TEUTONIC MYTHOLOGY. - Centrostudirpinia.it

196 zio.
much in the same way as the AS. eormen, OHG. irman is prefixed.
Now when a similar prefix t^ meets us in the OK writings, e.g.
tyhraustr (fortissimus), tyspakr (sapientissimus), Sn. 29, it confirms
the affinity between tir and Ty-r.
These intricate etymologies were not to be avoided : they
entitle us to claim a sphere for the Teutonic god Zio, Tiw, Tyr,
which places him on a level with the loftiest deities of antiquity.
Represented in the Edda as Coin s son, he may seem inferior to
him in power and moment ; but the two really fall into one, inas
much as both are directors of war and battle, and the fame of
victory proceeds from each of them alike. For the olden time
resolved all glory into military glory, and not content with Wuotan
and Zio, it felt the need of a third war-god Hadu ;
the finer distinc
tions in their cultus are hidden from us now. It is not to be over
looked, that OSinn is often named Sigt^r, Hroptatyr, Gautatyr,
hangatyr, farmatyr (Ssem. 30. 47. 248a . Sn. 94-6), bodvartyr, quasi
pugnae deus, geirtyr (Forum, sog. 9, 515-8) ; and that even Thorr,
to whom Jupiter s lightning has been handed over, appears as
Beifrartyr, Eeidityr (Sn. 94), i.e. god of the waggon. 1 In all these
poetical terms, we see that tyr bears that more general sense which
makes it suitable for all divinities, especially the higher ones. Tyr
has a perfect right to a name identical with Zeus. Add moreover,
that the epithet of father w*as in a special degree accorded, not
only to Jupiter, Diespiter, but to victory s patron Marspiter*
Further, this lofty position is claimed for Zio by the oldest
accounts that have reached us. Mars is singled out as a chief god
1 I do not reckon Angantflr among this set of words. It occurs frequently,
both in the Hervararsaga and in Sa3in. 114 a 119 b 9 a ; this last passage calls
O o inn Friggjar angantjr . The true form is doubtless Anganfiyr, as appears
from the OHG. Angandeo (Trad. fuld. 1, 67), and the AS. Ongenpcoiv, Ongenfrio
(Beow. 4770. 4945-67. 5843-97. 5917-67); -tyr would have been in AS. Tteow, in
OHG. -zio. Graff gives an Agandeo 1, 132. 5, 87, which seems to be a mis
spelling, though the Trad, wizenb. no. 20 have a woman s name Agathiu (for
Anganthiu), to which add the ace. Agathien, Agacien (Walthar. 029). The
illrar brudhar is said to be
angan
delieiae malae mulieris, but Biorn interprets it pedisequa, and OSinn might
That some proper names in the Edda are
meaning of angan, ongen, is doubtful; *
iitly be called Friggae pedisequus.
corrupt, is plain from Hamdir, which ought everywhere to be Ham]?yr, OHG.
]Jamadio, Hamideo (Schannat no. 576. Cod. lauresh. 2529), MHG. llamdie
(MsH 3, 213 h This much I am sure
). of, that neither AnganHi nor Ham>J|
can contain a tyr, which is almost always compounded with genitives
in a
figurative sense.
2 Gellius 5, 12.