SACREDNESS OF TEMPLES. 359 



A tax, as we have seen, was said to have been imposed in 

 Odin's time for the support of the temple ; in the time of 

 Frey a change took place, according to the sagas, and 

 certain lauds and properties in the several districts called 

 Uppsala-Aud (Uppsala wealth) were set apart for this purpose ; 

 but in later times again, in Norway at least, and probably in 

 other parts of the North, the bcendr had to pay taxes for the 

 support of the temples, some of which seem to have been the 

 private property of the godi. 



The temples were considered so holy that any one damaging 

 them or entering them armed was declared an outlaw, and 

 no one who had committed an offence punishable by law was 

 allowed to enter ; such person was called Vary i Veum (wolf 

 in the sanctuary). The grove or fields surrounding the 

 temples were often regarded as inviolate, so that no act of 

 violence would be permissible within their precincts. This 

 was expressed by the ancient name of Ve (sanctuary, sacred 

 place), which was extended so as to embrace the T/m^-place, 

 which was also regarded as sacred, while the Thing was 

 going on. 



u Ingimund went into the temple, and before he was aware 

 of it Rafn ran in with a sword. Ingimund turned towards 

 him and said, ' It is not the custom to bring weapons into the 

 temple, and thou wilt turn the wrath of the gods against thee ; 

 such a thing is impossible unless it is atoned for ' ' (Vatns- 

 doela ; c. 17). 



" Bui went to the temple, and when he arrived there, saw 

 that the enclosure as well as the temple was unlocked. He 

 entered and perceived that Thorstein lay on his face in front 

 of Tiior. Bui walked silently until he came to Thorstein, and 

 grasped his knees with one hand and his shoulders with the 

 other in such a manner that he lifted him and struck his head 

 so hard against a stone that his brains were scattered over the 

 floor ; he died immediately. Bui carried him out and threw 

 him near the fence of the enclosure, and entered the temple 

 again. He took the sacred fire, and, kindling lights, carried 

 them around the temple and set the hangings on fire. The 

 fire quickly caught one thing after the other, and in a short 

 time the temple was in flames. He went out and locked both 

 the temple and the enclosure, and threw the keys into the fire 

 and departed. Thorgriin Godi awoke in the morning and saw 



