Alfaleith.org - Rydberg's Teutonic Mythology

Thus the peace of the world and the order of nature might seem secured. But it is not long before a new war breaks out, to which the former may be regarded as simply the prelude. The feud, which had its origin in the judgment passed by the gods on Þjazi's gifts, and which ended in the marriage of Svipdag and Freyja, was waged for the purpose of securing again for settlement and culture the ancient domain and Svithiod, where Heimdal had founded the first community. It was confined within the limits of the North Teutonic peninsula, and in it the united powers of Asgard supported the other Teutonic tribes fighting under Halfdan. But the new conflict rages at the same time in heaven and in earth, between the divine clans of the Asas and the Vans, and between all the Teutonic tribes led into war with each other by Halfdan's sons. From the standpoint of Teutonic mythology it is a world war; and Völuspá calls it the first great war in the world - fólkvíg fyrst í heimi (21, 24).

Loki was the cause of the former prelusive war. His feminine counterpart and ally Gullveig-Heidr, who gradually is blended, so to speak, into one with him, causes the other. This is apparent from the following Völuspá strophes:

21. Það man hún fólkvíg fyrst í heimi, er Gullveigu geirum studdu og í höll Hárs hana brenndu; þrisvar brenndu þrisvar borna, oft, ósjaldan; þó hún enn lifir.
22. Heiði hana hétu, hvars til húsa kom, völu velspá, vitti hún ganda; seið hún kunni, seið hún Leikin, æ var hún angan illrar brúðar.
23. Þá gengu regin öll á rökstóla, ginnheilög goð og um það gættust, hvort skyldu æsir afráð gjalda, eða skyldu goðin öll gildi eiga.
24. Fleygði Óðinn og í fólk um skaut, það var enn fólkvíg fyrst í heimi; brotinn var borðveggur borgar ása, knáttu vanir vígspá völlu sporna.

The first thing to be established in the interpretation of these strophes is the fact that they, in the order in which they are found in Codex Regius, and in which I have given them, all belong together and refer to the same mythic event - that is, to the origin of the great world war. This is evident from a comparison of strophe 21 with 24, the first and last of those quoted. Both speak of the war, which is called fólkvíg fyrst í heimi. The former strophe informs us that it occurred as a result of, and in connection with, the murder of Gullveig, a murder committed in Valhall itself, in the hall of the Asa-father, beneath the roof where the gods of the Asa-clan are gathered around their father. The latter strophe tells that the first great war in the world produced a separation between the two god-clans, the Asas and Vans, a division caused by the fact that Odin, hurling his spear, interrupted a discussion between them; and the strophe also explains the result of the war: the bulwark around Asgard was broken, and the Vans got possession of the power of the Asas. The discussion or council is explained in strophe 23. It is there expressly emphasised that all the gods, the Asas and Vans, regin öll, goðin öll, solemnly assemble and seat themselves on their rökstólar to counsel together concerning the murder of Gullveig-Heiðr. Strophe 22 has already described who Gullveig is, and thus given at least one reason for the hatred of the Asas towards her, and for the treatment she receives in Odin's hall. It is evident that she was in Asgard under the name Gullveig, since Gullveig was killed and burnt in Valhall; but Midgard, the abode of man, has also been the scene of her activity. There she has roamed about under the name Heiðr, practising the evil arts of black sorcery (see No. 27) and encouraging the evil passions of mankind: æ var hún angan illrar brúðar. Hence Gullveig suffers the punishment which from time immemorial was established among the Aryans for the practice of the black art; she was burnt. And her mysteriously terrible and magic nature is revealed by the fact that the flames, though kindled by divine hands, do not have the power over her that they have over other agents of sorcery. The gods burn her thrice; they pierce the body of the witch with their spears, and hold her over the flames of the fire. All is in vain. They cannot prevent her return and regeneration. Thrice burned and thrice born, she still lives.

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