Day 3 – Loki, The Fractal Face of Change

The question for the third day asks about symbols and icons of Loki. Because I’ve been musing about Loki as a sort of “Lord of Fractal Forces,” whose shapeshifting begins at subatomic levels and probably follows fractal-like patterns in the process, I’m going to answer this question about just a few of his symbols and iconic moments, using a selection of fractal images.

Please see references at bottom of this article.

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Hail Loptr!

Hail Flamehair! Loki as a sky-walking god of fire and lightening. [1] [2]

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Hail Lóðurr!

Loki as Lóðurr (or Lóður) grants blood and “good color” to the first humans, Ask and Embla, who start out as trees (18th stanza Völuspá). [3]

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 Hail, Father of Monsters!

Loki, as father of Hel, Fenrir, and Jormungandr. [4]

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Hail, Mother of Witches!

Mother of witches (troll women), after eating a burnt woman’s heart, left on a tree, possibly as an offering (see stanza 12, Völuspá hin skamma).

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Hail, Mother of Sleipnir!

Loki gives birth to the magic, eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. [see 2 again.]

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Hail to the Bound God! (Let’s get you out of there!)

Loki’s agony: bound with his child’s entrails, unable to escape the venom dripped from a snake. [5]

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Hail Vulture’s Path!

Loki as Gammleið, “the vulture’s path” and perhaps a reference to cremation fire. [6]

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Hail Worldbreaker!

Loki captains Naglfar, the corpse ship also known as the “Ship of Dead Men’s Nails,” prior to Ragnarok. (See stanza 51, Völuspá.)  [7] [8]

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The Star Sirius, Lokabrenna (Loki’s Torch)

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References

Voluspa.org

[1] Loptson, Dagulf. 2014. Playing with Fire–An Exploration of Loki Laufeyjarson. Asphodel Press. pp. 27-29.

[2] Grundy, Stephan. 2015. God in Flames, God in Fetters. Troth Publications. pp. 35-40.

[3] Loptson, Dagulf. pp. 22-26.

[4] Grundy, Stephan. p. 4.

[5] Loptson, Dagulf. pp. 31-32.

[6] Loptson, Dagulf. pp. 29-31.

[7] Grundy, Stephan. pp. 26-27.

[8] Loptson, Dagulf. pp.182-185.

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