Chapter II: Introduction

UNCERTAINTY ATTENDING THE EARLY HISTORY OF ALL NATIONS.—MONSTROUS
HYPOTHESES RESPECTING THAT OF NORTHERN EUROPE.—FABULOUS, OR AT LEAST
DOUBTFUL, KINGS OF SWEDEN, NORWAY, AND DENMARK.—DISTINCTION OF RACES
IN THE NORTH.—THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS, THE SWIONES, GOTTONES,
DANKIONES, WERE PROBABLY THE SWEDES, GOTHS, AND DANES.—THE JUTES AND
LAPPS AND FINNS DIFFERENT FROM THE NEW COMERS.—INFORMATION COLLECTED
BY ALFRED RELATIVE TO THE NORTH.—NUMEROUS CHIEFS WITH THE REGAL
TITLE.—KINGS OF DENMARK: DAN—HUMBLE—LOTHER—SKIOLD—GRAM,
ETC.—WONDERFUL ADVENTURE OF HADDING AND OF THE GIANTESS
HARDGRIPE.—FRODE I.—ODIN—HIS ORIGIN ACCORDING TO SAXO—ACCORDING TO
THE YNGLINGA SAGA.—HIS SUPERNATURAL POWERS.—REASONS ASSIGNED FOR HIS
EXISTENCE.—HODER AND BALDER.—THE FATAL SISTERS.—DEATH AND FUNERAL OF
BALDER.—JOURNEY TO THE SHADES BELOW IN QUEST OF HIS SOUL.—HERMOD’S
JOURNEY.—ODIN’S.—PROPHECY.—RINDA AND ODIN.—CHARACTER OF
ODIN.—RURIC.—HAMLET PRINCE OF JUTLAND.—HIS REAL OR FABULOUS
ADVENTURES.—FENGO.—DANISH KINGS AFTER RURIC.

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Futility of Inquiries into the Origin of Nations 1

That of the Swedes obscure and fabulous.—Pedigree of the 2
Swedish Kings from Noah, according to Joannes Magnus

Origin of Idolatry and War in the North.—Extension of the 3
Gothic Empire, and a new Empire founded by them, the seat
of which was in Poland or Hungary.

The Empire of the Goths broken into numerous 4
Principalities.—The Danes aspire to throw off the Yoke of
Sweden; but being assailed by the Saxons, submit, and
receive DAN, a Swedish Prince, as their King. This Prince
gave his Name to the Danish Kingdom, and his Brother
_Angul_, the First King of the _English_, left _his_ name
to that People.—Wars between Sweden and
Denmark.—Swibdager, King of Norway, elected King of the
Goths and Swedes.—Defeats and slays Gram, King of Denmark,
and subjects his Kingdom to the Swedes. All this according
to Joannes Magnus

NORWAY. According to Torfœus, the Giants, of whom he gives a 6
minute Account, were the most ancient Inhabitants of this
Region

Soon after them came the Goths, about the Period of the Fall 7
of Troy; next came the _Asae_, or _Scythians_

To these he adds an indigenous Race, which is evidently a 8
Mythologic Creation

Thor, the Father of Nor, the common Ancestor of all the 9
Norwegian Princes, deemed by that People superior to Odin
himself. The Danes and Swedes held Odin to be the Supreme
God.—Amalgamation of the two Religions

DENMARK. Claims to great Antiquity.—List of Danish Kings 10
from Noah to Odin, “that King of the Turks whom the Romans
forced towards the North;” and from the latter to
Hardicanute and Harald Harfager

The Goths were in the North of Europe prior to the Times we 11
call Historic; but the Cimbri were there before them; and
these were probably preceded by other Swarms, whose very
names are lost

The Finns and the Lapps probably Descendants of the earliest 12
Inhabitants of the North.—The People of the North were
split into numerous Tribes, of which the Swiones were the
most conspicuous.—The Dankiones, probably the Danskir, or
Danes.—The Swiones, Goths, and Teutones, all kindred
Tribes.—The Finns

The Goths the last People that reached Western Europe.—Their 13
gradual Amalgamation with the former Inhabitants produced
that Form of Society peculiar to the North

The Sons of Odin probably the first Gothic Monarchs of the 14
North.—The original Inhabitants different, in all
respects, from the Goths.—The Finns and Lapps represented
in the early Gothic Poetry as Magicians, and the Jutes as
Giants and Magicians.—Antipathy between the Goths and the
former Races, and the Causes of it

Tacitus’s meagre Account of the Northern Tribes that 15
constituted the _Anglo-Saxons_.—Alfred’s Account of what
he learned of the North from Otter, a Norwegian Navigator

Curious Particulars of what constituted Riches in the 16
extreme North, in the Days of Otter.—The Finns tributary
to the Goths.—Credibility of Otter’s
Relation.—Acknowledged Distinction between the various
Tribes of the North

The original Tribes gradually expelled, and driven North 17
towards the Arctic Circle by the Goths and
Swiar.—Scandinavian domestic History, for centuries after
the Arrival of Odin, little known.—Numerous Chieftains in
the North under the regal Title

Contradictory Accounts of the Sovereigns and Transactions of 18
the northern Kingdoms; yet they cannot be rejected as
wholly fabulous, as the Songs which form the entire
History of the North supply us with the best Picture of
national Manners

Summary of Saxo’s History of Denmark during the doubtful 19
Period

DAN, the first King of Denmark, gave his Name to that 19
Country.—On his Death his Son Humble _elected_ in his
stead.—His Brother, Lother, revolts and usurps the
Dignity.—Is slain by his Subjects, and his son, SKIOLD,
the Hercules of the North, raised to the Throne

His Prowess.—Overthrows the Duke of the Alemanni, reduces 20
his People to the Condition of Tributaries, and marries
his Daughter Awilda; his Wisdom equal to his Valour; his
Benevolence, good Laws and Government; his love of Glory

GRAM, the Son and Successor of Skiold, equal to his Father 20
in Strength and Enterprise, and his Life more
romantic.—Subdues Sweden, and carries away the princess
Gro

His Inconstancy.—Is deprived of Empire and Life by 21
Swibdager, King of Norway.—Saxo’s curious Account of the
different Species of Giants

SWIBDAGER places Guthrum, the Son of Gram, as a Vassal on 22
the Throne of Denmark.—HADDING, the Brother of Guthrum,
the most celebrated of Danish Heroes.—His wonderful
Adventure with the Giantess Hardgrip

His farther wonderful Adventures and Exploits.—He slays 24
Swibdager and his Son Asmund

The wonderful Story of the Hero continued 25

His Death.—He is succeeded by his eldest Son, FRODE I., also 27
a great Warrior, who carried his Depredations from Russia
to the British Islands.—Frequent Intercourse between
Denmark and Britain.—Frode fought and killed a Dragon, who
brooded over immense Riches, in a Cave

Takes _London_ by a Stratagem.—Several Sovereigns succeeded, 28
of whom little is known until the Danish States _elected_
for their Monarch HODER, a Descendant of the famous
Hadding

ODIN, King of the Hellespont, according to Saxo, laid Claim 29
to Divinity, and was worshipped by most of Europe.—His
profound Knowledge of Magic.—A Golden Statue presented to
him by the Kings of the North, and placed by him among the
Gods.—Deceived by his Wife, Frigga.—Exiles himself for a
Season, in consequence.—His Power and Divinity usurped
during his Absence.—Returns, and compels the Usurpers to
flee the Country

Mitothin, one of the Usurpers of Odin’s Authority, flees to 30
Fionia, and is killed by the Inhabitants.—A Plague ensues,
which was stayed by his Body being exhumed, the Head cut
off, and a stake driven through the Corpse.—Probably the
first Vampire on Record.—Snorro’s Account in many Respects
different from Saxo’s, as above.—The Cause of that
Difference.—Odin’s Government theocratic.—His perpetual
Wars.—Always successful.—Called the Father of
Victory.—Peculiar Veneration attached to his
Character.—War with the Vanir, his Neighbours

They cut off the Head of Mimir, one of Odin’s Hostages, and 31
send it to Asgard.—Odin, by his Magic, converts the Head
to an Oracle.—He flees the Roman Arms with a Multitude of
Followers, and advances to the West.—Reduces some States
in Germany, over which he places his Sons.—Passes
northward, and fixes his Seat at Odensey—Sends Gefio, one
of his Prophetesses, to make Converts in the neighbouring
Regions.—She is successful; marries Skiold, the Son of
Odin, who reigned over the Danish Islands.—He compels the
King of Sweden to cede him the eastern Part of that
Kingdom.—He establishes his Seat at Sigtuna, erects
Temples, and offers Sacrifices

His Worship diffused throughout Germany and Scandinavia.—His 32
extraordinary Qualities.—His wonderful Ship, Skidbladner

The oracular Head of Mimir, which acquainted him with all he 33
wished to know, and his two speaking Ravens, which brought
him Intelligence of all that happened.—His miraculous
Powers.—He and his Pontiffs worshipped as Gods.—His Laws,
civil and religious

Proofs of his Existence from written as well as from 34
traditionary Testimony

_Rigs-mal_, one of the Eddaic Poems, resembling in its 38
Composition the Anglo-Saxon Poem of Bjówolf, throws much
Light on the heroic Age in the North

Distinguishes the different Races by which the Country was 39
successively occupied.—The first Gothic Emigrants drive
the Finnish Tribes to the Wilds of Norrland, Lapland, and
Finland.—The Antipathy between the two Races illustrated
by the Legend of Njördr

The Sviar and the Goths, by whom they had been preceded, 40
become one People through the religious Ascendancy of Odin

Religious Sects in the North.—Junction of the old and new 41
religions.—The temporal Government of Odin perpetuated
through his Sons.—Odin the Progenitor of all the great
Dynasties of the North.—The Mythic Nor, from whom Norway
took its Name

Alleged Succession of the Danish Kings.—HODER beloved by 42
Nanna, daughter of the King of Norway.—Balder, the Son of
Odin, is enamoured of the same Princess and plans Hoder’s
Destruction.—Hoder’s Interview with the Fatal Sisters

He obtains the magic Bracelets and Sword kept by the Satyr 43
Mimring.—Defeats King Gelder.—He encounters Balder, who
is assisted by the Gods, with Odin and Thor at their Head

He defeats them, and obtains the Hand of Nanna.—Is in turn 44
defeated and dethroned by Balder.—Balder offers human
Sacrifices.—Hoder again defeated, and compelled to flee to
Jutland

Hoder’s second Interview with the Fatal Sisters.—He is again 45
defeated by Balder.—Receives a magic Belt from Balder’s
mysterious Purveyors.—Gives Balder a mortal Wound

Balder’s Death and Funeral.—Balder’s portentous Dream, 46
according to the latter Edda

The Descent of Hermod to the Shades, in quest of Balder’s 46
Soul, with the Story of the famous Horse, Sleipner

Poetical Description of Hermod’s Descent into the Regions of 49
Hela

The Journey to the Shades attributed to Odin himself, in the 51
poetical Edda of Saemund the Wise, while Balder was yet
alive.—The Descent of Odin, and what he saw and heard in
the Regions below

Hoder is killed by Bo, the Son of Odin, by the Princess 55
Rinda.—Death of Odin

His pompous Funeral.—His Character 56

RURIC succeeds his Father Hoder on the Throne of 57
Denmark.—The alleged Events on which the Tragedy of
_Hamlet_ is founded, happened in the Reign of this
Prince.—Hamlet’s Father, Horwendil, Governor of Jutland,
and a famous Pirate, killed by his Uncle, who marries the
Mother

Hamlet feigns Madness.—Is suspected and feared by his 59
Uncle.—Kills one of the Courtiers who had been hid in
order to overhear his Conversation with his Mother.—He
upbraids his Mother

Is sent to England with a View to his 60
Destruction.—Substitutes the Names of his two Companions
for his own in the Mandate to the English King, by whom
they are put to Death

Marries the English King’s Daughter.—Returns to 61
Jutland.—Assumes the Fool.—Burns his Uncle’s Courtiers
with the Palace, and slays the Fratricide himself

He is declared his Uncle’s Successor.—His Death in 62
Battle.—SKIOLD, the Son of Odin, the first Monarch of
Denmark

Various Kings in the North.—That Title given to all Chiefs, 63
Pirates, and others.—The extent of the Authority of any of
them uncertain

Rational Conclusion drawn from the foregoing fabulous 65
Accounts

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BOOK I.

HALF FABULOUS, HALF HISTORIC.