CANTO XXIV.
Line 5. hillebarder, halberds, weapons that were a combination of axe and spear.
9. templet i Uppsala likt. The ancient pagan temple at Uppsala was famous for its marvelous beauty.
23. Vala. The reference is to Voluspa, the Vala Prophecy, one of the oldest if not the oldest poetic production of Scandinavia.
26. fromhetsguden, Balder.
37-39. See canto I: 22.
56. Valaskjalf, a beautiful palace of Oden which was built by the gods and roofed with pure silver. In this palace is the throne Hlidskjalf. Seated there, Oden could overlook the whole world.
76. Jotunheim or Utgård was the dark and chaotic realm of the giants, which lay in the uttermost part of the earth.
77. gudabälte. Tors' wonderful belt, Megingjard which doubled his strength when he put it on. With his mailed gauntlets he seizes his hammer Mjölner.
78. Utgårda-Loke. The evil giant-god is so called because he has his realm in Utgård. See note, line 76.
81. Ägirs barm, the ocean.
88. Ymer, an enormous giant which the gods slew and from whose body they formed earth and heaven. His flesh constitutes the earth; the bones, mountains; the teeth, rocks; the skull, the heavenly vault; and the blood, oceans.
96. Asker, the first created man.
103. fågeln kommer flygande. See canto II: 22.
106. när Balder föll. See canto I: 22.
110. Midgårdsormen, the serpent of Midgård, which Oden threw into the sea where it grew until it encircled the earth.
111. Fenris or Fenrisulven, a giant wolf, son of Loke, which the gods bound securely to a solid rock. There he lies howling until the end of mundane things, when he breaks his fetters and devours Oden. Oden's son, Vidar, avenges his death by slaying Fenris.
112. Surt or Surtur, the god of fire, who guards the fiery realm Muspelhem. At Ragnarök he is the first to ride forth to conflict with the gods. He carries a flaming sword that transcends the sun in brightness.
114-116. I Valhall gal gullkammig hane, seq. The cock, as the symbol of fire, announces the coming of Ragnarök. A golden-combed cock awakens the halls of Valhall, a red cock crows on earth and beneath the earth.
161. Vigrids hundramilaslätt. Vigrid's plains, one hundred miles square, upon which is waged the final conflict between the gods and the forces of evil.
175. Idavallen, the plains of Ida, where the gods first met after the creation of heaven and earth. Here the gods were at play when Balder fell. After Ragnarök the regenerated gods return to Idavallen and recall to their mind the heroic deeds they had performed. In the grass they find the wonderful golden disks that had been the property of the ancient gods.
181. Gimles port, the portal of Gimle, a hall lined with gold and fairer than the sun, in which the righteous dwell after Ragnarök in eternal bliss.
193. leder gångarn fram. The horse was used for food and for sacrifice.
211. jungfruns son, Christ. Returning warriors and tradesmen and captives of war had undoubtedly at the time of Fritiof brought to Scandinavia some knowledge of the teachings of the Christian religion. The Balder of Scandinavian mythology has many of the attributes of Christ.
237. Semings blod. Seming was one of the sons of Oden that became the progenitor of a family of kings. Ingeborg and her brothers had descended from him.
258. Jumala, a Finnish deity.
292. varg i veum. See canto XIX: 25.