Lokasenna Totally Explained

Everything about Lokasenna totally explained

Lokasenna (Loki's flyting, Loki's wrangling, Loki's quarrel) is one of the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda. In this poem the gods trade insults with Loki. Loki, amongst other things, accuses the gods of moralistic sexual impropriety, the practice of seidr, and bias. Not ostensibly the most serious of allegations, however these elements are said ultimately to lead to the onset of Ragnarok in the Eddic poem Völuspá. However, Lokasenna doesn't directly state that Loki's binding is as a consequence of the killing of Baldr. This is explicitly stated only in Snorri's Prose Edda.
Lee M. Hollander, in his introduction to his translation of the poem, claims that it was in no sense a popular lay and suggests we shouldn't necessarily believe that the accusations of the "sly god" were an accepted part of the lore.

Plot

The setting is a feast given by the sea god Ægir. (In continuity, the prose introduction says: "Ægir, also named Gymir, had made ale for the Æsir, when he'd received the great kettle of which was told" (see Hymiskviða)). Thor didn't attend, but his wife Sif came in his stead as did Bragi and his wife Iðunn. Tyr, by this time one-handed as a consequence of his sacrifice of his hand in the shackling of Loki's son, the wolf Fenrisulfr, attended, as did Niord and his wife Skaði, Freyr and Freyja, as well as Vidar, the son of Odin. Many other Vanir, Æsir, and also elves were there.
   The servants of Ægir, Fimafeng and Eldir, did a thorough job of welcoming the guests; Loki was jealous of the praise being heaped upon them and slew Fimafengr. The gods were angry with Loki and drove him out of the hall, before returning to their carousing. On returning Loki encountered Eldir.
   He threatened him and bade him reveal what the gods were talking about in their cups. Eldir's response was that they were discussing their might at arms, and that Loki wasn't welcomed.
   Loki then enters the hall of Ægir after trading insults and threats with Eldir. A hush falls. Loki calls upon the rules of hospitality, demanding a seat and ale. Bragi then responds that he's unwelcome. Loki demands fulfillment of an ancient oath sworn with Odin that they should drink together. Odin asked his son Vidar to make a space for Loki.
   Vidar rises and pours a drink for Loki. Before Loki drains his draught, he utters a toast to the gods but pointedly excludes Bragi from it. Bragi offers Loki a horse, a ring and a sword to placate him; Loki, however, is spoiling for a fight, and insults Bragi by questioning his courage. Bragi's response is that it would be contrary to the rules of correct behaviour to fight within his hosts' hall, but were they back in Asgard then things would be different. Iðunn, Bragi's wife, holds him back. Loki then insults Iðunn, calling her sexually loose. Gefjon is the next to speak and then Loki turns his spite on her. Odin then attempts to take a grip, as do (in turn), Freyja, Niord, Tyr, Freyr and Byggvir. The exchanges between Odin and Loki are particularly vitriolic.
   Eventually Thor turns up at the party, and he isn't to be placated, nor withheld. Alternating with Loki's insults to him, he says four times that he'll use his hammer to knock Loki's head off if he continues. Loki replies that for Thor alone he'll leave the hall, because his threats are the only ones he fears. He then leaves.
   Finally there's a short piece of prose telling a short version of the tale of Loki's binding. Loki is chased by the gods, and caught after an unsuccessful attempt at disguising himself as a salmon. His son Váli is killed while his other son Narfi turns into a wolf. Nari's entrails are used to bind Loki to three rocks above which Skaði places a serpent to drip venom on him.
   Loki's wife Sigyn remains by his side with a bowl to catch the venom, however whenever she leaves to empty the bowl, venom falls on Loki, causing him to writhe in agony; this writhing was said to be the cause of earthquakes. Since other sources name Loki's sons as Váli and Narfi, some editors have chosen to read the names Nari and Narvi as a mistake in the manuscript, and transscribe Nari as Váli. Nari and Narfi are otherwise considered to be variations of the same name.

Excerpts

Thorpe's Translation.

Loki: ť "Hail, Æsir!

   Hail, Asyniur! ť And ye, all-holy gods!

   all, save that one man, ť who sits within there,

   Bragi, on yonder bench."

Bragi: ť "I know that were I without,

   as I'm now within, ť the hall of Ægir,

   I thy head would ť bear in my hand,

   and so for lying punish thee."

Loki: ť "Valiant on thy seat art thou, Bragi!

   but so thou shouldst not be, ť Bragi, the bench's pride!

   Go and fight, ť if thou art angry;

   a brave man sits not considering." Idunn stepped in to protect her husband.

Idunn: ť "I pray thee, Bragi!

   let avail the bond of children, ť and of all adopted sons,

   and to Loki speak not ť in reproachful words,

   in Ægir's hall."

Loki: ť "Be silent, Idunn!

   of all women I declare thee ť most fond of men,

   since thou thy arms, ť carefully washed, didst twine

   round thy brother's murderer."

Idunn: ť "Loki I address not

   with opprobrious words, ť in Ægir's hall.

   Bragi I soothe, ť by beer excited.

   I desire not that angry ye fight."

Gefjun: ť "Why will ye, Æsir twain,

   here within, ť strive with reproachful words?

   Lopt perceives not ť that he's deluded,

   and is urged on by fate."

Loki: ť "Be silent, Gefjun!

   I will now just mention, ť how that fair youth

   thy mind corrupted, ť who thee a necklace gave,

   and around whom thou thy limbs didst twine?" Odin interfered, but Loki called him "unmanly" as well.

Odin: ť "Knowest thou that I gave

   to those I ought not - ť victory to cowards?

   Thou was eight winters ť on the earth below,

   milked cow as a woman, ť and didst there bear children.

   Now that, methinks, betokens a base nature."

Loki: ť "But, it's said, thou wentest

   with tottering steps in Samsö, ť and knocked at houses as a Vala. (Vala: seeress)

   In likeness of a fortune teller, ť thou wentest among people;

   Now that, methinks, betokens a base nature." Frigg tried to defend her husband.

Frigg: ť "Your doings

   ye should never ť publish among men,

   what ye, Æsir twain, ť did in days of yore.

   Ever forgotten be men's former deeds!"

Loki: ť "Be thou silent, Frigg!

   Thou art Fjorgyn's daughter, (Fjorgyn: the earth.) ť and ever hast been lustful,

   since Ve and Vili, it's said, ť thou, Vidrir's wife, didst (Vidrir: another name of Odin, Ve and Vili: Odin's brothers)

   both to thy bosom take."

Freyja: ť "Mad art thou, Loki!

   in recounting ť thy foul misdeeds.

   Frigg, I believe, ť knows all that happens,

   although she says it not."

Loki: ť "Be thou silent, Freyja!

   I know thee full well; ť thou art not free from vices:

   of the Æsir and the Alfar, ť that are herein,

   each has been thy paramour."

Freyja: ť "False is thy tongue.

   Henceforth it will, I think, ť prate no good to thee.

   Wroth with thee are the Æsir, ť and the Asyniur.

   Sad shalt thou home depart."

Loki: ť "Be silent, Freyja!

   Thou art a sorceress, ť and with much evil blended;

   since against thy brother thou ť the gentle powers excited.

   And then, Freyja! what didst thou do?"

Njörðr: ť "It is no great wonder,

   if silk-clad dames ť get themselves husbands, lovers;

   but 'tis a wonder that a wretched man, ť that has borne children, (for example the horse Sleipnir)

   should herein enter."

Loki: ť "Cease now, Njörðr!

   in bounds contain thyself; ť I'll no longer keep it secret:

   it was with thy sister ť thou hadst such a son (for example Freyr)

   hardly worse than thyself."

Týr: ť "Freyr is best

   of all the exalted gods ť in the Æsir's courts:

   no maid he makes to weep, ť no wife of man,

   and from bonds looses all." Not only mocking Týr's wound (his arm was bitten by Fenrir), Loki also called him a cuckold.

Loki: ť "Be silent, Týr;

   to thy wife it happened ť to have a son by me.

   Nor rag nor penny ever ť hadst thou, poor wretch!

   for this injury."

Freyr: ť "I the wolf see lying (The wolf: Loki is father of Fenrir)

   at the river's mouth, ť until the powers are swept away.

   So shalt thou be bound, ť if thou art not silent,

   thou framer of evil."

Loki: ť "With gold thou boughtest

   Gýmir's daughter, (for example Freyr's wife, Gerd) ť and so gavest away thy sword:

   but when Muspell's sons (for example Fire Giants, whose leader would slay the unarmed Freyr art Ragnarök) ť through the dark forest ride,

   thou, unhappy, wilt not ť have wherewith to fight."

Heimdallr: ť "Loki, thou art drunk,

   and hast lost thy wits. ť Why dost thou not leave off, Loki?

   But drunkenness ť so rules every man,

   that he knows not of his garrulity."

Loki: ť "Be silent, Heimdallr!

   For thee in early days ť was that hateful life decreed:

   with a wet back ť thou must ever be,

   and keep watch as guardian of the gods."

Skaði: ť "Thou art merry, Loki!

   Not long wilt thou ť frisk with an unbound tail;

   for thee, on a rock's point, ť with the entrails of thy ice-cold son,

   the gods will bind."

Loki: ť "Milder was thou of speech

   to Laufey's son, (Laufey´s son: the giant Loki) ť when to thy bed thou didst invite me.

   Such matters must be mentioned, ť if we accurately must

   recount our vices." Sif went to pour for Loki.

Sif: ť "Hail to thee, Loki!

   and this cool cup receive, ť full of old mead:

   at least me alone, ť among the blameless Æsir race,

   leave stainless."

Loki: ť "So alone shouldst thou be,

   hadst thou strict and prudent been ť towards thy mate;

   but one I know, ť and, I think, know him well,

   a favoured rival of Hlorridi, ť and that's the wily Loki."

After this, Thor came in and drove Loki away.

Thor: ť "Silence, thou impure being!

   My mighty hammer, Mjöllnir, ť shall stop thy prating.

   I will thy head ť from thy neck strike;

   then will thy life be ended."Further Information

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