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“Gondula, ‘one of these Goddesses,’[1] leaned on the end of her lance, and thus bespake ‘her companions:’ the assembly of the Gods is going to be increased: ‘the enemies of’ Hacon[2] come to invite this prince with his numerous host, to enter the palace of Odin.
“Thus spake these beautiful nymphs of war: who were seated on their horses; who were covered with their shields and
- ↑ N. B. The Translator has borrowed here and there a word or two from that Version, which he hath inclosed between two inverted commas ‘ ’ : he hath also distinguished by the same marks, some passages, which M. Mallet seems to have superadded to the original, without sufficient foundation. Let the curious Reader compare the two Versions. T.
- ↑ Rather, “The Gods invite Hacon.” Our Author seems to have here departed from the original without necessity. The dying a violent death was so far from being considered as an evil, by the ancient Scandinavians, or as the act of an enemy; that the Gods could not do them a greater favour than to take that method of inviting them to their eternal abode. We have seen it established as a sacred truth in the Edda, “Odin is called the Father of Battles, because he adopts for his children all those who are slain with their swords in their hands:” i. e. in battle. See Fable X. p. 61. T.
