Ægir
Encyclopedia
Ægir is a sea giant, god of the ocean
and king of the sea creatures in Norse mythology
. He is also known for hosting elaborate parties for the gods
.
Ægir's servants are Fimafeng
(killed by Loki
) and Eldir
.
in Skáldskaparmál
state that Ægir is the same as the sea-giant Hlér, who lives on the isle of Hlésey, and this is borne out by kennings. Snorri uses his visiting the Æsir as the frame of that section of the Prose Edda
.
In Lokasenna
, Ægir hosts a party for the gods where he provides the ale brewed in an enormous pot or cauldron provided by Thor
and Týr. The story of their obtaining the pot from the giant Hymir
is told in Hymiskviða
.
The prose introduction to Lokasenna and Snorri's list of kennings state that Ægir is also known as Gymir
, who is Gerðr's father, but this is evidently an erroneous interpretation of kenning
s in which different giant-names are used interchangeably.
r and brother of Logi
("fire") and Kári
("wind").
Ægir's wife is Rán
the sea goddess. She is by Ægir mother of nine billow maidens
, whose names are:
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
and king of the sea creatures in Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
. He is also known for hosting elaborate parties for the gods
Æsir
In Old Norse, áss is the term denoting a member of the principal pantheon in Norse paganism. This pantheon includes Odin, Frigg, Thor, Baldr and Tyr. The second pantheon comprises the Vanir...
.
Ægir's servants are Fimafeng
Fimafeng
Fimafeng is a servant of Ægir in Norse mythology. His name means "quick service" or "handy service." In the Lokasenna, Loki kills Fimafeng during a feast for the Æsir being hosted by Ægir. This causes the Norse gods to expel Loki from the party. Loki returns to the party and offers an elaborate...
(killed by Loki
Loki
In Norse mythology, Loki or Loke is a god or jötunn . Loki is the son of Fárbauti and Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. By the jötunn Angrboða, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr. By his wife Sigyn, Loki is the father of Nari or Narfi...
) and Eldir
Eldir
In Norse mythology, Eldir is a servant of Ægir. At the beginning of Lokasenna, Loki kills another servant, Fimafeng, and is driven from Ægir's hall into the forest by the gods who were assembled at the feasting table...
.
Description
While many versions of myths portray Ægir as a giant, it is curious that many do not. In some texts, he is referred to as something older than the giants, and his origins are not really explained.Attestations
Both Fundinn Noregr and Snorri SturlusonSnorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
in Skáldskaparmál
Skáldskaparmál
The second part of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda the Skáldskaparmál or "language of poetry" is effectively a dialogue between the Norse god of the sea, Ægir and Bragi, the god of poetry, in which both Norse mythology and discourse on the nature of poetry are intertwined...
state that Ægir is the same as the sea-giant Hlér, who lives on the isle of Hlésey, and this is borne out by kennings. Snorri uses his visiting the Æsir as the frame of that section of the Prose Edda
Prose Edda
The Prose Edda, also known as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda or simply Edda, is an Icelandic collection of four sections interspersed with excerpts from earlier skaldic and Eddic poetry containing tales from Nordic mythology...
.
In Lokasenna
Lokasenna
Lokasenna is one of the poems of the Poetic Edda. The poem presents flyting between the gods and Loki....
, Ægir hosts a party for the gods where he provides the ale brewed in an enormous pot or cauldron provided by Thor
Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
and Týr. The story of their obtaining the pot from the giant Hymir
Hymir
In Norse mythology, Hymir is a giant, husband of the giantess Hroðr and according to the Eddic poem Hymiskviða the father of the god Týr. He is the owner of a mile-wide cauldron which the Æsir wanted to brew beer in; Thor, accompanied by Týr, obtained it from him...
is told in Hymiskviða
Hymiskviða
Hymiskviða is a poem collected in the Poetic Edda. Its contents are somewhat confusing but can be summarized more or less as follows....
.
The prose introduction to Lokasenna and Snorri's list of kennings state that Ægir is also known as Gymir
Gymir
In Norse mythology, Gymir was a giant whose daughter, Gerðr, married the god Freyr.According to the Eddic poems Skírnismál and Hyndluljóð, Gymir and his wife Aurboða are Gerð's parents...
, who is Gerðr's father, but this is evidently an erroneous interpretation of kenning
Kenning
A kenning is a type of literary trope, specifically circumlocution, in the form of a compound that employs figurative language in place of a more concrete single-word noun. Kennings are strongly associated with Old Norse and later Icelandic and Anglo-Saxon poetry...
s in which different giant-names are used interchangeably.
Family
According to Fundinn Noregr, Ægir is a son of the giant FornjótFornjót
Fornjót was an ancient giant in Norse mythology and a king of Finland. His children are Ægir , Logi and Kári ....
r and brother of Logi
Logi
In Norse mythology, Logi or Loge is a fire giant, god and personification of fire. He is son of giant Fornjótr and brother of Ægir and Kári...
("fire") and Kári
Kari
Kari or KARI may refer to:* Kari or curry, a pan-Asian variety of spicy food* Kari or Sundaram Karivardhan, a legendary figure of Indian motorsports*Kari , a natural satellite of Saturn*Kari , a technique in shakuhachi music...
("wind").
Ægir's wife is Rán
Rán
In Norse mythology, Rán is a sea goddess. According to Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál, in his retelling of the Poetic Edda poem Lokasenna, she is married to Ægir and they have nine daughters together...
the sea goddess. She is by Ægir mother of nine billow maidens
Daughters of Ægir
The Daughters of Ægir are the nine daughters of Ægir and Rán, a giant and goddess who both represent the sea in Norse mythology. Their names are poetic terms for different characteristics of ocean waves....
, whose names are:
- Bára (or Dröfn, wave)
- Blóðughadda (the one with blood-red hair – the color of the waves after a naval battle)
- Bylgja (to billow, or big wave)
- Dúfa (the pitching wave)
- Hefring (the surging wave)
- Himinglæva (the wave that reflects the light of the sky)
- Hrönn (the grasping wave)
- Kólga (the chilling wave)
- Unnr (or Uðr, wave)