God Loki: the image of Scandinavian mythology

God Loki is one of the most popularmythical creatures of Scandinavian mythology for many centuries. He was made the character of many books, music, movies and even computer games. At the same time, the characterization of this deity has many controversial interpretations among researchers and mythologists. The basic data about Loki are contained in such works as "Younger Edda" and "Elder Edda" written by the Icelandic writer Snorri Sturluson in the 11th century as textbooks on skaldic poetry.

Essence and origin

Loki is the Scandinavian god of fire, deception and cunning. Snorri also gave a description of the appearance of the deity: he is handsome, short, thin, and his hair is a fiery reddish color. His distinctive features are a sharp mind, cunning, resourcefulness, cunning and duplicity, as well as the ability to change the appearance. Due to these qualities the aces allowed the bride to live in Asgara. This god also has several other names: Lodur, Loft and Hwedrung.

Concerning the origin of Loki, it is considered that hisfather was the mother of Farbauti, and mother - Lauvei (another name - Nahl). Although, according to some other researchers, Loki existed before Odin, because his father was the giant Imir, the air of Kari and the water of Hler - brothers, and the goddess Ran - sister. And only later the god of fire and deceit entered the triad of the demiurge, together with Odin and Henir. Despite the fact that in modern interpretation of Scandinavian mythology, in different sources it is indicated that Thor and Loki are antipodes, in the same Snorri Sturluson One is a twinning god of deception, but at the same time his opposite. But the god-thunderer only occasionally made a cunning deity company in those or other situations.

Characteristic

A very versatile and cunning deity revealsmythology. God Loki possessed many necessary qualities, for which the aces tolerated his antics and closed their eyes to many things. In many situations, he rescued other gods, but in most of these cases they got into trouble thanks to Loki, who saved his own skin or saw some benefit. The insidious god helped the aces, the giants and for a long time all of them suited it, especially since at the beginning of his appearance in Asgard Loki was good, as far as possible for the god of deceit, he helped the gods many times. Together with Odin, he participated in the creation of the world, along with other demiurges breathed life into the wooden prototypes of people. He helped the gods get or return a multitude of treasures. However, later, becoming more evil and finding a more demonic entity, the god Loki deserved the hatred of the Aces, who constantly quarreled among themselves and became the embodiment of all ills, up to Ragnarok. This deity became the analogue of Lucifer in Scandinavian mythology.

Personal benefit

In an adventure with Odin and Hernir,described in "The Younger Edda," Loki's god struck Tiazzi, who turned into an eagle and tried to pick up the best pieces of food prepared by the asami, but stuck to the giant who had carried him to his lair. Tiazzi promised to release Loki in exchange for Idunn and her juvenile apples, and he, thanks to his cunning and cunning, led the goddess to the giant. But the aces without apples began to grow old and made Loki return Idunn. Turning the falcon, the culprit was able to return the goddess to Asgard, and the other gods that killed Titia-eagle who flew after her were killed. This case perfectly demonstrates that Loki for the most part did any actions, only on the basis of his benefits or the threat of his life.

Adventures with Thor

But all the same, the deceitful God had such deeds,which can be called unselfish. Only thanks to his intelligence, resourcefulness and cunning God-thunderer was able to return his legendary hammer Mjellnir. Thor and Loki went to the den of the Yotun Trum, who had stolen the legendary weapon, disguised as his bride and her maid. The cunning man persuaded the giant to show his bride the great hammer, and when Trum showed Mjellnir, Thor managed to snatch the hilt and defeat the kidnapper.

But these two gods had such adventures,whom Loki was setting up his companion. In order to save his life, a born Yatun led Thor directly into the lair of the giant Geyrröd, the thunderer could only be saved by a good Grid.

Heritage

Like many deities of the most diverse pantheons,Loki is also a kind of legacy. It is believed that initially he was not evil, being the spirit of life. Together with his wife Glut (radiance), the fire god Loki was considered a symbol of the hearth. From his first marriage he had two children - Enmir and Aiza. However, the farther, the more Loki became angry and demonized. His second wife was the giantess Angrboda, their secret marriage in the Iron Forest of Yotunheim was banned by Odin, who became even more angry when he learned about the birth of three monster children: red and blue Hel, the terrible wolf Fenrir and the huge serpent Jörmungand. One threw Hel into Niflheim, where she became the goddess of death, Jörmungand sent to the bottom of the sea, where he became the World serpent, but Fenrir initially took him to Asgard, where he tried to put him on the chain, but none of them could hold the powerful wolf, and eventually he was cast into the underworld.

God Loki also spawned the legendary eightOdin Sleipnir stallion. Using his ability, he turned into a mare to distract the Svadilfari horse, thanks to which the yun-mason promised the Asams to build Asgard in record time, and the gods did not want him to pay the bills. Loki’s third and last wife was Sigyun, who bore him two sons: Vali and Narvi (or Ali and Nari).

Wrath of the gods

At the feast of Aegir (sea giant) the god Lokiimpartially denounced the aces in their shortcomings and confessed to the murder of Baldur the son of Odin. For the gods, this was the last drop. They grabbed the villain and both of his sons, turned Vali into a wolf who tore his brother, and tied Loki with guts to the three stones, and hung a snake above his head, the poison of which was to drip onto the face of the guilty deity. Sigyun kept a bowl in which she collected poison so that he would not fall on the face of her husband. But when it overflowed and needed to be emptied, drops fell on Loki’s face, and the earth itself shook from its torment. And so on until Ragnarok, during which the god Loki fought against the aces.