balder, Hædur, Thor, etc. The etymology of Frigga is
_friò_ (seed), _gà_ (to take care of).
=FULLA=, name of an Asynia, the handmaid and confidante of
Frigga, and guardian of her jewels and wardrobe. She hands
round the plates to the guests at the banquet of Valhalla.
Her name typifies _abundance_; _voll_, _full_, in the German
and English languages, and _fuld_, _full_, in the Danish and
Swedish, all meaning the same thing, are probably derived
therefrom.
=GARDERIKE=, name given by the ancient Scandinavians to a part
of Russia.
=GARM=, name of the mythologic dog, who remains chained at the
cavern of Gnypa, until Ragnarok; he will then break his chain,
and fight with Tyr; both will perish.
=GAUTHIOD= (Gothland), a name of Sweden.
=GEFION=, an Asynia, the goddess of virginity, herself a
virgin; she receives in her domain in Asagard women, who
die unmarried. She is the founder of the island of Sealand
(Denmark), which was supposed to have been formerly joined
to the continent of Sweden, and which, at her request, was
ploughed around, separated from the mainland, and dragged
into the Ocean by the sons of Gyllfe, who, to please her,
transformed themselves into oxen, and performed the said
service.
=GEIRSODD= means “point of a lance.” The historical Odin, when
on his death-bed, cut his veins with the point of a lance,
assuring his surviving followers and companions, that those
who died on the field of battle, or in this manner covered
with blood, would meet him in Valhalla, and partake of all
the delights of the immortals. Hence the natural death by old
age or sickness, called emphatically _strâ död_ (death on
the straw), was looked upon as ignominious by the northern
warriors, and as exposing them to the danger of falling into
the clutches of Hela. They, in consequence, when they felt
their end approaching, either by old age or sickness, opened
their veins, and bled to death; this was called _cutting runes
to Odin_, or otherwise _geirsodd rita_ (to scratch with the
point of a lance); and this, as they believed, ensured them
admission into Valhalla.
=GERDA=, a beautiful damsel of Jotun race, daughter of the
giant Gymer. She was united to Frey with the consent of all
the gods, and admitted among the Asynior. She was renowned for
her beauty, piety and virtue. Finn Magnussen thinks that Gerda
is a type of the _aurora borealis_, which replaces the light
of the sun in winter, in the extreme northern regions; Frey
himself typifying the sun. Others suppose that Gerda typifies
the earth, and her amour with Frey the relationship between the
earth and the sun.
=GESTUR=, name of a blind giant who proposes riddles and
enigmas to Skirnir on his journey to the world below, for the
purpose of visiting Gerda.
=GIALLAR=, name of the horn of Heimdal, which he blows, to give
notice to the gods of those who arrive at, and attempt to cross
the bridge Bifrost. Etym.: Icelandic verb _gala_ (to sing, to
call out). The English verb _call_, and the Swedish and Danish
verbs _kalla_, _kalde_, come from the same root.
=GIANTS=, called in the Scandinavian dialects Jotun, Jetter,
Jâttar, the evil genii of the Gothic mythology. At Ragnarok
they are to fight with and defeat the Asar on the plains of
Vigrid; but they are themselves to perish in the conflagration
that ensues, and they will never be resuscitated (i.e. in a
future state of existence there will be no violence or crime).
The giants dwell in their peculiar territory, Jotunheim, in
Utgard, and are ruled by their sovereign, Lok, commonly called
Utgard-Lok, to distinguish him from an Asa of the same name.
The giants were supposed to be of various forms and races,
some having the heads of wild beasts joined to human bodies,
and others the human form entire. They understood magic,
were capable of assuming divers shapes, and of increasing or
diminishing their stature _ad libitum_. They seem to bear a
great resemblance to the Titans of the Greek, and to the
Afrites of the Mohammedan theology, and all are borrowed from
the Persian system, the doctrine of the Magi.
=GIMLE=, the most beautiful of all buildings, in which virtuous
mortals are to dwell together with the gods, after the
reconstruction of the universe, in eternal joy and felicity.
The grave is often termed by the Scalds, “the verdant gate of
Gimle.” The German word Himmel (heaven) is derived therefrom.
Etym.: from the Icelandic word _gimlir_ (splendour).
=GINNUNGAGAP=, name of the vast abyss which existed before the
present world, and separated Niffelheim (region of fog) from
Muspelheim (region of heat). Etym.: _Ginning_ (between), and
_gapi_ (to yawn or open). The following verbs, in different
languages, all come from the Icelandic verb _gapi_, and have
the very same meaning, viz. _to gape_, English; _gapa_,
Swedish; _gabe_, Danish; _gapen_, Dutch; _gaffen_, German; and
the Greek words χαω, χαος and χασμα (chasm) are likewise from
the same root.
=GLADHEIM=, a general name given to the abodes of the gods in
Asagard, and often used as a synonyme for Valhalla. Etym.:
_glad_ (joy, gladness), and _heim_ (home, or abode).
=GLADHEIMASAL= means _hall of the abode of gladness_, applied
as Gladheim.
=GLITNER=, name of the palace of Forsete, the god of justice.
The word means _equalisation_. It represents the station of
the sun between August 23 and September 23, beginning of the
autumnal equinox, corresponding with the sign of the zodiac
Libra (the balance).
=GNA=, an Asynia, messenger and confidante of Frigga. When she
executes the commissions of her mistress, she rides on the
steed Hofvarpur.
=GNYPA=, name of a cavern in Niffelheim. Etym.: Icelandic word
_gnypr_ (steep).
=GUDBRAND=, or Guldbrand, name of a fertile valley in the
province of Aggerhuys, in Norway.
=GULDVEIGE=, a female divinity, personifying riches. Etym.:
_guld_ (gold), _veige_ (weigh).
=GUNLIOD=, name of the daughter of Suttung, to whose care her
father confided the vase containing the precious beverage
called _Suttung’s mead_. Seduced by Odin, she surrenders to him
the vase.
=GYLLFE=, name of a king of Jotun race, who reigned over a part
of Sweden at the time of the invasion of the historical Odin.
=GYLLINBORSTE= (golden-bristled), name of the mythological
golden boar, fabricated by the dwarfs at the instance of
Asa-Lok, and presented to Frey to serve him as a steed,
mounted on which he travels round the world. According to Finn
Magnussen, it is a type of the sun.
=GYMER=, name of a Jotun or giant, the father of Gerda. Etym.:
_gima_ (_transmitting light_).
=HÆNIR=, name of an Asa, the god of intellect; he accompanies
Odin on his travels. By some he is considered as identic with
_Vil_, the second person of the Scandinavian mythological triad.
=HÆRFADER= (father of the fight), one of the many names given
to Odin.
=HAGBARTH=, name of a Norwegian prince, celebrated for his
valour and his attachment to Signe, a Danish princess. Having
had the misfortune to kill Signe’s brother in single combat,
he falls into the hands of the mother, who, to revenge her
son’s death, causes Hagbarth to be hanged. Signe, in despair at
the loss of her lover, destroys herself. The unfortunate love
of Hagbarth and Signe has been the theme of many a northern
ballad, and Œhlenschläger himself has made it the subject of a
most interesting and pathetic tragedy.
=HARBARD=, in this poem, is the name of a ferryman of Jotun
race, who refuses to ferry Skirnir across a river until he has
answered his questions and displayed his knowledge.
=HEIDRUNA=, name of the mythological goat who stands on the
roof of Valaskialf, and whose teats afford a constant supply of
hydromel to the guests at Valhalla.
=HEIMDAL=, or Heimdaller, name of an Asa who stands as sentinel
at the bridge of Bifrost, to give notice of the approach of
strangers by blowing his horn Giallar. He is constantly on the
alert to prevent surprise on the part of the giants. Of him it
is said, that he was born of nine mothers; that he had a tooth
of gold; that he could do without sleep; see at a distance of
a hundred miles, as well by night as by day; hear wool grow on
the backs of sheep, and grasses shoot. By his doing without
sleep may be meant the absence of night from the northern polar
regions during the summer months. At Ragnarok, he will blow his
horn with all his force, to excite the gods to combat. Etym.:
_Heim_ (abode), and _dallr_ (horn).
=HEIMKRINGLAS=, name given to the universe in the Scandinavian
mythology. Etym.: _Heim_ (abode), _kring_ (round about), and
_lâs_ (clasp).
=HELA=, or =HEL=, name of the queen of death and of the shades
below, daughter of Asa-Lok and of the giantess Angurbod. She
is frightful and appalling to behold: her body is of white
or natural colour below the girdle, but all above is blue or
livid, from congealed blood. The gods, terrified at her sight,
exiled her from Asagard, and cast her down into Niffelheim, to
rule over the dead. There, in her castle Helheim, she receives
the ghosts of the worthless and cowardly, and of those who
die of old age or sickness, who omit to _cut runes to Odin_.
Of Hela it is said in the prosaic Edda, that her abode is
_anguish_; her table, _famine_; her attendants, _delay_ and
_fruitless expectation_; her threshold, _precipice_; her bed,
_lingering sickness_; her bed-curtains, _heart-rending care_.
=HELHEIM= (abode of Hela), name of a strong castle situate
in Niffelheim, in the midst of eternal damp, ice, snow and
darkness. Herein Hela receives and detains her dead guests.
=HERMOD=, an Asa, the messenger of Odin; from his name and
attributes he bears a strong resemblance to the Mercury of the
Greeks, _Hermes_.
=HERTHA= (the Earth), a purely allegorical divinity, and
sometimes used as a synonyme for Frigga. In the pagan time her
image was bathed once a year by female slaves, captives of war,
who were afterwards drowned by the priests in her honour, that
they might not reveal to profane ears the description of the
charms and mysteries they had seen and witnessed.
=HILDUR=, name of a heroine in the northern legends, afterwards
deified and enrolled among the Valkyrior. The story of Hildur,
as related by Samsoes, is as follows: Her lover Hedin and her
father Hogni slew one another in single combat. One night,
in the violence of her grief, she by her magic spells evoked
the ghost of Hedin; but her spells were so powerful, that the
ghost of her father Hogni also arose. The two ghosts commence
fighting, and every night they renew the combat, which is
destined to last until Ragnarok. Hildur is present and applauds
their courage. From this circumstance, War is called by the
Skalds _Hildur’s game_.
=HLESEY=, an Island in the Cattegat, supposed to be the
peculiar residence of Ægir, the god of the sea. Hlesey is now
called _Lessoe_. The word _oe_ in Danish and _ö_ in Swedish
means Island.
=HLIDSKIALF=, name of an immense high tower in Odin’s palace
Valaskialf, from the top of which he can see all that passes in
the world below.
=HLORRIDA=, a name given to Thor, when he drives his car
through the air, causing thunder. Etym.: _Hliod_ (sound), and
_rida_ (to ride).
=HLYN=, name of an Asynia, sent by Frigga to warn mankind of
sudden danger during darkness; from its etymology it evidently
typifies the flash of lightning that occurs at intervals during
a very dark night. The Danish word _lyn_ signifies “lightning.”
=HNOS=, name of a beautiful female child, the daughter of
Freya. Etym.: _hnoss_, an Icelandic word meaning _a precious
thing_.
=HOEDUR= or =HOEDER=, an Asa, twin brother of Balder; he was
born blind. How he slew his brother Balder with a lance made of
a branch of mistletoe has been already related. Hôdur is the
type of night and darkness, as Balder is that of light and day.
=HOFVARPUR=, name of the steed mounted by Gna the messenger of
Frigga.
=HRIMFAX=, name of the steed which draws the chariot of Night.
It means “frost bringer;” this steed is sometimes mounted by
Skada.
=HRIMTHUSSER=, mythologically, the name of a race of giants;
the word means “frost-demon”; and from the word _thuss_, demon
or evil spirit, comes probably the English word _deuce_.
Historically, they were probably the name of some Tartar tribe
at war with the Asar, and who harassed them exceedingly on
their march. From being good archers, and shutting one eye when
they took aim, they obtained the reputation of being one-eyed.
=HRINGHORN=, name of the bark or vessel of Balder, on board
of which his body was placed, and burnt after his death. It
derives its name from the circumstance of its prow being
decorated with rings of horn. Among the Skalds a ship was
often compared to an animal, and its masts to the horns of an
animal. These masts were made fast with iron rings round their
circumference, and this I take to be the surest origin of the
etymology of the name Hringhorn or Ringhorn.
=HROSVELGER=, name of a giant, who, in the shape of an eagle,
causes tempests by the flapping of his wings. Etym.: _hrosi_
(corpse), and _svelge_ (swallow), the wind being the cleanser
of all impurities.
=HRUGNER=, name of a giant made of stone, and animated by the
giants, in order to aid them in the conflict with the Asar.
Within his breast, instead of a heart, he had a three-corner
stone. He typifies probably a volcano, since in the Icelandic
tongue _Hrungnir_ signifies “something that makes a violent
noise.” Hrugner was slain by Thor.
=HUGIN= and =MUNIN=, names given to Odin’s two ravens, who
descend to earth, and bring back to him the news from the
nether world; when not employed as messengers, they perch
themselves on Odin’s shoulders. By _Hugin_ is meant “thought,”
and by _Munin_ “memory.”
=HVERGELMER=, name of a source or fountain in Niffelheim.
Etym.: _Hver_ (urn or kettle), and _gamla_ (old).
=HYMIR=, name of a giant, with whom Thor goes a-fishing in the
disguise of a peasant lad. He catches the serpent Jormundgard,
but Hymir files in two the anchor which served as a hook, and
the serpent escapes.
=IDA=, =IDAVALLEN=, name of the plain, on which the
resuscitated Asar and the human race are to be assembled by
Vidar, after the reconstruction of the world.
=IDUNA=, name of an Asynia, wife of Bragur. She is the guardian
of the golden vase, containing the apples of immortality, the
juice of which gives to the gods perpetual youth, health and
beauty. She was once carried off from Asagard by the giant
Thiasse, aided by the treachery of Asa Lok; and the gods
became at once old and feeble; but when Iduna was recovered,
and brought back to Valhalla with her precious vase, the gods
recovered all their power and advantageous attributes. This
mythe of Iduna’s apples has its parallel in the Amreeta (drink
of immortality) in the Hindoo mythology.
=ISSEFIORD=, name of a large creek or _fiord_, in the island of
Sealand (Denmark), lying towards the north.
=JETTE=, pl. =JETTER=, =JOTUN=. So were called the evil genii
or giants of the Gothic mythology. Historically, they were
probably the aboriginal inhabitants of Scandinavia, and were
of Celtic race, with black hair. Being engaged in continual
and deadly warfare with the Asar or Goths, from the time of
Odin’s invasion, these last may have, from a spirit of national
hatred, transferred the appellation Jotun to the evil genii of
their own mythology, before that epoch termed _Hrimthusser_. In
spite, however, of the hatred and jealousy between the Asar and
Jetter, they sometimes, like the Spaniards and Moors, formed
political and also matrimonial alliances.
=JORMUNGARD=, name of the mythologic serpent, called also the
serpent of Midgard. This serpent was offspring of Asa Lok,
by the giantess Angurbod. His enormous size and frightful
appearance excited such terror in the breast of the gods, that
they hurled him down into the ocean that surrounds Midgard.
There he is to remain until Ragnarok. On that day he will join
the giants in the battle against the gods, and will be slain by
Thor; but Thor will perish himself immediately after, from the
effect of the serpent’s venom. This serpent is represented by
the poets as holding his tail in his mouth, and is no doubt an
emblem of the great Ocean, which was thought in those times to
encircle the earth. His venom represents the dangerous effects
of humidity. In the Hindoo mythology, there is the serpent
_Naga_, which typifies the Ocean. Etym.: _jord_ (earth), _munr_
(mouth), _gard_ (inclosure).
=JOTUN= (giant); see _Jette_ and _Giant_.
=JOTUNHEIM=, peculiar province of the Jotun or giants in
Utgard. Geographically, it is thought to denote Siberia.
=LAUFEY=, or =LAUFEIA=, name of a giantess, the mother of Asa
Lok.
=LEIRE=, name of the ancient capital of Denmark, situated on
the Issefiord, in Sealand. Leire was the theatre of many an
important event. The modern city of Roskild is very near the
spot, where Leire once stood.
=LIF= and =LIFTRASIR=, names of two mythological beings, who
remain concealed in the wood of Hoddmimer, at the destruction
of the world, and from whom the new race of men are to spring;
these beings are purely allegorical, for _lif_ signifies
“life,” and _liftrasir_ “producer of life.”
=LINDERNÆS=, name of a promontory on the southern coast of
Norway, in the canton of Mandal.
=LODER=, an Asa, who conferred beauty on mankind; by some he
is confounded with Ve, the third person of the Scandinavian
mythologic triad.
=LOFNA=, name of an Asynia, who presided over marriage. Etym.:
Icelandic verb _lofa_ (to promise, to betroth).
=LOK=, =ASA LOK=, =UTGARD LOK=. In the Gothic mythology,
there are two important personages of the name of Lok or Loke,
in the earliest times perhaps identic, but in the latter
divided; namely Lok of Utgard, the supreme ruler of the giants
or malevolent spirits, belonging to our world’s system, who
dwells in and rules over Utgard; and Asa Lok, originally of
giant race, but admitted among the Asar. According to Ling, a
modern Swedish poet, in the notes to his poem, called _Asarne_
(the Asar), the mythe of the two Loks is thus explained: Utgard
Lok represents the subterranean fire and its destructive
effects, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions; Asa Lok represents
the deleterious qualities of the air, such as tempests and
unwholesome exhalations. In my opinion, the most simple
explanation of this mythe would be as follows: Utgard Lok
typifies physical evils and calamities, and in this respect he
resembles the Siva of the Hindoos; as possessor of subterranean
riches, he resembles the Plutus of the Greeks, who, as we are
told, was related to Pluto. Asa Lok is the type of moral evil,
or the propensity to vice in human nature, which has been
personified by the Orientals, under the various names of Satan,
Ahrimanes, Belial and Eblis. The punishment inflicted on Asa
Lok for his treachery has been already related. At Ragnarok,
he will break his chain, and join in combat with the giants
against the gods. He and Heimdal will destroy each other.
=LOPTUR=, a name given to Asa Lok; it means _one who runs
through the air_.
=MALSTROM=, name of the famous whirlpool on the coast of
Norway, near Lofoden. _Malstrom_ signifies “millstream.” It is
called by the Skalds the _mill of Ægir_.
=MAANEGARM=, name of the mythologic winged goblin, who
constantly pursues the moon (maane), and will swallow her up at
Ragnarok.
=MANHEIM= (abode of man), a name often given to Midgard, or the
earth.
=MEGINGARD= (girdle of strength), name of Thor’s belt, which
had the faculty of doubling his force when he girded himself
with it.
=MIDGARD=, name given to the earth, as being in the _middle
region_ between Asagard and Utgard.
=MIMER=, an Asa, the god of eloquence and of wisdom; he sits by
the wave of Urda, called the fountain of wisdom, of which he is
the guardian, and which springs near the ash-tree Yggdrassil.
Urda is the destiny of the past, so that the allegory is clear;
by consulting the records of the past, we gain wisdom and
experience.
=MIÖLNER= (breaker in pieces), name of Thor’s hammer, type of
the thunderbolt.
=MOKKURKALF=, name of a gigantic figure made of clay, and
animated by the giants, that he might aid them against Thor.
They gave to him the heart of a horse. This may allude to the
custom among many heathen nations of consecrating an idol of
clay, wood or stone, by putting therein the heart of a man, or
of some animal. Mokkurkalf was slain by Tialf.
=MUSPEL=, =MUSPELHEIM=, name given to the region of fire and
heat which lies to the south of Ginnungagap, and from whence
at Ragnarok, Surtur will collect flames, and set fire to the
universe. Flames are often termed by the Scalds “the children
of Muspel.”
=NAGLEFARE= (ship of nails), name of a bark or vessel built by
the giants. As its name imports, it was built of men’s nails.
On board of this vessel, the giants will embark at Ragnarok,
to give battle to the gods. The giants are continually at work
to increase its size; hence, those who neglect to cut off the
nails from the hands and feet of dead men, contribute to the
building of this vessel, and to the mischief that will ensue
from it. The popular belief of the continuation of the growth
of the hair and nails after death, has probably contributed to
this mythe.
=NANNA=, an Asynia, the wife of Balder, renowned for her piety
and constancy. At his death she threw herself on his funeral
pile, and was burned with him.
=NARF=, name of a giant, the father of Night, and also the name
of one of Asa-Lok’s sons by Sigyn.
=NASTROND=, name of a frightful and noisome marsh in the
subterranean world, filled with venomous serpents, and destined
as a place of punishment in the future life for those who are
absolutely incorrigible.
=NIDAROS=, a city in Norway of great historical celebrity, the
ancient capital of the kingdom, and now called Trondhjem, and
by the Germans Drontheim.
=NIDDING= means “_scoundrel_,” “_worthless fellow_;” it was the
greatest insult to a Scandinavian to call him a Nidding, and
the offence could only be expiated by the blood of the offender.
=NIDHÖG=, name of a frightful dragon that dwells in the marsh
of Nastrond, and who continually gnaws the root of the Ash-tree
Yggdrassil. Etym.: _nid_ (reproach, abuse), _högg_ (blow), in
Icel.
=NIFFELHEIM=, department of Utgard, region of eternal cold,
fog, darkness and horror, lying to the north of Ginnungagap.
It is sometimes used as a synonyme for Utgard, or for Helheim.
_Niffel_ means “fog.”
=NIORD=, or =NIORDUR=, is the Æolus of the Scandinavians, the
god of the winds. He is of Vaner race, and is father of Frey
and Freya. He was admitted among the Asar to preside over the
winds and is the type of the north wind in particular. He is
invoked by fishermen and travellers. He was afterwards married
to Skada, daughter of the giant Thiasse.--Niord is of a very
friendly and benevolent disposition. See the articles _Skada_
and _Vaner_.
=NORNA=, pl. =NORNOR=, name of the Parcæ, or Fates of the
Scandinavians; they were three in number, viz. Urda, Norna, or
destiny of the past; Verdandis, of the present; Skulda, of the
future. They sit near the Ash Yggdrassil, the tree of time,
where they weave the woof of human destiny.
=ODIN= is the Chief Asa, the king of gods and men, the
Jupiter and Mars of the Scandinavian mythology, and the
grand progenitor of the Scandinavian kings. Some think that
this was the name given to the supreme God of nature by the
Asar, previous to the invasion of the north-west of Europe
by the historical Odin, whose real name is said to be Sigge
(conqueror); and that the name of Odin was assumed by Sigge
during his life, or given to him by his followers after his
death. Others think that the real name of the great conqueror
was Odin, and that his name was given to the supreme unknown
God. At all events, the historical Odin was deified after
his death, and being confounded with the mythologic one, was
from that period worshipped as the supreme ruler of the
universe. Odin has an immense number of appellations, the
most remarkable of which are Alfader, Hœrfader and Valfader.
As god of war he is accompanied by two favourite wolves, one
called Gere (rapacity), and the other Freke (audacity), to whom
he gives his share of food at the banquet of Valhalla; for
according to the Edda, Odin lives on wine alone. Odin has also
two favourite ravens, one called Hugin (thought), the other
Munin (memory), who sit perched on his shoulders, and whom he
sometimes dispatches to bring him news from the nether world.
At Ragnarok, Odin is to be swallowed up by the wolf Fenris.
Odin bears a lance called Gugner.
=ODUR=, name of the husband of Freya, whom he abandoned on the
loss of her youth and beauty. He was changed into a statue by
Odin, as a punishment for his desertion. He was the inventor of
the art of making wine.
=OLUF=, a king of Denmark, slain by Starkodder, whom he
afterwards meets in Valhalla.
=QVASER=, name of a chief of Vaner race by his mother; his
father, name unknown, was an Asa. He taught mankind arts and
sciences, but particularly poetry. He was killed by two dwarfs,
who mixed his blood with honey, and poured it into a golden
vase. This drink had the faculty of inspiring poetical talent.
Suttung, the brother of Qvaser, revenged his death on the two
dwarfs, by binding them to a rock in the mid-ocean, where they
suffer perpetual hunger. He then took the vessel containing the
sacred liquor, and gave it in charge to his daughter Gunliod.
This liquor is called by the Scalds “Suttung’s mead,” and is
used as a synonyme for poetical inspiration. Etym.: _Qvasir_,
Icelandic word meaning “breath” or “inspiration.”
=RAGNAROK=, called also “the twilight of the gods,” is the
_last day_, according to the Scandinavian mythology, the day,
on which the whole creation, gods, giants, and mankind are to
perish in a shower of fire and blood. Ragnarok will be preceded
by a dreadfully severe winter of three years duration, called
the Fimbul-vetr. At Ragnarok the wolf Fenris will break his
chain, and so will Lok. A grand battle will be fought between
the gods and giants on the plains of Vigrid, wherein the
latter will be victorious; but it will be a fruitless victory,
for Surtur, with flames from Muspelheim, will set fire to
the universe, and involve victors and vanquished in general
destruction. Vidar alone will survive the general conflagration
and reconstruct the universe. The etymology of the word
Ragnarok, I conceive to be the two Icelandic words: _ragna_ (to
imprecate, implore vengeance), and _rok_ (violent tempest).
Some derive it from _regin_ (dynasts or gods), and _röckur_
(twilight).
=RAN= or =RANA=, name of a giantess, wife of Ægir the god of
the sea. She is of an extremely malevolent disposition, and
takes pleasure in causing shipwrecks and drowning sailors. In
the pagan time, when seamen found their ship about to sink,
it was their custom to hold a piece of money in their hand,
to propitiate Ran. In fact, Ran personifies the dangers and
destructive properties of the sea; Ægir the salubrious and
beneficial ones. The word _Ran_ in Icelandic means “rapacity,”
and from it comes the Danish verb _rane_ (to rob).
=RATATOSK=, name of the mythologic squirrel that resides on the
branches of the Ash Yggdrassil, and employs himself in running
up and down the tree, in order to sow discord between the Eagle
Hrosvelger, who sits on the top, and the dragon Nidhög, who
lies at its root. This will remind the reader of the fable of
Æsop of the eagle, the cat and the sow.
=RINDA=, name of a princess of Garderike, seduced by Odin.
=ROSKA=, name of a peasant’s daughter who, with her brother
Tialfe, was adopted by Thor and accompanied him on his travels.
She was elevated to the rank of an Asynia, and placed in
Folkvang, to dwell with Freya.
=RUNES=, mean “letters of the alphabet” or writings.
=SAGA=, an Asynia, the goddess of history; she is represented
with a graver and shield, on which she engraves events worthy
of commemoration.
=SÆHRIMNER=, name of the mythologic hog, whose flesh furnishes
food for the banquets of Valhalla. It is killed every morning
and resuscitated every night.
=SIF=, or =SIFIA=, an Asynia, the wife of Thor, renowned for
the beauty of her hair. Asa-Lok, to revenge himself on Sif for
spurning his addresses, cut off her hair while she was asleep;
but he was compelled by Thor to procure for her a new head of
hair, made of gold by the dwarfs. Hence gold is often termed by
the Scalds _Sifs hair_.
=SIGNE=, name of a Danish princess.--See Hagbarth.
=SIGYN=, the wife of Asa-Lok; she alone does not abandon him
in his adversity; and when he is chained in the subterranean
cavern, with the enormous serpents hanging over him, she holds
out a vase to catch the venom they let drop. When the vase is
filled, she goes out to empty it; the venom of the serpents
then falling on Lok, causes him to writhe with pain, and this
movement causes earthquakes.
=SIOFNA=, an Asynia, daughter of Freya; she presides over sleep
and sends pleasing dreams. Etym.: Icelandic verb _sofna_ (to
sleep).
=SKADA=, daughter of the giant Thiasse; she comes to Valhalla
in a fury, to revenge her father’s death, becomes pacified
at the sight of Balder, and having caught Niord at a game of
blindman’s-buff, obtains him for a husband; but their tempers
being very different, she being capricious and violent, and he
placid and benevolent, they soon quarrel. They cannot agree
about their place of residence; she wishing to dwell in the
mountains inland, and he preferring to dwell on the sea-shore.
Niord says:
“I was tired of the mountains,
Though I was not long there;
Only nine nights:
The howling of the wolf
Was disagreeable to me
Accustomed to the chaunt of the swan.”
Skada says:
“I could not sleep
On the banks of the sea,
On account of the screaming of birds;
And the sea-gulls by their cries,
Disturb my repose every morning.”
As _Skada_ means “_mischief_” in all the Teutonic and
Scandinavian dialects, (to scathe, in English), the allegory is
clear: by her union with Niord _she_ represents the mischievous
qualities of the wind, _he_ the salubrious and beneficent ones.
=SKALDS=, or =SCALDS=; so the poets were called in Scandinavia.
=SKIDBLADNER= or =SKYBLADNER=, name of a ship given to the
gods by Gerda, on her marriage with Frey. When not required
for navigation, it could be folded up like a scarf. It seems
to resemble the Sverga, or ship of heaven, of the Hindoos;
and they are both probably types of the clouds, for _sky_ is
“cloud,” and _blad_ a leaf, in the Icelandic tongue.
=SKINFAX=, name of the steed who draws the chariot of day. Its
meaning is “light-bearer,” the φωσφορος of the Greeks.
=SKIRNIR=, name of an Asa, messenger of Frey; he is sent by
Frey to negotiate his union with Gerda, and by Odin to procure
a cord to bind the wolf Fenris, both which commissions he
executes successfully. Etym.: Icelandic verb _skirna_ (to clear
up).
=SKRYMER=, name of a giant who meets Thor on his journey to
Utgard and leads him astray. He mystifies him also by giving
to him a wallet filled with provisions, but which Thor could
not untie. Etym.: Icelandic word _skrum_ (boasting), from which
comes the Swedish verb _skrymma_ (to look big).
=SKULDA=, name of the Norna, or destiny of the future. Etym.:
_skulu_ (shall), in Icelandic.
=SLEIPNER=, name of Odin’s charger. He has eight feet; he
typifies the wind with its eight principal points.
=SNOTRA=, an Asynia extremely graceful, who inspires mankind
with elegance of gesture and diction. Etym.: Icelandic verb
_snotra_ (to teach manners).
=STARKODDER=, name of a celebrated Scandinavian warrior. He
slew king Oluf in a perfidious manner, but having afterwards
greatly distinguished himself by a series of brilliant actions,
he seems to have obliterated his crime, for he was deified
after his death. He may be considered in some measure as the
Hercules of the Goths.
=SURTUR=, name of a formidable giant, who, with flames
collected from Muspelheim, is to set fire to the universe at
Ragnarok. Etym.: _surtr_ (swarthy in colour).
=SUTTUNG=; Suttung’s mead; see Qvaser.
=SVEA=, =SVITHIOD=, names of Sweden.
=SYN=, name of an Asynia who in this poem figures as the
porteress of Valhalla, but in the Edda she is porteress of the
palace of Freya.
=THIASSE=, name of a giant, father of Skada. In the shape of
an eagle he carries off Asa-Lok, and compels him to join in a
plot to steal away Iduna from Asagard. When Iduna is delivered,
Thiasse pursues her in the shape of a griffin, but is burnt to
death by falling into the bale fire at Breidablik.
=THOR=, an Asa, son of Odin and Frigga, the god of war,
strength, and thunder. He plays a most prominent part in the
Gothic mythology. He is the arch enemy of the giants, and is
constantly employed in punishing crime and oppression and
protecting the weak and virtuous. His various actions are
described in this poem, of which he is the principal hero. He
is the owner of a famous hammer called _Miölner_, and of a no
less famous belt called _Megingard_; he wears steel gauntlets
and brazen armour. He travels usually in a golden car, drawn
by two white goats, _Tanngniostr_ and _Tanngrisner_; when that
car rolls along the heavens, it causes thunder and lightning.
The worship of Thor seems to be of very remote antiquity; he
typifies probably the occult force of nature, which checks the
blind fury of the elements and brings them back to their proper
limits. There is no mention of Thor as an historical personage.
Odin is thought to have introduced the worship of Thor into
Scandinavia; hence, by mythologic filiation, he is said to
be Thor’s father; or this relationship may typify _supreme
force_ proceeding from _supreme wisdom_. Thor defeats and
puts to flight the giants; thus does thunder disperse noxious
exhalations and purify the atmosphere. Thor seems to resemble
the Indra of the Hindoo mythology.
=THRYMUR=, name of a giant who falls in love with Freya. Having
obtained possession of Thor’s hammer, Miölner, he offers to
restore it on condition of obtaining the hand of Freya. The
gods are unwilling to part with Freya, but hit on the expedient
of sending Thor disguised as Freya, and Asa-Lok as female
attendant, down to Thrymur’s abode in Jotunheim. As soon as
Thor obtains his hammer, he throws off his female attire, and
slays Thrymur and all his followers.
=TIALFE=, or Tialf, name of a young peasant adopted by Thor
and admitted among the Asar; he accompanies Thor as his
shield-bearer in all his expeditions. He is brother of Roska.
=TING=, or =THING=; a council is so called in the Scandinavian
peninsula. This word has the exact meaning of the English
word “thing,” “business,” etc., and of the Latin “negotium.”
_Storting_ means “grand council,” for _stor_ signifies “great”
in all the Scandinavian dialects.
=TRUDVANG=, or =TRUDVANGUR=, name of the domain of Thor, in
Asagard.
=TROLD=, in Swedish _Troll_, means an evil demon or goblin
in the Scandinavian mythology; they were very fantastic and
grotesque in their appearance. The French word _drôle_ (anglicè
_droll_) is probably derived therefrom, and was introduced by
the Norsemen when they conquered Neustria.
=TROLDKÆMPELAND=; the giants’ territory was often so called.
Etym.: _trold_ (goblin), _kæmpe_ (warrior), _land_ (land).
=TYR=, an Asa, renowned for his valour, and younger brother to
Thor. His celebrated adventure with the wolf Fenris, who bites
off his hand, is related in the 26th canto of this poem. Etym.:
_tyr_ (brilliant renown).
=ULLER=, name of an Asa who presides over archery and duels.
=URDA=, name of the Norna or destiny of the past. Etym.:
Icelandic word _urdu_ (was).
=UTGARD= is the name of the territory of the giants. It was
supposed to be to the north of Midgard, and that mountains
of ice formed the barrier between the two regions. It
also signifies the world below, and includes Jotunheim,
Svartalfheim, Niffelheim, and Nastrond. Etym.: _ut_ signifies
_exclusion_, anglicè _out_, and the etymology of _gard_ has
been already given as meaning _enclosure_. Utgard-Lok is the
ruler of Utgard.
=UTGARD-LOK=, see =LOK=.
=VAFTRUDNER=, name of a giant celebrated for his wisdom, who is
consulted by Odin under the name of Gangrôd (weary wanderer.)
Vaftrudner does not, it is true, figure in this poem, but I
introduce him into my catalogue because I am obliged to quote
some passages in a chapter of the Edda bearing his name, in
order to elucidate a passage of Œhlenschläger. Etym.: _vafi_
(eminent), _drutna_ (to be proud).
=VALA=, name of the sibyl or prophetess of the Gothic
mythology, who foretells the destruction of the world.
=VALASKIALF=, name of the palace of Odin, in Asagard, in which
he holds his court.
=VALFADER= (father of the choice), name given to Odin when he
presides at the banquets in Valhalla.
=VALHALLA= (hall of the choice), name of the celebrated
banqueting hall of Odin, in Valaskialf, and theatre of the
convivial festivities of the gods and Einherier.
=VALKYRIE=, pl. Valkyrior, name of the celestial virgins who
attend the fields of battle in order to carry off to Valhalla
the souls of the heroes who fall. They are mounted on white
horses, with fiery manes and tails. At the banquets of Valhalla
they hand round to the guests the mead and ale. The word
Valkyrie means _chooser of the slain_, because they choose
from the heaps of slain those who have shown most courage.
Owing to this belief, the word _val_, which originally meant
“choice,” was applied to a field of battle; hence the Danish
word _valplads_ and the German _wahlplatz_, both signifying
“field of battle.” _Kyrie_ comes from the old Teutonic verb
_küren_ (to choose); there is therefore, properly speaking,
tautology in the word Valkyrie, both the words of which it is
composed signifying _choice_. By the Valkyrior are thought to
be typified those meteoric appearances in the heavens, which
were supposed to forebode wars and tumults.
=VANER=, =VANAHEIM=; mythologically the Vaner were elementary
divinities, and Vanaheim was supposed to be situated in
the heavens, above the earth, immediately above Midgard.
Geographically, Vanaheim, according to Snorro Sturleson, was a
country lying immediately eastward of the Tanais or Don river;
but the historical Vaner are represented as a highly civilized
people, from whom the Asar learnt the arts and sciences and
all that embellishes life. Now I am yet to learn that the
inhabitants of the banks of the Don were ever remarkable for
refined culture; I therefore reject the hypothesis of Snorro
Sturleson, and adopt that of Finn Magnussen, who thinks that
by the historical Vaner are meant the Asiatic Greeks or the
Persians, from whom the Asar or Goths might well learn the arts
of civilization. Niord was a chief of Vaner race; Niord became
father of Frey and Freya by his sister. Such a matrimonial
connection was perfectly lawful among the ancient Persians, and
is so among their descendants, the Parsis or Guebres, to this
day. A learned friend of mine, a Portuguese by birth, by name
Dr. Constancio, much given to the study of philology and the
Eastern languages, thinks that by the Vaner and the country
inhabited by them, Vanaheim, may be meant the country bordering
on the lake Van or Erivan, in Armenia; and this seems extremely
probable, as the Armenians were a Persian peuplade, highly
civilized, and professing in days of old the same religion as
the Guebres. Mythologically, Niord and his son and daughter may
have been divinities worshipped in Armenia, Persia, and Asiatic
Greece, and the Asar may have adopted and incorporated that
worship into their own mythology, just as the Romans and Greeks
adopted many of the divinities and religious ceremonies of the
Egyptians. I think I can perceive a strong resemblance between
Frey and Horus, between Freya and Astarte, and between Niord
and Nereus.
=VANDHOSE= (water-spout), brother of Skada. Etym.: _vand_
(water) and _hose_ (trowser) in Danish.
=VAR=, an Asynia, the goddess of truth; she registers the vows
of mankind and punishes perjury.
=VARDOE=, an island of East Finnmark on the north-eastern
extremity of Norway, in latitude 75° north.
=VAULUNDER= is the Vulcan of the Gothic mythology. Historically
he was a smith, celebrated for the beauty and excellence of his
workmanship in metals. He forges weapons and armour for the
gods.
=VE=, name of the third person in the triad of the Scandinavian
mythology, and son of Bor.
=VERDANDIS=, or Verandis, name of the Norna or destiny of the
present. Etym.: _verandi_, participle present of the Icelandic
verb _vera_ (to be).
=VIDAR=, an Asa, god of wisdom and of silence; he wears thick
shoes, hence he is often called by the Scalds, “the god with
the thick shoes.” He never breaks silence, but his look is
so penetrating that he discovers the most secret thoughts of
men. He is to play a most important part at Ragnarok, and will
slay the wolf Fenris. Vidar alone will survive the general
conflagration and reconstruct the universe on an imperishable
basis. Etym.: Icelandic word _vitra_ (wisdom).
=VIL=, one of the sons of Bor, and second person of the
Scandinavian triad, Odin, Vil, and Ve. Of this triad Sneedorf
Birch thinks that _Odin_ typifies air or breath; _Vil_, light;
and _Ve_, warmth. The death of Ymer, therefore, by Odin,
Vil, and Ve, typifies the annihilation of ice and snow, and
elicitation of the products of the earth by air, light, and
warmth.
=VINGOLF=, name of a palace in Asgard, considered as the
peculiar place of rendezvous of the Asynior or goddesses.
=YGGDRASSIL=, name of the mythologic Ash-tree, called “The
tree of the world.” Of this tree it is thus written in the
prosaic Edda: “This ash is the first and greatest of all trees,
which spreads its branches over the whole earth. It springs
from three roots. Near one of these roots, which pushes the
trunk and branches towards Asagard, flows the fountain of
Urda, which contains the water of wisdom, and of which Mimer
is the guardian. The gods often descend to this spot, to sit
in judgment on the actions of mankind and of one another. They
interrogate Urda. The second root of Yggdrassil stretches
towards the region of the Hrimthusser frost-giants of Utgard.
The third root extends below, as far as Niffelheim, and is
continually gnawed by the dragon Nidhög.” By this, according
to Finn Magnussen, is meant the gradual deterioration of
the world, which will end in its destruction; for the Ash
Yggdrassil is no other than the symbol of our world. May I be
permitted to add my conjecture towards the interpretation of
this mythe: By the first root, which pushes stem and branches
towards Asagard, may be meant the elevation of our thoughts
towards heaven. By the second root, extending towards the
region of the ferocious Hrimthusser, may be meant the tendency
of our minds to fraud, rapine and violence; and by the third
root, gnawed by Nidhög, the writhings of conscience and of
envy: the etymology of the word Nidhög seems at least to give
some weight to my conjecture.
Of this tree it is further written in the prosaic Edda: “On
the branches of this Ash dwells an Eagle: he knoweth much, and
between his eyes sits a Hawk, called Väderfalner. A squirrel,
called Ratatosk, runs up and down the trunk of the Ash-tree,
and endeavours to excite discord between the Eagle and the
Dragon Nidhög, who dwells at its root. Four stags spring
round the Ash-tree, and bite its branches: their names are
Dainn, Dvalen, Dunneyr, and Durathror.” Among the various
interpretations given of this mythe, the following, given by
Grundtvig, seems to me the most happy.
“Yggdrassil is the genealogical tree of the human race; its
triple root denotes the three sorts of men who are to be found
on earth, viz. Those who cooperate powerfully for a noble
and eternal object (children of the gods); Those who work
powerfully, but for an ignoble and temporal object (children
of giants); and lastly, the idle, useless and powerless,
relations of Hela. The Eagle denotes the human mind in its
greatest elevation; the Squirrel denotes the tempter or type of
temptation, who is in compact with the Dragon. The Hawk denotes
the spirit of divination or presentiment of the future, which
agitates the human brain; and the four Stags denote the four
passions or desires of power, of honour, of wealth, and of
sensual pleasure.”
=YMER=, name of the giant, the great progenitor of the giant
race. He was slain by Bor and his sons, as has been already
related; and from his body the world was constructed, according
to the following lines in the poetic Edda in the chapter called
Vaftrudnismal:
From Ymer’s body
The world was created;
The mountains from his bones;
The heavens from the ice-cold giant’s head.
Ymer is evidently the type of the chaos.
As the reader may be curious to know how Ymer propagated his
race, I quote the following question and answer from the
Vaftrudnismal. Odin in disguise interrogates, and Vaftrudner
answers:
Tell me, Vaftrudner!
How did the giant of old (Ymer)
Beget children without a giantess?
Answer:
From the arm of the giant,
According to the tradition,
A boy and girl sprung together;
According to others a six-headed son
Was produced from the feet of the giant.
_Additional remarks respecting Valhalla.--The origin of its conception
and meaning._
Finn Magnussen says in his notes to the Vaftrudnismal, speaking of the
Einherier and their amusements: “This account of the amusements of the
heroes in Valhalla seems, with respect to the ideas of our forefathers
about the games suited to warriors, to correspond perfectly with
Xenophon’s relation of the warlike diversions of the Thracians, at a
great banquet in his time. These are his words: ‘A large round table
was prepared; the guests sat round it on benches strewed with leaves,
and drank out of large drinking-horns. After they had drank in honour
of the gods, and sung to them hymns of praise, the most distinguished
Thracians rose up, and began to dance and put on their armour, leaped
up and down, and fought with naked swords. One cut at another, who
immediately fell in such a manner, that we all thought he was slain;
but it was merely a feigned death in a mimicked fight. Then the
Paphlagonians gave a great shout. The conquerors stripped the conquered
of their armour, and chaunted a hymn in honour of Sitalka; but the
other Thracians bore out the fallen, and stretched them out, as if they
were dead, although no mischief had happened.’”
(_Xenophon’s Anabasis_, book VI.)
“After that, other warlike spectacles and dances took place, in which
women, who were real Amazons, took part. As such games were the delight
of the Thracians on the borders of the Black Sea, who were either
closely related to the Goths or the same people, so were they also
among the customs of our forefathers; at least their ideas of the
glories and delights of Valhalla seem to confirm it.”
_Opinion of the Swedish poet Ling respecting Valhalla._
Valhalla is the type of _heroic renown_. In all ages and among all
people, cowards have been held in abhorrence; for without courage,
strength of soul and firm will, nothing noble can be effectuated. He
who exposes his own life to save another’s, he who year after year
endures captivity with fortitude in order to enforce the truth of his
principles, or meets death with courage, in order to save another from
that fate, acquires now as formerly our admiration and esteem. He
was called by our forefathers Valhalla’s guest; and on that account
Ragnar Lodbrook and Gunnar entertained the hope, while expiring under
the fangs of serpents, to be received in Valhalla, because they bore
their sufferings with resignation, equally with those heroes who had
fallen in battle. But at Ragnarok Valhalla itself will disappear; i.e.
_heroic renown_ appertains merely to this earthly life, and with it
must finally pass away. Goodness alone lives eternally on the peaceable
ever-green island which rises from the sea, and on which stands the
palace of Gimle.
I here annex a translation I made of a chorus in the tragedy of Sigurd
Ring, by the Swedish poet Stagnelius, as it gives a lively picture of
the Valkyrior and of their occupations on the field of battle and in
Valhalla.
Aye! such is the Norna’s immutable doom!
On the earth ever discord shall rage!
But a banquet eternal in Asagard’s dome,
All sense of past sufferings assuage:
See her fiery-maned steed the Valkyrie bestride
Towards Valhall fresh hosts of Einherier to guide!
O’er the heath, where the warriors in battle array
Stand glitt’ring in armour, she flies;
To death first she dooms them, then bears off her prey
To partake of the bliss of the skies;
Not a thought doth the haughty one deign to bestow
On the tear of the bride, on the mother’s deep woe.
Now thickens the combat! now onward they dash
At the bugle’s sound savage and shrill!
Bows twang! arrows whiz! lances shiver! glaives clash!
Unyielding each host struggles still!
Now blood runs in torrents adown the green mead,
And the rivers are choked with the limbs of the dead!
On rides the Valkyrie; she knows where to chuse
The bravest midst thousands of slain;
She dismounts; bids them rise; then her course she pursues,
Till she reaches the Asar’s domain;
With pride she parades them still reeking with gore,
Still scarr’d with deep gashes, great Odin before.
Her armour now doffing, at Valfader’s feast,
Crowned with roses, in purple array’d,
The Valkyrie shines, and presents to each guest
The goblet high brimming with mead;
The heroes her graces bewitching behold,
And Bragur entranced strikes the harp-strings of gold.
With respect to the proper names, it may be asked why there is
sometimes a variation in the manner of spelling them; why, for
instance, Frey should sometimes be called Freyr; Niord, Niordur;
Heimdal, Heimdaller; Jormundgard, Jormundgardur. The explanation
thereof must be traced to the Icelandic language itself. In one of the
declensions many of the masculine nouns, and almost all the proper
names masculine, take _er_, _ur_ and _r_ as terminations of the
nominative case which are omitted in the other cases; and the Danish,
Swedish and German translators of the Edda have adopted the names
indifferently without assigning any reason.
THE GODS OF THE NORTH.
ARGUMENT OF THE POEM.
The Asar (Gods), and the Jetter (Giants), represent the two conflicting
powers of nature; the former represent the _creative embellishing_
power; the latter the _defacing destructive_ one. Lok[12] vacillates
between both, as the _variable spirit_ of time. He proposes to Thor to
travel to Jotunheim (abode of the giants), without the knowledge of
Odin, in order to punish the arrogance of the giants. Thor is mystified
in the subterranean world, and obliged to return unsuccessful; but he
makes two young people happy, and elevates them to the rank of gods,
because they left their home and parents, and confided themselves
implicitly to him. He again forms the resolution of revenging himself
on the giants for their presumption, and endeavours to catch the
serpent of Midgard. He travels this time with the consent of Odin, and
without Lok. Now he shows himself in the plenitude of his power, and
is on the point of catching the Serpent, when it is saved by the giant
Hymir. In his disappointment, Thor loses his hammer Miölner.
In the mean while Lok pays court to Sif, the wife of Thor, but meets
with a contemptuous repulse; to revenge himself, he cuts off her hair
while she is asleep. Compelled by Thor and Frey, he procures from the
Dvergar (dwarfs), new hair for Sif spun from gold, a new hammer for
Thor, the steed Gyllinbörste for Frey, and the ring Drupner for Odin.
Now it happens shortly after, that Lok sets out on an adventure with
Odin and Hœnir; but he is caught by the giant Thiasse, who compels
him to carry off Iduna from Valhalla, which he willingly undertakes,
in order to mortify the gods. With Iduna vanish health, strength,
beauty and youth from Valhalla; the gods lose their power. The Nornor
(fates), being consulted, announce to them, that “bravery with the
help of love shall compel time to fidelity, and blooming life again
return to Valhalla.” Now Thor compels Lok to bring back Iduna, and
Freya lends to him her falcon’s wings for that purpose. During Iduna’s
absence, Freya has lost her husband Odur, who deserted her, because her
youth and beauty had vanished. Skada forces her way into Valhalla, and
obtains Niord for a husband. Frey, having nothing to do, ascends to
Hlidskialf, which is now no longer brilliant, and where hitherto none
but Odin dared to repair. He finds himself punished for his temerity
by beholding a beautiful mountain-damsel (a rare exception), of whom
he becomes violently enamoured. Now Iduna returns to Valhalla, and
with her return health, youth and beauty to the gods. The gods are
described; the joys of Valhalla; the palaces of heaven; the Einherier.
Starkodder arrives in Valhalla, and is raised to the rank of a god.
Bragur sings a song in honour of Gefion. The love of Frey for Gerda
brings to pass a reconciliation between the gods and giants. Skirnir,
Frey’s messenger, consoles his master, by reminding him of Odin’s own
amours. He travels on his master’s account to the abode of the beloved
damsel, overcomes all difficulties, solves the riddles of the giants,
shows to Gerda the portrait of Frey, and softens her heart. Her father
gives his consent, on condition that Frey shall cede to him his sword.
During his travels, Skirnir has likewise procured for Odin a chain,
wherewith to bind the wolf Fenris. On the marriage day of Gerda, the
wolf is bound, but Tyr loses his hand. In this manner the operative
influence of the giants on the gods is made manifest. The rash Tyr
defies the brave Thor; Thor becomes angry, revenges himself on the
innocent human race, and repents his anger. The marriage of Gerda
is celebrated a second time at the palace of Ægir, god of the sea.
There Lok, enraged at the captivity of Fenris, and his own expulsion
from the banquet, endeavours to spoil the joy of the meeting, insults
the gods, and is compelled to fly. Banished, and weary of wandering
about, he again earnestly desires to visit Valhalla, and promises,
in order to atone for his effrontery, to procure for Thor the true
hammer Miölner from the giant-king Thrymur. Thrymur consents to restore
the hammer, but only on condition of Freya becoming his bride. Lok
brings this message to Valhalla, after the Alfer had procured for him
his pardon from the Asar. Vexed at the contempt of Thor, and seeing
the possibility of doing a treacherous action, he gives way to the
temptation, and through the means of Heimdal persuades the Asar to
a stratagem; so that Thor, dressed as Freya, goes down into Utgard.
When Thor is in Utgard, and the hammer Miölner is placed in his lap,
he revenges himself by slaying all the giants, except the old ones
and the children, who remain concealed in the deepest recesses of the
mountain with Utgard-Lok. Then arises from the vapour of the blood a
remarkably tall female figure, sent by Alfader. She prophecies the fall
of Valhalla, the death of Balder, the torments of Lok, the approaching
destruction of the universe, and the punishment of the gods for their
deceit; which is, that their existence shall for a time pass away, and
the whole creation perish by fire. After this, she consoles them with
the assurance of a future life, where innocence and bliss are to reign
eternally.
[12] Asa-Lok.
THE GODS OF THE NORTH.
For all proper names, the reader is requested to consult the
Alphabetical List preceding this poem. The notes to which the figures
refer, are to be found at the end of the poem.
CANTO I.
THOR SETS OUT ON AN ADVENTURE WITH LOK.
A story wonderful to hear
Recorded stands in ancient runes;
Now to my golden harp give ear,
And ponder well its mystic tunes!
The strange events, which yet remain
Unravell’d of the Asar bright,
Be mine the glory to explain,
And all their actions bring to light.
Th’ eternal wars, the deadly hate
Between the Gods and Giant race;
Of Asa-Lok the guile innate;
Alfader’s wisdom; Freya’s grace;
The Berserk fights of Thor the bold;
The joys of Valhall, dome sublime:
All these I sing: come, young and old!
And listen to my varied rhyme!
Thus sang in days of yore a Scald,
And I from him repeat the song:
A land there is, Trudvanger call’d,
Where frowns a castle huge and strong:
This building boasts its massive walls,
And many a spacious colonnade;
Its forty and five hundred halls
With silver or with gold inlaid.
How many forests, lakes and fields
On every side this pile surround!
The roof is tiled with copper shields,
Which shed a dazzling lustre round.
Therein the mighty Asa dwells,
Whom mortals term the god of war;
Odin excepted, he excels
All other gods: his name is Thor.
Around his waist a belt he wears,
And gloves of steel his hands protect;
Miölner, a hammer vast, he bears,
When in the fight he stands erect.
That belt a tenfold power doth give,
When round his loins he girds it tight;
Nor doth the foe remain alive,
On whom his hammer haps to light.
Late vanquish’d by the Asar brave,
Excluded from the solar ray,
Bound in the mountain’s deepest cave,
In fetters Lok of Utgard lay.
But vain the giant monarch’s doom,
Naught can his stubborn hate control;
Here in the midst of cold and gloom
Fresh thoughts of vengeance fire his soul.
Like singed threads his chains he rends,
Bursts through the surface of the earth,
To Upsala his course he bends,
Of Northern gods the sacred hearth;
He there extinguishes the fire,
And shakes to dust the temple’s walls.[13]
This deed excites great Odin’s ire;
To council he the Asar calls.
Each at the council board, I ween,
Gave the advice that seem’d him fit:
But Thor with hand beneath his chin
Lost in reflection seem’d to sit.
Much did the hero muse and scan,
How best to punish Loki’s crime,
And by some well-concerted plan
To crush the Lord of Jotunheim.
To rove in search of glorious war
This Asa chief finds much delight,
High seated in his golden car
Drawn by two goats of colour white.
Earth well may tremble with dismay,
When through the skies this chariot rolls,
For clouds then veil the face of day,
And awful thunders shake the poles.
But ’mongst the Asar one call’d Lok
Holds rank, nor undeserved the name;
For much he joys with spiteful mock
To lacerate his neighbours’ fame.
Howe’er he shine in outward grace,
Hollow and false is all within:
Before the Ash[14] he oft must pass
In penance for his various sin.
With scorpion wit and envious tongue
Though oft he gives the Asar pain,
Still his arch jests and gibing song
Compel them strait to laugh again:
His features fair are own’d by all,
But all his mind perverse deplore;
He takes his seat in Odin’s hall
Upon the bench next Asa-Thor.
The Nymphs[15], that Valhall’s dome adorn,
With breast of lily, cheek of pink,
To all th’ Einherier in their turn
Now bear around th’ immortal drink.
The largest horn high-fill’d with mead
Was drain’d by Thor the chieftain bold:
And then to seek his goats he sped,
And yoke them to his car of gold.
He grasps his hammer, mounts his car,
And bids Lok place him by his side;
The thunders roar, the lightnings glare,
As down the vault of heaven they glide!
Heimdaller views them roll along,
And greets with trumpet loud and shrill:
The seven virgins[16] tune their song,
And Thor salute with gracious smile.
Then Lok on fraud and guile intent,
Thus Thor address’d: “Methinks, ’tis time
Our bitter foes to circumvent,
And quell the powers of Jotunheim;
Thou mayst defy the force of fire,
And laugh to scorn the earthquake’s shock;
Feelest thou not a strong desire
For once to visit Utgard Lok?”
Then Thor: “My corslet braves the steel;
My helm unbruised in fight remains:
And, be he dwarf or giant fell,
Whom Miölner strikes, it ends his pains.”
Now to the earth they swift descend;
The birds sing gaily in the wood,
And every flower its head doth bend,
Owning the presence of a god.
The sun now sinks beneath the main,
The night obscures its parting rays;
Rolling athwart the starry plain,
The moon its silver disk displays:
Two funeral mounds appear in sight:
Then first the eyes of Asa Thor
Glisten’d in triumph. Late at night
They stand a peasant’s hut before.
They ask for shelter; lowly bows
The peasant, and replies: “My lords!
You’re welcome here to seek repose;
But little else my roof affords.”
They needs must stoop to enter through
The cottage door; and there they found
The peasant’s wife and daughter too
Sitting the lowly hearth around.
The daughter was a graceful maid
With azure eyes and golden hair.
They rose; and thus the matron said:
“Alas! but meagre is our fare:
Mere roots and herbs our meal supply;
No flesh invigorates our blood.”
“Fear not! This night shall be no lack of food.”
See now the giant-queller raise
His hammer! lo! his goats he slew!
Such was his custom: with amaze,
Yet not displeased this act to view,
The old dame stared; then rushed in haste
Upon the board to spread the cloth;
While Lok, as cook, prepared to baste
The meat, and mix the savoury broth.
A wondrous fact I now reveal:
Thor drives these goats around the earth,
And slays them for his nightly meal,
When no provisions cheer the hearth.
This done, their skins and bones he takes,
And casts them in a corner strait:
And lo! those goats, when he awakes,
Again stand living at the gate.
See from the wood the peasant’s son
Laden with faggots now appear!
He piles them on the hearth: anon
The smoking steaks the trav’llers cheer:
No dish had they; Thor’s buckler broad
This want supplied: and now they feed
With hearty zest, while the goats’ blood
Furnish’d to all delicious mead.
No sooner was the supper past,
Thor rose observant of his rite;
The bones within the skins he cast;
This did not ’scape the urchin’s sight:
His liquorish tooth would fain partake
Of daintier food than met the eye;
So unperceived a bone he brake,
And suck’d the marrow greedily.
The morning dawn’d: with choral strain
The feather’d songsters fill the skies:
The sun ascends: the travellers twain
From slumbers light refresh’d arise.
To war and bold adventure prone,
Each buckles on his armour strait,
And whets his weapon on the stone,
That stands without the cottage gate.
As in the car the Asar sprung,
The urchin’s trick was manifest;
One goat limp’d heavily along,
As if with lameness sore oppress’d.[17]
Thor was enraged; his colour fled;
He bit his lips; his eyes flash’d fire;
Well might the wretched peasant dread
For wife and child the chieftain’s ire.
But more so, when he saw the chief
Brandish on high his hammer vast:
The danger threaten’d, no relief
At hand; with fear he stood aghast:
Then, kneeling down, he humbly sued
Forgiveness for the stripling’s guile,
Offering all he had: the God
At such an offer well might smile.
Relenting at the peasant’s prayer,
And pitying his extreme distress,
He bade him rise with friendly air,
And gave his hand in pledge of peace.
“If to my care thou wilt confide
Those children stout,” said Asa-Thor,
“I will for all their wants provide,
And teach them both the art of war.”
Pleased to escape with a whole skin,
This offer glad the swain embraced:
Lok gave to each a javelin,
And strait their limbs in armour laced:
Their glist’ning eyes the joy reveal
Of Tialfe bold, and Roska bright:
To serve the God how proud they feel,
And court the perils of the fight.
The Lord of Trudvang now design’d
On foot to seek the giant’s lair:
His car and goats he left behind,
Confided to the peasant’s care.
Impatient of delay, he fain
Would march direct to Jotunheim.
They journey on o’er many a plain,
And rivers cross, and mountains climb.
And now can I assert with truth,
Tialfe became a warrior good;
No son of earth could e’er this youth
Surpass in zeal and fortitude:
His strength by Thor was duly prized,
As gay he trudg’d across the field,
And on his brawny shoulders poised
The heavy bag with viands fill’d.
E’en Freya’s self could scarce excel
Young Roska for her shape and air;
Her bosom now is cased in steel,
A golden helmet crowns her hair.
Thor towers aloft in plates of brass,
With Miölner in his right hand gleaming:
Lok trips along in light cuirass,
His dark locks o’er his shoulders streaming.
Now marching on, the tedious way
They oft beguile with gay discourse;
Sudden a wild tempestuous sea
Appears in sight, and checks their course!
The roaring billows reckless roll’d
White foaming ’gainst the marble steep!
And Rana’s voice was heard to scold
With frightful scream from out the deep!
The mighty monarch, Ægir hight,
Consort of Ran, o’er ocean reigns:
Beneath a roof of pearl so bright
He sits, and stern his right maintains;
With diamond-pointed pole the wave
He guides; a silver helmet, starr’d
With coral, decks his temples grave,
And sea-weed forms his shaggy beard.
On Hlesey you may find his throne
Of muscle-shell: this monarch sage
Can by a frown or wink alone
The billows’ utmost wrath assuage.
’Twixt him and Niord a pact holds good,[18]
And when Niord rides across the deep,
On coal-black courser mounted proud,
The winds are hush’d, the billows sleep.
Lok now with terror stood appall’d;
This did not ’scape Thor’s eye severe.
“Ha!” to his comrade stern he call’d:
“Let not thy courage fail thee here!
Take heart! take heart! if thus we shrink
At th’ onset of our enterprize,
What shame! what scandal! think! oh think!
Thou didst thyself this plan devise.”
Thus said, into the foaming sea
He plunged, and bade them follow strait:
No more delay; they all obey;
And spite of helm and corslet’s weight
With nervous arm they stem the brine;
With fear no more their bosoms quail:
They heed not now the mermaid’s whine,
And laugh to scorn the snorting whale.
On, on they swim with hope elate,
In spite of warring wave and wind;
And though the waves high o’er them beat,
Full many a mile they leave behind.
At length the lightning’s vivid flash
By fits reveals a glimpse of land;
And breakers, that around them dash,
Give hopes to gain the adverse strand.
How wondrous is thy strength, O Thor!
Encouraged by th’ example set
Of that brave chief, they reach the shore,
And land in garments dripping wet.
The moon, emerging from a cloud,
A wild and barren heath displays:
They droop, but Thor cries out aloud:
“Now, by yon moon’s benignant rays,
“We may some dwelling find at last;
Let us inland our course pursue!”
O’er sand and ice they struggle fast,
While cold and bleak the north-wind blew.
Roska at length, with marching spent,
Implored her fellow-trav’llers’ aid;
Lok carried now the damsel faint,
Lok ever lov’d a beauteous maid.
Now burst the clouds with thunder riven,
And dark as pitch the sky became,
Save when athwart the vault of heaven
A meteor lanced a transient flame!
The rain in torrents now descending,
Struck terror in each trav’ller’s breast;
E’en Thor himself, that chief unbending,
Could scarce his mind of fear divest.
He girds his belt around him tight:
“Here Lok of Utgard’s juggling play
Hath ample scope the heroes bright
Of Asagard to lead astray.
But short shall the fiend’s triumph be;
His insolence will I chastise,
And teach him low to bend the knee
Before the rulers of the skies!”
Thus Thor. At length a hut they find;
They enter; it may serve them well
For shelter from the piercing wind
And rain, that still in torrents fell.
But such a hut was never seen;[19]
Open remain’d one side entire;
’T was one vast door; the chiefs, I ween,
This entrance strange did much admire.
They loose their wallet now to seek
Their food, by hunger gaunt compell’d;
Poor Roska, with a pallid cheek,
Sat in a corner, half congeal’d.
Two legs of goat they soon consumed,
Then laid them down to seek repose;
But Thor alone the watch assumed,
His thoughts forbid his eyes to close.
His cheek upon his palm reclines;
He sits beside the spacious door;
Secure of Miölner, he designs
Destruction to the giant’s power.
This gives him comfort and delight;
What glory will to him accrue!
How oft during the long, long night,
He grasps with pride his weapon true!
CANTO II.
SPELLS UPON THE HEATH.
As Thor now sat with watchful ear,
In pensiveness profound,
A startling din he chanced to hear,
’Twas like the earthquake’s sound.
All nature shook; the billows’ roar
By this was deafen’d quite:
Thor grasp’d his hammer, nor forbore
His belt to fasten tight.
Now starting up, the Asa spake
Aloud with accent shrill:
“Who is it dares this noise to make,
When Hlorrida lies still?”
His choler he could scarce restrain,
He fain would kill and slay;
And much it gave the hero pain
No foe stood in his way.
A comet now with awful sweep
Shot through the sky blood-red,
And, stretch’d out on the earth asleep,
A Jotun vast display’d!
His snoring made the mountains shake,
So frightful was the sound;
He seem’d as long as the boa snake
On Java’s swampy ground.
When Thor’s eye to the spot was turn’d,
He saw the giant move,
And on the goblin’s skull he burn’d
His hammer’s strength to prove.
Of this the giant seem’d aware,
He started up in haste:
The sight all mortal eyes would scare,
Of such dimensions vast.
He view’d his foes with fearful scowl,
He shook his shoulders broad;
His voice was like the ice-bear’s growl,
Vex’d by the hunter’s goad;
Each of his nerves like brass was strong,
And hard and tough his skin;
He bore a pole of iron long,
Instead of javelin.
Now Thor to scrutinize his foe
With cautious look began;
Then burst he forth: “Say, who art thou,
Thou strange, wild-looking man?”
Then he: “From Goblin-land[20] I come,
All weapons’ force I mock,
For who shall Skrymur overcome,
Who serves great Utgard-Lok?
“Thy name I ask not, and though now
I first behold thy face,
The features of our bitt’rest foe
In thine, methinks, I trace.
And though the Asar with applause
Thy merits loud proclaim,
We giants spurn their boasted laws,
And laugh to scorn their fame.
“The trifling noise my snoring made
Hath caused thee much alarm;
With helm and plume upon thy head
Thou canst not reach my arm.
Upon my palm I’d hold thee high
All in thy armour dress’d;
Yet of our Jotun race am I
The weakest and the least.”
He gazed around on every side,
His eye-balls fiercely glared:
“Where is my glove? (he gruffly cried,)
To steal it who hath dared?”
At length a horse-laugh wild and fierce
Announced the giant’s mirth;
He laugh’d to see Thor’s followers
From out the hut come forth.
The giant now to feel the ground
Stoop’d down with knitted brow;
He stoop’d again, and groped around:
“My glove, where is it now?”
His helm’s bright horse-hair waved sublime,
Like fir-crown’d mountain’s top:
He stoop’d once more; and lo! this time
He took the cottage up!
Then first our travellers perceiv’d
By th’ morning dawn full well,
That, what a cottage they believ’d,
Was a vast glove of steel.[21]
Upon his hand the giant drew
The glove; it fitted tight;
At once it fill’d the champions true
With wonder and affright.
But Thor exclaim’d: “Cheer up, my friends!
Believe me! strength or skill
Never on size alone depends;
The wolf an ox can kill.
For me, with this foul fiend to cope
Quite resolute I stand:
Shame were it, should an Asa droop
With Miölner in his hand.”
Now this discourse the giant fear’d;
He lean’d against his spear.
“What urgeth Thor of Asagard
To quit his brilliant sphere?
What moves the mighty God of war
To tread this barren strand?
Why is he come without his car
To our dark Goblin-land?”
Then thus replied with accent grum
The god to heroes dear:
“Enough! it pleas’d me here to come,
And, therefore, I am here.
’Bout Lok thy swarthy king things strange
I’ve heard, and now I go
My thoughts with him to interchange
In Utgard’s realm below.
“I long to view that Chief of fame,
And tarry there awhile;
For naught I fear his arms of flame,
Nor e’en his magic guile:
The giants long have learn’d to quake,
When Asa-Thor drew near.”
Tialfe and Roska, as he spake,
Now smiled, devoid of fear.
The giant now with bitter sneer
Thus boisterously replies:
“I warn thee not to persevere
In this rash enterprize:
Athwart the iron staves so high,
That Utgard’s realm surround,
No Asa with impunity
His entrance e’er hath found.
“Restrain thy course, thou Asa pale!
Nor seek our realm to view!
For there thy strength will naught avail;
Thy rashness thou mayst rue:
As friend, I know, thou comest not,
But shouldst thou entrance gain,
Defeat and shame will be thy lot,
And hope of flight is vain.
“Go back, I say! once more return
To thy star-lighted dome!
Midst wilds of bramble, brake and thorn,
What boots it here to roam?
A desert drear, where howls the storm,
A sea, where billows roar,
Between the gods and giants form
The bound’ry ever more.
“In warlike games and banquets gay
The Asar pass their time,
Warm’d by the sun’s eternal ray
In Asagard sublime:
A royal life of bliss and power
The Nornor them have given;
And mortals fervent still adore
The denizens of heaven.
“But for the swarthy giant brood
Far different is the lot:
They wax in strength and hardihood
I’ th’ mountain’s deepest grot.
Earth’s sons to us no honour pay;
They venture not to tread
Those dreary wastes, where we hold sway;
They fly from us with dread.
“Darkness our realm for aye conceals
From earth’s light-favour’d sphere:
No fires, but what the flint reveals,
Our gloomy caverns cheer:
The Asar’s glory ’tis to found
Creation, order, life:
But we delight to spread around
Destruction, ruin, strife.”
Now Thor was stagger’d, and anon
With Miölner struck his shield.
“Thou bitter fiend! thou evil One,
’Gainst sense and feeling steel’d!
My hammer cannot here, of course,
Attain thy lofty brow;
But thou shouldst feel my lightning’s force,
Were in Trudvang now.
“Do Utgard’s champions dare to hold
To Thor such language proud?
Foul pismire thou in earth’s black mould!
Vile slug with torpid blood!
Thinkst thou to damp my courage high,
Because thou tower’st above
These brambles? I thy arms defy;
Thy arts my pity move.
“I tell ye plain, ye giant brood!
Were ye in number more
Than snakes in Nastrond’s marshy flood,
Or sands on the sea-shore,
I’d brave ye all; for none alive
Would Thor the combat shun;
To me what pleasure would it give
To slay ye every one!
“Not only valour stout in war,
But wit, and skill, and grace
Our Asar boast; and think ye, Thor
Cannot your Lok surpass?
Your frightful teeth may terrify
The children of mankind:
Thor’s frown alone would make ye fly,
Like chaff before the wind.
“Alfader hath of old consign’d ye
To realms of damp and shade;
In caverns deep, ’tis there we find ye
In treach’rous ambuscade;
Night only gives ye courage; then
Ye quit your lurking place,
And with huge clubs and frightful din
The works of man deface.
“When the poor trav’ller seeks his home,
Ye lead him far astray;
With murderers and wolves ye roam,
And guide them to their prey:
Ye feast on human hearts; their blood
Ye drink with savage joy;
And all that’s useful, great, and good,
Your lust is to destroy.
“But tremble! think! the day will come,
When you shall perish all:
The Nornor have decreed your doom;
By our hand shall ye fall:
Your limbs shall be consumed by fire;
The mountains be your grave:
Let no one hope Alfader’s ire
Unpunish’d long to brave!
“In torrents shall your life’s blood flow;
The dwarfs, although they be
Your kinsmen, towards your overthrow
Shall lend their industry:
For us the sons of light ’tis they
That forge the weapons good,
And those same weapons shall one day
Be colour’d with your blood.
“Behold this hammer! from its blow
The tide of death bursts forth:
’Twas a dwarf’s gift; this girdle too!
I’ve prov’d, methinks, its worth.”
Thus said, the hero brandish’d high
His Miölner; at the sight
The giant cow’ring made reply:
“I question not thy might:
“Let us be friends, thou Asa good!
To Utgard straight I’ll guide thee;
And every night with choicest food
For supper I’ll provide thee:
And Utgard-Lok will much rejoice,
Such is my fond belief.
Himself to see and hear the voice
Of such a glorious chief.”
Silent they moved along the strand,
While Skrymur march’d before,
Bearing a wallet in his hand:
E’en Roska fear’d no more.
The farther they advanc’d, the road
Less difficult became.
Thor’s anger vanish’d; on they strode;
With joy their faces beam.
They cross’d a plain at close of day;
On th’ borders of a wood
Arrived, quoth Skrymur: “Here we may,
Methinks, take rest and food.
Let us this night no further go,
Repose we all do need:
And, when at morn the cock’s shrill crow
Awakes us, we’ll proceed.”
His heavy wallet down he flings,
Then adds with meaning sly:
“Be cautious not to spoil the strings,
When you this bag untie!
In it, believe me, thou wilt find
A supper, better far
Than what, O Thor, thy consort kind,
Sif, could herself prepare.”
And now under the green-wood tree
The giant went to sleep,
While shelter’d by the forest’s lee
The rest their vigils keep:
For they would fain, by hunger press’d,
Of the good cheer partake
The bag contain’d; and oft they bless’d
The donor for its sake.
At length said Thor: “We must, my friends!
Our work with caution ply:
Since Skrymur caution recommends,
When we this bag untie.
Methinks, ’twere better to confide
To Roska’s hand this toil:
Her fingers soft will best avoid
His precious bag to spoil.”
Now with good will fair Roska took
The wallet on her knee;
And while the task she undertook,
Sat down beneath a tree.
The wallet to unbind with care
Much did the damsel strain;
The knots so closely twisted were,
’Twas labour all in vain.
Then Thor from his moss-cover’d seat
To Tialfe said: “Try thou!
For supperless thou wouldst regret
To go to sleep, I know.”
Now with the wallet on his thigh
Young Tialfe sat him down,
But vain his active fingers ply;
He gives it up full soon.
“I cannot by soft means,” he cried,
“These close-tied knots undo;
Force must be used.” “Nay!” Thor replied,
“Ye all have heard my vow
The Giant’s wallet not to spoil;
But since our food we need,
Go, Lok! try thou the arduous toil!
Thou mayst perhaps succeed.
“For what to man remains unknown,
Thou often canst divine;
Doubtless, thy hand, Laufeia’s son!
Will these hard knots untwine.”
Lok took the wallet up, and strove
Dextrous the knots to loose;
But vain his skill and efforts prove
Against the mystic noose.
Thor smiled; he rose, and seiz’d the bag,
By hunger gaunt impell’d;
Yet soon his strenuous efforts flag:
Lo! Thor himself hath fail’d!
The God in wrath took up at length
His sword, the knots to cut;
In vain he cut with all his strength;
The wallet open’d not.
With both his hands in fury now
He lifts his hammer fell:
“The fiend has juggled us, I trow,
With some accursed spell.
To punish him be mine the task,
And Miölner will, I trust,
Athwart the Goblin’s broken casque
Its shaft with brains incrust.”
With this, upon the giant’s head
He dealt a pond’rous blow:
The giant oped his eyes, and said:
“What hath disturb’d me so?
Upon my cheek hath fall’n some leaf,
As fast asleep I lay;
But where’s my wallet, mighty chief?
Hast thou untied it, pray?”
Now red with anger Thor became:
“Thou bitter fiend! this night
(He murmur’d, while his eyes shot flame)
Shall death thy fraud requite.”
Once more to sleep the giant rude
Address’d himself; his snoring
Deafen’d the monsters of the wood
In awful concert roaring.
Now Thor, much vexed, a second blow
With force redoubled gives:
His eyes roll fearful to and fro:
“What? still the Goblin lives?”
At length with rage and fury spent,
He throws his Miölner down:
But to the nib the hammer went
Into the giant’s crown.
The giant woke: his mouth he screw’d;
“I now perceive full well,
While I was sleeping in the wood,
An acorn on me fell.
But where’s my wallet? comrades dear!
Have ye the knots untwined?
And did ye not delicious cheer
In my good wallet find?”
The giant turn’d again to sleep
All on the mossy ground;
While Thor with thoughts of vengeance deep
His belt fast round him bound:
He raised his powerful voice aloud
To Odin’s throne on high;
The very beasts that haunt the wood
Were frighten’d at his cry.
His eyes flash’d fire; a crash was heard!
He struck with might and main!
But lo! the giant’s temples hard
Unscathed still remain!
“How now? what’s this? upon my brow
A branch hath fall’n, I find:
But where’s my wallet? tell me now!
Have ye the knots untwined?”[22]
Shaking his limbs, the giant vast
Slow from the grass rose up;
The sun, emerging from the east,
Now gilds the forest’s top.
“Methinks,” said he, “O chief divine!
Our course we should pursue,
If still it be your firm design
Great Utgard Lok to view.”
The giant now with shield and spear
Moved on, and led the way:
Close in his wake the others steer
Their course, all blithe and gay.
But lo! the tall cloud-threatening towers,
Though distant, meet their eyes,
Where dwell the fierce gigantic powers,
Who gods and men despise!
’Tis Utgard! rocks piled upon rocks
Compose its ramparts vast!
And see what massive bolts and locks
Its portals huge make fast!
Enormous bars of iron, long
As mast of admiral,
Form palisades with sharpen’d prong,
Which stoutest hearts appal.
“Behold our city!” Skrymur cried,
“Its towers impregnable!
Its stony bastions stretching wide!
Its palisades of steel!
Yet fear thou naught! accept this pike!
Thou needst but once the gate
With its enchanted point to strike,
And lo! ’twill open strait.
“And now farewell! I must begone,
And leave ye here behind:
To guide ye safe to Lok’s proud throne
Giants enow ye’ll find:
Take heart! with a firm step advance!
Valour ye do not lack;
With such a hammer, sword and lance,
Ye need fear no attack.”
Thus said, he grasp’d his wallet fast,
And bound it to his spear;
Then strode on to the mountains vast,
Which towards the north[23] appear,
And soon he vanish’d from their view
The winding rocks among;
While Thor with his companions true
’Gainst Utgard march’d along.
CANTO III.
THOR IN HELHEIM.
The story you’re about to hear
May well incredible appear:
To visit the remotest end
Of Utgard’s realm the chiefs pretend:
Not easy will this project prove
Through wastes of endless frost and snow;
At each third step they onward move
O’er the glazed frost, they fall back two.
The road, on which their course they bent,
Now form’d a deep and dark descent:
They grope along through ice and snow,
And though pitch dark, they hear cocks crow.
Thor ever foremost marches on;
The others follow the faint light
That from his brazen armour shone,
And shudder oft from cold and fright.
Through caverns drear they move on slow,
Which seem to lengthen as they go;
Pale shadows flit along; they hear
The rustling sound of waters near:
Now toads croak harsh, and owlets screech;
Now fogs arise, and vapours damp;
But Thor, intent his goal to reach,
Struggles across the frozen swamp.
At length the gloomy fogs of night
Became dispell’d by sudden light;
Though faint, it fail’d not to impart
Fresh vigour to the Asa’s heart.
Two torches burning blue anon
A lurid flick’ring gleam display;
While through the cloven rock the moon
Sends forth a pale and wizard ray.
At length a massive gate they reach:
Two grisly fantoms there kept watch:
One seem’d a female, one a male;
Their furrow’d cheeks were deadly pale.
Lo! slowly rising from their seat,
They fix the chiefs with earnest gaze;
These halt before the pond’rous gate,
And view those forms in mute amaze.
In shrouds of white the spectres grim,
While ague shakes each gelid limb,
Brandish aloft with angry groan
Their javelins form’d of human bone.
As Thor advanc’d, their shields they clash,
And croak aloud these words of fear:
“Go back! go back! ye strangers rash!
Whence do ye come! what seek ye here?
“Why seek ye in the pride and bloom
Of health and youth these realms of gloom?
Never did such a troop before
Find entrance to this fated shore.
For those who meanly die on straw,
The Nornor have these shades decreed;
But not for those, who Odin’s law
Hold sacred, and in battle bleed.
“Ye may not tread this threshold fell,
Bound fast by adamantine spell:
’Tis here a pale-blue female reigns,
Here stern her fearful law maintains:
Here captive holds the dastard crew,
Who on the bed of sickness die,
Who wounds and glorious death eschew,
And basely from the combat fly.”
Then Thor: “We’ve reach’d th’ abode, I ween,
Of Hela, unforgiving queen;
O Lok! we now shall soon behold
Thy pale-blue daughter stern and cold.”
Then Lok grew pale, and trembling said:
“Let us return! I bitter rue
My grievous fault: O! how I dread
My frightful offspring’s face to view!”
Then Thor replied with look severe:
“A God should never yield to fear;
Shame! resolution thus to lack!
Rouse all thy nerve, and shrink not back!
A giantess[24] thy heart subdued,
And thou to passion didst succumb,
Too well I know, that nothing good
Can from the blood of giants come.
“’Twas Skulda in her book of fate
Did this event predestinate;
If she decreed thy amorous flame,
Who shall that prudent Norna blame?
Thy offspring causes fear, ’tis true,
But never can contempt excite;
Not only men, but Asar too,
All view her features with affright.
“Where joy and pleasure flourish most
And nurs’d by strength their empire boast,
Yet still, at the bare sight of fear
Those blessings straight will disappear;
Thus Fenris can embitter all
The glories of Valhalla’s feast;
His very look hath power t’appal,
And freeze with dread great Odin’s breast.
“And say! how should our Asgard then
Differ from the abode of men,
Did not death, misery and disgrace
A line of demarcation trace?
Like Midgard’s snake,[25] misfortune fell
Winds round, and gnaws the heart of earth;
And he too, Lok, thou know’st full well,
From thy embrace derived his birth.
“Yet, O thou Asa dear! ’tis well
Thou hast engender’d the grim Hel!
Due honour she should ever find;
She punishes the Nidding kind,
She my avenger is; ’tis she
Who best upholds my law and right;
Take courage, therefore! learn from me
Never to think of craven flight!”
This sage discourse now caus’d the fear
Of Asa Lok to disappear;
To him much consolation gave
The prudence of his comrade brave.
Thor rais’d his lance; the portal vast
He struck with force; it swung around,
Like leaf before th’ autumnal blast;
The hinges creak’d with jarring sound.
Now Thor his champions onward led,
The vault re-echo’d with their tread;
Now little Roska ’gan to cower,
And closely grasp’d the hand of Thor.
Through many a winding gall’ry past,
They stumble on, or creep, or glide,
Until a flick’ring flame at last
Serves their ambiguous path to guide.
At length an opening towards the north
They find, and ’gainst it struggle forth;
To where the roof describes an arch,
And forms a vestibule, they march;
This vestibule to a vast hall
Conducts them, where they now behold
The wretches deaf to honour’s call,
Whom Helheim’s bars imprison’d hold.
Along the wall pale phantoms flit,
Who groan and shake with aguish fit!
Palsies, catarrhs, and fevers grim
Prey on each agonizing limb.
When Thor advanc’d, they wept and whined;
Down their wan cheek a cold sweat flows!
While slimy snakes, around them twined,
Cause by their bite convulsive throes!
Under the vaulted roof, behold!
A throne appears, but not of gold,
Silver, or ivory; this throne
Was built of human sculls alone!
Thereon sat Hela, fell to view;
Her skin a chalky hue reveal’d,
Down from the girdle; livid blue
Above it seem’d from blood congeal’d!
A man’s thigh-bone in moonshine bleach’d
T’ enforce new torments she outstretch’d,
For never her vindictive mind
Allows to rest the Nidding kind:
This bone exhal’d a corpse-like smell;
On high she waved it like a wand;
It made all crouch; it serv’d full well
As sceptre in her clammy hand.
No sound, but moans to make flesh creep,
Here interrupts the silence deep;
No zephyrs thaw the frost severe;[26]
Cadav’rous odours taint the air;
Three torches blue illum’d the scene!
By each a ghastly spectre stood!
Shapes frightfully diseased were seen,
But on their limbs no trace of blood!
Now Thor began to smile; exempt
From fear himself, he with contempt
The crowd of trembling ghosts beheld,
And loud this stern discourse he held:
“O wretched fools! why did ye shun
The dangers of all-glorious war?
Thus may it fare with every one
Who dares not follow Asa-Thor!
“Ye miserable, who eschew’d
Danger and death and scenes of blood!
Weaker than women! Hela now
Grinds ye with never-ending woe;
Ye fear’d to don the warrior’s helm,
And trembled at the bowstring’s twang;
Well, now, in Hel’s accursed realm,
Ye tremble with eternal pang!”
Thus Thor: the ghosts respond with moan:
The chief advanc’d to Hela’s throne,
And though thick fogs his utt’rance choke,
He still, though hoarse, thus suppliant spoke:
“Hela, terrific queen! whose eye
Fills every living breast with fear,
Ah! not spontaneously do I
Before thy awful throne appear.
“I cannot the desire withstand
To visit Lok of Utgard’s land;
I long that chieftain to behold,
And therefore here have travell’d bold.
Then, O! resolve me, Hela true,
For well thou know’st each distant clime,
Where must I turn? what course pursue,
To reach the realm of Jotunheim?”
Then Hela croak’d out thus with force,
From throat with fogs and vapour hoarse:
“Begone from hence! depart! away!
Ye’ll soon arrive where giants sway;
The rosy hues that stain your cheek
My eye-balls sear to look upon;
Of health, and youth, and strength they speak;
Such sights I loathe: avaunt! begone!”
Now Thor a sign impatient made
Behind him, which his troop obey’d.
Lok ventur’d not to raise his eye,
As he stern Hela’s throne past by;
He closed his eyes her sight to shun,
And stumbled heavily along:
She look’d at him and breath’d a groan,
Which echoed far the rocks among.
I will not hide the fact that Thor,
However firm and brave in war,
Seem’d anxious much and was not slow
To quit those gloomy realms of woe.
They march into the mountain’s core,
And issuing from the farthest rock,
They soon arrive, and stand before
The palace vast of Utgard-Lok.
CANTO IV.
THOR ARRIVES AT UTGARD.
When Utgard now before him lay,
The chief seem’d well content:
Its site hemm’d in by mountains grey,
Its towers, its vast extent
Excite his wonder: at the gate
A chosen band of warriors sat,
All clad in armour shining,
With cheek on hand reclining.
Down from the walls they cast a look,
And at his hammer sneer:
The shield of each was granite rock,
A huge pine trunk each spear!
But while on Thor they look askance,
And view him closer still advance,
They shout, his efforts braving,
On high their lances waving.
And now to giant Skrymur’s wand
Thor needs must have recourse;
He snatches it from Tialfe’s hand,
And strikes the gate with force.
The bars and bolts receded straight,
And open flew the massive gate,
On creaking hinges wheeling,
A wondrous scene revealing!
Young Roska now was like to swoon,
When viewing with dismay
Abodes, where cliffs in arches hewn
Exclude the light of day.
And strange to all appears the sight
Of walls of alabaster bright
In Utgard-Lok’s vast dwelling,
The giant fire-compelling.
No solar beam hath ever shone
Within this mansion wide,
Where seated on his marble throne
Reigns Utgard-Lok in pride.
Around their sovereign scornful stand
In triple rank a numerous band;
Cuirasses bright of iron
Their bodies stout environ.
When Utgard’s haughty chief beheld
The glance of Thor severe,
His quiv’ring lip too plain reveal’d
Signs ill-suppress’d of fear.
His muscles were of marble grey,
Nor sense nor feeling they betray;
With eyes like rubies glaring,
On Thor he fix’d them staring.
Still fogs and darkness reign’d: anon
Lok utter’d accents strange;
A blow his brazen shield upon
Now caused the scene to change.
Then flames burst from the vaulted dome,
And play’d around the spacious room,
A varied light displaying,
O’er gold and silver straying!
In motion seem’d the arches all;
Then Lok: “That trembling roof
Behold! twill crush ye, should it fall;
’Twere best ye keep aloof.”
Struck with these words Thor rais’d his eyes,
And view’d above him with surprize
A moving rock appalling,
Which threaten’d instant falling.
Intrepid thus he spoke: “Let that,
Which can’t itself sustain,
Fall down! thy rocks may crush me flat;
Thy warning I disdain.”
And now down fell the pond’rous mass,
And roll’d along the cavern’s base,
Afar its fragments scatt’ring,
With awful din and clatt’ring!
And lo! exuding from the ground
A poisonous vapour grey,
Like billow, roll’d the hall around;
But all at once to stay
Its course at Aukthor’s feet it seem’d,
And in a circle ’bout him steam’d;
But naught he fear’d, when gazing
On all those sights amazing.
Then Thor: “In vain to cause my death
Thy rolling rocks conspire;
And naught avail to quench my breath
Thy poisonous vapours dire:
From noble Frigga’s womb I spring,
My sire is Odin, puissant king
In lofty Asgard dwelling,
All other gods excelling.”
Then Utgard Lok with accent grum:
“I know the reason well,
That brings thee to these realms of gloom,
Where swarthy giants dwell:
I know thy lineage and thy blood,
Yet laugh to scorn the Asar brood,
Thy hammer’s force despising,
And naught thy merit prizing.
“Thou boastest of thy strength sublime
And all thou canst effect;
We giants still fore Arild’s time
Were giants, recollect!
Before the Asar we held sway,
Before thou, Thor, hadst seen the day;
Before thy hammer’s glory
Had furnish’d theme for story.
“Let me our earliest records trace!
Before the world’s creation
There was a vast and empty space;[27]
Therein no vegetation.
Ice, snow, and fog from Niffelheim
Lay northward; south from Muspelheim
Proceeded sparks of fire,
That warmth and growth inspire.
“Against the frost i’ th’ vast abyss
Winds from the south now came;
They mix’d; then matter dropp’d, and this
One solid heap became:
Now cold ’gainst fire, and fire ’gainst cold
Long struggled hard the palm to hold;
But fire remain’d victorious:
Thence Ymer sprang the glorious!
“Him we acknowledge as the sire
Of our gigantic brood:
E’en ye our towering size admire,
With strength immense endow’d.
At that time thy earth-shaking car
Did not exist, presumptuous Thor!
“Let me,” quoth Thor, “this history
Expound and all its mystery!
“The wond’rous facts I now relate.
Than I none better knows:
Alfader gave the word; and strait
The cow Audumbla rose!
She lick’d the frost from the hard mass;
Thence sprang the noble Asar race
From solid strength descended,
With warm blood ever blended.
“With matter cold mix’d genial flame;
Then Bure sprang to life;
After him Bor; a giant dame[28]
He carried off as wife:
This pair combined in high degree
Strength, beauty, grace, and symmetry;
His birth from their embraces
Each Asa proudly traces;
“The Alfs and Vaner too: in fine
Whate’er in Heimkringlas
Is found most precious, rare, and fine,
Was join’d to build our race.
The finest oaks must flourish tall,
Be fell’d, and cut in faggots small,
When fuel we require
To feed the nuptial pyre.
“Therefore, that first ye saw the light,
Ye giants proud! ’tis true;
Yet Bor, our ancestor, in fight
Your hero did subdue:
Ymer could not the force withstand
Of Bor; he perish’d by his hand;
That giant so presuming
In his own blood lay fuming.
“Then down into the deep abyss
Bor Ymer’s body cast;
This form’d the Earth’s vast edifice;
His blood the Ocean vast;
The mountains from his bones arise;
His brains compose the cloudy skies,
And still continue dreaming,
With constant changes teeming.
“Then all around and up and down
The eye-brows thick he spread,
And lo! from these the lofty town
Of Midgard lifts its head!
The scull was next spread out, and bent
To build the heavenly firmament,
Which Freya tinged with azure,
The fav’rite hue of pleasure.
“Now Bor in haste from Muspelheim
Took many sparks, and threw them
High ’midst the firmament sublime,
And there ye still may view them:
There still they glow with brilliant light;
There still, as they revolve, excite,
Above their heads and under
Their feet, the Asar’s wonder.
“Now Bor and Bure fell’d two trees,
Which grew by the sea-shore;
A man and woman’s form to these
Was given by mystic lore:
From the strong oak the man was made;
The fragrant rose produced the maid,
In grace and beauty shining,
All hearts to love inclining;
“Askur and Embla hight: and lo!
Bure this couple led
To Midgard’s city: from those two
The human race proceed:
There still they dwell and multiply,
And render to the Asar high
Their constant adoration,
With many a rich oblation.
“Full well can I this hist’ry trace.
And every fact relate,
What time befel the giant race
Destruction and defeat:
Bergelmer only and his wife,
Saved on a wreck, escaped with life:
From them thy giant nation
Derives its generation.
“To dwell in caverns ’neath the earth
We Asar have compell’d ye:
Why boast ye then your earlier birth,
Since thus we gods have quell’d ye?
Spite of your spells and magic song,
Ye dwell perforce these rocks among:
At night alone ye rally,
And forth on mischief sally.
“As noxious herbs and weeds incline
To spread afar their roots,
Fraud, rapine, evil to enshrine,
Such are your main pursuits!
Ye think once more in arms to try
Your strength against our dynasty;
Your boasts are out of season;
Ye’ll bitter rue your treason.
“For not content with mischief done
To Askur’s sons of earth,
Ye’ve dared to wreak your malice on
Upsala’s sacred hearth.
Down have ye cast the temple’s walls,
And this aloud for vengeance calls;
Ye’ve quench’d the sacred fire:
Tremble for Odin’s ire!”
His eye shot flames as thus he spoke,
His nostrils breath’d disdain;
Proud and contemptuous was the look
He cast on Utgard’s train:
His brazen armour’s brilliant sheen
Made every Jotun quake, I ween;
Himself stood calm, defending
His right with soul unbending.
The wild flames caused him no affright,
Which all around him shone;
Sudden a stream, as silver bright,
Rush’d like a torrent down:
It near’d his feet, and fain would go
Beyond, but, stopping, ceased to flow,
As if with fear congealing
At Aukthor’s look repelling.
At length the giant king rejoin’d,
While fear assail’d his heart:
“I would not, that with angry mind
Thou shouldst from hence depart:
Then tarry here with us awhile,
And on our pastime deign to smile!
This realm, trust my assertion,
Can furnish rare diversion.
“We’ll enter on a course of games,
When ye’ve repose enjoy’d,
Such as a noble race beseems
Of hate and envy void.
In such a combat we can well
Prove, without wrath, who most excel
In wit, strength, or invention,
In generous contention.
To this proposal Thor agreed:
Lok rising from his throne
His guests with courteous gesture led
Into a wide saloon.
Golden its walls; of marble neat
The table rests on golden feet:
There stand with liquor glowing
Carbuncle cups o’erflowing.
Loud through the echoing rocks around
The various metals clang!
Cascades of quicksilver resound
A strange and wizard twang!
Now Thor sat down with conscious pride,
His three companions by his side,
Their minds, without misgiving,
To joy and pleasure giving.
CANTO V.
MAGIC SPELLS IN UTGARD.
Now at the festive board sat down
The chiefs in social converse. Lok
Arose, and thus in jesting tone
The ever sprightly Asa spoke:
“To pass the time, while here we sit,
Let us some mirthful game devise,
Some trial of our strength or wit,
And prove who best deserves the prize.”
“To this proposal I agree,”
To him thus Utgard-Lok replied;
“And what the game or sport shall be,
Let thy ingenious brain decide!”
Then catching up some roasted meat,
The Asa laughing cries: “’Tis well;
Be this my first triumphant feat!
In eating none can Lok excel.
“I find my appetite increase
By what I have endured of late;
By plenteous cheer ’twere not amiss,
Methinks, my strength to renovate:
Good trencher-men in troth we are,
Of limbs robust and stomachs able:
Go, therefore! bid the cook prepare,
And set the viands on the table!”
“To what best suits thee I accede,”
Still jesting, Utgard-Lok replies;
“There can be nothing worse, indeed,
Than hungry from the board to rise:
Yet, my good friend! thou’lt soon perceive,
However strong thy stomach be,
In eating thou canst naught achieve
’Gainst one of my good company.”
This speech annoy’d Laufeia’s son;
He jump’d up hastily, and said:
“Thou whoreson fiend! thou evil one!
Think’st thou my purpose to dissuade?”
The swarthy chief made no reply,
But call’d to one amidst his crew:
“Come forth!” and lo! with fearful cry
Starts forth a goblin[29] fell to view!
Obedient to his master’s call,
Who now his zeal and service claims,
He stalks across the spacious hall,
In armour cover’d o’er with flames:
The most were yellow; some were red;
Some blue; anon with scornful look
Towering above his rival’s head,
He cast his eyes on Asa-Lok.
His widely gaping mouth reveals
A double row of grinders long;
At every finger, ’stead of nails,
Were likewise teeth both sharp and strong:
And strange to tell, each tooth displays
On mouth or hand a pow’rful light.
Young Roska view’d them with amaze,
And shrunk back trembling with affright.
The shadows that obscured the rock
All vanish’d at the goblin’s sight.
“I do perceive,” said Asa-Lok,
“Each of thy limbs hath power to bite:
Yet trust me! though thou hast the power
Each finger to employ as tooth,
Thou’lt not be able to devour
More food than Loptur with his mouth.”
Into the hall by Lok’s command
A dish was brought of purest ore;
’Twas vast in size, and it contain’d
Of joints of meat an ample store.
The ugly fiend and Asa-Lok
Set to and crunched with all their might;
They eat, as though they both would choke:
This caused much wonder and delight.
Each sat at one end of the dish,
But in the middle soon they meet:
Lok from the bones had clear’d the flesh;
At length he could no longer eat.
Not so the goblin; he devour’d
The hard bones, golden dish, and all:
He roll’d his eyes around the board,
And for more viands fain would call.
Now loudly laugh’d the giant crew;
E’en Thor the serious laugh’d outright:
Young Tialfe grinn’d, and Roska too
Was much diverted at the sight.
The guests now sitting round the board,
As arbiters pronounce the doom;
They loud proclaim with one accord,
That Asa-Lok was overcome.
Then Utgard-Lok in jesting mood
Call’d out to Tialfe by his name:
“Since we are cloy’d with drink and food,
Let us arrange some other game!
We practise here, the time to kill,
Jokes and diversions not a few:
Go thou, brave youth! and try thy skill!
I fain would see what thou canst do.”
“What callst thou trying? do not boast
Too much!” the ardent Tialf replied:
“Though Asa-Lok the prize have lost,
That cannot, sure, our worth decide.
He gave me armour; and ye’ll find,
Though ye can bones and dish devour
Like dogs, that with undaunted mind
I brave, and hope to quell your power.”
Then Utgard’s Chief with knitted brow
Rejoin’d: “Twere bootless to contend
On what is past and gone: do thou
Propose some game, my youthful friend!”
“Good!” answer’d Tialfe: “Be it so!”
And strait his corslet ’gan t’ unlace.
“An ye consent, I’m ready now
With any of your train to race.”
Then thus the swarthy chief: “’Tis well;
And such a sport, methinks, is meet:
For when our arms in vigour fail,
We find our safety in our feet.
Come then! begin! trace out the course!
Yet I suspect, thou’lt soon succumb,
However great in speed thy force,
When racing with my little Thumb.”[30]
Now Tialfe’s limbs with anger shook,
He threw around a scornful glance;
And view’d forth crawling from a nook
A strange and dwarfish elf advance!
Though little strength he seem’d to boast,
Yet supple as a bow was he:
A veil enveloping his bust
His features none allow’d to see.
“I see his body swells or shrinks,”
Quoth Tialf, “at pleasure ’fore the wind;
In elasticity, methinks,
He leaves all creatures far behind.
Come, little hero! come along,
And let us strait begin our course!
Much need we, when the race is long,
Not merely suppleness, but force.”
The signal given, off they set!
The rocks re-echo with the sound!
The dwarf first reach’d the goal, and met
Full butt his rival, turning round.
Tialf bit his lips, and scarce suppress’d
His anger; panting thus he spake:
“’Tis not enough our speed to test;
Let us another trial make!”
Now off they start again: and though
With all his might young Tialfe raced,
Swifter than dart from archer’s bow
The supple dwarf the goal embraced.
He halted, while his rival still
Distant a half bow-shot was seen;
Thus easy baffling Tialfe’s skill,
He chuckled in his sleeve, I ween.
One trial more the chiefs ordain’d;
The dwarf the gage rejected not;
He flew, and quick the goal attain’d,
And strait returning, reach’d the spot
From which they started, long before
Tialfe himself could reach the goal.
The youth sank breathless on the floor,
With jaded limbs and anguish’d soul.
That Tialf was vanquish’d all agreed:
Like wind the dwarf now vanish’d fleet.
Then Utgard’s chief to Aukthor said:
“Now try thyself some dextrous feat!
Thy champions hitherto have shown
But little skill and little power;
But thou perhaps, and thou alone,
Mayst all our efforts overpower.”
Thor drily then: “It may be so;
I seek not our defeat to skreen:
In eating, certes, I allow,
That Asa-Lok hath vanquish’d been.
But that which most is thought in me
Surprising, is my power of drink:
Bring me a drinking horn! ye’ll see,
From no competitor I shrink.”
The chief gives signal; quick as thought
Into the spacious hall is borne,
Of curious yellow metal wrought,
And carved with runes, a drinking horn.
Its point extreme, so vast its length,
Afar without the cavern lies:
E’en Thor, though conscious of his strength,
Was stagger’d at its awful size.
With anxious eye and strict attention
See Thor this vessel contemplate!
It seems in truth of vast dimension,
Yet for his stomach not too great.
Then Utgard’s chief. “Well mayst thou doubt,
If thou hast power that horn to drain:
He who can see its measure out,
Certes, will not of thirst complain.
“But when through guile or negligence
A giant hath our laws profaned,
To empty that whole horn’s contents
Is oft the punishment ordain’d.
One draught the horn can seldom drain,
In two the feat we sometimes see;
But there is none among my train
Who cannot empty it in three.”
To him thus Asa-Lok replied:
“’Mongst all the chiefs in Odin’s realm,
If my experience may decide,
In drinking Thor bears off the palm.
Whene’er he calls aloud for drink,
And graps the horn with nervous arm,
The Asar back with terror shrink,
And Valhall trembles with alarm.
“For him Iduna’s tender care
Provides the luscious apple-wine;
And scarcely more delicious are
The kisses from her lips divine:
In drinking, as in fighting great,
One single draught doth Thor suffice
The largest horn to empty strait;
And none with him dispute the prize.
“A well known fact I now declare;
As’-Odin every morning hies
To Mimer’s sacred fountain, where
He courteous for a drink applies:
Then Mimer from those bounteous rills
A beaker, of dimensions vast
In depth and breath, with water fills;
That water boasts of wine the taste.
“Odin once Valaskialf forsook;
To travel far it seem’d him fit:
While absent, Thor that beaker took,
And at one draught he emptied it:
Since then, the mighty warrior’s fame
Resounds from every Asa’s mouth,
And Asgard’s chronicles proclaim
The feat. I tell ye naught but truth.
When Odin learn’d this act of Thor,
Thus burst he forth in angry tone:
“Ha! what presumption! thou art far
Too daring and too rash, my son!
That fountain fresh with wisdom glows;
Thor drank and straight did wit obtain:
How canst thou, then, our chief suppose
Incompetent thy horn to drain?”
Then answer’d Utgard’s prince: “Who knows?
In Odin’s hall perhaps they feel
Less thirst than here.” Then Thor arose,
And with that arm, whose nerves are steel,
The horn he lifted from the ground;
Nor difficult this effort seem’d:
This movement caused an echoing sound,
And was alone a marvel deem’d.
“Of drinkers we will hail thee first,
If in that horn thou naught dost leave;
And certainly thy tongue with thirst
Unto thy palate will not cleave.”
Thus sneering said the fiend: awhile
The Asa stood immers’d in thought:
Then grasp’d the horn with sudden smile,
And took one long and pow’rful draught.
E’en as the sandy wilderness
Drinks in th’ impetuous floods of rain,
That pour down from the heavenly space,
Thus Aukthor drank, and drank amain:
He stopp’d, and with complacent look
Began the vessel to explore;
Yet spite of the long draught he took,
It seem’d as full as ’twas before.
But Thor’s high courage never fails;
He leans upon his hammer bright:
Again the beaker he assails,
And quaffs with all his soul and might.
In furrows deep his forehead rolls;
His veins swell at the effort rude:
He drank, as do the clefts and holes
Of the ravine drink in the flood.
Once more the chief review’d the horn;
Full, as before, the horn remains:
How deep did then our hero mourn
His baffled strength and bootless pains!
Well might this horn with wonder fill
Those, who knew not its mystery;
For, spite of all he swallow’d, still
The smallest space was not left dry.
Again the god his mouth applies
Th’ unfathomable horn to drain:
He drank, e’en as the deep abyss
Drank in the blood of Ymer slain:
The giants who this feat beheld
All with astonishment turn’d pale,
But prudently their fear conceal’d:
Yet e’en this draught did nought avail.
When Asa Thor at length perceived,
How fruitless all his efforts were
To drain the horn, he inward grieved,
And thus he spoke: “I must declare,
Ye chiefs of Jotunheim are first
In power of swallowing drink, as well
As flesh; for such unnatural thirst
We sons of Asgard never feel.
“The bowl we Asar do not drain
The feverish heat of thirst to quell;
We feel it not; ’tis strength to gain,
That we imbibe our hydromel.
How joyous at the board we meet!
What lovely maids our drink prepare!
’Tis far less water’d, and more sweet
Than your insipid beverage here.”
Then to the god these words address’d
The chief of Utgard’s gloomy state.
“When with broad shoulders we are bless’d,
The stomach also should be great;
But since ’tis only sport, I fain
Some other proof of skill would see;
Some cheerful game do thou ordain!
The choice, O chief! I leave to thee.
“Our custom in this vast saloon
Is to divert ourselves with play;
Tis thus with my companions boon
Fast glide the tedious hours away;
Then let us now at once proceed
To try some sport, the time to pass
I have it: Who can best succeed
In lifting up a ponderous mass?”
Quoth Thor: “I do consent to that.”
Lo! from a hole came running out
A big and curious broad-tail’d cat,
And twirl’d itself the hall about.
It look’d at Thor, and seem’d to quake
With terror; then it shrunk, and bent
Itself in folds, like wily snake,
To spring upon its prey intent.
With its red eyes so small it peep’d,
Hunger and malice in its frown;
Then on its belly forward crept,
And gently by the god lay down.
No furs enwrapp’d this creature’s skin,
But rings of horn its limbs encased;
When first call’d forth the sport to join,
It seem’d with terror sore oppress’d.
It play’d and frisk’d the guests among
With tail so scaly long and thick;
Its mouth protrudes a forked tongue,
With which ’twas wont its lips to lick.
Then Lok: “Canst thou lift up that cat,
O Thor! thy strength is great indeed.”
“Nay!” answered Asa Lok, “a weight
Far greater he can lift at need.
“The hammer that our chief doth bear,
Alone outweighs one hundred pound;
But mark my words, while I declare
A feat, for which he’s much renown’d:
Once into lovely Freya’s hall
He enter’d, while she sleeping lay;
He seiz’d the goddess, couch and all,
And bore them in his arms away.
With freshest rose-leaves fill’d, the bed
Was wrought of massive golden ore;
But though so heavily it weigh’d,
With ease he raised it from the floor;
Then to his castle, Trudvang hight,
Triumphant bore it through the air;
So noiseless was the Asa’s flight,
He naught disturb’d the sleeping fair.
The goddess bright with roses crown’d
Awoke at midnight’s solemn hour,
And much did it the fair astound,
To find herself in Aukthor’s bower:
Himself was kneeling by her side;
Till roused from her surprize at length
She rose in all her beauty’s pride,
And trembled at the hero’s strength.[31]
Since charged with load of such vast weight,
He bird-like cleaved the liquid air,
Dost thou suppose thy frightful cat
Too heavy for his arm to bear?
Two sable cats[32] draw Freya’s car,
And what they draw, he raised alone:
Than both his strength was greater far;
Think ye, he cannot lift up one?”
The prince of Utgard smiled: “Take care!”
Quoth he: “be not too sure of that!
For I suspect, that Freya’s car
Is far less heavy than my cat.”
Now Thor prepared in Utgard’s hall
His strength to prove with eager zest;
But silence he implored from all,
And all complied with his request.
Fixing the cat with watchful eye,
Thor ’neath its belly threw his arm;
It claw’d and spat most frightfully,
And whined with fury and alarm.
’Twas vain with this vile beast to cope,
And Thor soon found his efforts weak;
The more he strove to lift it up,
The higher still became its back.
On high, as far as arm could reach,
He raised the creature towards the roof;
But higher still the cat could stretch
Its strange elastic form at proof:
So hard the struggle, e’en the soul
Of mighty Thor felt some dismay:
Now through the roof he breaks a hole,
And fain towards heaven would lift his prey.
But spite of all his efforts, he
Could raise but one leg from the hearth;
Tenacious clung the other three,
As if fast rooted, to the earth.
At length exhausted he became,
And down he let the creature fall;
And though he strove to hide his shame,
’Twas clearly visible to all.
The cat was then removed. The fiend
With look demure and wily sneer
Then said to Tialfe’s lord: “My friend!
Thus goes it with our pastimes here.
Like all things else in our domain,
That cat can wond’rous strength deploy;
E’en Thor, great Odin’s son, ’tis plain,
Cannot in strength with giants vie.”
To him thus sharp the god of war,
For much those words his spirit grate:
“Now by my hammer and my car,
Talking and boasting much I hate;
But since with sneer and bantering
The force of Thor thou seemst to doubt,
Come forth thyself, O swarthy king!
And try with me a wrestling bout!”
With soften’d voice the chief rejoin’d,
For now fear made him lower his crest:
“Nay! why so hasty? bear in mind,
That all things here are done in jest!
No malice here disturbs our sport;
But since a wrestling match you chuse,
I’ve an old woman in my court,
To cope with Thor she’ll not refuse.”
To him Laufeia’s crafty son:
“She comes not for our chief too late;
She’ll rue the sport; his grasp alone
Has power her limbs to dislocate:
In ancient runes hath she not read,
How on the giant’s isle of rock,
’Midst a vast female troop he sped,
And made them feel his hammer’s shock?
“’Twas sport to see him deal such blows
On those fierce virgins; none unscathed
Escaped; though numberless his foes,
’Midst flames his look defiance breathed:
To drown him one the thought conceived,
And urged him to the ocean’s brink;
But such a blow her scull received,
She ne’er again had power to think.[33]”
Angry and deeply blushing, Thor
Struck on the forehead Asa Lok:
Down to the earth he sank before
His feet, while thus the thund’rer spoke.
“Thus I chastise thy sland’rous tongue,
On calumny and lies intent:
Doubtless the Asar’s choir among
Thou art the most impertinent!
“Wretched buffoon! base weather-cock!
Vile mimic of the giant race!
How darest thou Asa Thor provoke,
And falsehoods thus insidious trace?
Thyself an Asa, thou do’st e’er
Delight thy peers to vilify:
As sure as Fenris howls, I swear
Thy punishment shall dreadful be.”
Now rising slow with blushing cheek,
And forehead bleeding, Loptur spoke:
“Why, cruel! on thy comrade wreak
Thy vengeance for a harmless joke?
’Twas but in jest; since ’twas agreed
That all we do should be in sport,
Why not in word as well as deed
With temper bear a sly retort?
“Are then thy strength and bravery
At once become so weak, O Thor,
That a mere joke, a raillery,
To damp their energy hath power?
No signs of fear or weakness show’d
Those virgins: clad in steel and brass,
With clubs they to the battle strode;
In strength no males could them surpass.
“Yes! female goblins fell were they,
Who sank beneath thy shaft divine;
And this old woman here, I say,
Reminds me of that act of thine:
Meagre, decrepit, toothless, old,
Can such a witch with Thor contend?”
Then quickly answer’d Thor the bold:
“Enough! here let our quarrel end!”
Now tottering in the hall appears,
Leaning a knotty staff upon,
A woman deep advanced in years;
Her eyes were sunk, her cheek was wan;
Her coarse white locks, her shrivell’d skin
Announced extreme decrepitude:
To pity much did Thor incline,
When such a fragile form he view’d.
“It is not fit,” the Asa said,
“That thou shouldst cope with me before
Thou hast a cup of juice essay’d,
Whose fruit grows in Valhalla’s bower.”
Now from a hole within his shield
He took a fruit of luscious taste:[34]
With courteous look and accent mild
To taste it much the dame he prest.
“Eat this! my venerable dame!
Thy days of youth ’twill straight restore;
This fruit from Bragur’s garden came;
Iduna guards the sacred store:
’Twill make thy veins beat high with youth;
’Twill fill with eloquence thy tongue.”
Then thus the dame: “I’m old, in truth,
Yet I remain for ever young.
“All things do I devour, yet naught
Consume; as for thy fruit divine,
Keep it thyself! I need it not!
But come! let us the sport begin!”
Thus said, her arms around her foe
She cast with wondrous force and glee;
Thor, struggling hard the crone to throw,
At length fell breathless on his knee.
His comrades trembled, sore afraid
To view their chieftain’s sad mischance:
Now Thor to them a signal made
To succour him with sword and lance.
Then turning round in wrath extreme,
To Utgard-Lok he fiercely cries:
“Let me this instant quit thy realm,
Where frantic witchcraft gains the prize!
“I cannot bear such magic spells,
Such visions strange: Odin alone,
My sire, who in Valhalla dwells,
Can from such mischief shield his son:
Unknown to him I’ve travell’d here;
Ah me! I do repent me now!
Deceit, misfortune, checks severe
Are all that I have proved below.
“But when we next renew the fight,
Naught shall thy spells thy person shield:
Odin can magic runes indite,
As Thor knows how his mace to wield:
Allied we shall one day descend
From thy vile yoke the world to free,
And Utgard-Lok, arch-traitrous fiend,
In his own realm shall vanquish’d be.”
Indignant then he faced about,
While shame and anger tinged his cheek;
The chief of Utgard led him out,
With mind perplex’d and gesture meek:
The mountain deeply sigh’d and mourn’d;
Down rush’d its silv’ry blood amain;
The gate slow on its hinges turn’d,
And Thor once more bestrode the plain.
CANTO VI.
THE SPELLS UNRAVELLED.
When now from subterranean gloom
Emerged, again the hero stood
Amidst the plain where flow’rets bloom,
With joy the azure sky he view’d:
His hammer shed around a light;
His armour seem’d on fire:
He feels once more his wonted might
Through all his veins transpire.
He waved his hammer. Utgard’s lord
At once in him could recognize
The god by Jotunheim abhorr’d,
The god, whose thunders shake the skies:
His hair now stood upright with fear,
His heart began to beat,
For though in Utgard’s nether sphere
The chief had met defeat,
He fear’d, that when the bright domain
Of Asgard Thor again should reach,
Odin would all the spells explain,
And surest means of vengeance teach.
“That fatal consequence to thwart
I must some scheme devise:
Were it not best myself t’ impart
To Thor those mysteries,
And frankly thus at once reveal
How all things happen’d there below?
The key to each enchanted spell
’Twere better he from us should know,
Than learn it elsewhere; this would move
Still more the Asar’s wrath,
And hard would then the contest prove
’Gainst Thor and Odin both.”
Thus to himself thought Utgard Lok:
Then full of cunning and deceit
To Thor he thus embarrass’d spoke:
“Tis well for us, thou hast thought fit
To leave our kingdom: thou shalt ne’er
With my consent return;
Much from thy visit did I fear,
We might have cause to mourn.
“But now that for our giant race
All danger’s past, will I relate
Frankly, how all things came to pass:
And here, O chief! thy prowess great
We all confess, and all admire;
Thy sword and hammer bright
All foes with terror must inspire,
When thou appearst in sight.
“I learn’d with much astonishment
And no small dread, O chief! that thou
Hadst form’d a project of descent
From Valaskialf to earth below.
But when thy further views I learn’d
To visit Utgard’s realm,
Methought, O chief! thy brain was turn’d
To harbour such a scheme.
“Doubtless, I did not dare offend
A god as frank as he is strong;
I only sought my realm to fend
By wizard spell and mystic song:
The winds and waves in wild commotion
I urged from pole to pole;
But neither winds nor waves of Ocean
Have power to daunt thy soul.
“I straight assumed a shape, of more
Than human size or human strength;
Upon the ground I ’gan to snore,
With all my limbs stretch’d out at length:
I thought to fright thee from the heath,
And check thy bold advance;
But vain my threat’ning size and teeth
Against thy sword and lance.
“I trembled for thy hammer too
Forged in the gloomy dwarfs’ abode;
He whom that strikes, full well I know,
Is forthwith deluged in his blood.
By strange illusions I inclined
To give thy nerves a shock;
But it ne’er enter’d in my mind
So brave a chief to mock.
“What I had plann’d, I did fulfil
Forthwith; but thou wert naught afeard:
Naught didst thou else, but closer still
Thy belt around thy body gird:
But I acknowledge, when I view’d
Thy footsteps turn my way,
A cold sweat all my limbs bedew’d,
As on the grass I lay.
“Thy eyes were thus deceived: the blow
That first thy hammer gave my head,
Though not thy heaviest, would, I trow,
If felt, have my quietus made:
When I beheld thee raise thy arm,
My limbs with terror shook,
I conjured by a powerful charm
Thy blow against that rock.”
At this discourse Thor stood aghast,
Then hied the rock to scrutinize;
He there beheld three caverns vast
Hewn in the rock before his eyes.
While Thor with wonder view’d this cave,
The giant humbly said:
“Behold! the blows thy hammer gave
Those caverns three have made.
“But still th’ illusion to maintain,
And further still thy sense deceive,
I rubb’d my brow and feign’d some pain
At every blow thou thoughtst to give.
I must confess thy hammer’s shock
Could lay the mightiest low;
But thou didst split the granite rock,
Instead of Skrymur’s brow.
“I thought to lead thee ’stray amidst
The mountain’s windings intricate;
By my contrivance ’twas thou didst
Arrive at pale-blue Hela’s gate.
I thought to frighten thee away
From our snow-cover’d zone;
But fear to thee, I needs must say,
Is utterly unknown.
“And now will I relate to ye
How all occurr’d in my domain:
Then listen to my words, I pray,
While those enigmas I explain.
And first, O Lok! I gave to thee
A dish well fill’d with meat;
Thou didst thy duty manfully,
’Twas sport to see thee eat.
“Though thou with all thy force didst eat,
And we thy powers did much admire,
Yet how couldst thou escape defeat,
When thy competitor was Fire?
For thus the goblin fierce we call
With ever-craving maw:
What wonder, that bones, dish, and all,
He should consume like straw?
“And, Tialfe! though in racing thou
Didst manifest a wondrous speed,
Yet to thy rival thou must bow,
His swiftness far did thine exceed;
But where’s the wonder that sharp elf
Should first the goal embrace?
For know! it was my Thought itself,
The dwarf,[35] who won the race:
“All things in swiftness Thought excels:
Who can so plain a truth gainsay?
And mine I charged with magic spells,
To lead thee from the course astray.
Yet though but ill-success ye’ve met
On Utgard’s gloomy shore,
Believe me, we shall ne’er forget
The mighty deeds of Thor.
“I cannot from thy praise restrain,
O Asa! for thy powers of drink;
For though the horn thou couldst not drain,
Thou didst not from the effort shrink.
Each of my vassals stood aghast
At such a bold essay;
For one end of that horn so vast,
Think! in the ocean lay!
“While thou didst so much water quaff,
O Asa! we could well perceive
The horn by suction did one half
The sea of its contents bereave:
Dost thou of my assertion doubt?
Go to yon cliff’s high brink,
And see how much thy drinking bout
Has made old Ocean shrink!”
Now Asa-Thor moved towards the sea;
Him follow’d Roska, Lok, and Tialf:
They lean’d upon their swords to see
The ocean; it had sunk one half.
The depth immense they all admire
From a stupendous height;
But terrified, they quick retire
From the appalling sight.
Then thus the chief of Utgard: “Thor,
I hope, will bear me no ill-will;
I trust he hath absolved me, for
I’ve giv’n him scope to prove his skill:
My spells have only served to show
His powers in clearer light;
The sands from whence the waters flow
Have testified his might.
“When thou, great chieftain, shalt return
To thy bright dome in Trudvang’s grove,
There shalt thou find that drinking-horn:
Accept it as a pledge of love.
’Twill serve thy visit to recall
To Utgard-Lok’s abode,
And cause, when drinking in thy hall,
The daily ebb and flood.”[36]
Then Thor: “In fraud and artifice
Thou art a most accomplish’d elf;
Methinks it would not be amiss
To try my strength upon thyself.
Thou dost deserve with broken head
Thy treason to deplore,
And that this hand be tinged with red,
And moisten’d with thy gore.”
Then Utgard’s chief to sigh began,
With quiv’ring lip and falt’ring tone:
“It would not, sure, the stronger man
Become to slay the weaker one:
Thy struggle with the cat we saw
To raise it towards the roof;
When it began to spit and claw,
With fear we stood aloof.
“With all thy thund’ring from the sky,
Thou ne’er hast caused such fear as then;
For know, the cat, that thou didst try
To bear aloft with effort vain,
Was the enormous serpent fell
That Midgard’s sphere enfolds,
And circling all the earth, its tail
In its own mouth it holds!
“Proud of thy strength of heavenly proof,
Thou strov’st the struggling beast to raise,
And high as the vast cavern’s roof
Thou seem’dst to lift it up with ease:
But still, however high from earth
Thou strov’st to lift it up,
With angry tail it lash’d the hearth,
And made thy prowess droop.
“And lastly, the old wrinkled dame,
Who, wrestling, show’d such skill and power,
Weak and decrepit though she seem,
Had strength enough thy crest to lower.
But where’s the wonder that her arm
Should conquer Thor sublime?
To conquer all the fatal charm
She boasts: her name is Time.
“That crone so greedy, gaunt, and grim,
Wanders about with hungry mouth;
Old though she seem in face and limb,
Yet still she boasts eternal youth.
In every clime she proves her pow’r
By great Alfader’s doom;
And though she every thing devour,
She nothing does consume.
“One day her grinders will devour,
I tell ye truth, our giant breed;
She’ll likewise crush the Asars’ power,
For thus the Nornor have decreed.
Thou wert compell’d to bend the knee
Before that ancient dame;
Let that defeat a warning be,
And thy presumption tame!”
Now Aukthor’s eyes with fury glare;
He rais’d his mace, and fain would slay
The fiend; but he, dissolv’d in air,
Had fled to Utgard far away.
The god no longer now beheld
A mountain o’er his head:
He stands upon a spacious field
With clover thick o’erspread.
CANTO VII.
THE RETURN HOME.
Girding his belt still closer round
His loins, the chief his way pursued:
Towards eve a meadow vast he found,
Where herds of cattle grazing stood.
Still moving on with soul on fire,
His eyes a distant dwelling reach,
The humble cot of Tialfe’s sire
Embosom’d in a grove of beech.
Then Tialfe blush’d, and towards the cot
Ran lustily along the grass:
Him follow’d Roska light of foot
With streaming hair and rosy face.
To view the spot how great their joy,
Where first the breath of life they drew!
Shouts of delight reveal the boy;
Roska shed tears like morning dew.
Close to the cottage-door outspread
A linden-tree its branches wide:
The peasant there beneath its shade
Sat with his consort by his side.
Soon as the children met their eyes,
High beat their hearts with ecstacy;
“Lo! there is Tialf!” the Gaffer cries:
“Lo! there is Roska!” echoes she.
The dame gave vent to many a tear,
When clasping Roska in her arms:
Much wonder caused the shield and spear,
And eye that spoke of war’s alarms.
The ancient dame felt never tired
Upon her daughter’s charms to dwell;
Her size improved she much admired,
Her slender waist, and bosom’s swell.
“I scarcely can believe, that I
Gave birth to such a daughter brave:
Whence gottest thou that flashing eye?
And who that shining corslet gave?”
Young Roska gravely thus replied:
“My gracious master Asa-Thor
The corslet shield and sword supplied:
His lessons fit my soul for war.”
Then the old man with locks so grey
In close embrace his Tialfe held:
The youth with self-esteem swell’d high,
Proud of his casque, his lance and shield.
“My darling boy! in truth, ’tis strange,”
Thus sobbing did the parent say:
“Whence comes so wonderful a change?
Thou wert a child but yesterday.
“Whence gottest thou that martial brow,
And strength the toils of war to brave?
Who gave thee force to bend the bow,
And who that glitt’ring armour gave?”
Then Tialfe: “Thor my gracious lord
Gave me these arms; the art of war
From him I learn; to wield the sword,
And poise the lance, and mount the car.”
When to his parents Tialf reveal’d
The presence of the puissant Thor,
The old man and his consort kneel’d,
Inspired with awe, the god before:
With timid sigh the old man said:
“O god! whose fame the world doth fill,
Thy car is safe beneath my shed,
And thy two goats are living still.”
This speech the Asa’s nerves restored;
His wrath quick vanish’d like the wind:
Reflecting on the giant’s word,
He felt consoled in heart and mind.
Now to the stable straight he goes,
And opes the door: with joy he swell’d,
And quick forgot all cares and woes,
When he his goats and car beheld.
And now the giant queller took
(His custom ’twas) his hammer bright;
A well directed blow he struck,
And slew his goats of colour white.
Now jump’d th’ old woman up in haste,
Upon the board to spread the cloth;
While Lok began the meat to baste,
And feed the fire, and mix the broth.
Lo! from the wood the peasant’s son,
Laden with faggots, now appears;
He piles them on the hearth: anon
The smoking flesh the trav’llers cheers:
No dish had they; Thor’s buckler broad
This want supplied: and now they feed
With hearty zest, while the goats’ blood
Furnish’d, as wont, delicious mead.
No sooner was the supper past,
Thor rose observant of his rite;
The bones within the skins he cast:
But Tialfe’s father at the sight,
Mindful of what before was done,
Quits hastily the festive hearth,
And grasping by the arm his son,
Into the forest leads him forth.
Then Thor, the mighty, cried aloud:
“Why dost thou lead that youth away?”
But the old peasant only bow’d,
And to the grove pursued his way:
“What once he did, I recollect,”
Quoth he; “I must not hesitate;
I’m fearful, if he be not check’d,
He may his former trick repeat.”
The giant-queller laugh’d amain:
“Nay, father! leave the youth alone;
I wager, Tialfe will ne’er again
Be tempted by a marrow-bone:
To renovate his strength he now
No longer needs to suck the marrow,
As whilom, when he drove the plough,
Or fell’d the wood, or wheel’d the barrow.
Cheer’d by the Asa’s blithesome mood,
The old man let Tialf’s kirtle go:
The trav’llers now, with savoury food
Refresh’d, their thoughts on sleep bestow.
But Thor, the mighty god of war,
Whose soul with thoughts heroick glows,
Doff’d not his armour; in his car
He stepp’d, and there enjoy’d repose.
The morning dawn’d: with choral lay
The feather’d songsters fill the skies:
The sun ascends; the trav’llers gay
From slumbers light refresh’d arise.
To war and bold adventure prone,
Each buckles on his armour strait,
And whets his weapon on the stone,
That stands without the cottage gate.
On the goats’ feet Thor went to nail
The shoes of gold; the silken reins
He fasten’d, and prepared to sail
Across the vast celestial plains.
He grasps his hammer; in the car
His followers place them by his side:
’Midst thunder’s crash and lightning’s glare
They mount, and skyward rapid glide.
The car swift rolling through the sky
The peasant views with mute amaze:
The more he marks them mounting high,
The more he stares with stupid gaze.
Soaring aloft, what words can paint
Roska’s and Tialf’s extreme surprize,
When stretching cross the firmament
The rainbow ring salutes their eyes?
When Asa Thor, the god renown’d,
Arrived within his bright domain,
Behold a purple blush around
Spread itself o’er the azure plain:
Heimdaller, when he view’d the car,
Sounded his horn in glorious style;
And the seven Virgins greeted Thor
With wave of hand and gracious smile.
Then said the Miölner-brandisher
To the young Roska lily-white:
“’Twere best I bring thee strait to her,
Who rules in Folkvang, Freya hight;
For never since the world has been
The world, was female, wife, or maid,
In Trudvang’s warlike castle seen;
Nor will I now that rule evade.”
The dome of Freya, queen of love,
The fairest of the Disar fair,
Stands in a vale, where many a grove
Of rose-trees sweet embalms the air.
From earthly sorrow and annoy
For ever freed, each constant youth
And faithful maid doth there enjoy
The guerdon bright of love and truth.
In that abode of joy and bliss,
Where many a graceful form is seen,
The greatest ornament, I wis,
Is Freya’s self, the lovely queen.
Her golden hair, her eyes deep blue,
Her bosom turn’d with finest swell,
Her slender waist, her skin’s soft hue,
Her teeth which brightest pearls excel,
Her breath of sweetest flower perfume,
Her soul-enchanting smile, her cheek
Which emulates the peach’s bloom,[37]
All these to sing my voice is weak.
In either hand she holds a rose;
Each doth delicious odour spread:
Each with the liveliest colour glows;
One tinges morn, one eve with red.
So gentle is her soul and mind,
All painful cares and griefs she heals:
Her breath, which forms the vernal wind,
The earth with vegetation fills.
When morn displays its roseate hue,
Tears glisten in her orbs so bright;
These fall to earth in shape of dew,
And fill each flow’ret with delight.
Two daughters claim her tend’rest care,
Their faultless forms what graces deck!
Like waterfall, their radiant hair
Streams down their alabaster neck!
Hnos, who the moon’s bright chariot guides,
The paragon of children shines:
Siofna, who over sleep presides,
All hearts to peace and love inclines.
“Folkvangur is the place, methinks.
Most suitable to Roska fair;
From danger, oft I’ve seen, she shrinks,
And fails in strength the shield to bear.”
Thus Thor in disappointment said,
Then from the girl her armour takes:
“Give up thy sword! thou peasant maid!
Such weapons ill become thy sex.
“I’ll lead thee strait to Freya’s grove,
Where every female loves to dwell:
Better wilt thou in sports of love,
Than in the toils of war excel.[38]
Good will and spirit too thou hast,
But oft thy vigour fails at proof:
For thy soft-fibred hand ’twere best
To hold the harp, or weave the woof.”
Thereat to Freya’s blest abode
He march’d, with Roska by his side;
The maid accompanied the god,
With confidence of joy and pride.
The goddess praised her graceful air,
Her shape, her eyes, her youthful bloom
And from that moment Roska fair
Remain’d for aye in Folkvang’s dome.
Now Thor to Valhall hastens on,
With Tialf his swain in armour clad;
Odin beholds him from his throne,
And hails his son with accents glad.
Now the Valkyrior bright advance
With brimming cups of hydromel:
Th’ Einherier all with horse and lance
Now charges make, and now repel.
CANTO VIII.
THOR VISITS THE GIANT HYMIR.
Thor, though vex’d in mind, his anger
Prudently resolv’d to hide;
Thus to be the butt of mock’ry
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