Sága And Sökkvabekkr
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In
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 as the Nordic folklore of the modern period. The ...
, Sága (, possibly meaning " seeress"Orchard (1997:136).) is a
goddess A goddess is a female deity. In some faiths, a sacred female figure holds a central place in religious prayer and worship. For example, Shaktism (one of the three major Hinduism, Hindu sects), holds that the ultimate deity, the source of all re ...
associated with the location Sökkvabekkr (
Old Norse Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...
: ; "sunken bank", "sunken bench", or "treasure bank"Orchard (1997:152) and Lindow (2001:265) have "sunken bank". Byock (2005:175) has "sunken bank or bench". Simek (2007:297) has "sunken bank" or "treasure bank."). At Sökkvabekkr, Sága and the god
Odin Odin (; from ) is a widely revered god in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism. Most surviving information on Odin comes from Norse mythology, but he figures prominently in the recorded history of Northern Europe. This includes the Roman Em ...
merrily drink as cool waves flow. Both Sága and Sökkvabekkr are attested in the ''
Poetic Edda The ''Poetic Edda'' is the modern name for an untitled collection of Old Norse anonymous narrative poems in alliterative verse. It is distinct from the closely related ''Prose Edda'', although both works are seminal to the study of Old Norse ...
'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and in the ''
Prose Edda The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' () or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland during the early 13th century. The work is often considered to have been to some exten ...
'', 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 th ...
. Scholars have proposed theories about the implications of the goddess and her associated location, including that the location may be connected to the goddess
Frigg Frigg (; Old Norse: ) is a goddess, one of the Æsir, in Germanic mythology. In Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about her, she is associated with marriage, prophecy, clairvoyance and motherhood, and dwells in the wetl ...
's fen residence
Fensalir In Norse mythology, Fensalir (Old Norse "Fen Halls"Orchard (1997:43).) is a location where the goddess Frigg dwells. Fensalir is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the ''Prose Edda'' ...
and that Sága may be another name for ''Frigg''.


Etymology

The
etymology Etymology ( ) is the study of the origin and evolution of words—including their constituent units of sound and meaning—across time. In the 21st century a subfield within linguistics, etymology has become a more rigorously scientific study. ...
of the name ''Sága'' is generally held to be connected to the Old Norse verb ''sjá'', meaning "to see" (from
Proto-Germanic Proto-Germanic (abbreviated PGmc; also called Common Germanic) is the linguistic reconstruction, reconstructed proto-language of the Germanic languages, Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages. Proto-Germanic eventually developed from ...
*''sehwan''). This may mean that Sága is to be understood as a seeress. Since Frigg is referred to as a seeress in the poem ''
Lokasenna ''Lokasenna'' (Old Norse: 'The Flyting of Loki', or 'Loki's Verbal Duel') is one of the poems of the ''Poetic Edda''. The poem presents flyting between the gods and Loki. It is written in the ljóðaháttr metre, typical for wisdom verse. ''L ...
'', this etymology has led to theories connecting Sága to Frigg.
Rudolf Simek Rudolf Simek (born 21 February 1954) is an Austrian philologist and religious studies scholar who is Professor and Chair of Ancient German and Nordic Studies at the University of Bonn. Simek specializes in Germanic studies, and is the author ...
says that this etymology raises vowel problems and that a link to ''saga'' and ''segja'' (meaning "say, tell") is more likely, yet that this identification is also problematic.Simek (2007:274).


Attestations

In the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''
Grímnismál ''Grímnismál'' (Old Norse: ; 'The Lay of Grímnir') is one of the mythological poems of the '' Poetic Edda''. It is preserved in the Codex Regius manuscript and the AM 748 I 4to fragment. It is spoken through the voice of ''Grímnir'', one ...
'', Sökkvabekkr is presented fourth among a series of stanzas describing the residences of various gods. In the poem, Odin (disguised as '' Grímnir'') tells the young Agnar that Odin and Sága happily drink there from golden cups while waves resound:
In the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''
Helgakviða Hundingsbana I "Völsungakviða" or "Helgakviða Hundingsbana I" ("The First Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane") is an Old Norse poem found in the ''Poetic Edda''. It is only preserved in the Icelandic manuscript Codex Regius (ca. 1270). It constitutes one of the Helgi ...
'', the hero
Sinfjötli Sinfjötli ( ) or Fitela (in Old English) in Norse mythology was born out of the incestuous relationship between Sigmund and his sister Signy. He had the half-brothers Sigurd, Helgi Hundingsbane and Hamund. Etymology and orthography ''Sinfj ...
references Sága in the name of a location found in a stanza where Sinfjötli
flyt Flyting or fliting (Classical Gaelic: ''immarbág'', , "counter-boasting") is a contest consisting of the exchange of insults between two parties, often conducted in verse. Etymology The word ''flyting'' comes from the Old English verb meaning ...
s with
Guðmundr Guðmundr (Old Norse: , sometimes anglicised as Godmund) was a semi-legendary Norse king in Jotunheim, ruling over a land called ''Glæsisvellir'', which was known as the warrior's paradise.Otto Höfler, ''Kultische Geheimbünde der Germanen'', v ...
. The location name, ''nes Ságu'',Guðni Jónsson ed., verse 39, ''á nesi Ságu''. has been variously translated as "Saga's
Headland A headland, also known as a head, is a coastal landform, a point of land usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends into a body of water. It is a type of promontory. A headland of considerable size often is called a cape.Whittow, Jo ...
,"Larrington (1999:119). "Saga's
Cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used th ...
,"Bellows (1923:112). and "Saga's
ness Ness or NESS may refer to: Places Australia * Ness, Wapengo, a heritage-listed natural coastal area in New South Wales United Kingdom * Ness, Cheshire, England, a village * Ness, Lewis, the most northerly area on Lewis, Scotland, UK * Cuspate ...
"Grimm (1883:910). Part of the stanza may be
missing Missing or The Missing may refer to: Film * ''Missing'' (1918 film), an American silent drama directed by James Young * ''Missing'' (1982 film), an American historical drama directed by Costa-Gavras about the 1973 coup in Chile *, a Belgian film ...
and, due to this, some editors have joined it with the stanza prior. Sága is mentioned once in both the ''
Prose Edda The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' () or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland during the early 13th century. The work is often considered to have been to some exten ...
'' books ''
Gylfaginning ''Gylfaginning'' (Old Norse: 'The Beguiling of Gylfi' or 'The Deluding of Gylfi'; 13th century Old Norse pronunciation ) is the first main part of the 13th century ''Prose Edda'', after the initial Prologue. The ''Gylfaginning'' takes the form of ...
'' and ''
Skáldskaparmál ''Skáldskaparmál'' (Old Norse: 'Poetic Diction' or 'The Language of Poetry'; ; ) is the second part of the ''Prose Edda'', compiled by Snorri Sturluson. It consists of a dialogue between Ægir, the divine personification of the sea, and Bra ...
'', while Sokkvabekk is only mentioned once, in ''Gylfaginning''. In chapter 35 of ''Gylfaginning'',
High High may refer to: Science and technology * Height * High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area * High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory * High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift t ...
tells Gangleri (described as king
Gylfi In Norse mythology, Gylfi (Old Norse: ), ''Gylfe'', ''Gylvi'', or ''Gylve'' was the earliest recorded king of Sviþjoð, Sweden, in Scandinavia. He is known by the name Gangleri when appearing in disguise. The Danish tradition on Gylfi tells how ...
in disguise) about the ásynjur. High follows a description of Frigg and her dwelling Fensalir with "Second is Saga. She dwells in Sokkvabekk, and that is a big place."Faulkes (1995:29). In chapter 75 of the book ''Skáldskaparmál'', Sága is present among a list of 27 ásynjur, but no information is provided about her there.Faulkes (1995:175).


Theories

John Lindow John Frederick Lindow (born July 23, 1946) is an American philologist who is Professor Emeritus of Old Norse and Folklore at University of California, Berkeley. He is a well known authority on Old Norse religion and literature. Biography John Lin ...
says that due to similarity between Sökkvabekkr and Fensalir, "Odin's open drinking with Sága", and the potential etymological basis for Sága being a seeress has "led most scholars to understand Sága as another name for Frigg."Lindow (2001:265).
Stephan Grundy Stephan Scott Grundy (June 28, 1967 – September 29, 2021),
''The Wild Hunt'', October 5, 20 ...
states that the words ''Sága'' and ''Sökkvabekkr'' may be by-forms of ''Frigg'' and ''Fensalir'', respectively, used for the purpose of composing
alliterative verse In meter (poetry), prosody, alliterative verse is a form of poetry, verse that uses alliteration as the principal device to indicate the underlying Metre (poetry), metrical structure, as opposed to other devices such as rhyme. The most commonly s ...
.Grundy (1999:62). Britt-Mari Näsström theorizes that "Frigg's role as a fertility goddess is revealed in the name of her abode, Fensalir .., that Frigg is the same as Sága, and that both the names ''Fensalir'' and ''Sökkvabekkr'' "imply a goddes 'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''living in the water and recall the fertility goddess Nerthus">sic">'sic<_a>''.html" ;"title="sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''living in the water and recall the fertility goddess well of Urd, hidden under the roots of Yggdrasil">Nerthus". Näsström adds that "Sökkvabekkr, the subterranean water, alludes to the Urðarbrunnr">well of Urd, hidden under the roots of Yggdrasil and the chthonic function, which is manifest in Freyja's character."Näsström (1996:88–89). Rudolf Simek says that Sága should be considered "one of the not closer defined Asyniur" along with
Hlín In Norse mythology, Hlín is a Áss, goddess associated with the goddess Frigg. Hlín appears in a poem in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century by Snorr ...
,
Sjöfn In Norse mythology, Sjöfn (or Sjǫfn in Old Norse orthography) is a goddess associated with love. Sjöfn is attested in the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson; and in three kennings employed in skaldic poetry. Schol ...
,
Snotra In Norse mythology, Snotra (Old Norse: , "clever")Orchard (1997:152). is a Áss, goddess associated with wisdom. Snotra is attested in the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Scholars have proposed theories about the im ...
,
Vár In Norse mythology, Vár or Vór (Old Norse, meaning either "pledge"Orchard (1997:173). or "beloved"Byock (2005:178) and Simek (2007:353).) is a Áss, goddess associated with oaths and agreements. Vár is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled ...
, and
Vör In Norse mythology, Vör (Old Norse: ''Vǫr'', possibly "the careful one,"Simek (2007:368). or "aware, careful"Orchard (1997:181).) is a goddess associated with wisdom. Vör is attested in the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century by Snorri S ...
, and that they "should be seen as female protective goddesses." Simek adds that "these goddesses were all responsible for specific areas of the private sphere, and yet clear differences were made between them so that they are in many ways similar to matrons." 19th century scholar Jacob Grimm comments that "the gods share their power and influence with goddesses, the heroes and priests with wise women." Grimm notes that Sökkvabekkr is "described as a place where cool waters rush" and that Odin and Sága "day to day drink gladly out of golden cups." Grimm theorizes that the liquid from these cups is:
:the drink of immortality, and at the same time of poesy. ''Saga'' may be taken as wife or as daughter of Oðinn; in either case she is identical to him as god of poetry. With the
Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...
the ''Musa'' was a daughter of
Zeus Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is the child ...
, but often hear of three or nine
Muse In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...
s, who resemble our wise women,
norns The Norns ( , plural: ) are a group of deities in Norse mythology responsible for shaping the course of human destinies.''Nordisk familjebok'' (1907) The Norns are often represented as three goddesses known as Urd ( Urðr), Verðandi, and S ...
and schöpferins (shapers of destiny), and dwell beside springs or wells. The cool flood well befits the swanwives, daughters of Wish. ''Saga'' can be no other than our sage (saw, tale), the 'mære' ..personified and deified.Grimm (1883:910-911).


Notes


References

* Bellows, Henry Adams (Trans.) (1923). ''The Poetic Edda: Translated from the Icelandic with an introduction and notes by Henry Adams Bellows''. New York:
The American-Scandinavian Foundation The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) is an American non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting international understanding through educational and cultural exchange between the United States and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Swe ...
. * Bellows, Henry Adams (Trans.) (1936). ''The Poetic Edda''.
Princeton University Press Princeton University Press is an independent publisher with close connections to Princeton University. Its mission is to disseminate scholarship within academia and society at large. The press was founded by Whitney Darrow, with the financial ...
. New York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation. * Byock, Jesse (Trans.) (2005). ''The Prose Edda''.
Penguin Classics Penguin Classics is an imprint (trade name), imprint of Penguin Books under which classic works of literature are published in English language, English, Spanish language, Spanish, Portuguese language, Portuguese, and Korean language, Korean amon ...
. * Faulkes, Anthony (Trans.) (1995). ''Snorri Sturluson: Edda''. First published in 1987. London: Everyman. *
Grimm, Jacob Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm (4 January 1785 – 20 September 1863), also known as Ludwig Karl, was a German author, linguist, philologist, jurist, and folklorist. He formulated Grimm's law of linguistics, and was the co-author of the ''Deutsch ...
(James Steven Stallybrass Trans.) (1888). '' Teutonic Mythology: Translated from the Fourth Edition with Notes and Appendix by James Stallybrass''. Volume III. London: George Bell and Sons. * Grundy, Stephan (1999). "Freyja and Frigg" as collected in Billington, Sandra and Green, Miranda.
The Concept of the Goddess
'.
Routledge Routledge ( ) is a British multinational corporation, multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, academic journals, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanit ...
. *
Guðni Jónsson Guðni Jónsson (22 July 1901 – 4 March 1974) was an Icelandic professor of history and editor of Old Norse texts. Life and career Guðni was born at Gamla-Hraun at EyrarbakkiPáll Lýðsson"GUÐNI JÓNSSON" Minningargreinar, ''Morgunblaði ...
(Ed.) ''Helgakviða Hundingsbana I''
online at Heimskringla project
* Larrington, Carolyne (Trans.) (1999). ''The Poetic Edda''.
Oxford World's Classics Oxford World's Classics is an imprint of Oxford University Press. First established in 1901 by Grant Richards and purchased by OUP in 1906, this imprint publishes primarily dramatic and classic literature for students and the general public. ...
. * Lindow, John (2001).
Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs
'. Oxford University Press. * Näsström, Britt-Mari (1996). "Freyja and Frigg - two aspects of the Great Goddess" as presented in ''Shamanism and Northern Ecology: Papers presented at the Regional Conference on Circumpolar and Northern Religion, Helsinki, May 1990''.
Walter de Gruyter Walter de Gruyter GmbH, known as De Gruyter (), is a German scholarly publishing house specializing in academic literature. History The roots of the company go back to 1749 when Frederick the Great granted the Königliche Realschule in Be ...
. * Orchard, Andy (1997). ''Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend''. Cassell. * Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. D.S. Brewer. * Thorpe, Benjamin (Trans.) (1866). ''Edda Sæmundar Hinns Frôða: The Edda of Sæmund the Learned.'' Part I. London: Trübner & Co. {{DEFAULTSORT:Sokkvabekkr Wisdom goddesses Places in Norse mythology Ásynjur Frigg