Völuspá: Texts and Translations

The present translation of Völuspa, the 'Sibyl's Saying,' is made from the text of Codex Regius, as edited by Dr. Ferdinand Detter (Vienna 1899) and by Detter and Heinzel (Leipzig, 1903) without rearrangement of the text, or the elimination of additions or interpolations. For other translations, the reader should consult the Corpus Poeticum Boreale; and the translation by Miss Bray, issued by the Viking Club. The best short introduction to the subject, with a bibliography, is issued in Mr. Nutt's series of Popular Studies in Mythology, Romance and Folklore, viz. 'The Edda: I, The Divine Mythology of the North,' by Winifred Fariday. A first edition of the present translation, no longer obtainable, consisted of forty copies, printed in Kandy, Ceylon, in 1905.
The translator is very greatly indebted to Professor J. Lawrence, Litt.D., of Tokyo University and to Mr. Eirikr Magnusson, M.A., of Cambridge for many suggestions and revisions.

ARGUMENT

The Sibyl begins with the explanatory words, ''Tis they will, Valfather, that well I speak out far tales of the folk, which first I recall.' She then tells of the shaping of the Earth and Sky by the sons of Bor, the ordering of the Lights of Heaven, the building of a Holy stead by the Gods on Ida Meadow, and of their golden age, until the coming of three Giant-maids; the creation of dwarfs; the creation of the first Man and Woman out of stocks of wood; of the Ash Yggdrassil, and of the Norns; Of the war between the Aesir and the Vanes; and of the battle with the Giants who had won the Goddess Freyja. Then follows a reference to the pledges of the Gods, and a list of the Valkyries. Passing to the future, the Sibyl foretells the death of Baldr, vengeance taken, and the chaining of Loki; describes both Hel and Giant-home; and tells of the Doom of the Gods, the destruction of the World by fire, and the release of Loki's offspring. The last seven verses tell of a new Heaven and Earth, and how the Gods shall dwell again in gladness; the dragon Nidhogg flits the slain. The Sibyl sinks back into silence.

(1877 —1947) 1909 Ananda Kentish Coomaraswarmy
	Völuspá The Sibyl's Saying [HOME][BACK]
	The present translation of Völuspa, the 'Sibyl's Saying,' is made from the text of Codex Regius, as edited by Dr. Ferdinand Detter (Vienna 1899) and by Detter and Heinzel (Leipzig, 1903) without rearrangement of the text, or the elimination of additions or interpolations. For other translations, the reader should consult the Corpus Poeticum Boreale; and the translation by Miss Bray, issued by the Viking Club. The best short introduction to the subject, with a bibliography, is issued in Mr. Nutt's series of Popular Studies in Mythology, Romance and Folklore, viz. 'The Edda: I, The Divine Mythology of the North,' by Winifred Fariday. A first edition of the present translation, no longer obtainable, consisted of forty copies, printed in Kandy, Ceylon, in 1905. The translator is very greatly indebted to Professor J. Lawrence, Litt.D., of Tokyo University and to Mr. Eirikr Magnusson, M.A., of Cambridge for many suggestions and revisions. ARGUMENT The Sibyl begins with the explanatory words, ''Tis they will, Valfather, that well I speak out far tales of the folk, which first I recall.' She then tells of the shaping of the Earth and Sky by the sons of Bor, the ordering of the Lights of Heaven, the building of a Holy stead by the Gods on Ida Meadow, and of their golden age, until the coming of three Giant-maids; the creation of dwarfs; the creation of the first Man and Woman out of stocks of wood; of the Ash Yggdrassil, and of the Norns; Of the war between the Aesir and the Vanes; and of the battle with the Giants who had won the Goddess Freyja. Then follows a reference to the pledges of the Gods, and a list of the Valkyries. Passing to the future, the Sibyl foretells the death of Baldr, vengeance taken, and the chaining of Loki; describes both Hel and Giant-home; and tells of the Doom of the Gods, the destruction of the World by fire, and the release of Loki's offspring. The last seven verses tell of a new Heaven and Earth, and how the Gods shall dwell again in gladness; the dragon Nidhogg flits the slain. The Sibyl sinks back into silence. For heed I beseech all holy kindreds, higher and lower from Heimdal sprung. 'Tis they will, Valfather, that well I speak out far tales of the folk which first I recall. The kindred of giants comes first to my mind who formed and fed me in the far ages. Nine homes I recall homesteads nine i' the tree, the mighty Miotvith the mould beneath. Till the sons of Bor the broad lands raised, they who Midgard the mighty shaped. The Sun from the South lit briny shingle, then was the ground with green leek covered. The Sun from the South -the Moon is her fellow- on the rim of Heaven his right hand laid. Sun that wist not where were his halls, Stars that wist not where their steads were, Moon that wist not what might was hers. Then the dread Gods all to the doomseats yode, the righteous and holy to arede this thing: names to the night and new moon they gave- morning and midday, undern and evening by name they called to number the years. Till forth from that folk fared three of the Gods, kindly and mighty and came to a home. On the land they found of little might Ask and Embla aimless-fated. Breath they had not, nor wits were theirs nor blood nor movement nor goodly hues. Breath gave Odinn Wits gave Hœnir blood gave Lodur and hues of beauty. An Ash stands, I wis, Yggdrasil hight, a high tree sprent with hoary drops. Thence comes dews i' the dales that fall. Green stands it aye o'er Urda's spring. Thence come three Mays that mickle wot of, forth from the stead that stands neath that tree, 'Was' hight one, 'Is now' the second- scored they a shingle- 'Shall be' the third. She wots where hidden is Heimdal's ear, beneath the air-wont holy tree. She sees it prent and splashed with drops from Valfather's pledge. More would ye wit and what; Alone she sat out when the Old One came, the Aesir's dread and eyed her there. 'Why dost thou seek me and wouldst thou learn? Long, Odinn, I've known where thine eye thou hidst in the famous mere hight Mimir's spring. Mead each morning Mimir drinketh from Valfather's pledge. More would ye wit of and what? Host-father gave her necklace and rings, with wisdom's redes and runes of foresight well she wotteth of worlds everyone. From far and wide the Valkyrs she sees bound to ride to warrior folk Skuld bore shield and Skogul a second, Gunn and Hild, Gondul and Geir-Skogul— now the tale is heard of Herian's Mays, Valkyrs ready to ride o'er the Earth. Strife I saw in store for Balder; bathed in blood, seemed bairn of Odinn. High o'er the ground there grew a shaft mild and most fair- the mistletoe. Harmful and deadly Hoth did loose it: though weak it seemed as it waxed on that tree. Balder's brother was born full early; but one night old ' fought Odinn's son. He neither cut nor combed his hair till Balder's bane was borne to' the flames, and Frigg bewailed him in Fensalir, Valhalla's woe. More would ye wit of and what? 'Neath Hveralund She saw in fetters one in the likeness of Loki the guileful There Sigyn sits, . that small glee hath, beside her mate. More would ye.wit of and what? Falls on him East-fro' i' the ice-cold dale, like swords and saxes, Slithr's stream. Northward stands- on Nitha-field the golden hall of Sindri's kin, but another stood on Okolnir, the Giants beer-hall, Brimir hight. Far from the sun she saw a hall whose doors face North on Nastrand stand. Venom-drops dripped through the luffer; its walls were wattled with worms' spines. Murder-wolves". and men forsworn she saw there wading in swirling streams wights who beguile the wives of others. There Nidhogg sucks dead men's bodies and tears men's corpses. More would ye·wit. of and what? East in the iron-wood the old hag sat, . there she fostered Fenrir's offspring. - One above all issues there-from' in the shape of a troll the sun's pursuer. On dead men's bodies battens he, and reddens God-home with ruddy gore. Swart is the sunshine of summers thereafter, the weather all evil. More would ye wit of and what? Sat there on howe, the harp a-smiting, the Ogress' herdsman- Eggthir the merry. A fair red cock that Fjallar hight on the roosting pole beside him crowed. Over the Gods crowed Goldencomb, at Heriafather's folk he wakes; but 'neath the Earth another crows, a ruddy cock in the halls of Hel. Grimly bays Garm in Gnipa-hel, the rivets shall rend and the ravener go free. Great is my insight the far future I see, e'en the death of the Gods, the dread battle-lords. Brothers will fight, each the bane of the other, and sister's children sibship shame. Ill waxes the world, whoredom is rife, Axe-age, Sword-age— cloven are shields— ere the world is o'erwhelmed Wind-age, Wolf-age: nor shall any man then of others be sparing. Mimir's sons are awaked but the end's made known by Gjoll's horn that harshly sounds. Hard blows Heimdal, his horn is aloft, Odinn speaks with Mimir's head, the towering ash Yggdrasil shakes. Grimly bays Garm in Gnipa-hel, the rivets shall rend and the raverier wend free. Great is my insight the far future I see, e' en the death of the Gods, the dread battle-lords. Hrym driveth East-fro upholding shield, the great snake writhes in Giant-rage. Worm lashes sea white-nebbed, corpse-ravening loud crieth eagle, loose fares Naglfar. Kioll sails East-fro, while Loki steers, Muspell's sons on the sea shall fare. Fiendish wights wend all with the ravener, Byleist's brother bears them company. What is't with the Gods? what is't with the Elves? all Giant-home roars, the Aesir hold thing; at their stony doors the dwarfs are groaning the wise in rock-walls. More would ye wit of and what? . Surt fares South-fro with switch's bane, bright shines his sword the sun of the Gods. Rocks crash together, ruined are Ogresses, Hel's path men tread and Heaven is cleft. Then is Hlein's second sorrow afoot, when Odinn fares to fight the wolf; Beli's bright bane battles with Surt, there falls fated Frigg's delight. Then the mighty son of Sigfather comes, Vithar, to wage war with the corpse-eater In Hvethrung's son's heart with both hands a sword he thrusteth home, so his father's avenged. Then comes Hlothyn's glorious son, ( to fight the adder fares Odinn's child. Midgard's warder in grim mood slays him- far from their homesteads shall all men roam- scarce nine feet aback gets Fjorgyn's son from the Worm unafraid of evil fame. Earth sinks in the sea the sun grows dark, the shining stars from the sky roll down; steam clouds form and fostering fire; the flame high rising licks Heaven itself. Grimly bays Garm in Gnipa-hel, the rivets shall rend and the ravener wend free. Great is my insight, the far future I see e'en the death of the Gods the dread battle-lords. . She gazes on earth grown green anew once more arisen. out from the sea. Forces are falling- high o' er the fell the eagle flies and catches fish. On Ida's meadow are met the Aesir, on the great Earth-thong they there give doom, and call to mind their mighty doings and the far-off runes of Fimbultyr. In the grass sithence golden tables wondrous fair found shall there be, that there own race had in olden days. Then all unsown shall the acres bear, all bale shall abate and Balder come; Hod and Balder shall dwell in Hropt's hall glorious— Battle-Gods blissful. More would ye wit of and what? Twigs of lottery shall Hœnir choose. In a broad wind-home the brothers' children of Tweggi dwell. More would ye wit of and what? More fair than Sun she sees a hall with golden thatch on Gimle stand. - Therein shall dwell all holy beings - and lead evermore a life of bliss. Up comes the dusky dragon flying from Nithafell, a flashing worm he flies o'er the fields; on feathers Nidhogg flits the slain. Now she must sink. Printed at the Essex House Press, in the Norman Chapel at Broad Campden. Sold at the Essex House Press and by David Nutt, Long Acre, London. January, 1909. Of One Hundred Copies printed, this is No. 22.
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