Here are the Brussels Manuscript (that “other” manuscript also being the main source of the Corvey edition from the Abbey where it was presumably originally penned) pages of the Thietmar Chronicle that discuss Redari/Veleti Gods and Goddesses. The Thietmar Chronicle is known from four sources: the Dresden Manuscript which is preserved in digital copy (and which seems to have been written by Thietmar himself), the Brussels Manuscript of the Corvey revision, the Gotha fragment of the Corvey revision and another Corvey fragment found by Professor Marvin L. Colker which is currently stored at the University of Virginia where Colker was a professor of classics (and some of which may have ended up for sale by the auction house Christy’s).
Note that the Latin text is from Robert Holtzmann’s 1935 edition and comes from the Brussels Manuscript, that is the Corvey version. The English translation is David A. Warner’s who, following Werner Trillmich, supplements his translation with Corvey but the below fragments do not include such supplements. Since the language is somewhat different from the Dresden autograph, the translation is imperfect and does vary from the text in a few places.
Book 6 (22-25)
…After this, the Liutizi joined us. They came, with images of their gods preceding them, on the day before we were to have arrived at the river Oder.
Although I shudder to say anything about them, nevertheless, in order that you, dear reader, may better understand the vain superstition and meaningless worship of this people, I will briefly explain who they are and from whence they have come. In the region of the Redrarii, there is a burg called Riedegost which has three corners and three doors. It is surrounded everywhere by a great forest which the inhabitants hold to be inviolable and holy. Two of its doors offer entry to all. The third door faces the east and is the smallest. It opens on to a path leading to a lie that is located nearby and is utterly dreadful in appearance. In the burg, there is nothing other than a skillfully made wooden shrine supported on a foundation composed of the horns of different types of animals. Marvellous sculpted images of gods and goddesses adorn its outer walls, so it seems to the observer. Inside, stand gods made by human hands, each with a nam inscribed and frightfully clothed with helmets and armour. Among them, Swarozyc occupies the first place and all the heathens honour and worship him above the others. Their banners may never be removed from this place except in time of war an then only by warriors on foot.
To carefully protect this shrine, the inhabitants have instituted special priests. When they convene there to offer sacrifices to the idols or assuage their anger, these priests sit while everyone else stands. Murmuring together in secret, they tremble and dig in the earth so that, after casting lots, they may acquire certainty in regard to any questionable matters. When this is finished, they cover the lots with green grass and, after placing two spears crosswise on the ground, humbly lead over them a horse which they believe to be the largest of all and venerate as sacred. That which the casting of lots had already revealed to them, should also be foretold by this almost divine beast. If the same omen appears in both cases, it is carried out in fact. Otherwise, the unhappy folk immediately reject it. An ancient but equally false tradition also testifies that, if the harsh savagery of a long period of internal warfare is imminent, a great boar whose teeth are white and glistening with foam will emerge from that same lake and appear to many witnesses while happily disporting itself in the mire with a terrible shaking.
Each region of this land has a temple and a special idol which is worshipped by these unbelievers, but the burg mentioned above has precedence over all. When going to war, they depart from here and, if they return victorious, they honour the place with appropriate gifts. Just as i have mentioned, they carefully inquire, by casting lots and consulting the horse, what their priests should offer to their gods. Their unspeakable fury is mitigated by the blood of human beings and animals. There is no individual lord who presides over all of these people who are collectively referred to as Liutizi. When important issues are discussed at an assembly, there must be unanimous agreement before any action can be undertaken. If one of their countermenopposes such a decision during an assembly, he is beatern with rods. If outside the assembly, and openly, he must either lose everything through burning an immediate confiscation, or he must come before that body and, in accordance with his status, pay compensation for his sin. These unbelieving and fickle people nonetheless demand reliability and great loyalty from others. They make peace by offering hair cut from the top of their heads and grass, and by joining their right hands, but the desire for riches will easily move them to violate it. Such warriors, once our servants, now free because of our wickedness, came with their gods for the purpose of supporting the king. Dear reader, avoid both their society and their cult! Rather, hear and obey the mandates of divine scripture! If you learn and commit to memory the faith declared by Bishop Athanasius, the things that I have recounted above will rightly appear meaningless to you.
Post hec Luidizi pridie, quam Oderam fluvium attingerent, nostris sociantur, deos suos se precedentes secuti.
Quamvis autem de hiis aliquid loqui perhorrescam, tamen, o lector amate, ut scias vanam eorum supersticionem et inanem populi istius execucionem, qui sint et unde huc venerint, strictim enodabo. Urbs est antiqua quedam, que Riedegost vocitata, in pago Rederirun, et st tricornis et tres in se continens portas, unaqueque oer singula cornua, quam undique silva ab accolis intacta et venerabilis maxima circumdat. Due eius porte cunctis introeuntibus patent; tercia, que orientem respicit et minima est, tramitem ad mare iuxta positum et visu nimis horribile monstrat, que nulli facile patet. In eadem urbe nichil est aliud nisi fanum de ligno artificiose compositum, quod pro basibus diversarum bestiarum cornibus sustentatur, Huius parietes exterius ornant varie imagines deorum et dearum mirifice, ut cernentibus videtur, insculpte; interius autem dii stant manufacti, singuli nominibus suis insculpti, galeis et loricis terribiliter vestiti, quorum primus Zuarasice dicitu et pre ceteris a cunctis gentibus veneratur et colitur. Vechilla quoque eorum, nis ad expedicionis necessaria, et tunc per pedites, nullatenus moventur.
Ad hec curiose tuenda ministri sunt specialiter ab indigenis constituti. Qui eo cum idolis ymmolare conveniunt seu iram eorum placare, sedent hii, dumtaxat caeteris astantibus, et invicem clanculum musitant terram cum tremore infodientes, qua sortibus emissis rerum dubiarum certitudinem inquirunt. Quibus finitis cespiti viridi eas operientes, equum, qui maximus inter illos habetur et ut sacer ab hiis veneratur, super fixas in terram cuspides duarum hastilium inter se transmissarum supplici obsequio ducunt et, premissis sortibus, quibus id exploraverunt prius, per hunc quasi divinum denuo auguriantur. Et si in duabus hiis rebus par omen apparet, factis completur; sin autem, a tristibus populis hoc prorsus omittitur. Testatur idem antiquitas vario errore delusa, si quando hiis prope seu alonge rebellionis asperitas immineret, quod e mari predicto aper maximus et candido dente de spumis lucente exeat seque in volutabro voluntando terribili quassacione multis ostendat.
Quot regiones sunt in hiis partibus, tot templa habentur et singula demonum spulchra ab infidelibus coluntur, inter que civitas memorata principalem monarchiam optinent. Hanc ad bellum properantes salutant, ipsam prospere redeuntes muneribus debitis honorant, et, que hostia placabilis diis offerri a ministris debeat, per sortes et per equum, sicut prefatus sum, diligenter exquiritur. Hominum et pecudum sanguine ineffabilis eorum furor mitigatur.
Hiis autem, qui Luidizi communiter vocantur, dominus nullus specialiter presidet . Usanimi vero consilio ad placitum sua necessaria discucientes, in rebus efficiendis omnes concordant. Si quis vero ex provincialibus in placito eis contradicit, fustibus verberatur et, si forinsecus palam resistit, aut omnia incendio et continua depredacione perdit aut in eorum presencia pro qualitate sui pecunie quantitatem pro emendacione persolvit. Ipsi quoque infideles et per omnia instabiles ab aliis magnam stabilitatem et fidem exigunt. Pacem abraso crine supremo cum gramine datis dextris affirmant. Sed ad eam perturbandam pecunia facile corrumpuntur. Horum cultum et consorcia, lector, fugias, quin pocius mandata divinarum scripturarum sectando adimple: et fidem, quam Athanasius episcopus profitebatur, attendens, hec, que supra memoravi, nichil esse veraciter probabis.
Book 7 (64)
…The Liutizi returned to their homeland in an angry mood and complaining about the dishonor inflicted upon their goddess. One of Margrave Herman’s retainers, had thrown a rock at a banner which bore her image. When their servants sally related this event to the emperor, he gave them twelve pounds as compensation. When they attempted to cross the swollen waters of the Mulde, near the burg Wurzen, they lost yet another image of their goddess and a most excellent band of fifty milites. The rest returned under this evil omen and, at the instigation of wicked men, tried to remove themselves from the emperor’s service. Yet, afterwards, a general assembly was held at which their leading men convinced them otherwise…
…Sed Luitici redeuntes irati dedecus dee sue illatum conqueruntur. Nam hec in vexillis eorum formata a quodam Herimanni marchionis socio lapide uno transiecta est; cumque hoc ministri eius imperatori dolenter retulissent, ad emendacionem duodecim talenta perceperunt. Et cum iuxta Worcin civitatem Mildam nimis effusam transire voluissent, deam cum egregio quinquaginta militum comitatu alteram perdiderunt. Tam malo omine domum residui venientes a servicio cesaris se malorum instinctu abalienare nitebantur; sed post habito suo communi placito a prioribus suis convertuntur…
The link to the pictures from the Dresden Manuscript is here. The full passages regarding Suavs in the Thietmar Chronicle cited above are here (Book VI) and here (Book VII).
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