SELECTIONS IN ENGLISH POETRY
Who see the light, and blest in Asgard dwell;
Even here they seek thee out, in Hela's realm.
And sure of all the happiest far art thou
\Vho ever have been known in earth or Heaven;	600
Alive, thou wast of Gods the most beloved.
And now thou sittest crown'd by Hela's side,
Here, and hast honour among all the dead/'
He spake; and Balder utter'd him reply.
But feebly, as a voice far off; he said :—	605
"Hermod the nimble, gild me not my death!
Better to live a serf, a captured man,
Who scatters rushes in a master's hall.
Than be a crown'd king here, and rule the dead.
And now I count not of these terms as safe	610'
To be fulfilled, nor my return as sure,
Though I be loved, and many mourn my death;
For double-minded ever was the seed
Of Lok, and double are the gifts they give.
Howbeit, report thy message; and therewith,	615
To Odin, to my father, take this ring,
Memorial of me, whether saved or no:
And tell the Heaven-born Gods how thou hast seen
Me sitting here below by Hela's side,
Crown'd, having honour among all the dead."	530
He spake, and raised his hand, and gave the ring.
And with inscrutable regard the queen
Of Hell beheld them, and the ghosts stood dumb.
But Hermod took the ring, and yet once more
KneePd and did homage to the solemn queen;	625
Then mounted Sleipner, and set forth to ride
Back, through the astonish'd tribes of dead, to Heaven.
And to the wall he came, and found the grate
Lifted, and issued on the fields of ice.
And o'er th? ice he fared to Ocean's strand,	£30
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