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V
i
THE DEATH OF BALDER
An
Edition of 2^0 Copies only will be printed.
No more
zvill be
published.
THE
DEATH OF BALDER
FA'OM THE DANISH
OF
JOHANNES EWALD
(1773)
TRANSLATED BY
GEORGE BORROW
AUTHOR OK "bible
IN SPAIN,"
" LAVENGRO,"
.'*
WILD WALES," ETC.
LONDON
JARROLD & SONS,
3
PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS,
1889
\.AU Rigkts Reserved^
E.c.
PREFACE TO THE TRANSLATION.
The works
of the
opera of
"
poet Ewald are deservedly-
late
popular in Denmark.
^
The present
The Fishermen
"
("
tragedy, and the
Fiskeme "),
in
which
occurs the bold lyric which has become the national
song of the Danes, are esteemed his best productions.
For the
fidelity
with which the present version has
been made I appeal to those of
my
countrymen who
understand the original, and demand whether I have
given a thought or expression equivalents to which are
not to be found in the Danish tragedy.
I
have imitated the peculiar species of blank verse
in which the original
English reader
is
composed, in order that the
may form an
though by having done so
what
exact idea thereof, and
poetry
may have some-
of a cramped, embarrassed gait, I have a firm
hope that I
for
my
shall not
meet very severe reprehension
having sacrificed elegance to
fidelity.
GEORGE BOEROW.
916982
THE PERSONS.
Balder.
HOTHER.
Thor.
Nanna.
Lore.
The Three Valkyrier.
The place of action
Round ahout
it
is
a pine-wood on the Nonoegian movntains.
are seen steep
hindermost and highest
is
and uneven
covered tcith snow.
rocks.
The
top of the
;
THE
-.
'
^'-.
>
:
•
DEATH OF BALDER.
ACT THE FIRST.
Balder and Thor
from
luimmer, and
upon
are seated
each other.
stones at
Both are armed
Balder with
spear
some distance
—Thor
with his
and sword.
Balder. Land whose proud and rocky bosom
Braves the sky continually
I
Thor. Where should strength and valour blossom,
Land
of rocks,
if
not in thee
1
Balder. Odin's shafts of ruddy levin
Back from thy hard
sides are driven
Never sun thy snow
dispels.
Thor. Sure,
he'll
joy in deeds of daring.
Ne'er for ease voluptuous caring,
Who
upon the mountain
dwells.
Both. Land whose proud and rocky bosom
Braves the sky continually
!
Where should strength and valour
Land of rocks, if not in thee ?
blossom,
DEATH OF BALDER.
2
Balder
{Jie
Thor remains
springs up, but
Ha
one in dzep thought).
!
sitting,
I will quickly fly
like
from thee
for ever,
Tliou hated land, where everything so proudly
my
— for my fetters
Upbraids
me
"Where
pursu'd by pains of hopeless passion,
The
for
live-long nights
Whose
Each
The
I,
weakness
among
deaf rocks do
:
wander
echoes sport with Balder 's lamentations,
cold,
fair,
each feelingless, as Nanna's bosom,
unpitying savage
!
Son
Thor.
of
Odin
!
Balder. Speak, mighty Thor
Thou
Thor.
sighest,
then
—and
vainly ?
Balder. Yainly: without a glimpse of hope; bewildered.
What, what have I not promised,
How
oft
To tears
Have
have
I,
Thor
debas'd myself
vainly trickled
Thor.
Ha
!
:
— I blush, but hear
my
?
Yes, the haughty Nanna.
Thor. Dost mean
the
daughter
of
the
Gevar,
Who reads the
actions of the
unborn hero,
will of Fate, malicious foemen's projects,
And war and
it
—before Gevar's daughter.
Balder.
The
?
tears have trickled
Gevar's daughter
!
vow'd, attempted
death of warriors in the planets
Dost mean his daughter ?
wise
King
DBA TH OF BALDER,
3
Balder. Think'st thou other fathers possess a Nanna
Thor. Gods
%
!
\He again
upon
casts his eyes
who meditates
the
ground,
like
one
deeply.
Balder. Behind yon pine wood he built an altar unto
thee and Odin,
There thou mayst see the roof
of his still dwelling.
—cruel maiden
—the proud one
There lives the earthly Freia
There slumbers
Joy's
she, perhaps
downy arms, undreaming aught
rests in
of Balder
As if I did not love, were not a half -god
As if by Skalds my name were never chanted
As if I were a demon, bad as Loke
!
Ha
!
if
upon
my
tongue lurked bane and magic,
"When
fear enchains
When
broken words and a disordered wailing
Are
all
it
and the pale
with which I can express
lip
my
trembles
;
bosom's
Desire intense, and dread unwonted torments.
Ha
!
were
my voice
like Find's
when
he, distracted
Goes over Horthedal ; as when he bellows.
And
The
Ha
!
wild at
if
and blind with
fury, splinters
the blood of maids and unarm'd wretches
Of harmless
If
last,
oaks, the glory of the sacred forest.
travellers, stained the
hands of Balder
ruddy lightnings burnt between these fingers
DEA TH OF BALDER.
4
Then might'st thou
well be pale
Nanna
A.nd thou wert right to fly from me,
Thor. Now, Balder, hear
Balder. From Nanna
Ha
some accursed
!
my
Yes, I
!
my
fiend
word, and
To these wild mountains and
fly
ought— that
Nanna's shadow
there nothing then of hope remaining ?
When
When
did I
become
so
grim
—
so frightful
Tell me, Thor, is breath of
%
Has death among my
tears
see I plainly.
foot has f asten'd
to
And is
first
1
from Nanna
%
mine destructive %
and smiles
its
dwelling %
What shall I do % Reply
But thou art silent,
And from thine eyeball flames contemptuous anger.
!
Thor
Ha
rises).
{lie
!
drivellest
thou before the God of
Thunder?
Balder. To Thor, to Odin's
How long
Thor.
Unmanly
And
all
my
sorrow.
pining for a foolish maiden.
the weary train of love-sick
Will move a bosom that
Thou
friend, I breathe
dost think, degenerate son of Odin,
dotest
But by thy
is
steeled
follies,
by virtue ?
Dote and weep, in tears swim ever
!
father's arm,
;
by Odin's honour.
Haste, hide thy tears and thee in shades of alder
Haste to the
Where
still,
the peace-accustom'd valley,
herdsmen dance amid the
lazy
There wet each
leaf
which
clover.
sott the west
wind
kisses.
Each
plant which breathes around voluptuous odours,
With
tears
!
There sigh and moan and the tired peasant
DEATH OF BALDER,
5
Shall hear thee, and, behind his ploughshare resting,
wonder
Shall
at thy grief,
And
Balder.
and pity Balder
this all the comfort
is
Thor. I gave thee counsel
What
:
fly
!
thou canst
from her who
But
fly
And can I % Ah, my friend, that
And never, never see thee, Nanna
Ere
!
sleepest
that,
is
my duty
!
%
!
!
ne'er again behold the roof
Thou
%
thee
holds thee here, where thou canst hope for nothing
Balder.
And
offer
flies
I'll
where under
Honour the mere thought destroyeth
!
perish here, unfamed, forgotten
Thor. Well, perish, then
I see too plain
!
!
'tis
useless
Against a harsh, eternal fate to struggle
The
hill fiend
Before
And
it
dreads
my
hammer's might
turns the Jotun white,
rocks,
whereon I
But nothing
And what
strike, give
cruel fate can
way.
move
Allfather there above
Resolves upon, stands firm for aye.
Know, son
Whom
Know
of Odin, thou
scorn
whom
reason, friendship,
—e'en scorn—to move are
that prophetic were thy words
The Valkyrie prepares the spear
all
unable,
Fate hastens
!
already,
Its deadly point already does she sharpen.
Ah,
He
see
!
the prince of battle holds
strikes
!
he strikes
Balder. Dark
Thor. Before
is
my
!
and
all
thy speech,
eyes are
it
brandish'd
the Aser sorrow.
Thor dark as thy
!
murky shadows
flitting.
visage.
6
DEATH OF BALDER.
A mortal youth,
with blood of Asa crimson'd
The
fight
and death
of gods, the fall of
Asgara
Hear, son of Odin, wretched slave of passion,
Think not that dreams, that magic's
That spectres
And
To
oh
!
of the night
my
foul deception.
brain bewilder
me
think not that merely chance has led
Balder's presence, and to these high forests
I sought thee, came with speed to give thee warning
Fear, then
It
!
And on my
thy friend,
is
lips I
'tis
Thor, w^ho's speaking
bear the words of Odin.
Thou know'st
there grows in night's mysterious valley
A tree,
by men or gods seen never
as yet
It bears a bough,
In
!
which bough, when once
'tis
harden'd
Nastroud's flames, can slay thee.
Balder.
Thor.
Yes, I
know
And
That knowest thou, friend!
it.
it
is
a mere
slumber,
A fleeting trance, a pleasant dream of battle,
With which
Ha whom
!
the spear's impregnated in Nastroud
it
slays
In mist and darkness must he
From gods and men
Must Balder be
%
wakes never up in Valhall
lie
for ever.
alike for ever parted.
detested
—
H?ela's booty,
Not Odin's quest ?
Balder.
Aye when
;
the tree's discover'd.
Thor. Well, now, attend and heed a
When
father's
warning
Odin high from Lidskialf saw thee raving,
DEA TH OF BALDER,
In
'mong Norway's snowy mountains,
toils of love,
The speech
Hear
it
of
7
Mimmer on
and tremble
his heart fell heavy.
Not
!
for death,
O
Balder
Nor e'en for Hsela, but thy father's anguish
" The year "
—such was
his
word (thou knowest Mimmer,
And scarce canst think he'd breathe the words of falsehood)
" The year
The
when Norway's
desert hills shall echo
half -god's wasted love-caus'd lamentations,
When
by a prophet's daughter,
he's rejected
That year
which holds
shall see the spear
Shall see the gods in grief,
Hear that and quake
If not, dote
on and
And
!
fly,
{alone).
and spare thy father
die, for that's
thy fortune
disappears
\IIe
Balder
his ruin,
and Odin weeping."
And must I
die
1
among
Ah
!
!
the trees.
well, I
merely
forfeit
A worthless breath,
Ha
How
hated.
!
my
Torments
It burns,
it
which
is
by Nanna hated.
that thought that
breast
Nanna
hates
scorches me, like Nastroud's blazes.
Come, tenfold death, come quickly, and extinguish
The thought destroy
:
Thanks be
it,
to Thor, for
crush
he
my
it,
with this bosom.
eyelids lifted.
Disclosing I had chance of rest
—
of dying
E'en Surtur, he whose hostile fingers planted
The
tree, the black tree,
Who
nurs'd
its
me
Death, only death, can drown
!
by the
feeble starlight
infant root with blood fresh taken
it.
8
DEATH OF BALDER.
•
<
From
And
drew a
slaughter'd babes, and
round
circle
mutter'd magic words, and gave
it
it,
power
of Nastroud in my bosom,
Was not so cruel as thyself, O Nanna
What cruel ? No, by Odin Pity drove him
To shoot th^ bane
!
To
rear
!
up remedy benign and
grateful
For the dire wound with which tKou torment'st me.
Ah, maid thou mak'st me look to death with longing
!
And
yet to die
Ha my
!
!
and die from thee and never
!
heart freezes
!
The mere word would
But
then, most likely thou wilt pity Balder,
And
with a hot, a precious tear bedew^ him
maid
Say,
From
!
when thou
kill
me
!
!
dost pour
thine eyes the briny shower
O'er a lifeless
lump
of clay
!
Cease thy weeping, cruel maiden
All thy grief
is
vainly vented
:
:
See the breast so long tormented
Which thy
pity
now
should gladden.
Beats no more and rots away
O Nanna Nanna
!
[He
sits
down and
holds both his hands
before his eyes.
LoEE
{in the shape of an old Fininan). Balder
\He walks in a crooked
self
upon a knotted
back
is
turned
to
attitude,
staff.
Balder.
and supports him-
He
enters so that his
DEA TH OF BA LDER,
9
Help, ye gods of heaven
Ob, I unfortunate
And
fear of bears
and wolves and
me on
Should now destroy
!
and hunger.
that frost
!
evil spirits
these frightful mountains
Oh, that I but beheld a smoke uprising,
A single trace
of a bewildered hunter
That I but heard a cheery horn resounding
But nothing, nothing
Never, never
!
rises
A friendly sound among these wildernesses,
Which human
Ah who will
!
Balder
till
succour
now
What
has never trodden.
me %
him and
{goes towards
arm).
LoKE
feet
Aha
(as if terrified).
takes
I can no more
!
my arm
Ah
How thou
Balder.
My hoary friend
!
But
There thou art safe
see'st in
me
su*
;
tremblest,
from thee
warmed by
forsooth, I
pity.
was confounded
a poor and ancient Finman.
away from these
This year I built of
flags
I sought for reindeer
Were
cast thy terrors
this breast is
:
LoKE. Forgive me,
Far, far
rest thee
!
LoKE.
—
terrific
mountains.
and stones
all
my
captured by the bear
!
the
Ah
!
Come and
Balder.
Here lean upon
Thou
him kindly by
father?
ails thee,
my
hovel
wealth ; they doubtless
I,
wretched being
]
DEA TH OF BALDER.
10
My
sight
is feeble,
The wind,
And
not a star
Ah
far
!
My
and the night surprised me;
as I observe too late, has shifted,
gleaming in the heavens
is
must be the way unto
hovel
feet are wearied out, for I have
The long and
wishest thou
LoKE.
life
?
I die of frost
Whoe'er thou
Excuse
wandered
among the mountains.
chilly night
What
Balder.
Of
my
my
art,
doubt
and
thou
if
and hunger.
feelest pity
—yet wouldst thou save the remnant
which trembles on
my
lips,
conduct
me
Straight to the cheering hearth where bask thy servants.
Balder. The way would prove for thee too far; but
see'st
The
thou
lofty roof behind the forest yonder,
There, there resides of earth the fairest daughter
Thither repair, thou fortunate old stranger
—Ah
There she
resides.
A
welcome guest
dear, a
Her
!
thou wilt be to Nanna
She loves the wretched
!
noble heart swells always with compassion
For every
Only not
sufferer.
Why go'st thou not
I go
;
but thou wast speaking,
Nanna ?
Balder.
Yes.
LoKE.
Balder
stayest
?
LoKE.
Methinks, of
Thou
Of Gevar's daughter
{astonished).
Thou know'st her 1
?
DEA TH OF BALDER,
No; but oftentimes her bridegroom
LoKE.
Has come
Balder.
LoKE
1
fatigued with hunting, to
away
{turns
does she
Balder
my
hovel.
Ah who
{seizes
She dwells there,
as if to depart).
1
him hy
Stay
the arm).
who is
!
the bride-
groom 1
Speak, reptile, speak
Or here thou
Who
!
When
%
Reply, thou traitor.
?
diest
Spare me,
LoKE.
sir,
in
mercy
I
I faint with terror
Speak
Balder.
Thy
smallest hair
is
sacred
!
by
the powers,
all
I have promised.
!
Now, speak!
Loke.
I
am an
old
and harmless creature.
Balder. But Nanna's bridegroom ?
Truly,
Loke.
That one
like thee,
sir,
I wonder,
a dweller 'mongst these mountains.
Should know him not, the noblest and the bravest
Of
all
the sons of earth.
Ye
Balder.
gods of heaven
!
And who % His name %
One who
Loke.
And
is
bold as Odin,
strong as Thor, and beautiful as Balder.
Balder.
Loke
Ha
!
kill
me
not, but
answer
:
Hother
{with a loud voice).
Balder
{with agitation).
name him.
What
The Skioldung Hother?
!
Who
?
The Leire King
!
1
DEATH OF BALDER,
12
LoKE.
Who
here
Balder. Thou
foster 'd
is
Yet, that I never saw
LoKE.
At
me
killest
him here
By
Balder.
roof
Where
!
father.
how
is
he
I tremble
!
%
the gods,
At
;
it
overcomes
me
?
LoKE.
I believe
see'st
Gevar's.
What, under Nanna's
As
up by Nanna's
Thou
!
night-time only.
for ere the east hills redden,
Upstarts he, lovely as a young spring morning.
And griping firm his lusty spear, he wanders
Among the rocks. Ah, master thou hast seen him
!
Withouten doubt thou
For some time past
And
rolls
'Tis true
hast.
his god-like
he hideth
form in wadmal,*
beneath a rugged cap his tresses
I wonder, wherefore.
Ha
Balder.
Which
To sons
Ah
is
!
up
clear'st all
How senseless
was
of earth
my
I,
!
loves not
madman
wretched
!
and by pride how blinded
eyes I never lower 'd.
baffled
%
love the gods, I'm certain
LoKE. Excuse me,
sir,
!
I do not understand thee.
Odin half so much as Hother.
Balder. Fly, slave
Is on thy tongue
Thou
flash of lightning,
proud solicitude thus
But she can only
She
thou
at once
I,
my
!
!
—begone
!
for
Udgaard, Loke's poison,
That foe of gods has sent thee
art his messenger, thou art
* Wadmal, a coarse woollen
stuflf,
:
— thou art, thou traitor
much worn by Norwegian
!
peasants.
DEA TH OF BALDER.
But thou
Dost dare to linger 1
art in safety,
my oath
my fury.
For, worm, thy weakness and
Ha
I myself will
!
LoKE
fly
before
13
{he looks contemptuously after
protect thee.
[He
Balder, then
himself to his full height, discards at once his
figure,
and appears as Loke).
Do
Balder ?
To dust and
not scorn
ashes, boaster,
My
goes.
raises
assumed
weakness, mighty
it
it
shall crush thee.
Not Loke's messenger, but Loke, stung
thee.
Already bellows the young god with torment
Hear, Odin
hear thy lov'd one, hear him howling
!
Delay thee not
Harmonious
Quick, quick
enjoy his
!
is it
!
to the ears of Loke.
:
how
will
Soon from thy sight
It
will it
comes
It comes
How
And
Hear
it.
swells each vein with poison.
I have poured into his breast with cunning
Soon Odin, soon
Then
!
feel it
thou ne'er again, perchance, will hear
Survey him near
Which
voice and
thy beloved be
will
Balder
flit
be thy turn to mourn,
silent
for ever
tyrant
—the long-protracted day of vengeance
—the
sigh'd-for
hour of retribution
!
long hast thou not tortur'd Loke's bowels.
fearless
trampled 'neath thy feet his offspring
?
Heel and Fenris' Wolf, and Midgaard's Serpent
—hear them night and day proclaiming
Loud howl they
!
Thy unmatched
cruelty with frightful voices
DEATH OF BALDER.
14
Each
of
them was a god, and
But now
Each
is
to earth
fair as Balder,
and heaven, and to myself, a horror
:
a monster, bow'd with chains of darkness.
The hour's
at hand, the tardy hour of vengeance
Already blow I in war's horn
Up, up ye mighty
gods,
:
:
to combat,
and rescue Balder
!
There see I him, the hero youth, who only,
Arm'd with the
Can be
And
The
by Odin's maidens.
tree of death
—so Fate decrees —
this Balder's slayer.
he
shall
be
it
:
quickly shall he brandish
life-destroying bough, if
Asa Loke,
By mighty art and wonderful delusions.
Knows how to work the maidens to his purpose.
He
comes
I will conceal myself, and listen.
!
HoTHER, and
'presently
Loke — the
first
dressed
Norwegian peasant, with a hunting-spear in
his
a
like
hand
;
the other undistinguished.
HoTHER
skiers *
comes
{Jie
from
down from
the rocks
and unbinds
his feet ere he steps forward on the scene).
Upon
the oak's summit,
A squirrel at play
Deceives with a rustle
The hunter
so
gay
* Skiers are wooden pattens to run upon over the frozen snow.
the
DEA TH OF BALDER.
He
1
low crouching,
starts, and,
His spear he grasps
tight,
And, swelling up, boundeth
His hand with
Now
quick
delight.
—be not daunted
—take heed
He's coming
The bold
!
bear, the old bear,
Doth hitherward
speed-
Oh, sound the most pleasant
knew
This ear ever
He
cometh
!
—a bigger
This weapon ne'er slew.
Thou sovereign
Thou
of forests
!
pride of thy race
!
Oh, fortunate hunter
Oh, glorious chase
!
Now quick be not daunted.
He comes—be prepared
!
!
Where
is
he, the savage
%
His bellow, who heard ?
No more
The
on the oak-top
squirrel doth play
Deceived has a rustle
The hunter
so
gay
!
DEA TH OF BALDER.
i6
No
sound as he
His hearing
listens
assails,
Save the pattering of leaves
That are moved by the
There comes he
Am
I,
who
In quest
Thou
mere phantom
dost deceive
Came down
Knelt and
Oh, what a foolish stripling
%
here about four days have wandered
of a
And think'st
Thou
—where
gales.
me—dost but
prove thy lover
thou, virtuous one, that
heaven at thy
that fear, base
Honour, would
if
;
a godhead
and before thee
in light effulgent,
laid
Nanna,
Surely,
!
feet
— Ha
think'st
!
doubt of Nanna's faith and
sully Hother's breast
I
%
know thou
—thou hast avowed what
then
— wooer who must not be
This wooer
Lovest
me
it
this
avail
Why the deception
Anger'd %
By
(astonished).
Ha
scarcely do I
!
Hothbrod
!
know myself
Odin,
more
like
And who art
LoKE.
?
Hail, thou son of
LoKE.
HoTHER
I look
shall
:
a rugged
elf
than Hother.
thou, that knowest
My name is Vanfred
!
me ? who
art thou
?
When thy mother bore thee
I was at hand and swore unto thee friendship.
Hother. Grim
is
thy visage,
and
promise,
But
little
good.
What
dost thou seek
?
thine
eye
doth
DEATH OF BALDER,
ij
Whom,
LoKE.
Whom fearest
thou
HoTHER. I
fear
Why
?
?
Skolding,
hide in yonder vestments
thou warlock
1
Wise thou wert
!
in
speaking
Of friendship
!
Spare thy wrath
LoKE.
Keserve
it
for thy foes
They
HoTHER.
LoKE.
And
HoTHER.
yet
When Nanna
plagues
shall not miss it
plain thou hidest thee from
'tis
Ha
!
I
some
one.
blush by
!
spake I always blindly
She has disguised me, as thou
She
youthful warrior
was Nanna bade me.
It
heaven
my
!
me
her fears
with
listen'd.
stranger
see'st,
the dreamer would
;
not
Would
really not
—for
all
the wide world's riches,
That the wood goblin, or perhaps some lover
Invisible, should
know me.
LoKE.
Pretty folly
Balder invisible
!
the handsome half-god
HoTHER. What
O
heaven
!
!
Balder, son of Odin
Say, where
is
he
HoTHER. There?
LoLE.
That she has
where
He
her lover
?
?
With Nanna.
LoKE.
drove
1
!
%
me
Now?
{After some reflection.)
out.
Perhaps, thou see'st
rid herself of thee by cunning,
c
She
DEA TH OF BALDER,
i8
HoTHER. I simply thought the Alf had caus'd thy terror
But Balder,
he shall soon experience
false one,
That I fear no one.
[About
LoKE.
Softly, prince
I see thy courage; but thy foe
HoTHER.
my arm weak
Is
It
know
I
die.
is
against a half-god
I
That spear or nothing
Spare thy doubts.
LoKE.
Can wound
his breast.
I must
I'll
be cautious
a spear which slayeth.
HoTHER. Thou dreamest
But
!
mighty.
?
LoKE.
Yet he can
And
is
—But
thy need
Blow strongly
see,
the sun
This horn I give thee,
is
Call thrice aloud on
and turning westward.
Yanfred
—Yanfred
\The two last times he cries
it
after having disappeared
the last
Hother
greatest, then,
in that horn,
the
is rising.
subterranean places
fly to
forsake thee not.
And when
to go.
!
Yanfred
with a hollow
among
voice,
the rocks,
time of all evidently farther
other.
!
and
away than
Immediately thereupon a
noise
is
heard among the rocks, as of distant thunder.
HoTHER, and presently Nanna.
•
Hother
Is
Hother
away
{casts
horn, and
fearful
all
?
the horn).
thy magic
Accurs'd be thou, thy
!
Does he crave
in battle
DEATH OF BALDER.
The
aid of warlocks
Is not
my arm
\He
is
and
of arts ignoble
sufficient
going ; hut
Ha
%
I'll
!
19
?
show thee
Nanna meets him
!
at the entrance of
the scene.
Nanna. Where now
?
HoTHER.
Nanna.
I go to dare the wrath of Balder.
{affrighted).
Nanna.
Ah
Heaven
me how
Hold me not
!
(anxiously and affectionately).
Hother
Where now, my
?
HoTHER. I soon
[He goes in
shall find
spite
of
him
!
N anna's
endeavour
Ah
Nanna.
!
to
Balder yells with wrath.
Has
breath'd to-day his poison in their bosoms.
The foaming ones
And
?
is art,
can
my
!
and prayer, and
tears avail
What
its
?
Alas
:
coming
all else useless
conflict.
Will satiate them and Heaven
Hother.
!
I have this hour expected,
E'en now they meet in
What
surely
Who asunder
Ah who will soften
long by art have I delay'd
But now
My
Some serpent
hate, they seek each other
Will hold the raging bears.
detain him.
he goes—he rages
And
They
to tremble.
!
HoTHER.
Nanna
!
His stern look may teach
HoTHER.
:
I
am powerless
!
blood only
!
thine must trickle.
art thou against a half-god
1
c 2
DEA TH OF BALDER.
20
When
thy
fire,
Ourath, but glimmers,
Tears can quench
But
it
it
instantly
and now 'twere wonder
flames,
Could the weak drops keep
Ah
!
thy blazes
In the
And
fierce
it
and cruel
lov'd one's grief find fuel,
by
are fann'd
plaintive cry.
Tear, with which mine eye
is
Thou canst not remove the
ill
O
keep in thou
Let
under.
my bosom
swelling.
fruitless wailing.
hide thee
still.
\Slie goes.
ACT THE SECOND.
The
three
They are armed as war-maids, and
Valkrier.
besides the spears
which hang over their shoulders, each
has a short spear in her hand
hands, and walk in a
All three.
O'er the
circle,
:
they take each other by the
singing.
hill, o'er
the
dell,
O'er the sea's
foamy waters,
Unweariedly
ply,
Valhalla, thy daughters.
The blood-dropping wing
Die, battle,
and
die
Is the bidding they bring.
The first.
Not
The
Not hunger.
second.
fever's foul pains.
DEATH OF BALDER.
The
Not
third.
All three.
But
fight
21
chains.
and
delight.
For the brave ever brings,
Valhalla, thy daughters,
By
light
and by night,
O'er the land and the waters,
With
The first.
The second.
blood-drooping wing.
The crash
of the spear,
In deadly
career.
Is alone to
me
The
moan
feeble
From
Is
The
third.
dear.
press'd
the dying man's breast
what
pleases
The cry on the
Bound
me
best.
plain
the corse of the slain
I Ust to most pain.
All three.
Die, battle,
O'er the
and
die
hill, o'er
O'er the sea's
!
the
dell.
foamy waters,
TJnweariedly ply,
Valhalla, thy daughters,
The blood-dropping wing
Die, battle, and die.
Is the bidding they bring.
The first. I hear the sound
How
of
arms; but now
long will he delay, the noble warrior
The second.
Whom
wait'st thou for %
?
it ceases.
DBA TH OF BA LDER.
22
And thou? what
The first.
In
this wild spot
The
my
sister
which blood has never erimson'd 1
What
second.
will
and here where
has assembled us ?
scarcely
A
sword has flashed since days of Jotun Ymer,
"Was
it
a god or destiny which drove us ?
The first. Thou knowest that the morning sun illumines
spears on Scotland's heathy mountains
Ten thousand
High beats with joy each warrior's heart.
They forward
press,
and only wait
my
In
silence,
on-cry.
Thither would
I—but hear the strange adventure
Which
my
stopp'd
flight
upon these
Envelop'd
rocks.
In a black, tempest, I a Finman foUow'd,
Who
boldly climb'd the mountain summits,
And
sprang
Then saw
As
o'er
every yawning
in the brook he cleans
Then brandish'd he
He
Hiss, but
For
undaunted
his
eye beheld
like the lightning
It vanished,
:
saw him
rusty dagger.
thick stem his falchion
his hunting-spear
nervous arm
my
I
from dust his armour.
And sharp'd laboriously his
And prov'd upon the pine's
drew
rift
I Hothbrod's valiant son.
;
it
:
far
backward
heard the weapon
I
scarce a
moment,
which the black clouds swallow
and the heir vainly sought
Then
look'd I round about,
Who
held the spear and laugh'd
and saw
Then down he plung'd within
;
my
it.
Finman,
I storm'd with fury.
a midnight
chasm
DEATH OF BALDER.
And
from the deep uprose a voice
Which
slowly booms
" Unarm'd,"
Wither
Be
it
shall
like
23
thunder
among the Finnish
deserts.
bellow'd, " shall the warrior perish
?
he of age, and deep in Hselheim
hidden, far from Odin, far from Yalhal."
Angry, I rooted up the oaks in search of
A spear for battle's friend—and this I fix'd on
and strength to humble
I gave it tempest's speed
Each warrior whom
Of thy
fast
it
smiteth,
when with wonder
sounding voice I heard an echo.
The, second.
Ye
stars
what sorcery
!
!
But
to
me now
listen!
gloomy
I hasten'd unto Hortha's
forests,
glut myself in Boman blood then look'd I
Down from the thunder-cloud in which I journey'd,
And on these towering hills my eyes I fastened
To
;
Then saw
I Denmark's Hother, prince of battle,
Like the rock-pine, which
He
stood,
o'er the
and storm-winds with
ocean beetles
his locks
were playing,
Then from the brake a wolf sprang, grim and
And
And
big as Fenri's
Wolf
:
it,
Forth went
it
brandish'd high his spear.
As booming
frightful,
the Skoldung saw
booming,
goes from the cold North a whirlwind j
Straight vanished wolf and spear ; but deep a-forest
Was
heard as from a thousand wolves a howling.
" See, see,"
His
spear,
it
howl'd, " the Skoldung
and in his hand the sword
Hother
loses
is fragile.
DEA TH OF BALDER.
24
Now
may
have we peace, and Norway's Keinps
slumber."
Disturb'd at such dark sorcery, I seiz'd on
The spear
And
and
of steel thou see'st,
fiends'
death on
laid lightning
when
its point,
I beheld thee.
The third {who hitherto has stood in
is
my
war
sight in
;
but here
deejo thought).
Sharp
darkness.
is
But do not think that chance and magic
Here assembled
battle's
angry daughters.
Allfather for the fight prepares
Assembles us with murky wink
The mighty Thor
wroth was
;
AUfather
;
:
he,
I
saw him.
and
his
hammer
Was in his hand. He stood by Gevar's dwelling
He spoke to me, and soon as e'er I answer'd
He vanished, thundering in the eastern heavens.
It is not sport, nor
Be ye
assured,
The first.
The
any
:
childish quarrel,
makes Thor descend from Asgaard.
He
spake to thee
?
As when
third.
the warriors slumber,
And suddenly are wak'd to thousand dangers
By din of shields and mingled squadrons' tumult,
So tower'd he up and shouted when he saw me,
And
dread and hollow as the ocean's bellow,
As moan
Sounded
"
of forests in the nightly tempest,
his voice
unto
my
What, Rota!" he shouted;
Whom
ear
feota here
!
rYQ gods of heaven
seekest thou, where unclomb rocks engirdle
Peace, smiling peace
1
say
!
whom,
sent by Skulda,
DEATH OF BALDER,
Wilt thou devote upon the
But ah
Dark
what
!
is
my
She who
It's luck,
Unto
light
mountains
?
had I the power to kindle %
The
spirit.
stilly
25
terrific
Noma,
allots to time, ere it approaches.
and binds
Fate's will,
Far from each
it
with determined fingers
is silent,
and drives Rota
plain belov'd
where battle
rages.
Yet shook the fatal spear with which conflicting
Monarchs I
And
But
death
greet, at sunrise thrice
heavy in
lies
it
trembled j
my arm— that know
I,
for the victim.
Threatens Fate our Hother
The first.
?
The second. Thor's fear and even thine betoken danger.
The
third.
Ye mind
So seems
full well
I ever lov'd
it.
Ah
!
if it
concem'd our Hother
how high the Danish hero
— I saw him by a fountain,
Dejected, weaponless, and half in slumber
But deep
into the forest fled the savage,
From whom he
And Hother 's
" Retain
my
took his sword, the sharp-edged Mimer,
spear in his rude hands he carried.
falchion,
thou ferocious warrior
Little in conflict shall it e'er avail thee
So shouted he, and
Then
Long
all
the rocks resounded.
straight I brought
since I cut it
!
!
my
choicest spear
from Valhall
from a lonely wild beech,
Which, hid from day, grew up
in Lapland's deserts
A circle of grey stones stood round about
it.
DEATH OF BALDER.
26
On
each was clotted blood, and bones, and ashes
Blood as I cut the spear the stem emitted
It crushes stone, and steel, and giants' armour.
HOTHER, THE OtHERS.
HoTHER
is
(JiQ
[He
Where
armed, but without a spear).
this prince of beauty,
starts slightly
is
Nanna's half -god 1
upon perceiving
the
Valkyrier.
They advance towards him, hand in hand.
Excuse
me my
astonishment, fair war-maids
!
The first. Hail to thee dauntless warrior, bane of Grelder
Hail to thee, Skoldung, valiant son of Hoth-
The
second.
The
third. Hail^ hail to thee,
brod
HoTHER
The
!
my
Hother, Leire's ruler
Ye know me
{astonished.)
!
!
Yes, thou noble youth, and love thee
third.
HoTHER. Your goodness overwhelms me
—to
!
what god-
head
Stand I indebted for
this lucky
meeting ?
The first. I bring to thee a spear to fight with heroes
And
The second.
I
this,
hand
to
thee, can
slaughter
demons
The
This spear
third.
HoTHER.
How
is
shall I e'er
The first. Be valiant!
The
second.
The
third.
excellent in fight with Jotuns.
repay these costly presents
fight!
?
send battle's sons to Yalhall!
Extend the Danish sway and Odin's worship
The
sire of
many
warlike kings of Leire
!
[They vanish.
DEA TH OF BALDER.
27
HoTHER. There's nought but sorcery upon these mountains
!
They've vanished
Do
!
Sight, feehng, reason are
But
here, ye gods
The magic
—
dream to-day
I
my bosom
Vanfred's poison.
Shall I mistrust thee, then
hangs his
%
—
rages
Nanna, Nanna
shall I,
That which
shield.
!
thy Hother %
tree^
whereon he
the first
Valkyrier
two spears against a
[lie places the
I
ahke enchanted
here in
!
Where am
?
gave him he retains in his hand.
The
fire
warms with
First
But
which love enkindles
ah
soon,
!
bliss
the heart,
soon the traitor
Awaketh burning smart
Love's flame at
first discloses
Pure innocence alone
But quickly by
A deed
O
love
Thy
splendour
thy
shown.
bliss is vanish'd.
flame extinguish quite.
For in
Now
!
its
of guilt is
my
bride black falsehood
only meets
my
sight.
Nanna, Hother.
Nanna {who
has stood at the entrance of the scene, and
has heard the
latter
part of Hother's song).
overheard thee, weak, ignoble Hother
I
I
DEA TH OF BALDER.
28
Ah
HoTHER.
weak
yes,
!
credulous
Nanna. Save thyself repentance
HoTHER. Where
thy demigod
is
!
!
%
Nanna. This bosom, Hother, acquitteth me
That were enough for Nanna,
Hother. Oh, pray, proceed
if
!
Nanna {affectionately). Lov'd less
Hother (contemptuously). Whom 1 Balder ?
Nanna. Savage
His bane
of late
Wilt thou love
!
?
hel?
what
fiend has pour'U into thy
Ha
fly
!
from
me
detest
:
Ah, Nanna
Nanna. I have debas'd myself
(Virtue from that,
trust'st
O
to excusation
Hother, ever shrinketh)
thou not 1
Thou know'st
Thy
!
thou canst mistrust
Hother.
Yet
me
bosom
,
—one's wont to trust the
lov'd one
(I told it thee before) that Gevar,
Heaven
wise instructor, has declar'd that
Threatens a bloody, horrible misfortune.
In case our love be nois'd about in Asgaard,
Ere certain
And
As
stars shall stand in other orbits
canst thou wonder
when
so great an
Asa
Odin's Balder cometh unexpected.
That
I all
trembhng
will conceal
Hother.
Ha, trembling
My curse upon the slave who first invented
A word which
Thy
ne'er
excusations
kill
my
me
Nanna's
!
lips
should sully
I imagined
!
!
DEATH OF BALDER.
It
was a
29
.
chaste, a maidenish reflection,
my Nanna
That made
Unmurmuring
blush at our affection
:
I obeyed, and kept in secret.
Why hast thou ta'en from me that sweet delusion
Why spak'st thou not, and say for whom thou tremblest
?
Thou
For Balder 's death?
But
It
no, ye gods
No, I believe
!
Then
think'st thou
me
lov'st
Nanna.
'Tis
me
—
Nanna
!
so weak, so wholly powerless,
When
still ?
I,
e'er lov'd
maids the dastard %
no disgrace to quake before a half-god
HoTHER. 'Fore Odin's
I
thee,
self
or Balder, die to-day
mere cowards quake.
[me
O
Nanna.
Hother
I
ah, in burning tears it soon has melted.
Thou
die, or
Balder
!
he
—a half-god
!
Nanna
Hother.
Thy
tears insult
me
sore,
and yet
—I know not
— they torture—they enchant me.
them
I love
—I excuse them —I—I know not
desist from flowing
O tear—sweet, bitter
Thou showest tenderness —but ah betrayest
Mistrust and slight respect — ah, love thy Hother,
They gladden me
.
tear,
!
!
!
But oh
Thy
!
believe,
heart
is
he
will deserve thee,
Nanna
:
far too noble for the coward
Who beareth shield
!
Now hear
I
I came to quarrel, came prepar'd with anger;
But
%
thy half -god.
for mine, for Hother's death, thou fearest.
is
And
lovest then
and sword and yet can tremble.
30
DEA TH OF BALDER.
HoTHER, The
slave only feareth.
Nanna.
The hero can
HoTHER.
Ah
fall
then his fame cheereth
His bride in her
Nanna.
Ah
thrall.
then his bride weeps
!
HoTHER. She's honour 'd.
Nanna.
She weepeth
!
HoTHER. She's honour'd.
Nanna.
And
weepeth.
HoTHER. Ah, then
fame cheereth
his
His bride in her
Both.
Nanna.
Ah
His bride in her
thrall.
thou now
f allest
Ah,
if
HoTHER. And
Nanna.
thrall.
then his fame cheereth
if
Then
By
I
now
fall
?
%
I shall be wasted
ne'er-ceasing smart.
my
HoTHER. But were
fame blasted
Then break would thy
Nanna.
Oh
HoTHER.
My valour's proud
what
!
is
story.
Nanna.
Mere
HoTHER.
My
Nanna.
HoTHER.
Oh
And
Nanna.
Then
I shall be wasted
With
grief
grief
name
!
heart.
remaining ?
and complaining
is
!
thy glory.
if
thou now
if
I
now
fallest.
fall,
and complaining
!
DEATH OF BALDER.
HoTHER.
My
name
31
remaining
is
But honour once blasted
Both.
We
both should lose
The
slave only feareth,
The hero can
But then
fall
fame cheereth
his
His bride in her
Nanna
thrall.
Hother by
{with a terrified look, she seizes
upon
'perceiving
Balder).
all.
Ah
the
arm^
Hother, come.
!
Balder, Hother, Nanna.
Balder. Dost
Am I
fly
so frightful
Hother
{will
me, cruel Nanna
how have
%
I offended
if
agitated).
thou lovest
Hother. To
My
me —if thou
Balder. Thy Hother %
Ha, Balder, we have
Hother
!
respectest
0, ye gods
thee, perhaps to
Balder {with
Nanna
Nanna makes
at last.
Nanna {much
Ah,
?
rush towards Balder, hut
every effort to prevent him).
met
I
me
'tis
my prayer
how
!
bitter
sweet and grateful
Presumptuous one
majesty).
!
!
{casts herself in her anguish nearly at Hother's
feetj
who
is
about
to
lay hands on Balder).
hast ever lov'd me,
Come with me, Hother
Hother. What
!
!
come unto
shall I fly
?
my
father
!
If thou
DEATH OF BALDER.
32
Do
Nanna.
Thou wouldst not have me
Thou wouldst
not, sure, that I should be a witness
Balder. Ha, Nanna
HoTHER
I
thou whate'er thou pleasest
perish in the forest,
{to
!
fly
not from
me
Thou commandest,
Balder).
say she shall
fly
!
from
{To Nanna)
thee.
Come,
my
Nanna
{To Balder). But do not thou despair
Thou
wilt
have long to wait,
if
nor yet imagine
!
wait thou darest.
[HoTHER and Nanna
Ha
Balder.
wherefore crush'd I not
!
to
exeunt.
earth the
brawler ?
—
But Nanna loves him and shall Balder
Nanna unhappy, cause despair to enter
Her
and dim with tears her
breast,
And what
is his offence,
render
eyes' efiulgence
the noble hero
?
?
He loves—ha, who can gaze upon thy beauties
But he braves me
And love thee not, proud maiden
Ah he is young and fortunate, and if I
?
!
Had slain him now, 'twas Nanna's love I punish'd.
And not his insolence and, my bosom
;
!
Shall thy pure flame dishonour thee ?
Love on and
Ha,
let
me
but of thyself be worthy
die,
lose
No, Balder
my
and
all,
AUfather
Yes, let
me
lose e'en
life
!
Nanna
And Nanna
e'en
But not the
virtue she herself doth honour
!
!
!
!
!
DEATH OF BALDER.
\He hangs
his shield
that where
against
True
By
upon a
tree,
33
which
Hother's hangs, and
is opposite to
sets his
spear
up
it.
through virtue only known,
bliss,
virtue's self deserv'd alone.
Only for thee doth Balder sigh
My sad heart would a
Which through dishonour
So dear
let slaves
:
heaven disdain
it
must
gain.
enjoyment buy
Yes, Balder, worthy of thyself continue
Canst thou wish Nanna to abandon Hother ?
"Wish her whose virtue thy high soul so worships
Should weak and base become for thy advantage
But
— does she love him
Who
has he
1
won
?
her promise 1
knoweth but she merely has dissembled,
And shown
a fictions flame to prove thee. Balder
Transporting dream
Nanna, Balder.
Nanna
(rushes
in,
Balder
{casts
Nanna
terrified).
Ah,
lovest
!
if
Ha!
Balder
if
thou
thou
himself at
Nanna's
canst thou doubt
it
Heavens,
feet).
?
I burn, I burn
\Whilst
Nanna
in her terror makes every
raise him, they come into
a familiar
which Hother, who has slain
hears,
effort
to
attitude, in
and who
D
is
DEATH OF BALDER.
34
wiping
he
the hlood
appears,
from
perceives
moment
his spear at the
He
them.
remains standing among
the
and
starts,
so that he
trees,
cannot hear what they say.
Nanna.
Two
Oh, rescue then
Attack'd him
Assist
;
if
him quick
thou hast love for virtue,
;
if
thou delayest a moment,
The
noblest heart that ever beat they'll
Oh
quick
!
:
!
No, cruel Nanna
My arm
!
mangle
bethink thee not
Balder.
Fear not
my Hother
among the bushes yonder
savage bears
shall rescue
him thou
\Just as he is about to rise
!
lovest
Hother
steps
forward.
Hother, the Last.
Hother. Ye heavens do I dream ? Enamoured half -god
!
Excuse
me
Balder
Nanna
for disturbing thee
There
{as he rises up).
{goes tenderly to mee^
my
!
!
is
he
!
Hother). Ah, Hother
!
Ah,
Hother
Hother {pushes her bach with his hand). Go, false
woman
Balder. Gods, how unthankful art thou how ferocious
—
Can such a bear
Hother
of
Nanna be
{takes his shield
for
all,
deserving ?
down from
the tree).
and end thy prate in Yalhall
Nanna. Savage, thou mean'st not sure
Now, pay
DEA TH OF BALDER.
Beware
HoTHER.
35
thee,
Nanna
Nanna. Oh, hear me
HoTHER.
I will
dieth by
!
wilt not sure
HoTHER.
He
Go, hide thee, false one
I have seen.
Nanna. Thou
my hand
And
!
now, by Hothbrod,
!
Balder.
Presumptuous mortal
HoTHER. Thy
shield
thy spear
!
!
I hate
all
vaunt,
my
half-god.
Nanna
{rushes towards Balder, wJio taJceth his weapons).
O
Balder
Balder.
Thou
see'st
noble Balder
!
Ah, poor Nanna
^
he
me
f orcei^
Ha
Hother.
—that death he beggeth
this is all too
!
!
much. Protect him
—hide
him
Cover thy gallant with thy
I will not slay thee
That he or I
;
but
shall fall
[He turns
!
faithless
my
oath
the point
of his spear against himsdf.
Ah, Hother
doest thou
Hother.
?
I've
sworn
Nanna.
I go
—I
fly.
uttered,
And now
Nanna.
What
is
bosom
Hold, hold, thou savage
Oh
[She goes
help, ye gods of
heaven
away in a kind of
!
!
distraction, hut she
remains standing at the entrance of
the scene,
where she with fearful curiosity looks on and off
D
2
DEA TH OF BALDER.
36
The warriors go in
the combatants.
with
circle
uplifted spears.
HoTHER. Now, valiant Balder,
HoTHER.
Prat'st
still,
my
upon thy father
call
Balder. Shame on thee, Hother
hero
!
Thou offendest Nanna.
?
Balder.
Well
—thou wilt?
Hgther.
[He
Ha, Hothbrod
which he had received from, the
casts the spear
Yalkyrier, and had retained in his hand.
first
It striketh
effect^
Balder, hutfalls^ without taking any
Balder in return
at his feet.
spear into his
hand, and tears
left
casts his
down a huge
piece of the neighbouring rock.
Nanna. Ye gods
of
Gevar
!
Nanna
Balder.
[He
casts his spear behind
him out of the
Nanna.
scene.
Noble being
Hother.
Ha
gart
[He
!
darest thou
mock me, thou
inflated brag-
?
takes from the tree the spear which the Yalkyrier,
BoTA, gave him, and
casts
it.
It strikes so
hard
against Balder's breast, that he nearly sinks
upon
his knee
but
;
it
nevertheless falls to the
ground without wounding him.
Ha Surtur,
my fury
Balder.
Fly from
!
!
ha
!
"Was that the
fell
destroyer
?
DEA TH OF BALDER.
H OTHER.
Cool
[He
casts the last spear,
meantime,
parent
Balder
HoTHER
Thou
[He
which he has seized in
his sword).
{as he likewise draws).
;
Now,
then, presump-
Demon and no half-god
!
!
but here's a sword remaining
!
!
strikes at
him with
his utmost force,
sword rehoundeth from,
the
helm
o/*
hut the
Balder.
Odin
Balder.
[He
the
without any ap-
like the first,
?
blunt'st the spear
Now, Hothbrod
heat in Valhall
its
effect.
draws
{as he
tuous
hut,
37
Hother's sword from his hand,
strikes
into pieces, seizes
him hy
sword against his
hreast.
it /lies
his
the
so that
arm, and
Hother
sets
sinks
upon
his knee beneath the powerful grasp, hut
raises
himself immediately, without Balder's
attempting to hinder him hut he retains him
so in his
Nanna
power
rushes in
move
that he cannot
and
casts herself
hiTnself.
down upon
her knee hefore Balder.
Nanna.
Generous, noble Balder
Balder. Take up thy bride and
live
Hother.
My Hfe detest
I would not give the smallest hair of Nanna,
For yet a thousand years thy whole godship
!
I,
!
DEATH OF BALDER.
38
Balder. Die, then
sword
\IIe lifts his
who
one
like
will strike.
Why dost delay %
HoTHER.
Nanna.
Ha here thou savage
spare my bridegroom.
!
Here, strike into this breast and
HoTHER.
Still,
[Balder
lets
lovest
me ?
thou
still,
sword
his
!
sink.
Oh, Nanna
Nanna
There
see'st thou, fiend,
she loveth
me
Balder.
Ha
Ah, torment
I can end thee
!
!
[He
!
Nanna.
Let
By
Hother.
heavens
!
my
lifts
his sword again.
tears prevent thee
mocking thee
she's
!
!
If thou
delayest.
She'll
laugh
full at
thee in the arms of Hother.
Nanna. Believe him
but
not,
virtue
— thine
own
bosom
Balder
{sheathing his sword). Live,
Ha
Hother.
Balder.
No
Live
!
warrior
Embrace thy
Hother.
Thou
Ha
!
have I begged for mercy
forget our strife,
and
be, as erst, unshackled
cruel, proud,
know'st, thou
f eelest
and
all
I
too noble en'my
but too well thy triumph
think'st thou he can live
oath, that I or Balder die
?
?
thou dauntless
thou hast overcome, hast humbled Hother
!
And
My
!
!
live
!
!
friend,
Ha
;
Hother
!
!
!
Heard, heard has heaven
DEATH OF BALDER.
[He grasps his dagger, and
hut
ity
Balder
is
wrests
about
39
to stah
himself with
out of his hand.
it
Bethink thee
Balder.
Ye
HoTHER.
fallen
heavens
Hother
!
!
ah
how
!
art thou
I
ISTanna {affectionately).
My Hother
Ah
Hother.
!
farewell for ever,
Nanna
!
\He goes hastily away. Nanna attempts to follow him,
hut
Balder
detains her.
Nanna, Balder.
Nanna. Woe's me
!
he will destroy himself.
By Odin
Balder.
He
shall not
To hinder
!
it
Be composed
for some time over
know
all
Nanna
!
{she takes with fervour his hand and hends herself
Nanna
I feel
!
Believe thy Balder,
!
!
beheve, I've power
it).
I do believe thee, noble one, I
thee
thy exaltedness.
I hold in reverence.
Oh
!
Thy
virtues
that
all
my
friendship,
That these hot tears were able to reward thee
Balder
{casts
himself upon his knees hefore her).
Oh wave of hope,
Nanna {agitated). What hopest
ghmpse
!
!
Awaken Balder from
thou
1
Let not thy
Balder.
his
dream
Oh
in which I'm drowning
of rapture
lips,
oh Nanna
!
DEA TH OF BALDER.
40
Let him enjoy
His hope, his
it
let
;
My heart can
his destiny,
yonder precious tear-drops.
Hfe, in
Nanna. Ah, what
him read
avails it 'gainst one's fate to struggle
?
ne'er of Balder be deserving.
Balder. Ah, that I but
Nanna.
Excuse
Ah
I've
!
;
thou knowest
a miserable friend to comfort.
\She tears herself
and
me now
away from him,
He
goes.
gives a friendly look
follows her for some time with
his eyes.
Balder. Yet
will I
hope
I
Hear, hear ye rocks
I
that
Balder
Ventures to hope
Blunted
Oh
How
Ye
sure,
— stern fate
Surtur's spear, and
is
virtue
!
which,
!
when
is
now contented
Nanna wavers
!
!
blood rag'd high didst triumph,
how nobly thou
reward'st thy lover
rocks which so lately gave ear to
!
my groans.
Now
hear of
And
reply ye proud woods that no longer seem drear
In vain
With
fate
my
hope and
my
gladness the tones,
and heaven, oh Balder, have
cas'd,
vigour the bosom thou lovest, and placed
In the hand
of the hero the sorcerer's spear.
Oh virtue thou still dost thy servant befriend
Ye echoes the triumph of true love extend.
And virtue's fair guerdon proclaim far and near.
!
;
Thor, Balder.
TiioR. Boldly resounds thy song, thou friend of battle
DEATH OF BALDER.
So bluster from the hero's
Hard-gotten
vict'ries,
lips
and the
smilest, pleasure
the bloody
slain foes' praises,
field of slaughter,
Whilst he surveys the lonely
Thou
41
from thine eye
flashing,
is
Like Odin's, when he freed the earth from danger
By
watering
with blood of savage giants.
it
Balder. Ha, friend
press thou thy breast unto this
!
bosom,
And
feel
what
lip
but feebly can interpret,
Feel heaven's rapture in
my
soul
1
Thou
Thor.
Balder.
Ah
!
Nanna, friend
Ha now
Thor.
And
!
well
it is, full
At length by
ravest
!
well, that Odin's
I understand thee.
Balder
tears has soften'd Gevar's daughter
!
This triumph
Thou
Balder.
art
mocking
1
Thor.
Shall to
As
Ha
No, thy
me
that I
!
it is
be as one of
most
It takes
!
fear
Our bosoms.
from
me and Odin
which has too long tormented
I no more thine ear shall weary
vain advice.
Enough
!
the maiden loveth.
Balder. She loveth —yes, by Hsel
Thor.
vict'ry
prais'd ones.
won from Nagaard's gloomy demon
great
The dastard
With
my
Ha
!
Hother
Balder, dost thou
?
!
she loveth Hother.
mock me
%
Whom
%
What
DEA TH OF BALDER.
42
Balder. Hast Thor forgotten then the valiant Leir-
King %
Thor
No
{in tliought).
him
A.t Rolf,
!
—by
my hammer,
no
!
—I
saw
battle
the Daneman's festival; I saw him,
Strong in his arm.
But
Balder.
Thor
yet
it lost
the falchion.
in thought). Before his spear the copper hau-
(^yet
berk yielded
Like
wax.
softest
But
Shall he
But then
Avails thereto
if
scarce a mortal
fate
Banish, oh banish.
Balder.
These murky thoughts, oh Thor
Thor. Thy pleasure
Do
!
!
I
and share
dream
my
?
pleasure.
Loves Nanna,
Hother?
Balder. Ay, doth she
!
That
Thor.
Balder.
Thor
Ah
{after
stand
Thy
victory's
:
hear
some
my
Thou
ravest.
Now, noble
of.
one, I under-
—and me—and Odin.
it.
soft-hearted maid, but Balder,
friend
—the monster in thy bosom.
Balder. Ah, hush
Know,
?
me
I will myself engrave
Thy love, thy foolish
I
rejoices thee
joy thou wilt thyself approve
reflection).
worthy thee
!
thee,
—my
embrace
On Gevar's rocks
Oh not a weak,
But
!
had never
love,
thou overcamest.
thee, cruel one
o'er
my
!
I feel I'm blushing.
hearo less power.
DEA TH OF BALDER,
43
I burn, and tremble at the thought of seeing
The flame put out by which I am tormented.
What
Thor.
do I hear
Ye
?
—
Lose virtue thus, and
all
And
rave and dote
Thou
How
pleasurably
!
By my
!
well, quaff
lov'st
ravest so
Balder.
thy pleasure
skull already,
—I see thy fate
is
My fate's first law is
hastening.
love.
Alas, the second
!
Balder.
And
where's the battle
Thor. The slayer %
?
where's the slayer
?
Hother.
Balder.
He
!
and art rejected?
Thor.
Is death
can an Asa
!
arm, I'm thinking
The Yalkyrie has touch'd thy
Thou
heavens
Weaponless, despairing,
.
wanders 'mong the rocks.
We fought.
He
Thor.
liveth
?
Balder. Ah, Nanna wept.
Thor.
Curst tears
For ye must pay
!
the blood of
Asa
!
And
Balder.
friend,
had he the power,
Think'st thou that Hother, that the Skiolding basely
Would murder him
to
whom
Thor. Not so would he.
'Gainst destiny,
And
if
Thy timid
But
if
oweth %
he must, what can he
she the death-spear hands him,
guides herself his
Balder.
his life he
arm %
Oh, banish, banish
care,
and hear and share
my
transport
DEATH OF BALDER,
44
Just now, as Hother's
Through Nanna's
I spar'd there glitter'd,
life
tears the
first, first
Sweetly she smil'd, and granting
She
press'd
my hand
me
glimpse of pity
her friendship,
with loving warmth.
Ha
Thor.
Mine
Is
ear, I
pray thee, with thy
Asa Thor with dastard
Yet can I
life
Balder.
My life's the
Thor. It
is
thy death
Behold this spear which
My knee
Yet
grew weak
I live,
still
Thor
and
late
death
%
aspire to scatter.
the Leir-King brandish'd
when
it
struck
me
celestial,
Do
Odin's son, and Bota,
invites the hero-kings to Yalhall,
Is here, where never din of arms resounded.
With
terror view'd I battle's haughty daughter
Dark
stood she on a rock, en veiled in vapour
And on
And
:
her shoulder, on her steel-cas'd shoulder,
bird of death, the mournful owl, sat croaking.
Whom
seeks
shie,
far
Surtur's branch,
If fate but wish
!
;
not deceive thy-
not in Nastroud's blazes.
But death has greeted
The
!
!
to earth fell blunted.
it
spear was harden'd
self, this
She who
dreamest.
See fate accomplished
(Whilst he surveys the spear).
In flames
Thou
dream thou dost
I stagger'd
:
;
!
What
Balder.
vex not
little
She thanks thee
that gives thee joy 1
:
!
—
love acquainted
see into her heart.
For Hother's
follies
from every bloody Champain
how
And
soon
is
1
that discover'd.
think'st thou
Loke slumbers 1
DEATH OF BALDER.
Ah, Balder
fly
!
forget a foolish passion
Fly, ere thy fate,
Follow
me
which hasteneth,
—
What
in which I live
For me to
fly
from
accomplish'd.
is
fly
!
and give up Nanna
far too noble
Balder, hear
I come,
Then heed a
Wondering
!
it.
Thor.
Hear why
!
straight
Balder.
The hope
is
45
and
friend's,
if
me
!
thou wish'st for rescue.
a father's
last, last
warning
!
at thy infatuation, troubled
By threatening, now no longer dark forebodings.
By panic seiz'd, press'd by unwonted sadness,
I left these hills, and thunder-peals announced me
In Asgaard, every eye
Straightway around
Each
down my
Press'd
:
me
eye.
notic'd
stream'd the eldest Aser,
would know, what
first
A sign
my trouble
But
grief, or rather terror,
straight Allfather
he blushes, Balder, at thy weakness
made me
!
He bade me keep it, whilst we could, a secret,
And question first once more the ancient Mimer.
I question'd him, and
Thus answer 'd
And
:
murky
fate's explorer
" If the sun (ah, hear and tremble.
save thee, whilst thou canst
AVhen by
Which
its glories
oft
yonder
!) if it
to-morrow,
hills are brighten'd.
have echoed back the half -god's wailings,
Behold him yet in love and yet rejected.
Then
And
likewise
it
beholds the spear which slays him,
Odin's tears and
all
the Aser's sorrow
"
!
DEA TH OF BALDER.
46
Balder. Time presses, then.
With
I hasten
;
tears to soften Nanna's noble bosom,
To move her with
My
Excuse me, Thor
my prayer,
doom demand,
be't life or death
Shall Balder's fate disclose
Thor
{whilst he looks
madman
and, lowly kneeling,
;
for quickly
\IIe goes.
itself.
after
him with compassion). Ah,
!
Headlong thou hurriest
to
meet destruction
!
ACT THE THIRD.
The storm howls among
It is dark night.
times
and
it
lightens
and thunders^ and
the rocks.
Some-
the bears bellow here
there in the forest.
HoTHER
(sitting
upon a rock unarmed and in a
dejected
attitude).
The rocks
When
And
arc reeling.
storms are roaring,
thunders pealing,
I feel no fright
What
I'm enduring
Is wilder, stranger
Than thunder's anger
Or tempests might.
Welcome, thou night
!
darkness thick
Compassionately hid'st thou
From him,
!
how
me from Hother
the weak, the overcome, the fallen
friendly,
DEA TH OF BALDER.
47
Come, then, embrace me, Hoetheim's murky princess
With
all
thy horrors dark, thou foe of gladness
Ah, come
conceal the feeble, shiver'd
!
weapon
Ha
Cover the gloomy rock where I
!
!
!
thunder
!
Annihilate thee, accursed thought, that darest
Disturb the Skoldung where to rest he's flung him
But I may breathe
I
may
Ha
!
to the night,
is
it,
night
a rock
—
and in thy depths conceal
!
a gloomy one
For ugly demons swarm upon
And
dragons nestle in
There did I
fall,
its
Now am
its
summit.
:
fell my honour.
my life accepted
and with me
I calm, for I no more behold
!
it;
yet behold the proud, the noble foeman,
Nor yet my Nanna's
Nor
it
—a horrid.
murky caverns
There knelt I powerless, and
Nor
and Hoetheim
entrust with Hother's ignominy.
hear
There
it
cheek, o'erspread with blushes
"Which purchased Hother from triumphant Balder
Ha
!
\
yet the burning, hated tears which rescued,
storm, thou sinkest
Peal, thunders, peal
Of dastard prayer,
!
of
!
Howl and whoop around me
and drown the cruel echo
Nanna's intercession
Life of
my Nanna,
Thy breath doth
kill,
Its sweet lamenting,
One
!
stroke preventing,
With many, with many
This breast doth
fill.
!
!
48
DEATH OF BALDER.
'
me
Ha
Thou
lovest
Thou
lovest Hother's
!
How cold, how cruel
But
I
weak, enamour'd
!
life,
Nanna
but not thy Hother.
to his name, his honour
—I too was cruel
!
I accus'd thee
!
Beloved Nanna, at thy feet
full
quickly
Hother's best blood shall wash away that insult
\IIe springs
Why
do I slumber
my
To keep
E'en death
oath
Ha,
?
up and walks about
the scene.
Why delay a moment
?
cruel, cruel destiny
!
thou dost refuse to Hother,
itself
For every sword and precipice thou hidest
Ha,
feeble spear
Where
Ne'er
art thou
!
whereon
I, fool-like,
now 1 and thou my
before
frail in fight
\He stumbles over
and thou
;
the
trusted,
fragile
my
Mimring
dagger
horn which he
cast
away in
the
first act.
What, what
is
this
Ha
!
By
?
Gave me wherewith
Hal, the horn which Vanfred
in time of need to call him.
by the gods, was ever need
To crave
to die, yet
Friendship so
warm
so horrid,
want the power
of dying
as his will never surely
Refuse a dagger to this breast.
[He winds
the horn,
which echoes frightfully among
the rochs.
Ha, Yanfred
I call thee
[A
now
;
where art thou, Yanfred
whirlwind
appears.
is
heard,
!
1
Yanfred
!
and Lore immediately
DEATH OF BALDER.
49
LOKE, HOTHER.
LoKE. Hail,
HoTHER.
hail to thee,
Ha
!
most fortunate of heroes
darest thou
mock Hother ?
What
LoKE.
A
!
disturbeth
fortune which thy foe himself, which Skulda,
Which heavenly and subterranean powers
Establish with united strength
?
HoTHER.
Lend me a
Establish
it
Old dreamer
spear,
than
and better right hand
all
shall
the powers thou namest
LoKE. I know thy state of mind and wretched
project.
By Nastroud, that worst of fools, if Balder
Had not thine eyes with Asa magic blinded,
And hid each dagger, each abyss thou soughtest,
Ere now in mist thou'dst unreveng'd been lying
Hother. What, has he hindered me, the
LoKE. Yes, proud
;
for he despises thee.
Hother.
LoKE.
Would
If he
And
Despises
And
e'er
!
noble, proud one
think'st thou he for sake of pleasing
Nanna
have deign'd to guard thee from destruction,
had much regarded Hother's anger.
if
thy love one grain of sand he heeded
Hother. Bad
art thou,
Vanfredj
all
?
thy words
are
poison'd.
Loke
(incensed).
Ha
!
Hother, thou reward'st in evil
fashion
The friendship and the happiness
I bring thee.
DEATH OF BALDER.
so
HoTHER. What happiness %
But come, thy misery sours thee;
LoKE.
Know,
I can straight assuage
it
And
HoTHER.
LoKE.
Know
then at once, thou lucky son of Hothbrod,
The spear which sendeth Balder 's
A spear,
HoTHER.
delayest.
a spear
soul to Hselheim.
'tis all
!
I
LoKE.
I
Is discover'd
knew, for I had read
Yalhalla's battle-loving maids
The
Its deadly point,
The haughty
and I
must seek
and prepare
ne'er seen weapon,
—
yes, I
— seduc'd them,
three, to seek the spear.
Seduc'd them
At
LoKE.
first
Balder crush'd thee and
my
Brandish the Jotun's bane
Balder's strength
He saw thy
My
more.
!
thou hadst not the right one
Near then had
combat, friend, prov'd that.
With
?
And dost thou think they wish the death of Balder?
HoTHER. Ha, Yanfred
Thy
for
for slaughter
HoTHER.
LoKE.
!
in the planets,
it
bride,
;
design.
Aghast I saw him
—I'm well acquainted
but ha
and spar'd
the fool prov'd tender
!
thee.
Then up mounted
courage and thine own.
HoTHER
LoKE.
I blush
{to himself).
{To Loke). What, courage
!
Courage^ fury — I, by
My youthful
:
my
I was raging
courage
!
—blind with fury
Hsel, care little,
hero, which thine eyeball gleams with,
!
DEATH OF BALDER.
If thou seek vengence,
HoTHER.
Who
and thine enemy
—who
art thou
5'
fallefch.
But speak
?
proceed
;
;
explain thee
LoKE. Strong was thine arm, and strong 'gainst Jotun's
armour
Was Rota's
And yet he
But ha
!
but
lance,
kneel'd
;
all
weak
too
he rear'd himself
my
;
For I could best appreciate thy
Raised was his arm
He
called
;
heart then
full
fail'd
me,
danger
bright appeared the massive falchion
;
on Odin's name, and then none living
Could save thee but himself
Courage
'gainst Balder
I saw the proud one palen.
shall
—the
fool
!
his lofty
prove his overthrow.
Ha, Yanfred
LoTHER.
1
LoKE. Well?
HoTHER.
I do admire
more and more thy wisdom.
But whilst we fought, where were the maids
LoKE. They were
my
dread ; I quak'd at every shadow
And every leaf that mov'd, lest I should
When I saw that no one of the sisters
Heard the high
call,
and din
of shield
My courage rose—I knew thou
They hear no
fight
of battle.
where no
see them.
and
falchion,
wast in safety
one's
doomed
HoTHER. And now the spear thou
to perish.
spak'st about
LoKE.
Valfather's favour'd maid
At
?
She has
—
his trusty servant,
length discover'd by unwearied searching
it,
DEATH OF BALDER.
52
The spear by which
his much-lov'd son shall perish.
Shortly ere thou didst
I sat,
call,
my
stilly
it
me
'twas like the tempest's
;
uptears the mountain oak ; then heard I
Rota ; black huge drops did
voice of
Of Jotun
blood, of
Through the
them whom Odin
HoTHER
Where
is it
these signals
all
right, the fatal
{impatiently).
trickle
slaughtered.
knew by
I
rock's rifts.
That she had found the
weapon.
— where
She hardens
LoKE.
HoTHER. Peace, dreamer
Go
!
LoKE.
And
cavern
dwelling shook, and o'er
A sound assailed my ear
When
my
vaulted roof begun to tremble.
its
Three times
The
as in
it
to extinguish all thy doubts,
I'll
with pleasure,
show thee
— the terrific Kota.
HoTHER. What, Vanfred
!
if
I dare
1
Enough
LoKE.
[He touches Hother's
the
in Nastroud.
!
T see this heat
If thou dare see her
?
eyelids.
!
Look westward
Immediately
is
!
seen
entrance of a vast cavern ^ which is only
illumined hy thejlames which, with a continual
roaring y
now
little
round
sinking,
At
deepest part.
altar.
ing in which
round
On
lies the
stands a caldron.
circle
now
rising, appear in its
the entrance,
the one
on each
a flame
fatal spear.
On
side, is
is
a
burn-
the other
The Valkyrier move in a
the first.
DEATH OF BALDER.
53
The Three Valkyrier.
The first.
Flames
Blaze
of
Nastroud
away
The deepmost deeps
Valhall's
The second.
feel
May.
Flames whose roaring
With dismay
E'en Asa hears,
Fate's voice obey.
Poisonous blazes
Rota.
Harden a spear
For Valhall's
All
three.
May
Poisonous blazes
Harden a spear
For Valhall's May.
Whom
Rota.
it
woundeth
It shall slay.
The first.
Whom
The
Whom
it
woundeth
It shall slay.
second.
it
woundeth
It shall slay.
All three.
Whom
it
woundeth
It shall slay.
Rota
{takes the spear
other altar).
caldron
from
and
the fire
Enough, enough
!
goes towards the
Now
will
we
in the
DEA TH OF BALDER.
54
Cool
And
its
red point
as
we
Whom
—now backward turns the
turn, the life of
the
spear
circle,
him turns backward
smites;
quench'd
as
are
Nastroud's
sparkles
Vanish
shall the life of
him
it
woundeth.
and
\She retains the spear in her handy
march round
All
In
three.
all
three
the caldron.
juice of rue,
And
trefoil too
In marrow
And
of bear
blood of Trold,
Be cooFd the
spear,
Three times
When
cool'd,
not from blazes
Which Nastroud
raises
For Valhall's May.
Rota
(she dips
first
to
it in,
and then iinmediately
Valkyrie, who does
meanwhile they sing
The first.
the same,
likewise dips
the second,
:)
Whom it woundeth
It shall slay.
The
second.
Whom it woundeth
It shall slay.
All three.
Whom
it
woundeth
It shall slay
and
it
gives
it to
the
then hands
it
in the caldron;
DEA TH OF BALDER.
[Rota
takes
55
The Valkyrier and'
the spear.
The scene appears
cavern disappear.
The tempest
as in the first of this act.
the
same
the
still
continues to rage.
HoTHER. Evanished
My every step,
Fool that I
am
and
the
!
Gevar's high rocks
sunken
I
moon
and
;
Like one who fearfully
I,
!
arm
the
ties
who
by Hothbrod's
Say, where
is
Vanfred
LoKE.
Do
Ha
I not
!
!
kills for certain
know
!
I saw
I
!
1
saw
1
Where
that Odin's maids prepar'd
is it
1
it
thee, that fate will only sufier
Thine arm in Balder's heart to thrust
Hother.
Thou
Vanfred
it.
Hother.
Only for
!
friendship I detested
now the spear which
LoKE. Thou saw'st
ashes,
will prolong existence,
vow me
didst
break over
will soon
I'm paying heed to phantoms.
Fiend,
sorcery surroundetli
of Hother.
it
?
Lately
saidst, think'st
thou they wish the death of Balder
?
But now against him they the weapon harden
Now
Valhall's maidens hate the noble half-god.
Hence with thy
contradictions, false deceiver
Loke. I have already said that I seduced them
My subtlety,
;
not they, the spear has harden'd.
Hother. Good now
Passes the night
!
LoKE. Then hear.
!
thy subtlety
!
how nobly Hother
Proceed with thy narration.
Thou
dost
remember Beta's
present.
DEATH OF BALDER,
56
The spear which
That shivsr'd
I
I,
haughty half -god kneehng,
set the
and brought
it
unto Rota.
borrowed Tyr's, the Asa's dress and
figure.
" Behold," I cried, " thy spear, thou crafty Rota
Late at a Jotun's foot I found
Sent from the Leir-King's hand
For strong
And
I,
Now
ill it
who
I
;
;
it still
knew
was buzzing,
the weapon.
trusted in thy art, I shouted.
shiver'd
and here,
it,
O
crafty
Rota
to thee the precious fragments
all
And by
—by AUfather,
the highest Godhead
Restless to search
till
the powers.
she a spear discover'd
With power
to slay the strongest son of
And
could be slain.
all
who
Then seem'd
if
!
joy I saw her eyes with fury flashing.
She swore by Odin's arm, by
As
;
and straight the lance upsnatching.
laugh'd,
Here bring I back
With
arm
stands with yonder mountain Jotun
But loud he
He
Hother's
is
!
lying,
it
it
—then, by Hsela's mists, then seem'd
fate only for that oath
Three times above
She spake
;
Ymer,
She swore and vanished.
me
had waited.
thunder'd the high
but terrible
is
Noma
Skulda's thunder
I cannot bear
its
But soon was
conscious of our spear's discovery.
Then thou
'Tis she
!
sound
;
I swift departed
But hear the heavy pinions
didst call
'tis
Rota
!
it
I aside
must hasten
For Yalhall's maids detest me.
!
;
[Loke goes
aside.
DEATH OF BALDER.
HoTHER, and 'presently
HoTHER
{lie
the
57
Valkyrie Rota.
Loke with a contemptuous
pursues
look).
Outcast
Ha
!
dastard slave
and thou didst swear me friendship
!
No, ne'er hast thou been Hother*s friend, thou
But the sworn enemy
of the gods
KoTA {handing him
Hothbrod
Yet
my much
Thou weepest
forebodes
no
'tis
here,
as
it
HoTHER.
Rota. Thou saw'st
it
!
!
Receive this spear, and use
Which
!
with a half-averted
the fatal spear
countenance). Here, son of
lov'd warrior
and virtue
!
traitor,
gift of
HoTHER.
I
my
tear
but do thou use this weapon
;
mine
—
know thou
But, noble maid,
if
—dear and noble the blood
thou
Thou know'st that he
is
that of Skulda.
'tis
for the generous Balder
f earest
my
is
!
heart see'st into,
safe as
Thor in Valhall.
Rota. Think'st thou to thwart the Noma's
will,
young
hero?
She pointed out the hidden
Break
bough
off the
tree
of death
Its point in Nastroud's flames
My
tears are wasted, like
Well, then
And whom
:
;
she bade
;
;
In Hselheim's
me
me
harden
But what
she
will I
thy noble project.
use thou this spear
it
she bade
!
Death
is its
smites eternal sleep shall fetter
silent night, if
he
is
mortal
surname,
?
DEATH OF BALDER.
58
The immortal demon, whose eye by hate and wickedness
Is
clouded,
plunge
'twill
torments
to
thousand
a
of
winters.
Mai'k that, and use
it
But him, the wretch
know
(Full well I
!
well
Thy
!
who
breast
is
noble
breathest poison in
he's near)
him
it,
shalt thou punish.
[Rota disappears.
HoTHER, and presently Loke.
HoTHER. Now, now
is
!
a dream
all
Yet,
?
I've the
weapon
Now
welcome death
my
!
noble foe no longer
me
Shall hide thee from me, nor of thee deprive
Now
can I keep what I have sworn
O Nanna
!
I bring a noble offering to thy virtue
\lle is going, hut
Loke. Whither
HoTHER
?
thou Fortune's
scoff
fav'rite
thou wilt
!
!
to Ha^lheim.
thy wise determination.
Thou
scoffest
1
What
Loke. Whose,
if
foeman's
not Balder 's
?
%
Ah,
I hold the gift in
it still.
life,
die.
Hother.
And though
at the entrance.
Yes, thou boldest thy foeman's
Hother.
I took
him
Ha
{incensed).
Loke.
And
!
meets
(sharply).
Loke. Hother, I
HoTHER
Loke
I
And
little
my
value,
shall his lofty spirit
life
he gave
me
!
DEATH OF BALDER,
Shall I, shall
His downfall prove %
The
pity I craved not
By
moments
Hsel
!
he's
coming
!
in these foolish visions.
Hother. What wouldst thou
%
Stand behind that pine, and
LoKE.
Ha
Hother.
\He
Hother punish
%
LoKE.
Waste not the
59
!
strikes
dastard slave
Lore on
the
kill
him
!
!
head with the spear, and he
He
instantly sinks howling into the earth.
is
no sooner out of sight than everything becomes
quiet.
The sun
After
rises in its full majesty.
Hother has for some time
looked
on all
this
with
astonishment, he says
Like thee
Who
fall
every traitor
breatheth wickedness in the Skiolding's bosom
Ha, Balder
!
[He goes somewhat
!
aside.
Hother, Balder.
Balder
(without perceiving Hother).
Gloomy was
night and horrid
Around about me angry gods
What
Now
seek they
?
To
consulted.
affright the soul of Balder
all is still.
Hother.
Now
unconcern'd and haughty
Walks the high demigod
Each breath he dniwcth
!
is
Ah,
little
thinks he
the gift of Hother,
1
this
DEA TH OF BALDER.
6o
Who
Balder.
But
all is
I know not wherefore
me more than any other,
affects
within mine ear
Ah can I more than
Who now his life and
!
And
'tis
ever buzzing.
pity him, poor mortal
feebleness bewaileth,
trembles weaponless at his
HoTHER. Ha, now
for that
!
be as proud as thou, and
I'll
I heard itutter'd,
hushed as death.
That name
And why
name?
utter'd Hother's
fly
own shadow.
is
thy presence
Balder. Who's speaking here
musings
worthy of the Skoldung
Who
?
!
\He
goes.
dares disturb
my
1
know I not that Finnish fiends are swarming
Upon the rocks ? The sun approach'd the ocean.
And yet I found not Nanna all deserted
But,
:
Was
Gevar's house, and hollow rang each echo
Of Balder's
Ah
Where was
sighs.
Hother charm'd
!
Thou
didst not hear
thee.
my
she,
then ? where was she
In the arms
sighs,
my
of
Hother
timid knocking,
And my enamour'd call, thou cruel maiden
And what if I had found thee
Then thine
?
Most probably had prov'd the death
I
know
myself no more
And
here about
Yes,
Nanna
!
it
yes
;
;
creeps
my
heart
answer
of Balder.
it flutters.
unwonted
chillness.
'twas thou taught'st
me
to tremble.
Ah belov'd maiden I, a half -god, tremble
When thou but breathest, when thy lip thou movest,
!
As
if
!
to utter
No, thy
lip is open'd.
?
DEA TH OF BALDER.
Oh, hush
But did
and
!
I not
let
me
6i
sink with hope to Hselheim
!
behold thine eye beam friendship
On Balder ] felt I not thy warm tear trickle
Upon this hand % and saw I not thy blushes %
Ha
I'll
!
think through, I will enjoy entirely
My hope why then, my
:
And why
And hope
to
me a stranger % Oh, my
I
me a dastard's fear
Thou
teachest
Now
Ah
I've a glimpse of
if 'tis
!
Oh
doubt
?
!
treasure,
!
again,
oh fear with which
my
tremble
hope to be depriv'd
me
torn from
Thor,
Yes,
heart, beat'st thou so wildly
in Balder's eyes are tears uprising,
if
my
thy
friend,
of.
Nanna
heart
words
is
tortur'd
were
!
truth
and
wisdom
That pity that she showed was thanks for sparing Hother
She trembled but for Hother
Each
Has
tear but begged his
led
my
soul astray
Of empty hope
As
Ha
"What cruel delusion
Ah, wretched meteor
thou, thou for
she has ever fled
!
when,
From
to
my own
me
couldst glitter,
my
path,
my
shadow
torment, once I wrested
the proud maid some sort of heed and answer,
'Twas mockery mere
To be great
And
%
for the lov'd one
I had been ignorant of her hatred.
if
And
!
—
life.
held
:
she called herself unworthy
Balder's bride
my
and Odin's daughter,
love-sick sighs for jest
Yet never have
I heard the
and
word which
flatt'ry.
killeth,
DEA TH OF BALDER.
62
"Without the aid of Surtur's deadly sapling
The No, the
Ha
I will hear
!
by Nanna
frightful No,
My tears shall
it
Yes, by Hselheim's darkness
!
now
utter'd.
!
No from Nanna.
extract that
Nanna, Balder.
Nanna
{she,
No
one answers
To Nanna's hard
My
anguish ease
Balder
me
Do
!
rock, which no
Keply
!
my
Ah, where's
!
My fate will
{aside).
Ye
have
it so.
!
one
lov'd
?
Ha, Nanna.
Show me,
silent forests, shades
me him
Balder
—
{aside).
once
Ha
shall I
!
?
awful.
dearest
Dare 1
1
Ah, where art thou, Hother
Perhaps in an abyss,
silent
now
lov'd,
me my
disclose
Nanna.
And
!
thou give hearing
god heedeth
Nanna.
Oh, show
Ah
rushes distractedly in upon the stage).
Woe
!
is
all
crushed and bloody
me
Balder {springing
%
!
for ever silent
her).
to
Dear Nanna
!
Oh what
terror
Ha
Nanna.
The
direst
!
I've seen
dream has shown
to
him
!
me my Hother
!
Close by a yawning chasm was he standing.
And
round about him bellow'd hideous monsters.
Balder.
Thine
liveth.
—as
thou
callest
him
—thine
Hother
DEA TH OF BALDER.
Nanna
him
Ah, forgive me
I
Balder
I heard the fall
!
;
Big was the ruddy wound whereto
Like one deep musing
Ha
of night
was
Hother
can't
!
visage
its fingers
Till I
!
streaming
Hother
tall as
:
!
be dead.
Nanna.
But ah
:
pointed.
it
it conceal'd its
were through
tears
Ah, the pale son
Balder.
thou
^thou see'st
bloody by the Hall there stood a spectre
But big the
!
—
I tremble.
of gods —the gods lamenting
dream confuses me
And
Ha
{whilst she recognizes Balder).
hast slain
My
63
I do believe thee
I cannot rest
have seen his
—I cannot, Balder,
face,
have spoken to him,
Embrac'd his arm, and press'd
Balder
(distractedly).
to this bosom.
it
Ha, Nanna
!
this
more
is
—
'tis
more, by Odin,
Than I can bear
Nanna
Thou
!
Ye mighty
{terrified).
fright'nest me, forlorn one
[She endeavours
force,
to escape,
gods of heaven
hut
Balder
and flings himself at
!
Oh my Nanna
by these burning
!
scarcely
I
Nanna
1
!
tears I do adjure thee.
By all my sufferings Stay,
Nanna {with disquiet).
Balder.
detains her hy
her feet.
Balder.
Stay
I
!
oh stay
know
!
What
!
Ah
!
I
wilt thou
?
have hop'd, dear
DEATH OF BALDER.
64
Nanna. Unhand me
Let
!
me fly
!
What hast thou hop'd
for?
Thou know*st who has my
Pronounce
Can
my
my
all
Say so at once
Oh, answer, Nanna
?
I'll
hear thee
1
—these tears—can nothing
Plunge in
!
here at thy feet
!
Is there no hope remaining
doom.
tenderness
Soften thy cruelty
Unhand me, Balder
love.
Balder. No, by the gods
my
!
heart the dagger
Nanna. Ah, wherefore, Balder, dost thou
my
Balder. Perhaps thou doubtest
!
love a mortal
love,
?
perhaps thou
wishest
Its
Ha, towards Heaven
whole extent.
I'll lift
my
better hand,
and vow
Eternal tenderness to thee,
eternal,
my Nanna
!
If greater proofs thou wish'st for, do but
name them,
That I may show to thee how dear I love the
Nanna. Ah, Balder, spare me
wilt thou
How
!
!
spare thyself
!
What
1
often have I said
Merit the like of thee
my
heart can never
!
Balder.
Accurst evasion
Why dost thou
seek to spare
me '
Crush me
!
kill
me
Say that thou never wilt
Nanna.
How
can I
Ah,
I love
Hother
?
Balder. Perhaps thou only think'st thou
Can he
deserve thee,
Nanna ?
he, a mortal
?
lov'st
him.
!
DEATH OF BALDER.
Nanna
He
(incensed).
65
Balder
loveth virtue,
he
;
is
valiant,
And
great
is
he 'mongst kings
;
he ruleth over
The Danes
Balder. I'm more than any king, oh Nanna
Wert thou a
Nanna.
god,
I'd
!
have none but
still
Hother
Balder
(stretches
heaven).
Although
right
his
hand despairingly towards
Although rejected
—hear
rejected, I will love thee,
ye heavens
it all
Nanna
!
[He has scarcely finished speaking when
Rota
The Bird of Death
appears.
his skull with her spear,
battle, friend
!
Valkyrie
sits
upon
She averts her countenance, touches
her shoulder.
To
the
to wounds,
and
and says
fall,
and darkness
!
[She immediately disappears, and as Balder and
Nanna
have their backs turned
to her,
and have
both been too attentive to themselves to observe
any one
else,
she is neither seen nor heard but by
the spectators.
Balder
(he springs
up
like
a maniac, and holds his hand
Ha how I'm dreammy moments
for some time before his head)
ing
!
how
I waste
woman
In dastard
sighs, bewailing like a
And have
I not a shield and sword
To
Balder
battle,
!
!
.
?
To
Let thy broad sword
Lift high the sword, cleave
!
battle
!
glitter
down the haughty
p
warrior,
DEATH OF BALDER.
66
And
dip thy spear in blood, thou son of Odin
Ha
din of shield 'gainst shield, and battle's bellow,
!
me
They, they shall gladden
And
!
—and deafen Nanna
Kempions
I will cool this heart in blood of
!
!
\He draws his sword, and runs away in madness.
Nanna
Wretch
Ye
{alone).
he rages
that I
heavens
what did he mean
!
?
Alas,
!
am
My
he goes to slay
!
my Hother
hopes ye annih'late,
Ye
powers of the sky
1
Who'll strengthen me, fainting,
Against the god's might
Who'll heed
my
My sorrowful
Ah whom
Will earth
e'er
A powerless
Which
My
!
art thou
Death
!
O
?
?
attend to
cry,
cruel gods smile at
powers of the sky
1
I
my heart Oh Hother Hother
Ah I can no more I'm swooning
ye have crush'd
Where
?
hopes ye annih'late,
Ye
Ha
lamenting.
plight
can I wend to
!
?
Freya
!
1
!
!
Hother, Nanna.
{he rushes
!
!
[She supports herself, fainting, against a
Mother
!
up
to
her in alarm). Dearest
tree.
DEA TH OF BALDER.
Nanna
{looking
HoTHER.
Ah my
upon him).
stiffly
So wild
pale
so
!
!
Ah
!
67
Hother
!
would thy noble
!
bosom
Was
not so tender
!
Nanna.
Voice of
Oh, speak again
my
belov'd one
Oh, speak again
!
Hother.
My
bride
Thou
my
!
much-lov'd
bride
!
!
And
!
tremblest,
burning
tear-
drops,
Oh, hide them
Weep
not,
my
Ha
!
bride
Nanna.
!
they burn
Ah, joy
Entices forth these tears
Hother
'
me
—melt my courage
{mournfully).
My
!
!
the joy of heaven,
Hother
Still liveth
liveth
!
!
Nanna {affectionately and sorrowfully). Still
Hother {turning away his face). O cruel,
tune
Fright
not
What
!
me
not,
my
mean'st thou
Hother
{looking
Nanna.
Ha
Freya
What means
!
upon her with
Hother
!
Mighty powers
1
Thine eyes thou turnest from thy bride
Hother
for-
1
Nanna.
me
cruel
!
Yet I have sworn
Aflfright
!
!
!
!
tenderness).
tears on Hother's cheeks
!
Ah, Nanna
Oh, save me,
!
this
{he
?
Oh, I die
!
embraces her with violence).
Oh, dearest
Nanna
p2
DEA TH OF BA LDER.
68
Nanna. Oh heaven
HoTHER
say-
!
my
{embraces her again). Once more,
Nanna.
What means
this
Canst thou bury in oblivion
Hother's cruel doubt
His only crime
Say, canst thou pardon
?
1
Nanna.
Think'st thou I can
That Hother
e'er
has err'd
How
my bride
!
remember
?
HoTHER.
Farewell,
!
1
HoTHER.
Thy
bride
I tremble
nobly spoken
!
farewell, for ever.
[He embraces her for
the tJiird time,
and
is
going
hut
;
she holds fast his arm.
Nanna.
Cruel
If thou hast ever lov'd
me
Hother.
By
Canst thou doubt
Odin, more than the best light
Tears not
make bare
!
to thee his heart
Wouldst thou
fly
from
me
!
Honour
Hother.
And
that
I
!
1
Then wherefore
Nanna
Ha
it ?
Can Hother's
—forgive me —that
must
fly
Enfeebles but
trom thee
my
heart,
is
calleth
—Honour
!
more than Nanna.
Each tear thou sheddest
!
and makes death
bitter.
\_He is going.
Nanna.
If thou regard'st
"Wouldst thou not see
me
my vow— regard'st my
die,
and
die distracted
terror,
DEATH OF BALDER.
HoTHER. What
wilt thou
Ah
Nanna.
But
if
%
a prayer
!
69
!
— oh how I tremble
thou meetest Balder
I avoid
HoTHER.
Nanna
{astonished,
and
him
What
calmer).
!
thou
!
avoid't-t
him?
Think'st thou I bear hatred
HoTHER.
'Gainst one
One
My life,
Oh
who
yielded thee a glimpse of pleasure
—nearly one of Hother's days
!
and
Nanna, ...
But with
Pay
shall I slay
it
I've the
in requital
gave
?
lip
—
oh, canst thou
—forget for ever thy Hother,
time— love Balder 1
course of
Nanna. Oh, hush
hush
oh,
!
!
my
Hother
loves thee well,
How
Nanna.
!
He
Hother.
He
and Odin
is his
virtuous,
is
father.
cruel
Hother.
I
Nanna. Oh horror
Hother. To
?
me
mighty thought imagined
my
trembles yet
virtue its reward
And—in
him
He
1
die
!
!
must
fly
Whither ?
from thee for ever
What
thy intention
is
Thou know'st my oath
!
Ha
!
!
hastens
Seest thou
how high 1
With Balder not
Ha
!
seest
I swore
to live a
day
by Hothbrod's ashes
!
me
!
thou how high
And
Nanna.
By
Belease
tenderness,
by Freya, by
my
I have
bosom,
sworn
?
the sun
too,
DEATH OF BALDER.
70
I'll
not release thee
In the black night
And my
I thy track will follow
;
of death
arm
This
!
tear-moisten'd eye, until
Think on
his oath,
Nanna
of
its
Hother
!
thy Hother worthy
!
and
{she releases him).
Hother. And
—
cling to,
bursteth,
it
Shall gaze on thee, shall gaze on thee,
HoTHER. Then be courageous
I'll
see
him
die
Ah, what
wilt thou,
!
At
[i/e lifts his spear to stab himself.
moiYient
Balder
frantic
the
Hother ?
rushes
that
same
wpon
the
scene.
Balder, Hother, Nanna.
Balder
me
Our
{he
runs directly up
now,
to
Nanna). Come
!
follow
Nanna
bridal festival's prepar'd in Hselheira,
Follow me, thou murky daughter
In Asgaard.
Of joy
!
Ha, quick
Jotuns await
my
Thou
!
stayest
Of dastard love I dream
!
Hurrah
arm.
Come
to thrust
not.
thou stayest
!
[ZTe seizes her hy the
hy force,
!
arm, and seeks
Hother
steps between,
him aside with
Nanna.
Hother. Hold, Balder
to
Oh, save
and endeavours
hand.
his
me
drag her aioay
!
save me, Hother!
DEA TH OF BALDER.
Balder
at
{hs releases
HoTHER
7
Nanna, and drawing
his sword, hews
who
with his utmost might,
seeks to
parry
same
time).
the blow with his spear, retreatirig at the
Fall,
presumptuous wretch
!
HoTHER.
Balder.
Beware thee
Fall,
nidding
HoTHER.
Ha, beware thee
!
Balder.
Die
[He stumbles, and runs
the
spear
his breast;
into
whereupon he immediately drops his sword and
sinks
upon one
Ha,
Nanna
knee.
HoTHER.
Balder.
Ha, Balder
!
—Thor
!
have
1
deserv'd
my
fortune.
[He
dies,
and a mighty whirlwind
passes over the
scene.
Nanna. Ye heavens
He
HoTHER.
A
voice
far away in
Balder
Many
dead, the mighty Balder
is
the forest.
He
is
!
voices,
which answer one another amongst the rocks.
The mighty Balder
[It thunders ;
is
dead.
Odin and Frigga appear upon a cloud
in a very mournful attitude.
of
the
Thor and many
AsER come forward from one
wood, and the three
Thor {and
!
dead, the mighty
YALKYRiER/rom
his retinue). Odin,
thy Balder
is
side of the
the other.
dead
DEATH OF BALDER.
72
Chorus.
Thunders, burst your cloudy portals
Heaven, earth, and ocean rave
i
Weep
ye gods, and mourn ye mortals,
O'er the mighty Balder's grave
Thor.
Gods
of battle stern
Weep
ye
o'er
\
!
and gory,
the hero slain
!
Balder, thou the Aser's glory
Chorus.
!
!
!
Love, base love, has prov'd thy bane
Balder, thou the Aser's glory,
Love, base love, has prov'd thy bane.
Rota.
I of slaughter swift purveyor,
Sorrow
o'er the
hero slain
!
Balder, thou the Jotun-slayer,
Loke's falsehood was thy bane.
Chorus.
Balder, thou the Jotun-slayer,
Loke's falsehood was thy bane.
HOTHER, Hother's burning tears are flowing
O'er the mighty Balder slain
Ah, thy heart with virtue glowing,
Noble Balder, was thy bane.
Chorus.
Ah, thy heart with virtue glowing,
Noble Balder, was thy bane.
Nanna.
Nanna weeps with
pallid feature
O'er the mighty Balder slain
:
Friend of gods and every creature
Fate alone has prov'd thy bane.
!
DEATH OF BALDER.
Chorus.
73
Friend of gods and every creature
!
Fate alone has prov'd thy bane.
Many
voices
answer one another among
mighty Balder
is
dead
the
rocks.
!
The
,
Concluding chorus. Thunders, burst your cloudy portals
Heaven, earth, and ocean rave
Weep and
!
howl, ye gods and mortals,
O'er the mighty Balder's grave.
!
(
74
)
EXPLANATION OF THE MYTHOLOGICAL
WORDS AND NAMES.
Allfather was one
of Odin's surnames, but
the highest being,
Alf, a
spirit
;
who governs
the same as
all things,
Demon amongst
it signifies
and Odin
in this piece
himself.
the Greeks.
There were
good and bad Alfs or Elves, light and black, as the Edda
calls
them.
As was one of Odin's surnames, and on that account the name of
Aser was given to all the gods.
AsGARD, the castle or city of the gods, erected by Odin and his
AsER.
brothers.
The fall of Asgard.
burst,
and the
At
the end of the world the heavens were to
castle of the gods to
fall.
Balder, son of Odin and Frigga, the best and most beautiful amongst
the Aser. His death and the circumstances which caused it in
— that
—
are taken partly from the Edda
is, the whole plot
and 45th falle), partly from the third book of Saxo,
and something is, according to poetic license, added or altered.
Fenri's Wolf, was begot by Loke with the giantess Angerbode. This
this piece
(43rd, 44th
wolf in the conflict of Sartur with the gods was to swallow Odin,
who on account
of this prophecy kept
Fight and Death of Gods.
At
him
in chains.
the destruction of the world, Odin and
the other gods were to fight with Surtur and his train, and
perish in this conflict.
This period
is
all to
termed, in the Edda, Ragna-
rokr, the " twilight of the gods."
Demon of this name.
Freya, the most exalted of the goddesses next
Find, a Trold or
to Frigga.
She was the
DEATH OF BALDER.
protectress
of
the
human
75
but particularly of
race in general,
lovers.
FRiaGA, the wife of Odin and the mother of Balder
all
;
the most exalted of
the goddesses.
Geldee, king of the Saxons (according to Saxo, in the life of Hother).
He is presumed here to have been killed by Hother, who is therefore
called " the bane of Gelder.''
Gevar, according to Saxo, a spseman or prophet, the father of Nanna
and the foster-father of Hother. He makes him likewise king of
Norway but Giver is not so in this piece.
H^L or H^LA, the goddess of death. She was the daughter of Loke
and the giantess Angerbode, and was hurled down by Odin to her
;
horrible habitation.
H^LHEiM,
Hell
;
Heel's dwelling.
In the Edda
but as the word Hell has
now a
it is
called Helim, that
different signification, it
is,
was
necessary to invent here a word to express Heel's dwelling.
H^LWAY,
the
way
of the dead, or the path to Hselheim.
Herte, Herta, or Hertha, the earth, considered as a divine being and
worshipped as a goddess by the old German and Northern people,
The Edda calls this
as likewise by the Romans and others.
goddess Jlird (that is, earth), and makes her the daughter and wife
of Odin, and the mother of Thor, his
first son.
Hertedal, the place in Sielland where Herte's grove was.
HoTHBKOD, the father of Hother, according to Saxo, who makes him
king of Sweden, and thus Hother a Swede. Contrary to which,
the author of this piece found himself justified in reckoning Hother
amongst the Skioldungs.
Hother, according to Saxo, was king of Denmark and Sweden but
his Life, by the same, is a chain of fables, which has yet given con;
siderable occasion to the contents of this piece.
Leire, the ancient place of residence of the Danish kings, whence they
were termed " Kings of Leire."
LiDSKiALF, in the Edda Klidskialf, a place in Asgard from which Odin
surveys the whole world.
Loke, a very wicked god, who, according to the Edda, was the cause of
the death of Balder, and was therefore conducted by the other gods
to a cavern, where they chained him to three rocks, there to suffer
DEATH OF BALDER,
76
the most painful punishment until the destruction of the world. By
the giantess Angerbode he begot Fenri's Wolf, Midgard's Serpent,
and Hsel. He was reckoned among the Aser, and was, notwith-
standing his wickedness, beautiful of appearance.
Midgard's Serpent, a serpent begot by Loke with the giantess Angerbode. It was to be one of the occasioners of the world's destruction,
and was on that account cast by Odin into the deep sea, where it
grew to such a degree that it lay round the whole earth, and bit its
own
MiMMER,
tail.
wisdom and knowledge of the
which he drank every morning. Odin
was once obliged to lay one of his eyes in pawn, in order to obtain
a draught from this fountain. He was likewise, when Surtur should
attack the gods, to ride to this fountain and seek counsel from
the owner of a fountain wherein
future lay concealed, out of
Mimer on
MiMRiNG,
his
own and
this is the
his army's account.
sword called here, which Hother, according
the relation of Saxo, took from a satyr or wild
man
of the
to
same
name.
Nanna, daughter
of Gevar, beloved by Hother,
and by Balder, son of
Odin, according to Saxo, whose narration bears that Hother wedded
Nanna, and afterwards slew Balder by the assistance of an enchanted
which three nymphs had bestowed upon him.
Nastroud, was properly the place where the ungodly were to be after the
belt
destruction of the world, but here the word
is
intended to signify
and burning world towards the south, at whose
extremest end Surtur had his habitation, and which is called in the
Edda, Muspel, or Muspelheira.
NoRNiES, were the goddesses of destiny, whose messages Odin himself
the
glowing
was compelled to fear and to attend to. They were three in
But the eldest, Urd (been), presided over the past the
second, Verande (being), the present ; and the youngest, Skuld
number.
;
(shall be), the future.
Odin, the god of war, the most exalted of the gods, and father of them
EoTA, one of the Valkyrier.
Skioldung. Skiold, son
monarchy.
all.
See Valkyrier.
of Odin, was the founder of the Danish
His descendants were called after him Skioldungs, or,
coutractedly, Skiold s.
DEA TH OF BALDER.
Skulda
SuRTUR
{in the
77
Edda, Skuld), the youngest Nornie.
{the Black),
See Nornies.
the ruler of the glowing or burning world, at whose
extremest end was his seat or dwelling.
See above Nastroud. At
was with his army to overcome and slaughter
the gods, and thereupon set fire to the whole
:
the fated time he
Odin
and
all
world.
Thor, was the god of thunder and strength : with his hammer he slew
Yults, Trolds, and other foes of Odin and the gods.
Tyr, one of the bravest and wisest gods, so that it was customary to say
proverbially,
Valfather, the
"As
bold as Tyr,"
"Wise
as Tyr.
father of the slain or fallen in battle
:
one of Odin's
surnames.
Valhall
Hall of the Slain) ^ the place where all warriors who had
by the enemy were so nobly entertained by Odin.
It is
{the
fallen
commonly
called Valhalla
but Valhall
and Valhalla
Edda,
Valkyrier, were virgins, or war-maids, who waited upon the heroes in
Valhall.
Three of them, amongst whom was Rota, were commonly
;
only the Latinized
name
dispatched to the
field of battle
who were
slain,
denotes.
Rota
is
to
be
is
the right,
in Eesenius' edition of the
by Odin, in order to choose them
which employment the name Valkyrier
These three have obtained a place in
made
this tragedy,
and
the principal of them.
Udgaard (Udgard), Loke's dwelling outside of heaven. His usual name
in the Edda is Udgarda Loke, Loke of Udgard
and thus Saxo in
the Life of Gorm the first calls him Ugartilocum.
Yater, the first giant, Yutt, or Jotun, who lived before the heaven and
the earth existed, and who was killed with all his offspring by Odin
and his brothers. Only one of this giant race, by name Borgeline,
;
escaped, together with his wife, and became the stem-father of the
subsequent Jotuns.
PRINTED BY BALLANTYNH, HANSON AND CO.
LONDON AND EDINBURGH
f
V
U. C.
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