The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson by Saemund Sigfusson and Snorre Sturleson

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THE ELDER EDDAS

OF SAEMUND SIGFUSSON.

_Translated from the Original Old Norse Text into English_

BY

BENJAMIN THORPE,

AND THE

YOUNGER EDDAS

OF SNORRE STURLESON.

_Translated from the Original Old Norse Text into English_

BY

I.A. BLACKWELL.

HON. RASMUS B. ANDERSON, LL.D.,

EDITOR IN CHIEF.

J. W. BUEL, Ph.D.,

MANAGING EDITOR.

PUBLISHED BY THE

NORROENA SOCIETY,

LONDON STOCKHOLM COPENHAGEN BERLIN NEW YORK

1906

[Illustration KING GUNTHER.]

(_After a painting by B. Guth_.)

Gunnar, Gunther, or Gunter, King of Burgundy, was probably a real
personage of the troubled times with which his name is associated--a
period distinguished as much for heroic characters as for tragic
events. Gunther represents the best type of kinghood of his age; a man
swayed by his affections rather than by ambition, who scrupled at
misdeeds, yet yielded to the mastering passions of love; one whose
instincts were loyalty to friends and country, and who shrank from
cruelties to gain his ends, but who fell a victim to woman's
fascinations. History accordingly praises him more for a lover than
for a sovereign.

LIST OF PHOTOGRAVURES.

(ELDER AND YOUNGER EDDAS.)

Frontispiece--Gunnar (Gunther) Page

Siegfried Awakens Brynhild 159

Death of Atli 247

A Feast in Valhalla 331

CONTENTS.

THE ELDER EDDAS OF SAEMUND.

Page

Preface by the Translator ix
Introduction to the Voluspa xv
The Vala's Prophecy 1
The Lay of Vafthrudnir 9
The Lay of Vegtam, or Baldur's Dream 26
The High One's Lay 29
Odin's Rune Song 44
The Lay of Hymir 48
The Lay of Thrym, or the Hammer Recovered 53
The Lay of the Dwarf Alvis 57
The Lay of Harbard 63
The Journey, or Lay of Skirnir 71
The Lay of Rig 78
Egir's Compotation, or Loki's Altercation 84
The Lay of Fiolsvith 95
The Lay of Hyndla 102
The Incantation of Groa 109
The Song of the Sun 111
The Lay of Volund 121
The Lay of Helgi Hiorvard's Son 127
The First Lay of Helgi Hundingcide 137
The Second Lay of Helgi Hundingcide 144
Sinfiotli's End 155
The Lay of Sigurd, or Gripir's Prophecy 157
The Lay of Fafnir 172
The Lay of Sigrdrifa 180
Fragments of the Lay of Sigurd and Brynhild 186
The Third Lay of Sigurd Fafnicide 194
Fragments of the Lay of Brynhild 203
The First Lay of Gudrun 206
Brynhild's Hel-ride 210
The Slaughter of the Niflungs 212
The Second Lay of Gudrun 213
The Third Lay of Gudrun 219
Oddrun's Lament 221
The Lay of Atli 226
The Groenland Lay of Atli 233
Gudrun's Incitement 248
The Lay of Hamdir 251

THE YOUNGER EDDAS OF STURLESON.

The Deluding of Gylfi 256
Of the Primordial State of the Universe 259
Origin of the Frost-Giants 260
Of the Cow Audhumla, and Birth of Odin 262
The Making of Heaven and Earth 263
Creation of Man and Woman 265
Night and Day, Sun and Moon 266
Wolves that Pursue the Sun and Moon 267
The Way that Leads to Heaven 268
The Golden Age 269
Origin of the Dwarfs, and Norns of Destiny 270
The Ash Yggdrasill and Mimer's Well 271
The Norns that Tend Yggdrasill 273
The Wind and the Seasons 275
Thor and His Hammer 277
Balder and Njord 278
Njord and His Wife Skadi 279
The God Frey and Goddess Freyja 280
Tyr and Other Gods 281
Hodur the Blind, Assassin of Baldur 283
Loki and His Progeny 284
Binding the Wolf Fenrir 285
The Goddesses and their Attributes 289
Frey, and Gerda the Beautiful 291
The Joys of Valhalla 293
The Wonderful Horse Sleipnir 297
The Ship Adapted to Sail on Sea or Land 299
Thor's Adventures in the Land of Giants 300
The Death of Baldur 315
Baldur in the Abode of the Dead 319
Loki's Capture and Punishment 321
Destruction of the Universe 323
Restoration of the Universe 327
How Loki Carried Away Iduna 329
The Origin of Poetry 331
Odin Beguiles the Daughter of Baugi 333

Glossary 335

PREFACE.

Saemund, son of Sigfus, the reputed collector of the poems bearing his
name, which is sometimes also called the Elder, and the Poetic, Edda,
was of a highly distinguished family, being descended in a direct line
from King Harald Hildetonn. He was born at Oddi, his paternal dwelling
in the south of Iceland, between the years 1054 and 1057, or about 50
years after the establishment by law of the Christian religion in that
island; hence it is easy to imagine that many heathens, or baptized
favourers of the old mythic songs of heathenism, may have lived in his
days and imparted to him the lays of the times of old, which his
unfettered mind induced him to hand down to posterity.

The youth of Saemund was passed in travel and study, in Germany and
France, and, according to some accounts, in Italy. His cousin John
Ogmundson, who later became first bishop of Holum, and after his death
was received among the number of saints, when on his way to Rome, fell
in with his youthful kinsman, and took him back with him to Iceland,
in the year 1076. Saemund afterwards became a priest at Oddi, where he
instructed many young men in useful learning; but the effects of which
were not improbably such as to the common people might appear as
witchcraft or magic: and, indeed, Saemund's predilection for the sagas
and songs of the old heathen times (even for the magical ones) was so
well known, that among his countrymen there were some who regarded him
as a great sorcerer, though chiefly in what is called white or
innocuous and defensive sorcery, a repute which still clings to his
memory among the common people of Iceland, and will long adhere to it
through the numerous and popular stories regarding him (some of them
highly entertaining) that are orally transmitted from generation to
generation.[1] Saemund died at the age of 77, leaving behind him a work
on the history of Norway and Iceland, which is now almost entirely
lost.

The first who ascribed to Saemund the collection of poems known as the
Poetic Edda,[2] was Brynjolf Svensson, bishop of Skalholt. This
prelate, who was a zealous collector of ancient manuscripts, found in
the year 1643, the old vellum codex, which is the most complete of
all the known manuscripts of the Edda; of this he caused a transcript
to be made, which he entitled _Edda Saemundi Multiscii_. The
transcript came into the possession of the royal historiographer
Torfaeus; the original, together with other MSS., was presented to the
King of Denmark, Frederick. III., and placed in the royal library at
Copenhagen, where it now is.[3] As many of the Eddaic poems appear to
have been orally transmitted in an imperfect state, the collector has
supplied the deficiencies by prose insertions, whereby the integrity
of the subject is to a certain degree restored.

The collection called Saemund's Edda consists of two parts, viz., the
Mythological and the Heroic. It is the former of those which is now
offered to the public in an English version. In the year 1797, a
translation of this first part, by A.S. Cottle, was published at
Bristol. This work I have never met with; nor have I seen any English
version of any part of the Edda, with the exception of Gray's spirited
but free translation of the Vegtamskvida.

The Lay of Volund (Volundarkvida) celebrates the story of Volund's
doings and sufferings during his sojourn in the territory of the
Swedish king Nidud. Volund (_Ger_. Wieland, _Fr_. Veland and Galans)
is the Scandinavian and Germanic Vulcan (Hephaistos) and Daedalus. In
England his story, as a skillful smith, is traceable to a very early
period. In the Anglo-Saxon poem of Beowulf we find that hero desiring,
in the event of his falling in conflict with Grendel, that his
corslets may be sent to Hygelac, being, as he says, the work of
Weland; and king AElfred, in his translation of Boethius de
Consolatione, renders the words _fidelis ossa Fabricii, etc_. by Hwaet
(hwaer) Welondes? (Where are now the bones of the famous and wise
goldsmith Weland?), evidently taking the proper name of Fabricius for
an appellative equivalent to faber. In the Exeter Book, too, there is
a poem in substance closely resembling the Eddaic lay. In his novel of
Kenilworth, Walter Scott has been guilty of a woeful perversion of the
old tradition, travestied from the Berkshire legend of Wayland Smith.
As a land-boundary we find Weland's smithy in a Charter of king Eadred
A.D. 955.

On the Lay of Helgi Hiorvard's Son there is nothing to remark beyond
what appears in the poem itself.

The Lays of Helgi Hundingcide form the first of the series of stories
relating to the Volsung race, and the Giukungs, or Niflungs.

The connection of the several personages celebrated in these poems
will appear plain from the following tables:

Sigi, king of Hunaland, said to be a son of Odin
|
Rerir
|
Volsung = a daughter of the giant Hrimnir
__________________|
|
Sigmund = Signi = Borghild = Hiordis
| | | |
Hamund. Sinfiotli. Helgi = Sigrun Sigurd = Gudrun
__|____________
| |
Sigmund, Svanhild.
m Jornmnrek.

Giuki = Grimhild.
_______________________|
|
Gunnar=Glaumvor. Hogni=Kostbera. Guthorm. Gudrun,=1 Sigurd.
| 2 Atli.
Solar. Giuki. Snaevar. 3 Jonakr.

Budli.
|
Atli = Gudrun: Brynhild = Gunnar. Oddrun. Beckhild = Heimir.
| |
Erp. Eitil Alsvid.

Jonakr = Gudrun
_____| |__________
| |
Erp Hamdir. Sorli.

The Eddaic series of the Volsung and Niflung lays terminates with the
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 Saemund, 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 Saemund 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 Saemund 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, AEneas,
&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.

Saemund 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 Saemund 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 Saemund; 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 Saemund, 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 Saemund directly above his head, and again sets off
after the fugitives. Observing this, Saemund 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 Saemund'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.

VOeLUSPA. 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 Joetuns 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 AEsir 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 Joetunheim.

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 Motsognir created greatest of all the dwarfs, and Durin
second; there in man's likeness they created many dwarfs from earth,
as Durin said.

11. Nyi and Nidi, Nordri and Sudri, Austri and Vestri, Althiof,
Dvalin Nar and Nain, Niping, Dain, Bivoer, Bavoer, Boembur, Nori, An and
Anar, Ai, Miodvitnir,

12. Veig and Gandalf, Vindalf, Thrain, Thekk and Thorin, Thror,
Vitr, and Litr, Nur and Nyrad, Regin and Radsvid. Now of the dwarfs I
have rightly told.

13. Fili, Kili, Fundin, Nali, Hepti, Vili, Hanar, Svior, Billing,
Bruni, Bild, Buri, Frar, Hornbori, Fraeg and Loni, Aurvang, Iari,
Eikinskialdi.

14. Time 'tis of the dwarfs in Dvalin's band, to the sons of men, to
Lofar up to reckon, those who came forth from the world's rock,
earth's foundation, to Iora's plains.

15. There were Draupnir, and Dolgthrasir, Har, Haugspori, Hlaevang,
Gloi, Skirvir, Virvir, Skafid, Ai, Alf and Yngvi, Eikinskialdi,

16. Fialar and Frosti, Finn and Ginnar, Heri, Hoeggstari, Hliodolf,
Moin: that above shall, while mortals live, the progeny of Lofar,
accounted be.

17. Until there came three mighty and benevolent AEsir to the world
from their assembly. They found on earth, nearly powerless, Ask and
Embla, void of destiny.

18. Spirit they possessed not, sense they had not, blood nor motive
powers, nor goodly colour. Spirit gave Odin, sense gave Hoenir, blood
gave Lodur, and goodly colour.

19. I know an ash standing Yggdrasil hight, a lofty tree, laved with
limpid water: thence come the dews into the dales that fall; ever
stands it green over Urd's fountain.

20. Thence come maidens, much knowing, three from the hall, which
under that tree stands; Urd hight the one, the second Verdandi,--on a
tablet they graved--Skuld the third. Laws they established, life
allotted to the sons of men; destinies pronounced.

21. Alone she[7] sat without, when came that ancient dread AEsir's
prince; and in his eye she gazed.

22. "Of what wouldst thou ask me? Why temptest thou me? Odin! I know
all, where thou thine eye didst sink in the pure well of Mim." Mim
drinks mead each morn from Valfather's pledge.[8] Understand ye yet,
or what?

23. The chief of hosts gave her rings and necklace, useful
discourse, and a divining spirit: wide and far she saw o'er every
world.

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