Norse Code

Yesterday's question and answer on Jenny's blog was interesting, and seems to indicate that all nine clues of Forrest Fenn's poem can be answered from home. You can find the question by
"Lagerta the Bold" here.

The name "Lagerta" is familiar to me, as it's a variation of a familial name that I've studied years before The History Channel's Vikings picked it up as one of it's shows main characters.

The date of my first ancestry article about Ragnar and wives was written in an old blog of mine on Thursday, May 10, 2012.  I wonder if the writers of Vikings stole my idea. I had an interest in Lathgertha and Ragnar (and the rest on Fennland Isle) before the masses even knew who they were. Before the series came out, there was very little information about them online, and my blog was one of the few compilations of an American's Norse bloodline.

I researched my ancestry all the way back to the possibly mythical or legendary figures. There's a point in everyone's genealogy where things get a little fantastic, and Ragnar is the last "probably historical" person in my line. Pre-Ragnar, things get a little sketchy. 

In my original blog post from 2012, I wrote the following:

Yesterday, I did some more research. The furthest I can definitively trace back to is probably Ragnar, the scoundrel asshole. After that, the people become semi-legendary, meaning they haven't been proven to be real people. Ragnar's father was supposedly Sigurd "The Ring", who is a semi-legendary King of Sweden. A little further down the line is another semi-legendary king, Skjold, who was mentioned in Beowulf. There is some historical proof he may have been real, too. 

Then, we have Skjold's dad, Woden, or Odin. Yes, the god.  However, there apparently was such a Woden, and there is actually more proof for his existence than there is of Sigurd or Skjold. Woden was an excellent poet; in fact, the master of all poets, and highly esteemed and the Chief of his tribe or clan, or whatever. He was revered as a god. Anglo-Saxon kings say they can trace their lines back to this man. Darn, if I had known that, I could have proven my lineage and got an invitation to Princess Diana's wedding!

But, from Odin, the genealogy goes to Troy and can be traced all the way up to the supposed founder of Troy, Dardanus. From Dardanus, Priam comes into the picture. He's supposedly in my line. Priam had a daughter, Troana, who married Munon (or Memnon). And guess what? Munon and Troana had a son, and guess what his name was? Yes, you're right! His name was Thor! Or Tror, which is translated Thor. 

Anyway, back to Lagerta. Why the missing h or two? Maybe the author of the quote didn't want the name to sound "biddy-ish," like Helga or Bertha. Lol. Or maybe it was just another case of Forrest's shortening of names to save time.

Okay, back to Vikings. Contrary to popular belief, the ancient Scandinavians were not all vikings. The term "viking" described those who went a'viking, their term for boat voyages and raiding missions. The Vikings were expert sailors, navigating the world and setting foot on America long before Christopher Columbus or pals ever did. 

But Lagertha was actually a Viking. She journeyed with Ragnar on many raiding trips and there are tales of her carving her name in the sea pre-Ragnar, as a pirate. There are also tales that she was a shield-maiden or Valkyrie. Viking shield-maidens are most likely based on historical truth, as they are simply warriors that happen to be female. There have been graves of woman Viking warriors buried with their weapons unearthed, and there are several tales of women fighting alongside of the men.

Here's an ancient account of Latgerta (as Ladgerda, one of the many variations of her name):

 Ladgerda, a skilled Amazon who, though a maiden, had the courage of a man, and fought in front among the bravest with her hair loose over her shoulders. All-marvelled at her matchless deeds, for her locks flying down her back betrayed that she was a woman.

This painting by Peter Nicolai shows a fallen shield maiden:

And, of course, the modern equivalent:

 Valkyries are probably just myth, though, and were likened to goddesses of war. They would ride their flying horses into a battle and choose those among the slain who died with bravery and honor, then take them to an eternal feast with Odin in Valhalla. In Valhalla, these warriors are known as einherjar, which is an Old Norse word that means "single fighters" or "once a fighter."

The Ride of the Valkyries, by John Charles Dollman

Forrest has mentioned Thor once or twice, but Thor is, at the time of this blog post, a mythological figure. As time moves forward and more is discovered in the ruins of Troy, where the historical Thor might have lived, a different story may emerge. One interesting fact about Thor is that prior to the Viking Age, the name "Thor" was unheard of. During the Viking Age and beyond, the name flourished. Thor was the new "Hunter" or "Dylan."

Another interesting fact is that before Thursday was Thursday, it was dies lovis, meaning "Day of Jupiter."

Thor was the god of thunder, lightning, oak trees, strength, storms, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing and fertility.

Unlike Lagertha, stories abound of Thor's adventures. He was known by at least fourteen names, and I don't know them all yet. Thor was purported to be a son of Odin, and he rides, somewhat humbly, I think, in a chariot pulled by goats. This isn't how I like to picture the god of thunder and might scooting around town--I mean, how could his enemies not laugh at his approach?

Unless it was more like this:

Oops, dang it, that's not Thor, that's Santa Claus. I meant this:

Yeah, that's more like it! Lol.

In the Poetic Edda, a compilation of traditional tales from the Viking Period, Thor is a popular character. In one such poem, Thor is returning from "the East" and arrives at an inlet, where he finds a ferryman (Odin in disguise). Oh, Odin is a tricky guy, playing little jokes on the heroes with tests and tribulations! He shouts obscenities at Thor and refuses to let him on the ferry.

Thor, trying his best to not let mere obnoxious words hurt him, stays silent and waits for the ferryman to finish. The ferryman just gets louder and more aggressively crude, and Thor "goes atomic." But not with his fists. Instead, he enters into a war of words, what they called "flyting." Which is basically an exchange of insults in poetry. Maybe like today's rap battles. Lol.

Here's a depiction of the flyt:

Well, Thor apparently lost the flyt, and ended up walking that long walk home. Maybe Odin won because he said something like, "You may have killed a dragon, but your chariot is pulled by goats!"

I mean, how can you come back from that one? Oh Thor, why'd you have to pick goats? There are some pretty awesome wolves in the old tales, like Fenrir of the marshes, who swallowed the sun, or Managarmr, the wolf who swallowed the moon--couldn't your mightiness have harnessed them instead of a couple cud-chewing, grazing mammals?

And time grows short once again as the morning wanes. Time to put my scrubs on and get ready to be ordinary.

Have a great day!