Month: January 2013

defyculture:

The Codex Gigas. The largest medieval manuscript in existence, created by a single scribe in the early 13th century. Sometimes called “The Devil’s Bible” because of a large unexplained picture of him. Lavishly illustrated. Just the writing alone, not counting the illustrations, would have taken five years of constant writing to complete. – unknown

bythegods:

Bragi

The son of Odin and Gunnlod, (a giantess) Bragi was the Germanic god of poetry and eloquence. Fancy. He was married to Idun, the goddess who kept the magic apples of youth.

When Loki returned to Asgard after masterminding the death of Baldr, Bragi, who was never at a loss for words, told the trickster that he was unwelcome company at the godly feast. Enraged, Loki called Bragi “the bragger,” whereupon Bragi threatened to twist off Loki’s head as the only sure method of stopping his lies. That’s Bragi-Justice. Odin tried to cool everyone down, but Loki was already ultra-pissed, and prophesied the destruction of the gods at Ragnarok before fleeing Asgard in a huff.

Bragi might’ve been a late addition to the Germanic pantheon, and it’s not unlikely that he was the addition of a poet, (skald) since in Germanic courts, poets were venerated second only to kings. Bragi was portrayed as an old, bearded man carrying a harp, and when oaths were sworn they were solemnized by speaking over a vessel called the Cup of Bragi.