Editing Frigg (section)

==Attestations==
===''Origo Gentis Langobardorum'' and ''Historia Langobardorum''===
[[Image:Wodan Frea Himmelsfenster by Emil Doepler.jpg|thumb|Godan and Frigg look down from their window in the heavens to the Winnili women in an illustration by [[Emil Doepler]], 1905]]
[[Image:Wodan Frea Himmelsfenster II by Emil Doepler.jpg|thumb|Winnili women with their hair tied as beards look up at Godan and Frigg in an illustration by Emil Doepler, 1905]]
The 7th-century ''[[Origo Gentis Langobardorum]]'', and [[Paul the Deacon]]'s 8th-century ''[[Historia Langobardorum]]'' derived from it, recount a founding myth of the [[Langobards]], a Germanic people who ruled a region of what is now Italy (see [[Lombardy]]). According to this legend, a "small people" known as the ''[[Winnili]]'' were ruled by a woman named [[Gambara (Lombard)|Gambara]] who had two sons, [[Ybor and Agio]]. The [[Vandals]], ruled by [[Ambri and Assi]], came to the Winnili with their army and demanded that they pay them tribute or prepare for war. Ybor, Agio, and their mother Gambara rejected their demands for tribute. Ambra and Assi then asked the god Godan for victory over the Winnili, to which Godan responded (in the longer version in the ''Origo''): "Whom I shall first see when at sunrise, to them will I give the victory."{{sfnp|Foulke|2003|pp=315–16}}

Meanwhile, Ybor and Agio called upon Frea, Godan's wife. Frea counseled them that "at sunrise the Winnil[i] should come, and that their women, with their hair let down around the face in the likeness of a beard should also come with their husbands". At sunrise, Frea turned Godan's bed around to face east and woke him. Godan saw the Winnili, including their whiskered women, and asked "who are those Long-beards?" Frea responded to Godan, "As you have given them a name, give them also the victory". Godan did so, "so that they should defend themselves according to his counsel and obtain the victory". Thenceforth the Winnili were known as the ''Langobards'' ([[Lombardic language|Langobardic]] "long-beards").{{sfnp|Foulke|2003|pp=316–17}}

===Second Merseburg Incantation===
[[File:Wodan heilt Balders Pferd by Emil Doepler.jpg|thumb|"Wodan Heals Balder's Horse" by Emil Doepler, 1905]]
A 10th-century manuscript found in what is now [[Merseburg]], Germany, features an invocation known as the [[Merseburg Incantations|Second Merseburg Incantation]]. The incantation calls upon various continental Germanic gods, including Old High German Frija and a goddess associated with her—[[Fulla|Volla]], to assist in healing a horse:
{|
|
:<small>Old High German:</small>
:''Phol ende uuodan uuoran zi holza.''
:''du uuart demo balderes uolon sin uuoz birenkit.''
:''thu biguol en [[sinthgunt]], [[Sól (sun)|sunna]] era suister,''
:''thu biguol en friia, [[Fulla|uolla]] era suister''
:''thu biguol en uuodan, so he uuola conda:''
:''sose benrenki, sose bluotrenki, sose lidirenki:''
:''ben zi bena, bluot si bluoda,''
:''lid zi geliden, sose gelimida sin!''{{sfnp|Griffiths|2006|p=174}}
|
:<small>Bill Griffiths translation:</small>
:Phol and Woden travelled to the forest.
:Then was for Baldur's foal its foot wrenched.
:Then encharmed it Sindgund (and) Sunna her sister,
:then encharmed it Frija (and) Volla her sister,
:then encharmed it Woden, as he the best could,
:As the bone-wrench, so for the blood wrench, (and) so the limb-wrench
:bone to bone, blood to blood,
:limb to limb, so be glued.{{sfnp|Griffiths|2006|p=174}}
|
|}

===''Poetic Edda''===
{{main|Poetic Edda}}
In the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled during the 13th century from earlier traditional material, Frigg is mentioned in the poems ''[[Völuspá]]'', ''[[Vafþrúðnismál]]'', the prose of ''[[Grímnismál]]'', ''[[Lokasenna]]'', and ''[[Oddrúnargrátr]]''.{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=305}}

Frigg receives three mentions in the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''Völuspá''. In the first mention the poem recounts that Frigg wept for the death of her son [[Baldr]] in [[Fensalir]].{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=8}} Later in the poem, when the future death of Odin is foretold, Odin is referred to as the "beloved of Frigg" and his future death is referred to as the "second grief of Frigg".{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=11}} Like the reference to Frigg weeping in Fensalir earlier in the poem, the implied "first grief" is a reference to the grief she felt upon the death of her son, [[Baldr]].<ref name="LARRINGTON-266">See, for example, {{harvp|Larrington|1999|p=266}}.</ref>

[[File:Frigg and Odin in Grímnismál by Frølich.jpg|thumb|The goddess Frigg and her husband, the god Odin, sit in Hliðskjálf and gaze into "all worlds" and make a wager as described in ''Grímnismál'' in an illustration by [[Lorenz Frølich]], 1895]]
Frigg plays a prominent role in the prose introduction to the poem, ''[[Grímnismál]]''. The introduction recounts that two sons of king [[Hrauðungr]], Agnar (age 10) and Geirröðr (age 8), once sailed out with a trailing line to catch small fish, but wind drove them out into the ocean and, during the darkness of night, their boat wrecked. The brothers went ashore, where they met a [[Croft (land)|crofter]]. They stayed on the croft for one winter, during which the couple separately fostered the two children: the old woman fostered Agnar and the old man fostered Geirröðr. Upon the arrival of spring, the old man brought them a ship. The old couple took the boys to the shore, and the old man took Geirröðr aside and spoke to him. The boys entered the boat and a breeze came.{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=51}}

The boat returned to the harbor of their father. Geirröðr, forward in the ship, jumped to shore and pushed the boat, containing his brother, out and said "go where an evil spirit may get thee."{{sfnp|Thorpe|1907|p=18}} Away went the ship and Geirröðr walked to a house, where he was greeted with joy; while the boys were gone, their father had died, and now Geirröðr was king. He "became a splendid man."{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=51}} The scene switches to Odin and Frigg sitting in [[Hliðskjálf]], "look[ing] into [[Norse cosmology|all the worlds]]."{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=51}} Odin says: "'Seest thou Agnar, thy foster-son, where he is getting children a giantess [Old Norse ''[[gȳgi]]''] in a cave? while Geirröd, my foster son, is a king residing in his country.' Frigg answered, 'He is so inhospitable that he tortures his guests, if he thinks that too many come.'"{{sfnp|Thorpe|1907|p=19}}

Odin replied that this was a great untruth and so the two made a wager. Frigg sent her "waiting-maid" [[Fulla]] to warn Geirröðr to be wary, lest a wizard who seeks him should harm him, and that he would know this wizard by the refusal of dogs, no matter how ferocious, to attack the stranger. While it was not true that Geirröðr was inhospitable with his guests, Geirröðr did as instructed and had the wizard arrested. Upon being questioned, the wizard, wearing a blue cloak, said no more than that his name is ''[[List of names of Odin|Grímnir]]''. Geirröðr has Grímnir tortured and sits him between two fires for 8 nights. Upon the 9th night, Grímnir is brought a full [[drinking horn]] by Geirröðr's son, Agnar (so named after Geirröðr's brother), and the poem continues without further mention or involvement of Frigg.{{sfnp|Thorpe|1907|p=19}}

In the poem ''[[Lokasenna]]'', where [[Loki]] accuses nearly every female in attendance of promiscuity and/or unfaithfulness, an aggressive exchange occurs between the god Loki and the goddess Frigg (and thereafter between Loki and the goddess Freyja about Frigg). A prose introduction to the poem describes that numerous gods and goddesses attended a banquet held by [[Ægir]]. These gods and goddesses include Odin and, "his wife", Frigg.{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=84}}

In the poem ''[[Oddrúnargrátr]]'', Oddrún helps Borgny give birth to twins. In thanks, Borgny invokes [[vættir]], Frigg, [[Freyja]], and other unspecified deities.{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=206}}

===''Prose Edda''===
{{main|Prose Edda}}
Frigg is mentioned throughout the ''Prose Edda'', compiled in the 13th century by [[Snorri Sturluson]]. Frigg is first mentioned in the ''Prose Edda'' [[Prologue (Prose Edda)|Prologue]], wherein a [[Euhemerus|euhemerized]] account of the Norse gods is provided. The author describes Frigg as the wife of Odin, and, in a case of [[folk etymology]], the author attempts to associate the name ''Frigg'' with the Latin-influenced form ''Frigida''.{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|p=3}} The Prologue adds that both Frigg and Odin "had the gift of prophecy."{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|p=3}}

In the next section of the ''Prose Edda'', ''[[Gylfaginning]]'', [[High, Just-as-High, and Third|High]] tells [[Gylfi|Gangleri]] (the king [[Gylfi]] in disguise) that Frigg, daughter of [[Fjörgynn]] (Old Norse ''Fjörgynsdóttir'') is married to Odin and that the [[Æsir]] are descended from the couple, and adds that "the earth [''[[Jörð]]in''] was [Odin's] daughter and his wife."{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|p=13}} According to High, the two had many sons, the first of which was the mighty god [[Thor]].{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|p=13}}

[[File:Frigg and Fulla 1874.jpg|thumb|Frigg reaches into a box presented to her by a handmaid, [[Ludwig Pietsch]], 1865]]
Later in ''[[Gylfaginning]]'', Gangleri asks about the ''[[ásynjur]]'', a term for Norse goddesses. High says that "highest" among them is Frigg and that only [[Freyja]] "is highest in rank next to her." Frigg dwells in [[Fensalir]] "and it is very splendid."{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|p=29}} In this section of ''Gylfaginning'', Frigg is also mentioned in connection to other ''ásynjur'': [[Fulla]] carries Frigg's ashen box, "looks after her footwear and shares her secrets;" [[Lofn]] is given special permission by Frigg and Odin to "arrange unions" among men and women; [[Hlín]] is charged by Frigg to protect those that Frigg deem worthy of keeping from danger; and [[Gná and Hófvarpnir|Gná]] is sent by Frigg "into various worlds to carry out her business."{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|pp=29–30}}

In section 49 of ''Gylfaginning'', a narrative about the fate of Frigg's son Baldr is told. According to High, Baldr once started to have dreams indicating that his life was in danger. When Baldr told his fellow Æsir about his dreams, the gods met together for a [[thing (assembly)|thing]] and decided that they should "request immunity for Baldr from all kinds of danger." Frigg subsequently receives promises from the elements, the environment, diseases, animals, and stones, amongst other things. The request successful, the Æsir make sport of Baldr's newfound invincibility; shot or struck, Baldr remained unharmed. However, [[Loki]] discovers this and is not pleased by this turn of events, so, in the form of a woman, he goes to Frigg in Fensalir.{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|p=48}}

There, Frigg asks this female visitor what the Æsir are up to assembled at the [[Thing (assembly)|thing]]. The woman says that all of the Æsir are shooting at Baldr and yet he remains unharmed. Frigg explains that "Weapons and wood will not hurt Baldr. I have received oaths from them all."{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|p=48}} The woman asks Frigg if all things have sworn not to hurt Baldr, to which Frigg notes one exception; "there grows a shoot of a tree to the west of [[Valhalla|Val-hall]]. It is called [[mistletoe]]. It seemed young to me to demand the oath from."{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|p=48}} Loki immediately disappears.{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|p=48}}

[[File:Baldr's Death by Frølich.jpg|thumb|Frigg grips her dead son, [[Baldr]], in an illustration by Lorenz Frølich, 1895]]
Now armed with mistletoe, Loki arrives at the thing where the Æsir are assembled and tricks the blind [[Höðr]], Baldr's brother, into shooting Baldr with a mistletoe projectile. To the horror of the assembled gods, the mistletoe goes directly through Baldr, killing him. Standing in horror and shock, the gods are initially only able to weep due to their grief. Frigg speaks up and asks "who there was among the Æsir who wished to earn all her love and favour and was willing to ride the road to [[Hel (location)|Hel]] and try if he could find Baldr, and offer [[Hel (being)|Hel]] a ransom if she would let Baldr go back to Asgard."{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|p=49}}

[[Hermóðr]], Baldr's brother, accepts Frigg's request and rides to Hel. Meanwhile, Baldr is given a grand funeral attended by many beings—foremost mentioned of which are his mother and father, Frigg and Odin. During the funeral, [[Nanna (Norse deity)|Nanna]] dies of grief and is placed in the funeral pyre with Baldr, her dead husband.{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|pp=49–50}} Hermóðr locates Baldr and Nanna in Hel. Hermodr secures an agreement for the return of Baldr and with Hermóðr Nanna sends gifts to Frigg (a linen robe) and Fulla (a finger-ring). Hermóðr rides back to the Æsir and tells them what has happened. However, the agreement fails due to the sabotage of a [[jötunn]] in a cave named [[Þökk]] (Old Norse 'thanks'), described as perhaps Loki in disguise.{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|pp=50–51}}

Frigg is mentioned several times in the ''Prose Edda'' section ''[[Skáldskaparmál]]''. The first mention occurs at the beginning of the section, where the [[Æsir]] and Ásynjur are said to have once held a banquet in a hall in a land of gods, [[Asgard]]. Frigg is one of the twelve ásynjur in attendance.{{sfnp|Faulkes|1995|p=59}}

===''Heimskringla'' and sagas===
In ''[[Ynglinga saga]]'', the first book of ''[[Heimskringla]]'', a [[Euhemerized]] account of the origin of the gods is provided. Frigg is mentioned once. According to the saga, while Odin was away, Odin's brothers [[Vili and Vé]] oversaw Odin's holdings. Once, while Odin was gone for an extended period, the Æsir concluded that he was not coming back. His brothers started to divvy up Odin's inheritance, "but his wife Frigg they shared between them. However, a short while afterwards, [Odin] returned and took possession of his wife again.{{sfnp|Hollander|2007|p=7}}

In ''[[Völsunga saga]]'', the great king [[Rerir]] and his wife (unnamed) are unable to conceive a child; "that lack displeased them both, and they fervently implored the gods that they might have a child. It is said that Frigg heard their prayers and told Odin what they asked."{{sfnp|Byock|1990|p=36}}