The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson
Lay of Hamdir; the one entitled Gunnar's Melody is no doubt a
comparatively late composition; yet being written in the true ancient
spirit of the North is well deserving of a place among the Eddaic
poems. Nor, indeed, is the claim of the Lay of Grotti to rank among
the poems collected by Sæmund, by any means clear, we know it only
from its existence in the Skalda; yet on account of its antiquity, its
intrinsic worth, and its reception in other editions of the Edda, both
in original and translation, the present work would seem, and justly
so, incomplete without it.
The Prose, or Younger Edda, is generally ascribed to the celebrated
Snorre Sturleson, who was born of a distinguished Icelandic family, in
the year 1178, and after leading a turbulent and ambitious life, and
being twice the supreme magistrate of the Republic, was killed A.D.
1241,[4] by three of his sons-in-law and a stepson. When Snorre was
three years old, John Loptson of Oddi, the grandson of Sæmund the
Wise, took him into fosterage. Snorre resided at Oddi until his
twentieth year, and appears to have received an excellent education
from his foster father, who was one of the most learned men of that
period. How far he may have made use of the manuscripts of Sæmund and
Ari, which were preserved at Oddi, it is impossible to say, neither do
we know the precise contents of these manuscripts; but it is highly
probable that the most important parts of the work, now known under
the title of "The Prose Edda," formed a part of them, and that
Snorre--who may be regarded as the Scandinavian Euhemerus--merely
added a few chapters, in order to render the mythology more
conformable to the erroneous notions he appears to have entertained
respecting its signification. Be this as it may, the Prose Edda, in
its present form, dates from the thirteenth century, and consists
of--1. _Formali_ (Fore discourse); or the prologue. 2. _Gylfa-ginning_
(The deluding of Gylfi). 3. _Braga-roedur_ (Conversations of Bragi).
4. _Eptirmali_ (After discourse); or Epilogue. The Prologue and
Epilogue were probably written by Snorre himself, and are nothing more
than an absurd syncretism of Hebrew, Greek, Roman, and Scandinavian
myths and legends, in which Noah, Priam, Odin, Hector, Thor, Æneas,
&c, are jumbled together much in the same manner as in the romances of
the Middle Ages. These dissertations, utterly worthless in themselves,
have obviously nothing in common with the so-called "Prose Edda," the
first part of which, containing fifty-three chapters, forms a complete
synopsis of Scandinavian mythology, derived principally from the
Poetical Edda.
THE TRANSLATOR.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: The following, the first among many, may serve as a
specimen.
Sæmund was residing, in the south of Europe, with a famous Master, by
whom he was instructed in every kind of lore; while, on the other
hand, he forgot (apparently through intense study) all that he had
previously learned, even to his own name; so that when the holy man
John Ogmundson came to his abode, he told him that his name was Koll;
but on John insisting that he was no other than Sæmund Sigfusson, born
at Oddi in Iceland, and relating to him many particulars regarding
himself, he at length became conscious of his own identity, and
resolved to flee from the place with his kinsman. For the purpose of
deceiving the master, John continued some time in the place, and often
came to visit him and Sæmund; till at last, one dark night, they
betook themselves to flight. No sooner had the Master missed them than
he sent in pursuit of them; but in vain, and the heavens were too
overcast to admit, according to his custom, of reading their
whereabouts in the stars. So they traveled day and night and all the
following day. But the next night was clear, and the Master at once
read in the stars where they were, and set out after them at full
speed. Then Sæmund, casting his eyes up at the heavens, said, "Now is
my Master in chase of us, and sees where we are." And on John asking
what was to be done, he answered: "Take one of my shoes off, fill it
with water, and set it on my head." John did so, and at the same
moment, the Master, looking up at the heavens, says to his companion:
"Bad news; the stranger John has drowned my pupil; there is water
about his forehead." And thereupon returned home. The pair now again
prosecute their journey night and day; but, in the following night,
the Master again consults the stars, when, to his great amazement, he
sees the star of Sæmund directly above his head, and again sets off
after the fugitives. Observing this, Sæmund says: "The astrologer is
again after us, and again we must look to ourselves; take my shoe off
again, and with your knife stab me in the thigh; fill the shoe with
blood, and place it on the top of my head." John does as directed, and
the Master, again gazing at the stars, says: "There is blood now about
the star of Master Koll, and the stranger has for certain murdered
him," and so returns home. The old man now has once more recourse to
his art; but on seeing Sæmund's star shining brightly above him, he
exclaimed: "My pupil is still living; so much the better. I have
taught him more than enough; for he outdoes me both in astrology and
magic. Let them now proceed in safety; I am unable to hinder their
departure."]
[Footnote 2: Bishop P.E. Muller supposes the greater number of the
Eddaic poems to be of the 8th century. Sagabibliothek II, p, 131.]
[Footnote 3: Codex Regius, No. 2365, 4to. The handwriting of this MS.
is supposed to be of the beginning of the 14th century.]
[Footnote 4: Snorre, at the death of John Loptson (A.D. 1197), does
not appear to have possessed any property whatever, though he
afterwards became the wealthiest man in Iceland. His rise in the world
was chiefly owing to his marriage with Herdisa, the daughter of a
priest called Bersi the Rich,--a very enviable surname, which no doubt
enabled the Rev. gentleman to brave the decrees of Popes and Councils,
and take to himself a wife--who brought him a very considerable
fortune. If we may judge from Snorre's biography, Christianity appears
to have effected very little change in the character of the
Icelanders. We have the same turbulent and sanguinary scenes, the same
loose conduct of the women, and perfidy, and remorseless cruelty of
the men, as in the Pagan times.]
INTRODUCTION TO THE VOLUSPA.
As introductory to the Voluspa, the following description of a
wandering Vala or prophetess may be thought both desirable and
interesting: "We find them present at the birth of children, when they
seem to represent the Norns. They acquired their knowledge either by
means of _seid_, during the night, while all others in the house were
sleeping, and uttered their oracles in the morning; or they received
sudden inspirations during the singing of certain songs appropriate to
the purpose, without which the sorcery could not perfectly succeed.
These seid-women were common over all the North. When invited by the
master of a family, they appeared in a peculiar costume, sometimes
with a considerable number of followers, e.g. with fifteen young men
and fifteen girls. For their soothsaying they received money, gold
rings, and other precious things. Sometimes it was necessary to compel
them to prophesy. An old description of such a Vala, who went from
guild to guild telling fortunes, will give the best idea of these
women and their proceedings":--
"Thorbiorg, nicknamed the little Vala, during the winter attended the
guilds, at the invitation of those who desired to know their fate, or
the quality of the coming year. Everything was prepared in the most
sumptuous manner for her reception. There was an elevated seat, on
which lay a cushion stuffed with feathers. A man was sent to meet her.
She came in the evening dressed in a blue mantle fastened with thongs
and set with stones down to the lap; round her neck she had a
necklace of glass beads, on her head a hood of black lambskin lined
with white catskin; in her hand a staff, the head of which was mounted
with brass and ornamented with stones; round her body she wore a
girdle of agaric (knoske), from which hung a bag containing her
conjuring apparatus; on her feet were rough calfskin shoes with long
ties and tin buttons, on her hands catskin gloves, white and hairy
within. All bade her welcome with a reverent salutation; the master
himself conducted her by the hand to her seat. She undertook no
prophecy on the first day, but would first pass a night there. In the
evening of the following day she ascended her elevated seat, caused
the women to place themselves round her, and desired them to sing
certain songs, which they did in a strong, clear voice. She then
prophesied of the coming year, and afterwards, all that would advanced
and asked her such questions as they thought proper, to which they
received plain answers."
* * * * *
In the following grand and ancient lay, dating most probably from the
time of heathenism, are set forth, as the utterances of a Vala, or
wandering prophetess, as above described, the story of the creation of
the world from chaos, of the origin of the giants, the gods, the
dwarfs, and the human race, together with other events relating to the
mythology of the North, and ending with the destruction of the gods
and the world, and their renewal.
VÖLUSPÂ. THE VALA'S PROPHECY.
1. For silence I pray all sacred children, great and small, sons of
Heimdall,[5] they will that I Valfather's deeds recount, men's ancient
saws, those that I best remember.
2. The Jötuns I remember early born, those who me of old have
reared. I nine worlds remember, nine trees, the great central tree,
beneath the earth.
3. There was in times of old, where Ymir dwelt, nor sand nor sea,
nor gelid waves; earth existed not, nor heaven above, 'twas a chaotic
chasm, and grass nowhere.
4. Before Bur's sons raised up heaven's vault, they who the noble
mid-earth shaped. The sun shone from the south over the structure's
rocks: then was the earth begrown with herbage green.
5. The sun from the south, the moon's companion, her right hand cast
about the heavenly horses. The sun knew not where she[6] a dwelling
had, the moon knew not what power he possessed, the stars knew not
where they had a station.
6. Then went the powers all to their judgment-seats, the all-holy
gods, and thereon held council: to night and to the waning moon gave
names; morn they named, and mid-day, afternoon and eve, whereby to
reckon years.
7. The Æsir met on Ida's plain; they altar-steads and temples high
constructed; their strength they proved, all things tried, furnaces
established, precious things forged, formed tongs, and fabricated
tools;
8. At tables played at home; joyous they were; to them was naught
the want of gold, until there came Thurs-maidens three, all powerful,
from Jötunheim.
9. Then went all the powers to their judgment-seats, the all-holy
gods, and thereon held council, who should of the dwarfs the race
create, from the sea-giant's blood and livid bones.
10. Then was Môtsognir created greatest of all the dwarfs, and Durin
second; there in man's likeness they created many dwarfs from earth,
as Durin said.
11. Nýi and Nidi, Nordri and Sudri, Austri and Vestri, Althiôf,
Dvalin Nâr and Nâin, Niping, Dain, Bivör, Bavör, Bömbur, Nori, An and
Anar, Ai, Miodvitnir,
12. Veig and Gandâlf, Vindâlf, Thrain, Thekk and Thorin, Thrôr,
Vitr, and Litr, Nûr and Nýrâd, Regin and Râdsvid. Now of the dwarfs I
have rightly told.
13. Fili, Kili, Fundin, Nali, Hepti, Vili, Hanar, Svior, Billing,
Bruni, Bild, Bûri, Frâr, Hornbori, Fræg and Lôni, Aurvang, Iari,
Eikinskialdi.