Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

Thus man has within him an inner body made in the image of the gods and
consisting of a finer material, a body which is his litur, by virtue of which his coarser
tabernacle, formed from the earth, receives that form by which it impresses itself on the
minds of others. The recollection of the belief in this inner body has been preserved in a
more or less distorted form in traditions handed down even to our days (see for example,
Hyltén-Cavallius, Värend och Virdarne, i. 343-360; Rääf i Småland, Beskr. öfver Ydre, p.
84). 469 The appearance of the outer body therefore depends on the condition of the litur,
that is, of the inner being. Beautiful women have a "joyous fair litur" (Hávamál 93). An
emotion has influence upon the litur, and through it on the blood and the appearance of
the outward body. A sudden blushing, a sudden paleness, are among the results thereof
and can give rise to the question, Hefir þú lit brugðið? -- "Have you changed your litur?"
(Hervarar Saga ok Heidreks Konúngs, ch. 3). To translate this with, "Have you changed
color?" is absurd. The questioner sees the change of color, and does not need to ask the
other one, who cannot see it.
On account of its mythological signification and application, it is very natural that
the word litur should in every-day life acquire on the one hand the meaning of
complexion in general, and on the other hand the signification of hamur, guise, an earthly
garb which persons skilled in magic could put on and off. Skipta litum, víxla litum, have
in Christian times been used as synonymous with skipta hömum, víxla hömum. 470
In physical death the coarser elements of an earthly person's nature are separated
from the other constituent parts. The tabernacle formed of earth and the vegetative
material united with it are eliminated, as is the animal element, and remain on earth. But
this does not imply that the deceased descend without form to Hades. The form in which
they travel in "deep dales," traverse the thorn-fields, wade across the subterranean rivers,
or ride over the gold-clad Gjallar-bridge, is not a new creation, but was worn by them in
their earthly career. It can be none other than their litur, their umbra et imago. 471 It also
shows distinctly what the dead man has been in his earthly life, and what care has been
bestowed on his dust. The washing, combing, dressing, ornamenting, and supplying with
Hel-shoes of the dead body has influence upon one's looks in Hades, on one's looks when
he is to appear before his judge.
Separated from the earthly element, from the vegetative material, and from the
blood, the litur is almost imponderable, and does not possess the qualities for an intensive
life, either in bliss or in torture. Five fylkes of dead men who rode over the Gjallar-bridge
produced no greater din than Hermod alone riding on Sleipnir; and the woman watching
the bridge saw that Hermod's exterior was not that of one separated from the earthly
element. It was not litur dauðra manna (Gylfaginning 49) 472 . But the litur of the dead is
compensated for what it has lost. Those who in the judgment on dauðan hvern 473 are
pronounced worthy of bliss are permitted to drink from the horn decorated with the
469 Gunnar Olof Hyltén-Cavallius (1818-1889), Wärend och Wirdarne, Stockholm, 1864-68. Leonhard
Fredrik Rääf i Småland (1786-1872) "Description of Ydre (a district in Sweden)".
470 In Ynglingasaga 7, Odin is said to skipti hömum, changed shape. The same phrasing occurs in
Völsungasaga chs. 7 and elsewhere [see Vigfusson's Dictionary, hamr].
471 "shadow and likeness" i.e. their ghost
472 "the litur of dead men"
473 "everyone dead", Hávamál 77.