Poetic Edda - Thorpe Trans.
Ægir´s Compotation or Loki´s Altercation.
Ægir had two servants, Fimafeng and Eldir. Bright gold was there used instead of fire-light. The beer served itself to the guests. The place was a great sanctuary. The guests greatly praised the excellence of Ægir´s servants. This Loki could not hear with patience, and so slew Fimafeng; whereupon the Æsir shook their shields, exclaimed against Loki, chased him into the forest, and then returned to drink. Loki came again, and found Eldir standing without, whom he thus addressed:
1. Tell me, Eldir!
ere thou thy foot settest
one step forward,
on what converse
the sons of the triumphant gods
at their potation?
Eldir
2. Of their arms converse,
and of their martial fame,
the sons of the triumphant gods.
Of the Æsir and the Alfar
that are here within
not one has a friendly word for thee.
Loki
3. I will go
into Ægir´s halls,
to see the compotation.
Strife and hate
to the Æsir´s sons I bear,
and will mix their mead with bale.
Eldir
4. Knowest thou not that if thou goest
into Ægir´s halls
to see the compotation,
but contumely and clamour
pourest forth on the kindly powers,
they will wipe it all off on thee.
Loki
5. Knowest thou not, Eldir,
that if we two
with bitter words contend,
I shall be rich
in answers,
if thou sayest too much?
Loki then went into the hall, but when those present saw who was come in, they all sat silent.
Loki
6. I Lopt am come thirsty
into this hall,
from a long journey,
to beseech the Æsir
one draught to give me
of the bright mead.
7. Why gods! are ye so silent,
so reserved,
that ye cannot speak?
A seat and place
choose for me at your board,
or bid me hie me hence.
Bragi
8. A seat and place
will the Æsir never
choose for thee at their board;
for well the Æsir know
for whom they ought to hold
a joyous compotation.
Loki
9. Odin! dost thou remember
when we in early days
blended our blood together?
When to taste beer
thou didst constantly refuse,
unless to both ´twas offered?
Odin
10. Rise up, Vidar!
and let the wolf´s sire
sit at our compotation;
that Loki may not utter
words of contumely
in Ægir´s hall.
Vidar then rising, presented Loki with drink, who before drinking thus addressed.
11. Hail, Æsir!
Hail, Asyniur!
And ye, all-holy gods!
all, save that one As,
who sits within there,
Bragi, on yonder bench.
Bragi
12. A horse and falchion
I from my stores will give thee,
and also with a ring reward thee,
if thou the Æsir wilt not
requite with malice.
Provoke not the gods against thee.
Loki
13. Of horse and rings
wilt thou ever, Bragi!
be in want.
Of the Æsir and the Alfar,
that are here present,
in conflict thou art the most backward,
and in the play of darts most timid.
Bragi
14. I know that were I without,
as I am now within,
the hall of Ægir,
I thy head would
bear in my hand,
and so for lying punish thee.
Loki
15. Valiant on thy seat art thou, Bragi!
but so thou shouldst not be,
Bragi, the bench´s pride!
Go and fight,
if thou art angry;
a brave man sits not considering.
Idun
16. I pray thee, Bragi!
let avail the bond of children,
and of all adopted sons,
and to Loki speak not
in reproachful words,
in Ægir´s hall.
Loki
17. Be silent, Idun!
of all women I declare thee
most fond of men,
since thou thy arms,
carefully washed, didst twine
round thy brother´s murderer.
Idun
18. Loki I address not
with opprobrious words,
in Ægir´s hall.
Bragi I soothe,
by beer excited.
I desire not that angry ye fight.
Gefion
19. Why will ye, Æsir twain,
here within,
strive with reproachful words?
Lopt perceives not
that he is deluded,
and is urged on by fate.
Loki
20. Be silent, Gefion!
I will now just mention,
how that fair youth
thy mind corrupted,
who thee a necklace gave,
and around whom thou thy limbs didst twine?
Odin
21. Thou art raving, Loki!
and hast lost thy wits,
in calling Gefion´s anger on thee;
for all men´s destinies,
I ween, she knows
as thoroughly as I do.
Loki
22. Be silent, Odin!
Thou never couldst allot
conflicts between men:
oft hast thou given to those
to whom thou oughtest not -
victory to cowards.
Odin
23. Knowest thou that I gave
to those I ought not -
victory to cowards?
Thou was eight winters
on the earth below,
a milch cow and a woman,
and didst there bear children.
Now that, methinks, betokens a base nature.
Loki
24. But, it is said, thou wentest
with tottering steps in Samsö,
and knocked at houses as a Vala.
In likeness of a fortune teller,
thou wentest among people;
Now that, methinks, betokens a base nature.
Frigg
25. Your doings
ye should never
publish among men,
what ye, Æsir twain,
did in days of yore.
Ever forgotten be men´s former deeds!
Loki
26. Be thou silent, Frigg!
Thou art Fjörgyn´s daughter,
and ever hast been fond of men,
since Ve and Vili, it is said,
thou, Vidrir´s wife, didst
both to thy bosom take.
Frigg
27. Know thou that if I had,
a Ægir´s halls,
a son like Baldr,
out thou shouldst not go
from the Æsir´s sons:
thou should’st have been fiercely assailed.
Loki
28. But wilt thou, Frigg!
that of my wickedness
I more recount?
I am the cause
that thou seest not
Baldr riding to the halls.
Freyja
29. Mad art thou, Loki!
in recounting
thy foul misdeeds.
Frigg, I believe,
knows all that happens,
although she says it not.
Loki
30. Be thou silent, Freyja!
I know thee full well;
thou art not free from vices:
of the Æsir and the Alfar,
that are herein,
each has been thy paramour.
Freyja
31. False is thy tongue.
Henceforth it will, I think,
prate no good to thee.
Wroth with thee are the Æsir,
and the Asyniur.
Sad shalt thou home depart.
Loki
32. Be silent, Freyja!
Thou art a sorceress,
and with much evil blended;
since against thy brother thou
the gentle powers excited.
And then, Freyja! what didst thou do?
Niörd
33. It is no great wonder,
if silk-clad dames
get themselves husbands, lovers;
but ´tis a wonder that a wretched As,
that has borne children,
should herein enter.
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