Saturday, June 2, 2018

Stanza 99



Original Old Norse: Auden & Taylor: Bellows: Bray:
Aptr ek hvarf
ok unna þóttumk
vísum vilja frá
hitt ek hugða
at ek hafa mynda
geð hennar alt ok gaman
Afire with longing"; I left her then,
Deceived by her soft words:

I thought my wooing had won the maid,
That I would have my way.
Away I hastened, | hoping for joy,
And careless of counsel wise;
Well I believed | that soon I should win
Measureless joy with the maid.
97.
So away I turned from my wise intent,
and deemed my joy assured,
for all her liking and all her love
I weened that I yet should win.
Chisholm: Hollander: Terry: Thorpe:
I went back thinking she loved me,
but I was misled.
I thought that I would have
great pleasure and all her heart.
Back I went; to win her love
I let myself be misled;
for I did think, enthralled by love,
to work my will with her.
So I returned, thinking to receive
delight for my desire,
sure that at last all I longed for
she'd gladly grant.
I returned,
thinking to love,
at her wise desire.
I thought
I should obtain
her whole heart and love.




Bellow's Note: 96. Here begins the passage (stanzas 96-102) illustrating the falseness of woman by the story of Othin's unsuccessful love affair with Billing's daughter. Of this person we know nothing beyond what is here told, but the story needs little comment.

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