pses of the dead; the wolf tears men. Understand
ye yet, or what?
44. Further forward I see, much can I say of Ragnaroek and the gods'
conflict.
45. Brothers shall fight, and slay each other; cousins shall kinship
violate. The earth resounds, the giantesses flee; no man will another
spare.
46. Hard is it in the world, great whoredom, an axe age, a sword
age, shields shall be cloven, a wind age, a wolf age, ere the world
sinks.
47. Mim's sons dance, but the central tree takes fire at the
resounding Giallar-horn. Loud blows Heimdall, his horn is raised; Odin
speaks with Mim's head.
48. Trembles Yggdrasil's ash yet standing; groans that aged tree,
and the joetun is loosed. Loud bays Garm before the Gnupa-cave, his
bonds he rends asunder; and the wolf runs.
49. Hrym steers from the east, the waters rise, the mundane snake is
coiled in joetun-rage. The worm beats the water, and the eagle screams:
the pale of beak tears carcases; Naglfar is loosed.
50. That ship fares from the east: come will Muspell's people o'er
the sea, and Loki steers. The monster's kin goes all with the wolf;
with them the brother is of Byleist on their course.
51. Surt from the south comes with flickering flame; shines from his
sword the Val-gods' sun. The stony hills are dashed together, the
giantesses totter; men tread the path of Hel, and heaven is cloven.
52. How is it with the AEsir? How with the Alfar? All Joetunheim
resounds; the AEsir are in council. The dwarfs groan before their stony
doors, the sages of the rocky walls. Understand ye yet, or what?
53. Then arises Hlin's second grief, when Odin goes with the wolf to
fight, and the bright slayer of Beli with Surt. Then will Frigg's
beloved fall.
54. Then comes the great victor-sire's son, Vidar, to fight with the
deadly beast. He with his hands will make his sword pierce to the
heart of the giant's son: then avenges he his father.
55. Then comes the mighty son of Hlodyn: (Odin's son goes with the
monster to fight); Midgard's Veor in his rage will slay the worm. Nine
feet will go Fioergyn's son, bowed by the serpent, who feared no foe.
All men will their homes forsake.
56. The sun darkens, earth in ocean sinks, fall from heaven the
bright stars, fire's breath assails the all-nourishing tree, towering
fire plays against heaven itself.
57. She sees arise, a second time, earth from ocean, beauteously
green, waterfalls descending; the eagle flying over, which in the f
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