The Valkyrie is, in the oldest strata of belief, a corpse goddess, represented by the carrion-eating raven. The name in Old Norse, valkyrja, means literally, "chooser of the slain." The Valkyrie is related to the Celtic warrior-goddess, the Morrigan, who likewise may assume the form of the raven.
The Valkyries carry out the will of Odinn in determining the victors of the battle, and the course of the war. Their primary duty is to choose the bravest of those who have been slain, gathering the souls of dying heros or warriors found deserving of afterlife in Valhalla. They scout the battle ground in search of mortals worthy of the grand hall. If you are deemed by the Valkyries as un-worthy of the hall of Valhalla you will be received after death by the goddess Hel in a cheerless underground world.
The descriptions of Odinn's hall describe the Valkyries as foster-daughters,(just as the einherjar the chosen warriors of Odinn are foster sons). Freyja is said to be the first of the Valkyries, called Valfreyja, "Mistress of the Slain," she pours ale at the feasts of the Aesir . The Valkyries also have duties in the great hall. There, having exchanged their armor for pure white robes, they will serve the warriors they have chosen.
Valhalla, the great hall of slain warriors is located in Asguard, the realm of Odinn. It contains 540 doors each of which leads to a room which can accommodate 800 warriors. The roof is made of warrior's shields. There the warriors spend their days fighting and their nights feasting, until Ragnarok, the day of the final world battle, in which the old gods will perish and a new reign of peace and love will be instituted.
Great!
AntwortenLöschenAlthough I like greek myth´s a little bit more and even bukephalos - this is a reminiscent of Birgit Nilsson´s Brünnhilde! ! ! ;-)
It is! I had to go listen to the Immolation!
AntwortenLöschenThe basis of the legend is a little too meat-biased for this vegetarian, but loved learning about this Romy! I know so little about Norse myth, that it was great to read this!
AntwortenLöschenAlso, the horses are so beautiful!
Das Pferd kenne ich aus einem anderen Bild mit einem Reiter, werde mal nachsuchen.
AntwortenLöschenSo, jetzt weiß ich, woher ich das Bild kenne:
AntwortenLöschenSpiegelverkehrt van Dyck, der Hintergrund etwas abgeändert, das Pferd original übernommen, nur im Original sitzt Karl I drauf. 1630er Jahre