A
8
A dam
of B remen A German historian who
lived and wrote his histories in the 11th century in
Bremen, in northwestern Germany. In the fourth
volume of his work, Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae
Pontificum (Deeds of Bishops of the Hammburg Church),
written in Latin, Adam of Bremen discusses the
people and customs of Scandinavia and includes a
description of the temple to the Norse gods in Old
Uppsala, Sweden.
asked him to, recounted many of the stories of the
gods. Later, Aegir questioned Bragi about many of
the gods, people, animals, and objects of mythology,
and Bragi provided long lists of answers.
A esir The race of gods who lived in Asgard
under the leadership of the chief god, Odin. Other
gods included Balder, the beautiful; Bragi, god of
poetry; Forseti, god of justice; Frey, god of fertility;
Heimdall, the watchman of the gods; Njord, the
sea god; Thor, god of thunder; Tyr, a brave sky god;
Ull, a winter god; Vali (2), the avenger; and Vidar,
the silent god.
Not many myths survive about the Asynjur god-
desses except for those concerning Freya, the fertility
goddess; Frigg, wife of Odin; Idunn, keeper of the
apples of youth; and Sif, the golden-haired wife of
Thor.
A egir (1) (Æ gir ) A giant, the Jotun lord of
the sea. He was married to his sister, Ran, and was the
father of nine daughters, the waves, who were said to
be the mothers of the god Heimdall. Some stories
say that Aegir was the brother of Loki and Kari (Air).
He belonged to a primeval order of gods, predating
the Aesir, the Vanir, and the giants, dwarfs, and
elves. His dwelling is on the island of Hlesey, in
coral caves beneath the land. His servants are Eldir
and Fimafeng. Aegir often hosted the Aesir gods at
banquets.
See also “Loki’s Mocking,” under Loki, which
takes place at a banquet in Aegir’s hall; and “Thor and
Hymir Go Fishing,” under Thor, in which Thor and
Tyr bring back a cauldron that Aegir uses to brew ale
for the feasting of the gods.
A esir /V anir W ar
The Aesir were the war-
rior gods who lived in Asgard. The Vanir gods
existed long before the first Aesir gods appeared.
They were beautiful beings of light and wisdom who
lived in their realm called Vanaheim, sending forth
gentle sunshine and rain and fertility. They never
set foot in Asgard, nor did they seem to know of the
existence of the Aesir.
One day, according to some tellings of this story,
a beautiful witch named Gullweig or Heid appeared
in Asgard, and the seeds were sown for a battle
between the Aesir and the Vanir, the very first war.
Gullweig had a great hunger for gold. She could
never have enough. She talked about it constantly,
disturbing the gods. Wickedness had come to Asgard.
The great god Odin was very angry and decided that
the witch must die.
A egir (2) (Æ gir ;
sea ) One of the two main
characters in S kaldskaparmal , the second portion
of Snorri Sturluson’s P rose E dda , and his work of
instruction to young skalds. Snorri says that Aegir, a
magician, was also named Hler.
Aegir lived on Hler’s Island and was very knowl-
edgeable about black magic. One day he traveled to
Asgard and was a guest of the Aesir at a feast. He
was seated next to the god Bragi, who, when Aegir