CHAP. V.

COSMOGONY AND RELIGION OF SCANDINAVIA.

INTRODUCTION.

THE TWO EDDAS, THE ELDER AND THE YOUNGER, THE POETIC AND THE PROSE.—CONTENTS OF THE FORMER.—DIVISION INTO CLASSES. 1. THE MYSTICAL. 2. THE MYTHIC-DIDACTIC. 3. THE PURELY MYTHOLOGICAL. 4. THE MYTHIC-HISTORICAL.—POEMS OF EACH CLASS.—THE PROSE EDDA.—SNORRO STURLESON.

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Religion of the Pagan Northmen an interesting Subject of Inquiry[30]
The Two Eddas[30]
I. Sæmund, reputed Compiler of the Poetic Edda; its slow Publication[31]
Poems included in the Elder Edda divisible into four Classes[31]
1. The Mystic Class:—
The Voluspa[32]
The Grougaldor[32]
The Magic of Odin similar in many Respects to that of Zoroaster[33]
2. The Mytho-didactic Class:—
The Vafthrudnis-mâl[34]
Grimnis-mâl[34]
Other Pieces of this Class[36]
The Hava-mâl[36]
3. The purely Mythologic Class:—
The Hymis-guida[37]
The Hamars-heimt[37]
The Rafna-galdur Odins[37]
The Skirnirs-for[37]
The Vegtams-Quida[38]
Undoubted Antiquity of the preceding Poems[38]
4. The Mytho-historical Class[38]
II. The Prose or Younger Edda, usually ascribed to Snorro Sturleson[39]
Some Account of that celebrated Man[40]
Sources from which he drew[42]

SECTION I.

THE SCANDINAVIAN UNIVERSE, ITS WORLDS, AND THEIR INHABITANTS IN GENERAL, WITH THE PHYSICAL INTERPRETATION.

CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE.—YMER.—THE GIANTS.—THE GODS.—OTHER BEINGS.—THE NINE WORLDS, WITH THEIR POSITION AND PHYSICAL INTERPRETATION.—THE TWELVE HOUSES OF ASGARD.—SWARTALFAHEIM.—INHABITANTS OF THE NINE WORLDS.—THE ASER.—THE VEVER, ETC.

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Progress of Creation according to that venerable Authority, the Elder Edda[43]
The Waters of Nifleheim flow into the Abyss and freeze[43]
But they are thawed by the Fires of Muspelheim[44]
To the Operation of Cold and Heat on the Waters of Nifleheim must be ascribed the Origin of this visible Universe[44]
Generation of Ymer, the Patriarch of the Frost Giants[44]
Creation of the Cow Andumbla, which calls Burè into Existence[45]
From this new Being, half Deity, half Giant, arose Odin, Vilè, and Vè[45]
Ymer destroyed, and the Universe formed from his Body[45]
Affinities between the Scandinavian and other Systems of Mythology[46]
The Cow, as a Symbol, very generally diffused[47]
Physical Interpretation of the Mythos[47]
Physical Interpretation of another Mythos, the Destruction of Ymer and his Offspring[48]
Notions concerning a Supreme, Eternal Being entertained by the Scandinavians[49]
Creation of other Beings, especially the Dwarfs[50]
Creation of Man[51]
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The Nine Worlds.
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Gimlè and Muspelheim[53]
Midgard and Utgard[53]
Asgard[55]
Divine Residences in Asgard:—
1. Ydale[56]
2. Alfheim[57]
3. Valaskialf[57]
4. Soequabeck[58]
5. Gladsheim[58]
6. Thrymheim[58]
7. Breidablik[59]
8. Himmelbierg[60]
9. Folkvangur[60]
10. Glitner[61]
11. Noatun[61]
12. Landvide[61]
Residences of Odin[62]
Diversions of the Einheriar[62]
Ascent of slain Heroes from Earth to Heaven[63]
Bloodthirsty Character of the Odinists[63]
Swartalfaheim[64]
Residences of the Alfs or Elves[64]
Their Nature according to Thorlacius[64]
Origin of the Word[65]
Universality of the Word[66]
Traditions still rife respecting them[67]
Scandinavian Dwarfs[69]
Two Legends respecting them[70]
Their wondrous Manufactures at the Instance of Loke[70]
Physical Interpretation[72]
Thorston and the Dwarf[73]
Helheim and Nifleheim[74]
The Yggdrasil[75]
Explanation of this Mythos[77]
Races which inhabited the Scandinavian Universe[78]
Were the Aser Gods, or Mortals only, or deified Mortals?[79]
Some Reasons for the Inference that Odin and his Followers really existed[80]
Hypothesis of two Odins, how far reconcileable with Facts[81]
Did Odin, in his own Case, inculcate the Doctrine of Metempsychosis?[82]
Conclusion that Odin and his Companions actually existed on Earth; but how account for the divine Attributes claimed by them? still more, how account for the extraordinary Diffusion of their Worship?[82]
Their Policy in the North[83]
Two distinct Systems of Religion evidently prevalent in the North,—the Native and the Foreign,—that of Thor, and that of Odin[84]
And also two distinct Systems of Magic[85]
Another Argument for this Distinction[86]
Progress of Odin and his Companions towards Deification[88]
Geographical Position of the Aser and Vanir led to their celestial Location[89]
The Union of two Systems—the Native and the Foreign, the Finnish and the Gothic—every where discernible in the Eddas[91]