The Nine Noble Virtues
6. February, 2007I was approached several months ago by Arlea Hunt-Anschutz, of Pagan Dawn magazine, and asked if I would be “willing to expand” on some E-mails I posted to the UK Heathenry list, regarding a debate about the Nine Noble Virtues, in article format and constrained to 1800 words. Anyone who knows me (or anyone who reads this blog for longer than two minutes) probably knows that I am of course quite happy to expand on just about anything that comes to mind, let alone something I feel passionately about (Expanding Inward is built on my habit of Expounding Outward). The article was to be printed in the Imbolc 2007 edition and, since I didn’t think it would be fair to post this article online until it had gone into circulation, I have been keeping myself as silent as possible about the Nine Noble Virtues (NNV) lest I be sorely tempted to post something before it was time. Since this edition is now circulating, I am quite happy to share with you my thoughts on this topic….
The Nine Noble Virtues, an article for Pagan Dawn Magazine
- by Bjorngrímnir
Courage, Truth, Honor, Fidelity, Discipline, Hospitality, Self-Reliance, Industriousness, Perseverance….
These words are what are known to many as the Nine Noble Virtues. But what are they, how did they come into being, and what is their significance to modern Heathens? Are they a Heathen form of the Wiccan Rede, or a Vikingly version of the Ten Commandments? Are the Nine Noble Virtues a pre-packaged condensation of Heathen lore, a meaningless list of words that one must memorize before being able to truly call one’s self Heathen? Indeed, these are some of the concerns of their critics – and critics there are aplenty. Adherents aplenty there are, as well, and I count myself among them. Before exploring all of this further, I want to share some condensed definitions for a few key words from Webster’s OnLine dictionary (www.webster.com), so that we have a more common understanding of their literal meanings and functions.
Rede: to give counsel to
Creed: a brief authoritative formula of religious belief; a set of fundamental beliefs; also : a guiding principle
Ethic: the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation; a set of moral principles : a theory or system of moral values; the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group; a guiding philosophy; a consciousness of moral importance; a set of moral issues or aspects (as rightness)
Noble: possessing very high or excellent qualities or properties; very good or excellent; possessing, characterized by, or arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals or morals
Virtue: conformity to a standard of right; a particular moral excellence; a commendable quality or trait
In looking at the differences between creed, rede and ethic, there is one concept that is common (though not verbatim) to all three words – guide. With the word, rede, guidance is implied by giving counsel. But rede is not really the right word to describe what the Nine Noble Virtues are (although as we will see, rede is involved in a chief source of the Nine Noble Virtues), since the Nine Noble Virtues don’t really constitute counsel or advice. Are the Nine Noble Virtues, then, a creed? Since there is no actual religious authority in the Heathen religion, and since fundamentalism is generally frowned upon in mainstream Heathenry, creed only applies in the sense of a guiding principle. This leaves us with ethic, which is the word I feel most accurately describes the function of the Nine Noble Virtues…but which meaning fits best? The first definition for ethic is eliminated because the Nine Noble Virtues do not list good and bad, and they do not mandate moral duty or obligation. The Nine Noble Virtues are a list of virtues, not morals, so this definition can be eliminated; as can the definitions involving moral issues or aspects, and consciousness of moral importance, for the same reason. This leaves us with principles of conduct governing individuals or groups, and a guiding philosophy, and it is these definitions which best describe the function of the Nine Noble Virtues as a matter of Heathen ethic.
Some of the skepticism and controversy surrounding the Nine Noble Virtues stems from different interpretations of the words noble and virtue, so let us concern ourselves now with their definitions. It is possible to define them simply as the conformity to a superior standard of right – in fact, some Heathens probably do consider noble virtues to mean just that. However this meaning isn’t really the best one. More appropriate, and certainly much more consistent with the definition of ethic that we arrived at by process of elimination, is to say that noble virtues refer to very good, or commendable qualities or traits. Now we can safely define the Nine Noble Virtues as being a Heathen ethic, comprised of commendable qualities or traits. It might be tempting to say that the Nine Noble Virtues are the Heathen version of the Wiccan Rede, or the Judeo-Christian Ten Commandments; but this would be syncretistic and inaccurate, since each serves a different purpose within different religions, despite superficial similarities.
The Nine Noble Virtues are a modern invention: King Gorm of Denmark, great-grandsire of Canute the Great, would not have been able to recite the Nine Noble Virtues despite his having been a Heathen king. The history of the Nine Noble Virtues, according to Wikipedia’s entry, shows how modern they are:
“The Nine Noble Virtues are the ethical code gleaned from various sources including the Poetic Edda (particularly the Hávamál), the Icelandic Sagas and Germanic folklore. They were codified by John Yeowell (a.k.a Stubba) and John Gibbs-Bailey (a.k.a Hoskuld) of the Odinic Rite in the 1970’s.”
Many people believe that the Nine Noble Virtues are a mere condensing of advice given in the Icelandic poetic rede, Hávamál, and somehow discourage people from making a detailed study of Heathen lore. It’s important to remember that the Nine Noble Virtues are simply an ethical guide, discouraging nothing at all; and it’s important to note that the virtues themselves exist throughout the corpus of Heathen lore, from Hávamál, to Beowulf, to Völsunga saga. In fact, the virtues we are talking about have been seen as commendable by more than just Heathens, they are echoed by the ethical standards of cultures around the world. So while the Nine Noble Virtues were gleaned from Heathen lore, by Heathens for Heathens, they transcend Heathenry in that people of nearly any religion (along with those of no religion at all) can aspire to them and adapt them to their lives. This is aided in large part by the fact that none of the nine virtues refer directly to religion.
As mentioned before, there is no real religious authority in contemporary Heathenry. There are various groups and organizations within Heathenry, but none of these groups can claim authority or influence over the whole of the Heathen community. As such, no code, no set of commandments, and certainly no ethical guides can be imposed on Heathens as a religious community. The Nine Noble Virtues are completely voluntary, Heathens are not (nor should we ever be) enjoined to comply with the Nine Noble Virtues. Many Heathens choose to observe the Nine Noble Virtues, and many do not – the number of Heathens who choose or choose not to observe them does not affect their validity as an ethical guide, nor does their validity as an ethical guide affect the validity of religious expression by Heathens, regardless whether they observe the Nine Noble Virtues or not.
Since we have covered the function of the Nine Noble Virtues, we should now look more closely at their meaning. The Nine Noble Virtues are a list of seemingly simple words, not even forming a complete sentence. There is no preamble, other than their title, and there is no conclusion. The virtues that are listed are certainly not exhaustive – the number was limited to nine because this is a very sacred number in Heathenry. Since each virtue can have multiple meanings, and since these meanings and the degree to which they would be commendable depend on the situation, there is no universal, one-size-fits-all interpretation to which people must refer. Some of the virtues imply other virtues, as well. For example, hospitality implies the two-way relationship between guest and host, thus implying the virtue of guest-honor. Discipline implies caution, and all nine virtues are best approached with another great, unspoken virtue: common sense. The definitions are individually determined, and the process for this determination should involve a lot of time spent in reflection and thought. I’ve spent some long hours reading all the lore I can get my hands on, contemplating instances where I can find one of the nine virtues, how it is implemented or exemplified, what other virtues are being exemplified, and how I might apply these ethics in my life. I’m sure there are some who feel like memorizing the Nine Noble Virtues, without any real mindfulness of their meaning or occurrence in the lore, is all it takes to be a good Heathen – such people are making a serious mistake, and are missing out on more than just the point.
With a mind toward brevity (since I feel like each virtue is deserving of its own article), I’ll share a glimpse of what each virtue means to me, to provide a sample of one way in which the nine virtues can be interpreted:
Courage: to have courage doesn’t mean to lack fear, it means to act in spite of fear. It is the core virtue of the nine because none of the other eight virtues exist without it.
Truth: to seek and provide truth is to seek and provide reality, to have the wisdom to determine reality from fantasy, then further determine one reality from another.
Honor: is not about reputation or esteem, because people can have the best of reputations and have very little honor – honor is more about worth and integrity as a human being.
Fidelity: to be loyal, to understand why that loyalty exists, and to be reliable and deserving of loyalty one’s self. Fidelity is best when earned, and a curse when gained through demand or deception.
Discipline: self-control, the will and the practice of governing one’s self so that others don’t have to.
Hospitality: does not lock itself indoors, nor does it suffer the hindrance of inconvenience. It is the greatest of the nine virtues because to have it, one must also have the other eight.
Self-Reliance: if you can’t rely on yourself, neither can anyone else.
Industriousness: is the act of doing, of transforming stasis into motion, which is what makes our world go ’round.
Perseverance: purpose, and the will to remember it even when it would be more convenient to do otherwise.
The Nine Noble Virtues have been adapted and expanded by different communities within Heathenry – the Twelve Atheling Thews are one example of this, although there are others. The Twelve Atheling Thews were created by Swain Wodening, and I’d like to share a quote from him that describes his views on the purpose served by them: “These thews encourage Heathens to depend on one’s self and to help others, not just for the good of one’s self, but for the good of all.” I think the same thing could safely be said of the Nine Noble Virtues. Ultimately, this is why the Nine Noble Virtues have become an important aspect of my approach to Heathenry and my approach to life in general, and why they’re a significant and valid (though certainly not universal) ethical guide in contemporary Heathenry.
Excellent article, Bernulf! Let me be the first (at least here) to congratulate you. This is a nice, balanced treatment of a contentious subject in Heathenry. It is definitely something that deserves to be discussed in an even-handed, balanced manner, and this, I think, you have accomplished.
Thank you, Hrafnkell! I had actually underestimated just how contentious this topic could be in Heathenry, until the debate came up that led to this article’s writing. But the people I debated with, along with the host and moderator of the UK Heathenry forum, really did their parts to keep the debate civil, yet still spirited…such an environment tends to produce even-handed results :-)
Very good article. I agree with you that the NNV doesn´t make one “a good heathen” or “more heathen”, but mostly a “good person” for his community. I´ve seen people accusing other of not complying with the NNV, like saying: ¿how can you call yourself a heathen? But you´re right, if the person sacrifes to the gods, he´s as heathen as any other. For me they´re one of the best ethic guides.
My only question is how you see from the lore that “Honor is not about reputation or esteem”. Most of the times in the lore the word “honor” seems interchangeable with “reputation” or even “money” (I´m just thinking of a couple of Njal´s saga episodes).
BR
Thank you for your comment, Gabriel :-)
I agree with you, that according to the lore, reputation and honor often go hand-in-hand. And, when it comes right down to it, I believe that rank and reputation should follow one’s deeds. However, in considering what honor means to me, and trying as I said to keep my descriptions brief and still hit most of the points I wanted to hit, worth and integrity mean more to me than does reputation. I could deal with having a bad reputation if I knew that I had maintained my integrity, because then I could have faith that my reputation would eventually reflect the truth of my honor. Ultimately, I look at it as honor being the one thing that can’t be taken away from me … whereas reputation can be. This is not to say reputation is meaningless to me, it just means that, in the space allotted for me to write this article, worth and integrity meant more to me.
I hope that answer makes sense to you. Like I said in the article, when I was writing the meanings for the individual virtues, I was writing what they meant to me on a personal level. I also plan to treat each virtue in its own post in the future, since 1800 words or less is not an ideal amount of space in which to treat the meanings of all nine virtues :-)
This is great, Bernulf — a nice introduction for the curious, such as myself.
Is it the case that, in the Heathen tradition, one’s reputation is the only thing that can be immortal in the physical world? Or am I confusing that with some of my other reading?
Thank you for the compliment, and thank you very much for asking the question you asked, Jeff :-)
My answer to your question is no, we can’t say that reputation is the only thing that can be immortal in the physical world; although I can certainly see what it is you’re thinking of, and I think there are probably a number of Heathens who would have answered your question with a resounding yes. In Hávamál (stanzas 77 and 78 in this translation), we are told that the fame of one’s deeds is one thing that never dies. These lines are perhaps the most quoted lines from Heathen lore. So from this, we can say that the reputation of one who has done much never dies. And, to some extent, this is true: our reputations do outlive us, and for those who really do some extraordinary things in life, their fame can last thousands of years. Many Heathens seem to assume this means that our reputations are a) guaranteed to be immortal if we do good things, and b) that our reputations are the only things of us that can be immortal.
The problem with assumption “b” is that it assumes one thing equals only thing. We know, for example, that many of our traits survive us in our family lines; and we know that physical objects we create can endure the test of time. If you look at human interaction as a butterfly effect, then your deeds themselves can outlast their reputation. The problem with assumption “a” is that one’s deeds would have to be of a magnitude that humans would simply never forget them, or be worthy of being recorded in the most secure fashion, before the reputation earned from them would be truly immortal. Even then, as our own history shows, those deeds will be subject to the interpretation of future generations, so it’s not quite so cut and dry.
All of that is simply to answer your question, and demonstrate that the belief that our reputations are the only thing of us that can be immortal in the physical world is not accurate – it’s not meant to imply that reputation isn’t important, and that we shouldn’t seek to achieve worthy things and have our names reverberate with respect throughout the span of time and human memory.
OI just wanted to mention that our hamingja, or family “luck”, also survives us, to be passed down through the generations. This is a concept unknown to Paganism and general and unique, so far as I know, to Heathenism. I’m glad of the timing of this discussion because hamingja is the topic of my next post on View from the Bog.
Well, thank the Gods and pass the horn! Let me add my kudos to the ones already presented. An excellent article on an often-slippery subject.
It’s even, well, “wyrd-er” that I happened upon this piece after a week that has tested my mettle in each and every one of the nine, and then some! And I have to say, truthfully, that I fell short in more than a couple of places. But I agree with many heathens that perseverance rightly belongs at the end, because few of us – if any – are exemplars of all the virtues all the time, and we all fall short, sooner or later. But the only way we can loose is to flat-out quit, and as long as we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and get back on Ol’ Eight-Legs, we are still in the game.
One of the particularly vexing matters this past week dealt directly with your comments on honor, and I have to agree with your response to Gabriel. There are a lot of skraelings out there with good “reputations,” and it’s easy to get a “bad” reputation by living an ethical life. But I’ll take the latter over the former, even when it means empty pockets.
(And thank the Gods I have a wife who values my honor more than my paycheck!)
Well done, and honor to you.
Rune
An example: My heathen friend and neighbor had a moment of weekness that stemmed from a conflict he had with his teenage daughter, the teenage years are conflicting for anyone but his anger got the better of him and he was wrought with disappointment and thus was drowning his sorrows in ale, he yelled his anguish out in a fit of rage that damaged his teenagers fragile state even further, although I wanted to remain loyal to my friend my integrity told me that the family needed help from someone other than me, so I did the right thing and called DCS, they can provide counseling to the child and the family and keep the family held to the bond of recieving maximum benefit.. now most situation could be handled with some heathen counseling but this has been going on for some time so I knew that our friendship may suffer because he will feel betrayed by me reporting it. But I was upfront about my intentions and remained supportive to the family because I honestly believe that they will benefit in the long run and things will get better, I hope that things will remain good between us, but if they don’t atleast I have my personal integrity. And I will try to uphold my willingness to be open to them because they are kin. I won’t give up just yet.
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