REMARKS ON THE TWELFTH FABLE, : (A) "He feems to "dart forth rays of " light.] Of all the nations who have formerly adhered to the • Gothic' religion †, none have given us such a particular description of it as the Icelanders. If we are not therefore always able to prove, that some of the points contained in the doctrine of the EDDA have been universally received by other ancient nations of Europe; must it be thence concluded, that these doctrines were unknown to them? Analogy authorises us to judge the contrary. The conformities, we discover in that part which we know, may serve to answer for what remains unknown. But this reasoning, which I think well founded, shall not hinder me from seeking more positive proofs of that resemblance and conformity, as far as one can discover any traces of it amid the ruins of antiquity. There is in this place matter for the exercise of investigation. Who is this God Balder? Was he known to the other nations of Europe? It seems to me probable, that Balder is the fame God, whom the Noricians and Gauls worshiped under the name of Belenus. This was a celebrated God among the Celtes. Many infcriptions make mention of him. We even find monuments, where he is exhibited according to his attributes. That which hath been long preserved at the castle of Polignac, represents him with a radiated head, and a large open mouth; which exactly agrees with the picture here given of him in the EDDA; as a God resplendent and eloquent. We easily fee, that Belen and Balder came from the fame origin, that is, from the Phrygian word Bal, or Balen, which fignifies King, and which they formerly applied to the Sun. Selden. (de Diis Syris. Synt. II. C. I.) † Fr. La Religion Celtique, (B) "He checks the " fury of the fea, storms " and fire."] This God, or at least a God with these attributes,' hath been adored by all the ancient nations of Eu• rope, as well Goths as' Celtes: as also by the Perfians, and the people who dwell around the Euxine and Caspian feas. They all of them affigned a Genius or God to the waters, whether of the sea, or of rivers, or fountains. This God would not fail to be adored, and loaded with presents. In many places among the Gauls, they every year confecrated to him animals, precious stuffs, fruits, and gold and filver. Such was that small piece of water near Tou louse, into which great riches were thrown in honour of this Deity. They looked upon him as eafily provoked, and upon his goodness as not a little precarious; but such as was not ill adapted to the temper of him who was the master and director of so deceitful an element. Thus the EDDA scruples to admit him into the family of the Gods. The common people, in divers places of Germany and the north, are still perfuaded that men owe him a yearly tribute; and that when any body is drowned, this God hath carried him away. They call him, in Germany, Der Nix; and formerly in the north, Nocken. They had no other phrase to express a person's dying in the water, but "Nocken hath taken " him;" and hence without doubt is derived the French word Noyer, to drown. The Gauls called this divinity Neith. They believed that he refided in the fea, and in pools. There was near Geneva, in the lake which goes by the name of that town, a rock confecrated to to him, which still retains the name of Neiton; a word approaching very near to that of Noatun, which, according to the Edda, is the residence of the God of Waters. The Romans retained both the worship and name of this God, who was adored by the ancient Celtic nations of Italy. In general, all the several people of Europe have had a great veneration for this Divinity, and nothing was more difficult than to bring them off from the worship they O fons Bandufiæ, fplendidior vitro ; THE ۱۰ 1 THE THIRTEENTH FABLE. Of the God Frey, and the Goddess Freya. N IORD had afterwards, at his refidence of Noatun, two children, named FREY, and FREYA; both of them beautiful and vigorous. Frey is the mildest of all the Gods. He presides over the rain, and the fun, and all the productions of the earth. He is to be invoked in order to obtain either fine seasons, or plenty, or peace; for it is he who dispenses peace and riches, Freya is the most propitious of the Goddeffes. The place which she inhabits in heaven, is called "The Union of the "People." She goes on horseback to every place where battles are fought, and afsserts her right to one half of the flain; the other half belongs to ODIN. Her palace is large and magnificent; thence the fallies forth in a chariot, drawn by two cats. She lends a very favourable ear to the vows of those who sue for her affistance. 7 1 ance. It is from her that the Ladies have received the name, which we give them in our language. She is very much delighted with the fongs of lovers; and fuch as would be happy in their amours ought to worship this Goddess. Then says Gangler, All these Gods appear to me to have great power: and I am not at all furprized (A) that you are able to perform so many great atchievements, since you are so well acquainted with the attributes and functions of each God, and know what it is proper to ask of each in order to succeed. But are there still any more of them, besides those you have already nam ed? REMARKS ON THE THIRTEENTH FABLE. FREY is some inferior are called, in Danish, guage, viz. Frayer, to engender or spawn as fishes do; and Friand, which anciently signified " full of defire:" as alfo to Frija, which in Swedish signifies to be amorous, and to seek in marriage; and Friar, a gallant. The name Aphroditis, which was given to Venus by the people of Greece, seems also to bear some affinity to this. Gallantry being one of the principal virtues of every 1 |