SELECTIONS IN ENGLISH POETRY
1 must again below, to Hela's realm."
He spoke: and Niord set forth back to Heaven.
But northward Hermod rode, the way below,
The way he knew; and traversed GialFs stream,
And down to Ocean groped, and cross'd the ice,
And came beneath the wall, and found the grate 1035
Still lifted; well was his return foreknown.
And once more Hermod saw around him spread
The joyless plains, and heard the streams of Hell.
But as he enter'd, on the extremest bound
Of Niflheim, he saw one ghost come near, 1040
Hovering, and stopping oft, as if afraid—
Hoder, the unhappy, whom his own hand slew.
And Hermod look'd, and knew his brother's ghost,
And call'd him by his name, and sternly said: —
**Hoder, ill fated, blind in heart and eyes! 1045
Why tarriest thou to plunge thee in the gulph
Of the deep inner gloom, but flittest here,
In twilight, on the lonely verge of Hell,
Far from the other ghosts, and Hela's throne ?
Doubtless thou fearest to meet Balder's voice, 1050
Thy brother, whom through folly thou didst slay."
He spoke; but Hoder ariswer'd him, and said:—
" Hermod the nimble, dost thou still pursue
The unhappy with reproach, even in the grave ?
For this I died, and fled beneath the gloom, 1055
Not daily to endure abhorring Gods,
Nor with a hateful presence cumber Heaven;
And canst thou not, even here, pass pitying by ?
No less than Balder have I lost the light
Of Heaven, and communion with' my kin; 1060
I too had once a wife, and once a child,
And substance, and a golden house in Heaven—
But all I left of my own act, and fled
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