Alien Space Gods Of Ancient Greece and Rome (45 page)

The Swedes sacrificed prisoners-of-war to Odin; to prolong his own life King Aun of Upsala sacrificed his nine sons one after another; such highly doubtful insurance probably shortened his life by well-deserved assassination. The Eddas venerate this All- Wise Father of the Gods with attributes given to Jehovah, Indra, Zeus and Jupiter, even Mercury, suggesting that all were actually the same Spacemen.

Odin's eldest son, Thor, was renowned as the strongest, most warlike of the Gods, hero of the Vikings. Around Thor's head was often depicted a circle of stars, which may have been symbolism for a Spaceman; his chariot had a pointed iron-pole and its spark-scattering wheels rolled over rumbling thunder-clouds drawn by rams with silver bridles suggesting some primitive conception of a Spaceship motivated by atmospheric electricity, the lightning controlled by the ancient magicians, perhaps the same electrical forces propelling UFOs today.

More than any other God Thor was identified with thunder and lightning. Thor's mighty hammer, which returned to his hand after each time he threw it, was manufactured by the Elves underground, as the wonder-weapons of Zeus were devised by the Cyclops. Before wielding his hammer or thunderbolt Thor was obliged to put on his iron gauntlets, he wore a magical belt which greatly increased his strength, suggesting the use of some mechanical device; like Hercules Thor used his weapon with maximum force when he fought high in the skies utilizing more potent energies; his red beard symbolised lightning and strength.

Thor gloried in continuous battles against the Giants; his most terrible conflict was waged fighting the World Serpent coiled around the Earth, a parallel to Indra, Zeus and Marduk who fought Sky Dragons suggesting War in the Heavens between Spacemen. This powerful God associated with war was also honoured for peaceful pursuits; he presided over agriculture, protected seamen, acted as a leech and gave his name to Thursday, the peasants' rest day. Thor's varied activities directing mankind may represent race-memories of the Space Kings.

Freyr, a Sky God, associated with light, had a wonderful ship built by the Elves, which could fly in any direction, this vessel large enough to hold all the Gods could be folded up and kept in a man's pouch; like the Gods of Ancient India Freyr was often depicted mounted on his car, In the very earliest ages the seven stars forming the Bear in the Northern Sky were thought of as a four-wheeled wagon, its pole being formed by the three stars that hang downwards; this association, apart from the apparent likeness, may be due to ancient belief shared by Egyptians, Babylonians and Chinese that the Gods did appear to descend from the region of the North Star. Freyr was much loved by the Swedes, with his sister, Freyja, the pair resembled the twin Aswins of India, Castor and Pollux of Greece and
Rome
; they were always ready to descend to benefit mankind. Freyr was honoured as God of agriculture beneficence and plenty, he loved to carouse and feast with men.

Tyr, God of War, like Mars gave his name to 'Tuesday’, the French 'mardi’ his other title ‘Tiwas' suggests derivation from 'Dyaus' or 'Zeus'. This Sky God was renowned for chaining the fearsome wolf, Fenrir, which bit off his right hand; sometimes he travelled in Thor's thunder chariot. The evil genius of the Gods, Loki, wore shoes with wings bearing him swiftly through the air; often he appeared as a bird, symbolism for flight. Loki treacherously misused his magic powers to plot the downfall of the Gods, he caused the death of Baldur, the beloved Sun God, his heart pierced by a sprig of mistletoe, evoking the ritual slaying of Tammuz; in punishment Loki like Prometheus was chained to a rock, a serpent suspended there dripped venom on his head.

The beautiful Freyja, the Scandinavian Venus, is remembered in 'Friday', the French 'vendredi'; she was closely identified with the sky and drove in a chariot drawn by cats or in her 'featherschiff' bright and shimmering in the air like winged Athena. Freyja was worshipped as a fertility Goddess and feared for her occult feminine arts of prophecy and witchcraft.

The Valkyries, winged maidens, who bore the souls of heroes to Valhalla, resemble the 'Angels' associated with the dead in Semitic theology and may be a race-memory of Space Beings; when they rode through the air their horses' manes shook the fruitful 'dew' down on the valleys below, perhaps the 'manna' or 'ambrosia' said to be produced by the radiation from Spaceships. Gna like Mercury and Iris was Messenger of the Gods flying down to Earth communicating with mortals suggesting a Space Being.

Inferior to the Gods were the Elves with wondrous powers. The 'Light Elves' like the Celestials of the Sanskrit epics were exceedingly fair, associated with the Sun; they wore delicate and transparent garments and lived beyond the clouds in Alfheim; these delightful folk resembled those Sylphs of the Middle Ages described in 'Le Comte de Gabalis'; today they recall Orthon from Venus and the ravishing Aura Rhanes from Clarion, Visitors from Space. In contrast the 'Night Elves', Trolls and Dwarfs like the Cyclops lived in solitude underground, ugly and ill favoured they possessed subtle wisdom of the mysterious powers inherent in metals and fashioned wonderful weapons for the Gods and heroes. Female Elves, known to all peoples as Nymphs, Swan-Maidens or Dakinis, often had tragic romances with humans; tales of such fairy folk in all countries correspond with surprising similarity to Teutonic Märchen almost lending conviction to rumours that we share our Earth with a secret race hidden to men.

The Northern peoples believed that a time would come when the Gods, the Giants, the Dwarfs and all mankind would be destroyed. The Voliispa describes how this doom is foreshadowed by a three-year long winter with continuous snow, a severe frost, gales and watery sun accompanied by tremendous suffering, violence and warfare among men. Such discord shatters nature, earthquakes shake the world darkening the sun, seas engulf the land, multitudes of men and monsters roam the world. Teutonic mythology tells of a great earthquake which shook Creation, the whole universe was frozen in a long winter, probably a race-memory of some cataclysm suddenly changing the climate to destroy civilisation; bitter warfare raged among men. An inscription in runes carved on a Swedish memorial stone from Skarpalen is interpreted as 'Earth shall be torn asunder and high heaven'. Saxa Grammaticus in 'Gesta Danorum', vIII,  possibly refers to this cataclysm in the stark words The sky seemed to fall suddenly on the earth, fields and woods, to sink to the ground, all things were confounded and old Chaos came again, heaven and earth mingling in one tempestuous turmoil and the world rushing to universal ruin.'

The Eddas tell how the Earth basked in a Golden Age under the beneficent inspiration of the Gods; men dwelled in peace and lived long lives in innocence exactly as described in Hesiod's '
Theogony
' concerning Ancient Greece. In this
Northern Eden
blessed by sunny fruitfulness Man rejoiced in civilisation taught by Wondrous Beings from the stars. Such perfection could not last, Man evolves by suffering. The Eddas hint that Odin in his wisdom knew that the world must end and men must die to be reborn to fresh glory, even the Gods must meet their doom, from death would spring new life. This vision of death and rebirth is the essence of all great religions. Odin brooding in
Valhalla
awaited Ragnarok, the dusk of the Gods. The proud Giants rebelled against the Gods and to assault Asgard rode over Bifirost, the rainbow-bridge which broke under their weight The sea engulfed the land, the Giants launched Naglfor, a ship made from the nails of dead men. War was fought with titanic electrical blasts dazzling light-beams and death-rays convulsing Earth and Sky burning the memories of men down generations unborn.

The Elder Edda states that at World-End the Sun turns black, Earth sinks in the sea, the hot stars fall from the sky and fire peals high above Heaven itself. This vivid description recalls that marvellous account in the
'Drona Parva'
  when the annihilating Agneya-weapon devastated Ancient India like celestial fire destroying civilisation at the end of a World Age. In this last great battle after heroic deeds Odin, Thor, Freyr and Tyr all were slain; the universe was consumed with fire, only the Sons of the Gods survived. A prophecy in the Edda states that the Almighty will create a new Heaven and a new Earth filled with abundance for the new race of men spiraling to new evolution.

A Lithuanian legend describes how the God, Pramzimas, looked out of a window of his heavenly house like a Spaceman gazing down from his Flying Saucer; perceiving nothing but war among men he sent two Giants, Wandhui and Weyas upon the sinful Earth, who laid things waste for twenty nights and days. The Chinese Classic 'Shoo King (Part Four, Chapter 27) in almost similar words mentions that the Lord Chang-ti troubled by the wickedness of men commanded Tehang and Lhy to cut away every communication between Heaven and Earth, there were no more 'goings up' or 'comings down'. From
Lithuania
to
China
the Ancients told the same story of conflict between the Gods and men. Surely this world-wide tradition is true.

The forests and lakes of
Finland
brooding in all their wild beauty were haunted by Spirits who influenced men's lives by subtle spells not with the harsh aggression of those Gods dominating
Scandinavia
. Ukko, Lord of Heaven, delegated authority to Ahto, God of the Sea, and his wife, Vellamo; Tapio, God of the Forests, and his wife, Mielikki, Tuoni, God of Hades, Phuri, God of the North Wind, Etelatiir, Goddess of the South Wind, Terhenstar, Goddess of the Clouds, and lesser Deities governing homes and handicrafts. Divine beneficence was menaced by Hiisi, the Evil One, bedevilling mankind. Celestials vaguely suggesting Spacemen included Panu and Psivater, Son and Daughter of the Sun and Kuutar, Daughter of the Moon; reverence was paid to Otava, Constellation of the Great Bear, source of those 'Shining Ones' venerated by the Egyptians.

In this land of trees Tammater, Goddess of the Oak, and Hongatar, Goddess of the Fir, were attended by Katajater, Nymph of the Juniper, Pohlajatar, Nymph of the Mountain Ash, and Sinetar, Nymph of Blue Flowers. The primeval Giant, Antero Vipunen, and Iku Thurso, the Water Giant, represented the race of Giants, Dwarfs, Demons and Monsters, all posed ever-present perils propitiated by powerful spells of sorcerers working their magic under the stars.

For centuries the rune-singers sang the legendary songs, episodes from the 'Kalevala', meaning 'The Land of Heroes'. The 'Iliad' symbolises the soul of Greece, the 'Ramayana' enchants India, but no national epic is so deeply enhallowed in the heart of a nation as the 'Kalevala'; the humanity of its men and women beset by perils in this wild, enchanted land, the haunting sylvan scenery, the magic imagery, the secret spell of waters and woodlands, inspired Sibelius to enshrine in his great music the soul of Suomi, ancient Finland.

‘Ilmeter, Virgin of the Air, descends into the sea and becomes fertilised by the winds and waves, from the egg of an eagle - or duck - are fashioned Heaven and Earth. After thirty years in her womb she gives birth to Väinämöinen, a divine minstrel, who flies on an eagle to the castle of Pohjola in Lapland, where the witch, Louhi, promises him her beautiful daughter, if he will forge the mysterious Sampo, eventually cast by his brother, Ilmarinen. Lemminkainen, a cheerful adventurer, carries off the fair Kylliki, and marries her, he is killed seeking to shoot the swan of Tuonela then restored to life. Väinämöinen goes to Tuonela, Hades, for the three magic words enabling him to finish a boat. Väinämöinen makes a kantele or harp and charms all Nature with his song and heals people from the plague sent by the Witch-Queen; amid great frost his music draws the Sun and Moon down to Earth, the Witch-Queen hides them in a cave and steals all the people's fire. Väinämöinen conquers Pohjola, Louhi returns the Sun and Moon to the sky. Väinämöinen bequeaths his songs and music to the people of Kalevala and sails off in a copper boat to loftier regions to a land between Earth and Heaven.’

This heroic poem compiled from oral traditions by Elias Lönnrot in 1849 with its 22,795 lines of wonderful poetry inspired Longfellow's 'Hiawatha'.

Above all the lands of the
North Lapland
was celebrated for its magic singers and soothsayers, wizards, who controlled the elements. The 'Kalevala' abounds in scenes of magic, conjuration, spells over animals and men and all the forces of Nature, the Laps still cherish secret stones, 'sajda', talismans of sorcery. The Finno-Ugric animism in the North from
Finland
to
Siberia
peoples the Universe with spirits or genii, all objects have an elemental force dominated by a greater force. Surely these magicians inherited a most ancient science from that wondrous civilisation of the Gods or Spacemen, still symbolised by the Shamans of the North in their cult of the Bear.