Page:The Prose Edda (1916 translation by Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur).pdf/259

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THE POESY OF SKALDS
227
The Munificent Prince brought fire's destruction
O'er the base people; to the pirates
Death was fated: Thief-Compeller,
South at Jóm highest flame-glow kindle!

Illustrious One, as Hallvardr sang:

No Illustrious One nearer
Under Earth's Hazel liveth
Than thou, O Monks' Upholder:
The Gold-Minisher Danes protecteth.

Land-Driver, as Thjódólfr sang:

The guileless Land-Driver sprinkles
Kraki's gleaming barley,

as was written before;[1] he is called so because he drives his host about the lands of other kings, or drives a host out of his own land.

LXIV. "There was a king named Hálfdan the Old, who was most famous of all kings. He made a great sacrificial feast at mid-winter, and sacrificed to this end, that he might live three hundred years in his kingdom; but he received these answers: he should not live more than the full life of a man, but for three hundred years there should be no woman and no man in his line who was not of great repute. He was a great warrior, and went on forays far and wide in the Eastern Regions:[2] there he slew in single combat the king who was called Sigtryggr. Then he took in

  1. See page 173.
  2. That is, in the lands bordering the Baltic.