Grettir’s Saga (anonymous 14th century text)
“No man can trust
in his own unaided
strength, that’s clear
to me – because
the courage of heroes
ebbs away
on the death day
as their luck runs out.”
- A Life/Death Poem attributed to the character, Hallmund, recorded in chapter 62 of the anonymously written Grettir’s Saga (c. 14th century), translated by Jesse Byock (Oxford World’s Classics, 2009).