Snorri Sturluson states in Ynglinga saga ch. 7 that the type of magic known as seiðr, listed as one of Óðinn’s skills, is attended by such ergi (unmanliness or perversity) that it is considered hazardous to a male practitioner. Other passages that have also been taken to indicate that seiðr is argr involve hapax legomena or difficult words or else concern the topic only briefly. Many attempts...