Hjaðningavíg (The Battle of the Heodenings) tells the legend of two mortal warriors, Heðinn and Hǫgni as well as the female figure of Hildr Hǫgnadóttir. In a conflict between the two men over Hild, they meet in battle upon an island and are forced/cursed to rise and fight again every day for eternity.
elements
1. Creation of the golden necklace/rings
2. Loki steals Freyja's necklace/rings
3. Óðinn incites Freyja to create conflict
4. Heðinn travels to the court of Hǫgni
5. Freyja administers Heðinn drink
6. Freyja dedicates the men to Óðinn
7. Hildr kidnapped by Heðinn
8. Heðinn lands on Hoy, Orkney
9. Hǫgni chases Heðinn
10. King Froði judges trial by combat
11. Heðinn offers compensation
12. Hildr offers golden rings
13. Hildr incites her father to battle
14. Hǫgni declines compensation and comes to battle
15. Hǫgni and Heðinn fight and kill each other
16. Hildr resurrects the men to fight again
17. Warriors cursed until Ragnarǫk
18. Eternal curse lifted by Christian man
map
commentary
context
The legend can be found documented in numerous sources within the poetry of the Viking Age and into the Medieval literature with examples such as Sǫrla þáttr, Ragnarsdrápa, Gesta Danorum and Skáldskaparmál. Depictions of the narrative can also be identified upon two Gotlandic picture stones, Lärbro Stora Hammars I and Stenkyrka Smiss I.
commentary
(Contributed by Douglas Robert Dutton.)
tags
Attributes:
Texts:
Skáldskaparmál Ragnarsdrápa Sǫrla þáttr Gesta Danorum Háttalykill