Völuspá was in other words not a creation story. There was no war between two different divine families, æsir and vanir, and man was not created by two lifeless and human-like pieces of wood from ash and elm, found on the beach. Lif ("life") and Lífþrasir ("holding on to life") were not two humans who survived Ragnarök, but Nanna and Baldr who after the winter returned from the dead. Ragnarök was no more dramatic than it was a necessary, useful, and annual event. All powers were always born again after they had been killed.
There was no linear (i. e. Judeo-Christian) world view in Ancient Europe, but rather a circular (i. e. European) world view, with no beginning and no end. Everything in nature just repeats itself, and the European mythology acknowledges this fact. Alvíssmál, Grímnismál, Hávamál, Hymiskviða, Lokasenna, Rígstula, Völuspá and all the others songs, known and unknown, were simply the old tradition, which they turned into verses in order to memorize them. They had to know them in order to rule and reign over their peoples as queens and kings. They were the passwords and the keys to power, a description of the mysteries and their secrets.
In spite of the fact that the ancient European religion was a pure hunter-gatherer and agriculture-based religion, built like all religions are on ignorance and delusions, and in spite of the fact that it was devoid of any and all twisted notions of "good versus evil", punishment, sin and empty promises of salvation, there was a moral element to it. Honour meant everything to the ancient European man, and he was seen as honourable when he was magnanimous, witty, wise, kind, resourceful, gentle, and just no less than when he was faithful, beautiful, healthy, strong, skilful, brave, careless and merciless. Of all our ancestral beliefs this is perhaps the one to remember and value today, and to bring with us into the future.
Name Index
A
Ánarr (proto-Nordic *Anaraz): "the other". See Ymir.
Aphrodite: "born from foam". Greek name for Freyja.
Apollo: "strength" or “to destroy”. Greek name for Baldr.
Ares: "fall", "destruction", “downfall”. Greek name for Týr.
Artemis: "to slay", "slaughter", or "safe", "secure". Greek name for Skaði.
Asklepios: "cut up". Greek name for Baldr.
Athene, "mind of the gods". Greek name for Sága.
Atropos: "inevitable". Greek name for Skuld.
Auðhumbla (proto-Nordic *Auþohumblon): "silence", or "weak sound".
Austr (proto-Nordic *Austaz): "be light", "bright". Norse name for Eos.
B
Bakkos: "to shout". See Dionysos.
Baldr/Ballr (proto-Nordic *Balþuz): “shining white body”, “ball”, "bulging, round and strong body." Norse name for Apollo, Asklepios, and Hemera. Also called Bragi, Lífþrasir and Dagr.
Borr/Burr (proto-Nordic *Buraz): "start", "equip", "carry forward". Norse name for Prometheus. Also called Maðr.
Bragi (proto-Nordic *Bragan): "shine", later also "poetry", "poet", "the best", "the chief", "the first". See Baldr.
Buri (proto-Nordic *Buran): "roar (of angry bulls)" or "carried forward", "born". See Týr.
Bölþorn (proto-Nordic *Balaþorn): "painful thorn", "bad branch," "bad shoot". Norse name for Typhon. Also called Jörmungandr, Níðhöggr, Þjazi and Þrýmr.
D
Dagr (proto-Nordic *Dagaz): "heavenly light", later also "meeting", "life", "limit", "day". See Baldr.
Demeter: "corn-mother". Greek name for Jörð.
Dionysos: "twice born". Greek name for Freyr. Also called Bakkos.
E
Eos: "dawn", light". Greek name for Austr.
Elgr (proto-Nordic *Algiz): "elk", "deer", "deer". See Víðarr.
Eros, "love". Greek name for Freyr.
F
Fenrir (proto-Nordic *Fanjarijaz): "fenced in rider", "fenced in plague". See Höðr.
Fjörgyn (proto-Nordic *Fergunio): "mountain". Norse name for Gaia.
Forseti (proto-Nordic *Furasitan): "intense fire" or "chairman", "judge". See Týr.
Freyja (proto-Nordic *Fraujon): "spare", "free", "love". Norse name for Aphrodite and Hera. Also called Frigg, Hlin/Hlýn and Vanadís.
Freyr (proto-Nordic *Fraujaz): "spare", "free", "love". Norse name for Dionysos and Eros. Also called Hœnir, Véi and Yngvinn.
Frigg (proto-Nordic *Frijjo): "spare", "free", "love". Norse name for Hera and Leto. See Freyja.
G
Gaia: "Earth". Greek name for Fjörgyn.
Gerðr (proto-Nordic *Gerþijoz): "fenced in field". See Jörð.
Gunnlöð (proto-Nordic *Gunþalaþo): "invitation to fight". See Hel.
Gymir (proto-Nordic *Gumijaz): "fire", "gem", or "ocean". See Ægir.
H
Hades: "unseen", "hidden". Greek name for Höðr and Hel. Also known as Pluto.
Heimdallr (proto-Nordic *Haimadalþaz): "world tree", “tree above the bed”. Norse name for Kronos and Iris. Also called Hermóðr and Yggdrasill.
Hel (proto-Nordic *Haljo): "dead", or "hide". Norse name for Hades. Also called Gunnlöð and Rindr.
Helios: "Sun". Greek name for Sunna.
Hemera: "day". Greek name for Baldr.
Hephaistos: "bright flash of lightning". Greek name for Loki.
Hera: "the chosen". Greek name for Frigg and Jörð.
Herakles: "the honour of the chosen," "the pride of the chosen". Greek name for Þórr and Váli.
Hermes: "cairn". Greek name for Óðinn and Loki.
Hermóðr (proto-Nordic *Harmawoþaz): "Óðinn impersonator", "spirit impersonator". See Heimdallr.
Hestia: “hearth”. Greek name for Sunna.
Hlin/Hlýn (proto-Nordic *Hlíno): "maple". See Freyja.
Hymir (proto-Nordic *Humijaz): "hymn", “song of praise”. See Ymir.
Hœnir (proto-Nordic *Honijaz): "lure (with singing)", "lure", "give signs". See Freyr.
Höðr/Höttr/Hattr (proto-Nordic *Hadnuz): "hat", "hood," "helmet". Norse name for Hades. Also called Fenrir, Mánagarmr and Ullr.