Ek mun jǫtna inna heiti:
Ymir, Gangr, Mímir, Iði ok Þjazi,
Hrungnir, Hrímnir, Hrauðnir, Grímnir,
Hveðrungr, Hafli, Hripstoðr, Gymir.
Ek mun inna heiti jǫtna: Ymir, Gangr, Mímir, Iði ok Þjazi, Hrungnir, Hrímnir, Hrauðnir, Grímnir, Hveðrungr, Hafli, Hripstoðr, Gymir.
I shall tell the names of giants: Ymir, Gangr, Mímir, Iði and Þjazi, Hrungnir, Hrímnir, Hrauðnir, Grímnir, Hveðrungr, Hafli, Hripstoðr, Gymir.
[3] Mímir: The keeper of the well of wisdom (brunnr Mímis ‘the well of Mímir’) in Norse myth. Óðinn pledged his eye to Mímir in return for a drink from that well, and he consulted with Mímir’s head for wisdom (Vsp 28/10-1, 46; Gylf, SnE 2005, 17, 50, etc.). The name occurs as a second element in other heiti, such as Hreggmímir and Vetmímir (names for ‘heaven’; Þul Himins I ll. 6, 15 and Þul Himins II l. 1), as well as the sword-heiti hold-Mímir ‘flesh-Mímir’ (Þul Sverða 5/4). It is also used in kennings. Mímir is cognate with Lat. memor adj. ‘remembering, mindful’, memoria ‘memory’.