Page:The poetical works of Matthew Arnold, 1897.djvu/150

112 Cowards, who were in sloughs interred alive;

And round them still the wattled hurdles hung

Wherewith they stamped them down, and trod them deep,

To hide their shameful memory from men.

But all he passed unhailed, and reached the throne

Of Hela, and saw, near it, Balder crowned,

And Hela set thereon, with countenance stern;

And thus bespake him first the solemn queen:—

"Unhappy, how hast thou endured to leave

The light, and journey to the cheerless land

Where idly flit about the feeble shades?

How didst thou cross the bridge o'er Giall's stream,

Being alive, and come to ocean's shore?

Or how o'erleap the grate that bars the wall?"

She spake; but down off Sleipner Hermod sprang,

And fell before her feet, and clasped her knees;

And spake, and mild entreated her, and said,—

"O Hela, wherefore should the gods declare

Their errands to each other, or the ways

They go? the errand and the way is known.

Thou know'st, thou know'st, what grief we have in heaven

For Balder, whom thou hold'st by right below.

Restore him! for what part fulfils he here?

Shall he shed cheer over the cheerless seats,

And touch the apathetic ghosts with joy?

Not for such end, O queen, thou hold'st thy realm.

For heaven was Balder born, the city of gods

And heroes, where they live in light and joy.

Thither restore him, for his place is there!"

He spoke; and grave replied the solemn queen,—

"Hermod, for he thou art, thou son of heaven!

A strange unlikely errand, sure, is thine.