Lines 27--28. See note, canto V: 21.
35. _Urdas blanka våg_. The pure water of Urda's fountain. The norns
daily brought holy water out of this fountain to sprinkle the roots of
the great world-tree Yggdrasil in order to keep it ever green. This tree
is symbolic of the universe as a great unity. Its branches reach unto
heaven. One of its roots extends unto the abode of men, another to the
realm of the giants and the third to Hel's kingdom.
36. _Gefton_, the virgin goddess and the protector of female chastity.
All women that died unmarried were supposed to serve her.
57. _Bifrosts bro_, the rainbow, the radiant bridge over which the gods
pass from heaven to earth. The valkyrs conduct the fallen heroes to
Valhall over this bridge.
59. _Där skall han stå_. Han refers to the god of love who is represented
as having light wings on his shoulders.
65--66. See canto I: 35.
77. _Min vreda norna_. My evil fate.
87. The _ting_ or judicial assembly was held in the open, usually by a
burial mound or on a knoll. The proximity to the burial place added
solemnity to the procedure. The dead were supposed to be able to hear the
deliberations (see canto 4: 25). The judge's seat usually consisted of a
boulder.
91--95. See canto II: 5 and 6.
105. _Asa-Tor_, a common designation for Tor.
106. _till försoning_, in reconciliation.
109-110. _som glad drack fria männers bifall till det rätta_. Observe the
apt and striking metaphor.
124. _Ett bleklagt nej på mänsklighetens böner_. A striking hyperbole.
Only Fritiof and Ingeborg and the assembly were directly concerned.
129. _Har du ej sett. Sett_ here used instead of _träffat_ or _mött_.
145. _Den dumma vantron_. Note Fritiof's frequent sarcastic references to
the religious beliefs and practices of his day. In later cantos (15-24)
he appears as a serious-minded and "orthodox" man.
149. _den döda valans_. Refers to Oden's journey to Hel to ascertain from
the vala what fate awaited his son Balder. She predicts the death of
Balder at the hands of his brother. (See note, canto I: 22.)
150. _Vegtamskvida_, the Eddic Lay of Vegtam. This tells about Odin's
journey to Hel. He traveled in disguise and under the name of Vegtam.
156. _i Västerhafvet_, in the North Sea. The islands referred to are the
Orkneys, which were first visited by the Northmen in the early part of
the seventh century.
164. _Fafner_, a monster that had acquired great wealth by murdering his
father. In the form of a hideous dragon he guarded this treasure
carefully. His chief means of defense was spewing poison upon those that
attacked him.
165. _Sigurd Fafnesbane_, Sigurd the Dragonkiller. He slays Fafner by
thrusting his sword into the heart of the monster. He is the foremost
hero of the old sagas.
168. _till nästa sommar_. By next summer.
177. _Nastrand_, the dark region of the nether world whither all went
that had lived criminal and impure lives.
216. _Greklands hav_, the Grecian Sea. The Northern vikings often
extended their expeditions to Southern Europe and even to Asia.
233. _fägna än med mänsklig lycka de förgätna gudar_. This betrays
Fritiof's ignorance of the Greek's conception of their gods. The Greeks
believed that the gods became jealous of men when these prospered and
were happy.
272. _I högen din fader sitter_. The bodies of fallen heroes were placed
in a sitting posture in the funeral mound.
275. _är mig i faders ställe. Mig_, possessive dative.
285. _nu_, once for all.
303. _diktade i molnen_, fancied and located in the clouds.
360. _kung Helges syster_. There is bitterness in Fritiof's parting
words. Observe that later when Ingeborg's sound reasoning has convinced
and calmed him he calls her _kung Beles dotter_.
380. _Alltsen mitt väsen började att dagas_. Ever since the dawn of my
existence.
441. _man diktat på mig_, falsely attributed to me; _måna'r_, månader.
466. _ger sitt liv till spillo_. Sacrifices his life. _Till spillo_ is an
antiquated dative.