poets, never failed to bestow the fame honour on all those whose praises they sung: and thus they multiplied the descendants of Odin, or the supreme God, as much as ever they found convenient.
After having disposed of so many countries, and confirmed and settled his new governments, Odin directed his course towards Scandinavia, passing through Cimbria, at present Holstein and Jutland. These provinces exhausted of inhabitants, made him no resistance; and shortly after he passed into Funen, which submitted as soon as ever he appeared. He is said to have staid a long time in this agreeable island, where he built the city of Odensee, which still preserves in its name the memory of its founder. Hence he extended his arms over all the north. He subdued the rest of Denmark, and made his son Skiold be received there as king; a title, which according to the Icelandic annals, no person had ever borne before, and which passed to his descendants, called after his name Skioldungians[1]. Odin, who was apparently better pleased to give crowns to his children, than to wear them
- ↑ If this name was not rather given them on account of the Shield, which they were accustomed to bear, for this is called Skiold in the Danish language to this day. First Edit.