NOTE TO THE THIRTIETH CANTO.
In the original this Canto is written in terza rima as follows.
Da Thor nu sti̱lle sad, og endt var Kampen,
Da steeg en langsom Rög af Jeṯṯeblodeṯ,
Og hvid og tyk oplöftede sig Dampen.
Da ski̱aelved Loke brat og tabte Modeṯ, etc.
Besides the difficulty of the terza rima, it is a metre not very well suited to the genius of the English language. I have, therefore, given my translation of this Canto in blank verse, following the example of Carey in his version of Dante.
The subject of this Canto seems taken partly from some strophes in the Voluspâ, and partly from the Vaftrudnismal, which are the names of two of the most important chapters of the poetic Edda.
[103] Gugner, name of Odin’s lance.