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with a silver bridle, and his head, surrounded with stars. Frigga stood at the left hand of Thor; she was represented of both sexes (as an hermaphrodite) and with divers other attributes, which characterized the goddess of pleasure. Odin was invoked as the god of battles and victory. Thor, as the governor of the seasons, who dispensed rains, dry weather and fertility. Frigga as the goddess of pleasures, of love and marriage. I do not here enter into a minute account of the worship rendered to the other gods: That which was paid to the three superior deities consisted principally in sacrifices, and deserves to be described more at large.
There were three great religious festivals in the year. The first was celebrated at the winter solstice. They called the night on which it was observed, the Mother-night, as that which produced all the rest: and this epoch was rendered the more remarkable as they dated from thence the beginning of the year, which among the northern nations was computed from one winter solstice to another, as the month was from one new moon to the next. This feast which was very considerable, was named Iuul[1], and
- ↑ Hence is derived the word Yeol or Yule, [Ang. Sax. Geol,] the old name for Christmas. Vide Junii Etymolog. Anglican. T.
