of ODIN *. Thus have you good reafon to say, that Odin is the greatest and most mighty of Lords; which is alfo confirmed to us by these verses, composed in honour of the Gods. "The Afh Udrafil is the greatest of Trees; Skidbladner, of Veffels; "Odin, of Gods; Sleipner, of Horfes; Bifroft, of Bridges; Bragè, of Scalds, or Po"ets; Habroc, of Hawks; and Garmer, "of Hounds." *The reader will find a confiderable addition here in Goranfon's Latin Verfion. T. REMARKS ON THE TWENTIETH FABLE. (A) "When the wolf "FENRIS arrives at the "laft day."] I have already remarked, that the EDDA never lofes fight of that grand event, the Deftruction of the World. The inferior Gods were, at that time, to undergo rude affaults. This was pointed at in the preceding fable; where a rea fon is affigned why Frey will not be able to refift the attacks of the evil Genii. It was owing to this expectation that the inferior Gods received with pleasure warriors of approved valour, and fuch as they could depend on at the last times. (B) The heroes are "fed with the fat of this "animal."] This defcription of the palace of Odin is a natural picture of the manners of the ancient Scandinavians and Germans. Prompted by the wants of their climate, and the impulse of their own temperament, they form to themselves a delicious paradise in their own way; where they were to eat and drink, and fight. The women to whom they affign a place place there, are introduced for no other purpose, but to fill their cups. One wild boar furnishes out the whole of this celeftial banquet: for, not very nice, they were only folicitous about the quantity of their food. The flesh of this animal, as well as that of the Hog, was formerly the favourite meat of all these nations. The ancient Franks were no lefs fond of it; a herd of fwine was, in their eyes, an affair of fuch importance, that the fecond chapter of the Salic Law, confifting of twenty articles, is wholly taken up in inflicting penalties on those who stole them. In Gregory of Tours, queen Fredegond, in order to alienate the mind of the king from one Nectarius, blackens him with the crime of having stolen a great many Gammons or Hams, from the place where K. Chilperic laid up his provifions. The king did not confider this at all as a laughing matter, but took it in a very grave and serious light. (c) " To inebriate all "the Heroes."] Wine was very scarce in those times, and almoft unknown. BEER was, perhaps,' a liquor too vulgar for the Heroes +; the EDDA therefore makes them drink Hydromel, or MBAD, a beverage in great esteem among all the German nations. The ancient Franks made great use of it. Gregory of Tours, fpeaking of a certain lord who generally drank it, adds, Ut mos barbarorum habet. Greg, Turon. L. 8. c. 3. (D) "They cut one "another in pieces."] From this paffage of the EDDA, we may form to ourselves an idea of the amufements of the ancient Goths and' Celtes. When they were not engaged in any real war, they endeavoured by the reprefentation of battles, to gratify that fierce difpofition which made them Yet we find in fome of the Icelandic odes, the Heroes rejoicing in the expectation that they should quaff BEER out of the fculls of their enemies, when once they were received into Valhall, or the palace of ODIN. See below, Regner Lodbrog's Ode in this Volume, T. fond fond of the profeffion of arms. "The Goths are "extremely fond of "throwing their darts, "and handling their 36 arms; and it is their "daily practice, to divert "themselves with mock"fights:" fays Ifidore in his Chronic. The fame prevailed among the Gauls, and Germans, as. is plain from a paffage in the fragments of Varro. To this cuftom we may afcribe the rife and efta-. blishment of Juftings and Turnaments. There are many inftitutions of this kind, whofe origin is no lefs ancient, loft in the clouds of a very remote antiquity, whatever fome learned men may affert, who affign them muchlater eras not confidering that cuftoms are commonly more ancient than the first hiftorian who fpeaks of them; and that a new name, or more regular form, which may ડ have been given them, imply not neceffarily their first beginning. In fact, we have never seen, nor ever fhall fee, any important cuftom fpring up all at once, and establish itself with fuccefs, without there having exifted fomething analogous to it beforehand, to prepare and lead men's minds to adopt it. To return to the PALACE of ODIN ; in order that the Heroes might repair betimes in the morning to the celestial. TiltYard, there was a Cock in the neighbourhood, which awaked them. At the great day of the overthrow of the world, the fhrill fcreams of this bird will be the firft fignal of the approach of the evil Genii. This particular is related in the VOLUSPA, a poem wherein we have fome flashes of true poetic fire, amidst a great deal of fmoke. The paffage is this: "That animal which gives fuch a brilliancy to his golden creft, hath already pierced with his cries the "abode of the Gods: he hath awakened the Heroes; "they run to their arms; they run to the Father of "Armies. To his fcreams anfwer, under ground, the "difmal cries of the Black Cock, which dwells in the "palace of Death," See Barthol. Antiq. Dan. p. 563 THE TWENTY-FIRST FABLE. Of the Horfe Sleipner, and his Origin. G ANGLER afked; Whence comes the horse Sleipner, which you mentioned; and to whom does he belong? Har replied, His origin is very wonderful. One day a certain architect came, and offered his fervice to the Gods, to build them, in the space of two years, a city fo well fortified that they should be perfectly fafe from the incurfions of the Giants, even although they should have already penetrated within the inclosure of Midgard; but he demanded for his reward the Goddess Freya, together with the Sun and Moon. After long deliberation, the Gods agreed to his terms, provided he would finish the whole himself without any one's affiftance; and all within the space of one fingle winter. But if any thing fhould remain to be finished on the first day of fummer, he should intirely forfeit the recompenfe agreed on. On being ac acquainted with this, the architect ftipulated that he should be allowed the use of his horfe. And to this the Gods, by the advice of Loke, affented. This agreement was confirmed by many oaths, and concluded in the presence of many witnefes; for without this precaution, a Giant would not have thought himself safe among the Gods, especially if Thor had been returned from the expedition he had then taken into the eaft, to conquer the Giants. From the very first night then this workman caused his horfe to draw ftones of an immenfe bulk; and the Gods faw with furprize, that this creature did much more work, than his mafter himself. The winter however was far advanced, and towards the latter end of it, this impregnable city had almost attained the fummit of perfection. In short, when the full time was now expired all but three days, nothing was wanting to compleat the work, except the gates, which were not yet put up. Then the Gods entered into confultation, and inquired of one another who among them it was that could have advifed to marry Freya into the country of the Giants; and to plunge the fky and heavens into darkness, by permitting the Sun and Moon to be carried away. They all agreed. that Loke was the author of that bad counfel, and that he should be put to a most VOL. II. I cruel |
