Norse mythology Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period ...

, Meili ( Old Norse: , "the lovely one"Simek (2007:210).) is a god, son of the god

Odin Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered Æsir, god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, v ...

and brother of the god Thor. Meili is attested in the '' Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the '' Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century by

Snorri Sturluson Snorri Sturluson ( ; ; 1179 – 22 September 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was elected twice as lawspeaker of the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. He is commonly thought to have authored or compiled portions of the ...

. Other than Meili's relation to Odin and Thor, no additional information is provided about the deity in either source.

Attestations

In the ''Poetic Edda'' poem '' Hárbarðsljóð'', Meili receives a single mention; the god Thor declares that, even if he were an

outlaw An outlaw, in its original and legal meaning, is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, all legal protection was withdrawn from the criminal, so that anyone was legally empowered to persecute or kill them ...

, he would reveal his name and his homeland, for he is the son of Odin, the brother of Meili, and the father of Magni.Larrington (1999:70). Meili receives four mentions in the ''Prose Edda'' book '' Skáldskaparmál''. In chapter 17, verses from the poem '' Haustlöng'' (attributed to the 10th century

skald A skald, or skáld (Old Norse: , later ; , meaning "poet"), is one of the often named poets who composed skaldic poetry, one of the two kinds of Old Norse poetry, the other being Eddic poetry, which is anonymous. Skaldic poems were traditionally ...

Þjóðólfr of Hvinir) are provided, where Thor is referred to as "Meili's brother."Faulkes (1995:80). In chapter 22, additional quotes from ''Haustlöng'' are provided where a kenning is employed for the god Hœnir that refers to Meili ("step-Meili").Faulkes (1995:87). In chapter 23, a quote by a work from the skald Þjóðólfr of Hvinir is provided that refers to Thor as "Meili's brother".Faulkes (1999:89). In chapter 75, Meili is listed among names of the Æsir and as a son of Odin (between the god

Baldr Baldr (also Balder, Baldur) is a god in Germanic mythology. In Norse mythology, Baldr (Old Norse: ) is a son of the god Odin and the goddess Frigg, and has numerous brothers, such as Thor and Váli. In wider Germanic mythology, the god was kno ...

and the god Víðarr).Faulkes (1995:156).

Reception

Some 19th-century scholars proposed that Meili's mother should be understood as Jörð, a goddess and the personified Earth.Examples include Pierer (1844:204), Barth (1846:396), and Uhland (1868:18). Also during the 19th century, Viktor Rydberg theorized that

and Meili are one and the same.Rydberg (2003:191).

Notes

References

* Barth, Christian K. (1846). ''Teutschlands Urgeschichte, Vol. 5''. Erlangen: J. J. Palm & Ernst Enke. * Faulkes, Anthony (Trans.) (1995). ''Edda''. Everyman. * Larrington, Carolyne (Trans.) (1999). ''The Poetic Edda''. Oxford World's Classics. * Pierer, Heinrich A. (1844). ''Universallexikon der Gegenwart und Vergangenheit, Vol. 21''. Altenburg: H. A. Pierer. * Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. ''Dictionary of Northern Mythology''.

D.S. Brewer Boydell & Brewer is an academic press based in Woodbridge, Suffolk, England, that specializes in publishing historical and critical works. In addition to British and general history, the company publishes three series devoted to studies, edition ...

. * Rydberg, Viktor (2003). ''Our Father's Godsaga: Retold for the Young''. Lincoln: iUniverse. * Uhland, Ludwig (1868). ''Schriften zur Geschichte der Dichtung und Sage, Vol. 6''. Stuttgart: Verlag der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. {{Norse mythology Æsir Sons of Odin Norse gods Baldr