Eitr

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Eitr is a mythical substance in Norse mythology. This liquid substance is the origin of all living things, the first giant Ymir was conceived from eitr. The substance is supposed to be very poisonous and is also produced by Jörmungandr (the Midgard serpent) and other serpents.

In Vafþrúðnismál Odin asks Vafþrúðnir about the origin of Ymir and the giant answers:

Ór Élivagom

stukko eitrdropar,

svá óx, unz varð ór iötunn;

þar órar ættir

kómu allar saman,

því er þat æ allt til atalt.

Rough translation:

From Éliwaves

Eitrdrops splashed

that grew into a giant

who begat all families

from which all [giants] come

that is why we are easily angered

Contents 1 Influence 2 Controversy 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Influence

The word eitr exists in most Nordic languages (all derived from the Old Norse language) in Icelandic eitur, in Danish edder, in Swedish eter and Dutch ether, in German Eiter (lit. pus),in Old Saxon ĕttar, in Old English ăttor. The meaning of the word is very broad: poisonous, evil, bad, angry, sinister etc.^[1]

The word is used in common Scandinavian folklore as a synonym for snake poison. The last line of the stanza in Vafþrúðnismál where Vafþrúðnir says "that is why we are easily angered", is a word-play with the meaning of the word eitr, as it also means anger/angry (similar to "poison a relationship").^[1]

[edit] Controversy

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In Icelandic "eitur" simply means "poison". "Eitrdropar" is equal to "poisonous drops". "Eitrdropar" is mentioned in Snorra-Edda as creating Ymir but it doesn't necessarily stand for just any "eitr". It is actually highly unlikely that the eitr of Jörmungandr, for an example, is the same as the eitrdropar which conceived Ymir.

From Icelandic translation of Snorra Edda - Gylfaginning (5):

"Svo sem kalt stóð af Niflheimi og allir hlutir grimmir, svo var það er vissi námunda Múspelli heitt og ljóst. En Ginnungagap var svo hlætt sem loft :vindlaust. Og þá er mættist hrímin og blær hitans, svo að bráðnaði og draup, og af þeim kvikudropum kviknaði með krafti þess er til sendi hitann og varð :manns líkandi og var sá nefndur Ýmir, en hrímþursar kalla hann Aurgelmi, og eru þaðan komnar ættir hrímþursa, svo sem segir í Völuspá hinni skömmu"

In this text "kvikudropar" ("kvikudropum") is used for the substance which conceived Ymir. It translates to english as "drops of lava".

From another place in Gylfaginning (5):

"Ár þær er kallaðar eru Élivágar, þá er þær váru svá langt komnar frá uppsprettunni at eitrkvika sú er þeim fylgði harðnaði svá sem sindr þat er renn :ór eldinum, þá varð þat íss, ok þá er sá íss gaf staðar ok rann eigi, þá héldi yfir þannig úr þat er af stóð eitrinu ok fraus at hrími, ok jók hvert :hrímit yfir annat allt í Ginnungagap."

Here, when speaking of the conditions before the eitrdropar substance was formed, "eitrkvika" is mentioned which translates as "poisonous lava". In this text it is described how after the poisonous lava (originated from Muspelheim) had been hardened, it then froze (due to the cold from Niflheim) and eventually clumped together all over Ginnungagap. Later these frozen clumps of poisonous lava began to thaw (starting from the south part of Ginnungagap due to the heat from Muspelheim). This thawed matter was called "eitrdropar" and it was from this matter that Ymir originated.

In conclusion the eitr in Ymir's story refers to some special poisonous substance that originated from the lava of Muspelheim. It is not necessarily the same as any other eitr for that matter. It only shares the common quality of being poisonous. Eitr simply means "poison" - any poison. It may have been used in a broader concept such as to represent "anger" but only as a metaphor; and there's nothing tangible to suggest it has correspondance with the hypothetical substance "ether" or "aether".

The actual mythical substance in the story of Ymir's creation remains nameless. It is interesting to note the contradiction. It has the quality of abiogenesis while at the same time being described as poisonous drops originated from poisonous lava.

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} Svenska Akademiens Ordbok, entry for Etter [1]

[edit] External links

• Snorra-Edda: Gylfaginning

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