Widukind of Corvei is the first who gives us out of of old songs the beautiful and truly epic story of the Saxons' victory over the Thuringians, which Ruodolf before him (Pertz 2, 674) had barely touched. Irmenfried, king of the Thuringians, being oppressed by Dieterich, king of the Franks, called the Saxons to his aid: they appeared, and fought valiantly. But he began to waver in his mind, he secretly negotiated a treaty with the Franks, and the two nations were about to unite against the formidable Saxon host. But the Saxons, becoming aware of the treachery, were beforehand; led by the aged Hathugât, they burst into the castle of the Thuringians, and slew them all; the Franks stood still, and applauded the warlike renown of the Saxons. Irmenfried fled, but, enticed by a stratagem, returned to Dieterich's camp. In this camp was staying Irmenfried's counsellor Iring, whose prudent plans had previously rendered him great services. When Irmenfried knelt before Dieterich, Iring stood by, and having been won by Dieterich, slew his own lord. After this deed of horror, the Frankish king banished him from his sight, but Iring said, 'Before I go, I will avenge my master,' drew his sword, stabbed Dieterich dead, laid his lord's body over that of the Frank, so that the vanquished in life might be the victor in death, opened a way for himself with the sword (viam ferro faciens), and escaped. 'Mirari tamen non possumus' adds Widukind, in tantum famam praevaluisse, ut Iringi nomine, quem ita vocitant, lacteus coeli circulus usque in praesens sit notatus, "Whether this narrative should be attached to some belief, I ask the reader, but it cannot fail to surprise us that the saga has gained such importance that  the Milky Way in the sky even at the present day is called by Iring's name." (I, 13) Or, with the Auersberg chronicler: 'famam in tantum praevaluisse, ut lacteus coeli circulus Iringis nomine Iringesstrâza usque in praesens sit vocatus' (sit notatus in Pertz 8, 178).

In confirmation, Anglo-Saxon glosses collected by Junius (Symb. 372) give 'via secta ('cut way'): Iringes uuec,' from which Somner and Lye borrow their 'Iringes weg, via secta'. Conf. via sexta iringesuuec, Haupts zeitschrift 5, 195. Unpublished glosses of the Amplonian library at Erfurt (10-11th cent. bl 14ª) have 'via secta: Iuuåringes uueg'; which Iuwaring agrees very remarkably with the later form Euring in Euringsstrass, Aventin 102b 103ª.

In the Nibelungenlied 1285. 1965-2009, these heroes appear again, they are the same, but differently conceived, and more akin to the High German version in Goldast: (32) Iravrit of Düringen and Irinc of Tenemarke, one a landgraf, the other a markgraf, both vassals of Etzel (Attila). The Lied von der klage (threnody) adds, that they had fallen under the ban of the empire, and fled to Hunland; here we see a trace of the banishment that Dieterich pronounced on Iring. In the poems of the 13th century, however, Iring is not a counsellor, still less a traitor and a murderer of Irmenfried: the two are sworn friends, and both fall before the irresistible Hagene and Volker.

Add to all this, that Thidrek's Saga, ch. 389 (Vilkinasaga cap. 360), though silent on Irnfried, tells of Irung's last combat with Högni, and makes him sink against a stone wall, which is still called Irûngs veggr in memory of the hero. The Norse redactor confounded vegr (via, 'way') with veggr (murus, 'wall'); his German source must have had Iringes vec, in allusion to the 'cutting his way' in Widukind.

So now the road is paved to the conclusions we desire to draw: German legend knew of an Iringes wec on earth and in heaven, so did Anglo-Saxon legend of a double Wætlinga-stræt, and so was the road to Rome and St. James set in the firmament as well. These fancies about ways and wains, we know, are pagan, and indicate god-myths. The Thuringian Irnvrit, originally Irmanfrit, it is reasonable to suppose, is the same as irman, Irmin (conf. Sigfrit, Sigmunt, Sigi), and the Hermunduri = Irman-duri are plainly connected with the Durings (Thuringians): so that Irman assumes a peculiar significance in Thuringian tradition. If this would but tell us of an Irmines wec, all would come right.

It does tell, however, in three or four places, of an Iringes wec. The names Irinc and Irmin, apart from the alliteration which doubtless operated in the ancient lay, have nothing in common; the first has a ling î, (33) and of themselves they cannot have represented one another. Now, either the legend has made the two friends change places, and transferred Irmin's way to Iring, or Iring (not uncommon as a man's name too, e.g., Trad. Fuld. 1, 79) is of himself a demigod grown dim, who had a way and wain of his own, as well as Irmin. Only, Irmin's worship seems to have had the deeper foundations, as the image of the Irmansûl sufficiently shows. As the name of a place I find Iringes purc (burg), MB. 7, 47. 157. 138. 231. Iringisperc (berg) 29, 58.

Up to this point I have refrained from mentioning some Norse traditions, which have a manifest reference to the earthly hero-path. It had been the custom from of old, for a new king, on assuming the government, to travel the great highway across the country, confirming the people in their privileges (RA. 237-8). This is called in the Old Swedish laws 'Eriksgatu riða,' riding Eric's road. (34) Sweden numbers a host of kings named Erik (ON. Eirîkr), but they are all quite historical, and to none of them can be traced this custom of the Eriksgata. With the royal name of Erik the Swedes must from very early times have associated the idea of a god or deified king; the Vita Anskarii [Life of Anskar]written by his pupil Rimbert, has a remarkable passage on it (chapter 24, Pertz 2, 711). When the adoption of Christianity was proposed to king Olaf about 860, a man of heathen sentiments alleged:

"Se in conventu deorum, qui ipsam terram possidere credebantur, et ab eis missum, ut haec regi et populis nunciaret: Vos, inquam, (35) nos vobis propitios diu habuistis, et terram incolatus vestri cum multa abundantia nostro adjutorio in pace et prosperitate longo tempore tenuistis, vos quoque nobis sacrificia et vota debita persolvistis, grataque nobis vestra fuerunt obsequia. At nunc et sacrificia solita subtrahitis, et vota spoutanea segnius offertis, (36) et, quod magis nobis displicet, alienum deum super nos intro ducitis. Si itaque nos vobis propitios habere vultis, sacrificia omissa augete et vota majora persolvite, alterius quoque dei culturam, qui contraria nobis docet, ne apud vos recipiatis et ejus servitio ne intendatis. Porro, si etiam plures deos habere desideratis, et nos vobis non sufficimus, Ericum, quondam regem vestrum, nos unanimes in collegium nostrum asciscimus, (37) ut sit unus de numero deorum."
 

"...that he had been present at a meeting of the gods, who were believed to be the owners of this land, and had been sent by them to make this announcement to the king and the people:
 

"You, I say, have long enjoyed our goodwill, and under our protection the land in which you dwell has long been fertile and has had peace and prosperity. You have also duly sacrificed and performed the vows made to us, and your worship has been well pleasing to us. But now you are keeping back the usual sacrifices and are slothful in paying your freewill offerings ; you are, moreover, displeasing us greatly by introducing a foreign god in order to supplant us. If you desire to enjoy our goodwill, offer the sacrifices that have been omitted and pay greater vows. And do not receive the worship of any other god, who teaches that which is opposed to our teaching, nor pay any attention to his service. Furthermore, if you desire to have more gods and we do not suffice, we will agree to summon your former King Eric [I.e. Eric III, the predecessor of Biörn] to join us so that he may be one of the gods."

[This devilish announcement, which was publicly made on the arrival of the bishop, disturbed the minds of all, and their hearts were deceived and disquieted. For they had resolved to have a temple in honour of the late king, and had begun to render votive offerings and sacrifices to him as to a god.]"
 

[The Milky Way] [Germanic Astronomy]