Sigyn
Sigyn (
Attestations
Sigyn is attested in the following works:
Poetic Edda
In stanza 35 of the Poetic Edda poem
Prose Edda
Sigyn appears in the books Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál in the Prose Edda. In Gylfaginning, Sigyn is introduced in chapter 31. There, she is introduced as being married to Loki, and that they have a son by the name of "Nari or Narfi".[4] Sigyn is mentioned again in Gylfaginning in chapter 50, where events are described differently than in Lokasenna. Here, the gods have captured Loki and his two sons, who are stated as Váli, described as a son of Loki only, and "Nari or Narfi", earlier described a son of Sigyn and Loki.[5] Váli is changed into a wolf by the gods, and rips apart his brother "Nari or Narfi". The guts of "Nari or Narfi" are then used to tie Loki to three stones, after which the guts turn to iron, and Skaði places a snake above Loki. Sigyn places herself beside him, where she holds out a bowl to catch the dripping venom. However, when the bowl becomes full she leaves to pour out the venom. As a result, Loki is again described as shaking so violently that the planet shakes, and this process repeats until he breaks free, setting Ragnarök into motion.[5]
Sigyn is introduced as a goddess, an ásynja, in the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál, where the gods are holding a grand feast for the visiting Ægir,[6] and in kennings for Loki: "husband of Sigyn",[7] "cargo [Loki] of incantation-fetter's [Sigyn's] arms",[8] and in a passage quoted from the 9th-century Haustlöng, "the burden of Sigyn's arms".[9] The final mention of Sigyn in Skáldskaparmál is in the list of ásynjur in the appended Nafnaþulur section, chapter 75.[10]
Archaeological record
The mid-11th century Gosforth Cross located in Cumbria, England, has been interpreted as featuring various figures from Norse mythology. The bottom portion of the west side of the cross features a depiction of a long-haired female, kneeling figure holding an object above another prostrate, bound figure. Above and to their left is a knotted serpent. This has been interpreted as Sigyn soothing the bound Loki.[11]
Scholastic reception
While the name Sigyn is found as a female personal name in Old Norse sources (Old Norse sigr meaning 'victory' and vina meaning 'female friend'), and though in surviving sources she is largely restricted to a single role, she appears in the 9th century skaldic poem Haustlöng from
Modern influence
The scene of Sigyn & Loki has been depicted on a number of paintings, including "Loke och Sigyn" (1850) by
Notes
- ^ Orchard (1997:146).
- ^ Larrington (1998:8).
- ^ Larrington (1998:95–96).
- ^ Byock (2006:31).
- ^ a b Byock (2006:70).
- ^ Faulkes (1995:59).
- ^ Faulkes (1995:76).
- ^ Faulkes (1995:83).
- ^ Faulkes (1995:87)
- ^ Faulkes (1995:157).
- ^ Orchard (1997:13).
- ^ a b Simek (2007:284).
- ^ Belderok (2000:95).
- ^ "Sigyn". Marvel Directory. Marvel Character, Inc. Archived from the original on 19 September 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
- ^ "Båten som fraktarkärnbränslet" (in Swedish). Sveriges Radio. Archived from the original on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
- ^ "Sigyn Glacier". Geographic Names Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 2 May 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
References
- Belderok, Bob. Mesdag, J. Mesdag, Hans. Donner, Dingena A. (2000). Bread Making Quality of Wheat: A Century of Breeding in Europe Archived 2 May 2023 at the ISBN 0-7923-6383-3
- Byock, Jesse (Trans.) (2006). The Prose Edda. ISBN 0-14-044755-5
- Faulkes, Anthony (Trans.) (1995). Edda. ISBN 0-460-87616-3
- Larrington, Carolyne (Trans.) (1999). The Poetic Edda. ISBN 0-19-283946-2
- Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. ISBN 0-304-34520-2
- Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. ISBN 0-85991-513-1