( 117 )
the sun, the gates of which face the North; poison rains there through a thousand openings: This place is all composed of the carcasses of Serpents: There run certain torrents, in which are plunged the perjurers, assassins, and those who seduce married women. A black, winged Dragon flies incessantly around, and devours the bodies of the wretched who are there imprisoned.”
Notwithstanding the obscurities which are found in these descriptions, we see that it was a doctrine rendered sacred by the religion of the ancient Scandinavians, that the soul was immortal, and that there was a future state reserved for men, either happy or miserable according to their behaviour here below. All the ‘Gothic and’ Celtic nations held the same opinions, and it was upon these they founded the obligation of serving the Gods, and of being valiant in battle: But although the Greek and Latin historians who have spoke of this people, agree in attributing these notions to them, yet none of them have given any particular account of the nature of these doctrines; and one ought to regard in this respect the Icelandic mythology as a precious monument, without which we can know but very imperfectly this important part of the religion of our fathers. I must here sacrifice to brevity
