[93] It was first published by Resenius in 1665.
[94] By the Æser are understood the Asiatics, who with Odin brought their arts and religion into Scandinavia. This derivation of the word, however, is rather dubious. Though possibly the population and religion of Scandinavia came originally from Asia there seems to be no reason whatever for putting any faith in the legend of Odin. It is not unlikely that the name of their gods, Æser, gave birth to the whole theory. It is remarkable that the ancient Etrurians also should have called the gods Æsar.
[95] So the lötunn or Giant Vafthrudnir to Odin in the Vafthrudnismal.—Strophe vii.
[96] Thorlacius, Noget om Thor og hans Hammer, in the Skandinavisk Museum for 1803.
[97] Thorlacius, ut supra, says the thundering Thor was regarded as particularly inimical to the Skovtrolds, against whom he continually employed his mighty weapon. He thinks that the Bidental of the Romans, and the rites connected with it, seem to suppose a similar superstition, and that in the well-known passage of Horace,
Tu parum castis inimica mittes
Fulmina lucis,
the words parum castis lucis may mean groves or parts of woods, the haunt of unclean spirits or Skovtrolds, satyri lascivi et salaces. The word Trold will be explained below.
[98] The Dark Alfs were probably different from the Duergar, yet the language of the prose Edda is in some places such as to lead to a confusion of them. The following passage, however, seems to be decisive:
Náir, Dvergar
Ok Döck-A'lfar.
Hrafna-Galdr Othins, xxiv. 7.
Ghosts, Dwarfs
And Dark Alfs.