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~ Historical & Classical Poetry ~

 

Suttungs Mead

The best drink at the feast of Gods,
in Odins home, was Suttungs Mead,
and the power Bragis song
from this rich source flowed.

Allfather himself brought the Mead,
from where in deep cellars it stood,
And from there he strenghtened
all his Asa-power,

He mixed in strong Runes later
in this dear juice.
With parts of his Wisdom and Knowledge
gave Odin the mead double power.

On flower and leaf in glade and forrest,
on wild and tame in every field,
on mountain, on cloud, in wild plains
stod secred Rune signs.

But Odin freed them all
from air, from earth, from the oceans bossom
and blessed them, and let them fall
like honeydew in Suttungs Mead.

Therefore all Skalds must empty
a horn of this rich Drink,
and what was before shrouded in Dreams
will stand clear before their eyes.

J. S . Welhaven (1807-1873)

translation from Norwegian by Rune Bjørnsen ( Heiðingi ).

 

Image: Odin and Suttung in eagle´s form fighting over the mead of poetry. 
Part of "Gudekvad" by Thorolf Darje, an exhibition in the Museum of History, Oslo.