Identifier: mythologyofallra03gray (find matches)
Title: The Mythology of all races ..
Year: 1918 (1910s)
Authors: Gray, Louis H. (Louis Herbert), 1875-1955 Moore, George Foot, 1851-1931 MacCulloch, J. A. (John Arnott), 1868-1950
Subjects: Mythology
Publisher: Boston, Marshall Jones Company
Contributing Library: Wellesley College Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Wellesley College Library

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sought from him, and to win his favour the neighbouringnations sent tribute and gifts to his sanctuary. Even theDanish King Sueno, though a Christian, offered a preciousgoblet to him; foreign merchants who came to Riigen wereobliged to dedicate a part of their merchandise to the treasuryof his temple before being allowed to offer their wares forsale; and every year a captive Christian was chosen by lotto be sacrificed to him. A retinue of three hundred horsemen was set aside for theservice of Svantovit, and whatsoever they won by war or byfreebooting was given to the priest, who expended it in thepurchase of all sorts of adornments for the temple. In thisway treasure of incredible value, including huge quantitiesof gold, was accumulated, and the fame of the shrine spread . PLATE XXXII Festival of Svantovit This much modernized conception of Svantovitsfestival may be compared with the similar idealiza-tion of an ancient Slavic sacrifice in Plate XXXVI.After a painting by Alphons Mucha.
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SVANTOVIT 281 far and wide, while so numerous were its old and preciousvestments that they were rotting with age. When, in 1168, Valdemar, the Danish King, conqueredArkona after strong resistance, he first seized the treasure ofthe temple and then ordered the destruction of the sanctuary.A vast multitude of the native inhabitants assembled, expect-ing every moment that Svantovit would annihilate theirenemies, but finally even his statue was torn down, whereuponthe demon is said to have left it in the shape of a black animalwhich disappeared before the eyes of the spectators. Then theDanes, casting ropes around the idol, dragged it to the groundin sight of the Slavs; and at last, smashed in pieces, it wasburned. Not only in Arkona, but also in many other places, therewere sanctuaries of Svantovit which were under the care ofan inferior class of priests. Shortly after harvest a great festival was held in honour ofSvantovit, and on this occasion people assembled from allquarters of the i

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