Step 2 of 9 · Love, Longing and Folly
Come nearer evening, Odin
Why this step
In stanzas 96 to 98 a voice, presumably the maiden’s, tells him to come nearer evening. He turns away from his wise intent, sure of his joy, and comes back to find the war troop awake with torches. The entry reads it as overconfidence after hearing “yes”: the speaker stops being careful and walks into the watch.
The text, stanzas 96–98
96.
"Yet nearer evening come thou, Odin,
if thou wilt woo a maiden:
all were undone save two knew alone
such a secret deed of shame."
97.
So away I turned from my wise intent,
and deemed my joy assured,
for all her liking and all her love
I weened that I yet should win.
98.
When I came ere long the war troop bold
were watching and waking all:
with burning brands and torches borne
they showed me my sorrowful way.
- Olive Bray (editor and translator), The Elder or Poetic Edda, Commonly Known as Sæmund’s Edda, part I: The Mythological Poems (opens in a new tab) (1908), stanzas 96–98 (Bray’s numbering) Rights: Public domain. Published in 1908, so in the public domain in the United States. Text as edited online by D. L. Ashliman, Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts, University of Pittsburgh.
From the Lorebook
A voice tells the speaker, who is named Odin, to come nearer evening. He goes away confident of winning her, comes back and finds the whole war troop awake with torches.