The Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas on Frigga
Contents > Chapter Ii: Odin
- attestation: Frigga warned Geirrod that a wanderer in wide mantle was an enchanter, countering Odin's plan to test the king's hospitality.
"Frigga, to outwit him, immediately despatched a swift messenger to warn Geirrod to beware of a man in wide mantle and broad-brimmed hat, as he was a wicked enchanter who would work him ill."
Contents > Chapter Iii: Frigga
attestation: Frigga, daughter of Fiorgyn and either sister or daughter of Jord, eventually married Odin, and her wedding was celebrated annually as a festival in Asgard.
"Frigga, or Frigg, daughter of Fiorgyn and sister of Jörd, according to some mythologists, is considered by others as a daughter of Jörd and Odin, whom she eventually married. This wedding caused such general rejoicing in Asgard, where the goddess was greatly beloved, that ever after it was customary to celebrate its anniversary with feast and song"
attestation: Frigga was goddess of the atmosphere or clouds, shared Odin's throne Hlidskialf, and possessed knowledge of the future which she never revealed.
"Frigga was goddess of the atmosphere, or rather of the clouds, and as such was represented as wearing either snow-white or dark garments, according to her somewhat variable moods. She was queen of the gods, and she alone had the privilege of sitting on the throne Hlidskialf, beside her august husband."
attestation: Frigga was depicted as tall and stately, crowned with heron plumes (symbol of silence), clothed in white, with a golden girdle bearing keys, the sign of the Northern housewife.
"She was generally represented as a tall, beautiful, and stately woman, crowned with heron plumes, the symbol of silence or forgetfulness, and clothed in pure white robes, secured at the waist by a golden girdle, from which hung a bunch of keys, the distinctive sign of the Northern housewife, whose special patroness she was said to be."
attestation: Frigga resided in her palace Fensalir where she spun golden thread and wove bright-coloured clouds; her spinning wheel appeared as Orion's Girdle in the southern sky.
"Frigga preferred to remain in her own palace, called Fensalir, the hall of mists or of the sea, where she diligently plied her wheel or distaff, spinning golden thread or weaving long webs of bright-coloured clouds."
attestation: Frigga invited to Fensalir the souls of virtuous husbands and wives to enjoy each other's company after death, and was worshipped as goddess of conjugal and motherly love.
"To her hall Fensalir the gracious goddess invited husbands and wives who had led virtuous lives on earth, so that they might enjoy each other's companionship even after death, and never be called upon to part again."
attestation: Frigga secretly stole gold from Odin's temple statue and had dwarfs fashion a necklace from it; when Odin discovered this he placed the statue above the temple gate and gave it the power of speech.
"Frigga's love of adornment once led her sadly astray, for, in her longing to possess some new ornament, she secretly purloined a piece of gold from a statue representing her husband, which had just been placed in his temple. The stolen metal was entrusted to the dwarfs, with instructions to fashion a marvellous necklace for her use."
attestation: Frigga's attendant Fulla enlisted a hideous dwarf who pulled down Odin's statue and broke it, preventing it from denouncing the theft.
"Fulla, who was always ready to serve her mistress, immediately departed, and soon returned, accompanied by a hideous dwarf, who promised to prevent the statue from speaking if Frigga would only deign to smile graciously upon him. This boon having been granted, the dwarf hastened off to the temple, caused a deep sleep to fall upon the guards, and while they were thus unconscious, pulled the statue down from its pedestal and broke it to pieces"
attestation: Frigga and Odin, seated on Hlidskialf, watched the Winilers and Vandals preparing for battle; Frigga favoured the Winilers while Odin favoured the Vandals.
"On one occasion the august pair were seated upon Hlidskialf, gazing with interest upon the Winilers and Vandals, who were preparing for a battle which was to decide which people should henceforth have supremacy. Odin gazed with satisfaction upon the Vandals, who were loudly praying to him for victory; but Frigga watched the movements of the Winilers with more attention, because they had entreated her aid."
attestation: Frigga turned Odin's couch so that he would face the Winilers on waking, and instructed the Winiler women to go to battle in armour with their hair combed over their cheeks.
"Frigga, who, divining his purpose, waited until he was sound asleep, and then noiselessly turned his couch so that he should face her favourites. Then she sent word to the Winilers to dress their women in armour and send them out in battle array at dawn, with their long hair carefully combed down over their cheeks and breasts."
Contents > Chapter Xxi: Balder
- attestation: Frigga secured oaths from all living creatures, plants, metals, and stones not to harm Balder — all except the mistletoe growing on the oak at Valhalla's gate, which was deemed too small and harmless.
"Frigga sent her servants in every direction, with strict charge to prevail upon all living creatures, all plants, metals, stones--in fact, every animate and inanimate thing--to register a solemn vow not to harm Balder. All creation readily took the oath, for there was nothing on earth which did not love the radiant god. So the servants returned to Frigga, telling her that all had been duly sworn save the mistletoe, growing upon the oak stem at the gate of Valhalla"
Contents > Chapter Xxix: Greek And Northern Mythologies
comparison: Frigga's scheming against Odin parallels Juno's scheming against Jupiter; both Norse and Greek myths feature domestic strife between the chief god and his consort.
"In Greek mythology we find many examples of the way in which Juno seeks to outwit Jupiter. Similar tales are not lacking in the Northern myths."
comparison: The Norse story of Gefjon obtaining land from Gylfi by plowing with her sons-turned-oxen parallels the story of Dido obtaining the land of Carthage using strips of ox hide.
"In the story of Gefjon, and the clever way in which she procured land from Gylfi to form her kingdom of Seeland, we have a reproduction of the story of Dido, who obtained by stratagem the land upon which she founded her city of Carthage."