Sunday 10 November 2013

Havamal Snippets 100: Odin's attempt to woo a maiden go awry

This is a continuation of the last few verses telling of Odins unsuccessful attempts to woo Billingr's daughter.  In this verse it seems like Odin has been rumbled and the men of Billingrs household have been ready and waiting for Odin to turn up, so that they can give him a good talking too, or a good beating.

This verse reminds me of a cliched movie scene about a teenage boy who climbs up into the bedroom of a teenage girl he's courting/dating for a couple of nights, only to be rumbled on the third night by the father and mother who are waiting in the girls bedroom to give him a good telling off.  If anything it's a reminder of what can happen if a man let's his carnal desires get the better of him, especially if the woman he covets is married: he ends up recieving a beating.


100
Svá kom ek næst
at in nýta var
vígdrótt öll um vakin
með brennandum ljósum
ok bornum viði

svá var mér vílstígr of vitaðr

When I came next,
the able [3] warriors
[2] were [3] all awake;
with burning lights
and brands raised high,
so was my wretched path marked out.


[End.]

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