Northern Antiquities/An Idea of the more Ancient Edda

by Paul Henri Mallet

AN

IDEA

OF THE

MORE ANCIENT

EDDA.

IT is now time to describe what remains of the former Edda, compiled by Soemund, surnamed the Learned, more than an hundred years before that of Snorro. It was a collection of very ancient poems, which had for their subject some article of the Religion and Morality of Odin. The share that Sæmund had in them, was probably no more than that of first collecting and committing them to writing. This collection is at present considered as lost, excepting only three pieces, which I shall describe below: But some people have, not without good reason, imagined that this ancient Edda, or at least the greatest part of it, is still preserved. It were to be wished, that the possessors of such a treasure could be induced to esteem the communication of it to the world, the greatest advantage they can reap from it; and they are now urged, in the name of the public, to this generous action. Be that as it may, the admirers of the antiquities of the north have, in the fragments of this work, which may be seen and consulted, sufficient to reward their researches. The remainder is probably less interesting; and this may perhaps have been the cause of its being consigned to oblivion.

THE first of these pieces is that which I have so often quoted under the title of Voluspa; a word which signifies the Oracle, or the Prophesy of Vola. It is well known, that there were among the Celtic nations, women who foretold future events, uttered oracles, and maintained a strict commerce with the Divinity. Tacitus makes frequent mention of one of them, named Velleda, who was in high repute among the Bructeri, a people of Germany, and who was afterwards carried to Rome. There was one in Italy, whose name had a still nearer affinity to this of Vola, viz. that Sibyl, whom Horace (Epod. V.) calls Ariminensis Folia. Vola or Folia might perhaps be a general name for all the women of this kind. As these names are evidently connected with the idea of Folly or Madness, they would at least be due to those enthusiastick ravings and mad contortions with which such women delivered their pretended oracles. The word Fol bore the same meaning in the ancient Gothic, as it does in French, English, and in almost all the languages of the north; in all which it signifies either a Fool or a Madman^[1].

This Poem attributed to the Sibyl of the north, contains within the compass of two or three hundred lines, that whole system of Mythology, which we have seen disclosed in the Edda; but this laconic brevity, and the obsoleteness of the language in which it is written, make it very difficult to be understood. This, however, does not prevent us from observing frequent instances of grandeur and sublimity, and many images extremely fine: then the general tenor of the work, the want of connection, and the confusion of the style, excite the idea of a very remote antiquity, no less than the matter and subject itself. Such were, doubtless, the real Sibylline verses so long preserved at Rome, and so ill counterfeited afterwards. The Poem of the Voluspa is perhaps the only monument now remaining, capable of giving us a true idea of them.

I need not here quote any passages from this Poem: the text of the Edda, is (as we have seen) quite full of them: and I have given pretty long extracts from it in my Remarks. It is sufficient briefly to observe, that the Prophetess having imposed silence on all intellectual beings, declares, that she is going to reveal the decrees of the Father of Nature, the actions and operations of the Gods, which no person ever knew before herself. She then begins with a description of the chaos; and proceeds to the formation of the world, and of that of its various species of inhabitants, Giants, Men and Dwarfs. She then explains the employments of the Fairies or Destinies; the functions of the Gods, their most remarkable adventures, their quarrels with Loke, and the vengeance that ensued. At last, she concludes with a long description of the final state of the universe, its dissolution and conflagration: the battle of the inferior Deities and the Evil Beings: the renovation of the world: the happy lot of the good, and the punishment of the wicked.

THAT Poem is followed by another no less deserving of regard. It made part of the Edda of Soemund; and, in point of antiquity, does not yield to the Voluspa: this is called Havamaal, or “The Sublime Discourse of Odin,” and is attributed to that God himself, who is supposed to have given these precepts of wisdom to mankind. This piece is the only one of the kind now in the world. We have, directly from the ‘ancient’ Scythians^[2] themselves, no other monument on the subject of their morality: whatever we know from any other quarter on this article, being imperfect, corrupted and uncertain. Thus this moral system of Odin’s may, in some measure, supply the loss of the maxims which Zamolxis, Dicenæus, and Anacharsis gave to their Scythian countrymen: maxims which those sages pretended to have derived from heaven, and which were frequently the envy of the Greek Philosophers.

The Havamaal, or Sublime Discourse, is comprised in about one hundred and twenty stanzas. There are very few which are not good and sensible; but as some of them contain only common truths, and others, allusions which it would be tedious and difficult to explain, I shall give only the following extracts, assuring the Reader anew, that he will find them translated with the most scrupulous exactness.

“CONSIDER^[3] and examine well all your doors, before you venture to stir abroad: for he is exposed to continual danger, whose enemies lie in ambush concealed in his court.

“To the guest, who enters your dwelling with frozen knees, give the warmth of your fire: he who hath travelled over the mountains hath need of food, and well-dried garments.

“Offer water to him who sits down at your table: for he hath occasion to cleanse his hands: and entertain him honourably and kindly, if you would win from him friendly words, and a grateful return.

“He who travelleth hath need of wisdom. One may do at home whatsoever one will; but he who is ignorant of good manners, will only draw contempt upon himself, when he comes to sit down with men well instructed.

“He who goes to a feast, where he is not expected, either speaks with a lowly voice or is silent: he listens with his ears, and is attentive with his eyes: by this he acquires knowlege and wisdom.

“Happy he, who draws upon himself the applause and benevolence of men! for whatever depends upon the will of others, is hazardous and uncertain.

“A man can carry with him no better provision for his journey than the strength of Understanding. In a foreign country, this will be of more use to him than treasures: and will introduce him to the table of strangers.

“There is nothing more useless to the sons of the age, than to drink too much Ale: the more the drunkard swallows, the less is his wisdom, till he loses his reason. The bird of oblivion sings before those who inebriate themselves, and steals away their souls.

“A coward thinks he shall live for ever, if he can but keep out of the reach of arms: but though he should escape every weapon, old age, that spares none, will give him no quarter.

“The gluttonous man, if he is not upon his guard, eats his own death: and the gluttony of a fool makes the wise man laugh.

“The flocks know when to return to the fold, and to quit the pasture: but the worthless and slothful know not how to restrain their gluttony.

“The lewd and dissolute man makes a mock of every thing: not considering how much he himself is the object of derision. No one ought to laugh at another, until he is free from faults himself.

“A man void of sense, ponders all night long, and his mind wanders without ceasing: but when he is weary at the point of day, he is nothing wiser than he was over-night.

“He thinks he is profoundly knowing; being indeed most superficial and shallow. But he knows not how to sing an answer, when men pose him with a difficult question^[4].

“Many are thought to be knit in the tyes of sincere kindness: but when it comes to the proof, how much are they deceived. Slander is the common vice of the age. Even the host back-bites his guest.

“One's own home is the best home, though never so small^[5]. Every thing one eats at home is sweet. He who lives at another man’s table is often obliged to wrong his palate.

“I have never yet found a man so generous and munificent, as that to receive at his house was not to receive: nor any so free and liberal of his gifts, as to reject a present when it was returned to him.

“Let friends pleasure each other reciprocally by presents of arms and habits. Those who give and those who receive, continue a long time friends, and often give feasts to each other.

“Love both your friends, and your friends friends: but do not favour the friend of your enemies.

“Peace, among the perfidious continues, for five nights, to shine bright as a flame: but when the sixth night approaches, the flame waxes dim, and is quite extinguished: then all their amity turns to hatred.

“When I was young I wandered about alone: I thought myself rich if I chanced to light upon a companion. A man gives pleasure to another man.

“Let not a man be over wise, neither let him be more curious than he ought. Let him not seek to know his destiny, if he would sleep secure and quiet.

“Rise early, if you would enrich yourself, or vanquish an enemy. The sleeping wolf gains not the prey; neither the drowsy man the victory.

“They invite me up and down to feasts, if I have only need of a slight breakfast: my faithful friend is he who will give me one loaf when he has but two.

Whilst we live, let us live well: for be a man never so rich, when he lights his fire, Death may perhaps enter his door, before it be burnt out.

“It is better to have a son late than never. One seldom sees sepulchral stones raised over the graves of the dead, by any other hands but those of their own offspring.

“Riches pass away like the twinkling of an eye: of all friends they are the most inconstant. Flocks perish; relations die; friends are not immortal; you will die yourself: but I know one thing alone that, is out of the reach of fate: and that is the judgment which is passed upon the dead.

“Let not the wisest be imperious, but modest: for he will find by experience, that when he is among those that are powerful, he is not the most mighty.

“Praise the fineness of the day, when it is ended; praise a woman, when you have known her; a sword, when you have proved it; a maiden, after she is married; the ice, when once you have crossed it^[6]; and the liquor after it is drunk.

“Trust not to the words of a girl; neither to those which a woman utters; for their hearts have been made like the wheel that turns round; levity was put into their bosoms.

“Trust not to the ice of one day’s freezing; neither to the Serpent who lies asleep; nor to the caresses of her you are going to marry; nor to a sword that is cracked or broken; nor to the son of a powerful man; nor to a field that is newly sown.

“Peace between malicious women is compared to a horse who is made to walk over the ice not properly shod; or to a vessel in a storm, without a rudder; or to a lame man who should attempt to follow the mountain-goats with a young foal, or yearling mule.

“He who would make himself beloved by a maiden, must entertain her with fine discourses, and offer her engaging presents: he must also incessantly praise her beauty. It requires good sense to be a skilful lover.

“There is no malady or sickness more severe, than not to be content with ones lot.

“The heart alone knows what passes within the heart: and that which betrays the soul is the soul itself.

“If you would bend your mistress to your passion, you must only go by night to see her. When a thing is known to a third person, it never succeeds.

“Seek not to seduce another’s wife with the alluring charms of Runic incantations.

“Be humane and gentle to those you meet travelling in the mountains, or on the sea.

“He who hath a good supper in his travelling wallet, rejoices himself at the approach of night.

“Never discover your uneasiness to an evil person, for he will afford you no comfort.

“Know, that if you have a friend, you ought to visit him often. The road is grown over with grass, the bushes quickly spread over it, if it is not constantly travelled.

“Be not the first to break with your friend. Sorrow gnaws the heart of him who hath no one to advise with but himself.

“Obsequiousness produces friends: but it is vile indeed to flatter ones own self.

“Have never three words of dispute with the wicked. The good will often yield up a point, when the wicked is enraged and swollen with pride. Nevertheless, it is dangerous to be silent, when you are reproached with having the heart of a woman; for then you would be taken for a coward.

“I advise you, be circumspect, but not too much: be so, however, when you have drunk to excess; when you are near the wife of another; and when you find yourself among robbers.

“Do not accustom yourself to mocking; neither laugh at your guest, or a stranger: they who remain at home, often know not who the stranger is that cometh to their gate.

“Where is there to be found a virtuous man without some failing? or one so wicked as to have no good quality?

“Laugh not at the gray-headed declaimer, nor at thy aged grandfire. There often come forth from the wrinkles of the skin, words full of wisdom.

“The fire drives away diseases: the oak expels the stranguary: straws dissolve inchantments^[7]: Runic characters destroy the effect of imprecations: the earth swallows up inundations; and death extinguishes hatred and quarrels.”

THESE Fragments of the Ancient Edda are followed, in the Edition of Resenius, by a little Poem called, The Runic Chapter, or the Magic of Odin. I have before observed, that the Conqueror, who usurped this name, attributed to himself the invention of Letters; of which, they had not probably any idea in Scandinavia before his time. But although this noble art is sufficiently wonderful in itself, to attract the veneration of an ignorant people towards the teacher of it: yet Odin caused it to be regarded as the Art of Magic by way of excellence, the art of working all sorts of miracles: whether it was that this new piece of fallacy was subservient to his ambition, or whether he himself was barbarous enough to think there was something supernatural in writing. He speaks, at least in the following Poem, like a man who would make it so believed.

“Do you know (says he) how to engrave Runic characters? how to explain them? how to procure them? how to prove their virtue?” He then goes on to enumerate the wonders he could perform, either by means of these letters, or by the operations of poetry.

“^[8]I am possessed of songs: such as neither the spouse of a king, nor any son of man can repeat; one of them is called the Helper: it will help thee at thy need, in sickness, grief and all adversities.

“I know a Song, which the sons of men ought to sing, if they would become skilful physicians.

“^[9]I know a Song, by which I soften and inchant the arms of my enemies; and render their weapons of none effect.

“I know a Song, which I need only to sing when men have loaded me with bonds; for the moment I sing it, my chains fall in pieces, and I walk forth at liberty.

“I know a Song, useful to all mankind; for as soon as hatred inflames the sons of men, the moment I sing it they are appeased.

“I know a Song, of such virtue, that were I caught in a storm, I can hush the winds, and render the air perfectly calm.”

One may remark upon this last prerogative of the verses known to Odin, that among all the ‘Gothic and’ Celtic nations, the Magicians claimed a power over the Winds and Tempests. Pomponius Mela tells us, that in an island on the coast of Bretagne (he probably means the Isle of Saints, opposite to Brest) there were priestesses, separated from the rest of the people, who were regarded as the Goddesses of Navigation, because they had the winds and tempests at their disposal. There are penal statutes in the Capitularies of Charlemagne, in the canons of several councils, and in the ancient laws of Norway, against such as raise storms and tempests; Tempestarii is the name there given them. There were formerly of these impostors on the coasts of Norway, as there are at present on those of Lapland, to whom fear and superstition were long tributary. Hence silly travellers have, with much gravity, given us ridiculous accounts of witches who sold wind to the sailors in those seas. It is no less true, that the very Norwegian fishermen would long since have forgotten that so foolish an opinion had ever existed, if foreign mariners, who were not disabused like them, did not often come to buy their wind of them, and pay them money for being the objects of their ridicule.

The Missionaries and first Bishops, were early in their endeavours to root out this pernicious weed from the soil where they wished to plant the Gospel. They attacked the Pagan religion with all sorts of weapons. As they were often so credulous as to believe the false miracles of Paganism, they were weak enough to oppose them with others, that were no whit better, except in the purity of the intention. In an old Icelandic Chronicle^[10], we meet with a bishop laying a storm with Holy-water, and some other ceremonies.——But to proceed on with the discourse of Odin:

“When I see, says he, Magicians travelling through the air, I disconcert them by a single lock, and force them to abandon their enterprize.” He had. before spoken of these aerial travellers.

“^[11]If I see a man dead, and hanging aloft on a tree, I engrave Runic characters so wonderful, that the man immediately descends and converses with me.”

By the operation of these Characters, and at other times by Verses, Odin had frequently raised the dead. There is a very ancient Ode preserved to us by Bartholin^[12], wherein this Deity causes a Prophetess, whom he wanted to consult, to rise from her tomb. The beginning of this Ode may serve to give us an idea what kind of Magic Poetry it was, which ‘the northern^[13]’ nations were heretofore possessed of.

“ODIN, the sovereign of men arises: he saddles his horse Sleipner; he mounts, and is conveyed to the subterraneous abode of Hela (i. e. Death.)

“The Dog who guards the gates of Death meets him. His breast and his jaws are stained with blood; he opens his voracious mouth to bite, and barks a long time at the father of Magic.

“Odin pursues his way; his horse causes the infernal caverns to resound and tremble: at length he reaches the deep abode of Death, and stops near to the eastern gate, where stands the tomb of the Prophetess.

“He sings to her verses adapted to call up the dead. He looks towards the north; he engraves Runic characters on her tomb; he utters mysterious words; he demands an answer: until the Prophetess is constrained to arise, and thus utters the words of the dead.

“WHO is this unknown that dares disturb my repose, and drag me from my grave, wherein I have lien dead so long, all covered with snow, and moistened with the rains, &c.”

The other prodigies, which Odin in the Runic Chapter boasts he has the power of performing, are not of less importance.

“^[14]IF I will that a man should neither fall in battle, nor perish by the sword, I sprinkle him over with water at the instant of his birth.” We may here recollect what I have said in the former Volume concerning the baptism of the people of the north, while they were yet Pagans^[15].

“If I will, I can explain the nature of all the different species of Men, of Genii, and of Gods. None but the wise can know all their differences.

“^[16]If I aspire to the love and the favour of the chastest virgin, I can bend the mind of the snowy-armed maiden, and make her yield wholly to my desires.

“I know a secret, which I will never lose; it is to render myself always beloved by my mistress.

“But I know one which I will never impart to any female, except my own sister, or to her whom I hold in my arms. Whatever is known only to one’s self, is always of very great value.”

After this, the Author concludes with exclamations on the beauty of the things he has been describing.

“NOW, says he, have I sung in my august abode, my sublime verses; which are both necessary to the sons of men, and useless to the sons of men. Blessed be he who hath sung them! Blessed be he who hath understood them! May they profit him, who hath retained them! blessed be they, who have lent an ear to them!”

The End of the EDDA.

1. Fool, (antiq. Fol) Stultus, delirus, fatuus, rationis expers. Gallicè Fol. Islandice Fol, ferox, iracundus, fatuus insipiens. Folska, Stultitia. Ang. Folly: Gall. Folie. Hinc forsan Ital. Fola, Ineptiæ, nugæ, quid vanum, fatuum fabulosum, &c. Inde verbum Folare, Ineptias, aut stultas & inanes fabulas recitare, nugas venditare. Hickes, in Junij Etymolog. a Lye Edit. T.
2. Des Celtes & des Scythes. Fr.
3. In translating the following maxims from the French, I occasionally consulted a MS copy of Resenius’s Latin Version, and have in some few passages, where the French seemed not to be sufficiently explicit, been determined by the latter; from which I have also supplied a few omissions. But not being able to procure the original, I have, in all other instances, chosen to follow M. Mallet’s Translation, though it differs extremely from that of Resenius: As presuming that M. Mallet had good authority for every deviation. See the Introduction to this Volume. T.
4. Alluding to the Ænigmas and Riddles which it was usual to propose as a trial of wit. See many of them in the Hervarer Saga. Both the riddle and answer, I believe, was usually sung in the manner of a little catch.
5. This is like our English Proverb, “Home is home, be it never so homely.”
6. This is not unlike the English Proverb, “Praise the Bridge that carries you safe over.” T.
7. Hence probably is derived the custom of laying two straws crosswise in the path where a witch is expected to come.
8. Barthol. p. 658.
9. Ibid. p. 347.
10. K. Oloff Trygguason Saga, c. 33.
11. Barthol. p. 641.
12. Lib. III. cap. 2. p. 632.——The original in Bartholin consists of Fourteen Stanzas, of which M. Mallet has here produced only five. In the following Version, the Latin of Bartholin has been consulted. T.
13. Tous les Peuples Celtes.
14. Barthol. p. 348.
15. Pag. 335.
16. Barthol. p. 658.