Norse mythology; or, The religion of our forefathers, containing all the myths of the Eddas, systematized and interpretedAnderson, Rasmus Björn
Religion
Norse mythology; or, The religion of our forefathers, containing all the myths of the Eddas, systematized and interpreted
Anderson, Rasmus Björn
Mythology, Norse; Northmen -- Religion; Old Norse literature; Tales, Medieval
There is a semi-mythological Saga called Orvarodd’s Saga. Orvarodd
signifies Arrow-odd; and as this same Arrow-odd is implicated in a large
number of love exploits, it has been suggested that he may be Freyja’s
husband, whose name the reader remembers was Oder, the stem of which is
_od_, and hence we have in the North also not only a _goddess_ of love,
but also a god of love (Cupid), with his arrows!
Freyja’s cats symbolize sly fondling and sensual enjoyment. The name of
her husband, Oder, means sense, understanding, but also wild desire. The
various names bestowed upon Freyja when she travels among the different
nations denote the various modes by which love reveals itself in human
life. The goddesses Sjofn, Lofn, and Var, heretofore mentioned, were
regarded as messengers and attendants of Freyja. Friday (_dies Veneris_)
is named after her. (See page 237.)
SECTION VII. A BRIEF REVIEW.
The lives and exploits of the propitious divinities have now been
presented; and in presenting the myths we have not only given the forces
and phenomena of nature symbolized by the myths, but we have also tried
to bring the mythology down from heaven to the earth, and exhibit the
value it had in the minds of our ancestors. We have tried, as Socrates
did with his philosophy, to show what influence the myths have had upon
the life of our forefathers; in other words, we have tried to put a
kernel into the shell. We have tried to present the mythology, not as
the science and laws by which the universe is governed, but as
something—call it science or what you will—by which to illustrate how
the contemplation of the forces and phenomena of nature have influenced
human thought and action. Language is in its origin nothing but
impressions from nature, which having been revolved for a time in the
human mind find their expression in words. Poetry is in its origin
nothing else but expressions of human thought and feeling called forth
by the contemplation of the wonderful works of God. And this is also
true of mythology.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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