The Religion of Ancient ScandinaviaCraigie, William A. (William Alexander), Sir
History
The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia
Craigie, William A. (William Alexander), Sir
Mythology, Norse
The worship of Njörd in Sweden and Norway is implied in the fact that
places named after him are found in certain parts of these countries.
When he is mentioned in the Icelandic writings, it is usually in
conjunction with Frey. The practice of drinking the second toast to
Njörd and Frey 'for peace and plenty' has been already mentioned. In
the old heathen form of oath, taken by suitors and others at the legal
assemblies, the deities invoked were 'Frey and Njörd and the Almighty
God' (probably Thor). The two names are also combined by Egil in a
verse (of 934) in which he prays that Frey and Njörd may be angry with
King Eirík, while in one of his poems (about 962) he refers to them
as the givers of wealth. With this may be compared the proverbial
expression 'as rich as Njörd,' which occurs in old Icelandic. In one of
Hallfred's verses (of 996) Frey and Njörd, Odin, Thor, and Freyja, are
all mentioned together in contrast with God and Christ: in another (of
the same time) the poet says, 'I am forced away from Njörd's offspring
and made to pray to Christ.' These passages are sufficient to show that
the cult of Njörd was closely connected with that of Frey, and make it
probable that he was a deity of some importance even in the popular
religion, but at best he remains a somewhat vague figure among the
Scandinavian gods.
Of the remaining gods known to us from the mythology there are only the
faintest traces in the historical sources. Even the original war-god Ty
was so completely supplanted by Odin, that no distinct evidence is to
be found for his worship in any part of Scandinavia, although Snorri
describes him as 'the bravest and stoutest-hearted of the gods,' who
had a great share in deciding the victory in battle; 'on him it is good
for men of valour to call.' His name was, however, retained in poetic
appellations of men (sometimes even of Odin), and was used in the
epithets _tý-hraustr_ for a very brave man, and _tý-spakr_ for a clever
one.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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