Page:The poetical works of Matthew Arnold, 1897.djvu/168

130 My former life, and cheers me even here.

The iron frown of Hela is relaxed

When I draw nigh, and the wan tribes of dead

Love me, and gladly bring for my award

Their ineffectual feuds and feeble hates,—

Shadows of hates, but they distress them still."

And the fleet-footed Hermod made reply,—

"Thou hast, then, all the solace death allows,—

Esteem and function; and so far is well.

Yet here thou liest, Balder, underground,

Rusting forever; and the years roll on,

The generations pass, the ages grow,

And bring us nearer to the final day

When from the south shall march the fiery band,

And cross the bridge of heaven, with Lok for guide,

And Fenris at his heel with broken chain;

While from the east the giant Rymer steers

His ship, and the great serpent makes to land;

And all are marshalled in one flaming square

Against the gods, upon the plains of heaven.

I mourn thee, that thou canst not help us then."

He spake; but Balder answered him, and said,—

"Mourn not for me! Mourn, Hermod, for the gods;

Mourn for the men on earth, the gods in heaven,

Who live, and with their eyes shall see that day!

The day will come, when fall shall Asgard's towers,

And Odin, and his sons, the seed of heaven;

But what were I, to save them in that hour?

If strength might save them, could not Odin save,

My father, and his pride, the warrior Thor,

Vidar the silent, the impetuous Tyr?

I, what were I, when these can naught avail?

Yet, doubtless, when the day of battle comes,

And the two hosts are marshalled, and in heaven