song and legend from the middle ages-第12部分

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rded　One：　Here　is　that　Cid　you　came　to　seek；　King　from　beyond　the　main；　Let　there　be　peace　and　amity　to…day　between　us　twain。〃　Said　Bucar；　〃Nay；　thy　naked　sword；　thy　rushing　steed；　I　see；　If　these　mean　amity；　then　God　confound　such　amity。　Thy　hand　and　mine　shall　never　join　unless　in　yonder　deep；　If　the　good　steed　that　I　bestride　his　footing　can　but　keep。〃　Swift　was　the　steed；　but　swifter　borne　on　Bavieca's　stride；　Three　fathoms　from　the　sea　my　Cid　rode　at　King　Bucar's　side；　Aloft　his　blade　a　moment　played；　then　on　the　helmet's　crown；　Shearing　the　steel…cap　dight　with　gems；　Colada　he　brought　down。　Down　to　the　belt；　through　helm　and　mail；　he　cleft　the　Moor　in　twain。　And　so　he　slew　King　Bucar；　who　came　from　beyond　the　main。　This　was　the　battle；　this　the　day；　when　he　the　great　sword　won；　Worth　a　full　thousand　marks　of　goldthe　famous　Brand　Tizon。

Tr。　by　Ormsby。


CHAPTER　III。　SCANDINAVIAN　LITERATURE。

Scandinavian　literature　embraces　the　literature　of　Norway；　Sweden；　Iceland；　and　their　western　colonies。　In　the　Middle　Ages　this　literature　reached　its　fullest　and　best　development　in　Iceland。

The　earliest　and　greatest　portion　of　this　literature　is　the　heroic　poetry　forming　the　collection　called　the　Poetic　or　Elder　Edda。　Like　all　early　poetry　these　were　minstrel　poems；　passing　orally　from　singer　（skald）　to　singer　for　centuries。　Some　of　them　were　composed　as　early　as　the　eighth　century。　The　collection　was　probably　made　in　the　thirteenth　century　（1240）。　The　collection　consists　of　thirty…nine　distinct　songs　or　poems。　They　are　based　upon　common　Norse　mythology　and　tradition。　In　one　section　of　this　collection　is　found　in　outline　the　story　of　the　Nibelungs　and　Brunhild…the　story　which　later　formed　the　basis　of　the　〃Niebelungen…Lied〃。　This　fact　connects　the　two　literatures　with　the　original　common　Teutonic　traditions。　Anderson　says；　〃The　Elder　Edda　presents　the　Norse　cosmogony；　the　doctrines　of　the　Odinic　mythology；　and　the　lives　and　doings　of　the　gods。　It　contains　also　a　cycle　of　poems　on　the　demigods　and　mythic　heroes　and　heroines　of　the　same　period。　It　gives　us　as　complete　a　view　of　the　mythological　world　of　the　North　as　Homer　and　Hesiod　do　of　that　of　Greece〃　（Norse　Mythology）。　　Almost　equal　in　importance　and　interest　is　the　Prose　Edda；　sometimes　called　the　Younger　Edda；　arranged　and　in　part　written　by　Snorra　Sturleson；　who　lived　from　1178　to　1241。　The　chief　portions　of　it　are：

1。　〃Gylfaginning；〃　in　which　Odin　recounts　to　Gylf　the　history　of　the　gods。

2。　〃Bragaraethur；　the　conversations　of　Braga　the　god　of　poetry。

Other　and　less　important　varieties　of　Scandinavian　literature　are　the　romances　of　history　and　romances　of　pure　fiction。


VOLUSPA。　　THE　ORACLE　OF　THE　PROPHETESS　VALA。

The　Voluspa　is　the　first　song　in　the　Elder　Edda。　It　is　a　song　of　a　prophetess　and　gives　an　account　of　the　creation　of　the　world；　of　man；　giants；　and　dwarfs；　of　the　employments　of　fairies　or　destinies；　of　the　functions　of　the　gods；　their　adventures；　their　quarrels；　and　the　vengeance　they　take；　of　the　final　state　of　the　universe　and　its　dissolution；　of　the　battle　of　the　lower　deities　and　the　evil　beings；　of　the　renovation　of　the　world；　of　the　happy　lot　of　the　good；　and　the　punishment　of　the　wicked。　The　first　passage　selected　gives　the　account　of　creation。

In　early　times；　When　Ymer＇1＇　lived；　Was　sand；　nor　sea；　Nor　cooling　wave；　No　earth　was　found；　Nor　heaven　above；　One　chaos　all；　And　nowhere　grass：

Until　Bor's＇2＇　sons　Th'　expanse　did　raise；　By　whom　Midgard　＇3＇　The　great　was　made。　From　th'　south　the　sun　Shone　on　the　walls；　Then　did　the　earth　Green　herbs　produce。

The　sun　turned　south；　The　moon　did　shine；　Her　right　hand　held　The　horse　of　heaven。　The　sun　knew　not　His　proper　sphere；　The　stars　knew　not　Their　proper　place；　The　moon　know　not　Her　proper　power。

Then　all　the　powers　Went　to　the　throne；　The　holy　gods；　And　held　consult：　Night　and　cock…crowing　Their　names　they　gave；　Morning　also；　And　noon…day　tide；　And　afternoon；　The　years　to　tell。

The　Asas＇4＇　met　On　Ida's　plains；　Who　altars　raised　And　temples　built；　Anvils　they　laid；　And　money　coined；　Their　strength　they　tried　In　various　ways；　When　making　songs；　And　forming　tools。

On　th'　green　they　played　In　joyful　mood；　Nor　knew　at　all　The　want　of　gold；　Until　there　came　Three　Thursa　maids；　Exceeding　strong；　From　Jotunheim：＇5＇　。　。　。　。　　Until　there　came　Out　of　the　ranks；　Powerful　and　fair；　Three　Asas　home；　And　found　on　shore；　In　helpless　plight；　Ask　and　Embla　＇6＇　Without　their　fate。

They　had　not　yet　Spirit　or　mind；　Blood；　or　beauty；　Or　lovely　hue。　Odin　gave　spirit；　Heinir　gave　mind；　Lothur　gave　blood　And　lovely　hue。

＇1＇　Ymer；　the　progenitor　of　the　giants。

＇2＇　Bor；　the　father　of　Odin；　Vile；　and　Ve。

＇3＇　Midgard；　the　earth。

＇4＇　Asas；　the　gods。

＇5＇　The　home　of　the　giants。

＇6＇　The　first　man　and　first　woman　made　out　of　pine　trees　by　the　three　gods　Odin；　Heinir；　and　Lothur。

Tr。　by　Henderson。


The　second　passage　gives　an　account　of　the　universal　dissolutioncalled　Ragnarok；　the　Twilight　of　the　Gods。

Loud　barks　Garm　1＇　At　Gnipa…cave；　The　fetters　are　severed；　The　wolf　is　set　free；　Vala＇2＇　knows　the　future。　More　does　she　see　Of　the　victorious　gods；　Terrible　fall。

From　the　east　drives　Hrym；＇3＇　Bears　his　child　before　him；　Jormungander　welters　In　giant　fierceness；　The　waves　thunder；　The　eagle　screams；　Rends　the　corpses　with　pale　beak；　And　Naglfar＇4＇　is　launched。　A　ship　from　the　east　nears；　The　hosts　of　Muspel　Come　o'er　the　main；　But　Loke　is　pilot。　All　grim　and　gaunt　monsters　Conjoin　with　the　wolf；　And　before　them　all　goes　The　brother　of　Byleist。＇5＇

From　the　south　wends　Surt　＇6＇　With　seething　fire；　The　sun　of　the　war…god　Shines　in　his　sword；　Mountains　together　dash；　And　frighten　the　giant…maids；　Heroes　tread　the　paths　to　Hel；　And　heaven　in　twain　is　rent。　Over　Him　＇7＇　then　shall　come　Another　woe；　When　Odin　goes　forth　The　wolf　to　combat。　。　。　。　。　　All　men　Abandon　the　earth。

The　sun　darkens；　The　earth　sinks　into　the　ocean；　The　lucid　stars　From　heaven　vanish；　Fire　and　vapor　Rage　toward　heaven；　High　flames　Involve　the　skies。

Loud　barks　Garm　At　Gnipa…eave：　The　fetters　are　severed；　The　wolf　is　set　free；　Vala　knows　the　future。　More　does　she　see　Of　the　victorious　gods；　Terrible　fall。

＇1＇　Hel's　dog。

＇2＇　Vala；　the　prophetess。

＇3＇　The　winter。

＇4＇　Naglfar；　a　ship　of　the　gods。

＇5＇　The　brother　of　Byleist；　Loke。

＇6＇　Surt；　a　fire…giant。

＇7＇　Hlin；　a　name　sometimes　used　for　the　goddess；　Frigg。


Tr。　by　Thorpe。


The　conclusion　of　the　〃Voluspa　〃is　the　following　picture　of　the　regenerated　earth。

She　sees　arise；　The　second　time；　From　the　sea；　the　earth　Completely　green：　Cascades　do　fall；　The　eagle　soars；　That　on　the　hills　Pursues　his　prey。

The　gods　convene　On　Ida's　plains；　And　talk　of　man；　The　worm　of　dust：　They　call　to　mind　Their　former　might；　And　the　ancient　runes　Of　Fimbultyr。＇1＇

The　fields　unsown　Shall　yield　their　growth；　All　ills　shall　cease；　Balder＇2＇　shall　come；　And　dwell　with　Hauthr＇3＇　In　Hropt's＇4＇　abodes。　Say；　warrior…gods；　Conceive　ye　yet？

A　hall　she　sees　Outshine　the　sun；　Of　gold　its　roof；　It　stands　in　heaven：　The　virtuous　there　Shall　always　dwell；　And　evermore　Delights　enjoy。

＇1＇　Fimbultyr；　Odin。

＇2＇　Balder；　the　god　of　the　summer。

＇3＇　Hauthr；　Hoder；　the　brother　of　Balder。

＇4＇　Hropt；　Odin。　of　Odinic　morality　and　precepts　of　wisdom；　in　the　form　of　social　and　moral　maxims。

Tr。　by　Henderson。


HAVAMAL。

The　High…Song　of　Odin。　This　is　the　second　song　in　the　Elder　Edda。　Odin　himself　is　represented　as　its　author。　It　contains　a　pretty　complete　code。

All　door…ways　Before　going　forward；　Should　be　looked　to；　For　difficult　it　is　to　know　Where　foes　may　sit　Within　a　dwelling。　。　。　。　。　　Of　his　understanding　No　one　should　be　proud；　But　rather　in　conduct　cautious。　When　the　prudent　and　taciturn　Come　to　a　dwelling；　Harm　seldom　befalls　the　cautious；　For　a　firmer　friend　No　man　ever　gets　Than　great　sagacity。　。　。　。　。　　One's　own　house　is　best；　Small　though　it　be；　At　home　is　every　one　his　own　master。　Though　he　but　two　goats　possess；　And　a　straw…thatched　cot；　Even　that　is　better　than　begging。

One's　own　house　is　best；　Small　though　it　be；　At　home　is　every　one　his　own　master。　Bleeding　at　heart　is　he　Who　has　to　ask　For　food　at　every　meal…tide。　。　。　。　。　　A　miserable　man；　And　ill…conditioned；　Sneers　at　everything：　One　thing　he　knows　not；　Which　he　ought　to　know；　That　he　is　not　free　from　faults。　。　。　。　。　　Know　if　thou　hast　a　friend　Whom　thou　fully　trustest；　And　from　whom　thou　would'st　good　derive；　Thou　should'st　blend　thy　mind　with　his；　And　gifts　exchange；　And　often　go　to　see　him。

If　thou　hast　another　Whom　thou　little　trustest；　Yet　would'st　good　from　him　derive；　Thou　should'st　speak　him　fair；　But　think　craftily；　And　leasing　pay　with　lying。

But　of　him　yet　further　Whom　thou　little　trustest；　And　thou　suspectest　his　affection；　Before　him　thou　should'st　laugh；　And　contrary　to　thy　thoughts　speak；　Requital　should　the　gift　resemble。

I　once　was　young；　I　was　journeying　alone　And　lost　my　way；　Rich　I　thought　myself　When　I　met　another：　Man　is　the　joy　of　man。

Liberal　and　brave　Men　live　best；　They　seldom　cherish　sorrow；　But　a　bare…minded　man　Dreads　everything；　The　niggardly　is　uneasy　even　at　gifts。

My　garments　in　a　field　I　gave　away　To　two　wooden　men：　Heroes　they　seemed　to　be　When　they　got　cloaks：＇1＇　Exposed　to　insult　is　a　naked　man。　。　。　。　。　。　Something　great　Is　not　always　to　be　given；　Praise　is　often　for　a　trifle　bought。　With　half　a　loaf　And　a　tilted　vessel　I　got　myself　a　comrade。　Little　are　the　sand　grains；　Little　the　wits；　Little　the　minds　of　men；　For　all　men　Are　not　wise　alike：　Men　are　everywhere　by　halves。　Moderately　wise　Should　each　one　be；　But　never　over…wise；　For　a　wise　man's　heart　Is　seldom　glad；　If　he　is　all…wise　who　owns　it。　。　。　。　。　　Much　too　early　I　came　to　many　places；　But　too　late　to　others；　The　beer　was　drunk；　or　not　ready：　The　disliked　seldom　hits　the　moment。　。　。　。　。　Cattle　die；　Kindred　die；　We　ourselves　also　die；　But　the　fair　fame　Never　dies　of　him　who　has　earned　it。

Cattle　die；　Kindred　die；　We　ourselves　also　die；　But　I　know　one　thing　That　never　dies；　Judgment　on　each　one　dead。

＇1＇　The　tailor　makes　the　man。


Tr。　by　Thorpe。


VAFTHRUDNISMAL。　THE　SONG　OF　VAFTHRUDNER。

From　the　third　poem　in　the　Elder　Edda　came　the　following　lines；　d