Saxo and Odinn

From: Erik Sieurin <BV9521_at_utb.hb.se>
Date: Thu, 7 Sep 1995 14:55:27 +0100


Euhemerization:
> The sort of euhemerization I don't want to see (and don't see) in
> Glorantha is the Roman, or Saxo Grammaticus, sort, in which all the
> "true" mythology of a people is retroactively converted into
> pseudohistory about mortals. (Was it Saxo who converted Odinn into a
> chieftain of Carthage? I can't recall.)
Uh, I seem to recall that Snorri has 2 Odinns: one who is the creator of the universe, another who is a great magician and king from Asia/Troy who fooled us stoopid Swedes into thinking he was a god. But I may have remember it wrong and the second version is Saxo's....

I'm certain of, however, that it is Saxo who tells another myth of Balder's death than the common "killed by mistletoe shot by Hodir tricked by Loki" one.
In this, the Aesir are really supernatural beings, but they walk the earth - Odin has his court somewhere in Sweden, I think. Hi son Balder, who is a "beautyful son-of-a-bitch" a la Bobby Brown longs for the beautiful mortal woman Nanna, who really wants to marry the Danish prince Hodir, who loves her.
The result is war between Hodir's people and the gods, and somewhere along the way he kills off Balder (after chopping the handle off Thor's hammer, among other things).

Then remember that Snorri and Saxo where Christians. The Malkioni may lie or may just be ignorant about the False Gods being only evil and powerful humans, but they are certainly euhemerizing while doing this...


End of Glorantha Digest V2 #104


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