Odin - God of Norse Mythology
Odin, , depicted as an imposing figure.
Odin (pronounced: "OH-din") also known as Wotan or Woden in other Germanic cultures, is a prominent deity in Norse mythology. He is considered the chief god of the Norse pantheon, with a complex and multifaceted role that encompasses wisdom, war, death, magic, poetry, prophecy, victory, and the hunt.
The name "Odin" in Old Norse runes is written as:
ᚢᛞᛁᚾ
According to Norse mythology, Odin resides in Asgard in the palace of Valaskjálf, which he built for himself. His throne, Hliðskjálf, is located in Valaskjálf and allows him to observe what is happening in each of the nine worlds. In battle, Odin brandishes his spear, Gungnir, and rides his eight-legged steed, Sleipnir.
Odin was the son of Bor and the giant Bestla, and brother to Vili and Ve. He was married to Frigg and fathered many of the gods, including Thor, Balder, Vidar, and Váli. Odin is often referred to with an infinite number of kenningars in skaldic poetry, with one of the most common being Allföðr, meaning "father of all".
As the god of war, Odin was responsible for sending the Valkyries to collect the heroic warriors killed in battle, known as the einherjar. These warriors sit next to him in Valhalla, where he presides over banquets. At the end of time, Odin will lead gods and men against the forces of chaos in the battle of the end of the world, Ragnarök. There, he will be killed and devoured by the ferocious wolf Fenrir, whom Vidar will immediately slay, tearing its jaws apart and placing a foot on its throat.
Odin's name is derived from the Proto-Germanic deity *Wōđinaz or *Wōđanaz, whose name is related to the Old Norse word óðr, meaning 'mad, frantic, furious, or violent', and is cognate with the Anglo-Saxon word wōd. The noun óðr means 'mind, wisdom, soul, or sensibility' and 'song or poetry', and is cognate with the Anglo-Saxon word wōþ. In compound words, óð- means 'violently energetic'.
Odin is an ambivalent deity, associated with both poetry and inspiration, as well as fury and madness. He sacrificed his left eye in the Well of Mimir to gain infinite wisdom and know everything (except the future). He was also the one who gave the courageous poets the mead of inspiration made by the dwarves from the vessel called Óð-rœrir. However, another interpretation suggests an egotistical character, as Odin obtained knowledge of the runes after sacrificing himself on the world tree Yggdrasil but kept that knowledge to himself and did not share it with anyone else.
Odin is also associated with the concept of the Wild Hunt, Asgardreid, a roaring, roaring movement across the sky where he leads the hosts of dead warriors. In the Prose Edda, Snorri Sturluson describes Odin welcoming warriors who have heroically died in battle to his residence, Valhalla, where they can drink, eat, and fight until Ragnarök arrives, where they will fight alongside Odin.
Overall, Odin's complex character and multifaceted role in Norse mythology make him a prominent and enduring figure in Germanic culture and mythology.
Please note that the information provided about Odin and Norse mythology is complex and may be subject to interpretation and debate. The myths and stories of Norse mythology have evolved and been passed down through oral tradition and written accounts, and there may be variations in the way they are told and understood. This information should be used as a general reference and not as a definitive source on the subject.
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Other Norse Gods and Goddesses
- Baldur (Æsir) - God of Light, Beauty, and Goodness
- Bragi (Æsir) - God of Poetry and Song
- Beyla (Æsir) - Goddess of Fertility and Prosperity
- Borr (Æsir) - Father of the Norse Gods
- Byggvir (Vanir) - God of Prosperity and Peace
- Dellingr (Æsir) - God of the Dawn and Justice
- Eir (Ásynjur) - Goddess of Healing and Compassion
- Forseti (Æsir) - God of Justice and Reconciliation
- Freyr (Vanir) - God of fertility, prosperity, and peace.
- Frigg (Ásynjur) - Goddess of marriage and fertility, also known as the queen of the gods.
- Fulla (Ásynjur) - Goddess of Fertility and Abundance
- Gefjon (Ásynjur) - Goddess of fertility and plowing.
- Gilling (Æsir) - A man who was drowned by the god Loki.
- Gjöll (Æsir) - A river that separates the land of the living from the land of the dead.
- Glaumvor (Æsir) - A giantess who was the mother of the god Heimdall.
- Gná (Ásynjur) - Goddess of the messenger of the gods.
- Gullinbursti (Æsir) - A magical boar that was a gift to the god Freyr from the dwarves.
- Gullveig (Vanir) - A goddess who was burned to death by the Æsir, but was reborn as the goddess Hecate.
- Heimdall (Æsir) - God of vigilance and guardian of the Bifröst.
- Hel (Æsir) - Goddess of death and ruler of the realm of the dead.
- Hermod (Æsir) - God of speed and messenger of the gods.
- Hildisvini (Æsir) - A magical boar that was a gift to the goddess Freyja from the dwarves.
- Hlin (Ásynjur) - Goddess of consolation and protection.
- Höðr (Æsir) - God of winter and darkness
- Hönir (Æsir) - One of the three creators of the world, along with Odin and Loki.
- Honir (Æsir) - God of communication and diplomacy.
- Idun (Ásynjur) - Goddess of youth and keeper of the golden apples of immortality.
- Jörd (Ásynjur) - Goddess of earth and fertility.
- Kvasir (Vanir) - God of wisdom and knowledge, who was created from the spit of the Æsir and the Vanir.
- Lóðurr (Æsir) - Described as being involved in the creation of the first humans.
- Lofn (Ásynjur) - Goddess of forbidden love and marriage.
- Loki (Æsir) - God of mischief, deception, and fire.
- Magni (Æsir) - God of strength, who will survive Ragnarök and rule the new world.
- Modi (Æsir) - God of anger, who will survive Ragnarök and rule the new world.
- Mimir (Æsir) - God of wisdom and knowledge, who guarded the well of wisdom.
- Nanna (Ásynjur) - Goddess of love and fertility, who was the wife of Balder.
- Njörd (Vanir) - God of the sea, wind, and fertility.
- Odin (Æsir) - Chief god and ruler of the gods, who was associated with war, wisdom, poetry, and magic.
- Rán (-) - Goddess of the sea and death by drowning.
- Saga (-) - Goddess of history, poetry, and wisdom.
- Sif (Ásynjur) - Goddess of fertility and abundance, who was the wife of Thor.
- Sigyn (Ásynjur) - Goddess of fidelity and loyalty, who was the wife of Loki.
- Sjöfn (Ásynjur) - Goddess associated with love.
- Skaði (Ásynjur) - Goddess of hunting, skiing, and winter.
- Snotra (Ásynjur) - Goddess associated with wisdom.
- Sól (Ásynjur) - Goddess of the sun.
- Thor (Æsir) - God of thunder, lightning, and protection, who was associated with strength and fertility.
- Týr (Æsir) - God of war and justice.
- Ullr (Æsir) - God of skiing, archery, and the hunt.
- Váli (Æsir) - God of revenge and justice, who was born to avenge the death of his brother Balder.
- Vár (Ásynjur) - Goddess of vows and agreements.
- Vé (Æsir) - One of the three creators of the world, along with Odin and Vili.
- Vili (Æsir) - One of the three creators of the world, along with Odin and Vé.