《序言》原典

In the beginning, almighty God created heaven and earth and everything that belongs to them, and last of all two human beings, Adam and Eve, from whom the families of humankind descend. Their offspring multiplied and spread throughout the world. But as time passed, humankind grew divided. Some were good and true in their faith, but far more followed worldly desires and neglected God's commandments. For this reason God drowned the world and all its living creatures in a flood, except those who were in the ark with Noah. After Noah's flood, eight people survived, and they populated the world and became the ancestors of its families. Once again, as before, when people multiplied and the world became settled, the great mass of humankind cherished greed for wealth and honor but neglected obedience to God. This went so far that they would not name God. Who, then, would tell their sons of God's mighty wonders? It came about that they lost God's name, and throughout most of the world no one could be found who knew anything of his creator. Nevertheless, God granted them earthly blessings, wealth and prosperity, to sustain them in the world. He also bestowed wisdom on them, so that they understood all earthly things and all the features of sky and earth that could be seen.

They pondered and wondered what it might mean that the earth, animals and birds shared certain qualities, though their ways differed. One such quality was that when the earth was dug into on high mountain peaks, water sprang up there, and one needed to dig no farther for water there than in deep valleys. So too with animals and birds: the blood lies equally deep in their heads and feet. Another property of the earth is that every year grass and flowers grow upon it, and in that same year they all die down and wither. So too with animals and birds: hair and feathers grow and fall off every year. The earth's third property is that when it is opened and dug into, grass grows on the soil that lies uppermost. They understood rocks and stones as corresponding to the teeth and bones of living creatures. From this they concluded that the earth was alive and possessed life in some fashion. They knew that it was wonderfully ancient in years and mighty in its nature. It nourished all living creatures and took possession of everything that died. For that reason they gave it a name and traced their ancestry to it.

They also learned from their elderly kinsmen that, going back many hundreds of years, the earth, sun and heavenly bodies had been the same, but the courses of the heavenly bodies varied. Some had a longer course and others a shorter one. From such things they suspected that there must be some ruler of the heavenly bodies who directed their courses according to his will, and that he must be very powerful and mighty. They reasoned that if he ruled the elements, he must also have existed before the heavenly bodies. They saw that if he governed the courses of the heavenly bodies, he must govern the sun's shining, the dew from the sky and the fruits of the earth that follow from these, and likewise the winds of the air and with them the storms of the sea. They did not know where his kingdom lay, but they believed that he ruled all things on earth and in the air, heaven and the heavenly bodies, the sea and the weather. To make these things easier to speak of or commit to memory, they gave names among themselves to everything. This belief has changed in many ways as peoples separated and languages grew distinct. But they understood everything in an earthly way, because spiritual wisdom had not been given to them. Thus they understood that all things were fashioned from some material.

2. On the three parts of the world.

The world was divided into three parts. From the south westward and inward to the Mediterranean Sea, that part was called Africa. The southern portion of that division is so hot that it is scorched by the sun. The second part extends from the west to the north and inward to the sea; it is called Europe or Enea. Its northern portion is so cold that no grass grows there and it cannot be inhabited. From the north, around the eastern regions and all the way to the south, the land is called Asia. In that part of the world are all beauty and splendor, the riches of the earth's produce, gold and precious stones. There too is the center of the world. Just as the land there is more beautiful and better in every respect than elsewhere, so too its people were most highly endowed with every gift: wisdom and strength, beauty and every kind of knowledge.

3. Of the Trojans.

Near the center of the world was built the most renowned of all dwellings and settlements, called Troy, in what we call Turkey. This place was built on a far grander scale than others, and in many ways with greater skill, with the expense and resources available there. There were twelve kingdoms and one high king, and many nations belonged to each kingdom. There were twelve chieftains in the city. These chieftains surpassed all other men who have lived in the world in every human accomplishment.

One king in Troy was named Munon or Mennon. He married the daughter of the high king Priam. Her name was Troan. They had a son named Tror, whom we call Thor. He was brought up in Thrace by a duke named Loricus, and when he was ten years old he took up his father's weapons. When he stood among other men, his appearance was as beautiful as ivory inlaid in oak. His hair was more beautiful than gold. When he was twelve years old, he had reached his full strength. Then he lifted ten bearskins from the ground all at once, and then he killed Duke Loricus, his foster father, and his wife, Lora or Glora, and took possession of the kingdom of Thrace. We call it Thrudheim. Then he traveled far and wide through many lands and explored every region of the world, and single-handedly defeated all berserks and all giants, one enormous dragon and many beasts. In the northern part of the world he found a prophetess named Sibyl, whom we call Sif, and married her. No one can tell Sif's ancestry. She was the most beautiful of all women. Her hair was like gold.

Their son was Loridi, who resembled his father. His son was Einridi, his son Vingethor, his son Vingener, his son Moda, his son Magi, his son Seskef, his son Bedvig, his son Athra, whom we call Annan, his son Itrmann, his son Heremod, his son Skjaldun, whom we call Skjold, his son Bjaf, whom we call Bjar, his son Jat, his son Gudolf, his son Finn, his son Friallaf, whom we call Fridleif. He had a son named Voden, whom we call Odin. He was a man renowned for his wisdom and every accomplishment. His wife was named Frigida, whom we call Frigg.

4. Odin's journey into the northern world.

Odin had the gift of prophecy, as did his wife, and through this knowledge he discovered that his name would be celebrated in the northern part of the world and honored above those of all kings. For this reason he wished to begin his journey from Turkey. He took with him a great company, young and old, men and women, and they brought many precious things. Wherever they traveled through the lands, great praise was spoken of them, so that they seemed more like gods than human beings. They did not halt their journey until they came north into the land now called Saxony. Odin stayed there for a long time and took possession of wide stretches of that country. There Odin appointed three of his sons to govern the land.

One was named Vegdeg. He was a powerful king and ruled East Saxony. His son was Vitrgils. His sons were Vitta, the father of Hengest, and Sigar, the father of Svebdeg, whom we call Svipdag. Odin's second son was named Baldeg, whom we call Baldr. He held the land now called Westphalia. His son was Brand, his son Frjodigar, whom we call Frodi. His son was Freovin, his son Uvigg, his son Gevis, whom we call Gave. Odin's third son was named Sigi, and his son was Rerir. These forefathers ruled in what is now called the land of the Franks, and from them descends the family called the Volsungs. From all these men descend many great families.

Then Odin began his journey north and came into the land they called Reidgotaland, and took possession of as much of that land as he wished. He appointed his son named Skjold to rule the lands there. His son was Fridleif. From him descends the family called the Skjoldungs. These are the kings of Denmark, and the land then called Reidgotaland is now called Jutland.

5. Odin made his home at Sigtuna.

After that he traveled north into what is now called Sweden. There was a king there named Gylfi. When he heard of the journey of these men of Asia, who were called Aesir, he went to meet them and offered Odin as much power in his kingdom as he himself wished to have. Such good fortune accompanied their journey that wherever they stayed in the lands, there were fruitful seasons and peace. Everyone believed that they brought these things about, for the powerful men saw that they were unlike any other people they had seen, both in beauty and in wisdom. Odin found the plains there beautiful and the land good, and chose a site for his city at what is now called Sigtuna. He appointed chieftains there, following the pattern that had existed in Troy, and established twelve leaders in the place to administer the laws of the land. He arranged all legal matters as they had formerly been in Troy and as the Turks were accustomed to do.

After that he traveled north until he reached the sea, which they believed encircled all lands, and there he appointed his son to rule the kingdom now called Norway. He is called Saeming, and the kings of Norway trace their ancestry to him, as do earls and other powerful men, as is told in Haleygjatal. Odin had brought with him his son named Yngvi, who was king in Sweden after him, and from him descend the families called Ynglings. These Aesir took wives for themselves within the country, and some for their sons. These families became so numerous that they spread throughout Saxony and from there across the northern regions, until their language, the language of the men of Asia, was the native language throughout all these lands. People believe they can discern, from the written names of their forefathers, that those names have accompanied this language, and that the Aesir brought the language north into this part of the world, into Norway and Sweden, Denmark and Saxony. In England there are ancient names of regions or places that can be recognized as having been given in a language other than this one.

全能的上帝在起初創造了天、地，以及天地間的一切，最後又造了兩個人，亞當與夏娃，人類各族皆由他們而出。他們的子孫日益繁多，散布世界各地。然而，隨著時日過去，人類漸漸有了善惡之別。有些人良善，信仰正道，但更多人卻追隨世俗的欲望，罔顧上帝的誡命，因此上帝以洪水淹沒世界，滅絕世上一切生靈，只有與挪亞同在方舟裡的得以倖免。挪亞洪水之後，有八個人存活下來，在世上居住，各族皆由他們而出。後來又如先前一般，當人口繁衍、世界各處有人定居之後，絕大多數人都貪愛財富與權勢，不再順服上帝，甚至到了不願提起上帝的地步。如此一來，還有誰會向他們的兒子講述上帝的偉大奇蹟呢？於是，他們忘失了上帝的名，世界上絕大多數地方，都找不到認識自己造物主的人。然而，上帝仍賜給他們塵世的福分、財富與安樂，使他們得以在世間生活。他也分給他們智慧，使他們能理解世間萬物，以及天空和大地上一切可見的差異。他們思索並驚奇於：大地、走獸與飛鳥，在某些方面具有相同的本性，形態卻又有所不同，這究竟是什麼緣故？其中一項共同的本性是，在高聳的山巔挖掘大地，水便會湧出；在那裡不必比深谷中挖得更深，就能找到水。走獸與飛鳥也是如此，無論頭部還是腳部，從表面到血液所在之處，距離都一樣。大地的第二項本性是，每年地上都會長出草木花卉，同一年裡又全都凋落枯萎；走獸與飛鳥也是如此，毛髮與羽毛每年都會生長，也會脫落。大地的第三項本性是，當人剖開、挖掘大地時，草會生長在地表最上層的泥土上。他們把岩石與石塊看作相當於生靈的牙齒與骨骼。由此，他們認為大地是活的，以某種方式具有生命，也知道她年代久遠，古老得令人驚異，天性強大。她養育一切生靈，也收歸一切死去之物。因此，他們給她取名，並將自己的世系追溯到她。他們也從年長的親族那裡聽說，縱使往前數幾百年，仍是同一片大地、同一個太陽與同樣的天體，而天體的運行並不一致，有些行程較長，有些較短。由這類事情，他們猜想，必定有某個掌管天體的主宰，依照自己的意願調整它們的運行，而他必然極有權勢與力量。他們認為，既然他統御各種元素，就必定早於天體而存在；他們也看出，既然他掌管天體的運行，就必定也掌管陽光、空中的露水，以及隨之而來的大地收成，同樣也掌管空中的風與海上的風暴。當時，他們不知道他的國度在何處，卻相信他掌管地上與空中的萬物、天空與天體、大海與天候。為了更便於講述或牢記，他們便自行為萬物取名；隨著各民族分離、各種語言分化，這種信仰也產生了許多變化。然而，他們對一切事物的理解都限於塵世，因為他們未曾蒙賜屬靈的智慧。他們認為，萬物都是由某種材料製成的。

2. 世界的三個部分。

世界分為三個部分。從南方向西延伸，直到地中海，這一部分稱為非洲。這一區域的南部酷熱，受烈日炙烤。第二部分從西方向北延伸，直到海洋，稱為歐洲或埃涅亞。其北部寒冷至極，草木不生，也無法居住。從北方經東方各地，一直延伸到南方，這一部分稱為亞洲。世界上的一切美景、華采、土地出產的財富、黃金與寶石，都在這一部分。世界的中央也在那裡。正如那裡的土地比其他地方更美，各方面條件也更好，當地的人也在各種天賦、智慧、力量、美貌與各種技藝上，最受恩寵。

3. 特洛伊人。

在接近世界中央的地方，建起了世上最負盛名的屋宇與城邑，名叫特洛伊，所在地就是我們所稱的土耳其。這座城建得遠比其他城邑宏大，在許多方面也更精巧，所用的財力與物資，都是當地所能供給的。那裡有十二個王國和一位至高君王，每個王國都統轄許多民族的國土。城中有十二位首領。在人所能具備的一切才德上，這些首領都勝過世上其他所有的人。

特洛伊有一位國王，名叫穆農或門農。他娶了至高君王普里阿摩斯的女兒，她名叫特羅安。他們生了一個兒子，名叫特羅爾，我們稱他為索爾。他在色雷斯，由一位名叫洛里庫斯的公爵撫養長大。十歲時，他便接過父親的武器。他容貌俊美，站在別人之間，就像鑲嵌在橡木中的象牙。他的頭髮比黃金更美。十二歲時，他已長成，具足全力。當時，他一次從地上舉起十張熊皮，隨後殺了養父洛里庫斯公爵與他的妻子洛拉，又名格洛拉，將色雷斯王國據為己有。我們稱那地方為斯魯德海姆。此後，他遍遊各國，探訪世界每一部分，獨力戰勝了所有狂戰士、所有巨人、一條極其巨大的龍，以及許多野獸。在世界北方，他遇到一位名叫西比爾的女先知，我們稱她為希芙，並娶她為妻。沒有人說得出希芙的家世。她是所有女子之中最美的，頭髮如黃金一般。

他們的兒子是洛里迪，長得很像父親。洛里迪的兒子是埃因里迪，埃因里迪的兒子是溫格索爾，溫格索爾的兒子是溫格內爾，溫格內爾的兒子是莫達，莫達的兒子是馬吉，馬吉的兒子是塞斯凱夫，塞斯凱夫的兒子是貝德維格，貝德維格的兒子是阿斯拉，我們稱他為安南；阿斯拉的兒子是伊特爾曼，伊特爾曼的兒子是赫雷莫德，赫雷莫德的兒子是斯基亞爾敦，我們稱他為斯基約爾德；斯基亞爾敦的兒子是比亞夫，我們稱他為比亞爾；比亞夫的兒子是亞特，亞特的兒子是古德奧爾夫，古德奧爾夫的兒子是芬恩，芬恩的兒子是弗里亞拉夫，我們稱他為弗里德雷夫。他有一個兒子，名叫沃登，我們稱他為奧丁。他的智慧與各種才幹都出類拔萃。他的妻子名叫弗里吉達，我們稱她為弗麗嘉。

4. 奧丁前往世界北方。

奧丁與他的妻子都有預知的能力。憑著這些預知，他得知自己的名字將在世界北方傳揚，所受的尊崇將超越一切君王。因此，他渴望從土耳其啟程，帶了大批隨從，有年輕人，也有老人，有男人，也有女人，並攜帶許多珍寶。他們無論行經哪個國家，人們都盛傳他們的卓越事蹟，認為他們更像神，而非凡人。他們一路前行，直到抵達北方如今稱為薩克森的地方，才停下腳步。奧丁在那裡停留許久，取得了大片土地。他指派三個兒子鎮守當地。

其中一個名叫韋格德格，是位強大的國王，統治東薩克森。他的兒子是維特爾吉爾斯。維特爾吉爾斯有兩個兒子，一個是亨吉斯特之父維塔，另一個是斯韋布德格之父西加爾；我們稱斯韋布德格為斯維普達格。奧丁的第二個兒子名叫巴爾德格，我們稱他為巴德爾。他擁有如今稱為威斯特法倫的土地。他的兒子是布蘭德，布蘭德的兒子是弗里奧迪加爾，我們稱他為弗羅迪。弗里奧迪加爾的兒子是弗雷奧溫，弗雷奧溫的兒子是烏維格，烏維格的兒子是格維斯，我們稱他為加韋。奧丁的第三個兒子名叫西吉，他的兒子是雷里爾。這些祖先統治的地方，如今稱為法蘭克之地，所謂沃爾松一族便源出於此。他們所有人都衍生出眾多顯赫的家族。

隨後，奧丁啟程北行，來到他們稱為雷德哥塔蘭的地方，在那裡取得了所有他想要的土地。他派兒子斯基約爾德治理當地。斯基約爾德的兒子是弗里德雷夫。所謂斯基約爾德一族便由此而出，也就是丹麥的諸王。當時稱為雷德哥塔蘭的地方，如今叫作日德蘭。

5. 奧丁定居西格圖納。

此後，他往北行，來到如今稱為瑞典的地方。那裡有一位國王，名叫吉爾菲。吉爾菲聽聞這些被稱作阿薩神族的亞洲人前來，便出迎他們，表示奧丁在他的王國裡，想要多大的權力，都可隨自己的心意。他們旅途中正逢這樣的時運：無論在哪個國家停留，當地便五穀豐收、四境太平。人人都相信，這一切由他們掌管，因為當地的權貴看出，他們的容貌與智慧，都不同於自己見過的其他人。

奧丁認為那裡原野秀美，土地條件優越，便選了如今稱為西格圖納的地方，作為自己的城址。他在那裡任命首領，仿照特洛伊從前的制度，在城中設立十二位領袖，依國法裁決；一切法制也都依照特洛伊從前的規矩與土耳其人的習俗安排。此後，他繼續往北，直到面前出現大海；他們認為，這片海環繞著所有陸地。他便派兒子治理如今稱為挪威的王國。這個兒子名叫塞明格，挪威諸王、各位雅爾與其他權貴，都將自己的世系追溯到他，正如《哈洛加蘭人世系詩》所述。

奧丁隨身帶著一個名叫英格維的兒子，在他之後繼任瑞典國王，所謂英格林王朝的各支家族皆出於他。那些阿薩神族在當地為自己娶妻，有些也為兒子娶妻。這些家族繁衍眾多，散布薩克森，以及從那裡往北的各地，以至於他們這些亞洲人的語言，成了這一切國土的本土語言。人們認為，從他們留有文字記載的祖先姓名，可以看出這些名字是隨著這種語言傳下來的；也是那些阿薩神族把這種語言帶到北方，帶到世間的我們這裡，傳入挪威、瑞典、丹麥與薩克森。而英格蘭有些古老的地域名稱或地名，看得出是用另一種語言命名的，與這種語言不同。