by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882)
Translation by Harry Arbuthnot Acworth (1849 - 1933)
Epilogue
Language: English  after the English
Bass Recit. In the convent of Drontheim Knelt Astrid, the Abbess, At midnight, adoring. She heard in the silence The voice of one speaking Without in the darkness, Now louder, now nearer, Now lost in the distance. Soli and Chorus. "It is accepted, The angry defiance, The challenge of battle! It is accepted, But not with the weapons Of war that thou wieldest! "Cross against corslet, Love against hatred, Peace-cry for war-cry! Patience is powerful; He that o'ercometh Hath power o'er the nations! Chorus (unaccompanied). "As torrents in summer, Half-dried in their channels, Suddenly rise, though the Sky is still cloudless, For rain has been falling Far off at their fountains; "So hearts that are fainting Grow full to o'erflowing, And they that behold it Marvel, and know not That God at their fountains Far off has been raining! Soli and Chorus. "Stronger then steel Is the sword of the Spirit; Swifter than arrows The light of the truth is, Greater than anger Is love, and subdueth! "The dawn is not distant, Nor is the night starless; Love is eternal! God is still God, and His faith shall not fail us; Christ is eternal! " A strain of music ends the tale, A low, monotonous, funeral wail, That with its cadence, wild and sweet, Makes the long Saga more complete.
Authorship:
- by Harry Arbuthnot Acworth (1849 - 1933) [an adaptation] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882), "The Nun of Nidaros", appears in Tales of a Wayside Inn, in The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf, no. 22, first published 1863
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Edward Elgar, Sir (1857 - 1934), "Epilogue", op. 30 no. 17, published 1896 [STB soli, SATB chorus, and orchestra], from King Olaf, no. 17 [ sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Harold Ryan
This text was added to the website: 2009-10-03
Line count: 52
Word count: 220