Encyclopedia

Loki

Loki (lō'kē) [key], Norse giant (or deity) who personified evil. He hated the gods of Asgard and continually sought to overthrow them. His worst exploit was the murder of Balder, for which he was punished by Thor. It was prophesied that when Ragnarok (the doom of the gods) occurs, Loki, with the aid of his monstrous children—the Fenris wolf, the Midgard serpent, and the goddess Hel—would lead the enemies of heaven.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

More on Loki from Fact Monster:

  • Loki - Loki The god of strife and spirit of evil. He artfully contrived the death of Balder, when Odin had ...
  • Asa Loki - Asa Loki Descended from the giants and received among the celestials. He is represented as a ...
  • Loki's Three Children - Loki's Three Children were Jörmungand (a monstrous serpent), Fenrir (a wolf), and Hela ...
  • Fenris - Fenris: Fenris: see Loki.
  • Ragnarok - Ragnarok Ragnarok , in Norse mythology, the doom of the gods. According to prophecy the end of the ...

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Ancient Religion

© 2000–2008 Pearson Education, publishing as Fact Monster