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Einherjar
In Norse mythology, the einherjar (singular einheri) literally "army of one", "those who fight alone"Simek, Rudolf. 1993. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Translated by Angela Hall. p. 71Orchard (1997:36) and Lindow (2001:104).) are those who have died in battle and are brought to Valhalla by valkyries. In Valhalla, the einherjar eat their fill of the nightly-resurrecting beast Sæhrímnir, and valkyries bring them mead (which comes from the udder of the goat Heiðrún). The einherjar prepare daily for the events of Ragnarök, when they will advance for an immense battle at the field of Vígríðr. The einherjar are attested in the '' Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, the poem ''Hákonarmál'' (by the 10th century skald Eyvindr skáldaspillir) as collected in '' Heimskringla'', and a stanza of an anonymous 10th century poem commemorating the death of Eric Bloodaxe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Valhalla
In Norse mythology Valhalla (;) is the anglicised name for non, Valhǫll ("hall of the slain").Orchard (1997:171–172) It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat enter Valhalla, while the other half are chosen by the goddess Freyja to reside in Fólkvangr. The masses of those killed in combat (known as the Einherjar) along with various legendary Germanic heroes and kings, live in Valhalla until Ragnarök when they will march out of its many doors to fight in aid of Odin against the jötnar. Valhalla is attested in the '' Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, in the '' Prose Edda'' (written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson), in ''Heimskringla'' (also written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson), and in stanzas of an anonymous 10th century poem commemorating the death of Eric Bloodaxe known as '' Eiríksmál'' as compiled in '' Fagrskinna''. V ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harii
The Harii (West Germanic "warriors"Simek (2007:132).) were, according to 1st century CE Roman historian Tacitus, a Germanic people. In his work ''Germania'', Tacitus describes them as using black shields and painting their bodies ("nigra scuta, tincta corpora"), and attacking at night as a shadowy army, much to the terror of their opponents. Theories have been proposed connecting the Harii to the einherjar, ghostly warriors in service to the god Odin, attested much later among the North Germanic peoples by way of Norse mythology, and to the tradition of the Wild Hunt, a procession of the dead through the winter night sky sometimes led by Odin. ''Germania'' Regarding the Harii, Tacitus writes in ''Germania'': As for the Harii, quite apart from their strength, which exceeds that of the other tribes I have just listed, they pander to their innate savagery by skill and timing: with black shields and painted bodies, they choose dark nights to fight, and by means of terror and shadow of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, (; non, Ragnarǫk) is a series of events, including a great battle, foretelling the death of numerous great figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdallr, and Loki), natural disasters, and the submersion of the world in water. After these events, the world will rise again, cleansed and fertile, the surviving and returning gods will meet and the world will be repopulated by two human survivors. is an important event in Norse mythology and has been the subject of scholarly discourse and theory in the history of Germanic studies. The event is attested primarily in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In the ''Prose Edda'' and in a single poem in the ''Poetic Edda'', the event is referred to as (), a usage popularised by 19th-century composer Richard Wagner with the title of the last of his ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eiríksmál
Eiríksmál is a skaldic poem composed c. 954 at the behest of the Norwegian queen Gunnhild in honour of her slain consort Erik Bloodaxe. Only the beginning of the poem is extant. According to Roger of Wendover, Eric, a Viking ruler was betrayed and killed on Stainmore in 954 AD, while on the run and after being expelled from York. Eric had previously been King of Northumbria (c. 947–948 and 952–954) during his more successful days. Structure Although classified as a Skaldic poem since it deals with a historical figure, it is actually anonymous and in the simple fornyrðislag meter, rather than ornate dróttkvætt. It thus has much in common with the poems of the Poetic Edda. The later poem '' Hákonarmál'' appears to be modelled on ''Eiríksmál''.* The poem is cast as a dialogue between Eric, the gods Odin and Bragi, and the legendary hero Sigmund. Translation from Old Norse Based on Finnur Jónsson’s Norse edition, English translation by Wikipedia editors. V ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Valkyrie
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie ("chooser of the slain") is one of a host of female figures who guide souls of the dead to the god Odin's hall Valhalla. There, the deceased warriors become (Old Norse "single (or once) fighters"Orchard (1997:36) and Lindow (2001:104).). When the are not preparing for the events of Ragnarök, the valkyries bear them mead. Valkyries also appear as lovers of heroes and other mortals, where they are sometimes described as the daughters of royalty, sometimes accompanied by ravens and sometimes connected to swans or horses. Valkyries are attested in the '' Poetic Edda'' (a book of poems compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources), the '' Prose Edda'', the (both by Snorri Sturluson) and the (one of the Sagas of Icelanders), all written—or compiled—in the 13th century. They appear throughout the poetry of skalds, in a 14th-century charm, and in various runic inscriptions. The Old English cognate term appears in several Old ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heiðrún
Heiðrún or Heidrun is a goat in Norse mythology, who consumes the foliage of the tree Læraðr and produces mead for the einherjar. She is described in the ''Poetic Edda'' and ''Prose Edda''. ''Prose Edda'' ''Poetic Edda'' In the ''Poetic Edda'' Heiðrún is mentioned twice. She is described in the ''Grímnismál'' in a way similar to Snorri's description. Since Snorri quotes other strophes of ''Grímnismál'' it seems reasonable to assume that he knew this strophe too and used it as his source for his description of Heiðrún. In the ''Hyndluljóð'' the giantess Hyndla (lit. ''bitch/she-dog'') used the term "Heiðrún" to insult the goddess Freyja. Thorpe and some other translators translated the name straight to "she-goat". Etymology The etymology of ''Heiðrún'' remains debatable.Liberman (2016:337–346). Anatoly Liberman suggests that ''Heiðþyrnir'', the name of the lowest heaven in Scandinavian mythology (from ''heið'' "bright sky"), was cut into two, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vafþrúðnir
Vafþrúðnir (Old Norse: ; "mighty weaver"Orchard (1997:170).) is a wise jötunn in Norse mythology. His name comes from ''Vaf'', which means weave or entangle, and ''thrudnir'', which means strong or mighty. Some interpret it to mean "mighty in riddles". Du Chaillu, P. B. (1889). It may be anglicized Vafthruthnir or Vafthrudnir. In the Poetic Edda poem ''Vafþrúðnismál'', Vafþrúðnir acts as (the disguised) Odin's host and opponent in a deadly battle of wits that results in Vafþrúðnir's defeat. Characterization A small portion of Poetic Edda provides some context and description of Vafthrudnir. While contemplating his visit to the giant, Odin's wife Frigg offers a warning for him to be wary of this particular giant because, "Amid all the giants an equal in might, To Vafthruthnir know I none."Vafþrúðnismál, tr. Henry Adams Bellows, at Wikisource At this point however Odin has already insisted, And Vafthruthnir fain would find; fit wisdom old with the giant wise My ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Germanic People
The Germanic peoples were historical groups of people that once occupied Central Europe and Scandinavia during antiquity and into the early Middle Ages. Since the 19th century, they have traditionally been defined by the use of ancient and early medieval Germanic languages and are thus equated at least approximately with Germanic-speaking peoples, although different academic disciplines have their own definitions of what makes someone or something "Germanic". The Romans named the area belonging to North-Central Europe in which Germanic peoples lived ''Germania'', stretching East to West between the Vistula and Rhine rivers and north to south from Southern Scandinavia to the upper Danube. In discussions of the Roman period, the Germanic peoples are sometimes referred to as ''Germani'' or ancient Germans, although many scholars consider the second term problematic since it suggests identity with present-day Germans. The very concept of "Germanic peoples" has become the subj ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hjaðningavíg
Hjaðningavíg (the 'battle of the Heodenings'), the ''legend of Heðinn and Hǫgni'' or the ''Saga of Hild'' is a Germanic heroic legend about a never-ending battle which is documented in ''Sörla þáttr ''Sörla þáttr eða Heðins saga ok Högna'' is a short narrative from the extended version ''Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta''The ''Younger Edda''. Rasmus B. Anderson transl. (1897) Chicago: Scott, Foresman & Co. (1901). found in the ''Fla ...'', '' Ragnarsdrápa'', ''Gesta Danorum'', ''Skíðaríma'' and in ''Skáldskaparmál''. It is also held to appear on the image stone at Stora Hammar on Gotland (see illustration). Moreover, it is alluded to in the Old English poems ''Deor'' and ''Widsið'', and in the Old Norse ''Háttalykill inn forni'', and a version of it survived down to the 18th century in the traditional Norn language ballad "Hildina". An altered version of the saga is found in the Middle High German poem ''Kudrun'', as a prologue to the story of Kudrun herse ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wild Hunt
The Wild Hunt is a folklore motif (Motif E501 in Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature) that occurs in the folklore of various northern European cultures. Wild Hunts typically involve a chase led by a mythological figure escorted by a ghostly or supernatural group of hunters engaged in pursuit. The leader of the hunt is often a named figure associated with Odin in Germanic legends, but may variously be a historical or legendary figure like Theodoric the Great, the Danish king , the Welsh psychopomp , biblical figures such as Herod, Cain, Gabriel, or the Devil, or an unidentified lost soul or spirit either male or female. The hunters are generally the souls of the dead or ghostly dogs, sometimes fairies, valkyries, or elves. Seeing the Wild Hunt was thought to forebode some catastrophe such as war or plague, or at best the death of the one who witnessed it. People encountering the Hunt might also be abducted to the underworld or the fairy kingdom. In some instance ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
