Yggdrasil · Gods and Their Allies
Syn: Keeping the Door, Refusing the Claim
A goddess in Gylfaginning who shuts the hall door against those who may not enter.
In Anderson’s translation
“The eleventh is Syn, who guards the door of the hall, and closes it against those who are not to enter. In trials she guards those suits in which anyone tries to make use of falsehood. Hence is the saying that “syn is set against it,” when anyone tries to deny ought.”
- Rasmus B. Anderson, The Younger Edda; Also called Snorre's Edda, or The Prose Edda (opens in a new tab) (1897), Gylfaginning, the list of the goddesses (Anderson’s translation) Rights: Public domain. Public domain; Project Gutenberg #18947.
What the sources say
Gylfaginning lists Syn eleventh among the goddesses. She has two tasks. At the door of the hall she keeps out whoever is not to come in. In trials she watches over cases where someone tries to use a falsehood.
Snorri adds that the saying “syn is set against it” is used when someone denies a thing. Her name therefore doubles as a word for refusal. Which hall she guards is not stated, and nothing else is told of her.
- Rasmus B. Anderson, The Younger Edda; Also called Snorre's Edda, or The Prose Edda (opens in a new tab) (1897), Gylfaginning, the list of the goddesses (Anderson’s translation) Rights: Public domain. Public domain; Project Gutenberg #18947.
Names and background
An older glossary gives the meaning of the word syn as equity, defence, excuse, negation or impediment. The range shows why the name suits both a door that is shut and a denial in court.
Snorri explains the name through the saying, so the connection between goddess and word is his own, not an independent report of worship.
- Rasmus B. Anderson, The Younger Edda; Also called Snorre's Edda, or The Prose Edda (opens in a new tab) (1897), Gylfaginning, the list of the goddesses (Anderson’s translation) Rights: Public domain. Public domain; Project Gutenberg #18947.