Aelfric (d. 1010) was an Anglo-Saxon churchman; he was a noted scholar in his own day, translating portions of the Bible into Old English, as well as composing a large collection of sermons to be read in churches by less educated ministers. The following passage is the most famous portion of his sermon "On the False Gods," in which Aelfric explains the origins of pagan religion, the gods, and idolatrous worship.
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Now we do not read in books that mankind established idolatry in all the time before Noah’s Flood, until the giants built the marvelous tower after Noah’s Flood, and so God gave to them there as many languages as there were builders. When they separated to distant lands, and mankind grew, then they became deceived by the old Devil who previously seduced Adam, such that they wrongly made for themselves gods, and scorned the Creator who made them with human dignity. Then they thought themselves wise and they exalted as gods the sun and the moon, because of their shining brightness, and offered sacrifice to them, and forsook their Maker. Some men also claimed that the shining stars were gods, and eagerly worshiped them.
Some turned in faith to fire because of its quick heat, some also to water, and worshiped them as gods; some to the earth, because it nourishes all things. But they could have discerned, if they had troubled to think, that only He is God who made all these things for our comfort, because of his great goodness. These creations do just as their Maker directs to them, and none may do anything without the Lord’s permission, because there is no Creator except the one true God, and we exalt Him with certain belief, speaking with mouth and with sincerity of mind that He who made all things is the only God.
Even then, the pagans discontent with only a few gods, and so took to worshiping as gods various giants and men: those that were mighty in worldly rank, and awe-inspiring in life, even though they lived foully. One man was living in the island of Crete, named Saturn, who was powerful and cruel, such that he devoured his own sons when they were born, and in an unfatherly manner made their flesh as food for himself. However, he left one alive, though he had already consumed his brothers; this one was named Jove; he was both evil and strong. Jove expelled his father from Crete, and would have killed him, if he had found him. This Jove was so very lustful, that he married his own sister; she was named Juno, a very high goddess. Their daughters were Minerva and Venus. Then the father foully had intercourse with both of them, and wickedly defiled his own kinswomen often.
These wicked men were the most famous gods that the heathens worshiped, and raised up to deity; but the son, Jove, was nevertheless more worshiped than the father, Saturn, in their foul religion. This Jove is most honored of all the gods that the heathens have in their heresy; and he is called Thor among some nations; the Danes love Thor most. His son is called Mars; he always makes quarrels, and he always wishes to stir up strife and suffering. This one the heathen worshiped as a high god, and as often as they warred, they sacrificed their offering before this god before marching into battle. They believed that he was able to assist them in the battle, because he loved combat.
A certain man was called Mercury in life; he was very tricky and deceitful in his actions, and also loved theft and falsehood. This one the heathen made for themselves into a great god, and at the crossroads offered sacrifice to him, and brought him offerings on high mountains. This god was honored among all heathens, and he is called Odin in the Danish language.
Now, in their heresy the Danes say that this Jove, whom they call Thor, was the son of Mercury, whom they call Odin; but they do not have the truth, because we read in books, both in heathen ones [i.e. pagan Greek and Roman mythology] and in Christian ones, that this evil Jove in truth was Saturn’s son, and these ancient heathen books may not be refuted which wrote thus regarding him; and also in accounts of martyrs’ deaths we find such written.
A certain woman called Venus, who was Jove’s daughter, was so immoral in wantonness that her own father had her, and also her brother, and many others, in the manner of prostitution; but the heathen worshiped her as a holy goddess, as their god’s daughter. Many other gods of various kinds were to be found, and also likewise goddesses, in great honor throughout the entire world, for the destruction of mankind; but these are the foremost, though they lived foully.
The scheming Devil, who deceives mankind, brought the heathen into that deep heresy, so that they found for themselves such foul men to be gods. These foul men loved sins, which pleases the Devil, and also their devotees loved their scandals, and so were separated from the almighty God, the one who abhors sins, and that loves purity.
They also appointed days for the sun and the moon and the other gods: first to the sun the Sunday, and likewise to the moon the Monday; and the third day they devoted to Mars, their battle-god, as an homage to him. The fourth day they gave as an homage to the aforementioned Mercury, their famous god. The fifth day they celebrated extraordinarily to honor Jove, their most famous god. The sixth day they appointed to the shameless goddess called Venus, named Frig in Danish. The seventh day they gave to Saturn the ancient, to the father of gods, as a consolation, for he was last, though he was eldest.
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Source: Translation from Old English by David Grubbs
