Þjazi

Þjazi (also anglicized as Thiazi, Thjazi, or Tjasse) is a figure from Norse mythology, likely derived from an Old Norse term whose exact meaning is uncertain. He is best known as a jötunn (giant) who kidnapped the goddess Iðunn and her magical apples of youth.

Etymology

The name Þjazi is of obscure origin. Some scholars have proposed connections to Old Norse words meaning "thief" or "giant," but no consensus exists. The name appears in skaldic poetry and the Prose Edda, with various anglicized forms reflecting different manuscript traditions.

Mythological Role

According to the Prose Edda, particularly the Skáldskaparmál section, Þjazi was the son of the jötunn Ölvaldi, and brother of Iði and Gangr. He is most infamous for abducting Iðunn. The tale begins when Odin, Loki, and Hœnir, traveling through the wilderness, attempt to cook an ox but find it will not roast. They discover that Þjazi, in the form of an eagle, is preventing the fire from working. He offers to help in exchange for a share of the meal, but when Loki angrily strikes at him, Þjazi seizes Loki and flies off, eventually releasing him only after Loki vows to lure Iðunn out of Asgard.

Loki fulfills his promise by telling Iðunn that he has found apples even more wonderful than hers, tricking her into leaving Asgard with him. Þjazi, again in eagle form, snatches Iðunn and her apples and carries her to his home. Without Iðunn's apples, the gods begin to age, and they pressure Loki to rescue her. Loki borrows Freya's falcon cloak, flies to Þjazi's hall, and transforms Iðunn into a nut to carry her back. Þjazi pursues in eagle form, but as he enters Asgard, the gods light a fire that burns his wings, causing him to fall to his death. Þjazi's daughter Skaði later seeks vengeance, but the gods eventually offer her atonement.

Cultural Significance

Þjazi is a typical example of the jötnar, giant beings often in conflict with the Æsir. His story underscores themes of rejuvenation and the cycle of youth, as embodied in Iðunn's apples. The tale is preserved in the 10th-century skaldic poem Haustlöng and retold in Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda (13th century). In modern times, the name has been used for astronomical features: Saturn's moon Thiazzi is named after him, following the convention of naming Saturn's moons after Norse and Gallic giants.

• Meaning: Unknown
• Origin: Old Norse, mythological
• Type: Jötunn name
• Notable epithets: Forcing the gods' youth