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Ancient Religion 27
he would lay his hand on the victim, make his vow, and
drain the votive cup.
A Warlike Religion was the old Asa-faith. Oden was
not only the sun god, he was also the god of war. When
battle raged, his war maidens, the Valkyries, riding on
fiery steeds, came forth to conduct the fallen heroes to
Oden’s colossal abode, Valhall (the fallen warriors’
hall). Here they lived a life which to the ancient
Northmen was the height of happiness. Every morn-
ing they went forth to battle, and in the evening all
wounds were healed; and reconciled, the combatants
rode back to Valhall. There they were regaled with
flesh of a hog butchered each night, but restored to
life each morning; and with frothing mead served by
the maidens of Oden, the Valkyries. But cowards came
to the dismal underground abode of pale-faced Hela,
the grim goddess of death. Death was terrifying only
to those who feared it.
"The cowardly knave
Hopes death to escape,
If combat he shuns,
But old age will not grant
Any peace unto him,
Though the spear may have spared him."
So says Havamal. To die of old age was not consid-
ered glorious. It is recorded of men who did not meet
death in battle that in their old days they would cut
their arteries with a spear and bleed to death or throw
themselves over a precipice.
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