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Norse Mythology

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E

Edmond Dantès

Dantès the White
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A thread to discuss one of the greatest of all the ancient lores and one of the main sources of inspiration behind many modern day fantasy stories, not to mention the likes of Tolkien.


Key books to read

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Read: Poetic Edda
Read: Prose Edda
Read: Völsunga saga

The Sagas are split into categories:

Kings' Sagas
The older version of Íslendingabók by Ari fróði, ca. 1125, lost.
Hryggjarstykki by Eiríkr Oddsson, ca. 1150, lost.
Historia Norvegiæ, ca. 1170.
Historia de Antiquitate Regum Norwagiensium by Theodoricus monachus, ca. 1180.
Skjöldunga saga, ca. 1180, badly preserved.
Oldest Saga of St. Olaf, ca. 1190, mostly lost.
Ágrip af Nóregskonungasögum, ca. 1190.
A Latin Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar by Oddr Snorrason, ca. 1190, survives in translation.
A Latin Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar by Gunnlaugr Leifsson, ca. 1195, lost.
Sverris saga, by Karl Jónsson, ca. 1205.
Legendary Saga of St. Olaf, ca. 1210.
Morkinskinna, ca. 1220 but before Fagrskinna.
Fagrskinna, ca. 1220.
Óláfs saga helga by Styrmir Kárason, ca. 1220, mostly lost.
Böglunga sögur, ca. 1225.
Separate Saga of St. Olaf, by Snorri Sturluson, ca. 1225.
Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson, ca. 1230.
Knýtlinga saga, probably by Ólafr Þórðarson, ca. 1260.
Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar, by Sturla Þórðarson, ca. 1265.
Magnúss saga lagabœtis, by Sturla Þórðarson, ca. 1280, only fragments survive.
Hulda-Hrokkinskinna, ca. 1280.
Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta, ca 1300.
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Family Sagas (Sagas of Icelanders)
Bandamanna saga
Bárðar saga Snæfellsáss
Bjarnar saga Hítdœlakappa
Brennu-Njáls saga - considered by some the greatest of Icelandic prose sagas
Droplaugarsona saga
Egils saga Skalla-Grímssonar - tells of the adventures of Egill Skalla-Grímsson, the warrior-poet and adventurer
Eiríks saga rauða
Eyrbyggja saga
Færeyinga saga
Finnboga saga ramma
Fljótsdæla saga
Flóamanna saga
Fóstbrœðra saga (two versions)
Gísla saga Súrssonar, (two versions) of an outlaw poet.
Grettis saga
Grœnlendinga saga
Gull-Þóris saga
Gunnars saga Keldugnúpsfífls
Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu
Hallfreðar saga (two versions)
Harðar saga ok Hólmverja
Hávarðar saga Ísfirðings
Heiðarvíga saga
Hrafnkels saga
Hrana saga hrings (post-medieval)
Hænsna-Þóris saga
Kjalnesinga saga
Kormáks saga
Króka-Refs saga
Laurentius Saga
Laxdæla saga
Ljósvetninga saga (three versions)
Njáls saga
Reykdœla saga ok Víga-Skútu
Svarfdœla saga
Valla-Ljóts saga
Vatnsdœla saga
Víga-Glúms saga
Víglundar saga
Vápnfirðinga saga
Þorsteins saga hvíta
Þorsteins saga Síðu-Hallssonar
Þórðar saga hreðu
Ölkofra saga
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Legendary saga (Fornaldarsaga)
Áns saga bogsveigis
Ásmundar saga kappabana - A saga based on the German Lay of Hildebrand.
Bósa saga ok Herrauðs - like Beowulf it has Geatish heroes.
Egils saga einhenda ok Ásmundar berserkjabana
Eireks saga víðförla
Frá Fornjóti ok hans ættmönnum
Friðþjófs saga ins frœkna
Gautreks saga
Gríms saga loðinkinna
Göngu-Hrólfs saga
Hálfdanar saga Brönufóstra
Hálfdanar saga Eysteinssonar
Hálfs saga ok Hálfsrekka - A Norwegian legend, the hero of which is compared to Hrólf Kraki.
Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks - a saga which may be of Swedish origin containing Swedish, Geatish and Gothic heroes. This saga still serves as a source for Swedish historians.
Hjálmþés saga ok Ölvis
Hrólfs saga Gautrekssonar - A saga about a Swedish warrior princess who is won by a Geatish prince.
Hrólfs saga kraka; A saga which is related to the Old English poem Beowulf.
Hrómundar saga Gripssonar
Illuga saga Gríðarfóstra A saga of the more traditional fairy tale kind, where a young man delivers a troll woman and her beautiful daughter from a curse.
Ketils saga hœngs
Orvar-Odd's saga (two versions)
Ragnars saga loðbrókar (two versions) - We know that the hero of this legend has existed in real life and he conquered Paris and may be the most famous of the Vikings.
Sturlaugs saga starfsama - A prequel to Göngu-Hrólfs Saga.
Sögubrot af fornkonungum - A remnant of a larger work dealing with the Swedish and Danish kings of old.
Sörla saga sterka
Völsunga saga - The Scandinavian version of Nibelungenlied.
Yngvars saga víðförla - A late saga of Swedish origin, which takes place in the 11th century and the historic basis of which is indisputable thanks to the fact that there are corroborating historic sources.
Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar
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Others

Grœnlendinga saga
The þættir
The Sagas of Knights


A list of the Viking Gods

Aegir – beer, gold, hospitality, sea & water.
Baldur – light, wisdom & wisdom.
Bil – destiny & weaving.
Bragi - knowledge.
Eir – healing, medicine & women.
Forseti – justice & peace
Frey – fertility & travel
Freya - fertility, prophecy, sex, sexuality (feminine), war, wealth & weather.
Frigg – fertility, marriage & motherhood,
Fulla/Volla – grain, messenger & virgins.
Gefjon – generosity, prophecy, sea & virgins.
Gna – horses, messenger & travel.
Gullveig – gold & triple goddess
Heimdal – guardian, light & watchman of the gods.
Hel – underworld
Hermod – communication, courage & messenger.
Hlin – consolation & protection of men.
Hod - war.
Hoenir – intelligence, light & silence.
Huldra – song, trees, forests & woodlands.
Idun – youth.
Jord/Fjorgyn – earth.
Kvasir – peace, poetry & wisdom.
Lodur - speech.
Lofn – love, marriage & passion.
Loki – On the day of Ragnarok, Loki’s chains will break and he will lead the giants into battle against the gods.
Magni – strength.
Mimir – wisdom.
Modi – courage.
Nanna -cleanliness, the moon & purification.
Nerthus – earth, peace, poetry, trees, forests & woodlands
Njord – sea & wind.
Norns – destiny & fate.
Odin – god of death, knowledge, poetry, rune magic, travel, war, warriors, & wisdom.
Ran – sea.
Saga – prophecy.
Sif - crops.
Sjofn/Vjofn – harmony, love & marriage.
Skadi – hunting & skiing.
Snotra - gentleness, knowledge, self-discipline & wisdom.
Syn - guardian & justice.
Thor – the life force, lightning, strength, thunder & thunder storms
Tiwaz/Tyr – battle, courage, justice, law, solemn oaths & war.
Ull – hunting & skiing.
Vali - war.
Var - marriage, promises & vows
Ve – speech.
Vidar – freedom, independence & strength.
Vili - will.
Vor – contracts, faith, insight, marriage, promises & vows, self-discipline & wisdom.


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M

Majine

Banned
I think its a shame that I as a scandinavian wasn't properly taught about this stuff in school. It was so cool.
 
J

Jack Scofield

Member
There's a surprising amount of comedy found in The Prose Edda, like when all the gods find out that Baldr is invulnerable, the first thing they do is start chucking a bunch of stuff at him because it's funny to them. Or when Thor kicks a dwarf into the fire because it was annoying him.

They're epic as hell, too, with Ragnarok and gods killing each other. Makes me want to read it again. It's sitting on my bookshelf.
 
L

Lyonaz

Member
Yeah I love Norse Mythology. Will try those books you recommended.

I´ve bought The Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland which GAF recommended in the previous thread some time ago.
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A

AngmarsKing701

Member
I'm reading The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell right now. Interesting to see the gods of the Danes clashing with the growth of Christianity.

Still think Christianity is a simpler form of all the pagan religions. Someone basically said "I can't remember all these fucking gods's names! I'm piss drunk. Which fucker is supposed to help me get laid and not get my throat slit?" and decided to screw it all and say "hey, one god, everyone else is an angel, and Loki is Lucifer."
 
T

TimeEffect

Member
Totally want to see a game made on this and Hinduism.

Santa Monica Studios should retire Kratos' myth and explore elsewhere

Edit:

Ohh, Guerilla Games may have some natural insight
 
A

Avixph

Member
I like the story of Loki was trying to prank someone by shape shifting into a horse but then gets rapped by a another horse.
 
A

archnemesis

Member
Majine said:
I think its a shame that I as a scandinavian wasn't properly taught about this stuff in school. It was so cool.
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There is nothing preventing you from taking a course in the subject now. Schools can't teach you everything and understanding the current world religions is more important.
 
Soodanim

Soodanim

Gold Member
I think all of my 'knowledge' on the subject comes from Marvel and The Almighty Johnsons.

I'd with those that want to see God of War cross over into Norse mythology - it would make for some great games.
 
W

Witchfinder General

punched Wheelchair Mike
Lyonaz said:
Yeah I love Norse Mythology. Will try those books you recommended.

I´ve bought The Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland which GAF recommended in the previous thread some time ago.
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Awesome, awesome book. Actually now that I think about it I may have been the one to recommend it.


God, I love Norse Mythology.

Where the hell is my epic Norse myth movie trilogy/TV series? It just writes itself.

EDIT: It also cracks me up that Thor, the most recognisable Norse god and one depicted as being the epitome of masculinity was amongst other things a representation of fertility and that his hammer was actually a phallic symbol. Oh, and the whole "god of thunder" thing stems from the noise made by the hooves of his goat-drawn carriage.
 
Trojita

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
It should be noted that most of the days of the week we still use were taken from Norse Mythology.

Though some are still up to debate.

Tyr's Day - Tuesday
Odin / Woden / Wodan's Day - Wednesday
Thor's Day - Thursday
Freyja's Day or Frey's Day - Friday
 
P

Peru

Member
Trojita said:
It should be noted that most of the days of the week we still use were taken from Norse Mythology.

Though some are still up to debate.

Tyr's Day - Tuesday
Odin / Woden / Wodan's Day - Wednesday
Thor's Day - Thursday
Freyja's Day or Frey's Day - Friday
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So many English words, central words, basic building blocks of the language, come from old norse.
 
P

-PXG-

Member
Is there a good Norse encyclopedia out there. Something that is the equivalent to the Edith Hamilton Greek mythology book.
 
K

KingofGourds

Member
Great thread. My only knowledge of Norse Mythology comes from Marvel's Thor and The Thirteenth Warrior - so I guess I could say I know bugger all.

Subscribed!
 
J

Jhriad

Member
Edmond Dantès;47449380 said:
A list of the VikingGermanic Gods
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Fixed for accuracy.

EDIT: Viking is a term specific to a particular group of individuals in a specific period whereas most of those deities are common to all Germanic peoples. While most of them are still commonly associated with Scandinavia that's almost certainly because that's where they remain prevalent the longest.
 
G

GManDH

Member
the reason i enjoy roman mythology so much is because they have so many stories explaining why the world is the way it is. is norse the same?
 
E

Edmond Dantès

Dantès the White
The Nine Worlds.

Asgard: Home of the Gods
In the middle of the world, high up in the sky was Asgard. It was the home of the gods and goddesses in Norse Mythology. The male gods in Asgard, was called Aesir, and the female gods was called Asynjur. Odin was the ruler of Asgard, and the chief of the Aesir. Odin was married to Frigg; she was the Queen of the Aesir. Inside the gates of Asgard was Valhalla; it was the place where the Vikings that died in battle would go for the afterlife.
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Vanaheim: Home of the Vanir
Vanaheim was the home of the Vanir gods. The Vanir gods was an old branch of gods. The Vanir were masters of sorcery and magic. They are also widely acknowledged for their talent to predict the future. Nobody knows where the land, Vanaheim lies, or even how it looks like. When the war between the Aesir and the Vanir ended, three of the Vanir came to live in Asgard, Njord and his children Freya and Freyr.
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Alfheim: Home of the Light Elves
Alfheim was right next to Asgard in the heaven. The Light Elves were beautiful creatures. They were considered the “guardian angels” The god Freyr, were the ruler of Alfheim. The Light elves were minor gods of nature and fertility; they could help or hinder humans with their knowledge of magical powers. They also often delivered an inspiration to art or music.
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Midgard: Home of the Humans
Midgard “middle earth” were located in the middle of the world, below Asgard. Midgard and Asgard was connected by Bifrost the Rainbow Bridge. Midgard was surrounded by a huge ocean that was impassable. The Ocean was occupied by a huge sea serpent, the Midgard Serpent. The Midgard serpent was so huge that he encircles the world entirely, and biting his own tail. Odin and his two brothers Vili and Ve, created the humans from an Ash log, the man and from an elm log, the woman.
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Jotunheim: Home of the Giants
Jotunheim was the home of the jotuns, and the giants. They were the sworn enemies of the Aesir. Jotunheim consisted mostly of rocks, wilderness and dense forests, so the giants lived from the fish in the rivers, and the animals in the forest, because there was no fertile land in Jotunheim. The whole world was created from the corpse of the first Jotun, named Ymir. It was Odin and his brothers Vili and Ve, who killed Ymir.

The Jotuns and the Aesir were constantly fighting, but it also happened from time to time, that love affairs could occur. Odin, Thor and a few others, had lovers who were Jotuns. Loki also came from Jotunheim, but he was accepted by the Aesir and lived in Asgard. Jotunheim was separated from Asgard by the river Iving, which never freezes over. It lies in the snowy regions on the outermost shores of the ocean. Mimir's well of wisdom is in Jotunheim, beneath the Midgard root of the ash tree Yggdrasil. The stronghold of Utgard was so big that it was hard to see the top of it. And there the feared Jotun king Utgard-Loki lived. Utgard was carved from blocks of snow and glistening icicles.
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Svartalfheim: Home of the Dark Elves
Svartalfheim was the home of the dark elves. The dark elves hated the sun so they lived in the murky underground. They were hideous and could be a great pain in the neck to the humans many described them as being extreme annoying. The dark elves were nothing but trouble. Many thought that dark elves were also responsible for nightmares. These dark elves were called mare. A mare would sit on a sleeping person’s chest and whisper bad dreams to haunt the person. A mare could also haunt animals, particularly horses. The dark elves could not be exposed to the sun, if they got touched by the beams of light from the sun, they would instantly turn into stones.
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Nidavellir: Home of the Dwarves
The dwarves lived under the rocks, in caves and underground, at a place called Nidavellir. Hreidmar was the king of Nidavellir,  Nidavellir means Dark fields. The dwarves were masters of craftsmanship. The gods of Asgard, the Aesir received many powerful gifts. Like Thor's hammer, the magical ring Draupnir and also Gungnir, Odin’s spear.
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Niflheim: World of Fog 
Niflheim “Mist home” was the darkest and coldest region, in Norse Mythology. Niflheim was the first of the nine worlds; Niflheim was located in the northern region of Ginnungagap. In Niflheim there was the eldest of the three wells, called Hvergelmir “bubbling boiling spring” protected by the dragon Nidhug.
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Muspelheim: The Land of Fire
Muspelheim was created far to the south of the world. Muspelheim was a burning hot place, filled with lava, flames, sparks and soot. Muspelheim was the home the of fire giants, fire demons and ruled by the giant Surt. He was a sworn enemy of the Aesir. Surt will ride out with his flaming sword in his hand at Ragnarok “the end of the world” Surt will then attack Asgard, “the home of the gods” and turn it into a flaming inferno.
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Map-of-the-Nine-Worlds.jpg
 
J

Jhriad

Member
Peru said:
So many English words, central words, basic building blocks of the language, come from old norse.
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No, much of the commonly used English language (80-90%) comes from Germanic roots but Old Norse is a different offshoot of the same common Proto-Germanic root language. While Old English shares quite a bit with the Scandanavian Germanic tongues it's because of a common ancestry, not a direct relation from Norse tongues to English.
 
Forsete

Forsete

Member
I call my network Yggdrasil. :p

We didn't get to learn a whole lot about Norse mythology in school. I think we only read about it in 4-5th grade or something.

Quite interesting though, but I have never studied it in great detail. I am more interested in the later part of our history (1100-1900). I remember reading that Sweden (inc. Finland which was conquered in ~11-1200) was among the last nations in Scandinavia to be considered Christian, maybe as late as 1200-1300. Of course the rulers were Christian before that, but not the general population, they still subscribed to the Norse myth.

This old rune stone was discovered in our local church (built ~1120). They used old rune stones when building the church. :(

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You can sometimes find old rune stones in the floors or walls of the old churches.

This is the church.
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P

Peru

Member
Jhriad said:
No, much of the commonly used English language (80-90%) comes from Germanic roots but Old Norse is a different offshoot of the same common Proto-Germanic root language. While Old English shares quite a bit with the Scandanavian Germanic tongues it's because of a common ancestry, not a direct relation from Norse tongues to English.
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I know those pre-date Old Norse, but I'm talking about the significant impact on the English language through the Viking invasion and direct contact.
 
F

Fritz

Member
I only know of Norse Mythology what bleeds in or is shared with German culture (Wagner/Siegrfried and Kriemhild basically). It always sounds cool but it also gets a decidedly national-socialistic aura when you're German.
 
J

Jhriad

Member
Peru said:
I know those pre-date Old Norse, but I'm talking about the significant impact on the English language through the Viking invasion and direct contact.
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I'm not saying there wasn't a significant impact by the Danish invasion/settlement in the 9th century but it didn't contribute nearly as much to the actual vocabulary as your previous post would suggest. The vast majority of English words are directly related to Old English(or rather their common Germanic ancestry) rather than Old Norse (the language spoken by the Danish invaders/settlers). Latin/French had a far greater impact on the language than Old Norse and the short period of Danelaw.

EDIT: Went ahead and added an explanation as to why 'Viking' is incorrect in my earlier post.
 
B

Blue Ninja

Member
Edmond Dantès;47464741 said:
Larrington's translation is good for first time readers of the Edda.


Personally, I prefer Ursula Dronke's translations, but her books are very hard to come by.
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I'll stick to that one first, then. Thanks Edmond!
 
G

Grassclipper

Member
I remember reading a lot about this when I was growing up. Kind of just stopped, maybe I should try to start it up again. My favorite tales that I can remember is where Baldur was granted immortality from everything but a mistletoe, which Loki used to kill him. I also had a a Mjolnir-necklace when I was younger. Really liked that one.
 
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