Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 (Denver Mods 7/26/84) 6/24/83; site drutx.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!houxm!mtuxo!drutx!slb From: slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden) Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: Vikings Message-ID: <408@drutx.UUCP> Date: Thu, 31-Oct-85 11:25:09 EST Article-I.D.: drutx.408 Posted: Thu Oct 31 11:25:09 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 2-Nov-85 03:47:44 EST Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver Lines: 37 >Mike Banahan : >I'm not so sure that the Vikings were uncivilised. ``Njal's Saga'' (admittedly >Icelandic rather than Viking) makes the place look a damn sight >more pleasant to live in, and better run, than most of the rest of the world >looks today. Or is my view pessimistic? I tend to agree with you. I would qualify it by using a different word than Vikings, though. The "Vikings" proper were those Scandinavians who took to coastal raids. If we say Scandinavians in general of that period, you are probably right that it was better than many places today. You are certainly right that they were civilized. Most were small farmers, living in fairly isolated areas, and lived lives of calm, but possibly boring, usefulness. They had enough to eat, and produced wonderful artifacts and sagas. They had a deep, if rather grim, religious life, beautiful scenery to look at and a good sense of humor. They certainly were happier in general than many in the world today. I wouldn't trade places myself, but if I were an Ethiopian refugee or a slum dweller in any city in the world, it would look damn good. You would have to exclude the serfs, though. And those who did go into raiding and conquering had short, bloody lives. Personally, the main reason I've never wanted to trade times with anyone is modern medical and dental care! By the way, can anyone recommend a good textbook, dictionary, or grammar of Old Norse? (I have a character in a live-action fantasy game who is a Norse cleric--and I'd like to say my spells in it.) -- Sue Brezden ihnp4!drutx!slb ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I march to the beat of a different drummer, whose identity, location, and musical ability are as yet unknown. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~