Chapter 2

Some other appellations may be added in support. In the earliest period of our language, the neut. ragin meant consilium. Now the plural of this, as used in the Edda, denotes in a special manner the plurality of the gods (see Suppl.) Regin are the powers that consult together, and direct the world; and the expressions blið regin, (24) holl regin (kind, merciful gods), uppregin, ginregin (superæ potestates) have entirely this technical meaning. Ragnaröker (Goth. raginê reqvis? dimness, darkness of gods) signifies the end of the world, the setting of the divine luminaries. Sæm. 89 has "rögnir ok regin" coupled together, rögnir (cf. 196) being used to distinguish the individual ragineis (raguneis?), masc. These ON. regin [[the gods, ruling powers]] would be Goth. ragina, as the höpt and bönd are Gothic hafta and banda, all neut.----The same heathen conception peeps out in the OS. regangiscapu, reganogiscapu, [[decree of the power(s)]] Hel. 79, 13. 103, 3, equivalent to fatum, destiny, the decree and counsel of the gods, and synonymous with wurdgiscapu, [[decree of Wyrd]] Hel. 103, 7, from wurd, fatum. And again in metodogiscapu, [[decree of the measurers, creators]] Hel. 66, 19. 147, 11. We have seen that metod [[measurer]] likewise is a name for the Supreme Being, which the christian poet of the Heliand has ventured to retain from the heathen poetry. But these gen. plurals regano, [[of the powers]] metodo [[of the measurers]] again point to the plurality of the binding gods.

The collection of Augustine's letters contains (cap. 178), in the altercatio with Pascentius, a Gothic or perhaps a Vandal formula sihora armen, [[have mercy, Victorious]] the meaning of which is simply kurie elehson. (25)Even if it be an interpolation, and written in the fifth or sixth century, instead of at the end of the fourth, it is nevertheless remarkable that sihora [[victor, victorious one]] should be employed in it for God and Lord. Ulphilas would have said: fráuja armái. [[have mercy, lord]] The inf. armên, [[to have mercy, be merciful]] if not a mistake for armê, might do duty as an imperative; at the same time there is a Finn. and Esth. word armo signifying gratia, misericordia. But sihora, it seems, can only be explained as Teutonic, and must have been already in heathen times an epithet of God derived from his victorious might (see Suppl.) Goth. sigris, [[victory]] ON. Sigr [[victory]], OHG. sigu [[victory]] , AS. sige [[voctory]] victoria, triumphus. Oðinn is styled sigrgoð, sigtýr, sigföður; and the Christian poets transfer to God sigidrohtîn [[victory-drightin]], Hel. 47, 13. 114, 19. 125, 6. sigidryhtem [[victory-drightin]], Cædm. 33, 21. 48, 20. sigmetod [[victory-measurer]], Beow. 3544. vîgsigor [[battle-victor]], Beow. 3108. (26) elsewhere sigoradryhten [[drightin of victories]], sigorafreá [[lord of victories]], sigorawealdend [[lord of victories]], sigoragod [[god of victories]], sigoracyning [[king of victories]]. It is even possible that from that ancient sihora sprang the title sira, sire still current in Teutonic and Romance languages. (27)

The gods being represented as superi and uppregin, as dwelling on high, in the sky, uphimin, up on the mountain height (âs, ans), it was natural that individual gods should have certain particular mountains and abodes assigned them.

Thus, from a mere consideration of the general names for God and gods, we have obtained results which compel us to accept an intimate connexion between expressions in our language and conceptions proper to our heathenism. The 'me and God,' the gracious and the angry God, the frôho (lord) and the father, the beholding, creating, measuring, casting, the images of ans, fastening, band, and ragin, all lead both individually, and with all the more weight collectively, into the path to be trod. I shall take up all the threads again, but I wish first to determine the nature and bearings of the cultus.



ENDNOTES:

25. The Tcheremisses also pray 'juma sirlaga,' and the Tchuvashes 'tora sirlag,' i.e., God have mercy; G. J. Müllers saml. russ. gesch. 2, 359. The Morduins say when it thunders 'pashangui Proguini pas,' have mercy, god Porguini; Georgi description I. 64.  (back)

26. den sig hât got in sîner hant, MS. 2, 16.  (back)

27. Gott. anz. 1833, pp. 471-2. Diez however raises doubles, Roman. gram, 1, 41.  (back)