Talk:Freyr

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Freyr is a level 1 mythology article. It accurately summarizes what the original sources say on the subject. There are still many ways this article can be improved, for example with more comprehensive coverage of the sources and information on scholarly commentary on the subject.

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Talk:Freyr/Archives

Contents 1 Ideas for improving the article 2 Freyr in the Latin histories 3 Freyr in the Icelanders' sagas 3.1 Víga-Glúms saga 3.2 Hallfreðar saga 3.3 Gísla saga 3.4 Vatnsdœla saga 3.5 Hrafnkels saga 4 Merging sections 5 The Ring Oath 6 Hervarar saga / Gátur Gestumblinda 7 Historia Norvegiae

[edit] Ideas for improving the article

1. There is a very famous miniature statue which is thought to be of Freyr. The article needs to have a picture of it. The trick is to find an old book with a decent picture and scan it in. Here's the thing: [1]
2. There are also some "guldgubbar" thought by some to represent Freyr and Gerðr. A picture of one of those would be nice too. Done.

   I believe this is what you were looking for.

   Yes it is. The only question is if we can stretch the Bridgeman ruling to cover this. Bah, I say we do! :) - Haukur 00:02, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

3. There's also an old tapestry thought to represent Odin, Thor and Freyr - though this is not certain and probably not necessary for the article. Done.
4. We need to summarize Gesta Danorum properly. Done.
5. We need to summarize the Icelanders' sagas properly, interesting material there.
6. We need to write a decent article on Skírnismál and summarize it in this article.
7. It would be nice to find out if HdGS really does mention Freyr.Can't find a copy anywhere. If it does contain any info it's probably not that important since I've never seen it mentioned.
8. It would be nice to tidy the last sections up a bit and connect them better with the rest of the article. Essentially done. Still need to expand the sections a bit but now there's nothing there which I don't think belongs and nothing I don't have references for.
9. There should be a short section on the name, its variant Anglicized and modernized versions and its etymology.
10. There might possibly be something about Freyr in neo-paganism if we can find some interesting info. I don't know.
11. Someone needs to get that Pamela Berger book and see what, if anything, it says about Freyr. Done. It's a bit annoying how Berger goddessifies everything (plays up Freyja, treats Freyr dismissively...) but she has some good stuff about Christian saints and art history (which is what the author is professor of).
12. Somehow this article seems not to have filled up with the usual "popular culture" stuff. I'm not sure what to make of that.Mentioned Wagner. Disambiguation page takes care of Freyr (Stargate). Let's say that's enough.
13. A bit about place names and people names linked to the god might be interesting. For example Freydís is a woman's name meaning "Freyr's dís". The best known Freydís is probably Freydís Eiríksdóttir.
14. I'd like to contribute this wonderful piece of Artwork, Use it as you will.Freyr Scatters Fruitfulness as Skirnir Drives (artist unknown)

Are you the webmaster of the site you link to? Do you have any information on the source of that image? Do you know where it was scanned from? We really need to make sure that images used here have appropriate licenses. - Haukur 01:48, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Freyr in the Latin histories

Here's the only reference to Freyr I've found in Gesta Danorum.

Siquidem propitiandorum numinum gratia Frø deo rem divinam furvis hostiis fecit. Quem litationis morem annuo feriarum circuitu repetitum posteris imitandum reliquit. Frøblot Sueones vocant. - [2]

"For, in order to appease the deities, he sacrificed dusky victims to the god Frey. This manner of propitiation by sacrifice he repeated as an annual feast, and left posterity to follow. This rite the Swedes call Froblod (the sacrifice or feast of Frey)." - [3]

Maybe there are others. Does anyone know? There's certainly a lot about Fróði.

Infuriatingly neither the Historia Norwegiæ nor the Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus seem to be available online. I'd like to know exactly what each of those says about Freyr but I might not be able to go to a library very soon... - Haukur Þorgeirsson 21:33, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

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This is what I have found:

Also Frey, the regent of the gods, took his abode not far from Upsala, where he exchanged for a ghastly and infamous sin-offering the old custom of prayer by sacrifice, which had been used by so many ages and generations. For he paid to the gods abominable offerings, by beginning to slaughter human victims.[4]

As for Historia Norwegiae, it contains roughly the same information as Ynglingatal. If the latter does not explicitly describe him as a king, this information should probably be removed. As for Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus, you can consult the article Disa. But I frankly don't know if the information about Freyr is from the Historia Gentibus. When I wrote it, I only cited the Disa legend as described in Nordisk familjebok.--Wiglaf 06:34, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

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Ah, indeed. I just read up in this now in the Owl edition and it's indeed not very clear there how much of the story comes from HdGS. They say "hon omnämnes redan af Olaus Magni" but that the story was further developed by J. Messenius. They also say that the king in the story was either Frey or Sigtrud. I wonder which version has which name. It would certainly be interesting to read up on this and it may well merit a mention in the article but we'd better remove it until we can figure out just what the facts are. - Haukur Þorgeirsson 16:12, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Freyr in the Icelanders' sagas

I'm collecting references to Freyr in the Icelanders' sagas. I'm having a bit of trouble working them into the article because I don't feel they're important enough to be quoted at length the way Adam of Bremen and the Eddaic references are. The sagas are written more than two centuries after Christianization and their take on Norse paganism is considered to be less important than that of Adam of Bremen, who had contemporary pagan sources, and Snorri Sturluson, who had access to a lot of old pagan poetry. Adam and Snorri can be quoted at length but those Icelanders' sagas accounts should be summarized.

[edit] Víga-Glúms saga

The Víga-Glúms saga describes the sacrifice of an ox to Freyr.

Og áður Þorkell fór á brott frá Þverá þá gekk hann til hofs Freys og leiddi þangað uxa gamlan og mælti svo: "Freyr," sagði hann, "er lengi hefir fulltrúi minn verið og margar gjafar að mér þegið og vel launað, nú gef eg þér uxa þenna til þess að Glúmur fari eigi ónauðgari af Þverárlandi en eg fer nú. Og láttu sjá nokkurar jartegnir hvortú þiggur eða eigi." En uxanum brá svo við að hann kvað við og féll niður dauður og þótti Þorkatli vel hafa við látið og var nú hughægra er honum þótti sem þegið mundi heitið. - [5]

"Indeed, before Thorkel left Thverá, he went to Frey’s temple, and taking an old steer up thither, made this speech:--”Thou, Frey,” said he, “wert long my protector, and many offerings hast thou had at my hands, which have borne good fruit to me. Now do I present this steer to thee, in the hope that Glum hereafter may be driven by force off this land, as I am driven off it; and, I pray thee, give me some token whether thou acceptest this offering or not.” Then the steer was stricken in such a way that he bellowed loud and fell down dead, and Thorkel took this a a favourable omen. Afterwards he was in better spirits, as if he thought his offering was accepted and his wish ratified by the god." - [6]

[edit] Hallfreðar saga

Urðu skipverjar allir á það sáttir að þeir skyldu heita á guðin til þess að þeim gæfi byr að sigla brottu af Noregi nokkur til heiðinna landa. Svo var heitið stofnað að þeir skyldu gefa fé og þriggja sálda öl Frey ef þeim gæfi til Svíþjóðar en Þór eða Óðni ef þá bæri aftur til Íslands.

I can't find an English translation online. Basically they decide to sacrifice to Freyr if they get favorable wind to go to Sweden and to Thor or Odin if they get favorable wind for a journey to Iceland. Not a very important reference but it does its tiny part to strengthen the theme of Freyr's association with Sweden. - Haukur Þorgeirsson

[edit] Gísla saga

A chieftain named Þorgrímr Freysgoði ("priest of Freyr") sacrifices to Freyr at winter nights.

Þorgrímur ætlaði að hafa haustboð að veturnóttum og fagna vetri og blóta Frey.

"Thorgrim meant to have a harvest feast on the first night of winter, and to sacrifice to Frey." - [7]

Later he is killed and we have this interesting passage on his mound:

Varð og sá hlutur einn er nýnæmum þótti gegna að aldrei festi snæ utan og sunnan á haugi Þorgríms og eigi fraus; og gátu menn þess til að hann myndi frey svo ávarður fyrir blótin að hann myndi eigi vilja að freri á milli þeirra. - [8]

And now, too, a thing happened which seemed strange and new. No snow lodged on the south side of Thorgrim's howe, nor did it freeze there. And men guessed it was because Thorgrim had been so dear to Frey for his worship's sake that the god would not suffer the frost to come between them. - [9]

This is the only passage from the Icelanders' sagas which I think might be worth quoting in the article. - Haukur Þorgeirsson

[edit] Vatnsdœla saga

Vatnsdœla saga has an elaborate story about a statue of Freyr, here are some of the money quotes.

---

Finnan svarar: "Þetta mun fram koma sem eg segi og það til marks að hlutur er horfinn úr pússi þínum, sá er Haraldur konungur gaf þér í Hafursfirði, og er hann nú kominn í holt það er þú munt byggja og er á hlutnum markaður Freyr af silfri. Og þá er þú reisir bæ þinn mun saga mín sannast."

...

Konungur svarar: "Þar kann eg þó eigi af að taka nema það sé til nokkurs gert og vilji Freyr þar láta sinn hlut niður koma er hann vill sitt sæmdarsæti setja."

Ingimundur kvað sér fýst á að vita hvort hann fyndi hlutinn eða eigi þá er grafið væri fyrir öndvegissúlum hans: "Kann og vera að það sé eigi til engis gert. Er nú og eigi því að leyna herra að eg ætla að gera eftir Finnum þeim er mér sýni héraðsvöxt og landsskipan þar sem eg skal vera og ætla eg að senda þá til Íslands."

...

Ingimundur kaus sér bústað í hvammi einum mjög fögrum og efnaði til bæjar. Hann reisti hof mikið hundrað fóta langt og er hann gróf fyrir öndvegissúlum þá fann hann hlut sinn sem honum var fyrir sagt.

Þá mælti Ingimundur: "Það er þó satt að segja að eigi má við sköpunum sporna en þó skal nú á þetta góðan hug leggja. Bær sjá skal heita að Hofi." - [10]

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Can't find an English translation online. The gist is that it is predicted that Ingimundr should move to Iceland where he will find his statue again. This proves true, he finds the object while digging holes for his high seat pillars. He erects a temple and names his homestead Hof ("temple").

I'm not sure what to do with this story. There are a couple of other stories where the gods guide a settler to the home they intend for him in Iceland but nothing quite like this. At any rate it's interesting that a pouch-sized statue of Freyr is mentioned - it might have looked like the one found at Rällinge which I linked to a picture of above. - Haukur Þorgeirsson 15:50, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Hrafnkels saga

Hrafnkels saga deals with Hrafnkell, a priest of Freyr, who has a horse dedicated to the god - Freyfaxi. This horse gets him into a lot of trouble and he ends up renouncing his faith in gods. I'm not sure what to make of that. The Hrafnkels saga article treats this in some detail. - Haukur Þorgeirsson 21:40, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Merging sections

I'm concerned that as sections are expanded the article may be getting a bit long. I'm thinking of merging the "Other traditions" section into Yngvi and the "Ballad of Veraldur" section into Fjölnir. It really seems quite a stretch to say that Veraldur is Freyr because of the "veraldar goð" connection (though the idea does merit a mention). Veraldur seems to correspond much more closely to Fjölnir and the material might be better treated there. On the other hand I think there should be a bit more here about Fróði. Thoughts? - Haukur 21:38, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

Implementing this. - Haukur 20:48, 30 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] The Ring Oath

The ring-oath, quoted in Landnámabók, may deserve a mention.

[E]k vinn eið at baugi, lögeið. Hjálpi mér svá Freyr ok Njörðr ok inn almáttki Áss sem ek mun svá sök þessa sækja eða verja eða vitni bera eða kviðu eða dæma sem ek veit réttast ok sannast ok helzt at lögum ok öll lögmæt skil af hendi leysa, þau er undir mik koma, meðan ek em á þessu þingi. - [11]

I take oath upon the ring, a lawful one (lögeid) so help me Frey and Niord and the Almighty God, to this end that I shall in this case prosecute or defend or bear witness or give award or pronounce doom according to what I know to be most right and most true and most lawful, and that I will deal lawfully with all such matters in law as I have to deal with while I am at this Thing. - [12]

I'm not sure how best to work this into the article. Keeping it here for reference. - Haukur 01:00, 3 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Hervarar saga / Gátur Gestumblinda

This paragraph from Hervarar saga is quite relevant.

Heiðrekr konungr blótaði Frey. Þann gölt, er mestan fekk, skyldi hann gefa Frey. Kölluðu þeir hann svá helgan, at yfir hans burst skyldi sverja um öll stór mál, ok skyldi þeim gelti blóta at sónarblóti. Jólaftan skyldi leiða sónargöltinn í höll fyrir konung, ok lögðu menn þá hendr yfir burst hans ok strengja heit. [13]

King Heithrek worshipped Frey, and he used to give Frey the biggest boar he could find. They regarded it as so sacred that in all important cased they used to take the oath on its bristles. It was the custom to sacrifice this boar at the 'sacrifice of the herd.' On Yule Eve the 'boar of the herd' was led into the hall before the King. Then men laid their hands on his bristles and made solemn vows. [14]

[edit] Historia Norvegiae

Finally found the thing, it does mention Freyr.

Vetus prosapia regum Norwegie a Swethia sumpsit exordium, unde eciam inhabitata est Trondemia, que patria principalis est in Norwegia. Rex itaque Ingui, quem primum Swethie monarchiam rexisse plurimi astruunt, genuit Neorth. Qui uero genuit Froy. Hos ambox tota illorum posteritas per longa secula ut deos uenerati sunt. Froyr uero genuit Fiolni, qui in dolio medonis dimersus est. Cuius filius Swegthir nanum in petram persequitur nec redisse dicitur, quod pro certo fabulosum creditur.

The ancient family of Norwegian kings traced its beginnings from Sweden, from which Trøndelag, the chief law province of Norway, was also settled. King Yngve, who according to a great many was the first ruler of the Swedish realm, became the father of Njord, whose son was Frøy. For centuries on end all their descendants worshipped these last two as gods. Frøy engendered Fjolne, who was drowned in a tun of mead. His son, Sveigde, is supposed to have pursued a dwarf into a stone and never to have returned, but this is plainly to be taken as a fairy-tale. (Fisher's translation)

Compare with the line in Íslendingabók: i Yngvi Tyrkjakonungr. ii Njörðr Svíakonungr. iii Freyr. iiii Fjölnir. sá er dó at Friðfróða. v Svegðir. etc. [15]