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Titles/Preface

Titles and Preface

THE HOME OF
THE EDDIC POEMS
WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE
HELGI-LAYS

BY

SOPHUS BUGGE
Professor in the University of Christiania

Revised Edition

With A New Introduction Concerning
OLD NORSE MYTHOLOGY
By the Author

Translated From The Norwegian By
WILLIAM HENRY SCHOFIELD
Instructor In Harvard University

London:
Published by David Nutt in the Strand
1899

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE

        It wad during the winter of 1896-1897, which I had the pleasure of spending in Christiania, that Professor Bugge suggested my preparing an English edition of his Helge-Digtene i den Ældre Edda, Deres Hjem og Forbindelser, which had appeared but a few months before. I accepted his suggestion readily; and, Mr. Alfred Nutt having expressed his willingness to publish the book because of his personal interest in the subject, I began to work on the translation at once, that I might have the benefit of the author's counsel in matters about which I was myself uncertain, or with regard to which changes might seem advisable. Such counsel was always freely given, and the translation advanced rapidly; so that before I left for Copenhagen in the spring a first draft of the book was finished, and had been examined by the author. Since then, this draft has been carefully revised; and, while the book has been in the press, three persons have each read the proof two or three times. It is hoped, therefore, that the number of misprints which may be discovered in the text will be inconsiderable.
        A word of explanation is necessary regarding the method of writing the Old Norse proper names. In many English works on Scandinavian subjects little care seems to have been taken to follow any one method consistently---Old Norse, Modern Danish, German, and English modes of spelling being strangely mixed up with one another. In this book I have used, I hope consistently, the Old Norse forms; but with the following variations: [1] In words not italicised, ð and þ are replaced by th, the sounds represented by this combination of letters in English being the same as those it stands for in Old Norse. [2] The ending -r (-l, -n) of the nominative case has been dropped, except in words ending in -ir, where the -r has been retained to avoid confusion with words ending in -i (like Helgi): thus, Gunnar, Thorstein, Egil, Höthbrodd, Fenrir. The -r in such a word as Baldr (gen. Baldrs) remains because it is part of the stem; compare Sigrlinn (gen. Sigrlinnar). [3] Saxo's latinised forms have usually been kept (or at least indicated), when reference is made to a personage mentioned by him; for they at once suggest the version of the story under discussion. The same is the case with the forms in Arngrim Jónsson's Latin extracts from the Skjöldungasaga. The quantity of long vowels has been indicated. In apparent violation of the principles above stated, a few names have been printed in the form which is definitely established in England and America---e.g. Odin, Thor, Wayland.
        I may add that I have employed 'Old Norse' with the meaning 'Norwegian-Icelandic.' The adjectives 'Norse' and 'Norwegian' are indifferently applied to the inhabitants of Norway in early times. 'Northern' frequently replaces 'Scandinavian.' I make no apology for using the noun 'motive' (Norwegian motiv, German motif) in the sense of 'feature, incident, episode.' This word has been used for a number of years in English works dealing with questions of literary history, and is so convenient that it may well be adopted.
        I take pleasure, in conclusion, in acknowledging the kind assistance of several friends in the preparation of this book. I must thank Professor Hjalmar Falk, of the University of Christiania, and Dr. F. N. Robinson of this University, for suggestions of different kinds. I am under very great obligations to my distinguished teacher and friend, Professor George Lyman Kittredge, for whose generous aid, accorded in this case, as always, with the utmost unselfishness, I cannot express too strongly my deep feeling of gratitude. To Professor Bugge also I would thus publicly offer my hearty thanks, not only for the trouble he has willing taken in reading both manuscript and proof, but also for his kindness in acceding to my request to prepare the very important Introduction, which appears now for the first time, a new contribution of distinct value to the subject of Old Norse mythology. To him is due all the honour of this work, coupled, of course, with the responsibility for the theories therein advanced. I would say, finally, that it is an especial pleasure to me to be able, thanks to the ready assent of Professor Bugge, to dedicate this volume to the memory of my revered master, the late Professor Francis James Child of this University.

WILLIAM HENRY SCHOFIELD
Harvard University,
February 1899

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