ODIN OF THE NORTH.
The Odin of the North—The forefathers of the English—Their migration
from the shores of the Black sea—The geographical knowledge of the
Norsemen—Tyrkland the home of Odin—Sigrlami, one of the sons of
Odin—Odin establishes his family in the North—Death of Odin in the
North—Attributes of Odin—Poetical names of Odin—Sleipnir, the
horse of Odin—Odin as a one-eyed man.
In the Norse literature we find Odin referred to not only as a god, but
as a hero and leader of men. It is not necessary to believe that any
real person of the name of Odin ever existed, but from the frequency
with which a migration northwards is mentioned, and from the details
with which it is described, it is legitimate to infer that the
predecessor of the Norsemen came from the south or south-east of
Europe—probably, to judge from literature and archæology combined, from
the shores of the Black Sea.
At the time of Odin’s arrival in the North we find not only a country
called Gardariki, which is often mentioned in the Sagas, and seems to
have adjoined the south-eastern shores of the Baltic, but also the large
Scandinavian peninsula and that of Jutland, and the islands and shores
of the Baltic, populated by a seafaring people whose tribes had constant
intercourse with each other, and, to judge by the finds, seem to have
had an identical religion. These people intermarried with the Asar who
came north with Odin, and hence arose tribes called half-Risar and
half-Troll.
“It is written in old books that Alfheimar[78] were north in Gandvik and
Ymisland, between it and Hálogaland. And before the Tyrkjar and Asia-men
came to the Northern lands, Risar and half-Risar lived there; then the
nations (peoples) were much mixed together; the Risar got wives from
Mannheimar, and some of them married their daughters there” (Hervarar
Saga, ch. i.).
The account given in the Hervarar Saga agrees with that in the Ynglinga
Saga, which is important not only as giving an idea of the conception
the people of the North had of our world, but as describing the names of
the lands and countries mentioned in the earlier Eddas and Sagas.
“The round of the world on which men dwell is much cut by the sea; large
seas stretch from the outer sea round the earth into the land. It is
known that a sea runs from Njörvasund (Straits of Gibraltar) all the way
up to Jorsalaland (the land of Jerusalem). From it a long bay runs
north-east, called the Black Sea, which separates the three parts of the
world; the part east of it is called Asia, but the one west of it is
called Europa by some, and Enea by others. North of the Black Sea is the
great or the cold Sweden; some say that Sweden is no smaller than
Serkland (the land of Saracens) the great; some say she is as large as
Blaland (the land of the blue (black) men) the great. The northern part
of Sweden is uninhabited, on account of frost and cold, as the southern
part of Blaland is on account of the sun’s burning heat. In Sweden there
are many large herads (districts).
There are also many kinds of people and many tongues: there are Asar,
Dvergar, and Blamenn (blue (black) men), and many kinds of strange
people; there are beasts and dragons wonderfully large. From the north,
in mountains which are beyond all settlements, a river springs that
flows through Sweden; its right name is Tanais; it was in old times
called Tanakvísl,[79] or Vana-kvísl; it flows into the Black Sea. The
land round Vanakvísl was then called Vanaland or Vanaheim (home or world
of the Vanir). This river[80] separates the two-thirds of the world;
east of it is Asia, and West of it is Europa” (Ynglinga Saga, 1).
“A large mountain ridge runs from north-east to south-west; it separates
Sweden the Great[81] from other lands. South of the mountain, not far
off, is Tyrkland; there Odin owned a great deal of land. At that time
the chiefs of the Rómverjar (Romans) went widely about the world and
underlaid (conquered) all nations; and many chiefs on that account left
their lands. As Odin was foreknowing and skilled in witchcraft he knew
that his descendants would live in the northern part of the world. Then
he set his brothers Vili and Vé to rule Asgard; he left, and all the
Díar with him, and many folk. First he went westwards to Gardaríki, then
southwards to Saxland. He had many sons; he became owner of land at many
places in Saxland, and left his sons to defend Saxland. Then he went
northwards to the sea and settled on an island; that place is now called
Odinsey (Odin’s island) in Fjón (Fýen). Then he sent Gefjon[82]
northwards across the Sound to discover lands; she came to Gylfi, and he
gave her one plough-land. Then she went to Jötunheim and there got four
sons by a Jötun; she changed them into oxen, and harnessed them to the
plough, and drew the land out to sea, and westwards, opposite to
Odinsey, and the land is called Selund (Zealand); she afterwards lived
there. Skjöld, a son of Odin, married her; they lived at Hleidra
(Leire). There is a lake or sea called Lög (Mälaren). The fjords in the
Lög lie as the nesses in Selund. When Odin heard that Gylfi’s land was
good he went there, and he and Gylfi made an agreement, for Gylfi
thought he had not strength enough to withstand the Asar. Many devices
and spells did Odin and Gylfi use against each other, and the Asar
always got the better of them. Odin took up his abode at the Lög
(Mälaren), which is now called the old Sigtúnir; there he made a great
temple and sacrificed according to the custom of the Asar. He gave
abodes to the temple-priests; Njörd lived at Nóatún, Frey at Uppsalir,
Heimdall at Himinbjörg, Thor at Thrúdvang, Baldr at Breidablik; he gave
good abodes to them all” (Ynglinga, c. 5).
While Odin, according to the sages, was in Sweden[83] his son Sigrlami
ruled over Gardaríki; during the life of his father or after his death
he had to fight against the Jötnar, and, like Skjöld his brother, he
married a daughter of King Gylfi, who ruled over the present Sweden,
whose authority is made to extend to the principal islands which form
part of the present Denmark.
“At this time the Asia-men and Tyrkjar came from the east and settled in
the northern lands; their leader was called Odin; he had many sons, and
they all became great and strong men. One of his sons was called
Sigrlami; to him Odin gave the realm now called Gardaríki; he became a
great chief over that land; he was handsomer than any man. He was
married to Heid, the daughter of King Gylfi; they had a son called
Svafrlami.” (Hervarar, c. 2).
Sigrlami fell in a fight against Thjassi the Jötun. When Svafrlami heard
of his father’s death he took for himself all his realm, and became a
powerful man. It is said that on one occasion when riding in a forest he
chased a stag for a long time, and did not kill it until sunset, when he
had ridden so far into the forest that he lost his way. He saw a large
stone and two Dvergar beside it, whom he was going to sacrifice to the
gods, but on their begging to be allowed to give a ransom for their
lives Svafrlami asked their names. One was called Dyrin, the other
Dvalin. Svafrlami at once recognised them to be the most skilful of
Dvergar, and insisted upon their making a sword for him, the hilt to be
of gold, and the scabbard to be ornamented and inlaid with gold. The
sword was never to fail, and never to rust; to cut iron and stone as
well as cloth; and it was to bring victory in all battles and duels
(einvigi) to every one who carried it.
On the appointed day Svafrlami came to the rock; the Dvergar gave him
the sword; but Dvalin, standing in the door of the stone, said: “Thy
sword, Svafrlami, shall be a man’s bane (death) every time it is drawn;
and with it shall be performed the greatest nithing’s deed; it also will
be thy death.” Svafrlami then struck at the Dvergar so that both edges
of the sword entered into the rock, but the Dvergar ran into the rock.
Svafrlami, we are told, called the sword Tyrfing, and carried it in
battles and single fights; with it he killed in a duel Thjassi the
Jötun, his father’s slayer, whose daughter Frid he married” (Hervarar
Saga, c. 3).
We not only have accounts of how this Odin established his family in the
North, but also how he died there. Feeling that his days were coming to
an end, he prepared to die on a pyre, as was the custom of those times;
and we find the belief existed that after his death he returned to the
old Asgard.
“Odin fell sick and died in Sweden. When he was at death’s door he let
himself be marked (wounded) with a spear-point, and said he was the
owner of all the men slain by weapons, and would go into Godheim (the
world of the gods), and there welcome his friends. Now the Swedes
thought he had gone to the old Asgard, and would live there for ever.
Then there again arose worship of Odin, and vows were made to him. The
Swedes often thought he appeared to them in dreams on the eve of great
battles; to some he gave victory, others he invited home; either of
these alternatives was considered good. After death he was burnt with
great splendour.[84] It was their belief that the higher the smoke rose
in the air the more glorious would the burnt man be in heaven,[85] and
the more property that was burnt with him the wealthier would he be”
(Ynglinga Saga, c. 10).
Whether a hero and leader of the name of Odin ever lived or not we
cannot tell, but that we know from the records the people believed that
he and the Asar had existed, and the creed they had established was
their religion; and this belief lasted with many to the end of the pagan
era, which did not entirely disappear till the twelfth century. Odin and
some of the Asar were deified and worshipped in all the countries of the
North, and with the lapse of time their fame increased.
“Odin was a mighty warrior and travelled far and wide, and became owner
of many realms (countries). He was so successful that in every battle he
gained the victory, and at last his men believed that in every battle
victory was in his power. It was his custom, when he sent his men into
fight or on other errands, first to lay his hands on their heads and
give them bjanak;[86] they believed that luck would then be with them.
Also it happened that whenever his men were in need on land or at sea
they called on his name, and always felt relieved by it; for every kind
of help they looked to him. He often went so far away that he was on a
journey many seasons” (Ynglinga, c. 2).
“It is said with truth that when Asa-Odin, and with him the Díar,[87]
came into the northern lands, they began and taught those ídróttir[88]
which men afterwards long practised. Odin was the foremost of them all,
and from him they learned the _ídróttir_, for he first knew them all,
and more than any other. He was highly honoured on account of the
following things. He looked so fair and noble when he sat with his
friends that every mind was delighted; but when he was in a host, then
he looked fierce to his foes. This was because he knew the ídróttir of
changing looks and shapes in any way he liked. Another of his ídróttir
was that he spoke with such skill and so glibly that all who listened
thought it the only truth; he always spoke in poetry (hendingar) like
that which now is called skáldskap (skaldship, poetry). He and his
temple-priests are called Ljódasmidir (lay-smiths, song-smiths), for
that ídrótt came from them into the northern lands. Odin had power to
cause his foes to grow blind or deaf or full of fear, and to make their
weapons bite no more than wands (sticks of wood). His own men fought
without armour madly, like dogs or wolves, bit their shields, and had
the strength of a bear or bull; they cut down the foe, and neither fire
nor iron hurt them. That is called berserksgang (rage or fury of
Berserks)” (Ynglinga, c. 6–7).
In the poetical language of the Sagas and Eddas a very great number of
figurative names are given to Odin, which show how numerous his
attributes were believed to be, and many of which recall the language of
Homer; among them we may mention:—
The thunderer.[89]
Father of ages.
The wise walker.
The lord.
The helmet bearer.
The cheerful.
The loving one.
The high one.
The fickle.
The true-guessing one.
The evil-eyed.
The manifold.
The wise in beguiling.
The much knowing.
The father of victory.
The father of the slain.
The conqueror in fights.
The entangler.
The feared one.
The rover.
The serpent (from his being able to assume its shape).
The soother.
God of the hanged.[90]
God of the ravens.
God of victory.
God of the Gautar.
The shouting god.
The one-eyed one.
The fierce one.
God of the earth.
Friend of Mimir.
The foe of the Fenrir-wolf.
The lord of the spears.
The god of hosts.
The father of all.
The wish-god.
The wind-whispering.
The burner.
The wide-ruling.
The work-skilled.
The swift-riding.
The god of battle.
The almighty god.
The host blinder.
The true one.
The long-bearded.
The god of cargoes.
The father of hosts.
The useful adviser.
The shaper of battle.
The swift rider.
“Then Thridi said: Odin is the highest and oldest of the Asar; he rules
over everything, and, however mighty the other gods are, they all serve
him as children a father. Frigg, his wife, knows the fates of men though
she cannot prophesy. Odin is called Allfödr, because he is the father of
all the gods; he is also called Valfödr, because all those who fall in
battle (valr = the slain) are his chosen sons. These he places in
Valhöll and Vingólf (a hall owned by the goddesses), and then they are
called Einherjar. He is also called Hanga-gud (god of the hanged),
Hapta-gud (god of the chained), and Farma-gud (god of cargoes), and he
gave himself still more names when he was at King Geirröd’s. Gangleri
said: ‘Wonderfully many names have you given to him, and surely it needs
great wisdom to know the events which are the reasons of every one of
these names.’ Hár answered: ‘Great wits are needed to explain this
carefully, but, to tell it shortly, most of the names have been given
because, as there are many different tongues in the world, every nation
thinks it necessary to change his name according to their language, that
they may invoke and pray to him for themselves. His journeys have given
rise to some of these names, and they are told among people’” (Later
Edda, c. 20).
“Two ravens[91] sit on his shoulders and tell into his ears all the
tidings, which they see or hear; these are Hugin and Munin. At the dawn
of day he sends them out to fly all over the world, and they come back
at day-meal time (the biggest meal of the day); hence he knows many
tidings; therefore he is called Hrafnagud (Raven-god)” (Gylfaginning, c.
38).
Among the earlier myths connected with Odin may be mentioned the
following account of the origin of his horse Sleipnir.
[Illustration:
Fig. 1.—Earlier runic stone at Tjängvide, Götland, with the
eight-footed horse of Odin.—Height about 5 feet; width, 4 feet 4
inches; thickness, 1 foot. Another similar stone with representation
(in relief) of an eight-footed horse has been found also in Laivide
in Götland.
]
“Gangleri asked: ‘Who owns Sleipnir the horse, or what hast thou to tell
of him?’ Hár answered: ‘Thou knowest nothing about Sleipnir nor whence
he sprang, but it will seem to thee worth a hearing. In early times when
the gods had built up Midgard and made Valhalla there came a smith who
offered to make a burgh for them in three seasons (half-years) so good
that it would be strong and safe against Bergrisar (mountain-jötnar) and
Hrimthursar, though they entered Midgard. In the place of wages he
wanted to marry Freyja and get the sun and moon. The Asar came together
to counsel among themselves, and it was agreed with the smith that he
should get what he wanted if he could make the burgh in one winter, but
if any part of it was unfinished on the first day of summer he was to
lose his pay; he would not be allowed to use the help of any man in the
work. When they told him these conditions he asked leave to make use of
his horse Svadilföri; on the advice of Loki this was conceded to him.
The first day of winter he began to build the burgh, and during night he
carried stones on his horse to it; the Asar wondered much how the horse
could drag such large rocks, and it did much more work than the smith.
Strong witnesses were brought and many oaths were taken at their
agreement, because the jötun thought it unsafe to stay with the Asar if
Thor, who had gone to Austrveg (eastern countries) to kill Jötnar,
should come home. As the winter passed the building of the burgh
proceeded, and it was so high and strong that it could not be taken.
When three days of the winter were left it was almost all finished
except the gate. Then the gods sat down on their judgment-seats and
tried to find an expedient; one asked the other on whose advice Freyja
was to be married in Jötunheimar and air and heaven defiled by taking
sun and moon away and giving them to the Jötnar; they all agreed that
the causer of most evils, Loki Laufeyjarson, had caused this, and that
he deserved an evil death if he did not find a way to cause the smith to
lose his pay. They rushed at Loki, who got afraid, and took oaths that
he would manage, whatever it might cost him, that the smith should lose
his pay. The same evening when the smith drove out with his horse
Svadilföri, to fetch stones, a mare ran out of the wood towards it and
neighed to it. When the stallion saw what kind of horse this was he got
wild, tore his ropes and ran towards it; the mare ran into the wood, and
the smith followed and wanted to get hold of it, but the horses
continued running all night, and no work was done that night; next day,
as before, the work did not proceed. When the smith saw that the work
could not be finished he got into Jötun-fury. When the Asar knew for
certain that he was a Bergrisar (mountain jötun), they could not keep
their oaths and called Thor; he came at once, and then the hammer
Mjollnir went aloft; he paid him for the work, not by giving him the sun
and moon, but by preventing him from living in Jötunheimar; at his first
blow the jötun’s skull was broken into small bits, and he was sent down
to Nifl-hel. But Loki had had such dealings with Svadilföri that he gave
birth to a foal; it was grey, and with eight feet, and it is the best
horse among gods and men” (Gylfaginning, 41–42).
Odin was believed not only to give victory to his favourites, but other
gifts, and is represented as coming to the aid of his followers, in the
guise of an one-eyed old man—
Ride shall we
To Valhalla,
To the holy place.
Let us ask the father of hosts
To be kind (to us);
He pays and gives
Gold to his host;
He gave to Hermód
A helmet and brynja,
And to Sigmund
He gave a sword.
He gives victory to his sons,
And wealth to some;
Eloquence to many,
And wisdom to men;
Fair winds to warriors,
And song to poets,
And luck in love
To many a man.
She (Freyja) will worship Thór,
And ask him
That he always
Be at peace with thee;
Though he is no friend
To the jötun-brides.[92]
[Hyndluljód.]
“King Siggeir ruled Gautland; he was powerful and had many men; he went
to King Völsung and asked him to give Signy to him in marriage. The king
and his sons received this offer well; she herself was willing, but
asked her father to have his way in this as in other things referring to
herself. Her father made up his mind that she should be married, and she
was betrothed to Siggeir. The wedding-feast was to be at King Völsung’s,
and Siggeir was to come to him. The king prepared as good a feast as he
could. When it was ready the guests and Siggeir’s men came on the
appointed day; Siggeir had many men of rank with him. It is said that
great fires were made along the hall,[93] and the large tree before
mentioned stood in the middle of the hall, and that when men were
sitting before the fires in the evening a man walked into the hall whom
they did not know. He wore a spotted hekla (frock); he was barefooted,
and had linen breeches fastened to his legs; he had a sword in his hand,
and wore a hood low down over his face; he was very grey-haired, and
looked old, and was one-eyed.[94] He went to the tree, and drew the
sword, and stuck it into the trunk so that it sank up to the hilt. No
man dared to speak to him. He said: ‘He who pulls this sword out of the
trunk shall get it as a gift from me, and will find that he never had a
better sword in his hand than this one.’ The old man then went out, and
no one knew who he was, or where he went. Then all the foremost men
tried to pull out the sword, and could not. Sigmund, the son of King
Völsung, pulled it out as easily as if it had been quite loose. No man
had seen so good a sword, and Siggeir offered three times its weight in
gold for it. Sigmund answered that he should have pulled it out; now he
should never get it, though he offered all the gold he owned” (Volsunga,
c. 3).[95]
Of Odin it is said:
“Odin changed shapes; then his body lay as if sleeping or dead, and he
was in the shape of a bird or a beast, a fish or a serpent, and in the
twinkling of an eye went into far-off lands on his own errands or on
those of other men. Besides, he could, with words only, extinguish fire,
calm the sea, and turn the winds into whatever direction he wished. He
had a ship called Skídbladnir, on which he crossed large seas; it could
be folded together like cloth.[96] He had with him Mimir’s head, which
told him many tidings (news) from other worlds. Sometimes he raised
(awaked) dead men out of the earth (ground), or sat down beneath hanged
men (hanging in gallows);[97] therefore he was called the lord (dróttin)
of the ghosts or of the hanged.[97] He had two ravens, which he taught
to speak, and they flew far and wide over lands (countries) and told him
many tidings. Therefore he became very wise. So much lewdness followed
this witchcraft when it was practised that it was thought a disgrace for
men to practise it; and the priestesses (gydjur) were taught the idrótt.
Odin knew where property was hidden in the ground, and he knew songs by
which he unlocked (opened) the earth, the rocks, and the stones, and the
mounds, and bound (held fast) with mere words those who dwelt in them,
and went in and took what he wished. On account of these powers he
became very famous; his foes feared him, but his friends trusted in him
and believed in him and his power. He taught most of his idróttir to the
sacrificing-priests; they were next to him in all wisdom and witchcraft.
Many others, however, learned a great deal of them, and from them
witchcraft has spread widely and been kept up long. But men worshipped
Odin and the twelve chiefs (höfdingi) and called them their gods, and
believed in them long afterwards” (Ynglinga Saga, ch. 7.)