“The time is always right to do what is right.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
The Aesirian Code of Nine is believed to date from at least 1000 A.D., although its exact historical source is uncertain. There is at least one case of an inscription found in Denmark, and various versions have been found in scattered Scandinavian texts, not to mention archaeological digs in Europe.
Although of Scandinavian origin, this code reflects the principles extolled by the Fianna quite well. Also, as a historical footnote linking the two traditions, one is reminded that two of the Fianna, Caoilte (who was Fionn's second) and Aille, were said to have served under the King of Norway for a time, during which they might have been exposed to this code themselves.
The Aesirian Code of Nine
1. Honor. Honor oneself with truth and fairness. Your word is your bond. Give power to your word by adhering to it. Honor your family and friends with reverence and respect. Honor your love and the way above all else. Honor is the mark of strength and nobility.
2. Protect. Protect with savagery your blood and kin. Let no one or nothing violate your love or the way. Let there always be inequity in defense. Always protect thrice as fiercely as one is attacked. Protection is the mark of the warrior spirit.
3. Flourish. Prosperity and growth are keys to the survival of the way. Such is the mark of intelligence.
4. Knowledge. Knowledge is power. Seek ever to expand the mind. Never stagnate, for knowledge is a gift from God.
5. Change. Adapting and changing are important for growth and survival. That which cannot adapt or change is doomed to perish. Change is the mark of insight.
6. Fairness. Pay all of your debts and pull your own weight. Always hear and consider all sides. Treat all others with equity and fairness. Expect the same from them.
7. Balance. Remember the law of balance; all that which you do or wish for, good or ill, shall return to you one day. Strive for good.
8. Control. Never lose control to your anger or be baited by the hostility of another. Never strike a woman unless your very life hangs in the balance. Never violate the weak or the innocent. Never tolerate those who do. Control is the mark of a disciplined mind, a sign of the greatest of warriors.
9. Conflict. Those who follow the way of the warrior must know the art of combat, weapons and vengeance. War is an accepted part of the path. Always be prepared for hostility against you. It is a destiny woven into the very fiber of our people. Keep your body, mind, and training up at all times. Have no remorse when you must be savage during a conflict. Win, prevail, and survive.
Additional Reading
Havamal: The Sayings of the Vikings: In a New and Readable Translation by Bjorn Jonasson
Point of Reflection
“The cautious guest who comes to the table speaks sparingly. Listen with ears, Learn with eyes. Such is the seeker of knowledge.”
Havamal