Heimskringla Use of God

To the east of Tanakvísl in Asia it was called Ásaland (Land of the Æsir)
or Ásaheimr (World of the Æsir), and the capital city that was in the land
they called Ásgarðr. And in that town was the ruler who was called Óðinn.
There was a great place of worship there. It was the custom there that twelve
temple priests were of highest rank. They were in charge of the worship and
judgements among people. They are known as díar or lords. They were to
receive service and veneration from all people. Óðinn was a great warrior
and very widely travelled and took power over many countries.

[...]

Óðinn went with an army against the Vanir, but they put up a good fight and
defended their land, and victory went alternately to both sides. They each
raided the other’s land and did damage. But when both sides grew weary
of this, they arranged a meeting of reconciliation between them and made
peace and gave each other hostages. The Vanir put forward their noblest men,
Njǫrðr the Wealthy and his son Freyr, and the Æsir in return the one called
Hœnir, and they claimed that he was very suitable to be a ruler. He was a
large and most handsome man. With him the Æsir sent the one called Mímir,
a very clever man, and in return the Vanir put forward the wisest in their
company. He was called Kvasir. But when Hœnir came to Vanaheimr
he was at once made a lord. Mímir always told him what to do. But when
Hœnir was present at councils or meetings where Mímir was not nearby,
and any problem came before him, he always answered the same way: ‘Let
others decide.’ Then the Vanir suspected that the Æsir must have cheated
them in the exchange of men. Then they took Mímir and beheaded him and
sent his head to the Æsir. Óðinn took the head and smeared it with herbs
that prevented it from decaying, and recited spells over it and imbued it with
magic power so that it spoke to him and told him many secret things. Njǫrðr
and Freyr Óðinn appointed as sacrificial priests, and they were gods* among
the Æsir. Njǫrðr’s daughter was Freyja. She was a sacrificial priestess. She
was the first to teach the Æsir black magic, which was customary among the
Vanir. When Njǫrðr was among the Vanir he had been married to his sister,
for that was the law there. Their children were Freyr and Freyja. But it was
forbidden among the Æsir to cohabit with such close kin.

[...]

A great mountain range runs from the north-east to the south-west. It divides
Svíþjóð in mikla from other realms. To the south of the mountains it is not far
to Tyrkland (Land of Turks, Asia Minor). There Óðinn had large possessions.
At that time the rulers of the Rúmverjar (Romans) travelled widely around
the world and conquered all nations, and many rulers fled their lands because
of this aggression. And because Óðinn had prophetic and magical powers,
he knew that his descendants would inhabit the northern region of the world.
Then he appointed his brothers, Vé and Vílir, to rule Ásgarðr, while he, and
all the gods with him and many other people, left. He went first west into
Garðaríki (Russia) and then south to Saxland (Germany). He had many sons.
He made himself king over large parts of Saxland and established his sons
there to guard the land. Then he went north to the sea and took up residence
on a certain island. That place is now called Óðinsey (‘Óðinn’s sanctuary’;
Odense) on Fjón (Fyn). Then he sent Gefjun north over the sound in search
of lands.

[...]

When Óðinn of the Æsir came to the northern lands, and the gods with him,
it is truthfully said that they originated and taught those skills that people
went on practising long afterwards. Óðinn was superior to them all, and from
him they learned all skills, because he knew them all first, and yet more.

[...]

And he (Óðinn) taught most of his skills to his sacrificial priests. They
were next to him in all lore and magic. And yet many others learned much
of it, and from there heathendom spread widely and lasted for a long
time. And people worshipped Óðinn and the twelve rulers and called them
their gods and believed in them long afterwards. The name Auðunn comes
from Óðinn, and people called their sons this, and from Þórr’s name come
the names Þórir and Þórarinn, or it is combined with other elements, as in
Steinþórr or Hafþórr, or changed further in other ways.

[...]

Then Freyr took power after Njǫrðr. He was called lord over the Svíar and
took tribute payments from them. He was popular and blessed with good
seasons, like his father. Freyr built a great temple at Uppsalir and made it his
capital, directing to it all his taxes in land and movable property. This
was the origin of the Uppsalaauðr (‘Uppsala wealth’) and it has continued
ever since. The peace of Fróði began in his time. There was prosperity
throughout all lands. The Svíar attributed that to Freyr. As a result of peace
and good harvests, he was the more honoured than other gods the more
prosperous the people of the land became in his time than before. His wife
was called Gerðr Gymisdóttir. Their son was called Fjǫlnir.


- Heimskringla, Ynglinga Saga, Chapters 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10


("12 Díar (only used in plural) is a loanword from Old Irish día, related to Latin deus and Old Icelandic tívar. It normally means ‘gods’, but here may mean ‘high priests’." - Footnote included with translation)