DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14696#0111
62
Iupiter-Columns
to us figuring as the god of summer1; that the bearded Hercules
1 * WoSanaz (Old Saxon Wodan, Old High German wuotan), *' WoSenaz (Old English
Wodefi, Old Norse 6&inn), who gradually superseded the old sky-god Ziu (K. Miillenhoff
Deutsche Altertumskunde Berlin 1900 iv. 213), was himself also in all probability a sky-
god, very possibly a by-form of Ziu (E. Mogk in the Grundriss der germanischen Philo-
logie- Herausgegeben von H. Paul Strassburg 1900 iii. 332 f.). He looks down on the
earth at daybreak through a window in the eastern sky (J. Grimm Teutonic Mythology
trans. J. S. Stallybrass London 1882 i. 134 f. cites Paulus Diaconus hist. Langobard. 1. 8
(L. Bethmann—G. Waitz Monumenta Germaniae historica Scriptores rerum Langobardi-
carum et Italicarum saec. vi—ix Hannoverae 1878 p. 52) Refert hoc loco antiquitas
ridiculam fabulam: quod accedentes Wandali ad Godan victoriam de Winnilis postula-
verint, illeque respondent, se illis victoriam daturum quos primum oriente sole conspexisset.
Tunc accessisse Gambara ad Fream, nxorem Godan, et Winnilis victoriam postulasse,
Freaque consilium dedisse, ut Winnilorum mulieres solutos crines erga faciem ad barbae
similitudinem conponerent maneque primo cum viris adessent seseque Godan videndas
pariter e regione, qua ille per fenestram o'rientem versus erat solitus aspicere, conlocarent.
Atque ita factum fuisse. Quas cum Godan oriente sole conspiceret, dixisse : ' Qui sunt
isti longibarbi ? ' Tunc Frea subiunxisse, ut quibus nomen tribuerat victoriam condonaret.
Sicque Winnilis Godan victoriam concessisse). He has a throne named Hlidhskjalf, from
which he can survey the whole world and hear all that goes on among men (J. Grimm
Teutonic Mythology trans. J. S. Stallybrass London 1882 i. 135 f., E. H. Meyer Ger-
manische Mythologie Berlin 1891 pp. 190, 234, 251, W. Golther Handbitch der german-
ischen Mythologie Leipzig 1895 pp. 324, 518, P. D. Chantepie de la Saussaye The Religion
of the Teutons Boston and London 1902 pp. 233, 286, 346, E. Mogk in the Grundriss
der germanischen Philologie'1 Herausgegeben von H. Paul Strassburg 1900 iii. 321, 345,
370, cp. J. Bolte—G. Polivka Anmerkungen zu den Kinder- u. Hausmdrchen der Brtider
Grimm Leipzig 1913 i. 345). Further, it is at least possible that the one eye ascribed to
him stands for the sun (F. Magnusen Edda rhythmica Hauniae 1828 iii. 540 n.****,
E. H. Meyer Germanische Mythologie Berlin 1891 pp. 93 f., 231 f., 245, P. D. Chantepie
de la Saussaye The Religion of the Teutons Boston and London 1902 p. 233, R. M. Meyer
Altgermanische Religiousgeschichte Leipzig 1910 pp. 229—232, supra i. 321 n. 3, cp. i.
320 f., 323, 462); and some have given a like explanation of his gold ring Draupnir, the
'Dripper/ from which every ninth night dripped eight other rings of equal weight
(W. Golther Handbuch der germanischen Mythologie Leipzig 1895 p. 312, K. Miillenhoff
Deutsche Altertumskunde Berlin 1900 iv. 642 f., P. D. Chantepie de la Saussaye The
Religion of the Teutons Boston and London 1902 p. 233), and of the gold helmet that he
wore in his contest with the Fenris-wolf (E. Mogk in the Grziudriss der germanischen
Philologie'1 Herausgegeben von H. Paul Strassburg 1900 iii. 345, cp. E. H. Meyer
Germanische Mythologie Berlin 1891 p. 231). It is not, however, likely that such solar
attributes would have led to Wodan being regarded as the god of summer. I would rather
explain this aspect of his complex character by the fact that among the Scandinavians the
great sacrifice, which year by year took place at the beginning of summer, was probably
associated with him (H. M. Chadwick The Ctdt of Othin London 1899 p. 5f.).
Wodan still survives in popular imagination as leader of the Wild Hunt [die wilde
fagd) or the Furious Host (das wutende Heer). On windy nights in spring, or autumn,
or winter he sweeps across the sky with a howling company at his heels—the souls of the
dead (E. H. Meyer Germanische Mythologie Berlin 1891 p. 235 ff., P. D. Chantepie de
la Saussaye The Religion of the Teutons Boston and London 1902 pp. 216 f., 225 f.,
E. Mogk in the Grtindriss der germanischen Philologie" Herausgegeben von H. Paul
Strassburg 1900 iii. 333 ff., R. M. Meyer Altgermanische Religiousgeschichte Leipzig 1910
p. 81 f., K. Helm Altgermanische Religiousgeschichte Heidelberg 1913 i. 261 ff.). In some
districts he heads the- rout, not on foot or on horseback, but driving a chariot or coach
(E. H. Meyer Germanische Mythologie Berlin 1891 p. 239). And, when we observe that
the Milky Way is believed to be the path traversed by the Furious Host and is called in
Iupiter-Columns
to us figuring as the god of summer1; that the bearded Hercules
1 * WoSanaz (Old Saxon Wodan, Old High German wuotan), *' WoSenaz (Old English
Wodefi, Old Norse 6&inn), who gradually superseded the old sky-god Ziu (K. Miillenhoff
Deutsche Altertumskunde Berlin 1900 iv. 213), was himself also in all probability a sky-
god, very possibly a by-form of Ziu (E. Mogk in the Grundriss der germanischen Philo-
logie- Herausgegeben von H. Paul Strassburg 1900 iii. 332 f.). He looks down on the
earth at daybreak through a window in the eastern sky (J. Grimm Teutonic Mythology
trans. J. S. Stallybrass London 1882 i. 134 f. cites Paulus Diaconus hist. Langobard. 1. 8
(L. Bethmann—G. Waitz Monumenta Germaniae historica Scriptores rerum Langobardi-
carum et Italicarum saec. vi—ix Hannoverae 1878 p. 52) Refert hoc loco antiquitas
ridiculam fabulam: quod accedentes Wandali ad Godan victoriam de Winnilis postula-
verint, illeque respondent, se illis victoriam daturum quos primum oriente sole conspexisset.
Tunc accessisse Gambara ad Fream, nxorem Godan, et Winnilis victoriam postulasse,
Freaque consilium dedisse, ut Winnilorum mulieres solutos crines erga faciem ad barbae
similitudinem conponerent maneque primo cum viris adessent seseque Godan videndas
pariter e regione, qua ille per fenestram o'rientem versus erat solitus aspicere, conlocarent.
Atque ita factum fuisse. Quas cum Godan oriente sole conspiceret, dixisse : ' Qui sunt
isti longibarbi ? ' Tunc Frea subiunxisse, ut quibus nomen tribuerat victoriam condonaret.
Sicque Winnilis Godan victoriam concessisse). He has a throne named Hlidhskjalf, from
which he can survey the whole world and hear all that goes on among men (J. Grimm
Teutonic Mythology trans. J. S. Stallybrass London 1882 i. 135 f., E. H. Meyer Ger-
manische Mythologie Berlin 1891 pp. 190, 234, 251, W. Golther Handbitch der german-
ischen Mythologie Leipzig 1895 pp. 324, 518, P. D. Chantepie de la Saussaye The Religion
of the Teutons Boston and London 1902 pp. 233, 286, 346, E. Mogk in the Grundriss
der germanischen Philologie'1 Herausgegeben von H. Paul Strassburg 1900 iii. 321, 345,
370, cp. J. Bolte—G. Polivka Anmerkungen zu den Kinder- u. Hausmdrchen der Brtider
Grimm Leipzig 1913 i. 345). Further, it is at least possible that the one eye ascribed to
him stands for the sun (F. Magnusen Edda rhythmica Hauniae 1828 iii. 540 n.****,
E. H. Meyer Germanische Mythologie Berlin 1891 pp. 93 f., 231 f., 245, P. D. Chantepie
de la Saussaye The Religion of the Teutons Boston and London 1902 p. 233, R. M. Meyer
Altgermanische Religiousgeschichte Leipzig 1910 pp. 229—232, supra i. 321 n. 3, cp. i.
320 f., 323, 462); and some have given a like explanation of his gold ring Draupnir, the
'Dripper/ from which every ninth night dripped eight other rings of equal weight
(W. Golther Handbuch der germanischen Mythologie Leipzig 1895 p. 312, K. Miillenhoff
Deutsche Altertumskunde Berlin 1900 iv. 642 f., P. D. Chantepie de la Saussaye The
Religion of the Teutons Boston and London 1902 p. 233), and of the gold helmet that he
wore in his contest with the Fenris-wolf (E. Mogk in the Grziudriss der germanischen
Philologie'1 Herausgegeben von H. Paul Strassburg 1900 iii. 345, cp. E. H. Meyer
Germanische Mythologie Berlin 1891 p. 231). It is not, however, likely that such solar
attributes would have led to Wodan being regarded as the god of summer. I would rather
explain this aspect of his complex character by the fact that among the Scandinavians the
great sacrifice, which year by year took place at the beginning of summer, was probably
associated with him (H. M. Chadwick The Ctdt of Othin London 1899 p. 5f.).
Wodan still survives in popular imagination as leader of the Wild Hunt [die wilde
fagd) or the Furious Host (das wutende Heer). On windy nights in spring, or autumn,
or winter he sweeps across the sky with a howling company at his heels—the souls of the
dead (E. H. Meyer Germanische Mythologie Berlin 1891 p. 235 ff., P. D. Chantepie de
la Saussaye The Religion of the Teutons Boston and London 1902 pp. 216 f., 225 f.,
E. Mogk in the Grtindriss der germanischen Philologie" Herausgegeben von H. Paul
Strassburg 1900 iii. 333 ff., R. M. Meyer Altgermanische Religiousgeschichte Leipzig 1910
p. 81 f., K. Helm Altgermanische Religiousgeschichte Heidelberg 1913 i. 261 ff.). In some
districts he heads the- rout, not on foot or on horseback, but driving a chariot or coach
(E. H. Meyer Germanische Mythologie Berlin 1891 p. 239). And, when we observe that
the Milky Way is believed to be the path traversed by the Furious Host and is called in