SELECTIONS IN ENGLISH POETRY
Below, and dost thou hate me even here ?
Balder upbraids me not, nor hates at all, . 1065
Though he has cause, have any cause; but he,
When with downcast looks I hither came,
Stretch'd forth his hand, and with benignant voice,
Welcome, he said, if there be welcome here,
Brother and fellow-sport of Lok with me! 1070
And not to offend thee, Hermod, nor to force
My hated converse on thee, came 1 up
From the deep gloom, where I will now return,
But earnestly I long'd to hover near,
Not too far off, when that thou earnest by; 1075
To feel the presence of a brother God,
And hear the passage of a horse of Heaven,
For the last time—for here thou corn'st no more/'
He spake, and turn'd to go to the inner gloom.
But Hermod stav'd him with mild words, and said: —
"Thou doest well to chide me, Hoder blind! 1081
Truly thou say'st, the planning guilty mind
Was Lok's; the unwitting hand alone was thine.
But Gods are like the sons of men in this—
When they have woe, they blame the nearest cause.
Howbeit stay, and be appeased ! and tell: 1086
Sits Balder still in pomp by Hela's side,
Or is he mingled with the unnumber'd dead?'1
And the blind Hoder answer'd him and spake: —
"His place of state remains by Hela's side, 1090
But empty; for his wife, for Nanna came
Lately below, and join'd him; and the pair
Frequent the still recesses of the realm
Of Hela, and hold converse undisturb'd.
But they too, doubtless, will have breathed the balm,
Which floats before a visitant from Heaven, 1006
And have drawn upward to this verge of Hell."
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