SELECTIONS IN ENGLISH POETRY
Save one, Bergelmer;—he on shipboard fled 930
Thy deluge, and from him the giants sprang.
But all that brood thou hast removed far off,
And set by Ocean's utmost marge to dwell;
But Hela into Niflheim thou threw'st.
And gav'st her nine unlighted worlds to rule, 935
A queen, and empire over all the dead.
That empire wilt thou now invade, light up
Her darkness, from her grasp a subject tear?—
Try it; but I, for one, will not applaud.
Nor do I merit, Odin, thou should'st slight 940
Me and my words, though thou be first in Heaven;
For I too am a Goddess, born of thee,
Thine eldest, and of me the Gods are sprung;
And all that is to come I know, but lock
In mine own breast, and have to none revealM. 945
Come then! since Hela holds by right her prey.
But offers terms for his release to Heaven,
Accept the chance; thou canst no more obtain.
Send through the world thy messengers; entreat
All living and unliving things to weep 950
For Balder; if thou haply thus may'st melt
Hela, and win the loved one back to Heaven.'*
She spake, and on her face let fall her veil,
And bow'd her head, and sate with folded hands.
Nor did the all-ruling Odin slight her word; 955
Straightway he spake, and thus addressed the Gods:
"Go quickly forth through all the world, and pray
All -living and unliving things to weep
Balder, if haply he may thus be won,'*
When the Gods heard, they straight arose, and took
Their horses, rode forth through all the world; $6*
North, south, east, west, they struck, and roarnM the
world
283