Greinar (Vísindafélag Íslendinga) - 01.01.1943, Page 165

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Hallgrímur Pétursson did not find out until 1664 that he
had contracted this disease. It is much more likely that
during those years, the disease had become so malignant
that it began to hamper him, but on the other hand every-
thing would fit smoothly, if we assume that he realized
this terrible fact in the year 1656—1657. Is it not this
dreadful news at the end of the year 1656, which strikes
the pen from his hand in the middle of General Abner’s
speech?
At first he is paralysed by this terrible blow, but then
comes the consolation: the vision of Christ and his Pas-
sion. For years he had intended to write his most heart-
felt poems on this 'via dolorosa’. Now it stood out all the
more vividly as his own ‘via dolorosa’, now stretching out
before him, throws on it the light of reality.
The consolatory power of the history of the Passion
is now still clearer in his mind, and even the Samuel
hymns completely lose their hold on him. “Up, up my
soul”, sursum corda. Now I am going to commemorate
the Passion of the Saviour, and, while health permits me,
use the last moments allotted to me, to complete in the
purgatory of affliction this. great task of singing the
praise of the greatest act of charity ever performed on
this earth.
X.
Hallgrímur Pétursson himself seems to be somewhat
inconsistent as to the length of time it took him to write
the Passion-Hymns, but as we are here concerned with
his own statements, they must be correct and reconcilable.
We need only examine them carefully to see that they
conform to what has been said, that he was engaged on
this task for a long time, that is to say, had it in his mind
for a long time and collected material for it, but composed
it in rather a short time.
We have an old tradition, to which too little attention
has been paid, of Hallgrímur Pétursson’s working method,
'when he was engaged on his Passion-Hymns. It is traced
to a man, who himself heard the poet say that ‘usually
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