Hacah, Silence, Part 4...
Nott, Daughter of Mimir
The Germanic peoples (German, Teutonic, Scandinavian) also have a story of Night. Nott (Night) was the daughter of Mimir. She's also listed as the daughter of Narfi, whose intestines were used to tie Loki. One solution is that Narfi was a giantess instead of a giant. Another is Narfi and Mimir being the same. This doesn't work in legend. Either Narfi is female or there are two separate stories.
Nott has three children: Audr the Rich (whose daughter married Visbur, king of Sweden; Audr means Wealth), Jord (Earth; Mother of Thor), and Dagr (Day). So, like in Greek myth, Night comes first, then Day is born to her. Jord is the personification of the Earth, so to the Germanic people, the Earth comes from Night as well. And the Swedish line of kings is traced back to Night as well.
It's said that Nott brings inspiration, peace, and rest to Man. Inspiration relates back to prophecy coming from Night, Silence, Hacah. Nott and her horse travel across the dome (Ymer's skull) of heaven at night, and Dagr does during the day.
Mother Night
Third Letter to Norman Giles:In the beginning there was only Night, and She was alone. Being was absolute, movement was there none. Being force without form, She desired form, and since She desired, that form was created .. Woman. Being Woman, She desired union, and created Man from Her North side.
Having created Man, She discovered love, and so all things began. Here was the first of all sins, Desire. From desire sprang all movement, all Life, all Time, all Death, joy and sorrow alike.
From the Gods came seven children, who created seven worlds to rule over, and they formed a halo about the Great Gods as seven stars. They also created Earth, Air, Fire and Water, and gave these lands to four of the seven Gods. These Gods each live in a separate land bounded by the great Gulf of Annwn, which is the land of Chaos, and unredeemed souls.
Third Letter to Norman Giles:He guards, as a rider upon an eight-legged horse, the approaches to the Castle of Night.
Night holds an important place in Cochrane's beliefs. Night was the first being, Feri's Star Goddess, from whom all things came. There was no movement, so Night sat in Stillness, Hacah in Damam. From Desire comes the Cauldron, all movement. Interestingly, Odin guards the approach to her castle.
Nox and Diana
On Hereditary Italian Witchcraft (The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum):EPODE 5 : "...Night and Diana, who command silence when secret mysteries are performed, now aid me: now turn your vengeance and influence against my enemies' house..."
On Hereditary Italian Witchcraft (The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum):1390 AD: A woman was tried by the Milanese Inquisition for belonging to the "Society of Diana", she confessed to worshipping the "goddess of Night" and stated that "Diana" bestowed blessings on her
On Hereditary Italian Witchcraft (The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum):The Goddess rules the Night, and the Moon is Her sacred symbol. All women are linked to Her through the Moon, which influences the flow of blood. The night is the essence of the mystery which all women possess. This is the elusive quality which all women bear, but can never be known, or touched upon. The desire of men for women, is the desire of God for Goddess. It is the attraction of the Life Force.
On Hereditary Italian Witchcraft (The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum):NOX: Goddess of the Night. Nox rules the Darkness which falls upon the Earth, and all within it. She is the sister of Umbria, and shares her associations (except for the Underworld connection). Nox can be a bit on the sinister side if care is not taken.
Night, personified by Nox, the Italian (and Roman) version of Nyx, and ruled by Diana also takes a central place in Italian Witchcraft. And the first verse links both to Hacah as Secret, as well.
~Muninn's Kiss