he went thither, and Gylfe made a peace with him, for Gylfe thought he had no strength to oppose the people of Asaland. Odin and Gylfe had many tricks and enchantments against each other; but the Asaland people had always the superiority. Odin took up his residence at the Malar lake, at the place now called Sigtun.[1] There he erected a large temple, where there were sacrifices according to the customs of the Asaland people. He appropriated to himself the whole of that district of country, and called it Sigtun. To the temple gods he gave also domains. Njord dwelt in IsToatun, Frey in Upsal, Heimdal in Himinbjorg, Thor in Thrudvang, Balder in Breidablik;[2] to all of them he gave good domains.
When Odin of Asaland came to the north, and the gods with him, he began to exercise and to teach others the arts which the people long afterward have practiced. Odin was the cleverest of all, and from him all others learned their magic arts; and he knew them first, and knew many more than other people. But now, to tell why he is held in such high respect, we must mention various causes that contributed to it. When sitting among his friends his countenance was so beautiful and friendly, that the spirits of all were exhilarated by it; but when he was in war, he appeared fierce and dreadful. This arose from his being able to
- ↑ Sigtun. Sige, Ger. Sieg, (comp. Sigfrid,) means victory, and is one of Odin's names; ttm means an inclosure, and is the same word as our modern English town. Thus Sigtun would, in modern English, be called Odinstown; like our Johnstown, Williamstown, etc.
- ↑ Noatun, Thrudvang, Breidablik and Himinbjorg are purely mythological names, and for their sigrnificance the reader is referred to The Fooling of Gylfe. Snorre follows the lay of Grimner in the Elder Edda.
