Poetic Edda Discussion

Out of touch for a while

2011-05-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

I was just browsing through my stuff, and it looks like I haven't actually posted here since about September of 2009. It's been a little while, I guess. It's not that I've forgotten, or lost interest, but time has been less available. I made my last post not too long before leaving my previous job, and joining a company that has kept my brain busy for over a year now. I'm loving my current work, but the fact is that with a job that is keeping me more intellectually engaged, I have less energy to spend on other interests. In addition to that, I'm on the verge of packing up my family and moving the hell out of Utah into an environment that fits us a little bit better. That's going to take up even more of my time until some point in July. So, with all the time I don't have, why am I posting now? I'm taking total advantage of being a couch potato on a Sunday. We've been packing things, showing the house, and doing all the stuff around that, and I'm just tired. I'm gonna sit for a while. Maybe all day.

2009-09-27T13:53:00.000-07:00

Voluspá Discussion XXVII - IXXX

The next several stanzas seem to be another shift in the story. Stanza 27 seems, to me, to be a somewhat awkward transition from the seeress telling the story of the first war to a one on one conversation between her and Odin.

XXVII

Where Heimdall's horn is hid, she knows,

under heaven-touching, holy world-tree;

on it are shed showery falls

from Fjolnir's pledge: know ye further, or how?

In stanza 27 the seeress is boasting a bit about her knowledge. She states, in the third person, that she knows the location of Odin's eye by stating that it lies under the root of Yggdrasil that points towards Niflheim, in Mirmir's well. This story from chapter 15 of the Prose Edda, Gilfiginning, tells how Fjolnir("The Concealor" one of Odin's kennings) desires a drink from Mimir's well because he realizes that drinking from the well will grant him wisdom and wit. Mimir, however, demands a sacrifice before allowing Odin to drink. Odin plucks out his own eye and casts it in to the well. Here we touch back on a previously discussed theme, that of the quest for, or evolution to, enlightenment. While I know nothing of what ritual may or may not be referenced here, we do seem to have a mention of some sort of ritual in which the seeker must give something of himself in order to achieve a higher state of learning. I doubt that there was an abundance of shaman running around plucking out their own eyes, but one can almost see this as being symbolic of the so-called third eye once the initiate has gained the ability to intentionally interact with higher levels of consciousness...the eye is immersed in the well of knowledge.

XXVIII

Alone she sat out when the lord of gods,

Othin the old, her eye did seek:

"What seekest to know, why summon me?

Well know I, Ygg, where they eye is hidden:

in the wondrous well of Mimir;

each morn Mimir his mead doth drink

out of Fjolnir's pledge: know ye further, or how?

In stanza 28 we begin with the seeress "sitting out," or performing a form of magic in which the magician is able to interact with the dead. Odin has gone out and is actively seeking her attention, in that he wants her to share her knowledge. When he finally catches her eye she again shows her visionary prowess by mentioning the previous story and telling him that she knows how Odin came to lose his eye. After sharing an example of the extent of her knowledge she asks if he would like to hear more. We also have another interesting bit to consider. In the above stanza she explicitly states that each morning Mimir drinks the mead of knowledge from the well out of Fjolnir's pledge. We'll remember that Fjolnir is Odin, and the pledge is his eye. As we'll see later, Mimir becomes the source of advice and knowledge for Odin. At the same time Mimir expands his knowledge each day by drinking from the well using Fjolnir's gift, Odin's eye. We can almost imagine a self feeding process in which the seeker of knowledge gives of himself in to the larger and growing sea of knowledge while those who have progressed further on the path of enlightenment gain from the knowledge added by those who seek while at the same time teaching and sharing newly gained knowledge with those seekers. In essence, explaining that knowledge, when shared, is far more than the sum of its individual components.

IXXX

Gave Ygg to her arm rings and gems

for her seeress' sight and soothsaying:

(the fates I fathom, yet farther I see,)

see far and wide the worlds about.

In stanza 29 we see Odin giving payment to the seeress for the service he is requesting. We can see this as a continuation of the previous stanza in that she first offers a sample of the knowledge she has to share. Once Odin is satisfied he offers payment for the services. While there is nothing particularly profound in this act, we can take something of value from this. There is a fairly practical lesson here. For the first part, the seeress provides a sample of her skills before receiving payment. For the second part, Odin receives proof of the value of the goods before offering payment. We would do well to take this to heart.

2009-09-20T18:48:00.001-07:00

Voluspá Discussion XXIV - XXVI

XXIV

His spear had Othin sped o'er the host:

the first of feuds was thus fought in the world;

was broken in battle the breastwork of Asgarth,

fighting Vanir trod the field of battle.

In the first two lines of Stanza 24 we see the first occurrence of the ritual in which Odin throws his spear, Gungnir (The Swaying One), over the battle field, or, more specifically, over the enemy host. According to Hollander, this act dedicates the fallen of the enemy to Odin, almost making the battle itself in to a holy ritual in which the fallen enemy becomes a human sacrifice to the God. This yet again highlights the aspect of Odin as a God of death, and the danger of following too closely where he leads. It also gives some further insight in to the world view of the ancient Norse. No, they weren't all Vikings or warriors, but those who were did have respect within the society...even those who were enemy warriors. There was honor in a battle well fought, even if losses were taken, as is evedenced by the fact that the wall around Asgard fell during this first battle in the world. Clearly the enemy was respected in the fact that those who fell were dedicated to the Allfather. This is a lesson from which we could well learn in this day and age. There is honor in a battle well fought, even if the battle is lost, and even the enemy should be respected as a warrior. One point that leaves me a bit confused is the name of Odin's spear...The Swaying One, Gungnir. Names weren't given without meaning, though I don't quite see what this name could mean.

XXV

Then gathered together the gods for councel,

the holy hosts, and held converse:

who had filled the air with foul treason,

and to uncouth etins Oth's wife given.

Stanza 25 tells us how a deal was struck with an etin to rebuild the wall around Asgard. The betrayel is that one among them, probably Loki, promised Odin's wife to the giant if the wall could be built within the allotted time. Loki often makes such bargains on his own, offering or stealing things he has no right to give in exchange for a service. As the Gods defend what is theirs when the bargain fails, the Æsir often eventually benefit from these bargains. Loki is an interesting character. Not exactly evil, and therefore attempts to equate him with the Christian devil are faulty, but certainly not harmless. Like Odin, he is very dangerous, but where the danger in following Odin lies in the quest for knowledge at all costs and his association with death, the danger in Loki is that he is a creature of pure selfishness. This also highlights an interesting aspect of the Norse world view. This creature, who will eventually bring about the battle of Ragnarok and the fall of the Gods, is not a force of destruction (that role is held by the etins), but rather a force of selfishness. He acts only out of self-interest. His acts that benefit the Gods, and by extension the world of men, come about purely due to the fact that the Gods will not allow what is theirs to be taken by treachery, and in the process of defending what is theirs, gain from the spoils of war.

XXVI

Thewy Thor then overthrew the foe-

he seldom sits when of such he hears:

were sworn oaths broken, and solemn vows,

gods' plighted troth, the pledges given.

In any case, we see Thor acting in his role as the protector of Asgard. As is often the case, Loki's actions have resulted in a danger to the Gods, and Thor moves to protect them. We'll speak more of Thor later, but for now it is enough to know that where Loki is, Thor is never far.

Voluspá Discussion XXI-XXIII

2009-09-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

Voluspá Discussion XXI-XXIII

XXI

I ween the first war in the world was this,

when the gods Gullveig gashed with their spears,

and in the hall of Hár burned her-

three times burned they the thrice reborn,

ever and anon: even now she liveth.

XXII

Heith she was hight where to houses she came,

the wise seeress, and witchcraft plied-

cast spells where she could, cast spells on the mind:

to wicked women she was welcome ever.

Here we have yet another stanza that is referenced many times on the Internet with stories of speculation repeated as fact. Well, the fact is that stanza 21 is the only reference we have to Gullveig, so anything that tells a story of what she did or said is, at best, conjecture, and, at the worst, so much fanciful drivel. Here is what is known.

Her name likely means something along the lines of "Gold Drink" or "Gold Might."

The first war in the world was when the Gods tried with all their might to destroy her, but still she lives "ever and anon: even now she liveth."

Taken in the context of the Voluspá, which is the story of the life cycle of the Gods even unto their deaths, this would seem to indicate that she outlives even them.

Stanza 22 goes so far as to call her a witch, and states that she casts spells of the mind, and that she is welcome to wicked women.

What we have here is not, as some would have us believe, an annoying Goddess of the Vanier who the Æsir decide to kill because she can't stop talking about gold. No, there is no purpose in a story like that, and besides, if talking about gold is annoying enough to kill over, how is it that Loki possibly survived as long as he did? What we have is the spirit of greed and envy taking control of the emotions of the Æsir. They try to control their jealousy of what ever it is that they envy, and the Vanier posses, because it is the Vanier with whom this first war is fought, but the spirit of greed cannot be brought under control, and Gods go to war of that which they covet.

XXIII

Then gathered together the gods for council,

the holy hosts, and held converse:

should the Æsir a truce with tribute buy,

or should all gods share in the feast.

Stanza 23 sheds further light on that which is the source of the greed. The Æsir hold council to determine whether they should "buy" a truce with the Vanier, essentially give the Vanier some item in order to end the war, or should the Æsir give in and allow the Vanier to "share in the feast," the feast which is, as stated by Hollander, the sacrificial feast that is offered up to the Gods by mankind...Share the worship with this other pantheon of gods...

As we can see here, if stanza 21 is to be taken in the context of the following stanzas the mention of Gullveig most likely has nothing to do with some silly tale of gold lust. It is far more likely that after the creation of Ask and Embla, mankind began incorporating worship of the Vanier in to their rituals. Naturally this does make the Æsir jealous because they have already seen their future to an extent, and know that humans are very important to their battle during Ragnarok.

Now, I do have one point that confuses me a little here. It has been my understanding through reading, as well as descriptions of the Gods and Goddesses of the Vanier, that the Vanier tend to be Gods and Goddesses that are more in the domain of nature...For example, Njord, a God of the sea, Frey, a God of, among other things, the harvest and fertility, and his sister Freyja, a Goddess of love and fertility. My question is, can anyone shed light on why the Hollander translation would refer, in the footnotes, to the Vanier as Gods of commerce? I may have missed something.

2009-09-05T12:13:00.000-07:00

Voluspá Discussion IXX:XX

Don't mind the naming and formatting changes. I'll get something I like worked out eventually.

IXX

An ash I know, hight Yggdrasil,

the mighty tree moist with white dews;

thence come the floods that fall adown;

evergreen o'ertops Urth's well this tree.

Yggdrasil - Ygg's (Odin's) horse. We will get to the meaning of this later in the Havamal, but I would like to pause here for just a minute. Here we have a statement that identifies the name of the tree literally as Odin's horse. We know from other stories that the more common name for his horse is Sleipnir, an eight legged grey horse. We can now draw certain comparisons between the tree and the horse. The tree is the link between the nine worlds, which could possibly equate to the eight legs and head (I have a reason for considering the head the ninth link...ask if you care to know), the white dew of the tree, the white foam from the running horse, and the grey hide of the horse, and the fact that both entities are known to have carried Odin in to death. The tree when Odin discovered the runes, and the horse when Odin rode to Hel when trying to understand the reason for Baldur's nightmares. We also have more reinforcement of the possible connection between Heimdal and Yggdrasil in the white dew of the tree, and the white armor of Heimdal. In this we also can't ignore Sleipnir's grey hide. We can also make another loose link between Odin and the possible Heimdal/Yggdrasil/Sleipnir connection. Odin is known as a god of death. Both Sleipnir and Yggdrasil confirm Odin's mastery over death. Heimdal, hoever, is the god who will, with his sounding of Gjallerhorn, announce that Odin is about to succumb to death.

Finally, it is interesting to note that Yggdrasil stands above Urth's (the sister of the Norns having dominion over the past) well, and seems to indicate that the dew from the tree that links the nine worlds, fills the well that shows the past. This seems to show the importance of the past to things as they are now. The cyclic nature of the universe. That which is happening is reflected in our past, and therefore our future can be known by understanding the past.

Thence wise maidens three betake them-

under spreading boughs their bower stands-

[Urth one is hight, the other, Verthandi,

Skuld the third: they scores did cut,]

they laws did make, they lives did choose:

for the children of men they marked their fates.

The third and fourth lines are bracketed as they are in the Hollander translation. They expand and give detail regarding the subjects of the stanza, and were very likely a later addition after the original was written down. This is clear from not only the fact do they reiterate the information conveyed by the rest of the stanza, but their very existence changes the form of the stanza itself.

This stanza again confirms that the Norns live below the nine worlds. The dew of the tree fills the well of the past, the sisters mark the fates of mankind. Again highlighting the link to the past and its influence on the present and future.

For me these two stanzas convey a very clear message. Although our time is linear, we live in a cyclic reality. We establish patterns, and live within those patterns. Our family lines do the same thing as we pass down traditions and behaviors, as do our societies. If we can set aside our ego we can easily recognize these patterns. Once the patterns are recognized one can make fairly accurate predictions of the future, understand what is likely to happen, and if necessary, change behavior to alter the future.

Poetic Edda Voluspá Discussion I:XVII-XVIII

2009-08-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

Voluspá Discussion I:XVII-XVIII

XVII

To the coast then came, kind and mighty,

from the gathered gods three great Æsir;

on the land they found, of little strength,

Ask and Embla, unfated yet.

The three gods encounter Ask and Embla. Ask, the Ash tree, became the first man, and Embla becomes the first woman. Modern culture seems to accept Embla as an Elm tree, but according to Hollander, Embla is, or rather may be, a vine. While the idea of the two trees becoming the first man and woman does have a somewhat more romantic feel than a tree and a vine, the Ash and the Vine does make a little more sense in that the tree does spread its seed, and the vine, grape vine, bears fruit.

XVIII

Sense they possessed not, soul they had not,

being nor bearing, nor blooming hue;

soul gave Othin, sense gave Hœnir,

being, Lothur, and blooming hue.

Ask and Embla existed, but without sense or soul. The Gods, or possibly triple aspect of the one creator God Odin, gave life, existence, and self awareness to them. Odin gave them that which is immortal, or "other" than this world. That which is beyond good and evil and the need for the concepts of right and wrong. I say this because we will see that the Allfather is not a being to be trusted, while at the same time there is much to admire and emulate. One might see Odin's gift as a kind of self centeredness, or selfishness. This is far from the case. Odin's gift here is more a need for growth and knowledge beyond the human realm. A drive for growth that is beyond the self or others. A drive that will simply destroy the self or others if they should get in the way of this quest for knowledge. This is a dangerous, but powerful gift. Hœnir gave them the ability to temper Odin's gift. Hœnir's gift allows them to know their place in relation to the world around them, and the ability to empathize with others. Considering Odin's gift, this is very important. It creates in one the ability to temper Odin's gift so that one's inner growth does not do harm to the self or others...or at least that any harm does not occur outside of conscious choice. Lothur's gift is the gift of identity and physical appearance. This is not so superficial as it may appear. In the world view of the Norse people there was a sense of reincarnation. Part of this is actually quite evident in one's physical appearance. We do physically reflect our ancestors, as we reflect them in our emotional and intellectual attitudes.

Now, to step back and look at this from the perspective of spiritual and intellectual evolution, we've reached a point of self reliance and almost a feeling of immortality. The individual is created on their own needs, the pursuit of personal enjoyment and growth, the world is ours for the taking. We can guess at what happens in the lost stanzas, but what we do know is that in the end the individual has been confronted with his mortality. He realizes that eventually he will come to an end, so he sets out to produce offspring. The gifts given to the offspring come in the form of knowledge, morals, personality, appearance, and a touch of immortality in the sense that something of the self that is bigger than the self is propigated. This begins to reveal something fo the complex Nordic soul in which our ancestors are very much a part of us, we are an extension of them, and at the same time we are still individuals. We are a part of the continuation of our people in an unbroken line back to the Gods themselves, and continuing that line on in to the future. This closes a section of the Voluspá. The next section could almost be seen to describe the events in the missing stanzas, but as we will see, it takes on a distinctly different style.

Poetic Edda Voluspá Discussion I:VI-IIX

2009-08-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

Voluspá Discussion I:VI-IIX

Then Gathered together the gods for counsel,

to holy hosts, and held converse;

to night and new moon their names they gave,

the morning named, and midday also,

forenoon and evening, to order the year.

The Gods & Goddesses, who at this point have not yet been discussed, come together and create order in the sense of linear time. The world already exists, created as we've already seen, by The Allfather, Odin, and his two brothers who may actually be additional aspects of the same individual. Later we'll get details of the rather gruesome details of the actual creation. As we progress through this discussion we will see actions that will likely make one wonder why Odin holds his position in Asgard. He is often a quite dangerous and untrustworthy figure. This stanza has a hint of an explanation. We've seen, and repeated, that Odin is the creator of the nine worlds. We'll see it and repeat it again. Here, in this stanza, we see quite clearly that he is the only creator. While the other Gods and Goddesses bring order to the universe, bring their influence to the lives of mankind, they are not creators. They are Gods and Goddesses of order. In a sense this stanza also gives us one of the aspects of Odin's power. He is a God of creation, but also unordered chaos, but not a random chaos. More, a chaos with purpose, one that if studied, and the purpose understood, can be ordered.

VII

On Itha Plain met the mighty gods;

shrines and temples they timbered high,

they founded forges to fashion gold,

tongs they did shape and tools they made;

I'm not really sure what to make of the first two lines of stanza 7. The Gods and Goddesses come together and build shrines and temples, but why? There are no people yet to worship them, so I suppose we are left with three possibilities. One, we are seeing a reference to the Gods giving worship to their ancestors, or unknown higher Gods. I believe this to be unlikely. Two, we are seeing a display of arrogance and power as the Gods raise temples and shrines to themselves, again I believe this to be unlikely due to the Norse idea of gift giving and worship which will be discussed at a later point. Or three, I suppose it may simply be the way the author chose to describe the Gods creating their halls in Asgard. With the next two lines this third seems to fit, although the homes of the Gods are not generally referred to as temples. In any case, the Gods go on to create tools and forges to work things of gold.

VIII

Payed at draughts in the garth: right glad they were,

nor aught lacked they of lustrous gold-

till maidens three from the thurses came,

awful in might, from etin-home.

For a time the Gods lived peacefully, without worry, until the Norns, three sisters (Urdhr, that which has happened, the past; Verdhandi, that which is happening, the present; Skuld, that which has yet to be, the possible future) who fill the role of the fates in Norse mythology, bringing with them the awesome and terrible power of their knowledge. Exactly what happens next is not known. The next eight stanzas have been lost at some point during the last 800 or so years. As a side note, I would like to mention that I have seen versions of the Voluspá online that fill in the next eight stanzas with stanzas that occur at a later point in the Poetic Edda. There exists a footnote in at least one version of the Edda translation that hypothesizes that this other set of stanzas, which doesn't make much sense, may possibly fit in at this point. I personally disagree due to the fact that these inserted stanzas don't actually make any sense when considered with the tale in the Voluspá.

Based on the next known stanzas, however, it seems clear that the eventual fate of the Gods was revealed to them. They were likely shown the battle of Ragnarok in which they would battle an army comprised, in part, by Loki, kin of Gods and Etins, and his offspring. Month the army of the Gods are men. As men have not yet been created, the creator Gods, Odin, Hœnir (previously referred to as Vili) and Lothir (previously refered to as Vé), leave Asgard, the home of the Æsir, and journey to the uninhabited Midgard.

Poetic Edda Voluspá Discussion I:III-V

2009-08-16T06:49:00.000-07:00

Voluspá Discussion I:III-V

In earliest times did Ymir live:

was nor sea nor land nor salty waves,

neither earth was there nor upper heaven,

but a gaping nothing, and green things nowhere.

We begin to see a reflection of the physical environment and how natural cycles play in to the mythology. In the far Northern areas of Scandinavia the winters are long, cold, and dark. One can imagine this as the inspiration for a creation myth which begins in a cold void inhabited only by a giant known as Ymir (Roarer), the first of a race of frost giants.

Was the land then lifted aloft by Bur's sons

who made Mithgarth, the matchless earth;

shone from the south the sun on dry land,

on the ground then grew the greensward soft.

As the spring progresses the land, Midgard, is created by Odin, the Alfather (inspiration), and his brothers Vili (will) and Vé (spiritual pervasiveness in the world), bringing the stirrings fo life from the long winter, and finally the sun bringing warmth from the south.

From the south the sun, by the side of the moon,

heaved his right hand over heaven's rim;

the sun knew not what seat he had,

the stars knew not what stead they held,

the moon knew not what might she had.

Finally, Julius Hoffory (1855 - 1897), has suggested that this fifth stanza might describe a point in early summer when the northern lights (the sun's right hand) are visible, and all of the lights of the sky seem confused as to their proper place in the heavens. At this point the sun and the moon, and I assume the stars as well though I've never seen it myself, can be seen in the sky at the same time.

One could also look at these stanzas in a somewhat more esoteric form as a progression of consciousness and enlightenment. The un-evolved mind lives in an instinctual state. There is no concept of good or evil, just instinct. An intellectual and spiritual void. Take a few minutes to look around you throughout the day, and you'll see that there are a surprising number of people who have not grown much beyond this point. As one grows and learns and becomes more aware a new world and a new reality becomes known. Rather than living and interacting with the world in purely reactive terms, one begins to learn to interact with, and influence, the world and their reality. At the same time, however, one also becomes confused and unsure of one's place in this new world. Order and reason are there, but the indisciplined mind is unable, or at best, barely able, to comprehend.
It is also interesting to note some little bits of trivia. In Norse mythology the sun, who gives us the name for Sunday, is male. The moon, after whom Monday is named, is female.

Poetic Edda Voluspá Discussion I:I-II

2009-08-08T20:55:00.001-07:00

Voluspá Discussion I:I-II

Hear me, all ye hallowed beings,

both high and low of Heimdall's children:

thou wilt, Valfather, that I well set forth

the fates of the world which as first I recall.

First, a quick explanation. Odin, the king of the Gods has called forth a "Seeress" to tell the tale of the cycle of the world from before the creation to after the battle of Ragnarok. One could see this as the story teller almost acting in the place of Odin setting the stage for the story that is about to be told. This is a very simple stanza, calling out to the gods and goddesses of Asgard, the children of Heimdall (the guardian of the Bifrost bridge which is the link between Midgard, this world, and Asgard, the world of the Æsir, the gods.)

Now for a little game of conjecture and entertaining random wandering thoughts.

Heimdall, known by, among others, the kenning "The White God" or "The Bright God." He is the guardian of Asgard by way of either (or both) the rainbow bridge Bifrost and/or the world tree Yggdrasil. Heimdall is linked with the God Rig who is known for coming to Midgard, and creating, with three different human women, the classes of mankind. The thrall, the freeman, and the lord, hence the idea that the children of Heimdall are mankind. Now, to Yggdrasil. It is an Ash tree, the link between the nine worlds (mentioned later). What variety? I don't know, but I suppose it is possible that Yggdrasil is a White Ash. If not, there are other descriptions of the tree which state that it is an Ash tree covered with white mud, thereby making it a white ash tree even if it isn't of the White Ash variety. A link. The White God, the White Tree. In later stanzas, the Gods Odin, Vili, and Ve create the first man and first woman out of Ask and Embla. Ask is an ash tree, and some believe Embla to be an Elm. A link. The children of Heimdall, mankind, The world tree Yggdrasil an ash, the first man created from an ash. Now, let's draw some patterns out of the random ideas. Heimdall, the White God, guardian of the link between the worlds, the progenitor of the classes of men. Yggdrasil, the white tree, the entity that links the Nine Worlds. The tree that is of the same species as the tree from which the first man was created.

With this in mind is it unreasonable to think that in this aspect, Heimdall is Yggdrasil itself? If so, then it would follow that to understand aspects of Heimdall would begin one on the path to gaining the knowledge that Odin himself sought. Further, as mankind, being descended from The tree, one could then begin to see the idea that we hold within ourselves the key to the runes. One might even say that though we, ourselves, are not the runes, we are the source. I will expand on this idea later in discussions about Odin's discovery of the runes.

One more thing that caught my eye, consider the following:

Hør mig alle hellige Slægter,

Heimdals Sønner store og smaa!

Valfader vil det, vel skal jeg nævne

Slægters Skjæbner, jeg skued først.

To the point, this is a Danish translation of the above stanza, a language that is arguably closer to the original Old Norse than modern English. Note the second line, Heimdals Sønner...Heimdal's Sons. Now here's while I think this is interesting. My understanding is that the seeress was raised from the dead by Odin. My further understanding is that necromancy is a form of magic called seidh, and is a primarily feminine form of magic taught to Odin by his wife, Frigga. So far, we're fine. I get it. The part that makes me wonder is the part where we're calling forth Heimdal's sons. Why, if Odin is working a primarily feminine magic, is the seeress specifically calling out Heimdal's sons? Of course, the Danish translation is from 1895, so it may just be a reflection of the times.

I call to mind the kin of etins

which long ago did give me life.

Nine worlds I know, the nine abodes

of the glorious world-tree the ground beneath.

Etin, giant. I see these creatures as somewhat complex beings. On the one hand, these guys tend to be known as the enemies of Thor, and with Thor being the protector of the Gods and mankind, the enemies of the Gods and mankind. At the same time the first two lines of the second stanza clearly show that the seeress herself is of etin blood. As we'll later see, the Gods themselves are of etin blood. Further, if we are to accept that mankind are the descendants of the Gods, mankind, we, are of the blood of etins. We, ourselves, share blood with our mortal enemies. It is through these creatures that the seeress has gained the knowledge that she is about to share.

Nine worlds she knows...

Asgard, the home of the Æsir, the Gods and Goddesses. I tend to see these as having reign over knowledge, emotion, creativity, and generally those things that we see as "human," I suppose.
Alfheim, the home of the Light Elves. I'll learn more about these as time goes on.
Vanaheim, the home of the Vanier. I tend to see these as the Gods and Goddesses of nature.
Midgard, the place where we live. Incedentially, if you've ever read (or seen) The Lord of the Rings you know of this term. "Middle Earth." You'll find that these stories and these people have a surprising influence on the lives of those of us who live in the Western world.
Jotunheim/Etinheim, the home of the giants.
Muspellheim, the home of the fire giants.
Niflheim, the world of primal ice.
SvartAlfheim, the home of the dark elves, or dwarves.
Hel, the land of the dead. Another impact on our world. Yes, this is the origin of the place known as Hell. No, it is not necessarily a place of torment. It would be better understood as a land of the dead.

The world tree, the ash. Yggdrasil. The tree itself has a rich mythology, but for now it is enough to know that this is the link between the Nine worlds.

In essence what we're seeing here is the seeress making a statement about the extent of her knowledge. Through her etin lineage she has gained a great deal of knowledge, and this knowledge includes the secrets of the Tree, the worlds that it connects, and the reference to the ground beneath hints at the fact that she knows of the secrets that are hidden around the roots of that tree. She is bragging of her heritage and her knowledge. At the same time, this is a bit of insight in to the mentality of the people of the time. She first tells of her lineage. A blood line that is not always loved, but respected for various things including their ability to see and know. If this were not the case, it would not be mentioned. Once establishing herself as a knowledgeable being, she then goes on to describe the extent of her knowledge.

That's enough for now, more later.

Edda Discussions Intro

2009-08-02T15:13:00.000-07:00

First, to be clear, this is not intended to be a scholarly discussion. It is simply my desire to read and attempt to understand the topic of discussion. It is opinion and personal interpretation that could change from day to day. As such, both supporting and opposing ideas are welcome.

Second, the subject of this discussion is a collection of works referred to as "The Poetic Edda." Others much better informed than I have written on this subject. They have described the history of these documents, and their importance to our understanding of the ancient Nordic people. I will leave the explanation of these documents to them. You may start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poetic_Edda#Original_text

Third, there is no set format for these discussions. I hope to find the time to read and write frequently, weekly, I suppose. I will try to break off the reading in manageable chunks that are consistent in subject and theme. I will then mount my personal digital global soapbox and share my fairly meaningless opinions. Feel free to jump in and discuss.

Finally, one should keep in mind that these poems were written down for a reason. They are the written form of an oral tradition that passed the ideas of religion, mysticism, and cultural values from generation to generation. They are intended to convey information beyond that which is simply in the words themselves. With that in mind, one cannot really over analyze what the words might mean. That analysis may be wrong, but the fact that there was intended to be something behind the words is probable.

My own personal copy of The Poetic Edda is the 2nd edition translation by Lee M. Hollander, available from the University of Texas press. Not knowing the Old Norse language, I have no idea how true this version is to the original, but the reading seems fairly accurate, and I tend to believe that it is closer to the original than many of the other translations that are available. Should you decide you're interested in having your own version, but not interested in buying it, search on google. There are several translations available in the public domain. With that said, I've got some reading to do.