The Viking Age. Volume 1 (of 2): The early history, manners, and customs of the ancestors of the English-speaking nationsDu Chaillu, Paul B. (Paul Belloni)
History
The Viking Age. Volume 1 (of 2): The early history, manners, and customs of the ancestors of the English-speaking nations
“Hár said: ‘Furthermore there is an As called Týr. He is the boldest and
most daring and has much power over victory in battles. It is useful for
valiant men to make vows to him. It is a saying that the one surpassing
others in valour and fearing nothing is Tý-brave. He is so wise that the
wisest man is called Tý-wise. One of the proofs of his daring is this.
When the Asar persuaded the Fenriswolf to allow them to tie it with the
chain Gleipnir, it did not believe that they would untie it till they
laid Týr’s hand into its mouth as a pledge. When they would not untie it
then it bit off his hand at the place now called Wolf-joint (wrist). He
is therefore onehanded and said not to be the reconciler of men.’”
(Later Edda, Gylfaginning, 21).
The Later Edda differs from the Grimnismal in giving the number of gods
or Asar which it mentions. When Gylfi asks how many Asar there are he is
told twelve, and the names of Odin, Höd, and Baldr are omitted from the
list. Only a few of these gods seem to have been of sufficient
prominence to have had sacrifices offered to them, as is seen in the
chapter on Religion, and we cannot depend on the Later Edda for reliable
information concerning them.
“The Asar went to their feast, and the twelve Asar who were to be judges
sat down in the high-seats: their names were—Thór, Njörd, Frey, Týr,
Heimdall, Bragi, Vidar, Vali, Ull, Hœnir, Forseti, Loki” (Later Edda).
The following extract from the Later Edda gives us the names of the
principal goddesses, with their leading characteristics.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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