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2. EBO AND ANSKAR. 55
and a tendency to increase the number of deities. Both
seem to be discernible in the account of Anskar s second
mission. Complaint was made that the gods were angry
because their sacrifices were neglected; and an enthusiast
came forward to announce a vision which he had received
from the gods bidding the people deify their late king,
Eric. Tales of the power of Christ were also circulated by
those who had been in Germany and Holland, especially
at Dorstad. On Anskar s arrival the king and his nobles
determined to ask counsel of the gods as to whether the
mission should be encouraged or not. They were con
sulted by means of lots taken in the open air, the ritual
being probably somewhat more elaborate than that
described by Tacitus, but generally similar (Germ. 10,
Vita Ans. 24).
It would seem that the bowl of blood, with twigs in it,
was taken from the temple table, and the people sprinkled
with the blood. Then the twigs were thrown at random
on a white cloth in the open air. The priest said a prayer
over them, and then, looking up to heaven, took up three
of them in succession. If each indicated the same answer,
"
yes
"
or
"
no," that was, we must suppose, the answer
given by the oracle.
6
Or the answer might, apparently,
be a less simple one. On this occasion it was favourable to
Anskar. After this the question was put before two public
assemblies, probably one at Birka and one at Upsala. At
length the full consent of the people was obtained, and it
was determined that the mission should be allowed to con
tinue its work and to make converts without opposition ;
and the king gave a hall for a church. Anskar then left
Eribert, another nephew of Bishop Gautbert, as priest-in-
charge, and returned to Germany. He died himself at
Bremen on the 3rd of February, 865 A.D., and was shortly
afterwards canonized by Pope Nicolas I.
There can be no question of Anskar s saintliness, accord-
6
Golther, G.M., 631, discusses divination by lot at consider
able length, but without making the process very clear, on
account of the lack of evidence.
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