Vikings… “Crowd together in Bed” *wink*
While Vikings were considered to be direct peoples, they were rather shy about talking about… the deed. Ya know, the conjugal relations? The sagas had various ways to refer to this intimate act. A man about to have relations with a woman was said to ‘turn towards’ her, “laying his hand/arm/thigh” on her. The rest was up to the audience’s imagination. However, what was clear was the man was in charge. He took the lead. His partner followed. Once the action warmed up, the sagas implied the increased activity in similarly guarded terms. A couple in the throes of passion would ‘crowd together in bed” (hviluthrong) and ‘enjoy each other. ‘
If you wanted to describe it in a more racy fashion, the tales would describe the man as enjoying a good old brolta a maga or ‘romp on her belly’ or describe the couple as ‘traveling together.” Once they had exhausted themselves, the couple spent the aftermath at ‘hvila meth henna ” (rest with her), or he would ‘amuse one’s self.’ This activity referred to him enjoying a quiet conversation or game of cards with his partner. Of course, while their language was shy, it seems as though they were more open with physical relations than other cultures of the time. This includes being open to extramarital affairs.