Oegishjalmr
The Œgishjalmr ( Old Norse ; also Œgishiálmr, Œgishalmr) is an object from Norse mythology that is mentioned in the Edda . The name is made up of the Old Norse word œgr ( Old High German egis ), which means something like terrible, and hjalmr, the Old Norse word for helmet. Literally translated, Oegishjálmr (Oegirshelm) means helmet of terror .
The helmet is a kind of masquerade ( mimicry ). This enables the wearer to disguise his or her true form and, for example, to take on a horrific appearance. Hence the name as a horror helmet.
It is disputed whether the word Œgis can be derived from the sea giant Œgir (Aegir), who according to some sources originally owned the helmet and given it to Hreidmar as a gift.
The Œgishjálmr in mythology
The Œgishjálmr is mentioned in the mythological literature in stanzas 16 and 17 as well as in the prose after stanza 44 of the Fáfnismál , in the prose after stanza 14 of the Reginsmál and in the section "Frá Fáfni, Regin ok Sigurði" of the Skáldskaparmál .
According to Snorris Skáldskaparmál , the helmet is initially owned by the giant Hreidmar . This was slain by his son Fafnir in the dispute over the gold of Andwari , whereby the helmet first came into Fafnir's possession. Fafnir makes use of the helmet's ability to appear as a dragon . After Sigurd had killed the Lindworm in the further course of the story , the Œgishjálm passed into his possession. He uses it among other things in courting the Gunnar to Brynhild .
The importance of Œgishjálam in sorcery
The wiegishjálmr is also known as the "runic" sign from sources such as the Eyrbyggja saga and Icelandic customs. Its effects and uses are described differently. Also, the signs associated with it are very different. A magic book ascribes him the strength to overcome the enemy, to appease another, emerging quarrel. The application is also described differently: Either it should be cast from lead and placed on the forehead or it should be drawn on the forehead with the index finger of the left hand.
Similar varieties of magic to the Œgishjalmr are the Huliðshjálmr (shell or camouflage helmet) and the Vegvísir (signpost).
With regard to the role of Œgishjalm in sorcery , u. a. also assumed that Fafnir wore no real helmet on his head, but that the mark of the Œgishjalm was on his forehead.
The camouflage helmet in Richard Wagner's Ring des Nibelungen
Richard Wagner took up the motif of the Œgishjalm from Germanic mythology, but instead of a terror helmet he uses a camouflage helmet, which corresponds more to a Huliðshjálmi than an Œgishjalmi.
