I think what I love best about the SDMB is how I can milk it for just about everything I need to know for everything I write about. When my novel finally IS published, I’ll have to dedicate it to everyone here.
I’m trying desperately to get a handle on basic, nordic/germanic mythology, more to the point, the life of Hoenir, the Brilliant god who was timid, quiet and handsome but also perceived as arrogant.
He’s also destined to rule the ‘next world’, so he’s got that going for him.
Anyway, searching for info on this even on Duck Duck’s almighty google, provides sparse results. I get a couple of outline pages, and then a bunch of, basically, role playing sites or philosophy sites.
Anyway, anyone have any good books or good sites or does anyone possess the self knowledge to tell me some stuff about germanic mythology?
Try a copy of Bullfinches’ Mythology; I’m not sure how far it will take you vis a vis germanic (it’s been too long since I read it), but it’s worth a try.
Oh goody, a chance to flex my myth muscle! It’s a little out of shape, but I’ll do what I can.
I don’t recall a Hoenir, but the god you describe makes me thing of Hodur. He was the blind poet and gentleness god, a minor figure, and fits your description except for the arrogant part. He was only notable because he was the brother of Baldur, and in fact accidentally killed him through the machinations of Loki (surprise!). He’s supposed to survive Ragnarok and be reunited with his brother, who will return from death.
The best source for all things mythological is a huge tome by D’Auliere [sp]. It covers everything from primitive cave drawings up to Rome and the Vikings. It’s more of an archaeoligical book than a storybook (lots of color plates and such, lots of discussion of cultural origins) but it’s damn good. Your library should have it. I used to own a copy, but it was falling apart when I got it and it’s gone now.
Everybody seems to recommend Kevin Crossley-Holland’s The Norse Myths as a good starting point. I’m not going to contradict everybody. Especially as I’ve had my copy for years.
There are online versions of translations of some of the source texts. (And the originals as well, I think, but my Old Norse ain’t up to much).
You might also want to check out a CD called “Edda - An Icelandic Saga - Myths From Medieval Iceland” by Sequentia. Attempts to reconstruct how some of the Norse myths might have sounded, by an ancient music reconstruction group. My copy came with a really handy booklet of source texts and translations.
Hope this helps. Have fun, and watch out for mistletoe.
although this translation, IMHO, lacks the power of another one I read sometime ago. “Thou must needs know this. Wouldst know more?” I’ll freely admit to liking the more medieval phrasing. Plus, if you’re a Tolkein fan, here’s where he got most of the names of his dwarves.
Then move into the Sagas. What fun! Especially if you’re in a bloodthirsty mood.
On preview,I see Steve Wright chimed in with much the same info. But I have links!
I’m not a scholar, and my most recent exposure to Roman history was Gladiator, but didn’t Rome kind of conquer the Germanic tribes? That’d account for the harsh stomping of the Germanic mythology.
Hoenir doesn’t sound at all familiar to me, I’m afraid. But Northern mythology isn’t my forte.
I’d recommend the 15-or-so volume set Mythology of All Races, which was originally printed somewhere around 1920, and has been reprinted many times since. There are several volumes of “northern” mythology, and they’re very well footnoted and referenced. The problem is that the references are usually to publications that aren’t in English.
Bulfinch covers Norse mythology pretty well, BTW. It’s only the first part – “The Age of Fable” – that’s strictly Greco-Roman. The second part is Norse mythology, and the third covers the legends of Charlemagne. Some paperback editions only have the first part, though.
It’s too bad there isn’t yet something equivalent to the Perseus Project for northern myths. There ARE several directories and listings of mythological websites out there – but I don’t have them at my fingertips here at work.
And no, Ethilrist. In the long view, it was quite the other way around. Rome was never able to conquer the tribes to its satisfaction, and was in turn destroyed by them. Well, significantly altered, if not destroyed.
I guess it’s mainly of interest for the ScandiDopers
Höner/Hoenir is apparently a minor character, although he sometimes steps in in place of Vile as Odin’s brother and partner in creation, which of course is something. (It’s in this respect that he gives humans intelligence or perhaps just a mind.)
Apart from his role as hostage to the Vanir, he’s involved in kicking off the myth of the gold of the Nibelungen, although he doesn’t play a very active part, with Loki taking center stage as usual. (I’ll look for a translation, because I’m too damn lazy to type one myself.)
And as you say, he’ll take over after Ragnarok, at least according to the Voluspa (sp?) - what we call “The foretelling of the Völve” (Völvens spaadom).
Oops. I posted this in the GD thread (well, I saw it first.) Anyway, here’s my favorite mythology site. It’s really more of a link directory, and covers a lot of different cultures. http://www.mythinglinks.org/home.html
You might also want to visit http://www.beliefnet.com, click “Discussions” and look for the Asatru boards (I can’t remember if they’re under “Reconstructionist Religions” or “Paganism”). There you will find folks who can tell you all sorts of things about Norse and/or Germanic mythology. And they’re not roleplayers. This is really their faith.
Damn my cover’s been blown. But what you’ve failed to understand is that the ‘next world’ is just the newest one: that big island thing down under.
That’s the problem with mythology and stories being passed down - people put their own interpretations on it and make assumptions. I tell ya, it’s hard to get any respect as a god anymore. Sure we’re talented, amazing, enjoy some level of omnipotence, creative and pretty wonderful all-round but we have to put with you mortals.
