@germanicgems How convincing do you find it that it could be derived from the same source from which ancient Greek derives the name of Danube, i.e. river Ἴστρος (Istros)? Possibly some substrate place name or something of sorts?
@normani_berserk @Tom_Rowsell The reason why most modern people celebrate "Midsummer" on the Summer Solstice is because of Christian kings. During Christianization, they "moved" the traditional dates of festivities to fit the Roman Christian calendar and repurposed them as part of their conversion strategies.
@normani_berserk @Tom_Rowsell The middle of the climatic Summer season falls every year roughly in middle of July - the time of the highest temperatures, highest amount of rainfall and such in the Northern Hemisphere. Midsummer is basically the Full Moon closest to this date.
@normani_berserk @Tom_Rowsell The traditional Germanic Midsummer isn't the same thing as the Summer Solstice, though. Think of it in terms of the middle of the climatic Summer season.
@germanicgems I should've posted this earlier, but Epictetus really just paraphrazes Hesiod's Works and Days, which in itself has many striking similarities with the Hávamál, as has been noted before. The instance goes on to show that what Epictetus says was a widespread sentiment.
I don't think pagans should proselytize. I also don't think the majority of people should, or are fit, to read the Eddas in any meaningful way.
Even amongst pagans, people struggle to actually read the Eddas. Some people can read it a dozen times and still struggle to internalize it.
There are self-proclaimed "goðar" out there with over twenty years of experience who peddle the same misconceptions and misunderstandings..
@LordBaalzebul No, this is entirely wrong. *Wōdanaz isn't even Old Norse, it's a Proto-Germanic reconstruction and definitelly doesn't correspond to the ancient Greek loan Satanâs.