According to Orchard, this could be a deliberate inversion of the traditional motif of Ægir as a host. Sacrifices were made to appease him, particularly prisoners before setting sail. [1], The Old Norse name Ægir ('sea') could stem from Proto-Germanic *āgwi-jaz ('that of the river/water'),[2] itself a derivative of Proto-Germanic *ahwō- ('river'; compare with Goth. [3] Richard Cleasby and Guðbrandur Vigfússon saw his name as deriving from an ancient Indo-European root. Ger-Manni-appi, Ger-mannapii of “The-Oddini (tribe) of Odin and the Land or “Garden of Oddin/Adam/Atum/Aten” As-ia, Your email address will not be published. Aegir and Ran are often the hosts of the feasts themselves, and they send out invitations to the Aesir to visit them in their great hall in their underwater realm.

Aegir also spelled Ægir which means “sea” in Old Norse, is not a sea god, but he is a jötunn. Aegir also spelled Ægir which means “sea” in Old Norse, is not a sea god, but he is a jötunn.

Even Though Aegir is a jötunn (giant) the couple has befriended the Aesir, they are actually very well-liked among them, and they are often invited to the feasts in Asgard. [14] Lindow notes however that since his wife Rán is listed among the ásynja (goddesses) in the same part of the Prose Edda, and since he had a close and friendly relationship with the Æsir (gods), Ægir's description as a jötunn appears questionable. [9], The name 'Ægir' is identical to a noun for 'sea' in skaldic poetry, itself a base word in many kennings. edition. 1st. Aegir – Norse God of the sea. He was both worshipped and feared by sailors, for they believed that Aegir would occasionally appear on the surface to take ships, men and cargo alike, with him to his hall at the bottom of the ocean. His two faithful servants are Eldir and Fimafeng.

Ægir is the host of various feasts, several of which form the backdrop of other tales involving the gods. In Lokasenna (Loki's Flyting), Loki's verbal duel with the gods occurs at a feast hosted by Ægir, and the poem is also called Ægisdrekka (Ægir’s Drinking Party) by paper manuscripts. Aegir (pronounced EYE-gir; Old Norse Ægir) and Ran (pronounced RAN; Old Norse Rán) are two of the most often-mentioned giants in Norse mythology. For other uses, see, Sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, Mythological Norse people, items and places, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ægir&oldid=975102964, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 26 August 2020, at 19:13. In Norse mythology, Aegir and Ran are a married couple that lives under the sea. Aegir was known for the lavish entertainment he gave to the other gods.

Lokasenna ...", "Well, you see, Skadi was in love with Baldur, and never forgave Loki ...", "if magni is son of thor, then who is magni's son or children? London, England: Penguin Books Ltd. ISBN-13 978-0-140-44755-2, Anthony Faulkes (1995) Snorri Sturluson, Edda. [4] Guus Kroonen argues that the Germanic root *ahwō- is probably of Proto-Indo-European (PIE) origin, as it may be cognate with Latin aqua (via the common form *h₂ekʷ-eh₂-), and ultimately descend from the PIE root *h₂ep- ('water'; compare with Sanskrit áp- 'water' or Tocharian āp- 'water, river'). Jesse Byock (2005) Snorri Sturluson, The Prose Edda. Each daughter's name reflects poetic terms for waves. It always pays to respect watery Gods, especially Aegir as he has a fondness for dragging ships and men down to his halls. [11], The short conversation has been regarded as a framed master-disciple dialogue in which Bragri's voice is that of Snorri himself discussing skaldic poetry.

For instance, in Hymiskviða, where Thor acquired a kettle large enough for Ægir to brew the ale for the Æsir, or in the poem Lokasenna, which is also known as Ægisdrekka ("Ægir's drinking party"). In the Poetic Edda, a collection of old Norse poetry, Aegir's habit of throwing feasts for the gods is established. [1] In Grímnismál, Ægir’s prowess as a host is the final motif Odin reveals to the King Geirröd. He was very crafty in magic. ISBN-13 978-0-4608-7616-2, Lee M. Hollander (1962) The Poetic Edda. In the Poetic Edda, Ægir has a wife, Rán, with whom he has begotten Nine Daughters associated with the waves, and his servants are named Fimafeng and Eldir.

edition. Portrayed as a jötunn (giant), Ægir is also a frequent host of the Æsir (gods). edition. He was associated with the law and control of Asgard, being the guardian of Norse gods. This is the same fishing net as the trickster Loki once borrowed because he wanted to capture the dwarf Andvari who had turned himself into a pike (a fish). In Norse mythology, the goddess Rán and the jötunn Ægir both personify the sea, and together they have nine daughters who personify waves. 3rd. [10] In the dialogue, Ægir asks why the gold is called 'fire of the sea' or 'fire of Ægir', then Bragi answers that Gold was used to light Ægir’s hall when he entertained the Æsir. Required fields are marked *.