The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson
a harlot's grief];
88. An early sown field let no one trust, nor prematurely in a son:
weather rules the field, and wit the son, each of which is doubtful;
89. A brother's murderer, though on the high road met, a half-burnt
house, an over-swift horse, (a horse is useless, if a leg be broken),
no man is so confiding as to trust any of these.
90. Such is the love of women, who falsehood meditate, as if one
drove not rough-shod, on slippery ice, a spirited two-years old and
unbroken horse; or as in a raging storm a helmless ship is beaten; or
as if the halt were set to catch a reindeer in the thawing fell.[21]
91. Openly I now speak, because I both sexes know: unstable are
men's minds towards women; 'tis then we speak most fair when we most
falsely think: that deceives even the cautious.
92. Fair shall speak, and money offer, who would obtain a woman's
love. Praise the form of a fair damsel; he gets who courts her.
93. At love should no one ever wonder in another: a beauteous
countenance oft captivates the wise, which captivates not the foolish.
94. Let no one wonder at another's folly, it is the lot of many.
All-powerful desire makes of the sons of men fools even of the wise.
95. The mind only knows what lies near the heart, that alone is
conscious of our affections. No disease is worse to a sensible man
than not to be content with himself.
96. That I experienced, when in the reeds I sat, awaiting my
delight. Body and soul to me was that discreet maiden: nevertheless I
possess her not.
97. Billing's lass[22] on her couch I found, sun-bright, sleeping. A
prince's joy to me seemed naught, if not with that form to live.
98. "Yet nearer eve must thou, Odin, come, if thou wilt talk the
maiden over; all will be disastrous, unless we alone are privy to such
misdeed."
99. I returned, thinking to love, at her wise desire. I thought I
should obtain her whole heart and love.
100. When next I came the bold warriors were all awake, with lights
burning, and bearing torches: thus was the way to pleasure closed.
101. But at the approach of morn, when again I came, the household
all was sleeping; the good damsel's dog alone I found tied to the bed.
102. Many a fair maiden, when rightly known, towards men is fickle:
that I experienced, when that discreet maiden I strove to seduce:
contumely of every kind that wily girl heaped upon me; nor of that
damsel gained I aught.
103. At home let a man be cheerful, and towards a guest liberal; of
wise conduct he should be, of good memory and ready speech; if much
knowledge he desires, he must often talk on good.
104. Fimbulfambi he is called who' little has to say: such is the
nature of the simple.
105. The old Jotun I sought; now I am come back: little got I there
by silence; in many words I spoke to my advantage in Suttung's halls.
106. Gunnlod gave me, on her golden seat, a draught of the precious
mead; a bad recompense I afterwards made her, for her whole soul, her
fervent love.
107. Rati's mouth I caused to make a space, and to gnaw the rock;
over and under me were the Jotun's ways: thus I my head did peril.
108. Of a well-assumed form I made good use: few things fail the
wise; for Odhrærir is now come up to men's earthly dwellings.
109. 'Tis to me doubtful that I could have come from the Jotun's
courts, had not Gunnlod aided me, that good damsel, over whom I laid
my arm.
110. On the day following came the Hrimthursar, to learn something
of the High One, in the High One's hall: after Bolverk they inquired,
whether he with the gods were come, or Suttung had destroyed him?
111. Odin, I believe, a ring-oath[23] gave. Who in his faith will
trust? Suttung defrauded, of his drink bereft, and Gunnlod made to
weep!
112. Time 'tis to discourse from the preacher's chair. By the well
of Urd I silent sat, I saw and meditated, I listened to men's words.
113. Of runes I heard discourse, and of things divine, nor of
graving them were they silent, nor of sage counsels, at the High One's
hall. In the High One's hall. I thus heard say:
114. I counsel thee, Loddfafnir, to take advice: thou wilt profit if
thou takest it. Rise not at night, unless to explore, or art compelled
to go out.
115. I counsel thee, Loddfafnir, to take advice, thou wilt profit if
thou takest it. In an enchantress's embrace thou mayest not sleep, so
that in her arms she clasp thee.
116. She will be the cause that thou carest not for Thing or
prince's words; food thou wilt shun and human joys; sorrowful wilt
thou go to sleep.
117. I counsel thee, etc. Another's wife entice thou never to secret
converse.
118. I counsel thee, etc. By fell or firth if thou have to travel,
provide thee well with food.
119. I counsel thee, etc. A bad man let thou never know thy
misfortunes; for from a bad man thou never wilt obtain a return for
thy good will.
120. I saw mortally wound a man a wicked woman's words; a false
tongue caused his death, and most unrighteously.
121. I counsel thee, etc. If thou knowest thou hast a friend, whom
thou well canst trust, go oft to visit him; for with brushwood
over-grown, and with high grass, is the way that no one treads.
122. I counsel thee, etc. A good man attract to thee in pleasant
converse; and salutary speech learn while thou livest.
123. I counsel thee, etc. With thy friend be thou never first to
quarrel. Care gnaws the heart, if thou to no one canst thy whole mind
disclose.
124. I counsel thee, etc. Words thou never shouldst exchange with a
witless fool;
125. For from an ill-conditioned man thou wilt never get a return
for good; but a good man will bring thee favour by his praise.
126. There is a mingling of affection, where one can tell another
all his mind. Everything is better than being with the deceitful. He
is not another's friend who ever says as he says.
127. I counsel thee, etc. Even in three words quarrel not with a
worse man: often the better yields, when the worse strikes.
128. I counsel thee, etc. Be not a shoemaker, nor a shaftmaker,
unless for thyself it be; for a shoe if ill made, or a shaft if
crooked, will call down evil on thee.
129. I counsel thee, etc. Wherever of injury thou knowest, regard
that injury as thy own; and give to thy foes no peace.
130. I counsel thee, etc. Rejoiced at evil be thou never; but let
good give thee pleasure.
131. I counsel thee, etc. In a battle look not up, (like swine the
sons of men then become) that men may not fascinate thee.
132. If thou wilt induce a good woman to pleasant converse, thou
must promise fair, and hold to it: no one turns from good if it can be
got.
133. I enjoin thee to be wary, but not over wary; at drinking be
thou most wary, and with another's wife; and thirdly, that thieves
delude thee not.
134. With insult or derision treat thou never a guest or wayfarer.
They often little know, who sit within, of what race they are who
come.
135. Vices and virtues the sons of mortals bear in their breasts
mingled; no one is so good that no failing attends him, nor so bad as
to be good for nothing.
136. At a hoary speaker laugh thou never; often is good that which
the aged utter, oft from a shriveled hide discreet words issue; from
those whose skin is pendent and decked with scars, and who go
tottering among the vile.
137. I counsel thee, etc. Rail not at a guest, nor from thy gate
thrust him; treat well the indigent; they will speak well of thee.
138. Strong is the bar that must be raised to admit all. Do thou
give a penny, or they will call down on thee every ill in thy limbs.
139. I counsel thee, etc. Wherever thou beer drinkest, invoke to
thee the power of earth; for earth is good against drink, fire for
distempers, the oak for constipation, a corn-ear for sorcery, a hall
for domestic strife. In bitter hates invoke the moon; the biter for
bite-injuries is good; but runes against calamity; fluid let earth
absorb.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 14: Odin is the "High One." The poem is a collection of
rules and maxims, and stories of himself, some of them not very
consistent with our ideas of a supreme deity.]
[Footnote 15: In the Copenhagen paper Ms. F. this strophe begins with
the following three lines:--
Wit is needful
to him who travels far:
harm seldom befalls the wary:
They are printed in the Stockholm edition of the original Afzelius and
Bask, and in the Swedish translation by Afzelius.]
[Footnote 16: The sense of this line seems doubtful; I have adopted
the version of Finn Magnusen.]
[Footnote 17: The public meeting.]
[Footnote 18: That is dead on the funeral pyre.]
[Footnote 19: This line is evidently an interpolation.]
[Footnote 20: Odin.]
[Footnote 21: From this line it appears that the poem is of Norwegian
or Swedish origin, as the reindeer was unknown in Iceland before the
middle of the 18th century, when it was Introduced by royal command.]
[Footnote 22: The story of Odin and Billing's daughter is no longer
extant; but compare the story of Odin and Rinda in Saxo, p. 126, edit.
Muller & Veleschow.]
[Footnote 23: In the pagan North oaths were taken on a holy ring or
bracelet, as with us on the Gospels, a sacred ring being kept in the
temple for the purpose.]
ODIN'S RUNE-SONG.[24]
140. I know that I hung, on a wind-rocked tree, nine whole nights,
with a spear wounded, and to Odin offered, myself to myself; on that
tree, of which no one knows from what root it springs.
141. Bread no one gave me, nor a horn of drink, downward I peered,
to runes applied myself, wailing learnt them, then fell down thence.
142. Potent songs nine from the famed son I learned of Bolthorn,
Bestla's sire, and a draught obtained of the precious mead, drawn from
Odhrærir.
143. Then I began to bear fruit, and to know many things, to grow
and well thrive: word by word I sought out words, fact by fact I
sought out facts.
144. Runes thou wilt find, and explained characters, very large
characters, very potent characters, which the great speaker depicted,
and the high powers formed, and the powers' prince graved:
145. Odin among the Æsir, but among the Alfar, Dain, and Dvalin for
the dwarfs, Asvid for the Jotuns: some I myself graved.
146. Knowest thou how to grave them? knowest thou how to expound
them? knowest thou how to depict them? knowest thou how to prove them?
knowest thou how to pray? knowest thou how to offer? knowest thou how
to send?[25] knowest thou how to consume?
147. 'Tis better not to pray than too much offer; a gift ever looks
to a return. 'Tis better not to send than too much consume. So Thund
graved before the origin of men, where he ascended, to whence he
afterwards came.
148. Those songs I know which the king's wife knows not nor son of
man. Help the first is called, for that will help thee against strifes
and cares.
149. For the second I know, what the sons of men require, who will
as leeches live. * * * *
150. For the third I know,[26] if I have great need to restrain my
foes, the weapons' edge I deaden: of my adversaries nor arms nor wiles
harm aught.
151. For the fourth I know, if men place bonds on my limbs, I so
sing that I can walk; the fetter starts from my feet, and the manacle
from my hands.
152. For the fifth I know, if I see a shot from a hostile hand, a
shaft flying amid the host, so swift it cannot fly that I cannot
arrest it, if only I get sight of it.
153. For the sixth I know, if one wounds me with a green tree's
roots;[27] also if a man declares hatred to me, harm shall consume
them sooner than me.
154. For the seventh I know, if a lofty house I see blaze o'er its
inmates, so furiously it shall not burn that I cannot save it. That
song I can sing.
155. For the eighth I know, what to all is useful to learn: where