The topic of mythology in modern media society is present everywhere. Perhaps the most popular today are Scandinavian myths. Cinema and computer games flooded the heroes of Scandinavian myths. Brutal beardeds with braided hair, moved in our time from the harsh northern lands of Vikings on the pages of popular magazines and urban streets. Who did not hear such names like alone, Tor, Loki? And Valkyrie and Valgalla? All this is part of the spiritual component of the huge world of the fjords and the cold seas of Scandinavia, whose legends are impressive with their severity and uniqueness. According to the Scandinavian myths, the great composer Richard Wagner wrote the famous opera about Siegfried and Brynjord.

Scandinavian myths read

Assa, in the Scandinavian mythology, the main group of gods led by Odin, the father of most Asov, who loved, fought and died, because, like people, did not possess immortality. These gods are opposed to Vanam (gods of fertility), giants (ETUNAM), dwarfs (zvergam), as well as women's deities - Disam, Norns and Valkyriyam. They lived in the Heavenly Fortress Asgard, which was connected to the land of people, Midgard, a rainbow bridge.

I. Sigram, son Odin, was King Gardarika. He was inherited by his son with sofers. Once softers (H, sigrals R), being on the hunt, saw a large stone at sunset, and two dwarfs near him. The king blocked them access to the stone by the enchanted sword. Dwarfs began to ask for mercy. Having learned that in front of him were Twine and Duline, the most skillful out of the doors, the king demanded that they prepare him perhaps the best sword that would cut iron, like a fabric, and never covered with rust, delivered victory in battles and fights to his owner. They agreed. On the appointed day, the king came to the stone and received the desired weapon.

To the west of Asgard, from time immemorial, lies Wana, the kingdom of powerful and good spirits of Vanov. These spirits do not cause evil to anyone. They rarely go beyond their country, and they do not have to meet with people and giants.

Aces and Vana lived for many years lived in the world with each other, but as soon as the Norns and the Golden Age came from Yotunheim, Assa, everyone, with great envy, began to look at the huge wealth of their neighbors and finally decided to take their strength.

Highly high above the clouds, so high that no even the most dressed person can see it, lies the beautiful country of the gods of Asgard. Thin, but a durable bridge Bifress - people call him a rainbow - connects Asgard with the Earth, but it will be bad for someone who dares to rise. A red band, which stretches along, is an eternal, never swelling flames. Harmless to the gods, it will burn any mortal who dares to touch him.

Baldr ("Mr."), in the Scandinavian mythology, a young God from Asov, the favorite son of Odina and Fryigg, the goddess of the Earth and air. Lovely Baldra was called wise and brave, and his loving and gentle soul emitd light. Unexpectedly, the young man began to dream of the sinister dreams that foreshadowed death. Concerned one saddled his octopus stallion Slapnir and went to the kingdom of the dead. The sorcerer-provincial told him that Ballar would die of his own brother, the blind god Hyud.

Beowulf ("Bee Wolf", i.e. "Bear"), the hero of the Northern and Anglo-Saxon epic, who defeated two terrible monsters. The young warrior from the people of Gautov, Beowulf went for the sea, to Denmark, to save the king of Danov Hergoar from herself to his attack: For many years in the Royal Castle, the sinor makes his way at night, the fierce mandrel and devouring the warriors.

In the night martial arts, Beowulf squeezed Grendel with such a force that he, torn, lost his arms and filled into his lair, where he had expired and empty the spirit. Grendel's mother, even more frozen creature, tried to take revenge for the murder of his son, and Beowulf, pursuing a monster, sank into her crystal underwater cave.

Braga, in the Scandinavian mythology God-Scald, son of Odin and Gyunnhold, Husband Idunn, the keeper of the Molding Apple. Braga was born in the stalactic cave, where his mother Gunnhold kept honey poetry. Dwarfs-Tsvergi gave the Magic Arf to the Divine Child and sent to swim on one of their wonderful ships. In the way of Braga sang a touching "song of life", which was heard in heaven and the gods invited him to their abode asgard.

Brunchild, Brungilda ("Fight"), the heroine of scandinational-German mythology, the most mitial and most beautiful Valkyrie, who has threw the challenge to the same: she gave a victory in the battle of anyone who was intended.

In the punishment, God burned her into sleep and exiled to the ground, where Bruunhild had to lie on the top of Hindarfyal Hill, surrounded by a fiery wall. Only Sigurd could break through through a raging flame (Germ, Siegfried, the famous hero, who struck the Dragon of Fafenir.

It can be safely argued that Scandinavia's literature increased from ancard literature. The discovery and settlement of Iceland was one of the results of Viking campaigns. Famous Icelandic scientist Jonas Cristiansson writes: "Vikings crossed their fast and durable ships, the Wikings crossed the sea, as lightning, fell into the islands and the coast and tried to create new states in the West - in Scotland, Ireland and England, in the south - in France and East - In Russia.
But the tribes that inhabited these land were so powerful that the few groups of aliens were gradually dissolved among the local population, losing their national traits and language. Vikings could last only on those lands that were not populated before their arrival. Iceland remained the only state created during this period by Vikings.

Arn Wise (1067-1148), the first Icelandic author who wrote the brief history of Iceland ("Book of Icelanders"), reports that the first settler settled there "A few years after 870. According to another ancient source, it happened in 874 ". The history of Icelandic literature, as, in fact, the history of the country, has more than a thousand years. Throughout the world, the Scandinavian sagas about the gods and heroes that have come down to us thanks to the songs of "Elder Edda" are known.

"Elder Edda" is a collection of mythological and heroic songs, preserved in the sole list - the "Royal Code" found in Iceland in 1643. Until recently, this parchment was kept in Copenhagen, but in April 1971, many of the Ancard manuscripts, by decision of the Danish parliament, were transferred to Iceland, where in its capital - Reykjavik - the Institute of Manuscripts of Iceland was created, the purpose of which is to promote knowledge about the Icelandic language People, his literature and history. All Ancient Slandic Poetry disintegrates two types of poetic art - Eddich poetry and scalding poetry.

Eddic poetry is characterized by the fact that its authorship is anonymously, the form of its relative is simple, but she tells about the gods and heroes, or contains the rules of everyday wisdom. The features of the Eddic songs are their saturation of actions, each song is devoted to one concrete episode from the life of gods or heroes, and their limit brevity. "EDDU" is conditionally divided into 2 parts - on songs about the gods that contain information on mythology, and songs about heroes. The most famous song "Senior Edda" is considered "Division of Wielva", in which the picture of the world is given from his creation to the tragic end - "death of the gods" - and the new revival of the world.

Early Icelandic poetry is associated with pagan beliefs. Many of the oldest poems are devoted to the pagan gods, and the art's art itself was considered the gift of the Supreme God of Odin. There are in the "Elder Edde" and songs of Osmerman's origin - for example, songs about Sigurd and Athi. The legend is South Germanic origin and the most famous for "Song about Nibelung." The rules of poetry and the retelling of the Vidnavannavian mythology are contained in the "younger EDDE", owned by Snorry Sturlso (1178-1241).

The Russian language "Elder Edda" was translated three times - the first time with a talented translator and researcher of the Old Island literature S. Sviridenko, in Soviet times - A. Korsun, and quite recently - V. Tikhomirov, who prepared his translation together with the largest modern scandinavist medieval about . Smirnitskaya. Until the revolution of 1917, there was a great many arrangements and retelling of the Old Valvesannowan myths. After 1917, only one arrangement of these myths for children belonging to Yu Svetlanov was published.
However, recently in Russian appeared the beautiful book of the modern Danish writer Lars Henrik Olsen "Eric Son of Man", which is in a fascinating form written by the world of gods and heroes.

It can be safely argued that Scandinavia's literature increased from ancard literature. The discovery and settlement of Iceland was one of the results of Viking campaigns. Famous Icelandic scientist Jonas Cristiansson writes: "Vikings crossed their fast and durable ships, the Wikings crossed the sea, as lightning, fell into the islands and the coast and tried to create new states in the West - in Scotland, Ireland and England, in the south - in France and East - In Russia.
But the tribes that inhabited these land were so powerful that the few groups of aliens were gradually dissolved among the local population, losing their national traits and language.
Vikings could last only on those lands that were not populated before their arrival. Iceland remained the only state created during this period by Vikings.

Arn Wise (1067-1148), the first Icelandic author who wrote the brief history of Iceland ("Book of Icelanders"), reports that the first settler settled there "A few years after 870. According to another ancient source, it happened in 874 ".
The history of Icelandic literature, as, in fact, the history of the country, has more than a thousand years.
All over the world are known to legends about the gods and heroes that have come down to us thanks to the songs of the "Elder Eddy".
"Elder Edda" is a collection of mythological and heroic songs, preserved in the sole list - the "Royal Code" found in Iceland in 1643.
Until recently, this parchment was kept in Copenhagen, but in April 1971, many of the Ancard manuscripts, by decision of the Danish parliament, were transferred to Iceland, where in its capital - Reykjavik - the Institute of Manuscripts of Iceland was created, the purpose of which is to promote knowledge about the Icelandic language People, his literature and history. All Ancient Slandic Poetry disintegrates two types of poetic art - Eddich poetry and scalding poetry.

Eddic poetry is characterized by the fact that its authorship is anonymously, the form of its relative is simple, but she tells about the gods and heroes, or contains the rules of everyday wisdom.
The features of the Eddic songs are their saturation of actions, each song is devoted to one concrete episode from the life of gods or heroes, and their limit brevity. "EDDU" is conditionally divided into 2 parts - on songs about the gods that contain information on mythology, and songs about heroes.
The most famous song "Senior Edda" is considered "Division of Wielva", in which the picture of the world is given from his creation to the tragic end - "death of the gods" - and the new revival of the world.

Early Icelandic poetry is associated with pagan beliefs. Many of the oldest poems are devoted to the pagan gods, and the art's art itself was considered the gift of the Supreme God of Odin.
There are in the "Elder Edde" and songs of Osmerman's origin - for example, songs about Sigurd and Athi. The legend is South Germanic origin and the most famous for "Song about Nibelung."
The rules of poetry and the retelling of the Vidnavannavian mythology are contained in the "younger EDDE", owned by Snorry Sturlso (1178-1241).

The Russian language "Elder Edda" was translated three times - the first time with a talented translator and researcher of the Old Island literature S. Sviridenko, in Soviet times - A. Korsun, and quite recently - V. Tikhomirov, who prepared his translation together with the largest modern scandinavist medieval about . Smirnitskaya.
Until the revolution of 1917, there was a great many arrangements and retelling of the Old Valvesannowan myths. After 1917, only one arrangement of these myths for children belonging to Yu Svetlanov was published.
However, recently in Russian appeared the beautiful book of the modern Danish writer Lars Henrik Ollsen "Eric Son of Man", which is in a fascinating form of a written journey through the world of gods and heroes.

P. 1 of 296.

Institute of Universal History of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Reviewers: Candidate of Historical Sciences A. D. Scheglov,

candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor T. P. Gusarova

In the design of the book used illustrative material from the assembly A. A. Svanidze and E. A. Polykashin.

© A. A. Svanidze, 2014

© design. LLC "New Literary Review", 2014

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From the author: motivation and approaches

History In a sense, there is a sacred book of peoples: the main necessary; The mirror of their existence and activity, the sriciper of revelations and rules; covenant ancestors to the offspring; Supplement, clarification of the present and example of the future ...

N. M. Karamzin (1766-1826)

Vikings, campaigns of Vikings ... These words, this topic invariably worry readers. They are in demand so much that they caused whole waves of popular publications, some of which in recent years have gained access to the Russian reader.

And what does this scientific book offer? What does its name mean? Before you explain it and tell about your ideas, approaches and methods, I would like to make some digression.

Having devoted his life to the study of the history of medieval society, organizing people's life, I had the opportunity to make sure that the past did not let go of a person nor humanity. The powerful invading the current life, it surprises real strange, it would seem that repetitions have long been experienced. It is from these constant repetitions, from surprisingly similar situations, institutes, takeoffs and falls of individuals, tribes, peoples and empires, apparently, there is a lot of saying: "History lessons are not taught." I dare to say that it is incorrect. Unlike the textbook, the content of which can be forgotten immediately after passing the exam, the story examines humanity constantly, starting with the sources of the "intelligent man", and then for many millennia. And he has the right to Dynn, because I formed and continues to "sculpt" the behavior of people, their personal and collective consciousness, relations between themselves, to society, state and nature. Calculate attention is caused by the lessons of history during times of turning, when the need for new approaches was ripe, but the necessary decisions were not yet found, and the future seems frighteningly unclear. Then the events and people of the past, even very far, with their experience of survival, faith and hopes, with wars, exploits and lesions, love and cunning, are particularly close and interesting. Therefore, the importance is obvious common in historyhis detection and accuracy.

No less attention is attracted to incorrectness - appearance, languages \u200b\u200band shorter, family, dwellings and robes, beliefs and value categories, morals and morality. In this case, we are talking about those ethnocultural signs that are special manifestations (or forms) in common fate of people, peoples and countries. It is not by chance that people impertly seek to determine and approve their identity - from tribal to national or state. And therefore they protect their traditions, the authority of their gods and heroes. And with the course of times, the uniqueness of his own personality is more and more: "I am me, because you are you." Inexhaustibility specific manifestationspublic and private life, as well as the characteristics of their change, - whether people, an event or personality - forms a complex mosaic of cultures, recreates and allows you to estimate multi-color history.

And, of course, at all times people occupied and occupy sources - Family and national, ethnic and mental. He carries the search for "roots" and the process of inclusion of some "single" history - to the local, and then universal. It is known that in the life of each family, each people, the region and the continent there are individuals and periods that have received not just a large, but a sign in the formation and consolidation of their identity.

For our neighbors-Scandinavians, the first time was the epoch of the Vikings, when the peoples of the distant North-West Eurasia joined the sea of \u200b\u200bmedieval culture of the European continent, the epoch, which was important for Europe as a whole.

Word vikingsit causes such pages of the European past in consciousness, which for centuries do not leave indifferent not only historians from different specialties, but also many inquisitive readers in general. The modern reader from school years remembers that Vikings are representatives of the Scandinavians, the naval peoples of the European North, who for three and a century of centuries, from the second half of the 7th century, and until the middle of the XII century, who excited Europe.

That they, magnificent seafarers, still at the turn of the 1st and 2nd Millennium, without possessing the compass, but knowing how to "read the stars" and masterfully owning their wooden ship, reached the expanses of the Northern Atlantic, opened the largest islands and archipelagoes there, settled many of them. And then, leaning on these islands as the intermediate bases, they fell to the shores of North America and founded the colony there.

That the Vikings were invincible warriors and cruel pirates who robbed the Western and southern coasts of Europe, from the Gulf of Finland and to the Marmara Sea, entering the shipping rivers, ruining the capital of big states and navigating horror not only on the peaceful settlers, but also in the kings.

That Scandinava Wikings founded their states in the British Islands, in Northern France and Southern Italy, and in Russia, they gave the beginning of the first ruling dynasty (Rurikovich).

That many Vikings hired military service to European sovereigns, and the Great Princes Kiev and the emperors of Byzantium willingly invited these strong and fearless warriors into their squads.

That the Vikings traded a lot and deftly. And just in those centuries, when the path through the Mediterranean Sea from Western Europe to the Middle East, with his wealth, was blocked by the conquests of Arabs, Scandinava, together with Russian merchants, laid the trading routes "from Varyag to Greeks". Through Eastern Europe, in a distant Volga, later - the thumbnail Dnieper, they traveled to the Black and Caspian Seas, from there they were sent to the East and West, together with Rusichi, putting the beginning of the Baltic - the second (after the Mediterranean) of Europe.

Perhaps some readers who are particularly interested in Vikings also know that by 1000 N. e. For most part, Scandinavians still remained with pagans, brought human sacrifices and at the expense of these circumstances Europeans usually attributed the cruelty of the North-German "Varvarov" ...

The attention of historians is riveted first of all to the so-called viking campaigns:their raids, deep robbing raids, trade activities and, of course, to the kingdoms formed by them or enclaves in the territories of European states. Their trips are noted since VIII, and the last surges of military-political activity - in the XII century. The peak of the latter falls on the IX-XI centuries; This time period is considered "Epoch of Vikings."