Observations placeholder

CHAPTER NINE

Óðinn died of sickness in Svíþjóð. And when he was on the point of death he had himself marked with the point of a spear and claimed as his own all men who were killed by weapons. He said he was going to go to Goðheimr and be reunited with his friends there. Now the Svíar believed that he had gone to the old Ásgarðr and would live there for ever. Then belief in Óðinn and invocation of him were renewed. The Svíar often thought he appeared to them before great battles were to take place. Then he gave victory to some of them, and others he summoned to himself. Both outcomes were considered good.

Óðinn was burned when he was dead, and that burning was carried out most magnificently. Their belief was that the higher the smoke rose into the sky, the loftier in heaven would be the one who had been burned, and the better off the more wealth that was burned with him.

Njǫrðr of Nóatun then became the ruler over the Svíar and maintained the worship. The Svíar then called him their lord. He received tribute payments from them. In his day very good peace prevailed and all kinds of such good harvest that the Svíar believed that Njǫrðr had power over the harvest and the prosperity of men. In his day most of the gods died and were all burned, and afterwards worshipped.

Njǫrðr died of sickness. He also had himself marked for Óðinn before he died. The Svíar burned him and wept bitterly over his grave.