39. trummare, regularly, trumslagare.
55. The traditional quietude of Egypt was alluded to by Tegnér in his epic romance, Axel, thus:
"… tysta som Egyptens präster
begynte stjärnorna sitt tåg."
60. utan rodd och segel, i.e., without propulsion by either oars or sails.
77-78. sant blev Djufar spådd, in prose, Djufar blev sannspådd, Djufar told the truth.
Ur ENSAMHETENS TANKAR.
4-5. The poet's mode of expression in these lines has been subjected to much comment and adverse criticism, many characterizing it as too arbitrary a departure from established linguistic usage. The grammatical Swedish of it would be: jag längtar TILL marken, jag längtar TILL stenarna, där SOM barn jag lekt.
PILGRIMENS JULSÅNG.
Headed "Hemkomsten" this poem forms the introduction to Part III of Hans Alienus, which bears the same general title. In Hans Alienus, the chief character, bearing that name, roams about Europe and the Orient in the guise of a friar. There is no unity or sequence in point of time, the pilgrim visiting the pope in the Vatican, Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, Sardanapalus in ancient Ninive, and so on, then returning to modern Sweden to spend his last days. This oddly fantastical romance serves as the vehicle for Heidenstam's idealistic quest of beauty and his philosophy of life—a somewhat immature and immoderate Epicureanism. The latter part of this story of mingled fact and fiction is symbolical of the poet's return from foreign parts to his native soil. As events have gone in Heidenstam's literary career, it foreshadowed his return from extravagant Oriental dreams to purely Northern ideals.
6. In Sverige, the i is slurred. Cf. the corresponding rhyme.