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1798 Anonymous
Vafþrúðnismál
THE MEAL OF VAFTHRUTHNI
in
Monthly Magazine or British Register
Vol. 6, no. 39, p. 451-453
The Author is William Taylor, as acknowledged in his
Historic Survey of German Poetry
(1830),
where the poem is reprinted with additional notes
and retitled The Lay of Vafthrudni
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RUNIC SAGAS.
MR. Cottle's Icelandic Poetry is by this time in the hands
of every, lover of wild imagery and harmonious verse. It is
a rimed paraphrase of the Latin version of Sœmund's Edda,
published in 1787, at Copenhagen. As this interpretation
departs widely from the text, it may not appear superfluous
to the curious in antiquity, to attempt a less free
translation of the first and most curious of these sagas,
which unfolds the Gothic cosmogony.
The Runic alphabet is of uncertain
origin; but as most of the inscriptions in this character
which have been discovered on the Scandinavian rocks, record
the fortunes of some soldier who had been in the service of
the* Greek emperor, it may be presumed, that the art of
writing was derived by the Goths from Constantinople.
Antiquaries, however, have ascribed to far** earlier periods
the literary firstlings of the north, and consider the
sagas, or mythic songs, which constitute the Edda, as
productions contemporary with the heroes whom they
celebrate. The age and history of Odin is again liable to
controversy. Schöning and Suhm incline to distinguish
between Woden the god of war, and Odin chief of the Asæ; and
suppose the apotheosis of the former to have long preceded
that of the latter, who perhaps was merely the conductor of
the first colony of Goths "which ventured to forsake the
southern stores of the Baltic and to take up its abode in
Scandinavia.” Gibbon (i. 294) inclines to the speculation
which makes the enterprises of the northern Mahomet co-æval
with those of Pompey. Gräter, struck with a resemblance
between the cosmogony of the Edda and that of Melissus of
Samos, as described by Diogenes Laertius, has attempted to
prove from a passage in the Ægisdrecka (Str. 24.), that Odin
visited the island of Samos (Sams-egio), and derived his
doctrines from this Grecian philosopher, who flourished in
the eighty-fourth, Olympiad. In confirmation of a theory
which assigns to this earlier æra the exploits of the
northern divinities, it might be pleaded that Herodotus
mentions (Melpomene LXXXI.) an immense brewing-copper, in
high estimation among the Scythians, the acquisition of
which by Thor, appears to be celebrated in the Hymis-Quida.
The, identity of the elder Anscharsis, and of Odin, may one
day not seem indefensible.
*Schlötter's Nordische Geschichte, p. 550.
**The Runic alphabet expresses, only the long vowels a,
o, and u: it has but one character for b and p; but one
for d and t, but one for g and t, and in all sixteen
letters. This structure countenances the hypothesis of
an Oriental origin. The Phœnicians, as appears from the
Auscultationes mirabiles ascribed to Aristotle, came to
fish on the coasts of Thule (probably, Norway), salted
there the Thynnus which they caught, and carried it to
the Mediterranean. From them, perhaps, the Runes.
But at whatever period those persons flourished, whose
actions form the themes of the Edda: whether their deeds and
their doctrines were chronicled in verse by the Scalds* of
their own times; or were preserved by tradition merely,
until the northern dawn of literature broke forth over
Iceland; the sagas which preserve these transactions, are
equally interesting. They are, and must remain the earliest
monuments of Gothic intellect. They are, and must remain the
first fruits of that noble stem of language, whose spreading
branches yet overshadow Scandinavia, Germany, and Britain.
They are the childhood stammerings of those nations who,
have created a school of poetry superior to the Greek. They
will acquire an increasing interest among all the
descendants from the Gothic flock. They are supplying to new
poets the outlines of an original mythology: and they will
afford a favourite text for commentary to all the
antiquaries who shall in future busy themselves with arctic
paleosophy.
*Klopstock erroneously ascribes bards to the Gothic
nations on the faith of a false reading in Tacitus: this
word is Cimbric, or Welsh, and includes both the civil
and ecclesiastical magistracy. Milton, with learned
accuracy, notices the steep, "Where our old bards, the
famous druids lie."
The poetical value of the elder northern reliques is far
inferior to that of the fanciful stories which compose the
new Edda: no metaphors equally hold, no adventures equally
prodigious, no descriptions equally romantic here startle
and reward the curiosity. In their stead occur definite
allegories, which throw much light on the manner in which
rude nations endeavour to account to themselves for the
origin of things, and in which moral facts assume in their
minds a mythic form. Much information too is afforded
concerning the different tribes into which the Goths and the
contiguous nomade nations were divided, and concerning the
geographical. allotment of their respective territory. But
it is time to pass from prosing, to scanning.
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[Note to the web edition]: The spelling and punctuation have
not been altered.
The poem was originally printed in two columns per page. The
footnotes were indicated by a variety of symbols placed at
the front of the word or passage annotated, and appeared at
the bottom of each column. Here, relevant footnotes
appear after the associated verse. Verse numbers have been
added in brackets for convenience, and the name “Vafthruni”,
indicating the speaker, has been spelled out. In the
original it was sometimes abbreviated as “Vaf.” [verses
9-18] and “Vaft.” [beginning with verse 19]. Notes not found
in the original text are hightlighted in red.
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| THE MEAL OF VAFTHRUTHNI |
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[1.]
Odin. Friga, counsel thy lord,
Whose unquiet bosom broods
A journey to Vafthruni’s hall
With the wise and crafty
Jute,
To contend in Runic lore.
[2.] Friga. Father of a
hero-race
In the dwelling place of
Goths,
Let me counsel thee to stay;
For to none among the Jutes*,
Is Vafthruni’s wisdom given.
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*The Danish
interpreters should not always be followed in the use of the
words god and giant. The Goths and the Jutes were contiguous
nations, part of whom ultimately became stationary in
Gothland and Jutland. From the name of the later, by
coalescence with the article, is formed the demonination
Teutones, Deutch. (Thus the French call Antinous le
L’autin
instead of l’Amin,
and the English say a newt,
instead of an ewt,
using in fact a double article. These nations were hostile.
Lucian (in his letter to Philo on history-writing) alludes
to some account of a war between the Goths and the Jutes:
and the Edda abounds with traces of habitual rivalry,
Vafthruni was king of the Jutes.
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[3.]
Odin. Far I’ve wander’d, much soujourn’d
In the kingdoms of the earth;
But Vafthruni’s royal hall
I have still the wish to
know.
[4.] Friga. Safe departure,
safe return,
May the fatal sisters grant!
The father of the years that
roll,
Shield my darling traveller’s
head!
[Verse 5, which informs the listener that Odin
fared to the hall of 'Im's father' and entered
in, has been omitted.]
[6.]
Odin. Hail Vafthruni, king of
men,
To thy lofty hall I come,
Beckon’d by thy wisdom’s
fame.
Art thou, I aspire to learn,
First of Jutes in Runic lore?
[7.]
Vafthruni. Who art thou?
Whose darling
Doubts Vafthrni’s just
renown?
Know that to thy parting step
Never shall these doors
unfold,
If thy tongue excel not mine
In the strife of mystic lore.
[8.]
Odin. Gangrath*, monarch, is
my name.
Needing hospitality,
To thy palace-gate I come;
Long and rugged is the way
Which my weary feet have
trodden.
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*Gangrath means seek-advice. If this was
the travelling name of Odin, it would easily assume in Greek
the form Anacharsis
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[9.]
Vafthruni. Gangrath, on the
stool beneath
Let thy loitering limbs
repose:
Then begin our strife of
speech.
[10.]
Odin. When a son of meanness
comes
To the presence of the great,
Let him speak the needful
word;
But forbear each idle phrase,
If he seek a listening ear.
[11.]
Vafthruni. Since upon thy
lowly seat,
Still thou court the learned
strife—
Tell me how is nam’d the
steed,
On whose *back the morning
comes?
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*In the Grecian mythology, the gods of
day are charioteers; but in the Gothic, notwithstanding
Goranson, they seem to have been cavaliers.
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[12.]
Odin. Skin-faxi* is the skiey
steed
Who bears aloft the smiling
day
To all the regions of
mankind:
His the ever-shining mane.
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*Skin-faxi
means shiny-locks; but to this horse is never ascribed the
superacy among horses. On the contrary, the saga quoted in
Percy’s edition of “Mallet’s Northern Antiquities,” vol. ii.
p. 109, expressly says: “The ash Ygdrasil is the first of
trees; Sleipnir, of horses; Bifrost, of bridges,” &c.
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[13.]
Vafthruni. Since upon thy
lowly seat,
Still thou court the learned
strife—
Tell me how is nam’d the
steed,
From the east who bears the
night.
Fraught with showering joys
of love?
[14.]
Odin. Hrimfax is the sable
steed,
From the east who brings the
night
*Fraught with showering joys
of love;
As he champs the foamy bit,
Drops of dew are scatter’d
round
To adorn the vales of earth. |
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*The
line Nott oc nyt reginn,
literally night eke bliss
showers, is misrendered by
the Danish interpreter. It is only capable of the sense here
given, as will appear by consulting the word
Nyt
in the vocabulary of the Edda Sæmundar.
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[15.]
Vafthruni. Since upon thy
lowly seat,
Still thou court the lowly
strife—
Tell me how is nam’d the
flood,
From the dwellings of the
Jutes
That divides the haunt of
Goths?
[16.]
Odin. Ifing’s* deep and murky
wave,
Parts the ancient sons of
earth
From the dwellings of the
Goths,
Open flows the mighty flood,
Nor shall ice arrest its
course
While the wheel of ages
rolls.
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| *The river
Ifing was in Polish Prussia. |
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[17.]
Vafthruni. Since &c.
Tell how is nam’d the field
Where the Goths shall strive
in vain,
With the flame-clad *Surtur’s
might?
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*The last day of the week was
consecrated to Surtur, and named after him.
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[18.]
Odin. *Vigirth is the fatal
field
Where the Goths to Surtur
bend.
He who rides a hundred
leagues
Has not crost the ample
plain.
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*Vigrith seemingly means drunkenness and
Surtur the funeral flame: The allegory in this case
intimates that a loss of the faculties is the harbinger of
death. Gräter however translates it by noise of battle,
hurly-burly: and is perhaps in the right. It might however
be sought in real geography.
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[19.]
Vafthruni. Gangrath, truly
thou art wise;
Mount the footstep of my
throne,
And on equal cushion plac’d
Thence renew the strife of
tongues,
Big with danger, big with
death.
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Part II*
*The former half of this Saga exhibits symptoms of a higher
antiquity, more allusions to local nature, and a mythology
less evolved. |
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[20.]
Odin. First, if thou can
tell, declare
Whence the earth and whence
the sky?
[21.]
Vafthruni. Ymir’s* flesh
produced the earth
Ymer’s bone, its rocky ribs;
Ymer’s skull, the skiey
vault;
Ymer’s teeth, the
mountain-ice;
Ymer’s sweat, the
ocean-salt.
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*Ymer answers to chaos: it means
ever or eternity.
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[22.]
Odin. Next, if thou can tell,
declare
Who was the parent of the
moon
That shines upon the sleep of
man?
And who is parent of the sun?
[23.]
Vafthruni. Know that
Mundilfær* is hight
Father to the moon and sun:
Age on age shall roll away
While they mark the months
and years.
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*Mundilfær means gift-bestowing.
The allegory therefore describes beneficence as producing
the sun and moon.
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[24.]
Odin. If so far thy wisdom
reach,
Tell me whence arose the day,
That smiles upon the toil of
man?
And who is parent of the
night?
[25.]
Vafthruni. Delling* is the
sire of day
But from Naurvi sprang the
night,
Fraught with showering joys
of love,
Who bids the moon to wax and
wane,
Marking months and years to
man.
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*Delling, twilight; Nauvi,
north;
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[26.]
Odin. If so far thy wisdom
reach,
Tell me whence the winter
comes?
Whence the soothing summer’s
birth
Showers of fruitage who
bestows?
[27.]
Vafthruni. Vindsaul* is the
name of him
Who begot the winter’s god;
Summer from Suasuthur sprang:
Both shall walk the way of
years
Till the twilight of the
Gods.
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*Vindsual,
wind-swell;
Suasuthur,
much-soothing
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[28.]
Odin. Once again—if thou can
tell,
Name the first of Ymer’s sons
Eldest of the Asa-race?
[29.]
Vafthruni. While the yet
unshapen earth
Lay conceal’d in wintry womb,
Bergelmer had long been born:
He from Thrudgelmer descends,
Aurgelmer’s unbrother’d son
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*Bergelmer,
old man of the
mountain; Thrudgelmir,
old man of the deep;
Aurgelmer, original
old man.
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[30.]
Odin. Once again—if thou can
tell,
Whence, the first of all the
Jutes,
Father Aurgelmer sprung?
[31.]
Vafthruni. From the arm of
Vagom* fell
The curdled drops of teeming
blood
That grew and form’d the
first of Jutes.
Sparks that spurted from the
South
Inform’d with life the
crimson dew.
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*vagom, waves, ocean. (the
waves, the subjects of Niord, the sea-god, are often
personified in Scaldic song; and are called Vanes and Vauns
in Percy’s Mallet. For what reason two words have been
contracted into one to form the proper name Elivagi appears
not: yet Goranson and all the authorities countenance Mr.
Cottle’s interpretation of this passage.
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[32.]
Odin. Yet a seventh time
declare,
If so far thy wisdom reach,
How the Jute begat his brood
Tho’ denied a female’s love?
[33.]
Vafthruni. Within the hollow
of his hands,
To the water-giant grew
Both a male and female seed:
Also foot with foot begat
A son in whom the Jute might
joy.
[34.]
Odin. I conjure thee, tell me
now,
What within the bounds of
space
First befell of all that’s
known?
[35.]
Vafthruni. While the yet
unshapen earth
Lay concealed in win’try
womb,
Bergelmer had long been born:
First of all recorded things,
Is that his gigantic length
Floated on the ocean-wave.
[36.]
Odin. Once again, if thou can
say
And so far thy wisdom reach,
Tell me whence proceeds the
wind
O’er the earth and o’er the
sea
That journeys viewless to
mankind?
[37.]
Vafthruni. Hræfvelger* is the
name of him
Who sits beyond the ends of
heaven,
And winnows wide his eagle
wings,
Whence the sweeping blasts
have birth.
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*Hræfvelger,
corse-greedy
[likely a typo for ‘corpse’-greedy]
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[38.]
Odin. If thy all-embracing
mind
Know the whole lineage of the
gods,
Tell me whence is Niord
sprung?
Holy hills and halls hath he
Tho’ not born of the
Asa-race.
[39.]
Vafthruni. For him the deftly
delving showers
In Vaunhome scop’d a wat’ry
home
And pledg’ed it to the Upper
gods:
But when the smoak of ages
climbs
He with his Vauns shall
stride abroad,
Nor spare the long-respected
shore.
[40.]
Odin. If thy all-embracing
mind
Know the whole of mystic
lore,
Tell me now how the chosen
heroes*
Live in Odin’s shield-deck’d
hall
Till the rush of ruin’d gods
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*The Danish interpreters render
Einheriar by Monoheroes, whereas it seems rather to answer
to the Teutonic Anberr, partriarch, ancestor, forefather.
What idea should be annexed to this newly minted term
monohero? That of Champion, perhaps of a warrior, who, by
solitary exploits and without co-operation, attains the
heroic rank: In this case it were a fit epithet for but few
of the inmates of Valhalla. For Stakrader, indeed, the
Samson or Herkules of the north..
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[41.]
Vafthruni. All the chosen
guests of Odin
Daily ply the trade of war:
From the fields of festal
fight
Swift they ride in gleaming
arms,
And gaily at the board of
gods
Quaff the cup of sparkling
ale,
And eat Sæhrimni’s vaunted
flesh.
[42.]
Odin. Twelfthly, tell me,
king of Jutes,
What of all thy Runic lore
Is most certain, sure, and
true?
[43.]
Vafthruni. I am vers’d in
Runic lore
And the counsels of the
gods’;
For I’ve wander’d far and
wide,
Nine the nations I have
known;
And in all that overarch
The murky* mists and chills
of hell,
Men are daily seen to ride.
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*The Niflhel of the text is probably an
erroneous reading for Niflheim, home of mists, which was the
favourite epithet of the Goths for the nether world. Does
Vafthruni mean by the nine nations, the nine regions subject
to Hela?
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[44.]
Odin. Far I’ve wander’d much
sojourn’d
In the kingdoms of the earth;
But I’ve still a wish to know
How the sons of men shall
live,
When the iron winter comes?
[45.]
Vafthruni. Life and warmth
shall hidden lie
In the well-head that Mimis*
feeds
With dews of morn and thaws
of eve:
These again shall wake
mankind.
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*The giant Mimis, and the spring which
he has in custody, are mentioned in the eighth fable of the
newer Edda: to this fountain-head the words hod mimis seem
to allude. Gräter translates— “Life and warmth shall lie
hidden in the flesh of the earth.” See Nordishe Blumen, p.
141.
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[46.]
Odin. Far I’ve wander’d much
sojourn’d
In the kingdoms of the earth;
But I’ve still a wish to know
Whence, to deck the empty
skies,
Shall another sun be drawn,
When the jaws of Fenir ope
To engorge the lamp of day?
[47.]
Vafthruni. Ere the throat of
Fenrir yawn
Shall the sun* a daughter
bear,
Who in spite of shower and
sleet,
Rides the roads her mother
rode.
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*The Goths make the sun feminine, and
the moon masculine. This is natural in a cold climate. Among
savages every male is a foe, every female a friend.
Displeasing and unwelcome objects therefore are in their
languages masculine, pleasing and welcome objects feminine.
In hot countries where the night is more welcome than the
day, an opposite allotment of gender takes place.
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[48.]
Odin. I have a wish to know
Who the guardian maidens are
That hover round the haunts
of men?
[49.]
Vafthruni. Races three of
elfin maids
Wander through the peopled
earth
One to guard the hours of
love:
One to haunt the homely
hearth,
One to cheer the festal
board.
[50.]
Odin. I have still a wish to
know
Who shall sway the
Asa-realms,
When the flame of Surtur
fades?
[51.]
Vafthruni. Vali's then and
Vithar's* force
Heirs the empty realm of
gods:
Mothi's then and Magni's
might
Sways the massy mallet's
weight,
Won from Thor, when Thor must
fall.
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*Vali and Vithar are apparently the
gods of death & sleep. Mothi signifies
mould, corruption;
and Magni nobody:
so that these allegories obviously describe the state of the
departed.
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[52.]
Odin. I have yet the wish to
know
Who shall end the life of
Odin
When the gods to ruin rush ?
[53.]
Vafthruni. Fenrir shall with
impious tooth
Slay the sire of rolling
years:
Vithar shall avenge his fall,
And struggling with the
shaggy wolf*
Shall cleave his cold and
gory jaw.
[54.]
Odin. Lastly, monarch, I
enquire
What did Odin's lip pronounce
To his Balder's hearkening
ear.
When he climb'd the pyre of
death?
[55.]
Vafthruni. Not the man of
mortal race
Knows the words which thou
hast spoken
To thy son in days of yore.
I hear the coming tread of
death,
He soon, shall raze the Runic
lore
And knowledge of the rise of
Gods,
From his ill-fated foul who
strove
With Odin's self the strife
of wit.
Wisest of the wise that
breathe,
Our stake was life and thou
hast won.
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*Vitnis,
wolf, is here
mistaken for a proper name by the Danish interpreter and for
a name of Odin by the English poet.
Additonal notes to the poem are found in William Taylor's
Historic Survey of German Poetry
(1830).
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