CANTO VIII.
Lines 27—28. See note, canto V: 21.
35. Urdas blanka våg. The pure water of Urda's fountain. The norns daily brought holy water out of this fountain to sprinkle the roots of the great world-tree Yggdrasil in order to keep it ever green. This tree is symbolic of the universe as a great unity. Its branches reach unto heaven. One of its roots extends unto the abode of men, another to the realm of the giants and the third to Hel's kingdom.
36. Gefton, the virgin goddess and the protector of female chastity. All women that died unmarried were supposed to serve her.
57. Bifrosts bro, the rainbow, the radiant bridge over which the gods pass from heaven to earth. The valkyrs conduct the fallen heroes to Valhall over this bridge.
59. Där skall han stå. Han refers to the god of love who is represented as having light wings on his shoulders.
65—66. See canto I: 35.
77. Min vreda norna. My evil fate.
87. The ting or judicial assembly was held in the open, usually by a burial mound or on a knoll. The proximity to the burial place added solemnity to the procedure. The dead were supposed to be able to hear the deliberations (see canto 4: 25). The judge's seat usually consisted of a boulder.
91—95. See canto II: 5 and 6.
105. Asa-Tor, a common designation for Tor.
106. till försoning, in reconciliation.
109-110. som glad drack fria männers bifall till det rätta. Observe the apt and striking metaphor.
124. Ett bleklagt nej på mänsklighetens böner. A striking hyperbole. Only Fritiof and Ingeborg and the assembly were directly concerned.
129. Har du ej sett. Sett here used instead of träffat or mött.
145. Den dumma vantron. Note Fritiof's frequent sarcastic references to the religious beliefs and practices of his day. In later cantos (15-24) he appears as a serious-minded and "orthodox" man.
149. den döda valans. Refers to Oden's journey to Hel to ascertain from the vala what fate awaited his son Balder. She predicts the death of Balder at the hands of his brother. (See note, canto I: 22.)
150. Vegtamskvida, the Eddic Lay of Vegtam. This tells about Odin's journey to Hel. He traveled in disguise and under the name of Vegtam.
156. i Västerhafvet, in the North Sea. The islands referred to are the Orkneys, which were first visited by the Northmen in the early part of the seventh century.
164. Fafner, a monster that had acquired great wealth by murdering his father. In the form of a hideous dragon he guarded this treasure carefully. His chief means of defense was spewing poison upon those that attacked him.
165. Sigurd Fafnesbane, Sigurd the Dragonkiller. He slays Fafner by thrusting his sword into the heart of the monster. He is the foremost hero of the old sagas.
168. till nästa sommar. By next summer.
177. Nastrand, the dark region of the nether world whither all went that had lived criminal and impure lives.
216. Greklands hav, the Grecian Sea. The Northern vikings often extended their expeditions to Southern Europe and even to Asia.
233. fägna än med mänsklig lycka de förgätna gudar. This betrays Fritiof's ignorance of the Greek's conception of their gods. The Greeks believed that the gods became jealous of men when these prospered and were happy.
272. I högen din fader sitter. The bodies of fallen heroes were placed in a sitting posture in the funeral mound.
275. är mig i faders ställe. Mig, possessive dative.
285. nu, once for all.
303. diktade i molnen, fancied and located in the clouds.
360. kung Helges syster. There is bitterness in Fritiof's parting words. Observe that later when Ingeborg's sound reasoning has convinced and calmed him he calls her kung Beles dotter.
380. Alltsen mitt väsen började att dagas. Ever since the dawn of my existence.
441. man diktat på mig, falsely attributed to me; måna'r, månader.
466. ger sitt liv till spillo. Sacrifices his life. Till spillo is an antiquated dative.