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To: ghosthost
My ancestors would first pronounce aragr, basically accuse him before witnesses of unmanliness. If the unmanliness continued, at the yearly thing when everyone gathered together, they would pronounce ergi, and he could defend his manhood in trial by combat or refuse. If he refused, he would be nithing, essentially soulless, and a danger to the community because any evil spirit could possess him, alternatively and more insidiously, he could be a warlock deliberately ergi in order to gain seidr; women's magic. The punishment was typically banishment into the wilderness, which in Skandi land near the Arctic Circle was the same as death, a nithing among the kin would not be allowed. If somehow the nithing managed to survive in the wilderness, he would not be harmed, but instead considered to be either under the protection of Odin or a powerful warlock, whom people would seek for black magic spells. But his exile would never be lifted; on pain of immediate death.


There are no records of a homosexual viking in the histories, the songs, the sagas, or the eddas, until the Christians came. And man, does that drive LGBT college history students crazy. Reams of papers have been written trying to prove the Vikings were all in the closet. ;)

23 posted on 06/09/2016 5:13:43 PM PDT by Ketill Frostbeard ("Go not a step from your door unarmed, travel armed for war, you may at any time need a spear." ODIN)
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To: Ketill Frostbeard
Thank you, brave Norseman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsCyC1dZiN8
31 posted on 06/09/2016 5:56:29 PM PDT by golux
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To: Ketill Frostbeard

That logic would explain the constant story trope of witch’s cabins in the deep woods. Far from everyone else, because they weren’t allowed to be in the village.


46 posted on 06/09/2016 7:11:50 PM PDT by tbw2
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