THE FATAL SISTERS. AN ODE. FROM THE NORSE TONGUE. To be found in the Orcades of Thormodus Torfæus ; Hafniæ, 1697, folio; and also in Bartholinus, p. 617. lib. iii. c. 1. 4to. (The song of the Weird Sisters, translated from the Norwegian, written about 1029. Wharton, Ms.) Vitt er orpit fyrir valfalli, &c. In the eleventh century Sigurd, earl of the Orkney Islands, went with a fleet of ships and a considerable body of troops into Ireland, to the assistance of Sictryg with the Silken beard, who was then making war on his father-inlaw Brian, king of Dublin: the earl and all his forces were cut to pieces, and Sictryg was in danger of a total defeat; but the enemy had a greater loss by the death of Brian their king, who fell in the action. On Christmas day (the day of the battle), a native of Caithness in Scotland, of the name of Darrud, saw at a distance a number of persons on horseback riding full speed towards a hill, and seeming to enter into it. Curiosity led him to follow them, till looking through an opening in the rocks, he saw twelve gigantic figures resembling women they were all employed about a loom; and as they wove, they sung the following dreadful song; which when they had finished, they tore the web into twelve pieces, and (each taking her portion) galloped six to the north, and as many to the south. These were the Valkyriur, female divinities, Parcæ Militares, servants of Odin (or Woden) in the Gothic mythology. Their name signifies Chusers of the slain. They were mounted on swift horses, with drawn swords in their hands; and in the throng of battle selected such as were destined to slaughter, and conducted them to Valkalla, the hall of Odin, or paradise of the brave; where they attended the banquet, and served the departed heroes with horns of mead and ale: their numbers are not agreed upon, some authors representing them as six, some as four. See Magni Beronii diss. de Eddis Islandicis, p. 145, in Ælrichs. Dan. et Sued lit. opuscula, vol. i. Now the storm begins to lower, Glitt'ring lances are the loom, Var. V. 5. Launces. Ms. V. 3. "How quick they wheel'd, and, flying, behind them shot Sharp sleet of arrowy show'r." Par. Reg. iii. 324. Gray. Avianus has a similar expression: "Ausa pharetratis imbribus ista loqui," Fab. xli. v. 6. "Sic et imbrem ferreum dicunt, cum volunt multitudinem significare telorum," Lactant. Epitome, c. xi. Virg. Æn. xii. 284: “ Tempestas telorum ac ferreus ingruit imber." Many other examples could be given. Thick storms of bullets ran like winter's hail, Spanish Trag. Vid. Hawkins. Ant. Drama. V. 4. "The noise of battle hurtled in the air." Julius Cæsar, act ii. s. 2. Gray. V. 7. In Thomson. Masque of Alfred, p. 126, the weaving of the enchanted standard is thus described: 66 'Tis the same Wrought by the sisters of the Danish king, Shake, standard, shake, this ruin on our foes!"" See the griesly texture grow! Shafts for shuttles, dipt in gore, 10 Shoot the trembling cords along. Sword, that once a monarch bore, Mista, black terrific maid, Ere the ruddy sun be set, Pikes must shiver, javelins sing, (Weave the crimson web of war) Var. V. 15. Sword] Blade. Ms. V. 17. Mista, black] Sangrida, terrific. Ms. 15 20 35 V. 11. Dr. Warton, in his Notes on Pope (vol. ii. p. 227), has compared this passage of Gray to some lines in the Thebais of Statius, i. 720. V. 17. The names of the Sisters, in the original, are Hilda, Hiorthrimula, Sangrida, and Swipula. Var. Where our friends the conflict share, As the paths of fate we tread, Wading through th' ensanguin'd field, O'er the youthful king your shield. We the reins to slaughter give, Ours to kill, and ours to spare: (Weave the crimson web of war.) They, whom once the desert-beach O'er the plenty of the plain. Low the dauntless earl is laid, Gor'd with many a gaping wound: Fate demands a nobler head; Soon a king shall bite the ground. Long his loss shall Eirin weep, Ne'er again his likeness see; 30 35 40 45 V. 31. Gondula, and Geira] Gunna, and Gondula. MS. V. 44. Shall] Must. мs. V. 40. "Insult the plenty of the vales below." Essay on the Alliance, &c. Luke. V. 44. (Shall bite the ground) "Ovηro ¿dağ lov ovdaç." Hom. V. 45. Eirin] Ireland. Long her strains in sorrow steep: Horror covers all the heath, Hail the task, and hail the hands! Mortal, thou that hear'st the tale, Var. V. 49. Heath! Ms. V. 50. Blot] Veil. Ms. V. 50. Sun! MS. V. 59. Winding] Echoing. Ms. V. 49. This stanza, as it appears in the original, Mr. Herbert has translated without the insertion or omission of a word: ""Tis horrid now to gaze around, While clouds thro' heaven gore-dropping sail; Air must be stain'd with blood of men, Ere all our oracles shall fail." Select Icelandic Poetry, p. 50. V. 59. This and the following line are not in the original. Indeed, this poem is not so much a translation, as a loose, though highly-spirited paraphrase; and, as Herbert tbserves, inferior to the "Descent of Odin." V. 61. "Bear me hence on wheels of speed." V. Philips. (Pind. 1. Æn. 3.) |