ACT THE FIRST.


BALDER and THOR are seated upon stones at some distance from each other.
Both are armed--THOR with his hammer, and BALDER with spear and sword.

BALDER. Land whose proud and rocky bosom
Braves the sky continually!

THOR. Where should strength and valour blossom,
Land of rocks, if not in thee?

BALDER. Odin's shafts of ruddy levin
Back from thy hard sides are driven;
Never sun thy snow dispels.

THOR. Sure, he'll joy in deeds of daring,
Ne'er for ease voluptuous caring,
Who upon the mountain dwells.

BOTH. Land whose proud and rocky bosom
Braves the sky continually!
Where should strength and valour blossom,
Land of rocks, if not in thee?

BALDER (he springs up, but THOR remains sitting, like one in deep
thought). Ha! I will quickly fly from thee for ever,
Thou hated land, where everything so proudly
Upbraids me for my weakness--for my fetters:
Where I, pursu'd by pains of hopeless passion,