TEUTONIC MYTHOLOGY. - Centrostudirpinia.it

IMAGES. 105
stated generally in cap. 9, he asserts of a particular case in cap. 43,
and we have no ground for disbelieving his assertion. The exist
ence of real statues at that time in Germany, at least in the parts
best known to them, would hardly have escaped the researches of
the Romans. He knows of nothing but signa and formas, appar
ently carved and coloured, which were used in worship as symbols,
and on certain occasions carried about ; probably they contained
some reference to the nature and attributes of the several deities.
The model of a boat, sigmmi in modum liburnae figuratum (cap. 9),
betokened the god of sailing, the formae aprorum (cap. 45) the god
to whom the boar was consecrated ; and in the like sense are to be
taken the ferarum imagines on trees and at certain sacrifices (see
Suppl.). The vehiculum veste contectum of the goddess Earth
will be discussed further on.
The absence of statues and temples, considering the impotence
of all artistic skill at the period, is a favourable feature of the
German cultus, and pleasing to contemplate. But it by no means
follows that in the people s fancy the gods were destitute of a form
like the human ; without this, gods invested with all human
attributes, and brought into daily contact with man, would be
simply inconceivable. If there was any German poetry then in
existence, which I would sooner assert than deny, how should the
poets have depicted their god but with a human aspect ?
Attempts to fashion images of gods, and if not to carve them
out of wood or stone, at least to draw and paint them, or quite
roughly to bake them of dough (p. 63), might nevertheless be made
at any period, even the earliest ; it is possible too, that the interior
parts of Germany, less accessible to the Romans, concealed here
and there temples, statues and pictures. In the succeeding cen
turies, however, when temples were multiplied, images also, to fill
their spaces, may with the greatest probability be assumed.
The terminology, except where the words simulacra, imagines,
which leave no room for doubt, are employed, makes use of several
Bohem. malik, the little finger, also Thumbkin, Toin Thumb? which may
have to do with idol. [In the Slavic languages, mal = little, s-mall]. Other
OHG. terms are avard ; piladi, pilidi (bild) effigies or imago in general ; in the
Mid. Ages they said, for making or forming (p. 23), ein bilde giezcn, eine
scheme juncfrouwen ergiezen, Cod. Vindob. 428, num. 211, without any refer
ence to metal-casting ; ein bilde mezzen, Troj. 19626, mezzen, Misc. 2, 186. On
the Lith. balwonas, idolum, statua, conf. Pott de ling. Litth. 2, 51, Russ.
bolvdn, Hung, bah any ; Russ. kumtr, idol, both lit. and lig. (object of affection).