SAGA-BOOK - Viking Society Web Publications

Saga-Book of the Viking Society
ok Heidrekskongs [sic] .... illustraui: Stephanus Biiirnonis
(Hafnise 1785).
After the half-page of Introduction the scene is set in
a sonnet - which, like the nineteen examples printed in
Sterling's Poems (thirteen in 1782 and six more in 1789),
illustrates rather well the vogue of that form in the last
quarter of the eighteenth century:
THE sun sets angry, clouds the sky o'ercast,
Red gleams the lightning, deep the thunders roar,
Fell shriek the spirits of the northern blast,
And loud the wild waves lash the rocky shore.
A thousand tombs with fires portentous blaze,
A thousand spectres cut the dusky air,
The bold virago views with dauntless gaze
Their jav'lins threaten, sees their faulchions glare.
With haughty stride she treads o'er noble dust,
The dust of monarchs and of warriors brave,
Whose proud achievements claim'dthe breathing bust,
Tho' barb'rous honors only deck their grave.
Angantyr's tomb approach'd the martial maid,
And thus invok'd her mighty father's shade.
The rendering, or rather adaptation, itself (which is, to
put it mildly, free) begins:
HERV. Rise from thy sleep, Angantyr, rise,
Thy daughter wakes thee, hear her cries:
To me the fatal blade resign -
Shall spectres wield the sword divine?
Ye chiefs, who with my father fell,
Obey, obey the potent spell;
Ye chiefs, who rest beneath the oak,
Sear'd by the lightning's rending stroke;
Ye chiefs, who crimson'd glory's field,
To me the sword Tyrfingyr yield:
If not - eternal be your pain,
And galling - galling be your chain!