WARNING OF COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS1
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of the copyright materials.
Under certain conditions specified in the law, library and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than in private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement.
The Yale University Library reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order, if, in its judgement fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.
137 C.F.R. §201.14 2018 Thie oetic JJa
Translated with an Introduction and Explanatory Notes
BY LEE M. HOLLANDER
SECOND EDITION, REVISED
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PRESS AUSTIN • 1962
1! The Short Seeress' Prophecy Vpluspâ hin skamma
Though in no wise marked off in the manuscript of "Hyndlulj6 ," in which they occur (Sts. 29-44), the stanzas here translated have nothing to do with that poem. Moreover, we are in the fortunate position of having Snorri's reference to them by the above title.1 From the evident discontinuousness of the poem it may be inferred that the original was longer, but probably was not recalled in its entirety by the person who handed it down. As we now have it, the contents are largely cosmogonic, paralleling "Vpluspâ," of which it is no doubt an imitation, in matter, structure, and refrain. This likelihood, coupled with certain stylistic features and the fact that the system of twelve gods (a late development) is referred to, indicates it to be the work of a learned and not untalented Icelander of the twelfth cen- tury, who knew a number of the older Eddic poems and perhaps some which have since been lost.
1. Eleven only the Asir were when down had drooped in death Baldr. Then Vâli revenge did vow for him: his brother's slayer he slew forthwith.2
2. Was Baldr's fathers Bur's eldest son...
3. Frey wedded Gerth,4 who was Gymir's daughter, of etin-kin, with Aurbotha. Thewful Thjatsi° to them was kin, the skulking thurs; was Skathi his daughter.
4. I tell thee much, yet more lore have I; thou needs must know this— wilt know still more?
5. Of Hvethna's sons Haki was best, but Hjorvarth was Hvethna's father, Heith and Hrossthjóf, Hrimnir's kinsmen.°
1 "Gylfaginning," Chap. 4, before his quotation of Stanza 6. 2 For the story of Baldr's death and Vâli's revenge, see "VQluspâ," St. 31-33, and "Baldrs draumar," St. 11. 3 ßthin. See "Vglusp3, ' St. 4 and Note 6. The remainder of the stanza appears to be miss- ing. 4 See "Skfrnismâl." The refrain "thy sib all these silly Óttar," of "Hyndluljóó," St. 16 and following, I have omitted here as quite irrelevant to the context. ° Concerning him and Skathi, see "Harbarzlj65," St. 19 and Notes 14 and 15, and "Loka- senna," St. 49 ff. 6 The last two are giants' names. Heith may be identical with the witch mentioned in "Vgluspa," St. 22. 138 VQluspli hin skamma
6. From Vithólf2 are all witches sprung; the tribe of warlocks, from Vilmeith all; the soothsayers, from Svarthofthi; and all etins are of Ymir's kin.
7. I tell thee much, yet more lore have I; thou needs must know this— wilt know still more?
8. In days of yore a youth was born, of sturdy strength, of the stock of gods; at the edge of the earth etin maids nine gave birth and suck to the brightest of gods.8
9. I tell thee much, yet more lore have I; thou needs must know this— wilt know still more?
10. Gjâlp did bear him, Greip did bear him, bore him Eistla and Eyrgjafa, bore him 01frún and Angeya, Imth and Atla, and Jârnsaxa.
11. He was nursed and grew on the sap of the ground, on the ice-cold sea and the sacred boar's blood.9
12. I tell thee much, yet more lore have I; thou needs must know this— wilt know still more?
13. Gat Loki the Wolf with Angrbotha,1° and Sleipnir he bore to Svathilfari;11 but of all ill wights most awful by far is Bÿleist's brother's12 baleful offspring.
T "Forest Wolf," probably a giant, as also Vilmeith, "Wish-Granter," that is, "sooth- sayer" (?), and Svarthofthi "the Black-Headed." As to Ymir, oldest of giants, see "Vaf- brúónismâl," Sts. 21 and 28. 8 Heimdall. According to "Gylfaginning," Chap. 26, he was born of nine maidens, sisters all, as is said in a lay, unknown otherwise, which is called "Heimdall's Spell (Heimdal- largaldr). The maidens have been doubtfully identified with the storm waves, to which origin their name (in St. 10) seem to have reference. 9 Similar lines occur in "Guórúnarkviaa ' II, St. 21. The three ingredients were to ward off the evil powers from the new born. to See "VQluspâ," St. 39 and Note 54. 11 See "Grimnismâl," St. 45 and Note 61. 12 That is, Loki. See "VQluspâ," St. 50. His most baleful offspring is either the Mithgarth- Serpent or the Fenris-Wolf. The Short Seeress' Prophecy 139
14. A half-burnt heart which he had found— it was a woman's— ate wanton Loki; with child he grew from the guileful woman." Thence are on earth all ogres sprung.
15. The stormy sea to the stars is tossed, overwhelms the land— the heavens rive. Thence come great snows and sweeping blasts. Then are doomed to die the drooping gods.''
16. Was a mighty one born, matchless in strength, he was nursed and grew on the sap of the ground; most high-minded he 'mongst the hallowed gods, in sib with all sires1ó and sons of earth.
17. 'BA god will come then, an e'en greater one: I dare not speak his dreaded name. Farther forward few can see now than ()thin fighting the Fenris-Wolf.11
13 Parallels to this curious motif are found in Northern and Eastern folklore. 14 With this stanza compare "VQluspâ," St. 56, which also gives the signs in nature fore- boding, or accompanying, the doom of the gods. 15 Accepting Boer's emendation: Heimdall is the sire of the three estates of men. See "VQluspa," St. 1, and Rígsbula. is See "VQluspâ," St. 64 and Note 94. 11 See "VQluspâ," St. 52.